Iraq could face another summer of bloodshed

Iraq could face another summer of bloodshed

Hundreds of protesters converged on the streets of the southern Iraqi city of Basra last week. Demonstrators across the province are calling for structural change to fix rampant corruption, a stagnant economy, high unemployment and underfunded public utilities. Protests in Iraq are common, but last summer's demonstrations saw an escalation into violence. Hundreds were wounded and killed, and many thousands more were arrested after clashes with police forces. Government buildings were set on fire, and the province was on the edge of revolt. Despite the violence, little has changed. The government still suffers from mismanagement and fraud. The country's elite have done little to improve conditions for the lower classes. As temperatures creep closer to 50°C and the struggling electrical grid and fresh water supply are strained, many question whether the protests will spiral into similar violence. On this week's episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Campbell MacDiarmid speaks with Dr Renad Mansour, a research fellow in the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House, and Belkis Wille, the senior Iraq researcher in the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch. Read more on our website:

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Episoder(513)

Can Hezbollah survive without money?

Can Hezbollah survive without money?

When the US announced it was imposing new sanctions on Iran late last month, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the aim was to sever every economic lifeline “until Tehran stands alone”. The burden ...

4 Sep 19min

What’s behind the Israel-Turkey power struggle in Syria?

What’s behind the Israel-Turkey power struggle in Syria?

Israel has been attacking parts of Syria since the fall of the Assad regime and carrying out incursions into the country’s south under the pretext of targeting weapons of the former government. But it...

28 Aug 22min

The compounded burdens weighing down humanitarian work

The compounded burdens weighing down humanitarian work

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, Mercy Corps CEO Tjada McKenna joins host Nada AlTaher in conversation about the challenges facing humanitarian assistance across the Middle East and beyond. Th...

27 Aug 19min

How cheap weapons are changing the balance of military power

How cheap weapons are changing the balance of military power

The US-Iran war has highlighted how rapidly modern warfare is changing, with drones and other relatively inexpensive technology playing an increasingly prominent role alongside sophisticated missile a...

21 Aug 17min

What do the Houthis stand to gain by escalating now?

What do the Houthis stand to gain by escalating now?

The Houthis had mostly stayed out of the Iran war. But in recent weeks they have started attacking ships in the Red Sea, as well as Saudi-linked targets inside Yemen and across the border. On Tuesday,...

14 Aug 17min

The cost of occupation: How Palestine's economy has been pushed to the brink

The cost of occupation: How Palestine's economy has been pushed to the brink

Since October 2023, entire industries in Gaza have been wiped out and poverty has increased. In the occupied West Bank, businesses are struggling amid settler violence and increasing restrictions on m...

7 Aug 30min

What the US-Saudi strikes on Iran-affiliated militias in Iraq reveal about the wider war

What the US-Saudi strikes on Iran-affiliated militias in Iraq reveal about the wider war

It has been five months since the US and Israel launched their war with Iran, and the conflict has never really been contained. Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE and Jordan have all been hit by Iranian ...

31 Jul 18min

Can Lebanon find a winning formula in peace talks with Israel?

Can Lebanon find a winning formula in peace talks with Israel?

US President Donald Trump pledged his support for Lebanon this week during a visit to the White House by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. A four-decade ban on US airlines flying to the country will be ...

24 Jul 21min

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