Worldly

Zack, Jenn, and Alex discuss the recent coup in Myanmar, in which the Myanmarese military deposed the country’s quasi-democratic government and detained its civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, along with hundreds of members of her political party. They look at why this happened, explain why both sides in this fight are morally compromised, explore what the Biden administration and the international community can (and can’t) do in response, and project what this means for the future of Myanmar's democracy — and the safety of the country’s many persecuted minority groups.

References:

Alex wrote an explainer on the Myanmar coup.

And he also wrote about why the coup is a problem for Biden’s pro-democracy agenda.

Jen Kirby wrote on why the coup is deeply troubling for Myanmar’s most vulnerable.

And she wrote about the laughable charges the military leveled against Aung Sang Suu Kyi.

The AP explains the differences between “Myanmar” and “Burma.”

The new military leadership has shut down Facebook, Reuters reported.

Slate has a great piece on why an Obama-era democratization push for Myanmar probably won’t happen this time.

Here’s the Foreign Policy story with the headline “Who Lost Myanmar?”

Hosts:

Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), senior correspondent, Vox

Jennifer Williams (@jenn_ruth), senior foreign editor, Vox

Alex Ward (@AlexWardVox), White House reporter, Vox

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Zack, Jenn, and Alex discuss the nationwide demonstrations in Russia in support of dissident opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who returned to the country this week from Germany, where he was recuperating from a poisoning believed to be an assassination attempt directed by the Kremlin. Navalny was immediately arrested upon his arrival, sparking protests across the country. The gang discusses who Navalny is, why President Vladimir Putin views him as a threat to his grip on power, and what the protests might mean for the future of Russia.

References:

Vox has a piece on last weekend’s protests.

Alex wrote about the Biden-Putin call and Navalny’s arrest.

You can find Navalny’s platform here.

Check out Pod Save the World’s interview with a Russian journalist about Navalny.

Russian reporter Alexey Kovalev writes that “something special just happened in Russia.”

This is the Time piece Zack mentioned.

Political scientist Timothy Frye wrote about Putin’s “repression trap” for the Washington Post.

The Atlantic profiles some of Navalny’s most unsavory views.

Jenn noted that Russia has an Internet repression problem.

Hosts:

Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), senior correspondent, Vox

Jennifer Williams (@jenn_ruth), senior foreign editor, Vox

Alex Ward (@AlexWardVox), White House reporter, Vox

Consider contributing to Vox:

If you value Worldly’s work, please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts

More to explore:

Subscribe for free to Today, Explained, Vox’s daily podcast to help you understand the news, hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

About Vox:

Vox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.

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Zack, Jenn, and Alex host the first Worldly episode of the Biden administration, the show’s first-ever episode when Donald Trump is not president. They discuss how US foreign policy will differ under Biden — and surprising ways it might stay the same — on topics ranging from China to Middle Eastern alliances to climate change.

References:

Alex has a thorough explainer on Biden’s foreign policy.

Zack wrote that it’s okay to feel hope after Biden’s inauguration.

Here’s Biden putting the US back in the Paris climate agreement.

And here’s Biden having the US rejoin the World Health Organization.

Vox wrote up how the confirmation hearings for Biden’s key national security Cabinet picks went this week.

Hosts:

Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), senior correspondent, Vox

Jennifer Williams (@jenn_ruth), senior foreign editor, Vox

Alex Ward (@AlexWardVox), White House reporter, Vox

Consider contributing to Vox:

If you value Worldly’s work, please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts

More to explore:

Subscribe for free to Today, Explained, Vox’s daily podcast to help you understand the news, hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

About Vox:

Vox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.

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Zack, Jenn, and Alex discuss how the US Capitol insurrection fits into the broader spectrum of far-right political violence in the US. They debate whether the incident should be considered an act of terrorism, and if so, what that means in terms of how to craft policy responses to the threat. They end by looking at President Donald Trump’s role in uniting disparate far-right groups, from white supremacists to eco-fascists to anti-government militias, into a loose but dangerous coalition that may persist long after he leaves office.

References:

Jenn has a Vox story on what constitutes “domestic terrorism”

Zack wrote that “Republicans own this”

Vox’s Fabiola Cineas says that “Donald Trump is the accelerant”

Here’s Vox’s explainer on the Proud Boys

And here’s Vox’s explainer on the QAnon conspiracy theory

Lawfare has a smart piece on how the far-right is fractured

Vice wrote about how neo-Nazis use imagery of Osama bin Laden

Hosts:

Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), senior correspondent, Vox

Jennifer Williams (@jenn_ruth), senior foreign editor, Vox

Alex Ward (@AlexWardVox), White House reporter, Vox

Consider contributing to Vox:

If you value Worldly’s work, please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts

More to explore:

Subscribe for free to Today, Explained, Vox’s daily podcast to help you understand the news, hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

About Vox:

Vox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.

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Zack, Jenn, and Jen Kirby discuss the assault on the US Capitol by a pro-Trump insurrection that has shaken America to its core. They look at the intelligence and law enforcement failures that allowed a mob to so easily seize one of the pillars of American government despite the US having spent billions on national security since 9/11. In the second half of the show, they talk about the damage the siege has done to America’s image abroad and what that means for the future of global politics and democracy.

References:

Threats spread online before the assault on the US Capitol

Buzzfeed’s report on the right-wing online organizing 

What we know about the security failures

The Washington Post’s report on the role of the National Guard

A coup expert on Wednesday’s events

How world leaders are reacting

ITV’s report on the Capitol insurrection

The Atlantic’s Anne Applebaum on the diminished power of America’s democratic example

Hosts:

Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), senior correspondent, Vox

Jennifer Williams (@jenn_ruth), senior foreign editor, Vox

Jen Kirby (@j_kirby1), foreign reporter, Vox

Consider contributing to Vox:

If you value Worldly’s work, please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts

More to explore:

Subscribe for free to Today, Explained, Vox’s daily podcast to help you understand the news, hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

About Vox:

Vox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.

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Jenn, Alex, and Jen wrap up 2020 by discussing the biggest stories that flew under the radar this year because of, well, everything. They talk about the war in Ethiopia, a major leadership change in Japan, and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s constitutional amendments that allow him to stay in power basically for life. Then they turn to the big storylines they’re watching in 2021, including the end of Angela Merkel’s chancellorship in Germany, Joe Biden’s Latin America policy, and potential North Korean provocations. Most importantly, the gang wishes everyone a safe and joyful holiday season.

References:

Today, Explained explains Ethiopia’s crisis

A top aid official on Ethiopia’s humanitarian crisis

Alex’s reporting on Japan’s remilitarization 

Who is Japan’s new prime minister?

Putin’s president-for-life plans

The race to replace Angela Merkel 

Joe Biden looks to Latin America

The challenges of US policy in Latin America

Will Kim Jong Un welcome Biden with a weapons test?

Hosts:

Jennifer Williams (@jenn_ruth), senior foreign editor, Vox

Alex Ward (@AlexWardVox), national security reporter, Vox

Jen Kirby (@j_kirby1), foreign reporter, Vox

Consider contributing to Vox:

If you value Worldly’s work, please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts

More to explore:

Subscribe for free to Today, Explained, Vox’s daily podcast to help you understand the news, hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

About Vox:

Vox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.

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Newsletter: Vox Sentences 

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Jenn, Alex, and Jen talk about how Brexit is for real — for real! — happening on January 1, but it won’t be so easy. Three sticking points stand between a UK-EU trade deal: fishing, keeping a level economic playing field, and a mechanism to dispute rule breaking. These may seem simple on the surface, but they’re deeply important issues that speak to larger concerns among Europeans and in global politics. The gang finishes up by reflecting on the wild ride this whole Brexit omnishambles has been.

References:

Where the Brexit talks stand

Why fishing is dominating the Brexit discussion

A look at all of the Brexit sticking points

The Northern Ireland protocol: it’s complicated

The EU offered a contingency plan to avert the worst-case no-deal scenario

What happens if there isn’t a deal

Hosts:

Jennifer Williams (@jenn_ruth), senior foreign editor, Vox

Alex Ward (@AlexWardVox), national security reporter, Vox

Jen Kirby (@j_kirby1), foreign reporter, Vox

Consider contributing to Vox:

If you value Worldly’s work, please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts

More to explore:

Subscribe for free to Today, Explained, Vox’s daily podcast to help you understand the news, hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

About Vox:

Vox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.

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Newsletter: Vox Sentences 

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Jenn, Alex, and Jen talk about the diplomatic spat between China and Australia that erupted this week after a Chinese official tweeted a fake image of an Australian soldier threatening a young Afghan child with a knife. Though the image was fake, it highlighted real war crimes allegedly committed by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan. The crew explains why China, a notorious human rights abuser itself, is trolling Australia on Twitter about this issue, and how it fits into China's broader geopolitical strategy to bully countries into keeping quiet about its own failings.

References:

The Australia-China diplomatic spat, explained

An inquiry found Australian special forces committed possible war crimes in Afghanistan

The potential costs of a trade war between Australia and China

How Australia’s allies are responding to its feud with China

The US government also did some trolling of its own

A look at China’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy

Hosts:

Jennifer Williams (@jenn_ruth), senior foreign editor, Vox

Alex Ward (@AlexWardVox), national security reporter, Vox

Jen Kirby (@j_kirby1), foreign reporter, Vox

Consider contributing to Vox:

If you value Worldly’s work, please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts

More to explore:

Subscribe for free to Today, Explained, Vox’s daily podcast to help you understand the news, hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

About Vox:

Vox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.

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Alex and Jen discuss President Trump’s decision to draw down the number of US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. They explain the slapdash announcement and rushed plan, and the inherent tensions between wanting to end a long war and America’s responsibility to the people of the countries it has invaded. The gang also turns to what Trump’s Pentagon shake-up really means, and what President-elect Joe Biden should prepare to inherit in January.

References:

The US is drawing down troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Trump has promised to bring troops home by Christmas.

He didn’t quite get that, even with a new Pentagon chief.

The big question: Will these withdrawals box Biden in on foreign policy?

Trump has also appointed a lot of loyalists to the Pentagon recently.

Shake-ups could reshape foreign policy in the last months of Trump’s term.

And maybe remake the federal bureaucracy. Here’s Trump Inc.’s investigation.

Hosts:

Jennifer Williams (@jenn_ruth), senior foreign editor, Vox

Alex Ward (@AlexWardVox), national security reporter, Vox

Jen Kirby (@j_kirby1), foreign reporter, Vox

Consider contributing to Vox:

If you value Worldly’s work, please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts

More to explore:

Subscribe for free to Today, Explained, Vox’s daily podcast to help you understand the news, hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

About Vox:

Vox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.

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Jenn, Alex, and Jen talk about the stalled transition process from President Trump to President-elect Biden. They discuss the possible national security implications and what Trump’s refusal to accept the election results says — and doesn’t say — about American exceptionalism. They conclude with how the world has reacted to the results, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “ear to ear” smile during a congratulatory phone call with Biden.

References:

Why a smooth presidential transition isn’t happening right now. 

The stalled transition process is raising national security concerns. 

Trump is trying to overturn a clear election result.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is also undermining US democracy.

The rest of the world is moving on as allies and foreign leaders congratulate Biden.

Still, the world’s strongmen have been slow to recognize Biden as the new president.

But look how happy Justin is!

Hosts:

Jennifer Williams (@jenn_ruth), senior foreign editor, Vox

Alex Ward (@AlexWardVox), national security reporter, Vox

Jen Kirby (@j_kirby1), foreign and national security reporter, Vox

Consider contributing to Vox:

If you value Worldly’s work, please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts

More to explore:

Subscribe for free to Today, Explained, Vox’s daily podcast to help you understand the news, hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

About Vox:

Vox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.

Follow Us:

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Newsletter: Vox Sentences 

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