Shows / Focus
Episodes
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“Can language be more inclusive?”
Tommy introduces Worldos to Radiolingo, a new limited season podcast from Crooked Media and Duolingo. Radiolingo investigates all the ways language shapes our…
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Understanding Iran
Yeganeh and Jason Rezaian join Ben to answer all of your burning questions about Iran: what life is like for girls and women, why this movement is different…
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Brittney Griner is Home (with Jen Psaki)
Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki subs in as cohost, talking with Ben about Brittney Griner’s release, what a Republican House means for Ukraine…
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Standing up to autocrats (and royals)
Tommy and Ben talk about the ongoing protests in China, Ukrainian strikes into Russia, speculation over Putin’s health, Iran sending mixed messages on the…
FocusWorld Corrupt Episode 7: Stoppage Time!
Tommy and Rog examine a tournament in which politics, sport and humanity have all been laid bare; USMNT captain Tyler Adams' leadership and poise when…
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Covid protests rock China
Tommy and Ben discuss the anti-covid lockdown protests sweeping across China, soccer and politics at the World Cup, including the US win over Iran, Biden’s…
FocusWorld Corrupt Episode 6: A Dystopian World Cup
Tommy and Rog discuss what has been a surreal tournament thus far, from FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s astoundingly tone-deaf first-person speech, to a…
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Thanksgiving Mailbag!
Tommy and Ben answer all of your burning foreign policy questions and give recommendations for what to read and watch over the holidays. For a closed-captioned…
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Did Russia bomb Poland?
Tommy and Ben cover the latest news out of Russia and Ukraine including reports that a Russian missile struck Poland, President Biden’s trip overseas, why this…
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Hope from Brazil
Ben and Tommy cover the ongoing debate about whether the US should be having talks with Russia about the war in Ukraine, and how Republican control of Congress…
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World Corrupt Episode 5: A Call to Action
With the beginning of the tournament just over two weeks away, Tommy and Roger dig into the significance of athlete activism as they learn more about the…
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Bye Bye Bolsonaro
Tommy and Ben rejoice over Jair Bolsonaro’s defeat in Brazil and stress over early exit polls from Israel’s election that suggest Bibi Netanyahu might get back…
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World Corrupt Episode 4: The Dark Side of the 2022 World Cup
Tommy and Roger consider the complexities and deadly consequences of Qatar hosting the World Cup. You’ll hear from human rights activists and experts about…
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The newest new British PM, with David Lammy
Tommy and Ben cover the wild week in British politics, the push for diplomacy in Ukraine from progressive Democrats, why former Chinese President Hu Jintao was…
FocusWorld Corrupt Episode 3: Qatar’s path to the World Cup
Tommy and Roger look at how a country roughly the size of Connecticut with documented human rights violations was awarded the World Cup bid. They’re joined by…
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The British PM vs a head of lettuce
Ben and Tommy cover the latest from Ukraine, the ongoing disaster that is the Liz Truss-led Tory government in the UK, how former US military officials are…
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World Corrupt Episode 2: “The Most Corrupt Thing I’ve Ever Seen”
Roger and Tommy dig into the history of FIFA, the governing body of international football, and trace FIFA's long history of corruption up to the moment they…
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Chinese Communist Party Coachella
Tommy and Ben cover the latest from the war in Ukraine, including the bombing of a Russian bridge to Crimea and Russia’s response, the latest on the protests…
FocusWorld Corrupt Episode 1: A Toxic Love Affair between Politics and Sports
This fall, when the eyes of the world turn towards Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a shadow looms over the tournament, which is one of the most watched…
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Fighting for freedom in Iran
Tommy and Ben discuss the latest news out of Ukraine, including the increasingly vocal criticism of the war effort from Putin’s allies and talk of nuclear…
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World Corrupt: Coming October 8th
Soccer is a game which has often been called “the world’s most important least important thing.” However this November’s World Cup, the most-watched sporting…
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Fighting fascists with Bernie Sanders
Ben and Tommy talk about the new right-wing government in Italy, the growing protests in Iran, Russia’s troop mobilization and sham referendums in eastern…
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How Russia could lose the war
Tommy and Ben talk about reports about Russian intelligence and misinformation operations abroad, Biden on Taiwan, El Salvador and US policy towards Central…
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Ukraine's shocking counteroffensive
Tommy and Ben cover the successful Ukrainian military counteroffensive, what it means for Zelensky and Putin and the next phase of the war. They also discuss…
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The life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II
In this bonus episode, Tommy and Ben discuss the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II. Then Ben is joined by historian Dan Snow to dig deeper into the Queen’s…
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The new British Prime Minister
This week, Ben and Tommy talk about the new British Prime Minister Liz Truss, Israel’s bizarre rules for visitors to the West Bank, Chileans vote down a new…
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Who is winning the war in Ukraine?
Tommy and Ben talk about reports that Ukraine launched a new offensive against Russian troop and ask the question, who is winning the war? They also cover the…
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Let Sanna Marin dance!
Ben and Tommy cover the latest on the FBI raid at Mar-a-Lago, the dumb controversy over Sanna Marin - the PM of Finland - dancing, Colombia considers…
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Adam Schiff on Trump's classified cache
Ben and Tommy cover the latest on the classified information seized at Mar-a-Lago, the one year anniversary of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan…
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The FBI raids Mar-a-Lago
Tommy and Ben cover the national security implications of the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago, Israel bombs targets in Gaza, good news about the Iran deal and climate…
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Zawahiri is dead, Pelosi's in Taiwan
Tommy and Ben cover the drone strike against Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, Speaker Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan, the latest news from Ukraine, including the…
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Introducing: Another Russia
In 2015 Putin’s number one public enemy, Boris Nemtsov, was shot and killed in front of the Kremlin. He was a relentless critic of Putin, corruption, and war…
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China picks a fight with Pelosi
This week, Ben and Tommy explain why the Chinese government is freaking out about Speaker Pelosi visiting Taiwan, the latest news from Ukraine, the climate…
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A fist bump to remember
Tommy and Ben cover President Biden’s trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia, explain why 9/11 families are furious at Donald Trump, discuss what can happen…
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Japanese PM Shinzo Abe’s assassination
Tommy and Ben discuss the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, protest in Sri Lanka, President Biden’s trip to the Middle East, the…
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Boris Johnson Brexits
Ben and Tommy record a bonus episode on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s resignation with special guest and friend of the pod David Lammy, Labour MP and…
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Why Brexit still sucks
Ben and Tommy answer your questions about the Labour Party’s leadership, Brexit and the UK’s refugee policies, “Russification” in Ukraine, Latin America, the…
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Jesus take the wheel (before Trump does)
Tommy and Ben talk about abortion rights globally, President Biden’s trip to Europe for G7 and NATO meetings about Ukraine, WNBA star Brittney Griner’s…
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Inside Navalny’s operation
Ben lays out the significance of the elections and governmental shakeups in Israel, Colombia, and France and talks through the latest on the war in Ukraine…
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Worldo Mailbag!
In this special mailbag episode, Tommy and Ben answer listener questions on topics including framing climate change as a national security interest, how both…
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Justin Trudeau is in studio!
Tommy and Ben interview Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the state of democracy, gun control, Ukraine and the best comedians in Canada. Then they…
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Ukraine and the global food crisis with Samantha Power
Tommy and Ben cover the latest news from Ukraine, including the EU’s plan to ban most imports of Russian oil, reports that Iran has enough nuclear material to…
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Biden (sort of?) pledges to defend Taiwan
Tommy and Ben talk about President Biden’s trip to Asia, whether the US would defend Taiwan in a war with China, the latest news from Ukraine, including calls…
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The Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh
Ben and Tommy talk about the latest news from Ukraine, including the latest from Mariupol, Finland and Sweden’s application to join NATO, and Mitch McConnell’s…
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Raining on Putin's Victory Day parade
Tommy and Ben cover the latest news from Ukraine, including more money and weapons from the US, the First Lady’s visit to Ukraine, intelligence leaks and…
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Bill Gates on preventing the next pandemic
Tommy and Ben talk about the latest in Ukraine, including Ukrainian attacks on targets in Russia, Biden’s $33 billion aid request, and Russian foreign minister…
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Au revoir Le Pen (for now)
Ben and Tommy cover the latest from Ukraine, including the Secretary of Defense and State’s visit to Kyiv and concerns that both the US and Russian mission in…
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The digital war in Ukraine
Ben and Tommy cover the latest from Ukraine, including how the fighting has moved east, the sinking of a Russian battleship, and how the war is evolving on the…
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A chemical weapons attack in Ukraine?
On today’s episode, Tommy talks with Oleksiy Sorokin from the Kyiv Independent about the latest news from Ukraine, including reports of a Russian chemical…
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War crimes in Ukraine
Tommy and Ben discuss the horrifying images of war crimes against civilians in Ukraine, the growing support for far-right candidates in the upcoming French…
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A Peace Deal in Ukraine?
Tommy and Ben talk about the latest in Ukraine including reports of progress towards a peace deal, President Biden's visit to Poland, the apparent poisoning of…
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Biden goes to NATO
Tommy and Ben cover the latest in Ukraine, including Biden’s visit to Brussels for a NATO summit and trip to Poland. They also explore how China is viewing the…
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Putin and Zelensky deliver messages to the world
Tommy and Ben record a second episode this week on Ukraine to discuss President Zelensky’s speech to Congress, the latest on US weapons transfers to Ukraine…
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How to be a Russian Oligarch
Tommy and Ben discuss the debate about whether the US and NATO should help supply MiG fighter jets to Ukraine, reports that Russia may be preparing to use…
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The rising cost of Putin’s war
Tommy and Ben talk about Biden’s decision to ban Russian oil and gas imports, Congress’s proposed $12 billion package for Ukraine, the latest military…
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Russia attacks civilians & a nuclear plant
In this bonus episode, Tommy and Ben talk about the escalating attacks by Russian forces on Ukrainian civilians, the shocking Russian attack on a nuclear power…
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Russia escalates the war in Ukraine
Tommy and Ben walk through the latest news from Ukraine, including how Russia has conducted the military campaign so far and why many experts are concerned…
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Special Report: On the Ground in Ukraine and Russia
As the worst case scenario unfolds in Ukraine, Ben runs through the latest on Russia’s invasion, how this attack marks a new phase of history, and what to…
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Putin invades Ukraine
Ben assesses the escalating situation in Ukraine, from Putin’s recognition of separatist regions and his deployment of troops as peacekeepers to the first wave…
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Emergency Pod: Brink of War in Ukraine
In an emergency pod, Ben gives an update on the rapidly unfolding situation in Ukraine, the unfolding of Putin’s potential pretext for war, and how the world…