On this International Women's Day I am thinking about the millions of Afghan women and girls who continue to have their basic human rights denied.
Today it is 1267 days since the Taliban banned teenage girls from going to school.
#LetAfghanGirlsLearn

To mark International Women’s Day which is this Saturday, I will be joined on the show by three Afghan female cricketers in exile in Australia. They are calling for the ICC to let them play as a recognised refugee team. Do join us tonight to hear my conversation with them.

Could Ukraine be the Trump administration’s Afghanistan?
I think yes - it very much could be as negotiations get underway.
Richard and I spoke about that on this week’s The World podcast, available wherever you get your pods now.

“We’d better get our act together now”.
Strong words from Polish Foreign Minister @radek-sikorski.bsky.social who I spoke to at the Munich Security Conference.
I started by asking him why Europe finds it so hard to up defence spending ⬇️

“It’s the Silicon Valley, technocratic authoritarianism that has developed over the past ten years”.
@brunomacaes.bsky.social on the ideology of Trump 2.0.
“It’s a very ideological Trump”.

The Taliban’s war on women continues. They’ve now shut down one of the only female run radio stations - Radio Begum.
Are there not more pressing issues in the country?
It is also now 1238 days since girls over the age of 12 have been banned from school. #LetAfghanGirlsLearn

Some of my IV with ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan who yesterday filed applications for arrest warrants for two Taliban leaders. The charge? The crime against humanity of gender persecution.

The crime against humanity of gender persecution. That is what two members of the Taliban in Afghanistan are being accused of by the ICC who today issued arrest warrants for them. I spoke exclusively to @KarimKhanQC about this. Full IV tonight at 9pm on Sky.

“Hamas has recruited almost as many new militants as it has lost”- the words of Antony Blinken a few days ago.

But Israelis regularly tell me that their aim in Gaza is the complete eradication of Hamas.
My take on exactly this, in this week’s pod.⬇️

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🏏This story isn’t going away. Over the weekend the ECB called for the ICC to take action against Afghanistan. Let’s also not forget that the Afghan women’s team in exile asked the ICC for support to start a team. Will the ICC offer them the help they need?

Clip from this week’s The World podcast - from my time a few years back in Afghanistan…. I love sharing stories like these from on the road.
Keep listening wherever you do. 🌍🎧

Should the ECB cancel the England men’s cricket match against Afghanistan?
Here is my take in today’s podcast ep.
Cricket is an immense source of pride for Afghans but the national team is also a source of pride for the Taliban. The international community should apply pressure where possible.

Now 728 days since the Taliban banned women from going to university. A story particularly close to my heart and something I discussed on this week’s The World podcast episode as we took a look back at 2024. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

It felt like Assad was sitting on their chest - they couldn’t breathe.
Young women and girls in Damascus describe to me what life was like under Assad. The future is uncertain, nobody is quite sure what is next - but hope is in the air. I’m reporting from Damascus as a new Syria begins to emerge.

2024 wrapped podcast episode! We want to include your questions. Any questions on world news welcome. Ask me here in a reply or email theworld@sky.uk 🌍

“Trump is a real estate guy”- will it be land for peace in Ukraine?
Ex head of MI6 on how Ukraine war could end on this week’s The World podcast. Listen to full conversation whenever you get your podcasts.🌍

A bleak reminder of the dire situation for Afghan women and girls. 1174 days since they have been banned from secondary education and now in another draconian move they are reportedly suspended from midwife and nurse training. #LetAfghanGirlsLearn