Proximities

Proximities | Mohamed Gabobe - The U.S. killed eight children - and said nothing

Barry Malone — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:00:55 +0100

In this week's episode, we are joined from Mogadishu by Somali journalist Mohamed Gabobe to talk about his recent investigation into a U.S. drone strike on Somalia that killed 12 civilians, including eight children - something the U.S military has never admitted. Mohamed also discussed the background to Washington's decades-long war in the Horn of Africa, why it has stepped it up over the last year, and the reasons why Americans know so little about it.

The Proximities newsletter: https://www.proximities.news/

Follow Mohamed on X: https://x.com/Mohamed_Gabobe

And on Substack: https://mohamedgabobe.substack.com/

Barry is on X here: https://x.com/malonebarry

And on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/malonebarry/

Proximities | Kieran Andrieu - How Israel weaponises archaeology in the West Bank

Barry Malone — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:10:00 +0100

In this week's episode, we talk to British-Palestinian commentator and political economist Kieran Andrieu about the occupied West Bank – and archaeology. With the Israeli government moving ahead with a bill to bring archaeological sites in the West Bank under its control, we discuss how archaeology has been weaponised as a tool of occupation, how it is used to erase the Palestinian people and their history, and how even Israeli archaeologists are trying to resist.

The Proximities newsletter: https://www.proximities.news/

Follow Kieran on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kieran.andrieu/

Follow him on X: https://x.com/kieran_andrieu

And watch out for his upcoming book "Ten Myths About Palestine" which will be published by Verso.

Barry is on X here: https://x.com/malonebarry

And on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/malonebarry/

Proximities | Sally Hayden - How a war reporter uncovered stories of love

Barry Malone — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 11:37:23 +0100

In this week's episode, we talk to acclaimed foreign correspondent and author Sally Hayden about her latest book "This is Also a Love Story". Struck by the good she saw in people as they went through the worst moments of their lives, Sally set out to document the love she saw all around her in her work as an international journalist. In dispatches from Uganda to Syria, from Ukraine to Lebanon, we hear stories of romantic love, familial love, a mother's love and - even - love for humanity.

The Proximities newsletter: https://www.proximities.news/

Follow Sally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sallyhayd/

Follow here on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/sallyhayd.bsky.social

And buy her book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Also-Love-Story-Searching/dp/0008623260

Barry is on X here: https://x.com/malonebarry

And on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/malonebarry/

Proximities | Michelle Kuo - Taiwan beyond the headlines: History, Identity, China, and Trump

Barry Malone — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:14:19 +0100

In this week's episode, we talk to writer and professor Michelle Kuo about Taiwan. We discuss the country's complex history, consider the question of Taiwanese identity and analyse the impact of the erratic foreign policies of U.S. President Donald Trump and a China quickly growing in power.

The Proximities newsletter: https://www.proximities.news/

Subscribe to Michelle's excellent Substack newsletter: https://ampleroad.substack.com/

Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kuokuomich/

And buy her book: https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Patrick-Teacher-Life-Changing-Friendship/dp/081299731X

Barry is on X here: https://x.com/malonebarry

And on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/malonebarry/

Proximities | Zecharias Zelalem - After so much hope, what happened to Ethiopia's Abiy Ahmed?

Barry Malone — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:02:12 +0100

In this week's episode, we talk to Zecharias Zelalem, one of Ethiopia's best young journalists, about the fractious nature of the country's politics. We discuss this month's election that is expected to return Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to power, geopolitics and the influence of the UAE, and Abiy's journey from a Nobel Peace Prize winning hero to a leader accused of authoritarianism.

The Proximities newsletter: https://www.proximities.news/

Follow Zac on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/zekuzelalem.bsky.social

And on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zecharias-zelalem-148717378/

Barry is on X here: https://x.com/malonebarry

And on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/malonebarry/

Proximities | Negar Mortazavi - What are we not hearing about Iran?

Barry Malone — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 20:29:41 +0100

In this week's episode, we talk to Negar Mortazavi in an effort to go deeper than the usual international headlines about Iran. What is life in the country like? Where do people really stand on internal politics and the U.S.-Israeli war on the country? What does western media sometimes get wrong? And how can you get more accurate information on Iran? Negar explains all of that and more.

Negar Mortazavi is a veteran Iranian-American journalist and analyst, host of "The Iran Podcast", and Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy. She has spent the last 15 years following and dissecting Iranian politics and Iran-U.S. relations.

The Proximities newsletter: https://www.proximities.news/

Follow Negar on X: https://x.com/NegarMortazavi

And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/negarmortazavi/

Barry is on X here: https://x.com/malonebarry

And on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/malonebarry/

Proximities | Hiba Morgan — Is Peace in Sudan Still Possible?

Barry Malone — Thu, 28 May 2026 11:08:08 +0100

In this week's episode, we talk to Hiba Morgan. Hiba is the Al Jazeera English correspondent in Sudan and has spent the last three years covering a civil war in her own country, even as much of the world remained indifferent. Hiba began by explaining the background to the conflict and where it might be headed. Later, she spoke movingly about her experiences covering the war as a Sudanese journalist, and why some international news stories get more attention than others.

Hiba bio:

Hiba Morgan is the Al Jazeera English correspondent in Sudan. Hiba, who is Sudanese, has been with Al Jazeera for more than a decade and has reported from her home country since 2009.

Links:

Proximities: https://www.proximities.news/

Barry Twitter: https://x.com/malonebarry

Barry Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malonebarry/

Hiba Twitter: https://x.com/hiba_morgan

Hiba Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiba_morgan_/

Proximities - Trailer

Barry Malone — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:51:09 +0000

Barry Malone, a former foreign correspondent and editor who has worked with organisations including Al Jazeera and Reuters, introduces the Proximities podcast. The show focuses on underreported global stories, particularly from outside the West, and features conversations with journalists reporting from the ground. Each episode covers conflicts, humanitarian crises, protest movements and political developments that often do not make the headlines.