The US is ramping up pressure on Venezuela, with the USS Gerald R. Ford deployed to the region, CIA covert operations approved by the White House, and strikes on suspected narco‑trafficking vessels attributed to Caracas. Many analysts now see regime change as the ultimate goal. On the GZERO World Podcast, Ian Bremmer and former US Ambassador James Story game out what a US intervention in Venezuela might look like—and more importantly, how the US would manage the aftermath.

Story points out that while removing Nicolás Maduro may sound feasible, rebuilding Venezuela’s institutions, economy and social fabric would be far harder. “The country is a failed state,” he says. “You’re going to need the military to help you secure peace while you rebuild.” As Washington talks of sanction relief and diplomatic pressure, Story asks: does the US have the capability, resources or will to stay for the long haul?

Host: Ian Bremmer

Guest: James Story

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As populations grow and communities evolve, transportation authorities and urban infrastructure are seeking ways to modernize.

In this episode of “Local to global: The power of small business,” host JJ Ramberg sits down with Chapin Flynn, Senior Vice President of Transit and Urban Mobility at Mastercard, and Mark Langmead, Director of Revenue & Compass Operations at TransLink in Vancouver, to explore how cities are making transit easier, faster, and more seamless for riders–an approach known as frictionless urban mobility.

They discuss how innovations like contactless tap-and-go technologies are reducing dwell time, speeding up boarding, and producing real-time data that helps transit agencies better plan and manage their systems.

Next gen urban mobility also has the potential to benefit small businesses: when transit becomes simpler, riders shift spending from automotive fuel to Main Street, foot traffic grows near transit arteries, and neighborhoods become more connected.

“Local to global: The power of small business” is a podcast series from GZERO Media’s Blue Circle Studios and Mastercard, where we look behind the curtain to explore the world of small businesses and why they’re positioned to play an even bigger role in the future of the global economy.

Host: JJ Ramberg

Guests: Chapin Flynn, Mark Langmead

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In 1929, unchecked speculation and economic hype helped fuel the worst financial crash in modern history. Nearly a century later, New York Times journalist and CNBC anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin sees troubling parallels. On the GZERO World podcast, he joins Ian Bremmer to talk about his new book, "1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History—and How It Shattered a Nation," and whether today’s economy is headed for another cliff.

Sorkin warns that behind today’s AI boom and market exuberance lies an undercurrent of fragility—historic debt levels, shaky private credit markets, and investors chasing returns with little oversight. While the technology behind AI is real, much of the money flooding in feels familiar to those who’ve studied speculative bubbles before. “We're not going to have another 1929,” Sorkin says, “but I think it's very possible. Actually, I would argue it's almost impossible for us not to have another 1999.” He sees eerie parallels between the past and the present: massive speculative investments, surging inequality, and a public increasingly disconnected from financial realities.

But one thing stands out today: silence. Sorkin warns that many CEOs and financial leaders, despite recognizing the risks, are unwilling to speak out publicly. “If we ever get to a moment where we need to make very difficult decisions,” he says, “are there going to be leaders willing to stand up and explain what needs to happen?”

Host: Ian Bremmer

Guest: Andrew Ross Sorkin 

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What can the US learn from the benefits–and perils–of China’s quest to engineer the future? Tech analyst and author Dan Wang joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast to discuss his new book "Breakneck," China’s infrastructure boom, and the future of the US-China relationship. Over the last two decades, China has transformed into what Wang calls an “engineering state,” marshaling near unlimited resources to build almost anything–roads, bridges, entire cities overnight. That investment has created astounding growth, but also domestic challenges and soaring debt. It’s also led to a stubborn belief within the Chinese government that society itself can be engineered from the top down, where the state treats its people like a building material that can be tweaked or destroyed if necessary. Wang and Bremmer dig into all things US-China: the future of the relationship, the surprising similarities between the two countries, and whether Washington can learn from Beijing’s example without repeating its mistakes.

Host: Ian Bremmer

Guest: Dan Wang

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US President Donald Trump has been piling the pressure on Russia and Venezuela in recent weeks. He placed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil firms and bolstered the country’s military presence around Venezuela – while continuing to bomb ships coming off Venezuela’s shores. But what exactly are Trump’s goals? And can he achieve them? And how are Russia and Venezuela, two of the largest oil producers in the world, responding? 

GZERO's Zac Weisz and Riley Callanan discuss.

Hosts: Zac Weisz, Riley Callanan

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This is normally where you’ll find extended versions of Ian Bremmer's interviews from the public television show, but today we're bringing you something a little different. Ian just returned from Tokyo, Japan where he delivered his annual State of the World address to packed audience of diplomats, business leaders, and opinion makers from around the world.

Each year, this speech is a chance to take stock of where things stand geopolitically, and today the picture is more uncertain than ever. We’re not just facing new conflicts and crises. We’re facing a deeper transformation of the global order, driven most significantly by the world’s most powerful country stepping back. The United States isn't losing influence because of weakness. It’s walking away by choice.

That decision is reshaping alliances, weakening global institutions, and leaving many of America’s closest partners searching for a plan B. In the absence of leadership, the G-Zero world becomes more chaotic, more transactional, and less stable.

Host: Ian Bremmer

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Can we align AI with society’s best interests? Tristan Harris, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast to discuss the risks to humanity and society as tech firms ignore safety and prioritize speed in the race to build more and more powerful AI models. AI is the most powerful technology humanity has ever built. It can cure disease, reinvent education, unlock scientific discovery. But there is a danger to rolling out new technologies en masse to society without understanding the possible risks. The tradeoff between AI’s risks and potential rewards is similar to deployment of social media. It began as a tool to connect people and, in many ways, it did. But it also become an engine for polarization, disinformation, and mass surveillance. That wasn’t inevitable. It was the product of choices—choices made by a small handful of companies moving fast and breaking things. Will AI follow the same path?

Host: Ian Bremmer

Guest: Tristan Harris

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Public disgust with Washington is growing as the government shutdown continues, with both Democrats and Republicans seemingly unwilling to compromise. Is the American political system broken beyond repair? Former GOP fundraiser and chief of staff for Mitch McConnell, Steven Law, joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast to discuss the state of America’s political parties ahead of a pivotal midterm election year.

While Congress seems more polarized and divided than ever, Law believes that the American public writ large wants leaders who are constructive and unifying, even as they’re prosecuting a strong agenda. But exactly what that agenda is, is what’s unclear. According to Law, the GOP has become the party of Trump while the Democrats are experiencing an identity crisis and period of “massive redefinition.” What should parties focus on ahead of next year’s midterms? Can either side break through the deep polarization in DC to deliver a message that resonates with voters?

Host: Ian Bremmer

Guest: Steven Law

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Investing in health and science research isn’t just about curing diseases. It has huge impacts across society, from creating jobs to driving economic growth to boosting national competitiveness. Study shows that every $ invested in the life sciences industry generates $3 in GDP globally, whereas every job created in the life sciences industry generates five in the global economy. Life sciences are one of the most powerful engines of prosperity, yet many governments still underestimate their economic return.

In this episode of The Ripple Effect: Investing in Life Sciences, host Dan Riskin speaks with Patrick Horber, President of Novartis International, and David Gluckman, Vice Chairman of Investment Banking and Global Head of Healthcare at Lazard. Together, they break down the outsized economic impact of life science innovation, from trillions in US bioscience output to China’s meteoric rise as a global R&D hub. 

The conversation delves into the ways governments can support innovation with not just money, but through policy and regulation; plus, some of the best ways that countries can help the sector secure investment, talent, and long-term growth.

This limited series, produced by GZERO’s Blue Circle Studios in partnership with Novartis, examines how life science innovation plays a vital role in fulfilling that commitment.

Host: Dan Riskin

Guests: Patrick Horber, David Gluckman

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Militarily, Israel is dominant. Diplomatically, it’s more isolated than ever.

This week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made his fourth trip to the White House since President Trump returned to office, standing beside him to unveil what Trump called a “landmark” Gaza peace proposal. But behind the bold language is a growing distance between Israel and the world. Gaza has been devastated, Hamas is on its heels, and yet, the cost to Israel’s global standing continues to rise.

Former US diplomat and Middle East peace negotiator Aaron David Miller joins Ian to unpack the uncomfortable truth: Israel may be winning on the battlefield, but it’s losing support in global capitals, and possibly at home.

“Not a single cost or consequence has been imposed by any Arab state on Israel,” Miller says. “They’ve done nothing. The Arab states are running scared of Trump. They’re either afraid of him or they want something from him.”

From European governments pulling investments and recognizing Palestinian statehood, to rising grassroots pushback across American campuses, Israel’s brand is eroding—even as Netanyahu locks arms more tightly with Trump.

Host: Ian Bremmer

Guest: Aaron David Miller

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