Fresh voices from the Global South lead DW's 'Global Eyes'
With the tagline 'A different perspective on geopolitics!', Global Eyes explores how the global order is evolving beyond the traditional West-centric lens. Each 30-minute, monthly episode dives into key international developments with a particular focus on the Global South's role in shaping the future. What does India's rise mean for the world? Where does Europe stand in a multipolar era? And how are security concerns redefined across continents?
Designed for globally minded, English-speaking audiences — especially younger, well-educated listeners across India and the South Asian diaspora — Global Eyes offers context-rich insights and accessible analysis on security, geopolitics, and the evolving role of the Global South in a changing world.
Debarati Guha, Director Programs for Asia, says: "With its new season, Global Eyes takes on a broader, more inclusive perspective on international affairs. Hosted by Waslat Hasrat-Nazimi and Shani Rozanes, the podcast brings fresh voices and lived experience from the Global South into the conversation – offering well-informed insights into the shifting dynamics of global power."
"The news may show what feels like isolated events, but what may seem like separate crises are often part of the same global story," podcast hosts Waslat and Shani explain. "We're here to connect the dots behind the headlines. We challenge the old lens of reporting by putting marginalized perspectives at the center. Global Eyes brings in voices from the Global South, not as an afterthought, but as a central part of understanding the new world order."
Global Eyes: A different perspective on geopolitics
Meet the hosts
Waslat Hasrat-Nazimi brings a sharp journalistic lens to global affairs, shaped by her deep reporting on Afghanistan, migration, and social justice. As Head of DW's Afghan Service and a published author, she combines firsthand experience with a commitment to telling underrepresented stories — making her voice essential in today's global conversation.
Shani Rozanes offers a deeply informed view of global politics, drawing on years of experience reporting on the Middle East and international affairs. A producer, commentator and editor at DW with experience in both Israeli and German media, she brings a broad perspective to global political developments and contributes thoughtful analysis to complex topics.
Listen now
Global Eyes is available on YouTube , Spotify , Apple Podcasts , Podlink and other major platforms, offering fresh takes on security and foreign policy — minus the jargon.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
DW
39 minutes ago
- DW
Serbia rocked by ongoing anti-government clashes – DW – 08/19/2025
Serbian cities have been gripped by days of clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces, as demonstrators accuse authorities of stifling dissent. After nine months of relatively peaceful protests, Serbia's streets are beginning to resemble a state of war, with the offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) vandalized. Clashes between demonstrators and police with batons, tear gas, smoke bombs and flares, repeat night after night across the country. Neda Vrebac, from the citizens' assemblies in Novi Sad, has been on the streets for months. She says people are furious and that the violence on the streets is merely a reaction to the regime's violence. "We went unarmed against bayonets," Vrebac told DW. "I feel, personally, as do other citizens who regularly attend protests, very upset, insecure, and unsafe, and that is a consequence of living under fascism, with all its manifestations." Protesters on the street often do not know whether they are clashing with police or SNS paramilitaries. Videos circulate on social media showing groups of young men in masks and carrying sticks rushing at demonstrators. Media reports claim that among the SNS supporters were individuals previously convicted of attempted murder, violent behavior, and even a former football hooligan leader convicted for the 2009 murder of a French football fan. "The authorities, with the help of party criminals, have declared a street war on citizens. But there is no turning back, things have come to a head. Citizens have realized that with the mafia, there is no room for parliamentary democracy, no negotiations left except about handing over power," Radivoje Jovovic from the Free Citizens' Movement told DW. He believes the violence on the streets is a result of the government's nervousness and inability to resolve the crisis. "The authorities are the ones who refused to acknowledge the just demands of the protests. SNS didn't believe us when we said 'beware the wrath of a patient man,' and now they have committed crimes that have hastened their own end," Jovovic added. Meanwhile, the police have also started applying violence. Citizens and media have documented numerous instances of police brutality. Belgrade student Nikolina Sindjelic testified that she was "slapped and had her head slammed against the wall" by the commander of the Personal and Property Protection Unit, Marko Kricak, who also called her a "whore." "He said he would strip me and rape me in front of everyone, that everyone would watch. I was visibly angry, and he said, 'You should beg me to stop beating you,'" Nikolina Sindjelic told N1 television. While batons flashed at night, mass arrests occurred during the day. Several pro-regime media outlets published footage showing young men kneeling against a wall with their hands behind their backs, each guarded by a police officer. With these images, many were reminded of images from wartime detention camps. Neda Vrebac says she knows that at least three of them were twenty-year-olds arrested by police even though they weren't at the protests. One of them is Vukacin Kurilic, whose family she knows personally. "They are from my assembly, they support everything but are not active participants in the protests," Neda Vrebac told DW. "He was arrested on his way from a store. He was carrying some bags, and when they approached him, the kid resisted, saying he hadn't done anything. Then they searched him, found his asthma inhaler, thought it was pepper spray, and shoved him into a police van. No prior offenses." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has promised a harsh state response, but denies that a state of emergency will be imposed. "At one point, you will see the full determination of the Serbian state. We will use everything at our disposal to restore order, peace, and law in our country, and we will do it. We will oppose all external pressures, everyone who threatens us, who tells us what is allowed and what is not, and until now we have seen that they managed to bring chaos into our country. But we will win," Vucic said. At a press conference, he accused students and citizens of trying to destroy the state, comparing them to fascists and Nazis, and said it was only a matter of days before someone would be killed. He is not alone in thinking this. "I fear for human lives. The lives of us citizens, the innocent, children, activists," said Neda Vrebac. She also fears the regime might kill someone from its own ranks to escalate the violence further. "I think he is ready for anything, because there are huge amounts of money and mafia around him. And you know how the mafia operates." Retired political science professor Zoran Stojiljkovic describes the situation as a balance of powerlessness, where both sides struggle to gain the upper hand, and neither has a clear strategy. "I don't think Vucic even desires a state of emergency because he doesn't have the capacity to enforce it when people are unwilling to comply, and they clearly are not," Stojiljkovic noted. "The desirable outcome is certainly some form of dialogue, relatively fair electoral conditions, and elections within a few months, by the end of this year or the beginning of next." He emphasizes that it is crucial for students, who still have credibility, to mobilize citizens around the narrative of a political resolution. "You need to clearly tell people what they will gain when you achieve victory at elections and what you will do in the reasonable time until normal elections in a year or two so that this never happens again," Stojiljkovic added. From open repression to new waves of protests and strikes or even elections and a possible toppling of Vucic, all outcomes appear to be on the table.
DW
4 hours ago
- DW
Ukraine security guarantees: What is Germany's role ? – DW – 08/19/2025
After the EU-US summit on Russia's war against Ukraine, a debate is underway in Germany about security guarantees and what role Germany should play going forward. All participants agreed that the meeting in Washington was held in good faith. US President Donald Trump had invited high-ranking representatives of the EU, NATO and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Washington with the foal of peace in Ukraine. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed his overall satisfaction with the summit. "It could have gone differently. But my expectations have not only been met, they have been exceeded," said Merz in Washington after the end of the discussions. The Chancellor stated, however, that a summit between Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin would have to be carefully planned. "We don't know whether the Russian president will have the courage to attend such a summit. Therefore, persuasion will be needed," added Merz. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The EU-US summit did demonstrate a partial agreement between the US and Europe. However, it also became clear that the US and Europe have different ideas about the path to peace in Ukraine. President Trump is aiming for a comprehensive peace agreement, while he believes a prior ceasefire is unnecessary. The Europeans have taken a completely different view. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was very clear in the public discussion he had with Donald Trump. He vehemently called for a ceasefire as a starting point for further negotiations. "To be honest, we all would like to see a ceasefire," said Merz. He said that he could not imagine that the next meeting would take place without such an agreement. The credibility of further negotiations depended on this issue. In an interview with DW, security expert Rafael Loss from the think tank European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) explains that differences in approach between America and the EU could cause conflict: "There are obviously very different expectations as to how talks should be approached. Donald Trump is much closer to Vladimir Putin on this issue when he says we have to resolve the big issues first." Ukraine is afraid that Russia will continue its attacks even after a ceasefire or peace agreement has been concluded. During the Crimean conflict in 2014, Putin repeatedly ignored agreements and continued to send troops. The US president has instead remained rather vague when it came to security guarantees. In this regard, Trump said, the Europeans are "the first line of defense." But Washington would also do its part, the President added. Assurances for Ukraine along the lines of Article 5 of the NATO Treaty have been members of the defense alliance undertake to support each other in the event of an attack in such a way that "an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all." The idea for such assurances was put forward by Italian head of government Giorgia Meloni, who has a close relationship of trust with US President Donald Trump. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Security guarantees could also mean that Ukrainian troops would be supported by soldiers from the EU or NATO to secure a possible peace agreement. The question of whether German troops could also be deployed for peacekeeping is also being discussed. For some time now, France and the UK have been discussing the possibility of European peacekeeping troops for Ukraine. Following the summit, Merz left open the question of whether Germany would participate. "It is too early to give a definitive answer," the chancellor emphasized. He said it would have to be discussed with his governing coalition back in Berlin. This would also include the question of whether the Bundestag would "have to take decisions that require a mandate." A vote in the Bundestag is required to decide on foreign deployments of the Bundeswehr. In an interview with DW, security expert Loss explains that various models for a security operation have been discussed in the EU. Realistically, this would include the training of military personnel in Ukraine as well as logistical support from the navy or air force. However, Loss also said that "Ground troops would be logical, considering that Germany is the largest country in Europe. In this respect, Germany does bear some responsibility. I think it would be a mistake to rule it out from the outset." By contrast, Adis Ahmetovi, a foreign policy expert from the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), a coalition partner to Merz's conservative bloc of Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU), is open to the option of the German Armed Forces participating in a future peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. On X, the leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and opposition politician Alice Weidel warned that Germany could become a target itself if the US withdrew and then demanded: "Germany needs reconciliation with Russia instead of permanent confrontation." Left Party leader Jan van Aken, on the other hand, brought up the possibility of a UN peacekeeping force of 30,000 to 40,000 soldiers as a security guarantee for Ukraine. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Chancellor Merz made it clear at the beginning of his term of office that he places great importance on foreign and defense policy in these turbulent times of war against Ukraine. It was he who organized the meeting the previous week in preparation for the Alaska summit. Merz has come to be the leader of the European community. Shortly after being elected Chancellor, he traveled to Kyiv together with other European politicians to show solidarity with Ukraine. The first meeting with the US president last June was also a success for Friedrich Merz, who was obviously able to develop a rapport with the American president. Praise for Merz's decisive commitment to a resolute German foreign policy, which many had missed under his predecessor Olaf Scholz (SPD), even came from opposition parties. Security expert Rafael Loss also assessed Merz's political actions towards peace in Ukraine as "positive." But, he added, "He certainly has a special way of dealing with Donald Trump, as we have seen in recent months. But he considers himself to be closely aligned with his European colleagues, articulating a European stance together." This would also include the question of whether a vote in the Bundestag would have to take place in order to decide on foreign deployments of the you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.
DW
5 hours ago
- DW
What did Europe achieve at the Washington summit on Ukraine? – DW – 08/19/2025
European leaders backed Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his return to the White House to press Donald Trump on security guarantees and block territorial concessions. How much progress did the talks bring? The mood at the White House in Washington, DC, on Monday appeared quite different from the debacle earlier this year when US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance scolded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in front of the cameras. On Monday, Zelenskyy walked into the Oval Office in a crisp navy suit, not his trademark olive fatigues, and handed Trump a personal letter from his wife, Olena, to First Lady Melania Trump. The left, thanking her for raising the plight of Ukraine's abducted children with Putin, seemed to set a more diplomatic tone. European leaders were determined to support him. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were among those who made the trip to Washington on short notice. They sat in a protective semicircle around Zelenskyy, keen to ensure that another Oval Office humiliation was avoided and that the trans-Atlantic alliance held. "This was a meeting where Europeans had the chance to show their unity and determination," said Almut Möller, Director of European and Global Affairs at the European Policy Centre, to DW. "Europe is not powerless." The European leaders' clearest goal of the White House talks was Trump's public endorsement of security guarantees. The US president delivered; standing beside Zelenskyy, he pledged that the US would "coordinate" with Europe on protections for Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte described them as "Article 5-type guarantees," though not NATO membership itself. Article 5 is the alliance's mutual defense clause, stating that an attack on one member nation is an attack on all. That reassurance mattered in Europe, as fear had risen that Trump might again lean towards Russia after he met President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Yet the details of the security guarantees remain undefined. Trump equally pushed back on Europe's call for a ceasefire as a starting point. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video After the meeting, Rutte told Fox News, a US news broadcaster, that there are currently 30 countries in the mix in the so-called "Coalition of the Willing." Their defense ministers could meet as early as this week to begin ironing out the details of these security guarantees. Zelenskyy was hopeful, telling reporters the guarantees will "be formalized on paper within the next week to 10 days." In an interview with DW, researcher Tinatin Akhvlediani at the Brussels Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) evaluated these announcements of security guarantees as an essential step, "especially if the United States is engaged in backing them up." However, she warns that this backup is essential "because, as we know, the United States currently provides the military equipment and weaponry that the EU cannot replace." Equally important was what did not happen. During the meeting, there was no mention of Ukraine ceding territory. The reported that one European official who was part of the delegation to Washington said that Trump explained, "That is not my business, that is a matter for Ukraine," effectively ruling out forcing land swaps. Akhvlediani maintained that the risk remains. "We will have to see what happens next, as we don't know what exactly happened behind closed doors." As of now, Putin continues to demand Ukrainian withdrawal from parts of Donetsk and Luhansk. French President Macron openly voiced doubts about the Kremlin's intentions: "His ultimate goal is to take as much territory as possible," the French president warned. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video According to the Kremlin, Trump interrupted the talks with Zelenskyy and the European leaders to conduct a 40-minute call with Putin. The US president then moved the process forward by proposing a trilateral summit with himself, Zelenskyy and Putin, possibly within weeks. While no date and location have been set, European leaders said they would support such a meeting if it reinforced Ukraine's sovereignty and avoided concessions imposed from outside. Both analysts agree that such a meeting is of utmost importance. "Putin now has to show that he wants peace," Möller said. For Europe, direct talks between Ukraine and Russia carry both opportunity and risk. It could mark the beginning of a genuine peace process or open the door to renewed pressure on Ukraine to compromise, this time without European leaders by his side. For the European leaders in attendance, the summit went beyond its outcomes. The talks showed that Europe can be more than a bystander and is willing to go the extra mile regarding security guarantees, Möller said. "This is about each and every European leader sitting in this room, knowing that there is a threat out there that this threat might affect their own country. This has brought them together," he said. German Chancellor Merz echoed that in an interview after the meeting. "This isn't just about Ukraine's territory; it's about the political order of Europe. Germany has a major interest and a major responsibility." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The mood in Europe was cautiously optimistic after the summit. "Since Trump returned to the White House, the trans-Atlantic alliance has never been as strong," Akhvlediani argued, stressing that European leaders had succeeded in steering him back toward historical allies. The outcome of the talks also remains provisional. "Trump can change his views very quickly," Möller notes. "This is an evolving situation, and I am hesitant to think of this as a very important moment in this process towards finding peace for Ukraine and territorial integrity for Ukraine." More steps will be needed, yet one lesson stood out: Europe has no choice but to stand united. The challenge is immense, Möller added, but "Europe has no alternative but to try, and they are doing the right things."
