Nothing is Foreign

In the latest season of Understood, Mumbai-based journalist Salimah Shivji examines how Modi went from being barred from the US, to becoming one of the most powerful men in the world. And asks the pressing question: what’s at stake if he wins again? Season 3: Modi's India. About Understood: Know more, now. From the fall of Sam Bankman-Fried, to the rise of Pornhub, Understood is an anthology podcast that takes you out of the daily news cycle and inside the events, people, and cultural moments you want to know more about. Over a handful of episodes, each season unfolds as a story, hosted by a well-connected reporter, and rooted in journalism you can trust. Driven by insight and fueled by curiosity…The stories of our time: Understood. More episodes of Understood are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/zaq7K-JM

If you're a sports fan, you may have noticed Saudi Arabia making billions of dollars of investments in everything from Formula 1 to professional tennis. In two high profile moves, the Saudis backed the merger of LIV Golf with the PGA tour earlier this month, and recruited soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to the Saudi Professional League for a reported $200 million a year in January. Critics say the reason for this investment in sports is "sportswashing": an intentional move to build international prestige and distract from the actions of Saudi Arabia's repressive regime, which has been known for torture, mass executions, and suppressing civil liberties. Saudi officials argue this investment, which largely comes from the country's over $600 billion sovereign wealth fund, is meant to diversify its oil-dependent economy. This week, we talk about Saudi Arabia's big bet on sports, what it means for its economy, and what Saudi nationals think about it. Featuring: Ahmed Al Omran, Saudi journalist and former correspondent for the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times.

About two weeks ago, Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni approved one of the world's toughest anti-LGBTQ laws, despite the U.S. government and the United Nations calling the legislation a violation of universal human rights. Advocates on the ground have called it state-sponsored homophobia and transphobia. Same-sex relations have been criminalized in Uganda for years, and a similar law from 2014 was struck down. This new law goes much further. For example, the death penalty would be imposed for the transmission of HIV/AIDS through gay sex. A 20-year sentence would be recommended if a Ugandan was found guilty of "promoting" homosexuality. This week on Nothing is Foreign, we look at the impact of this new anti-LGBTQ+ law, the roots of homophobia within the country and the role that disinformation and religion play. Featuring: Frank Mugisha, LGBTQ advocate and executive director of Sexual Minorities Uganda, which was shut down in August 2022. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/nothing-is-foreign-transcripts-listen-1.6732059

The BRICS nations, a group of growing economies including: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, are reasserting themselves on the global stage. The alliance is not new, but it has gained more attention in the last year because none of the countries have taken part in sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Supporters of the BRICS alliance say a multipolar world is what's needed right now given rising geopolitical tensions, insecurity, and inequality. They are calling for power to be decentralized from Western countries like the U.S. and the U.K. Foreign ministers from each of those nations met last week to discuss their priorities: the possible creation of an alternative currency to the U.S dollar, the growth of their alternative to the World Bank, called the New Development Bank, and the likelihood of more nations joining the group. South Africa is set to hold a summit of BRICS heads of state in August. This week, we explore what the group stands for, why a non-Western power bloc is appealing to many countries in the Global South, and the skepticism around the alliance. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/nothing-is-foreign-transcripts-listen-1.6732059

Two back-to-back shootings near Belgrade, Serbia, have shocked the country. One of those was carried out by a 13-year-old student and left 10 people dead. While gun ownership is common in the country, events like this are rare. Tens of thousands of citizens have taken to the streets in protest, demanding an end to what they describe as a culture of violence in the country encouraged by both the media and far-right government officials. Analysts have also pointed to the lack of recognition around the country's war-scarred history as part of the problem. They say that the country has never fully come to terms with its role in the ethnic conflict in the former Yugoslavia, and the war crimes overseen by Serbian president Slobadan Milosevic in Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo. This week, we look at the historical roots of this culture of violence that protesters say they want addressed, the role of the media and politics in it, and how the grief brought on by two mass shootings might fuel change in Serbia. Featuring: Aleksandra Krstic, associate professor of journalism and media at the University of Belgrade. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/nothing-is-foreign-transcripts-listen-1.6732059

Whether it's ChatGPT, image generators like Dall-E or celebrity deepfakes, artificial intelligence technology has grown exponentially in the last few months. That has spurred a global race to be on the leading edge of those developments. While some of the best known AI chatbots and programs are coming out of the U.S. a parallel world of products has been popping up in China. Some experts say it's all happening too fast and that regulation needs to catch up but few governments have actually proposed in-depth rules on the issue. Currently, China and the European Union are at the forefront of creating a regulatory framework for AI technologies. This week, we're digging into why there is growing alarm about the global AI race, China's role in it, and what can be learned by attempts at regulating the technology so far. Featuring: Rishi Iyengar, Global technology reporter, Foreign Policy. Zeyi Yang, China reporter, MIT Technology Review. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/nothing-is-foreign-transcripts-listen-1.6732059

Over the weekend, Germany pledged an additional $4 billion Cdn of military aid to Ukraine, after a visit from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. German defence minister Boris Pistorius said at the time: "Germany will provide all the help it can, as long as it takes." It marks a dramatic shift in the country's military policy. For decades, it has largely avoided military conflict — an approach rooted in the devastating aftermath of the Second World War. In addition to new and substantial military investments, Germany overturned its long-standing policy of not sending weapons to conflict zones, becoming one of the biggest suppliers of weapons to Ukraine. But not everyone is on board with this new stance. This week on Nothing is Foreign, we take a closer look at Germany's growing role in the Ukraine conflict and how it's bringing up complicated feelings for many Germans. Featuring: Ulrike Franke, senior fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations, Berlin. Bernhard Blumenau, historian of German foreign policy, University of St. Andrews. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/nothing-is-foreign-transcripts-listen-1.6732059

How did Juan Guaido, Venezuela's self-declared interim leader, end up alone in the Miami airport, carrying only a backpack, seeking protection from persecution in his home country? Back in 2019, Guaido, who was then the head of Venezuela's National Assembly, challenged the Venezuelan presidency and declared himself the rightful leader after the widely disputed re-election of President Nicolás Maduro. More than 50 countries — including the U.S. and Canada — chose to back Guaido over Maduro, precipitating a years-long presidential crisis. But since his declaration, Guaido's popularity has waned and his international backers have dropped off. In January, opposition lawmakers voted to strip him of his leadership position. More recently, he says the rhetoric and threats against him have increased — prompting his flight to Miami. This week on Nothing is Foreign, we look back at what happened during Guaido's time as the U.S backed, self-declared interim leader of Venezuela, why his movement couldn't find sustained support and what it might tell us about Venezuela's political future. Featuring: José Luis Granados Ceja, writer and podcaster for Venezuela Analysis. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/nothing-is-foreign-transcripts-listen-1.6732059

The coronation of King Charles III is just a couple days away and he's the first new British monarch to be crowned in 70 years. But according to recent polls, the majority of young people in the country don't seem to care for it. The royal event comes at a difficult time for the U.K. There's a cost of living crisis, strikes by health-care workers and the country is on its third prime minister in less than a year. With media estimates suggesting the coronation could cost British taxpayers 100 million pounds ($170 million CDN), are the Royal Family and their traditions out of touch with the lives of average British citizens? And if so, what could that mean for the future of the monarchy? Featuring: Anna Whitelock, British historian specializing in the history of the monarchy. Femi Oluwole, political commentator and anti-Brexit activist. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/nothing-is-foreign-transcripts-listen-1.6732059

Two rival military generals in Sudan have been locked in a violent power struggle for the past two weeks. Hundreds are dead and thousands displaced in the North African country. Residents in the capital Khartoum have been dealing with bombardment, power cuts and shortages of food, water and medicine. Could this conflict have been avoided? Activists and analysts say the international community ignored their warnings that the clash was a long time coming. This week on Nothing is Foreign, we take a close look into how this conflict came to be, the role of western diplomats and what it all means for the future of Sudan. Featuring: Reem Abbas, freelance writer and activist. Mat Nashed, freelance journalist and analyst. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/nothing-is-foreign-transcripts-listen-1.6732059