War News Radio

This episode of War News Radio is a two-part coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The first part is a recount of the events leading up to this shocking conflict as told by Professor Weinberg, an expert in Russian and European history. The second part is the testimony of a Ukrainian citizen of the days leading up to the invasion and the first weeks of that conflict from his eyes. Together, they show the historical context and first-person perspective of a generation-defining war. This episode was written and produced by Jace Flores, Benjamin Pauley, Ethan Pintar, Sadie Smart, Sophia Becker, and Max Winig.

Local journalists in Afghanistan have the power to expose the reality of life under Taliban rule. Seeking control over the media’s narrative, the Taliban poses a major threat to these journalists, whose jobs and safety are at risk.   On this episode of War News Radio, we interviewed Faisal Karimi, a professor of journalism and communication and the founder and director of Afghanistan Institute for Research and Media Studies, as well as Mohammad Asef Ghafoory, a journalist and professor in Afghanistan with experience in radio, television, and international media. They explain the history of journalism in Afghanistan and how it has changed dramatically with Taliban rule. They also discuss the safety implications that this shift has on their lives and those of other journalists.    This episode was written and produced by Max Winig, Anya Slepyan, Long Tran-Bui, Lucas Meyer-Lee, Nicole Kim, Sasha Casada, and Sophia Becker.

This episode of War News Radio investigates the Tigray war in Ethiopia. The civil war has been ongoing since 2020 and has had huge human costs, despite very little press coverage of the conflict.    We interviewed Professor Emily Paddon Rhoads, a political science professor at Swarthmore College who specializes in international relations, civilian agency, and international responses to conflict. We also spoke to David Shinn, a professor at George Washington University who served in the US Foreign Service, where he was an ambassador to Ethiopia. They discuss the roots of the conflict, the human impact of the war, and the misconceptions and implications of the war.    This episode was written and produced by Jace Flores, Ethan Pintar, Max Winig, and Sophia Becker.

This episode of War News Radio features Taufiq Azamy, an Afghan refugee-turned-doctor who discusses his personal experience of being a refugee, including fleeing Afghanistan in 1982, contending with the identity of being a refugee, the emotional impact, visits back to his homeland, and the current need to help refugees across the world.   This episode of War News radio was written and produced by Zane Irwin, Max Winig, Narimen Zorgui, Samantha Tanapat-Hastings, and Zamir Ticknor.

With the Taliban’s recent takeover of Afghanistan, musicians have been fearful of their safety. During the Taliban’s previous rule, music was completely banned, and musician’s lives were in danger, and now citizens are concerned again that music poses a risk.    In this episode of War News Radio, we spoke with Afghan pianist Arson Fahim, who has come to the United States to continue his studies, and Ariana Delawari, an Afghan American singer, filmmaker, and activist. They share their perspectives on the current state of music and musicians in Afghanistan, as well as how music and other modes of art are being used in resistance to Taliban rule.   This episode of War News Radio was written and produced by Sadie Smart, Jonė Bagdanskytė, and Sophia Becker.