Episodes
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This week we dive deep into the fall of the Assad regime and the turbulent future of Syria. We explore how Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict destabilized Assad’s grip on power. Who are the biggest winners and losers in the aftermath? We break down Turkey's strategic moves, Israel’s dominance in the Golan Heights, and Russia's next steps in maintaining influence. Plus, what does the rise of HTS and their new caretaker government mean for Syria’s reintegration into the world?
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Articles referenced this episode:
https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-says-it-has-cracked-quantum-computing-challenge-with-new-chip-2024-12-09/
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c791ng0zvl3o
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/haiti-massacre-cite-soleil-port-au-prince-gang-violence-un-death-toll/
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/world/middleeast/israel-netanyahu-corruption-trial-testimony.html
https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/12/10/syrian-rebels-have-dealt-a-blow-to-vladimir-putins-naval-ambitions
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/06/middleeast/syria-rebel-forces-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-al-jolani-intl-latam/index.html
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It’s chaos in Syria as the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seizes Aleppo, the commercial heart of the nation. With Hezbollah weakened, Russia distracted, and Turkey playing a complex game, we dissect the forces reshaping Syria's conflict. What role does the U.S. play, and how are Kurdish proxies responding? Tune in this week as we attempt to connect the dots!
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Website: https://www.foreignreportshow.com/
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Articles referenced this episode:
https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/chinese-ship-suspected-of-deliberately-dragging-anchor-for-100-miles-to-cut-baltic-cables-395f65d1
https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-reacts-to-hezbollah-truce-violations-france-said-accusing-israel-of-transgressions/
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/03/world/middleeast/israel-hezbollah-cease-fire-violations.html
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/dec/03/south-korea-declares-emergency-martial-law-yoon-suk-yeol-north-korea-latest-updates?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky&CMP=bsky_gu
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/3/georgia-protests-whats-behind-them-and-whats-next
https://www.npr.org/2024/11/30/g-s1-36285/how-a-syrian-rebel-group-pulled-off-its-stunning-seizure-of-aleppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0EZ_Itt-Ag
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Missing episodes?
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It’s Thanksgiving! The perfect time for us to dive into Bob Woodward’s latest book, WAR. Woodward takes us into the high-stakes world of geopolitics—from Putin’s saber-rattling and Ukraine’s tank diplomacy to Biden’s tense exchanges with Netanyahu. Along the way, we uncover chilling moments, surprising anecdotes (birds mistaken for drones!), and pivotal decisions that shaped global conflicts. Plus, a look at MBS’s burner phone collection and Merkel’s showdown with Putin’s Labrador. Join us for a feast of foreign policy insights with a side of juicy insider goss!
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From Chinese cyber espionage to the groundbreaking Stuxnet worm, we are diving deep into the dark world of state-sponsored hacking. We unpack how China’s vast network of private contractors is reshaping global cyber warfare, explore the shocking leak that exposed their operations, and reveal the crafty techniques used to infiltrate systems worldwide. All that plus, we revisit Stuxnet—how the US and Israel’s digital weapon sabotaged Iran’s nuclear ambitions and forever changed the battlefield.
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Articles referenced this episode:
https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-missile-attack-sumy-5cd4f9fe2cee1ae8aed67d63c22b0703
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/world/middleeast/us-veto-gaza-ceasefire.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/16/world/americas/biden-xi-meeting.html?utm_source=WPR+Free+Newsletter&utm_campaign=5564a88d8c-daily-review-nonsubs-111824&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6e36cc98fd-5564a88d8c-65239767&mc_cid=5564a88d8c
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12207833/Chinese-secret-police-Australian-Andrew-Phelan-grilled-cops-fake-email-threats.html
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A COP29 recap, the Taliban looks to start fresh with Trump, and Saudi Arabia condemns Israel—but wait, there’s more! Iran’s President Ibrahim Raisi shook the 2023 UNGA with bold proclamations of a “New World Order” and the West’s decline. How does a sanctions-stricken, tumultuous Iran fit into this vision? Join us as we unravel the growing alliance of anti-American powers—Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea—their role in the Ukraine war, and BRICS’ push to topple Western dominance. What does it mean for global politics, and is there hope in the chaos? There’s only one way to find out!
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Website: https://www.foreignreportshow.com/
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Articles referenced this episode:
https://www.climatechangenews.com/2024/11/11/cop29-bulletin-day-1-agenda-fight-and-brazils-new-target/?utm_source=dailybrief&utm_content=20241112&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyBrief2024Nov12&utm_term=DailyNewsBrief
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-12/taliban-eyes-trump-reset-with-9-billion-in-reserves-at-stake?embedded-checkout=true
https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/middle-east/israel-genocide-gaza-saudi-mbs-palestine-b2645405.html
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Trump’s re-election, North Korean soldiers distracted by porn, and shake-ups in Bibi’s cabinet—whew! Buckle up as we dive into Trump’s potential wrecking ball moves, from reigniting trade wars to putting NATO on the rocks. Could he really bail on NATO? And what would that mean for Europe’s defense? We’ll break it all down, dig into NATO’s backstory, and share some nervous laughs about the EU’s scramble for DIY security. The world order is up for grabs—let’s make sense of it together!
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Website: https://www.foreignreportshow.com/
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Articles referenced this episode:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/05/world/middleeast/netanyahu-fires-gallant.html
https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-north-korea-troops-c8cf9599591e50caf1c48a98b6841fe4
https://www.vox.com/2018/6/28/17513972/trump-nato-russia-putin-nafta
https://www.vox.com/2024-elections/382679/trump-foreign-policy-america-first-tariffs-nato-alliance
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/global-trends/north-korean-soldiers-watching-porn-instead-of-fighting-in-ukraine-on-russia-behalf-surprising-impact-of-unfettered-internet-access/articleshow/115049192.cms?from=mdr
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We’re diving into election drama worldwide this week. In our news roundup, we discuss Japan’s election, Harris and Trump’s recent campaign rallies, and Israel’s most recent airstrike on Gaza. Our main story is all about the turbulent Georgian parliamentary election. Amid allegations of fraud, vote-rigging videos, and accusations of Russian influence, the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party claims victory, sparking massive protests. Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, a former ally-turned-critic of Georgian Dream, calls the election results a "Russian special operation," and urges citizens to take to the streets. We explore the geopolitical impact, including Georgia’s EU aspirations and regional tensions, and discuss Russia's longstanding influence on this strategically critical nation.
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Source Links:
https://apnews.com/article/georgia-election-russia-european-union-protests-f6667dd64b537bd2082bfc5396f4a955
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/26/world/asia/japan-election.html
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/10/29/world/israel-gaza-iran-lebanon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ1USuiDbeU
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This week, we’re exploring North Korea’s involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war and how they’re funding its military ambitions. With reports of the DPRK sending 1,500 troops to aid Russia, alongside a lucrative weapons trade, we dig into how a heavily sanctioned nation has managed to keep its missile and nuclear programs afloat. The secret lies in the dark world of cryptocurrency theft and hacking, where North Korea has become a leading player. It all started in Hollywood with a little hack and a dream to destroy the 2014 film “The Interview.” And by “little hack,” we mean huge. We talk all about the Sony hack and explain how the DPRK has stolen billions through sophisticated crypto scams, from exploiting LinkedIn phishing schemes to hacking blockchain companies like Sky Mavis, the creators of Axie Infinity, to fund around 50% of its ballistic missile program. Tune in to find out how North Korea’s cyberattacks translate to military power and what it means for global security.
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Article referenced this episode: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-north-koreas-hacker-army-stole-3-billion-in-crypto-funding-nuclear-program-d6fe8782
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This week, we get into Taiwan’s origin story and explore why the tiny island is at the center of a geopolitical tug-of-war between the U.S. and China. How did Taiwan go from its complicated beginnings to becoming the world’s microchip manufacturing capital? And what makes Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) such a valuable prize? We get into all that and more– the rise of TSMC, its pivotal role in the tech world, and the most important question of all: what would happen if TSMC fell into China's hands? China is making big moves on the world stage, challenging U.S. dominance, and the Strategic Ambiguity at play when it comes to Taiwan. Join us as we break down what’s at stake in the battle over Taiwan and the microchips!
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It's hard to believe, but it's been one year since the October 7th attacks that ignited serious and extreme chaos in Israel and Gaza. This week, we dive into those attacks, Israel’s intelligence failures, and the aftermath, with Saman shedding light on how history is obsessed with repeating itself. We also explore the role of geopolitical strategies, military budgets, and intelligence agencies in shaping these events. All that and we tackle our first listener-submitted question!
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This week, we're back to break down the latest developments in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and examine the broader global implications. We discuss the death of Hassan Nasrallah—how he was taken out and what it means for Hezbollah’s leadership. Who will step in, and how will it shape their strategy moving forward? We also analyze Iran’s role in the escalation and Israel’s aggressive strike against the Houthis. Additionally, we explore the complex interplay between Israeli and American interests, and what the U.S. might do next—voluntarily or not. Plus, Saman takes a look into our crystal ball to predict Israel’s next moves and what this conflict could mean for U.S. policy, especially with Trump—known for his isolationist stance—looming in the background.
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Welcome to The Foreign Report! In this episode, we’re talking all things Hezbollah and asking lots of questions like… who are they? How do they have so much equipment? When did they get started? Why do they use pagers? What is a pager? We also break down the difference between Hamas and Hezbollah, and Saman helps us understand what an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah could look like and who else that would involve. You may need to grab a bottle of Tums for this!
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Maybe this show is not the best idea we've had. But it's the show we WANT to do. It's the show we NEED to do. We're going to bring you everything we know about the world, and ask all the questions we're curious about. Get ready for The Foreign Report where every episode Seena and Saman fall head first on the third rail of global politics.
