Council of Councils
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Introduction
Over the last several decades, governments have collectively pledged to slow global warming. But despite intensified diplomacy, the world is already facing the consequences of climate…
Show Notes
The United States announces a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, former President Donald Trump kicks off his History Tour, and Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual Constitution Day address amid rising Russia-Ukraine tensions.
Articles and Statements Mentioned on the Podcast
Barton Gellman, “Trump’s Next Coup Has Already Begun,” Atlantic, December 6, 2021
Robert Kagan, “Our constitutional crisis is already here,” Washington Post, September 23, 2021
Jen Psaki, Remarks on the U.S. diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics, White House, December 6, 2021
Vladimir Putin, “On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians,” Kremlin, July 12, 2021
“The Ukrainian army has got better at fighting Russian-backed separatists,” Economist, November 30, 2021
Israel’s Rafah Plans, Greece and Turkey Boost Diplomacy, Cannes Festival Unveils New Films, and More
Israel’s newest military operation in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah stirs concerns of catastrophe for Palestinians in Gaza, and prompts the United States to condition its offensive military aid for the first time since the Israel-Hamas war broke out; Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meet in Ankara, Turkey, to continue their diplomatic efforts; the seventy-seventh Cannes Film Festival showcases new films ranging from niche to blockbuster; and Russian President Vladimir Putin orders tactical nuclear weapon drills as a signal to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
In this special episode to mark World Press Freedom Day, Jeffrey Gedmin, cofounder and editor-in-chief of American Purpose and former president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, joins Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins to discuss the global state of press freedom. They cover the challenges that a growing number of journalists face in exile or imprisonment, the U.S. role in upholding freedom of the press, and more.
Blinken Visits China, May Day Stirs Workers’ Rights Concerns, the U.S. Resumes Ukraine Aid, and More
Secretary of State Antony Blinken wraps his second visit to China as tensions mount over Beijing’s military support of Russia’s war in Ukraine and ongoing threats in the South China Sea; International Workers’ Day on May 1 comes at a time of revived labor activism over wages and inequality; and U.S. President Joe Biden approves a $61 billion foreign aid package providing critical military assistance to Ukraine, potentially improving the situation on the ground in the war with Russia.