The Elucidators: Decoding Global News

This week's all about the strongmen: more specifically, Turkey's President Erdogan and Russia's President Putin, who are up to some nastiness in their respective parts of the world.

Israel and the United Arab Emirates just made a deal to establish formal diplomatic ties for the first time. Does this finally mean peace in the Middle East, or is it more of a prelude to conflict?

Beirut, once known as "the Paris of the Middle East," is reeling from a gigantic explosion caused by improperly stored industrial chemicals. Can the people of Beirut rebuild once again?

Steve and Pete elucidate on Russia's much-much-faster-than-expected COVID-19 vaccine, Hong Kong's issuing of arrest warrants for 6 pro-democracy activists who live in Western countries, and President Trump's threat to ban the popular social networking app TikTok from the U.S. for its putative connections to the Chinese Communist Party.

Two very big dams in two very big countries have two very big problems. Darn these dam difficulties!

The European Union just passed a gigantic bailout deal to save some of its less fiscally solid members from pandemic-related economic disaster. Will it work?

Over the past month or so, some of Iran's most sensitive military sites have blown up and/or burned down. What's the deal, Mr. Rouhani...?

China has applied a majorly authoritarian National Security Law to Hong Kong. Will one of the world's great city-states ever be the same?

Steve and Soumi's yearly look back is coming at 11 months? Eh, close enough!

Black Lives Matter.Due to social media technology, the filmed police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis traveled around the world in minutes. Now, what started out as a homegrown American movement a few years ago has gone global, with very large (and peaceful) anti-racism protests rippling from South Africa to South America. Is this merely a striking moment that is destined to fade away over time? Or are we seeing the birth of a new international norm towards anti-racism and fair treatment of minorities?This week, Steve and Soumi talk about this and much, much more!**If you like the show, please remember to subscribe on your podcast app and tell your friends!** More reading here: 1.     https://abcnews.go.com/International/black-lives-matter-protests-global-ireland-south-africa/2.     https://www.npr.org/2020/06/11/875207264/across-america-and-abroad-symbols-of-white-supremacy-come-down3.     https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/world-history/winston-churchill-genocide-dictator-shashi-tharoor-melbourne-writers-festival-a7936141.html4.     https://www.e-ir.info/2018/11/15/norm-evolution-theory-and-world-politics/5.     https://www.economist.com/i6.     https://www.economist.com/international/2020/06/11/the-killing-of-george-floyd-has-sparked-global-soul-searchingAlso, visit and like us on all the social medias! 1.   https://www.facebook.com/theelucidators/ 2.   https://twitter.com/The_Elucidators 3.   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCwm7lk1nGQGBsIjjpVMeIA