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Danny and Derek have reconciled with their disappointment in the new Star Wars film and can now bring you the news roundup. This week: in Iran, talks stall as Trump weighs continuing the war (2:00), the Islamic Republic attempts to institutionalize control over the Strait of Hormuz (8:49), and fuel protests spread around the world (13:09); the IDF continues daily bombardments in Lebanon while Hezbollah drones restrict IDF ground operations (15:10); Trump considers a call with Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te (18:32); Xi and Putin stage an uneventful summit in Beijing (21:47);Sudanese forces gain ground in Blue Nile State (23:23); a U.S.-Nigerian operation kills an Islamic State leader (25:26); Ebola spreads from northeastern DRC (27:45); in NATO news, the U.S. reduces its forces in Europe (30:25); Labour challengers emerge against Keir Starmer (33:36); Peru confirms a Fujimori-Sanchez runoff in its presidential election (35:23); Washington manufactures new pretexts against Cuba (36:49); Trump seeks a permanent U.S. presence in Greenland (41:15); and “Golden Dome” costs are estimated to reach $1.2 trillion (43:55).

Note: After the time of recording, Donald Trump ⁠walked back his decision to reduce US troops in Poland⁠. Additionally, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has changed due to Oman's interest in collecting "tolls."

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Danny and Derek welcome back to the show political scientist Thea Riofrancos to talk about the politics of extraction in the global energy transition. They explore the contradictions of green capitalism, the debate over degrowth and abundance, China’s role in lithium battery production, the history of lithium batteries, green industrial policy, U.S. oil and gas power, popular resistance to data centers and mining, where the Global South falls in renewable supply chains, and the environmental costs of green development.

Be sure to grab a copy of Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism.

Don't forget that our weekly livestream is ⁠on our YouTube channe⁠l tomorrow, Wednesday, at 8pm ET!

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Danny and Derek are once again joined by Jake Werner, director of the East Asia Program at ⁠the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft⁠, this time to talk about the development of the U.S. consensus on China. They delve into the neoliberal engagement with China, the 2008 financial crisis, Xi Jinping’s response, Trump’s first-term China policy, and the Biden administration’s approach. They then analyze Trump’s meeting with Xi Jinping, tariffs, rare earths, Taiwan, Iran, and the prospects for stabilizing U.S.-China relations.

Read Jake’s piece “An Opening for a New US–China Economic Relationship.”

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Danny and Derek fight fake news as they fight their allergies. This week: Trump and Xi meet; Trump rejects Iran’s ceasefire terms (3:09); Gulf states continue strikes against Iran-linked targets (5:53); U.S. intelligence estimates show Iran retains most missiles (8:48); Asian economies cut energy use with fertilizer shortages threatening crops (10:24); Gaza ceasefire plans appear to proceed without Hamas disarmament (12:58), Israel moves toward an early election (15:47), and Netanyahu publicizes a UAE visit as Abu Dhabi denies it (17:40); Lebanon and Israel pursue talks as Israeli attacks continue (20:03); jihadist attacks intensify in Mali (24:37); Russia and Ukraine resume attacks after a brief ceasefire (27:45); Wes Streeting quits while Labour pressure builds on Starmer (30:09); CNN reports the CIA’s involvement in cartel killings in Mexico (32:20); and U.S. military activity raises fears of a Cuba operation (34:02).

Don’t forget to listen to our latest miniseries, Marx Prestige.

And join us for our livestream every Wednesday at 8pm ET. Enjoy the replay of this week’s.

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Danny and Derek speak with David Sirota, founder and EIC of The Lever, about journalism, independent media, and the consolidation of presidential power. They discuss the difference between journalism and media, the attention economy, capitalist media, audience capture, the decline of local news, the Powell Memo, the unitary executive theory, war powers, and Donald Trump’s use of executive power.

Be sure to listen to The Kingmakers, the second season of David’s investigative podcast Master Plan.

Don’t forget that AP’s new, weekly livestream is back this Wednesday at 8pm ET on our YouTube channel.

And keep your eyes peeled for Season 2 of Welcome to the Crusades.

Recorded 4/27/26

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Keep your eyes peeled for Season 2 of Welcome to the Crusades, our crossover series with Eleanor and Luke, coming soon. For now, enjoy Season 1.

Happy Mother’s Day! Danny and Derek reunite with Eleanor and Luke of We’re Not So Different to talk about the life and legacy of Eleanor of Aquitaine. They discuss Eleanor’s power and wealth, her marriage to Louis VII, the Second Crusade, her relationship with Henry II, failsons Richard and John, her several success daughters, political influence, patronage of troubadours, courtly love, and Eleanor’s place in medieval and popular memory.

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In the first part of our Mother’s Day festivities, we’re unlocking our Mother’s Day episode from 2023 with Eleanor Janega. A new one on Eleanor of Aquitaine is out tomorrow for subscribers, so subscribe now. Enjoy!

Happy Mother’s Day! Danny and Derek welcome Eleanor Janega, co-host of the We’re Not So Different podcast and author of The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women's Roles in Society, to talk about one of the great mothers of history: The Virgin Mary. They discuss what actually makes Mary the ultimate medieval mother (despite being from ancient times), how her story is fan fiction for the Middle Ages, conceptions and the reality of motherhood in the medieval era across different classes, the sexualization of Mary, her treatment in different Christian sects, and more. 

Look out for the second season of our Welcome to the Crusades series with Eleanor and Luke of We're Not so Different. In the meantime, get season 1 here.

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Producer Jake regrettably had his pet rat confiscated after an ill-fated cruise. In this week’s news: Iran considers a U.S. peace proposal (1:37), Project Freedom fails in the Strait of Hormuz (7:45), and new details emerge about damage by Iranian strikes on U.S. military sites (11:25); Israel kills civilians in Lebanon (14:53) and targets Gaza police (16:24); U.S.-China tensions rise before Trump’s summit (18:10); Sudan accuses Ethiopia of drone strikes while Ethiopia accuses Sudan of arming Tigray rebels (23:19), plus Tigray’s ruling party reinstates the regional legislature (25:39); the United States prepares to lift sanctions on Eritrea (27:08); JNIM besieges Bamako, Mali as Mali’s junta leader appoints himself defense minister (28:41); Trump pulls U.S. soldiers from Germany (30:24); Russia and Ukraine reject rival ceasefires (31:38); Trump expands sanctions on Cuba (33:53); and the White House broadens its counterterrorism strategy (35:29).

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Danny and Derek welcome to the show Alex Zakaras, professor of political science at the University of Vermont, to talk about the history and future of radical liberalism. They discuss liberalism’s relationship to republicanism, the American liberal tradition, equal freedom, defensive liberalism after 2016, neoliberalism, Cold War liberalism, socialism, racial hierarchy, labor power, democratic crisis, and whether liberalism can still offer a politics of freedom and equality.

Be sure to grab a copy of Alex’s book Freedom for All: What a Liberal Society Could Be.

Don't miss our livestream this Wednesday, May 6, at 8 pm ET on our YouTube channel.

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Danny and Derek speak with Judah Grunstein, World Politics Review’s editor-at-large, about American power and what a post-unipolar future might look like. They discuss the meaning of the liberal international order, U.S. empire and legitimacy, Trump challenging American primacy, the role of middle powers, China and the European Union, climate change and development, strategic autonomy, and the possibility of Washington not ushering in a new order.

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King Charles paid his respects at AP HQ, but was put off by Danny’s pet ferrets. In this week’s news: Iran talks collapse as Trump weighs a blockade and strikes (1:56); the UAE leaves OPEC (7:45); Mali rebels and jihadists seize Kidal (16:49); Derek interviews Alex Thurston about Mali’s escalating rebel offensive and the implications for the junta government (18:08); Israel kills civilians and expands evacuation zones in Lebanon (33:43) as the U.S. and Israel demand a Hezbollah disarmament plan from Lebanon (35:25); Israel adds an orange line to its Gaza map (37:08); Afghanistan and Pakistan exchange border fire (38:59); China blocks the sale of AI startup Manus to Meta (40:46); Sudan’s Blue Nile faces a humanitarian crisis (44:23); King Charles visits the United States and addresses Congress (46:27); Trump and Putin discuss a Ukraine ceasefire (48:53), plus Ukraine accuses Israel of procuring stolen grain (48:53); and the United States charges Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha (52:18).

Don’t forget to download our latest miniseries Marx Prestige. All episodes out now!

And paid subscribers will get access to the full interview with Alex Thurston.

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