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Danny and Derek welcome back to the show Alejandro Velasco, associate professor of modern Latin America at NYU, to talk about Venezuela's political and economic situation following the U.S. ousting Nicolás Maduro. Topics include: American control over Venezuela's oil industry, the transformation of Chavismo, Delcy Rodríguez's consolidation of power, María Corina Machado and the Venezuelan opposition, the Trump administration's ambitions in Latin America, the aftermath of Venezuela's earthquakes, and the economic struggles facing ordinary Venezuelans.

Be sure to read Alejandro’s book Barrio Rising: Urban Popular Politics and the Making of Modern Venezuela. 

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Danny and Derek welcome back to the show Alejandro Velasco, associate professor of modern Latin America at NYU, to talk about Venezuela's political and economic situation following the U.S. ousting Nicolás Maduro. Topics include: American control over Venezuela's oil industry, the transformation of Chavismo, Delcy Rodríguez's consolidation of power, María Corina Machado and the Venezuelan opposition, the Trump administration's ambitions in Latin America, the aftermath of Venezuela's earthquakes, and the economic struggles facing ordinary Venezuelans.

Be sure to read Alejandro’s book ⁠Barrio Rising: Urban Popular Politics and the Making of Modern Venezuela⁠. 

Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠⁠Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade⁠⁠! New episodes Tuesdays.

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The Blue Wave has hit AP headquarters, devastating our humble operation. In this week’s news: Danny and Derek discuss the prospects for military escalation and peace talks with Iran after the midterm elections (2:06); the Red Cross delivers aid to the Yemeni city of Taiz (9:46); Netanyahu’s position weakens as coalition talks begin after Israel’s election (11:39); the FBI accuses North Korea of a $6.3 billion cryptocurrency theft (16:09); Ethiopia and Sudan close each other's consulates amid accusations of support for the RSF (18:25); the UN shuts down its Western Sahara mission (20:48); the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine schedule new peace talks in Abu Dhabi (23:28); a temporary ceasefire in southern Ukraine allows aid deliveries and civilian evacuations around Oleshky (25:12); the Trump administration pushes Europe to resume Russian gas imports (28:27); youth-led protests spread to Germany as French unions launch a nationwide strike (32:26); the U.S. negotiates a status-of-forces agreement with Venezuela (35:55); and El Salvador deploys thousands of troops to Haiti after four Salvadoran military personnel disappear (37:54).

Catch Danny in-person, along with friend of the pod Nando Vila, at Stories Books & Cafe in LA, today, Nov 6th at 6:30 PM.

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Danny and Derek welcome intellectual historian A.J.A. Woods to the show to talk about the history of the "cultural Marxism" conspiracy theory. They discuss the Frankfurt School, Lyndon LaRouche's conspiracy theories, William S. Lind and the New Right, antisemitism, the Tea Party, Gamergate and the alt-right, the rise of anti-woke politics, and the use of "cultural Marxism" to justify cuts to public services.

Grab your copy of A.J.A.’s book The Cultural Marxism Conspiracy.

Catch Danny in-person, along with friend of the pod Nando Vila, at Stories Books & Cafe in LA, Friday Nov 6th at 6:30 PM. 

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Derek welcomes back to the show Khalid Medani, professor at McGill University, to talk about the ongoing war in Sudan. They discuss the fighting in Blue Nile and Kordofan, the humanitarian toll of drone warfare, the crisis in Darfur, foreign intervention, American peace initiatives, prospects for a civilian transition, and Sudan's tense relationship with Egypt.

Catch Danny in-person, along with friend of the pod Nando Vila, at Stories Books & Cafe in LA, Friday Nov 6th at 6:30 PM.

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Journalist Ken Klippenstein returns to the program to talk about the national security state’s role in the upcoming midterm elections. Topics include: foreign election interference and disinformation, the military's “election security,” attacks on Abdul El-Sayed, potential Trump administration intervention in election disputes, Democrats' relationship with national security institutions, and expanding domestic terrorism investigations.

Listen to our full special on the election in Brazil with Andre Pagliarini.

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Danny and Derek considered helping Flavio Bolsonaro mount a political comeback here in the States, but cut ties on the advice of Danny's psychic. In this week’s news: Israel's election leaves Netanyahu without a parliamentary majority (1:41); Lula wins Brazil's presidential runoff and Flávio Bolsonaro flees Brazil for the United States after his defeat (8:53); Serbia's student-led opposition topples the ruling party (14:33); the United States and Gulf states pursue a new peace initiative with Iran as the United States prepares for another military campaignafter the midterms (18:35); a Sudanese military drone strike kills more than 100 people in Nyala (23:55); Turkey hosts talks between Libya's rival governments looking toward reunification (26:01); in the Russia-Ukraine war, Zelenskyy announces peace talks in Abu Dhabi for November (28:50), the two countries observe a local ceasefire near Oleshky to allow humanitarian aid (29:56), and the Trump administration considers major sanctions relief for Russia (32:21); Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado returns to the country (34:50); and apparent cyberattacks disrupt refrigeration systems at U.S. military bases (37:41).

Listen to our full special on the election in Brazil with Andre Pagliarini.

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Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters, co-hosts of the We’re Not So Different podcast and our collaborators on Welcome to the Crusades (Season 2 out now!) are on the show to help tell the story of Halloween. They explore Halloween's Christian (and possibly pagan) origins, medieval beliefs about death and purgatory, ghosts and the Protestant Reformation, the origins of costumes and jack-o'-lanterns, its commercialization and global spread, and the rise of sexy Halloween costumes.

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Please enjoy the first two episodes of the second season of⁠ ⁠Welcome to the Crusades⁠⁠, our collaboration with⁠ ⁠We're Not So Different⁠⁠⁠.⁠ ⁠Purchase both seasons now⁠⁠.

Episode 2: Mosul, 1146

Two years later, as the Crusaders build up power and alliances in Europe, the Zengid Dynasty of Mosul suffers a massive setback when Zengi, its founder, is assassinated. We take a deep look at how the Muslim forces in the region responded to their loss during the First Crusade, the centralization efforts of Zengi and his son and successor, Nur al-Din, the continued deterioration of the Fatimids, and the state of the Second Crusade’s ultimate destination: Damascus.

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Please enjoy the first two episodes of the second season of Welcome to the Crusades, our collaboration with We're Not So Different⁠. Purchase both seasons now!

Jerusalem, 1144

The Second Crusade begins in the Levant with Raymond of Poitiers and others calling out to Rome and the Catholic Church for a new crusade to avenge the loss of the County of Edessa to the Muslim forces of Zengi. We will discuss how all the major Christian players in the region, including the Crusader States, Byzantines, and Catholic Church have fared in the four decades since the end of the First Crusade.

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Danny and Derek speak with historian Andre Pagliarini about Lula's surprise reelection in Brazil. They talk about Lula's campaign comeback, the Bolsonaro family's political future, the incoming right-wing Congress, Brazil and Latin American politics, its relations with the United States and China, the Amazon rainforest, and the future of the Brazilian left.

Read Andre’s books Claiming the Nation: The Politics of Nationalism in Modern Brazil and Lula: A People's President and the Fight for Brazil's Future.

Don't forget to pre-order the second season of our collaboration with Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters, ⁠Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade⁠, premiering Tuesday, October 27! Use promo code CRUSADES15 for 15% off of the second season. (Offer valid through TOMORROW, 10/27.)

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Danny and Derek welcome back to the program ⁠Anatol Lieven⁠, director of the Eurasia Program and Andrew Bacevich Chair in American Diplomatic History at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, for a discussion about the status of the war in Ukraine and the evolving nature of modern warfare. They talk about the military situation in Ukraine, Ukrainian and Russian public opinion, Trump's approach to the conflict, obstacles to a negotiated peace, frozen Russian assets, the impact of drones and missiles on warfare, military spending and the defense industry, and the implications for American military power and a potential conflict over Taiwan.

Don't forget to pre-order the second season of our collaboration with Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters, ⁠Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade⁠, premiering Tuesday, October 27! Use promo code CRUSADES15 for 15% off of the second season. (Offer valid through 10/27.)

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