Bigger Than Five: Recent Episodes
TRT World
The old global order is being shaken up and Bigger Than Five is here to make sense of it all - with tough questions for those in power and sharp analysis about the people and politics that are changing our world.
China and Russia vow to cooperate to create a new multipolar world order, accusing the West of undermining global stability —as both countries push back against the United States’ hegemony. Following its major diplomatic breakthrough between Iran and Saudi Arabia, could Beijing be cast in a new role as global mediator —and power broker?
As Russia’s war in Ukraine enters its second year with no end in sight and NATO countries continue to pledge more heavy weapons, what are the prospects for a negotiated settlement and peace? Can either side prevail militarily, as the war rages on? And how will the expected delays in deploying US and western battle tanks to Ukraine affect the course of the war? Ghida Fakhry asks a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander on this month’s Bigger than Five.
As leaders from Latin American and Caribbean countries met for a summit in Buenos Aires, Brazil and Argentina announced plans for a new common currency that would promote regional cooperation. With left-leaning governments coming to power in Brazil and across the region, could this be a new era for Latin America? We speak with the Coordinator of the regional summit that brought together leaders from the 33-member Community of Latin American and Caribbean States —CELAC —and that saw the return of Brazil to the regional bloc.
As the world faces a deepening energy crisis and Europe braces for a cold winter, how will the hardest-hit oil-importing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America cope with soaring energy costs and widespread blackouts? Guests: Mauricio Cárdenas, Former Minister of Mines and Energy of Colombia and Director of the MPA in Global Leadership and Global Senior Research Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University; Anne McLellan, Former Minister of Natural Resources and former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada
Even as floodwaters begin to recede in Pakistan, outbreaks of diseases such as malaria and typhoid threaten to compound the misery of the more than 7.5 million who are already displaced. Bigger Than Five speaks with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari about this and other issues on the sidelines of UNGA 77.
With just four months until the next annual UN meeting on climate change, and with record breaking temperatures and heatwaves sweeping across Europe, the US and other parts of the world, the UN says it is further proof that the world is ‘on a fast track to disaster’ warning that it is ‘now or never’ to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Guests: Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Former President of Mauritius; Kishan Kumarsingh, Lead Climate Negotiator for Trinidad and Tobago; Daniel Kammen, Senior Advisor at USAID
As the war in Ukraine continues and the risk of global food shortages grows, the UN Secretary General warns of an “unprecedented wave of hunger and destitution” if the crisis is not addressed. But can a looming food catastrophe be averted?
Guests:
Karuti Kanyinga, Director of the Institute for Development Studies at the University of Nairobi
Ertharin Cousin, Former Executive Director of United Nations World Food Programme and CEO & Founder of Food Systems for the future
The old global order is being shaken up and Bigger Than Five is here to make sense of it all — with tough questions for those in power and sharp analysis about the people and politics that are changing our world.
Bigger Than Five airs at 20:30 GMT on the last Saturday of each month, and also at 03:30 & 16:30 GMT on Sunday.
Full interview with former International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo (2003-2012) from Bigger Than Five episode “Israel, Palestine and the ICC”
Amid mounting evidence that Israeli soldiers shot and killed a prominent Palestinian-American journalist earlier this month, and the Israeli government’s refusal to conduct a criminal investigation, will the International Criminal Court step in?
Guests:
Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on Occupied Palestinian Territories
Luis Moreno Ocampo, ICC Prosecutor 2003-2012
The conflict in Ukraine has exacerbated the global refugee crisis and exposed its deep inequalities. With the UN warning that over 8.5 million Ukrainians will become refugees this year, twice its initial estimate, can European countries cope? And how will it affect the tens of millions of refugees who have fled other wars and conflicts —and are still waiting to be resettled?
As the United States and other Western countries impose severe new sanctions on Russia, following its military escalation in Ukraine, sanctions in Afghanistan continue to have a devastating humanitarian impact. So why have sanctions become such a standard feature of US foreign policy?
Guests:
Martin Griffiths United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
Adam Smith Former OFAC Director
Two years since the first Covid-19 outbreaks, the virus to spread and kill worldwide. As 2021 draws to a close, we take a look at its latest variant, Omicron, and the state of the pandemic. Will governments have to consider a new co-ordinated response?
Guests:
Sibongiseni Dhlomo Deputy Minister of Health of South Africa
Syra Madad Senior Director of Special Pathogens Program at New York City Health + Hospitals
FW de Klerk, the former president of South Africa, who died this week at the age of 85 will be remembered by many for his political courage in dismantling apartheid. But he will also be remembered for his earlier support of and belief in racial segregation system. So, how did the last president of apartheid South Africa see his role in changing the destiny of his country?
He was Brazil’s most popular political leader, a two-time President whose run in the 2022 election against Jair Bolsonaro is widely expected. 20 years after his first election, can Lula da Silva make a political comeback and become President of Brazil, for the third time?
As the UN holds its 76th annual session of the General Assembly, world leaders pledge their renewed commitment to taking collective action to address the world’s pressing challenges. Facing a global pandemic, an ongoing refugee crisis, continuing conflicts and growing mistrust —can the UN still live up to its founding principles —and deliver for people around the world?
Guest: Achim Steiner Administrator for the United Nations Development Programme
With the United States set to complete its withdrawal from Afghanistan by the end of August and the Taliban rapidly making territorial gains, Bigger Than Five travels to Kabul to meet two young Afghans who share their views and concerns about the future.
The old global order is being shaken up and Bigger Than Five is here to make sense of it all - with tough questions for those in power and sharp analysis about the people and politics that are changing our world. 👉www.trtworld.com/video/bigger-than-five Follow us: 👉@_BiggerThanFive 👉@Ghida_Fakhry Subscribe: 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3pYJ2m7
As the US completes its troop pullout from Afghanistan, the Taliban continue to make gains across the country amid growing questions about the stability of the Afghan government.
What are the prospects for real peace among Afghans?
Guests: Zalmay Khalilzad- US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Lakhdar Brahimi- Former UN Special Representative for Afghanistan
The old global order is being shaken up and Bigger Than Five is here to make sense of it all - with tough questions for those in power and sharp analysis about the people and politics that are changing our world. 👉www.trtworld.com/video/bigger-than-five Follow us: 👉@_BiggerThanFive 👉@Ghida_Fakhry Subscribe: 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3pYJ2m7
Two of the world’s largest refugee camps are now facing the prospect of closing down.
The Kakuma and Dadaab camps in Kenya are home to 430,000 refugees, primarily from Somalia and South Sudan. Many of the refugees have lived there since the camps were established three decades ago.
Over half of the refugee population are children, many of whom have never known life outside the camps.
In March, the Kenyan government issued an ultimatum to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees to present a plan for closure of the two camps within two weeks or the Kenyan government would begin repatriating the refugees.
UNHCR and the Kenyan government came to an agreement to close the camp by next June.
Refugees who live in Kakuma are worried about the impending closure of the camp. Here’s the story of Jelly Naomi, a mother of four, filmed by refugees who also live in Kakuma.
Displaced by war, persecution and natural disaster, tens of millions of refugees have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety. Are we doing enough to protect the most vulnerable among them: children?
Guests:
Philippe Lazzarini Commissioner-General of UNRWA
Anne Richard Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration
Nadia Nadim Afghan-Danish Football Player
Barbara Hendricls Opera Singer and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
Maya Sanbar Palestinian-Lebanese Director and Multimedia Artist
In the US and Europe, governments have warned about a rise in incidents targeting Jews following the attacks on Gaza. In the US, the Anti-Defamation League reported 193 anti-Jewish hate incidents after the crisis began.
And while lawmakers have spoken out against these acts, accusations of anti-semitism are becoming more widely used to target those who condemn human rights violations by the Israeli government. Here in the US, democrats have long said their criticisms of the Netanyahu government —which some progressives have described as an “apartheid state” —should not be labeled as anti-semitism.
This week, four American democratic lawmakers signed a letter to President Biden saying they “re-ject comments from Members of Congress accusing Israel of being an ‘apartheid state’ and commit-ting ‘act[s]’ of terrorism. These statements are antisemitic at their core and contribute to a climate that is hostile to many Jews.”
Many Israeli and Jewish scholars are speaking out against attempts to accuse those with legitimate criticisms of the Israeli government as being ‘anti-Semitic’.
One of those scholars is Avi Shlaim, professor emeritus of international relations at St Antony's College, Oxford University. He is also the author of The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World.
Amid a fragile ceasefire in Gaza and ongoing Israeli military raids in occupied East Jerusalem, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to Washington this week after meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Blinken announced the US will reopen its consulate in Jerusalem which was closed by Trump — a move of little significance unless Washington withdraws is recognition of Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem, in line with international law. Blinken also said the US would provide $112 million for the reconstruction of Gaza, bringing the total aid to $360 million. This while the State Department has approved a 735 million dollar sale of weapons to Israel, bypassing congressional approval. So, after 11 days of intense bombing and a tenuous ceasefire —will the renewed diplomatic activity break the political gridlock in Israel and occupied Palestine?
Jana Al-Kiswani was shot in the back just outside her home in Sheikh Jarrah. The police officer has been suspended after video of the shooting emerged. While the Israeli Ministry of Justice says it is investigating the incident, Jana tells us how this has impact her life living in Sheikh Jarrah.
Crucial action taken by the world’s wealthiest and biggest polluters could affect the long-term survival of developing countries, especially low-lying island nations like Vanuatu.
Made up of 83 islands in the South Pacific, the country is the most-at-risk for natural disasters, according to a 2018 World Risk Report.
Bigger Than Five visited Erakor village where development, rising sea levels, dying fish populations, and powerful cyclones are challenging the community’s way of life.
Watch the full show 👉https://youtu.be/G2Y0fgjxyk4
The old global order is being shaken up and Bigger Than Five is here to make sense of it all - with tough questions for those in power and sharp analysis about the people and politics that are changing our world. 👉http://trt.world/13qv
Follow us: 👉https://twitter.com/_biggerthanfive 👉https://twitter.com/ghida_fakhry Subscribe: 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3pYJ2m7
The United States takes center stage in the fight against the climate crisis, as dozens of leaders attend its first virtual climate summit. But are their lofty commitments grounded in reality? And will they help keep the most vulnerable afloat?
The US is seeing a surge of asylum-seekers attempting to cross the US-Mexico Border, even though the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas has said the southern border is ‘closed’. Bigger Than Five travels to El Zonte, El Salvador to speak with Marvin Alvarado who tried to cross into the US after being deported. He recounts his experience and tells us why he is willing to make the dangerous trip, once again.
The old global order is being shaken up and Bigger Than Five is here to make sense of it all - with tough questions for those in power and sharp analysis about the people and politics that are changing our world. 👉http://trt.world/13qv
Follow us: 👉https://twitter.com/_biggerthanfive 👉https://twitter.com/ghida_fakhry Subscribe: 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3pYJ2m7
President Joe Biden is facing a growing crisis at the US-Mexico border, with the influx of thousands of unaccompanied minors from Central America—a surge that is on pace to become the ‘largest in the last 20 years’ according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Over 15,000 unaccompanied children are reportedly being kept at overcrowded facilities along the border, with the Administration facing criticism and pressure to address the situation. President Biden has appointed his Vice President, Kamala Harris, to lead the White House’s efforts to stem the flow of migrants from Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries: Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.
On his first day in office, President Biden rescinded a number of Trump’s immigration policies and initiated the reform of the immigration system by sending to Congress draft legislation to provide a pathway to US citizenship for an estimated 11 million undocumented aliens living in the United States. He also eased restrictions for asylum seekers and terminated a policy that required migrants to remain in Mexico while petitioning to enter the US.
Last month, nearly 19,000 family members and 9,400 unaccompanied minors entered the country and were taken into custody by U.S. border officials. Over the last three weeks, US government data shows that on average, more than 500 unaccompanied minors have been crossing into the United States every day.
The Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, himself a refugee from Cuba, said the southern border is now ‘closed’. But is the Administration sending the wrong signals to those seeking asylum by promising ‘a fair and humane’ policy?
Guests:
Meg Galas- International Rescue Committee’s Country Director for El Salvador
David Leopold- former Advisor to President Biden’s transitional team and former President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association
Ali Noorani- President and CEO of the National Immigration Forum
The old global order is being shaken up and Bigger Than Five is here to make sense of it all - with tough questions for those in power and sharp analysis about the people and politics that are changing our world. 👉http://trt.world/13qv
Follow us: 👉https://twitter.com/_biggerthanfive 👉https://twitter.com/ghida_fakhry Subscribe: 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3pYJ2m7
Min Zaw Oo, the Executive Director of the Myanmar Institute for Peace and Security, tells us that Myanmar has reached its 'lowest point of public relations between the military and general public.’
Anti-coup protesters have taken to the streets of Myanmar calling for the reinstatement of the elected government. Some demonstrators are also calling to abolish the 2008 Constitution, which some viewed as a pathway to democracy, but others believed left too much political power in the hands of the military. Bigger Than Five went to Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, to hear from protesters there.
Protests in Myanmar continue as a military coup challenges the country’s path towards democracy. Will outside pressure bring an end to human rights violations or will impunity —once again— prevail?
Guests: Tom Andrews- the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar
Joanne Lin- Amnesty International’s National Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs
The old global order is being shaken up and Bigger Than Five is here to make sense of it all - with tough questions for those in power and sharp analysis about the people and politics that are changing our world. 👉http://trt.world/13qv
Follow us: 👉@_BiggerThanFive 👉@Ghida_Fakhry Subscribe: 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3pYJ2m7
Some of the 11th-hour foreign policy decisions by the outgoing administration include: re-listing Cuba as a State-sponsor of terrorism; imposing more sanctions against Iran; and recognizing Moroccan claimed sovereignty over Western Sahara in defiance of long-standing US policy and international law, in a quid pro quo that led to the normalization of relations between Morocco and Israel. The move reverses the US’ three-decade long support for a United Nations referendum on the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
For more on the fate of #Sahrawi refugees, we visited the Smara refugee camp in the South- Western Algerian desert and spoke with a refugee.
- Also available on TRT World - The old global order is being shaken up and Bigger Than Five is here to make sense of it all - with tough questions for those in power and sharp analysis about the people and politics that are changing our world. 👉http://trt.world/13qv
President Joe Biden vowed to undo the Trump-era “withdrawal doctrine” which saw the United States pull out of the #ParisAgreement on climate change, the Iran nuclear agreement, the World Health Organization and other other treatise and institutions. On his first day in office, Biden re-joined the Paris Agreement, the most significant global climate pact to date. Biden also rejoined the World Health Organization Trump had withdrawn the US from in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. Biden, who has repeatedly emphasized the critical importance of working with allies to tackle major global challenges, also promised to rebuild the damaged relationships with traditional US allies and restore American diplomacy and international leadership. But what will it take to rebuild the broken trust in US foreign policy?
Guests: Tawakkol Karman 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
Medea Benjamin Co-Founder of Code Pink
The old global order is being shaken up and Bigger Than Five is here to make sense of it all - with tough questions for those in power and sharp analysis about the people and politics that are changing our world. 👉http://trt.world/13qv
Equitable access to a COVID-19 #vaccine is proving to be a challenge as wealthy nations preemptively secure millions of doses of experimental vaccines. Bigger Than Five visits #Peru and #India to hear how residents view the prospects of a vaccine as they experience the reality of the global pandemic.
Watch other episodes of ‘Bigger Than Five’ 👉 http://trt.world/13qv
Recent breakthroughs in COVID-19 #vaccine trials in the US, UK, Russia and China have raised hopes that the spread of the #coronavirus #pandemic, which has already killed almost 1.4 million people worldwide, could soon be contained, and eventually ended. But these breakthroughs have also raised concerns about the access and availability of vaccines for developing nations, with high-income countries claiming a disproportionate share of vaccine doses, often in significantly higher numbers than the size of their populations. So what are the prospects for the rest of the world?
Guests: Luiz Henrique Mandetta Former Minister for Health of Brazil
Mustaqeem De Gama Counsellor at the South African Permanent Mission to the WTO
Watch other episodes of ‘Bigger Than Five’ 👉 http://trt.world/13qv
Voters in America are choosing their next president, as people and governments around the world anxiously await the outcome of the US election which could have a consequential impact on their own lives.
One country that is looking on with a particularly keen interest is Iran. President #Trump has led a “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran by imposing unprecedented sanctions after pulling out of the #IranNuclearDeal. His rival Joe #Biden has called that policy “reckless” and said his administration would change course.
So just how different will US-Iran relations be under a Trump or Biden presidency?
Guests: Mohammad Javad Zarif Iran's Minister of Foreign Affairs
John Bolton Former National Security Advisor to US President Donald Trump
Watch other episodes of ‘Bigger Than Five’ 👉 http://trt.world/13qv
One of the key architects of the #Iran nuclear agreement, the #JCPOA, Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad #Zarif. He joins TRT World's Ghida Fakhry to discuss the fate of the Iran nuclear agreement after the US election.
Watch other episodes of ‘Bigger Than Five’ 👉 http://trt.world/13qv
One of the most vocal critics of Iran, John Bolton, who was President Trump’s National Security Advisor from 2018 to 2019. His recently published book, “The Room Where it Happened”, offers a highly critical insider account of the Trump administration. He joins TRT World's Ghida Fakhry on Bigger Than Five to discuss his book and US-Iran relations.
Watch other episodes of ‘Bigger Than Five’ 👉 http://trt.world/13qv
From #Tehran, hear what #Iranians hope to see from the next US #president.
Watch other episodes of ‘Bigger Than Five’ 👉 http://trt.world/13qv
The so-called Abraham Accords, which were described by the US President as a “significant step towards building a more peaceful, secure, and prosperous Middle East”, reinforce the anti-Iran axis in the Gulf region.
They also pave the way for the #UAE to purchase F-35 stealth fighter jets, drones and other advanced weaponry from the United States. While #Israel already flies 20 F-35s, the UAE would be the first Arab country to receive the American-made fighter jets. Some Israeli intelligence officials have voiced their concerns about the US commitment, enshrined in a 2008 law, to ensure that Israel maintains a “qualitative military edge” in the #MiddleEast. Others warn that it will spark a regional arms race.
So what would the US move to supply more sophisticated weapons to Gulf states mean for the stability of the wider region?
One country that knows far too well the devastating impact of these weapons on its civilian population is Yemen, where the world’s largest arms importer, Saudi Arabia, has been leading a bombing campaign since 2015. The International Rescue Committee calls it the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.
We went to Sanaa, the largest city in Yemen, and spoke with one man who lost his four children in a Saudi-led coalition airstrike in Al-Raqqas, last year during the month of Ramadan.
Watch other episodes of ‘Bigger Than Five’ 👉 http://trt.world/13qv
One of the stated conditions for normalizing relations with #Bahrain and the #UAE was that #Israel would suspend its plans to annex parts of Palestine. Yet, the US-brokered accords simply called for “a just, comprehensive and enduring resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”, making no mention of the ongoing Israeli occupation of the State of Palestine.
The Palestinian Government condemned the move by Bahrain and the UAE as “a stab in the back of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people.”
We went to the streets of al-Khalil in occupied Palestine to hear directly from Palestinian residents about how they view the agreement.
Watch other episodes of ‘Bigger Than Five’ 👉 http://trt.world/13qv
It was hailed by President #Trump as “a historic breakthrough”. Israel and two Arab Gulf nations, the United Arab Emirates and #Bahrain, signed bilateral agreements at the #WhiteHouse last week establishing full diplomatic relations.
The so-called Abraham Accords, which were described by the US President as a “significant step towards building a more peaceful, secure, and prosperous Middle East”, reinforce the anti-Iran axis in the Gulf region.
They also pave the way for the UAE to purchase F-35 stealth fighter jets, drones and other advanced weaponry from the United States. While Israel already flies 20 F-35s, the UAE would be the first Arab country to receive the American-made fighter jets. Some Israeli intelligence officials have voiced their concerns about the US commitment, enshrined in a 2008 law, to ensure that Israel maintains a “qualitative military edge” in the Middle East. Others warn that it will spark a regional arms race.
So what would the US move to supply more sophisticated weapons to Gulf states mean for the stability of the wider region?
Guests:
William Hartung Director of the Arms & Security Program at the Center for International Policy
Matar Matar Former Bahraini Opposition Member of Parliament with Al Wefaq Party
Watch other episodes of ‘Bigger Than Five’ 👉 http://trt.world/13qv
We take a look back at some of the UN’s key challenges and achievements over the last 75 years.
Watch other episodes of 'Bigger Than Five' 👉 http://trt.world/13qv
UnitedNations #UN #peace
Since 1948, the UN has deployed more than 70 #peacekeeping operations. Today, about 90,000 UN #BlueHelmets and police officers are deployed in 13 UN peacekeeping operations, some as old as the UN itself.
The UN has been involved in today’s Democratic Republic of the #Congo since the sixties. Its peacekeeping operation has been active since 1999.
We traveled to Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, to hear a view of the Mission, known by its French acronym MONUSCO.
Watch other episodes of 'Bigger Than Five' 👉 http://trt.world/13qv
75 years after the establishment of the United Nations to ‘save succeeding generations from the scourge of war’, has the #UN lived up to its ideals?
The #UnitedNations marks its 75th anniversary this year. The organization has faced many crises over its three-quarter century-long history. But this September, because of the pandemic, the annual session of the #GeneralAssembly won’t be held at UN headquarters. Instead of flying to NY for this ritual, Heads of State and Government, will deliver their speeches online under the theme: “reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism”.
With growing trends towards isolationism and unilateralism in some parts of the world, including the host country, the United States, will this amount to little more than diplomatic talk?
Guests: Tijjani Muhammed-Bande President of the United Nations General Assembly
Shashi Tharoor Former UN Under-Secretary General for Communications and Public Information
Watch other episodes of 'Bigger Than Five' 👉 http://trt.world/13qv
When it comes to reparations, the United States has attempted to pay before. Bigger Than Five takes a look at prior efforts by the American government to offer reparations.
Haiti fought a 12 year war led by slaves and defeated Napoleon Bonaparte’s forces, gaining independence from France in 1804. Haiti was the first independent nation from Latin America and the Caribbean, but it was forced to pay a crippling debt to France. Today, it is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with a per-capita income of $350, while France is one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Bigger Than Five went to Port-au-Prince to meet anti-corruption activist and economist, Emmanuela Douyon, who says it’s time for France to pay back the $21 billion she says it extorted from her country.
As the calls for racial justice get louder throughout the world, is it time for colonial powers and slave trading countries to atone for their sins by paying reparations?
Mobilized since the death of George Floyd, a black man killed by a white police officer in the US, the world has witnessed a reawakening over systemic racism.
Growing demands for racial justice have renewed the debate about apologies and reparations by former colonial powers and slave-trading countries to make amends for their crimes and past injustices.
Many countries are now grappling with their history. In France, protesters are calling for an end to discrimination against nonwhite descendants from former colonies. In the US, symbols of slavery and colonialism have been brought down, from statues of Confederate leaders to colonizer Christopher Columbus. The name of a former transit point for the transnational slave trade on Senegal's Goree Island, was changed from Europe Square to Freedom and Human Dignity Square. In Nigeria, Lagos State Assembly voted to rename all sites that still bear the names of colonial masters.
But this racial reckoning is evolving into a debate over what true reconciliation looks like. So are former colonial powers and slave-trading countries ready and willing to pay?
Guests:
Andrew Young Former US Ambassador to the United Nations
Shirley Weber California Assemblymember for District 79
Thomas Piketty Economist, Paris School of Economics
Facing mounting international pressure, will the Israeli government push ahead with its annexation plan with the full backing of the United States? And at what cost? The Secretary General of the United Nations has warned that this would constitute ‘a most serious violation of international law’ and called on the Israeli government to abandon its annexation plans. Meanwhile, more than 1000 members of European Parliaments signed a letter denouncing Israel’s plans. Ahead of its July 1st target date, the Netanyahu government is holding talks with the Trump administration on a ‘gradual annexation’. In retaliation, the Palestinian government is threatening to withdraw from all bilateral agreements with Israel. Will Netanyahu follow through on his threat? And what impact will it have on Palestinians?
Guests: Robert Malley President and CEO of The International Crisis Group
Diana Buttu Former Legal Adviser to The Palestinian Authority
A kindergarten teacher in Kabul tells Bigger Than Five why she's not optimistic about the future of Afghanistan. Watch the full show: https://youtu.be/leKVQL02A2Q
Founder of the #MyRedLine campaign tells Bigger Than Five who she believes needs to be part of the peace talks in Afghanistan.
The rapid invasion of the coronavirus is exposing the weaknesses and inequalities in our social and economic structures. Will its dramatic impact be a fleeting moment, or will it force a fundamental rethink of our systems? Guests:
Michael Steele- Former Republican National Committee Chairman and Former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
Mark Blyth- Professor of International Economics at Brown University
Sharan Burrow- General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation
German freelancers who have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus are seeing thousands of euros land in their bank accounts.
In #Palestine, the number of #coronavirus infections continues to rise. A state of emergency was declared in early March and a lockdown imposed. But with Palestinian workers returning from Israel, where more than 12 thousand cases have been reported, the virus continues to spread. So how are Palestinians #coping with this? We went to Bethlehem to find out.
Check out these playlists about Coronavirus
Life Under Quarantine http://trt.world/Quarantine
My Coronavirus Story http://trt.world/MyCstory
Covid-19 playlist with instant stories from around the globe. (New updates everyday) http://trt.world/pandemic
The #coronavirus has also spread to developing countries; countries with weak health systems and countries marred by years of conflict. One of those countries is Yemen, where the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed on April 10th. Aid agencies are warning that #Yemen is critically under-equipped to face the virus, following more than five years of war between #Houthi rebels and a Saudi-led coalition, whose bombing campaign has devastated the country’s healthcare infrastructure. We begin in the capital Sanaa where locals tell us about their challenges.
Check out these playlists about Coronavirus
Life Under Quarantine http://trt.world/Quarantine
My Coronavirus Story http://trt.world/MyCstory
Covid-19 playlist with instant stories from around the globe. (New updates everyday) http://trt.world/pandemic
The #coronavirus pandemic has hit some of the world's wealthiest countries the hardest, so far. The United States, the world’s largest economy, has the highest number of recorded infections. Among the 30 countries most affected, the majority are in the developed world. But the #virus has also spread to developing countries; countries with weak health systems and countries marred by years of conflict.
So as the fight against the #pandemic continues, it is the world’s vulnerable people and nations that will bear the brunt. Will wealthier countries, themselves struggling to contain the virus, come to their rescue? And what will be the impact on those already affected by war and conflict?
Guests:
Chema Vera Oxfam International's Acting Executive Director.
Dr. Hani Abdeen The Palestinian Authority's Health Minister between 2012 and 2013
Dr Christos Christou The International President of MSF
Check out these playlists about Coronavirus
Life Under Quarantine http://trt.world/Quarantine
My Coronavirus Story http://trt.world/MyCstory
Covid-19 playlist with instant stories from around the globe. (New updates everyday) http://trt.world/pandemic
From day laborers in Los Angeles, to mothers working in Amazon distribution centers, to Iranians facing economic sanctions, the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is hitting home for American and Iranian workers.
Check out these playlists about Coronavirus
Life Under Quarantine http://trt.world/Quarantine
My Coronavirus Story http://trt.world/MyCstory
Covid-19 playlist with instant stories from around the globe. (New updates everyday) http://trt.world/pandemic
BiggerThanFive #Covid19 #Iran
The Coronavirus pandemic is consuming lives and our global economies--and for some of us, our jobs. All we can do is think-- what’s next? What will the short term and long term future look like? Will it get better? And how soon can we expect a vaccine?
Guests:
R. Ramakumar, Professor of Economics at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai, India
Dr. Nevan Krogan, a Canadian molecular biologist and a professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology at the University of California San Francisco
Jamie Metzl, a technology futurist, geopolitical expert and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and expert advisor to the World Health Organization.
Check out these playlists about Coronavirus
Life Under Quarantine http://trt.world/Quarantine
My Coronavirus Story http://trt.world/MyCstory
Covid-19 playlist with instant stories from around the globe. (New updates everyday) http://trt.world/pandemic
Covid19 #BiggerThanFive #pandemic
The Coronavirus pandemic is sending many countries around the world into lockdown and putting immense pressure on their healthcare systems. So how are different parts of the world dealing with this global crisis?
coronaviruspandemic #coronaviruslockdown #biggerthanfive
Guests:
Dr. David Nabarro, WHO's Special Envoy on COVID-19. He's also chair of global health at Imperial College London.
Dr. Jerome Kim, the Director General of the International Vaccine Institute in Seoul.
Dr. Michel Yao, WHO’s Program Manager for Emergency Response in Africa.
Check out these playlists about Coronavirus
Life Under Quarantine http://trt.world/Quarantine
My Coronavirus Story http://trt.world/MyCstory
Covid-19 playlist with instant stories from around the globe. (New updates everyday) http://trt.world/pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic is taking lives, jobs and challenging governments worldwide. In the US, it was a delayed fight for containment. With all 50 states now reporting cases of COVID-19, federal and local governments are scrambling, preparing for the worst. President Trump says he’s at war. Could we have seen this coming? And could this new invisible threat change the world as we know it?
Guests: Dr. Tom Frieden- Former Director of the US Centers for Disease Control (2009-2017) & President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives
Mike Leavitt- Former Director of Health and Human Services (2005-2009) & Former Governor of Utah (1993-2003)
Dr. Elias Zerhouni- Former Director of the US National Institutes of Health (2002-2008) & Former Head of Global Research and Development at Sanofi
Correction: Dr. Tom Frieden joins Bigger Than Five from New York City and Dr. Elias Zerhouni joined the show from Geneva.
Check out these playlists about Coronavirus
Life Under Quarantine http://trt.world/Quarantine
My Coronavirus Story http://trt.world/MyCstory
Covid-19 playlist with instant stories from around the globe. (New updates everyday) http://trt.world/pandemic
BiggerThanFive #Covid19 #coronavirus
Faced with the coronavirus sweeping California and the world, the head of a network of medical clinics is scavenging for supplies to provide for the most vulnerable in South Los Angeles.
Check out these playlists about Coronavirus
Life Under Quarantine http://trt.world/Quarantine
My Coronavirus Story http://trt.world/MyCstory
Covid-19 playlist with instant stories from around the globe. (New updates everyday) http://trt.world/pandemic
LosAngelesCoronavirus #CoronavirusLosAngeles #CoronavirusCalifornia
With less than a week to go before Israel's next parliamentary elections, the fallout from the Trump administration's Middle East plan continues. The latest polls show that almost 95% of Palestinians reject the plan, while nearly 50% of Israelis believe it amounts to US intervention in their elections to help Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party win over the opposition on March 2nd. Since the plan was unveiled at The White House weeks ago, it has been been criticized by Pope Francis for its ""inequitable solutions"" which he warned could be a prelude to new crises. Here in the US, Democratic frontrunner Bernie Sanders has announced his decision to boycott AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby's annual meeting in Washington next week, saying he is ""concerned about the platform AIPAC provides for leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights"". So, is Trump's Middle East plan a serious effort at peace-making between Israelis and Palestinians? Or a crude attempt at bolstering his and Netanyahu's re-election campaigns?
One of the key elements of President Trump's proposed Middle East peace plan is to swap East Jerusalem for Abu Dis, a small isolated suburb of Jerusalem. We went to Abu Dis to ask residents there about Trump's plan to turn their village into the capital of Palestine.
The Palestinian government has rejected outright the Trump/Kushner so-called peace plan, arguing that it denies Palestine any attributes of statehood and sovereignty. But the White House proposal doesn't stop at denying Palestine East Jerusalem as its capital. It goes much further than that, as Bigger Than Five investigates in the Five Facts.
It’s the world’s most unequal country. Twenty-five years since the end of apartheid, South Africa is still dogged by inequality and unemployment. Bigger Than Five digs into the numbers in this week’s Five Facts.
southafrica #inequality #apartheid
30 years after Nelson Mandela’s release from prison, Obakeng Leseyane, a 21-year-old education advocate and youth activist, looks at the legacy of apartheid in South Africa.
SouthAfrica #Apartheid #NelsonMandela
30 years after Nelson Mandela was freed from prison, has South Africa been able to fully break free from the shackles of apartheid? Or does its legacy live on?
Guests: F.W. de Klerk- President of South Africa (1989-1994)
Mandla Mandela- Grandson of Nelson Mandela and Member of Parliament of South Africa representing the African National Congress
NelsonMandela #SouthAfrica #Mandela
64 countries around the world are using facial recognition technology. Bigger than Five looks at how governments are experimenting with the hi-tech surveillance systems.
BiggerThanFive
In a deal with China, Kyrgyzstan is installing Chinese surveillance cameras equipped with facial recognition technology around the capital Bishkek. Officials say they are intended to help improve public safety, critics say China is “exporting authoritarianism”. Bigger Than Five went to Bishkek to see how people there feel about the move.
We’re encouraged to tag our photos on social media and use our face to open our phones. Governments are scanning crowds to find suspected criminals and missing people, but also to surveil activists, protesters and ethnic minorities. Facial recognition is rapidly expanding, but will its unregulated use create a new technological wild west? Have we found the balance between privacy, human rights and safety? Guests: James Craig- Detroit Police Chief Kenneth Roth- Executive Director of Human Rights Watch Sharon Bradford Franklin, Policy Director at New America’s Open Technology Institute #BiggerThanFive
CleanSlateNow Action is an organisation working to eliminate the corrupting influence of big money in US politics by introducing localised campaign finance reform initiatives. We traveled to Denver, Colorado to meet with its president and local supporters as they celebrated more than a year since they passed The Democracy for The People Measure, also known as Denver's Fair Elections Act.
It is estimated that spending on the next US presidential election could be as high as 10 billion dollars. A landmark US Supreme Court ruling 10 years ago changed campaign finance laws by allowing unlimited amounts of private money to be injected into the American electoral system. The ruling in the Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commissions case argued that placing limits on election spending by corporations or special interest groups violates the US Constitution's First Amendment right to free speech. With the century-old restrictions lifted in 2010, groups and corporations have been able to spend unlimited funds on campaign advertising and events, as long as there is no formal coordination with the candidates or their parties. As a result, Super Political Action Committees - or Super PACs - were established, with the vast majority of their funding coming from wealthy donors. This trend has raised concerns about the inequality gap and the influence of wealthy individuals and corporations on the candidates in the US election system. So, is big money perverting American democracy? Who's interests are being served and who's voices are being left out?
Guests:
James Bopp Jr Special Counsel for President Trump on Campaign Finance Law
Hans Von Spakovsky Manager, Election Law Reform Initiative at The Heritage Foundation
Brendan Fischer Director, Federal Reform Program at The Campaign Legal Center
election2020 #2020election #2020
In the US, wealthy donors have always had a significant influence on politics but for almost 100 years restrictions on spending were upheld by the courts in the interests of having fair elections and preventing corruption. But by lifting campaign spending limits in the Citizens United v. FEC case, the Supreme Court's ruling significantly altered the way US elections are fought and won. Bigger Than Five looks at the trends that have emerged in the decade since Citizens United in the Five Facts.
President Paul Kagame has spearheaded a remarkable rebuilding effort in Rwanda following the 1994 genocide that killed nearly 1 million people. He is credited with healing the country and producing an economic miracle. But his re-election in 2017 was not without critics. After more than two decades in power, is Kagame's political longevity his worst enemy? Bigger Than Five Host Ghida Fakhry sat down with President Kagame in Doha.
Genocide #Africa, #BiggerThanFive
He is credited with ending Rwanda's genocide, healing the country and producing an economic miracle. But President Paul Kagame is not without his critics. Bigger Than Five looks back at the former rebel leader’s rise to power.
BiggerThanFive #PaulKagame #Rwanda, Africa
Income inequality in America has reached its lowest levels in 50 years — but will voters do anything about it in 2020? Bigger Than Five interviews UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty Philip Alston.
Income inequality in the US is the worst it’s been in 50 years — but will this affect the 2020 presidential election?
IncomeEquality #DistributionOfWealth #UsElection
California’s homeless population is growing amidst the worst affordable housing crisis in the state’s history.
Housing #California #Homelessness
An anonymous whistleblower has triggered the third ever impeachment inquiry into a sitting president in the United States. The vitriol from one end of the political spectrum and praise from the other has renewed a global conversation about the role of the whistleblower. They expose wrongdoing, fraud and abuse. But around the world, whistleblowers face government retaliation. Are whistleblowers criminals who leak sensitive state secrets and deserve to face persecution? Or are they heros of transparency, who deserve protection?
Bigger Than Five host Ghida Fakhry speaks with Kristinn Hrafnsson, who replaced Julian Assange as editor-in-chief of Wikileaks.
Stephen Kohn, whistleblower attorney and author of “The Whistleblower’s Handbook”, and Charles Stimson, Senior Legal Fellow and Manager of the National Security Law Program at the Heritage Foundation, also join the show.
BiggerThanFive #Whistleblower #Wikileaks
Two whistleblowers on opposite sides of the world say exposing wrongdoing can be costly. #BiggerThanFive, #Whistleblower, #ThomasDrake
Whistleblowers around the world have taken on their governments and other powerful institutions to expose wrongdoing. Bigger Than Five looks at some of the recent cases.
BiggerThanFive #RealityWinner #Whistleblower
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, joins Bigger Than Five to discuss the nexus between corruption and human rights. He tells host Ghida Fakhry that the UN needs to save humanity from hell; but that the prudence of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is seen by the human rights community as a sign of weakness.
BiggerThanFive #HumanRights #UN
Women in Peru are demanding justice for victims of gender-based violence. But is the legal system working for them? Bigger Than Five goes to the capital Lima to hear from women who will not remain silent.
Protesters around the world are calling out corrupt leaders. They demand accountability and justice. But can people’s fundamental human rights be upheld in countries where heads of state themselves are marred by corruption?
Guests: Zeid Ra´ad Al Hussein- Former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights & Professor of the Practice of Law and Human Rights at the University of Pennsylvania
Sarah Leah Whitson- Attorney & Executive Director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East and North Africa Division
Diego Garcia-Sayan- United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers & Former Minister of Justice and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru
BiggerThanFive #Corruption #OperationCarWash
Popular revolts have erupted around the world, accusing governments and their leaders of corruption and abuse of power. Bigger Than Five looks at the global fight against corruption at the top.
BiggerThanFive #OperationCarWash #Corruption
Another referendum on statehood for Puerto Rico is planned for 2020. But will it change anything or be taken seriously by the US Congress?
What does it mean to be a colony of the US? Bigger Than Five spoke to residents of Puerto Rico to find out
Algerians have been demonstrating for nearly a year — but will they bring down their regime?
AlgeriaElections #PresidentialElections #Revolution
After its successful struggle for independence from France, Algeria was a beacon for revolutionaries around the world. Will it be again? Or will those in power maintain their control?
Will a presidential election on December 12 stop the protests against Algeria’s government? Or will the Hirak continue?
For the second month, Iraqis across the country have joined in the biggest anti-government protests yet. What started out as general discontent over unemployment, lack of services, and widespread corruption quickly turned into a rejection of Iraq's ruling class and a demand to overhaul the country's entire political system, which has been in place since the 2003 US invasion. Since the protests began on October 1st, more than 330 Iraqis have been killed and 15,000 injured by live ammunition, tear gas and stun grenades. Many protesters accuse government security forces and militias with close ties to Iran of being behind the violence. Iraq's Prime Minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, whose government has been in place for just one year, pledged to enact a set of reforms. He reaffirmed his commitment to fighting corruption and reshuffling his cabinet. But his efforts were quickly rejected by the protesters who say trust in the system has been completely broken. But facing a bloody repression, will protesters' demands for meaningful change succeed?
Guests:
Luay Al Khateeb Iraq's Minister of Electricity
Samir Sumaidaei Iraq's Former Ambassador to the UN and the US
Bilal Wahab Fellow at The Washington Institute
Iraqis across the country have joined in the biggest anti-government protests yet. Most of the protesters are in their youth. So what is behind their participation? Bigger Than Five spoke with two protesters in Baghdad's Tahrir Square.
Iraqis' frustration with their government's performance is nothing new. Anti-government protests have taken place nearly every year for the past ten years, fueled by the lack of basic services. So why then has the country's leadership failed to deliver tangible results? Bigger Than Five unpacks Iraq's deeper troubles in the Five Facts.
The UN says it is quickly running out of cash because many of its member states have not paid their annual contributions. With just over 70% of contributions to the UN's regular budget paid, member-states still owe the organization $1.2 billion for this year. But is this a symptom of a deeper crisis facing the organization? And what will it take to save it from bankruptcy? Stephane Dujarric, UN Spokesperson, joined Bigger Than Five's Ghida Fakhry.
The UN says it is quickly running out of cash because many of its member states have not paid their annual contributions. With just over 70% of contributions to the UN's regular budget paid, member-states still owe the organization $1.2 billion for this year. So just how bad is the UN's cash crisis? Bigger Than Five has the Five Facts.
There are currently 13 active UN peacekeeping operations around the world. One of them is United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon - UNIFIL - which monitors the border between Lebanon and Israel. Bigger Than Five went to south Lebanon to see how UNIFIL's work contributes to regional peace and security.
The UN says it is quickly running out of cash because many of its member states have not paid their annual contributions. With just over 70% of contributions to the UN's regular budget paid, member-states still owe the organization $1.2 billion for this year. More than 130 million people across the world rely on humanitarian assistance and protection from the UN. The United States, which is the UN’s largest contributor, recently paid the organization $180 million to relieve some of the financial pressure but still owes close to a billion dollars. Calling it the UN's 'deepest deficit of the decade', Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the international organisation's “work and reforms are at risk” if member-states do not pay their contributions in full. But is this a symptom of a deeper crisis facing the organization? And what will it take to save it from bankruptcy?
Guests:
Stephane Dujarric Spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General
Brett Schaefer Member of UN's Committee on Contributions
Munir Akram Pakistan's Ambassador to the United Nations
A 4 percent subway fare hike sparked three weeks of mass demonstrations across Chile against the high cost of living, privatization and inequality. President Sebastian Pinera , the center-right billionaire who began his second term in 2017, reshuffled his cabinet and promised to increase the minimum wage and cut government salaries. But protesters say it’s not enough. Many are demanding him to step down. So the protests continue. Bigger Than Five went to Santiago to find out what the protesters are fighting for.
chile #chileprotests #chiledemonstrations
Chile may have been considered one of the great economic success stories of Latin America, but for the past three weeks, the country’s free-market economic model has been under attack by hundreds of thousands of protesters demanding an end to the high cost of living and inequality in the country.
Protesters are calling for billionaire President Sebastian Piñera, to step down, despite promised economic and political reforms. What is the way forward?
Guests:
Patricio Melero- Member of Chile’s Parliament (UDI Party)
Eric Farnsworth- Vice President of the Council of the Americas and Americas Society and former advisor to the Clinton Administration
Julio Pinto- Historian at the University of Santiago and winner of Chile’s National History Award in 2016
ChileProtests #SebastianPiñera #NeoliberalEconomy
Chile is the wealthiest nation in Latin America, yet protesters have been in the streets for three weeks calling for an end to the high cost of living and inequality. A 2017 United Nations report found the top 1 percent in Chile own 33 percent of the country’s wealth. Bigger Than Five went to Santiago to hear how Chileans view the economic situation across the social spectrum.
chileeconomy #chile'seconomicwoes #chile
The resignation of Lebanon's Prime Minister, Saad Hariri, after two weeks of anti-government protests, has left the country at a critical juncture. Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese citizens from all walks of life joined the country's biggest protest movement yet, accusing the country's political elite of rampant corruption and economic mismanagement. The protests, which were initially sparked by a proposed tax on mobile messaging apps like WhatsApp, quickly morphed into a nationwide grassroots movement aiming to drive out the country's ruling class which has remained virtually unchanged for much of the last three decades.
The government initially responded to the protests by announcing a package of reforms, that included cutting the salaries of current and former politicians by half, establishing an anti-corruption committee, increasing taxes on bank profits and assistance for poor families. But that offer was rejected by the protesters who pledged not to stop until the entire government resigns.
So now that the head of government has resigned, what is next for one of the most indebted countries in the world?
lebanonprotests #lebanonnews #lebanon
The resignation of Lebanon's Prime Minister, Saad Hariri, after two weeks of anti-government protests, has left the country at a critical juncture. Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese citizens from all walks of life joined the country's biggest protest movement yet, accusing the country's political elite of rampant corruption and economic mismanagement. Ali from Beirut and Linda from Tripoli tell us why they decided to join the protest movement and speak up.
lebanonprotests #lebanonnews #lebanon
The resignation of Lebanon's Prime Minister, Saad Hariri, after two weeks of anti-government protests, has left the country at a critical juncture. Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese citizens from all walks of life joined the country's biggest protest movement yet, accusing the country's political elite of rampant corruption and economic mismanagement. Ali from Beirut and Linda from Tripoli tell us why they decided to join the protest movement and speak up.
lebanonprotests #lebanonnews #lebanon
Anti-government protests in Haiti have continued to rock the capital of Port-au-Prince. Protesters are calling on President Jovenel Moise to step down, blaming him for fuel shortages, corruption and rising inflation.
The President who was elected in 2017, insists that he will continue to serve out the remainder of his five-year term in office.
Has Haiti reached its breaking point?
Guests: Jean-Michel Lapin- Prime Minister of Haiti
Jerry Tardieu- Member of Parliament
Velina Elysee Charlier, member of Haitian social activist group Nou Pap Dòmi, says it’s time for President Jovenel Moise to resign. What would a successful political transition look like in Haiti?
Haitians are in the streets demanding change, justice and an ethical political system. Is the government listening? Bigger Than Five went to Port-au-Prince to find out.
Bigger Than Five speaks with Kimberly Teehee, the Cherokee Nation’s delegate to the US House of Representatives and a former Obama administration official as we look at the fight of Native Americans for environmental justice and civil rights.
Syrians continue to search for peace more than 8 years into the crisis. So how has the war changed their lives? Watch the full episode of Bigger Than Five here: https://youtu.be/N4m57eMYQh8
What should be included in Syria's new constitution? Yahya Al-Aridi, spokesman for the Syrian Negotiation Commission shares his thoughts. Watch the full episode of Bigger Than Five here: https://youtu.be/N4m57eMYQh8
By pulling out of Syria, is the US handing victory to the Russians? The last US Ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, gives his take on Trump’s move on this week’s Bigger Than Five with Ghida Fakhry.