Conflicts of Interest

52 Episodes

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Halloween Special: Ghost Armies and the art of deception

2026-10-2822:49

They don't exist — but they get paid. And they leave real front lines empty. In this Halloween special, Prof. Clionadh Raleigh and Bron Mills breaks down the phenomenon of modern ghost armies: not spirits, but fraud. Commanders list soldiers who never served, pocket their salaries, and report full strength while military units are hollowed out. From Yemen and Iraq to Russia and China, how does military payroll fraud work, why does it persist, and what can ACLED data tell us about where these ...

Conflicts Of Interest Trailer | ACLED

2026-10-2201:42

What’s really driving the world’s conflicts? What are we missing? And what questions should we be asking? Every week, and sometimes in between, Conflicts of Interest goes beyond the headlines to challenge assumptions, unpack the data, and make sense of what’s happening around the world. Next week marks our 50th episode! From the biggest international crises to the stories that barely make the news, Conflicts of Interest brings together ACLED CEO Prof. Clionadh Raleigh, a world-lea...

France riots explained: Is Europe reaching boiling point?

2026-10-2127:20

France averages 20 protests a day. Right now it's 65 — and 1 in 4 is a riot. No spin. Just the data. Prof. Clionadh Raleigh and Bron Mills explain why French school funding protests turned into 43 days of national unrest across 800 locations, with mass arrests, shuttered schools, and Yellow Vests back on the streets. Why austerity, debt, and collapsing public services broke Macron's centrist bargain — and why Le Pen benefits without answers. Plus: Yemen’s renewed Houthi-Saudi fighting and $6B...

Saudi Arabia under attack & Ethiopia on brink of war | Red Sea crisis explained

2026-10-1337:59

Houthi missiles are hitting Saudi airports as Ethiopia and Eritrea move closer to war. In this episode of Conflicts of Interest, Professor Clionadh Raleigh, Bron Mills and Dr. Jalale Getachew Birru examine more than 100 Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia in just 30 days, including attacks on airports, and the escalating threat of war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. From the Houthis' campaign against Saudi Arabia and threats to Red Sea shipping to Eritrean troops entering Tigray, Ethiopia's am...

Ethiopia and Eritrea: How bad could this get?

2026-10-0734:18

Ethiopia’s forces have retaken Mekelle — but the fighting in the north is far from over, as regional relationships are also shifting across the Horn of Africa and Red Sea, with Egypt, Eritrea, and Sudan renewing ties. Prof. Clionadh Raleigh and Bron Mills are joined again by ACLED’s Dr. Jalale Getachew Birru to unpack what comes next: the future of the TPLF and TDF, Eritrea’s role in the conflict, Ethiopia’s ambitions for access to the Red Sea, and the growing risk of fighting crossing Ethiop...

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