The Elucidators: Decoding Global News

The Elucidators: Decoding Global News

Author: Steve Palley, Pete Newsom Language: English Episodes: 48
Navigating the daily deluge of headlines can leave anyone feeling adrift. The Elucidators: Decoding Global News is a weekly conversation designed to provide a compass. Hosts Steve Palley and Pete Newsom don't just recount the events; they unpack the historical context, the political forces at play, and the often-overlooked connections between seemingly disparate stories. Each episode takes a notable global affair and patiently breaks it down, moving beyond the sensational soundbite to explore the 'why' and the 'what next'. You'll hear them analyze the mechanics of government decisions, debate the efficacy of political rhetoric, and offer grounded commentary that prioritizes understanding over alarm. This podcast operates on the belief that being an informed citizen requires more than just consumption-it requires digestion. By tuning in, you're not simply getting a news update; you're getting a framework for thinking critically about power, policy, and the narratives that shape our world. The goal is to leave each discussion with a clearer, more nuanced picture of the forces shaping our collective future.
Episodes
Episode 08: Septuagenarian Superpower [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:12
Happy Birthday to the PRC, Happy Birthday to the PRC... it doesn't really flow that well, does it? But if you live in China and you know what's good for you, you were singing along to Xi Jinping's tune this week, when th…
Episode 06: Boom Goes The Saudi Dynamite [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:20
BOOM! Faster than you can say "Happy Saturday," Saudi Arabia's main oil processing facility goes up in a big drone and cruise missile strike, global oil prices go vertical, and Saudi Prince Mohammad Bin Salman's big IPO…
Episode 05: AfGONEistan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:25
This week we get into the thorny problem of the United States' "Forever War" in Afghanistan. We're 18 years in. Is there an end in sight? It may actually have been, unbeknownst to almost everyone, until President Trump a…
Episode 04: BoJo Takes (And Loses) The Wheel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:04
We had really hoped to delay our first Brexit episode to the point that Brexit failed and we wouldn't have to talk about it... but we didn't quite get there :( Thanks a lot, Boris Johnson! In this episode, we delve into…
Episode 03: Hot Times Down South [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:04
Don't look now, but the Amazon Rainforest -- which is the size of the entire continental United States -- is on fire in an unusually big and dangerous way. Is the Brazilian government under right-wing populist Jair Bolso…
Episode 02: Hong Kong Gone Wrong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:13
Eleven straight weeks of massive protests have paralyzed Hong Kong, one of the wealthiest and most politically important cities in the world. In this episode we discuss: "One Country, Two Systems," Shenzhen, Xi Jinping,…
Episode 01: From Russia With Radiation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:02
Uh oh, something blew up in a village in Russia's Far North. Steve and Soumi investigate. Topics covered this week include: nuclear weapons strategy, arms control, the Cold War, shirtless Putin, Kim Jong Un's hair.