Worldly

On a special bonus episode of Worldly, Yochi, Jenn, and Zack talk about President Trump finally firing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after publicly and privately mocking him for months. The good news: world leaders will know that Tillerson’s replacement, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, actually speaks for the president. The bad news: Pompeo has lied about US intelligence in the past to help Trump score political points -- and is incredibly hawkish on Iran and North Korea. 

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Yochi, Jenn and Zack talk about how Italy's elections may have paved the way for a far-right prime minister who sees Vladimir Putin as a role model, wants to close mosques, and openly talks about deporting 500,000 migrants. On Elsewhere, they talk about the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's decision to revoke a human rights award it had given to Aung San Suu Kyi, a pop culture icon and Nobel Peace Prize winner, because of the genocide unfolding in her native Burma. Yochi translates some Italian, Zack bumps the microphone, and Jenn manages to hide her deep hatred of U2. 

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Yochi, Zack and Jenn talk about China's decision to allow President Xi Jinping to rule the country indefinitely, a move that means the world's biggest country will likely grow even more repressive at home and aggressive abroad. On Elsewhere, they discuss a bizarre legal fight in Panama that erupted when the owners of a Trump-managed hotel in Panama tried to fire the Trump Organization, only to see the Trump employees literally brawl with both Panamanian police and the private security guards sent to evict them. Zack accuses Yochi of buying into Chinese propaganda, Jenn reminisces about Jimmy Carter’s peanut farm, and Yochi decides which kind of Chinese bear he is. 

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Yochi, Zack, and special guest Alexia Underwood talk about the evolution of Syria’s civil war and how a conflict that once pitted Syrian against Syrian has now drawn in at least six outside countries. Just this past week, Israel carried out waves of airstrikes inside Syria, US troops battled Russian mercenaries, and Iranian operatives in Syria sent a drone into Israeli airspace — all signs of how this deadly war could continue to escalate. On Elsewhere, they discuss a high-level conference in the Middle East that highlighted America’s growing isolation and irrelevance under President Trump. Yochi gives a shout-out to Epcot Center, Zack boasts about the luxurious hotel where he spent the past week, and Alexia shows off her Arabic skills. ReferencesUN official says more than 1,000 civilians died in Syria in first week of FebruaryIran sends a drone on a mission in Isreali airspaceRussian contractors reportedly killed in attack on military base in Syria Further ReadingThe Economist explains gender budgetingIsrael’s Deepening Involvement with Syria’s RebelsA very helpful map explaining tension in Syria and the surrounding region 

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Yochi, Jenn, and Zack talk about a controversial new law in Poland that makes it illegal to accuse the "Polish nation" of being complicit in the Holocaust, a change that has infuriated the US, Israel, and Jewish communities around the world. The anger comes from a simple fact: Poland suffered when it was occupied by the Nazis during World War II, but some Poles actively took part in the mass slaughter of their country's Jewish population, and the new law tries to erase that history. On Elsewhere, they look at how President Trump's call for a giant military parade through the streets of Washington DC is running into opposition from the military, the population of Washington, and pretty much every Republican senator that's been asked about it. Yochi remembers a profoundly unpleasant trip to Poland, Jenn busts out an elaborate elephant metaphor, and Zack mourns the end of his 20s. Referenced Workshttps://www.amazon.com/Neighbors-Destruction-Jewish-Community-Jedwabne/dp/0142002402http://www.jpost.com/printarticle.aspx?id=540926https://www.amazon.com/Small-Town-Near-Auschwitz-Holocaust/dp/0199679258http://insider.foxnews.com/2018/02/07/trump-military-parade-ralph-peters-says-french-march-americans-fighthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/02/06/polish-president-to-sign-holocaust-bill-despite-international-concerns/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-marching-orders-to-the-pentagon-plan-a-grand-military-parade/2018/02/06/9e19ca88-0b55-11e8-8b0d-891602206fb7_story.html? https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/06/world/europe/poland-holocaust-law.html   Further Readinghttps://www.vox.com/2017/5/24/15675606/bryan-stevenson-confederacy-monuments-slavery-ezra-kleinhttps://www.vox.com/identities/2017/8/16/16151252/confederate-statues-white-supremacistshttps://www.vox.com/videos/2017/10/25/16545362/southern-socialites-civil-war-historyhttps://www.vox.com/world/2017/8/16/16152088/nazi-swastikas-germany-charlottesville 

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Zack, Jenn, and returning guest Alex Ward discuss the controversial prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and President Trump’s announcement this week that he’s keeping it open and may send ISIS fighters there. On Elsewhere, the gang looks at a bizarre and hilarious story out of Spain involving a police chase, a car filled with thousands of oranges, and a decades-old battle between Spain and France over...fruit. Zack waxes poetic about one of his favorite essays on torture, Jenn shows off her legal knowledge, and Alex proves why his standup comedy career was short-lived. Referenced Works: Trump just signed an executive order that will keep Guantanamo open Liberalism, Torture, and the Ticking Bomb The oversized rodents that could take over Guantanamo Bay prison Police pull over a car and oranges come tumbling out Further Reading: 7 Key Points From the C.I.A. Torture Report Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program Gitmo is Back in Business Guantanamo by the Numbers  

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Jenn, Zack, and special guest Alex Ward discuss President Trump’s decision to escalate America’s military involvement in Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia, and beyond — despite having campaigned on an “America First” agenda that promised to reduce US military intervention overseas. On Elsewhere, they look at a story out of Germany, where a member of a popular far-right, anti-Islam, anti-immigrant political party has converted to Islam and quit the party — after working with Muslim immigrants. Jenn talks about the experience of converting to Islam, Zack gets angry about wars, and Alex tries to translate military speak. Mentioned in the show: Cory Booker’s Op-Ed 2018 National Defense Strategy Report Arthur Wagner of the German AFD party converting to Islam You’re more likely to be killed by furniture than by terrorism An explainer on the “mowing the grass” metaphor mentioned Further reading: This is your brain on terrorism Strikethrough video How Trump’s language on Afghanistan has changed since he came into office Candidate Trump promised to stay out of foreign wars. President Trump is escalating them. How would Trump react to a terror attack like one in Manchester? How a Blonde Tattooed Texas Girl Became an ISIS Twitter Star 

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Yochi, Jenn, and Zack discuss the horrific war in Yemen, which has become a battleground in a shadow war between Iran and Saudi Arabia — and where there are real reasons to worry that the US is complicit in war crimes. On Elsewhere, they look to a rare bit of potential good news from Korea, where athletes from North and South Korea plan to march under a united flag at the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremonies and compete on a joint team for the first time. Zack has some tough talk for the Saudi foreign minister, Jenn reluctantly admits to her past life as a cheerleader, and Yochi manages to name drop both Dennis Rodman and “Team America.” 

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Yochi, Jenn, and Zack talk about the state of play in Robert Mueller’s Russia probe — and why obstruction of justice, not collusion, may pose the biggest legal and political threat to President Trump. On Elsewhere, they look at Israel’s “Strippergate” scandal, in which recordings of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son and several of his friends boasting about strippers and hinting at shady business dealings have shaken Israel’s political establishment. Yochi shows off his Hebrew skills, Zack reminds us he’s an optimist, and Jenn enjoys hearing a little bit of Yiddish. 

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