This week’s episode covers the relationship between China and North Korea, the alumina export issue in Ireland, and Albania’s Flamingo Protest. New episode available now wherever you get your podcasts!

On 28 December 2025, the Iranian rial plummeted to a record low against the U.S. dollar and economic uncertainty was further inflamed when the inflation rate was reportedly 42.2 percent. Against the backdrop of deteriorating security, nationwide protests emerged across the country, which generated new threats to the oppressive regime. The tensions have been building for quite some time as p rices have “risen by 35% in the past year” and there are some estimates of 18 percen