Conflicts of Interest

ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data)
  • 5.0 (1)
  • NEWS COMMENTARY

The world is in turmoil, from wars in Europe and the Middle East to political crises, violent protests, and rising global unrest. Conflicts of Interest goes beyond the headlines to explain the forces shaping today’s conflicts. Hosted by ACLED founder and conflict expert Professor Clionadh Raleigh, and joined by a rotating cast of conflict specialists, regional analysts, and experts in news narratives, this fortnightly podcast unpacks wars, protests, political violence, and international power struggles with clarity and context. No drama, no sensationalism — just what happened, why it matters, and how it fits into the bigger picture. For listeners who want to understand war, politics, and global conflict without the noise, Conflicts of Interest makes sense of a world on edge. Brought to you by ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data).

  1. Peace Talks & Trust Issues: Iran, Russia, and the Wars With No End in Sight

    2H AGO

    Peace Talks & Trust Issues: Iran, Russia, and the Wars With No End in Sight

    On this episode of Conflicts of Interest, Professor Clionadh Raleigh and Bron Mills catch up on Day 88 of the Iran war — a moment defined more by paralysis than progress. They unpack Iran's internet blackout, finally ending after months of restrictions, what it reveals about Tehran's grip on internal dissent, and why the latest round of US-Iran peace talks remains trapped in a web of competing agendas. Washington, Tel Aviv, Riyadh, Doha, Abu Dhabi, the Gulf states are pulling in different directions, and that fracture is poisoning any path to a genuine deal. Clionadh's assessment is direct: there is "no peaceful way out" of the current crisis. From Iran, the conversation shifts to Russia. As drone warfare reshapes the Ukrainian battlefield, Clionadh breaks down what Moscow's mounting desperation actually looks like on the ground, and what it means for a war that shows no sign of resolution. Also on the episode: Pakistan's renewed wave of suicide bomb attacks and the domestic security spiral no one is covering, the widening Saudi-Qatar-UAE divide over regional strategy, Trump's comments on Iran's football team ahead of the World Cup, and what it says when sport and geopolitics keep colliding. Plus: the surprisingly difficult task of avoiding dead bodies on holiday. For more conversations like this, subscribe to Conflicts of Interest and watch the full episode on YouTube.  Conflicts of Interest: https://www.youtube.com/@ConflictsOfInterestACLED 📱 Did you know you can follow Conflicts of Interest on TikTok?

    29 min
  2. Escalation, Ebola and Extremism: Can anyone keep up?

    6D AGO

    Escalation, Ebola and Extremism: Can anyone keep up?

    The world is moving so quickly it is becoming harder to know where to look first. Iran remains on edge around the Strait of Hormuz. Ebola is spreading through one of the DRC’s most militarized regions. And attacks on places of worship are exposing the messy overlap between extremism, antisemitism, misogyny, and political violence. In this episode of Conflicts of Interest, Professor Clionadh Raleigh and Bron Mills try to make sense of a week where every crisis seems to be accelerating at once — from Iran’s strategic calculus and escalation risk, to the challenge of containing disease in conflict zones, and the growing pressure on free speech from Germany to the UK. Also on the radar: Russia’s shadow fleet, and why sanctions-busting tankers are becoming part of the hybrid warfare conversation. For more conversations like this, subscribe to Conflicts of Interest and watch the full episode on YouTube.  Conflicts of Interest: https://www.youtube.com/@ConflictsOfInterestACLED 📱 Did you know you can follow Conflicts of Interest on TikTok?

    32 min
  3. The attention war: ceasefire one minute, missiles the next

    MAY 11

    The attention war: ceasefire one minute, missiles the next

    As headlines swing wildly between ceasefire talks, missile strikes, diplomatic breakthroughs and fresh retaliation, this episode of Conflicts of Interest explores the growing sense of global confusion surrounding modern conflict. ACLED CEO Prof. Clionadh Raleigh is joined by Bron Mills to unpack the “attention war” shaping how conflicts are understood online, where algorithms, viral misinformation and nonstop breaking news are increasingly competing with verified reporting and nuance. From Iran and the United States to Russia, Ukraine and the UK, the conversation examines how modern warfare now unfolds across both battlefields and social media feeds — often leaving audiences struggling to understand what is actually happening, what matters, and what comes next. For more conversations like this, subscribe to Conflicts of Interest and watch the full episode on YouTube.  Conflicts of Interest: https://www.youtube.com/@ConflictsOfInterestACLED 📱 Did you know you can follow Conflicts of Interest on TikTok?

    27 min
  4. Drone proliferation: The Ukraine effect

    MAY 6

    Drone proliferation: The Ukraine effect

    Ukraine has produced millions of drones and lost thousands more — and that hard-won expertise is now in high demand.  In this episode of Conflicts of Interest, ACLED CEO Professor Clionadh Raleigh and ACLED Ukraine expert Witold Stupnicki unpack how Kyiv is exporting its drone warfare knowledge to Gulf states, why a $50 drone can outmanoeuvre a $3 million missile, and what that means for the future of conflict. From frozen front lines to Saudi air bases, the drone revolution is reshaping how wars are fought — and by whom. But as Stupnicki warns, Europe shouldn't feel safe either. A shapeless, ever-present drone threat is already on its doorstep.  This is a conversation you won't want to miss. For more conversations like this, subscribe to Conflicts of Interest and watch the full episode on YouTube.  Conflicts of Interest: https://www.youtube.com/@ConflictsOfInterestACLED 📱 Did you know you can follow Conflicts of Interest on TikTok?

    21 min
  5. Sudan’s next phase of war: fragmentation, spillover, and foreign patrons

    APR 29

    Sudan’s next phase of war: fragmentation, spillover, and foreign patrons

    As Sudan’s war enters its fourth year, the conflict is not fading — it is evolving, driven by shifting alliances, war economies, and regional opportunism that could reshape the Horn of Africa and the Sahel. While global attention is fixed elsewhere, the forces sustaining this war, from Gulf rivalries to cross-border militia networks, are evolving in ways that extend instability far beyond Sudan’s borders. In this episode of Conflicts of Interest, ACLED CEO Professor Clionadh Raleigh and ACLED Senior Research Assistant Nohad Eltayeb unpack the drivers of this new phase of war: the UAE’s role in RSF supply routes and political pressure on SAF, how Chad’s border closure has driven up RSF transport and fuel costs, militia networks stretching toward Niger, and how fractured loyalties and fluid alliances are entrenching long-term conflict fragmentation. Can a war built on shifting alliances, militia economies, and foreign patrons end through negotiation — or does fragmentation become the next phase of conflict? For more conversations like this, subscribe to Conflicts of Interest and watch the full episode on YouTube.  Conflicts of Interest: https://www.youtube.com/@ConflictsOfInterestACLED 📱 Did you know you can follow Conflicts of Interest on TikTok?

    32 min
  6. The world Iran left overlooked: assassination attempts, suicide bombings, and shifting alliances

    APR 27

    The world Iran left overlooked: assassination attempts, suicide bombings, and shifting alliances

    An assassination attempt on the US president. A surge of coordinated attacks in Mali. Rising violence in Chad. Continued fighting in Lebanon. As the Iran war reaches 60 days, what’s emerging isn’t a clear path forward, but a global landscape shaped by distraction, opportunism, and escalation. While attention remains fixed on Iran, violence elsewhere is accelerating — often with far less scrutiny. In this episode of Conflicts of Interest, ACLED CEO Professor Clionadh Raleigh and Bron Mills unpack the significant developments over the last 48 hours alone - and the dynamics driving this moment — from stalled negotiations and economic pressure in Iran, to the resurgence of conflict across the Sahel and the Middle East. The question isn’t just whether the Iran war will escalate — but how many other conflicts already are. For more conversations like this, subscribe to Conflicts of Interest and watch the full episode on YouTube.  Conflicts of Interest: https://www.youtube.com/@ConflictsOfInterestACLED 📱 Did you know you can follow Conflicts of Interest on TikTok?

    27 min
  7. Inside the world’s deadliest terror zone

    APR 20

    Inside the world’s deadliest terror zone

    JNIM. Islamic State Sahel Province. Boko Haram. These are the groups driving a surge in violence across the Sahel—now the world’s deadliest region for terrorism. Across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, attacks are escalating at a pace that outstrips every other region globally. Coups, foreign troop withdrawals, and weakening state control have created space for militant groups to expand, adapt, and entrench themselves across vast areas of the region. In this episode of Conflicts of Interest, ACLED CEO Professor Clionadh Raleigh is joined by Sahel expert Heni Nsaibia to unpack how the Sahel became the global epicentre of terrorism. Drawing on ACLED data and regional expertise, they break down the strategies of these groups, the role of military-led governments, and the local dynamics fuelling the spread of violence. The question isn’t just why the Sahel has become so deadly—but how far this instability could spread, and what it means for global security. For more conversations like this, subscribe to Conflicts of Interest and watch the full episode on YouTube.  Conflicts of Interest: https://www.youtube.com/@ConflictsOfInterestACLED 📱 Did you know you can follow Conflicts of Interest on TikTok?

    34 min
  8. No deal, no passage: Inside the blockade reshaping the Middle East

    APR 13

    No deal, no passage: Inside the blockade reshaping the Middle East

    Six weeks into the Iran conflict, the tides are shifting rapidly—and the stakes could not be higher.  As the U.S. and Israel escalate their military posture, threatening to impose a naval blockade on Iran, a new chapter in regional power plays is unfolding—one that could redefine control over the Strait of Hormuz and the entire Persian Gulf.  In this episode of Conflict of Interest, ACLED CEO Professor Clionadh Raleigh and ACLED expert Bassel Doueik delve into the decisions fueling Iran’s vulnerability, the implications of the U.S. blockade, and Israel's asymmetric warfare tactics. Drawing on ACLED data and regional expertise, they break down the complex web of regional actors, from Hezbollah’s role in Lebanon to the Saudi and Gulf states' subtle balancing act, and the economic chokehold designed to weaken Iran from within. The question isn't just what happens next, but how these strategic moves could tip the balance of power and reshape alliances for years to come.  For more conversations like this, subscribe to Conflicts of Interest and watch the full episode on YouTube.  Conflicts of Interest: https://www.youtube.com/@ConflictsOfInterestACLED 📱 Did you know you can follow Conflicts of Interest on TikTok?

    36 min
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About

The world is in turmoil, from wars in Europe and the Middle East to political crises, violent protests, and rising global unrest. Conflicts of Interest goes beyond the headlines to explain the forces shaping today’s conflicts. Hosted by ACLED founder and conflict expert Professor Clionadh Raleigh, and joined by a rotating cast of conflict specialists, regional analysts, and experts in news narratives, this fortnightly podcast unpacks wars, protests, political violence, and international power struggles with clarity and context. No drama, no sensationalism — just what happened, why it matters, and how it fits into the bigger picture. For listeners who want to understand war, politics, and global conflict without the noise, Conflicts of Interest makes sense of a world on edge. Brought to you by ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data).

Information

  • Creator
    ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data)
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Conflicts of Interest
  • Show Website
    Conflicts of Interest

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