Tuesday, Poland, with help from NATO, struck down Russian drones that entered their air space. To discuss, we SPOTLIGHT Michèle Flournoy. Flournoy is co-founder and managing partner of WestExec Advisors, and former co-founder and chief executive officer of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), where she currently serves on the board. She served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from February 2009 to February 2012. She was the principal adviser to the Secretary of Defense in the formulation of national security and defense policy, oversight of military plans and operations, and in National Security Council deliberations. She led the development of DoD’s new Strategic Guidance and represented the Department in dozens of foreign engagements, in the media and before Congress. Extensive media experience.

Last week, immigration officials raided a Hyundai factory in Georgia and detained hundreds of South Korean nationals that worked there. South Korea is currently working to get the citizens safely back home. To discuss, we FEATURE Duyeon Kim. Kim is an adjunct senior fellow with the Indo-Pacific Security Program at Center for a New American Security based in Seoul. Her expertise includes the two Koreas, nuclear nonproliferation, arms control, East Asian relations and geopolitics, U.S. nuclear policy, and security. She is a columnist for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and a visiting professor at the Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies teaching Regional Security Regimes in Europe and Asia as well as Deterrence and Negotiations with North Korea: Theory and Practice. Media includes: The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Associated Press, Bloomberg, Donga Ilbo, Yonhap News, CNN, BBC, CBS.

Qatar’s prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani had condemned Israel for striking Doha, where Hamas leaders were in negotiations for a ceasefire. To discuss, we FEATURE Mona Eltahawy. Eltahawy is an award-winning New York-based journalist and commentator and an international lecturer on Arab and Muslim issues. She was born in Egypt and has lived in the U.K, Saudi Arabia and Israel and is currently based in New York. Since she moved to the U.S. in 2000, Eltahawy's views on Arab and Muslim issues have become sought after by producers and college campuses alike. She was a news reporter in the Middle East for many years, including in Cairo. Media includes: The New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, Egypt's al-Dostour. Lebanon's Daily Star, MSNBC, CNN, Fox News.

Protests have broken out in Nepal as Gen Z citizens express their frustrations of the country's unemployment crisis and growing wealth gap. To discuss, we FEATURE Samina Ahmed. Ahmed oversees Crisis Group’s work in Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nepal. Together with analysts throughout the region, she prepares reports on the political, social, economic and military factors that increase the risks of extremism, internal conflict and war, and she makes policy recommendations to overcome these threats. In general, her team focuses on political, security and stability issues in South Asia, including problems of authoritarianism; Islamic extremism, domestic and regional terrorism; educational, judicial, and security sector reform; international involvement and intervention in the region, including US relations with authoritarian states; and domestic insurgencies and the risk of inter-state conflict. Extensive media experience.

Last week, President Trump struck down a Venezuelan boat that was suspected of carrying drugs, surfacing questions of presidential power over the military. The strike has cause Venezeula to boost its numbers of troops to tackle drug trafficking. To discuss, we FEATURE Maritza Perez. Perez is the director of the Office of Federal Affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance in Washington, DC where she leads the organization’s federal legislative agenda to end the drug war. In this role, she lobbies Congress on issues pertaining to drug policy, criminal justice reform, overdose prevention, and harm reduction. Previously, Perez was a senior policy analyst for criminal justice reform at the Center for American Progress (CAP) where her federal portfolio included marijuana policy, policing, and prison and sentencing reform. Prior to joining CAP, Perez was a legislative staff attorney at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) where she worked to advance federal policies to end mass incarceration. Media includes: The Washington Post, The New York Times, Politico, Bloomberg, The Grio, NBC.

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is in full swing until September 25. To discuss, we FEATURE Noemi Weis. Weis—who is currently at TIFF— is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, and global speaker with more than 40 years of experience in media, advertising, and storytelling. Filmblanc is an internationally recognized film production company based in Toronto, Canada; dedicated to advancing human rights through film and speaking engagements. Weis’ documentaries focus on women’s and children’s rights, women's empowerment, maternal and newborn, mental health, domestic violence, LGBTQ and more—earning her recognition as a trusted voice globally. Her work has reached audiences in over 100 countries and has been presented at the United Nations, The Vatican, global health summits, corporate and government events, and educational institutions around the world. Extensive media experience.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is from September 15 to October 15. To commemorate, we FEATURE Jennifer Borrero. Borrero is a Colombian-Mexican social entrepreneur and human rights advocate. She is the founder of Youth Housing Coalition, the nation's largest nonprofit organization providing training in sustainable housing development to youth. Borrero also serves as a Global Goals Ambassador for the United Nations Association. Her work sits at the intersection of sustainability and social justice. Borrero’s ultimate goal is to highlight innovative solutions to global problems while building community across cultures. Media includes: Santa Monica Mirror, Argonaut News, Salem Reporter.