J Peter Pham joins BBC Newsday to Discuss Coup in Guinea 7/09

Anu Fredriksson, Executive Director for Arctic Frontiers, gives a local perspective on living in the Arctic. Anu is originally from Oulu in Northern Finland and has worked with Arctic issues for over a decade. She has previously served as Director at the Arctic Economic Council and as an Arctic Policy Advisory at the Finnish Embassy in Norway.

Voices From The North Ep 1 Anu Fredrikson

Mathieu Boulègue, Senior Research Fellow for the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House, takes a closer look at Russia’s deep ties to the Arctic and its posturing in the region. Mathieu specializes in Russian security and defence issues and leads Arctic work at Chatham House.

Voices From The North Ep 2 Mathieu Boulègue

Dr. Camilla Tenna Nørup Sørensen, Associate Professor at the Royal Danish Defence College, discusses the changing geopolitical dynamics of the Arctic.

“If China starts pushing for a more open, international alternative to the Arctic Council and governance led by Arctic states,” Dr. Sørensen argues, a vacuum could be opened for “China and other non-Arctic states to argue that other governance mechanisms are needed in the Arctic.”

As the Arctic gains greater global attention, the Nordic states have a strong interest in maintaining the norms and international governance that have contributed to the region’s low-tensions and spirit of cooperation.

Voices From The North Ep 3 Camilla Soerensen

Dr. David P. Auerswald, Professor of Security Studies at the U.S. National War College, takes a closer look at military activity in the Arctic and the associated risks of the region’s increased militarization. 

“From a security perspective,” Dr. Auerswald argues, “the Arctic is the shortest path between Russia and the US.” The European Arctic, “is a possible conflict zone should Russia decide to escalate the current Ukrainian conflict…in an effort to flank NATO militarily.”

His recently published report, “All security is local,” assesses the Arctic defense policies of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden in greater detail.

Voices From The North Ep 4 David Auerswald

In a surprise move this weekend, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrested dozens of high profile Saudis, including princes, top businessmen, and former ministers. Framed as a crackdown on corruption, the move represents an impressive display of power by an already powerful leader, and has led some to compare the Saudi Crown Prince to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
 
Nearly simultaneously, the Saudi military intercepted a ballistic missile over Riyadh, which Yemen's Houthi forces claim was aimed at the international airport in Saudi's capital city. These events and the subsequent reactions from key players across the region seem to indicate that the Saudi-Iran rivalry is heating up.
 
Mohammed bin Salman has established himself through a series of bold initiatives – the widely-heralded Saudi Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s blueprint for economic and social reform, the controversial Saudi-led coalition against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, and the blockade against Qatar. Whether this latest set of events will be enough to help Saudi Arabia weather the challenges it is facing remains to be seen.

MEMBERS AND PRESS CALL: A Saudi Game of Thrones – Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Arrests Princes

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MEMBERS AND PRESS CALL: A Saudi Game of Thrones – Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Arrests Princes

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