Asian carmakers have pulled ahead in the race for EV innovation, leaving the US in their rearview mirrors. International auto journalist Hans Greimel joins Ray Suarez to break down how Asian countries are tackling the transition, and what the future of electric vehicles looks like. Guest: Hans Greimel , Asia editor for Automotive News Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to World Affairs . We cannot do this work wit...
Aug 17, 2023•23 min
President Biden’s bold energy future features significant investment in electric vehicles, but the United Auto Workers are pumping the breaks. Mark Phelan, auto writer and columnist for the Detroit Free Press, joins Ray Suarez to break down why the threat of EVs is a red line for autoworkers. Guest: Mark Phelan , auto writer and columnist for the Detroit Free Press Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to World Affai...
Aug 14, 2023•30 min
Elon Musk’s leadership at “X” (formerly Twitter) has been messy, and his disregard for user safeguards is part of a troubling trend in Silicon Valley. Ray Suarez sits down with NYU professor Dr. Scott Galloway to explore how Silicon Valley’s profit-chasing – and unchecked influence – is destroying American society… and our kids. Guest: Scott Galloway , Professor of Marketing at NYU Stern School of Business Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please...
Aug 10, 2023•27 min
With a few keystrokes, users across the world can find virtually anything online. But at what cost? UC Berkeley researchers Alexa Koenig and Andrea Lampros join Ray Suarez to break down how everyday exposure to trauma is affecting social media users worldwide, and to discuss their upcoming book, “ Graphic: Trauma and Meaning in our Online Lives .” Plus: check out our past conversation with Alexa Koenig on How Technology Fights – and Fuels – Misinformation to learn more about what UC Berkeley’s H...
Aug 07, 2023•26 min
In June, retired General David Petraeus joined the Marines’ Memorial Association “Leading From the Front” speaker series, where he offered insights on how small nations can contend with formidable superpowers, and how President Volodymyr Zelenskyy scored the role of a lifetime. Guest: General David Petraeus , Former CIA Director and Chairman of the KKR Global Institute Host: Mike Cerre , PBSNewsHour Special Correspondent If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please c...
Aug 03, 2023•21 min
After 20 years of “forever wars,” the American contest for influence and control in the Middle East hasn’t stopped. But now the US has company, and the countries in the region have options. Mara Rudman, Executive Vice President for Policy at the Center for American Progress , joins Ray Suarez to dissect the delicate state of play in the Middle East. Guest: Mara Rudman , Executive Vice President for Policy at the Center for American Progress Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and wan...
Jul 31, 2023•32 min
At the 2023 APEC Forum in Detroit, Malaysian Deputy Minister Liew Chin Tong tells Ray Suarez how spaces like APEC are key to balancing relationships with competing superpowers. Then, Deputy Secretary Vangelis Vitalis shares how the demand for traditional Kiwi exports has kept Aotearoa’s economy afloat. Guest: Liew Chin Tong , Deputy Minister of Malaysian Investment, Trade and Industry Vangelis Vitalis , Deputy Secretary, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Host: Ray Suarez If you a...
Jul 27, 2023•33 min
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai played host to the APEC Forum in Detroit, where she balanced American interests, international trade agreements and ongoing rivalries with China. Ambassador Tai joined Ray Suarez to speak about how that meeting went, and what it really means to put workers at the center of US trade policy. Guest: Ambassador Katherine Tai , US Trade Representative Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a dona...
Jul 24, 2023•20 min
Researcher Christopher Reddy has watched in despair as public confidence in science has plummeted. He joins Ray Suarez to discuss his new book, “ Science Communication in a Crisis ,” and why scientists may be part of the problem in science denialism. Guest: Christopher Reddy , Senior Scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and author of “ Science Communication in a Crisis ” Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a ...
Jul 20, 2023•24 min
In his new book, “ A Traveler’s Guide to the End of the World ,” nature writer David Gessner grapples with communicating about climate change with the next generation. David and his daughter, Hadley, join Ray Suarez to have that conversation, and to spur all of us “hypocrites” who drive cars and fly in planes to fight the climate fight. Guest: David Gessner , nature writer and author of “ A Traveler’s Guide to the End of the World ” Hadley Gessner, David’s daughter Host: Ray Suarez If you apprec...
Jul 17, 2023•29 min
Screenwriter Noah Pink tells Ray Suarez how he discovered the true story behind “ Tetris ,” from the Cold War race to secure the rights to the classic video game to its escape from the former Soviet Union. Guest: Noah Pink , “Tetris” screenwriter Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to World Affairs . We cannot do this work without your help. Thank you....
Jul 13, 2023•27 min
Putin may have won the “battle” against Wagner’s Yevgeny Prigozhin, but he’s losing the meme war. Ray speaks with Jen Kirby, Vox’s foreign and national security reporter, about fact verification and conflict reporting amidst state propaganda and viral Twitter memes. Guest: Jen Kirby , senior foreign and national security reporter at Vox Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to World Affairs . We cannot do this work w...
Jul 10, 2023•27 min
Peace is a process, not an outcome. And in the case of Yemen, Saudi Arabia’s meddling in the country’s civil war has prevented peace for almost a decade. Ray Suarez speaks with Arwa Mokdad , Peace Advocate with the Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation , about what a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran could mean for the future of Yemen. Guest: Arwa Mokdad , Peace Advocate with the Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support ...
Jul 06, 2023•27 min
Can a single gathering of world leaders really pull billions of people out of poverty? Eric Pelofsky , Deputy Chief of Staff and Vice President of the Rockefeller Foundation, joined Ray Suarez days before the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact in Paris to share how international financial institutions can make up for past mistakes. Guest: Eric Pelofsky , Deputy Chief of Staff and Vice President of the Rockefeller Foundation Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support ...
Jul 03, 2023•26 min
Conspiracy communities that once promoted QAnon and anti-vaccine theories have now sunk their teeth into an even tastier morsel: our food supply chain. Laicie Heeley, Executive Producer and Host of “ Things That Go Boom ,” joins Ray Suarez to break down how cracks in our food system have paved the way for international conspiracy theories about the ongoing food crisis. Guest: Laicie Heeley , Executive Producer and Host of “ Things That Go Boom ” Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode an...
Jun 29, 2023•23 min
Concerns about a 'global elite' exerting control over demographic shifts and our food choices have hit the mainstream, and they are feeding anxieties. Ray Suarez speaks with French legal scholar Rim-Sarah Alouane about the "great replacement theory", and what it takes to be considered “French first.” Guest: Ridha Khadher , baker and owner of Au Paradis du gourmand Rim-Sarah Alouane , French legal scholar Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please c...
Jun 26, 2023•31 min
The 1998-1999 war in Kosovo may have ended the fighting between Serbs and Albanian Kosovars, but it didn’t end the conflict. Anatol Lieven, journalist and Eurasian Program Director at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft , joins Ray Suarez to explain why ethnic tensions are once again flaring up in the Balkans. Guest: Anatol Lieven , journalist and Eurasian Program Director at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to s...
Jun 22, 2023•22 min
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey’s all-powerful leader of 20 years, was recently re-elected, raising serious questions about the state of Turkey’s democracy. Is Erdoğan trying to rebuild the Ottoman Empire? And is his republic Russia’s Trojan Horse in NATO? Ray Suarez speaks with Merve Tahiroğlu , Turkey Program Director at the Project on Middle East Democracy about Erdoğan’s imperial ambitions. Guest: Merve Tahiroğlu , Turkey Program Director at the Project on Middle East Democracy Host: ...
Jun 19, 2023•32 min
For decades, Georgia has tried to extricate itself from Russia's shadow. But with the recent influx of Ukrainian refugees and anti-war Russians and the rise of Georgia’s Dream Party, the former Soviet state is once again walking a political tightrope between Russia and a tenuous future with NATO. In this episode, reporter Levi Bridges takes us on the ground to hear about the dangers of standing up to Russia. Reporter: Levi Bridges , journalist Featured guests: Daniil Chubar, co-founder of Emigra...
Jun 15, 2023•19 min
“How is it that foreign corrupt interests could manipulate our government?” asked retired Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, in her testimony during the first impeachment trial against former President Donald Trump in 2019. In her absorbing memoir, “Lessons from the Edge,” Yovanovich reflected on the disinformation campaign that eventually led to the end of her post as Ambassador to Ukraine. Ray Suarez spoke with Yovanovitch about a lifetime of public service, and why she remains optimistic about Ukr...
Jun 12, 2023•34 min
The innovative concept of a “15-Minute City” holds the potential to address many urbanization challenges. But it hasn’t been without its critics. Ray Suarez and ‘CityNerd’ creator Ray Delahanty, delve into the eccentric conspiracy theories surrounding it, and its feasibility for the future of urban planning in American cities. Guest: Ray Delahanty , Host and creator of CityNerd Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation t...
Jun 08, 2023•22 min
Derailed trains, collapsed bridges and an unreliable power grid point to America’s growing infrastructure problem. And though President Biden campaigned on “building back better,” these issues have taken a back seat to political gridlock—at home and abroad. US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg joins Ray Suarez to break down how the Biden administration plans to get America’s infrastructure back on track — one EV at a time. They spoke following the APEC Transportation Ministerial Meeting...
Jun 05, 2023•30 min
The hard truth is that whenever tensions escalate between the US and Asian nations overseas, Asian Americans bear the brunt of that anger at home. In this episode, we revisit the story of Wen Ho Lee, a Taiwanese-American scientist who was falsely accused of spying for the Chinese government, with Helen Zia and George Koo. Guests: Helen Zia , journalist, activist and author of Last Boat out of Shanghai and My Country vs. Me George Koo , retired business consultant and writer Host: Ray Suarez If y...
Jun 01, 2023•31 min
For decades, Asian-Americans have been the least likely racial minority to hold political office, accounting for less than 1% of elected leaders. But a new generation of Asian American leaders is changing the tide. In this episode, World Affairs President & CEO Philip Yun tells the story of the election that altered the course of his life. Then, California Assemblymember Alex Lee tells Ray Suarez about the political responsibility he has to all Americans. Guests: Philip Yun , President and C...
May 29, 2023•28 min
Aarthi Shahani, author of the memoir Here We Are: American Dreams, American Nightmares, joins Ray Suarez to discuss her family’s painful path to citizenship, and why it’s time to change the immigration narrative in America. Guest: Aarthi Shahani , author of the memoir Here We Are: American Dreams, American Nightmares and host of “Art of Power” Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to World Affairs . We cannot do this...
May 25, 2023•28 min
Everybody knows the immigration system is broken. So what are policy makers doing to fix it? And with the end of Title 42 – a pandemic-era order to deny asylum at the US-Mexico border – Biden’s immigration policy will face new challenges. Ray Suarez speaks with Sabrina Rodriguez, national political reporter at The Washington Post, about what the end of Title 42 means for the 2024 presidential campaign. Guest: Sabrina Rodriguez , national politics reporter for The Washington Post Host: Ray Suarez...
May 22, 2023•25 min
In an era where changing social norms and labor-market shifts are pushing men to the sidelines, can a crisis of masculinity explain why men are falling behind? Idrees Kahloon, author of “What’s The Matter With Men?,” joins Ray Suarez to explain why improving the welfare of struggling men may help bring greater gender equality. Guest: Idrees Kahloon , DC bureau chief for The Economist and author of “ What’s The Matter With Men? ” Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support...
May 18, 2023•23 min
Despite being found liable for sexual abuse, many commentators wonder if the E. Jean Carroll verdict will burden — or boost— Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. The rise of strongman rhetoric and polarizing gender politics is fueling a cultural war in the US, and masculinity is at the center of the debate. Angela Saini, author of The Patriarchs: How Men Came To Rule, joins Ray Suarez to break down what the “patriarchy” is, and how it operates. Guest: Angela Saini , author of The Patriarch...
May 15, 2023•30 min
Distrust in official election results isn’t a new trend in Nigerian politics, but the explosion of mis- and disinformation across social media platforms ahead of the country’s 2023 presidential elections made it even harder for Nigerian voters to sort fact from fiction. BBC Nigeria senior disinformation journalist, Fauziyya Tukur, joins Ray Suarez to share how digital disinformation is threatening the future of social trust and democracy in her country. Guest: Fauziyya Tukur , senior journalist,...
May 11, 2023•17 min
Despite being the first president—former or sitting—to be indicted for a crime, Donald Trump remains the front-running candidate for the GOP nomination. If the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol and allegations of assault and defamation aren’t enough to deter diehard MAGA fans, what does the future of American politics look like? Tom Nichols, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins Ray Suarez to break down what Trump’s historic indictment—and the fight for the truth in the US—means for the coming 2024 ...
May 08, 2023•37 min
