Logo for The Final Service

The Final Service

Mateo Schimpf

Church membership in the U.S. has fallen off a cliff and pastors across the country are trying to save their congregations from shrinking to zero. Why have so many people left Christianity and can pastors do anything to save their churches from dying?

Church membership in the U.S. has fallen off a cliff and pastors across the country are trying to save their congregations from shrinking to zero. Why have so many people left Christianity and can pastors do anything to save their churches from dying?

84hr 15min
Thumbnail for "Putin’s Prigozhin Trap, with Anne Applebaum".
On August 23rd, Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed in a mysterious plane crash just 60 days after his mercenary group Wagner led a failed coup attempt that Russian president Vladimir Putin called “treasonous.”   Atlantic staff writer Anne Applebaum...
Thumbnail for "EP4. Stigma".
Thumbnail for "EP3. Chicago".
Thumbnail for "EP2. Little Lithuania".
Thumbnail for "EP1. The Mayordomos".
Thumbnail for "Trailer".
The Final Service drops on April 10th.
Thumbnail for "Jonathan Rauch on the Limits of MAGA and Trump".
Jonathan Rauch on the Limits of MAGA and Trump
Thumbnail for "Ambassador Michael McFaul: Ukrainians May Fight On, Even with a Trump/Putin Deal".
Ambassador Michael McFaul: Ukrainians May Fight On, Even with a Trump/Putin Deal
Thumbnail for "Why You’re Probably Not Going to Church this Christmas".
Why You’re Probably Not Going to Church this Christmas
Thumbnail for "Overuse of Antibiotics and the Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance".
Overuse of Antibiotics and the Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance
Thumbnail for "Denier-in-Chief: The Threat of Trump and RFK, Jr’s Health Policy".
Denier-in-Chief: The Threat of Trump and RFK, Jr’s Health Policy
Thumbnail for "Millions of Deportations? Just How Tough Trump Might Get on Immigration".
Millions of Deportations? Just How Tough Trump Might Get on Immigration
Thumbnail for "Ian Bremmer on What to Expect from Trump 2.0".
Ian Bremmer on What to Expect from Trump 2.0
Thumbnail for "Yascha Mounk on How To Save Diverse Democracies".
Yascha Mounk on How To Save Diverse Democracies
Thumbnail for "Mike Madrid: Latino Voters and the Working Class ‘Tectonic Shift’".
Mike Madrid: Latino Voters and the Working Class ‘Tectonic Shift’
Thumbnail for "Steve Schmidt: Trump’s Victory is a Disaster for the Democratic Party".
Steve Schmidt: Trump’s Victory is a Disaster for the Democratic Party
Thumbnail for "What the Hell Just Happened?".
What the Hell Just Happened?
Thumbnail for "Last Look: Can We Trust the Polls?".
Last Look: Can We Trust the Polls?
Thumbnail for "Kara Swisher’s on Whether We Can Trust Tech Billionaires".
Kara Swisher’s on Whether We Can Trust Tech Billionaires
Thumbnail for "Musk is all in on Trump. What About the Rest of Silicon Valley?".
Musk is all in on Trump. What About the Rest of Silicon Valley?
Thumbnail for "Will an “October Surprise” Decide the 2024 Election?".
Will an “October Surprise” Decide the 2024 Election?
Thumbnail for "Living in Two Worlds".
Living in Two Worlds
Thumbnail for "Which Candidate Does Mexico Favor in November?".
Which Candidate Does Mexico Favor in November?
Thumbnail for "SPECIAL LIVE EVENT: Will an “October Surprise” Shake-Up the Race?".
SPECIAL LIVE EVENT: Will an “October Surprise” Shake-Up the Race?
Thumbnail for "A Year After October 7th, Is the Middle East Headed for War?".
A Year After October 7th, Is the Middle East Headed for War?
Thumbnail for "Is America Exporting Political Violence?".
Is America Exporting Political Violence?
Thumbnail for "Tom Nichols: Attacking the President Attacks the Nation".
Tom Nichols: Attacking the President Attacks the Nation
Thumbnail for "Can We Trust the Presidential Polls? A 2024 Election Special".
Can We Trust the Presidential Polls? A 2024 Election Special
Thumbnail for "Anne Applebaum on Autocracy in America, and What’s at Stake in November".
Anne Applebaum on Autocracy in America, and What’s at Stake in November
Thumbnail for "Can Ukraine Hang On Until November?".
Can Ukraine Hang On Until November?
Thumbnail for "If it's ‘America First’, Who is American Enough?".
If it's ‘America First’, Who is American Enough?
Thumbnail for "In AI We Trust? A 2024 Election Special".
In AI We Trust? A 2024 Election Special
Thumbnail for "The Healthy Amount of Hooch".
The Healthy Amount of Hooch
Thumbnail for "New Habits in Our Old Age".
New Habits in Our Old Age
Thumbnail for "Stuart Stevens: The Lincoln Project is Taunting Trump… And So is Kamala Harris".
Stuart Stevens: The Lincoln Project is Taunting Trump… And So is Kamala Harris
Thumbnail for "How Cocaine Blew Through the Island of Peace".
How Cocaine Blew Through the Island of Peace
Thumbnail for "Can Ecuador Keep its Oil in the Ground?".
Can Ecuador Keep its Oil in the Ground?
Thumbnail for "Biden's Foreign Policy Legacy".
Biden's Foreign Policy Legacy
Thumbnail for "Netanyahu's Gambling on Trump".
Netanyahu's Gambling on Trump
Thumbnail for "The Elites vs… the Elites?".
The Elites vs… the Elites?
Thumbnail for "Biden is Out, Harris is In: How DNC Donors Reset the Race".
Biden is Out, Harris is In: How DNC Donors Reset the Race
Thumbnail for "The IOC and the Authoritarian Elite".
The IOC and the Authoritarian Elite
Thumbnail for "The Olympics are Back, But Does Anyone Care?".
The Olympics are Back, But Does Anyone Care?
Thumbnail for "Why We're Losing Faith in Democracy".
Why We're Losing Faith in Democracy
Thumbnail for "Annie Jacobsen's Nuclear Doomsday Scenario".
Annie Jacobsen's Nuclear Doomsday Scenario
Thumbnail for "Putin Meets Kim pt. 2: The Pariahs".
Putin Meets Kim pt. 2: The Pariahs
Thumbnail for "Putin Meets Kim pt. 1: A Handshake Worth A Thousand Guns?".
Putin Meets Kim pt. 1: A Handshake Worth A Thousand Guns?
Thumbnail for "Is Extremism Going Mainstream in Europe?".
Is Extremism Going Mainstream in Europe?
Thumbnail for "Abraham Leno on the Congolese Leading the Way to Economic Security".
Abraham Leno on the Congolese Leading the Way to Economic Security
Thumbnail for "Congo and the Coup Contagion".
Congo and the Coup Contagion
Thumbnail for "Could AI Swing the November Election?".
Could AI Swing the November Election?
Thumbnail for "David Brooks on Solving Social Isolation and Fixing Democracy".
David Brooks on Solving Social Isolation and Fixing Democracy
Thumbnail for "Secretary Robert Gates on Israel’s Retaliation, and What Biden Does Next".
Secretary Robert Gates on Israel’s Retaliation, and What Biden Does Next
Thumbnail for "The Death of the “Butcher of Tehran”: What’s Next for Iran and Israel?".
The Death of the “Butcher of Tehran”: What’s Next for Iran and Israel?
Thumbnail for "2024 Election Special: Isn't There a Better Option?".
2024 Election Special: Isn't There a Better Option?
Thumbnail for "2024 Election Special: The Place Beyond Two Parties".
2024 Election Special: The Place Beyond Two Parties
Thumbnail for "Can Xi Jinping Stop a Trade War with Europe?".
While in China, Ray Suarez had a front-row seat to draconian lockdowns, the White Paper Protests, and Xi Jinping’s triumphant acceptance of a third term. But a year later, President Xi made his first visit to Europe since before the pandemic, to...
Thumbnail for "Special Live Event: Ray Suarez on Being American in the 21st Century".
Next Monday (5/13) at noon PT, we're hosting a where Ray will peel back the curtain on his latest book, .   He'll be joined in conversation by the amazing Director of the U.S. Democracy Program at The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation....
Thumbnail for "On Borrowed Time: A Tech Reporter’s Precarious Race to Stay in the US".
Silicon Valley relies on a huge foreign born workforce, mostly from India and China, to provide specialized skills in fields like engineering, biotech, AI and computer science. But after layoff, these visa holders have 60 days to find a new job, or...
Thumbnail for "Should We Be Afraid of Gene-Editing?".
In 2018, Chinese scientist He Jianku sent shockwaves through the world’s medical and scientific world when he claimed to have made two children immune to HIV using a powerful gene-editing technology called “CRISPR”. After a three-year prison...
Thumbnail for "Water Security, and Why Israelis and Gazans Must Work Together".
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, access to water in Gaza has dropped by 95 percent since October 7th, and as many as seven-in-ten Gazans are drinking salty and contaminated water to survive. Water is at the center of...
Thumbnail for "The Silver Wave: Challenges and Opportunities of Global Aging".
By 2030, it’s estimated one out of every six people on planet earth will be over 60. Thanks to leaps in technology and public health, people are living longer and better than ever before.    We’re taking a look at what economists and...
Thumbnail for "Boozing Boomers".
For the most part, the world has gone back to normal. We’re getting on planes… going to concerts… but many Americans haven’t changed their pandemic drinking habits. And this increased consumption trend is especially high for older Americans....
Thumbnail for "Hong Kong, A History of Defiance and the Fight for Free Speech".
Ray Suarez talks with former NPR Beijing correspondent Louisa Lim about China’s brazen efforts to stamp out free speech in Hong Kong, the city she grew up in. Lim shares the experiences she chronicled in her book , an emotional eyewitness...
Thumbnail for "Jimmy Lai’s Fate and the Future of Democracy in Hong Kong".
Ray Suarez speaks with Sebastien Lai, the son of the imprisoned media mogul Jimmy Lai, and Jonathan Price, a member of Lai’s legal team. He’s on trial for his pro-democracy campaign, and they explore the fate of Hong Kong after China’s passage...
Thumbnail for "Dobbs’ Domino Effect: The Future of Choice in America – A 2024 Election Special".
Abortion advocates have long warned the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would reverberate across all areas of reproductive health. Two years later, state personhood laws have challenged IVF and birth control… further threatening...
Thumbnail for "For Palestine, Biden’s Uncommitted Voters Won’t Be Trump Shamed".
Earlier this year, a grassroots movement emerged in the key battleground state of Michigan calling on Democratic voters to cast “uncommitted votes” in protest of president Joe Biden’s policy towards Israel’s war in Gaza. And in the months...
Thumbnail for "Bear Hugs with Israel and Ballot Box Blues".
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's staunch opposition to a ceasefire in Gaza — and a future Palestinian state — is putting President Joe Biden in a vulnerable position at home. And as the 2024 election quickly approaches, it’s becoming...
Thumbnail for "Why is America Always in Cuba’s Business?".
The US has once again ignored the United Nations’ annual resolution calling for an end to its decades-long embargo on Cuba, even as Cubans took to the streets to protest the island nation’s worst economic crisis in decades, with shortages of food...
Thumbnail for "From Crisis to Normalization – and Back Again: A Conversation with the Cuban Ambassador".
Cuba is facing its worst economic crisis in decades, and shortages of food, fuel, medicine — and opportunity — have fueled a record-breaking surge of Cuban immigrants at America’s borders. But the US shows no signs of changing its policy towards...
Thumbnail for "How Europe Paid to Lock Up Migrants… and Threw Away The Key".
Mass death and disappearances have become normalized on Europe’s borders. Back in 2015, when more than a million refugees turned up on Europe’s doorstep to request asylum, the European Union cut deals with North African and Middle Eastern nations...
Thumbnail for "Ukraine Diaries: The Ones Who Stayed".
The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine has forced millions to flee their homes. And for the Ukrainian civilians caught in the crossfire, war has become a way of life.    This week, we talked to Ukrainians about the ways that the war...
Thumbnail for "How Kenya Took the Fight for Gender Equality… to Reality TV".
Shortly before the end of his term in 2022, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta pledged to end gender-based violence in his country by 2026. With two years left before the deadline, is Kenya still on track to fulfill the promises made to Kenyan...
Thumbnail for "Kara Swisher’s Tech Love Story: The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Silicon Valley".
To leaders in Silicon Valley, artificial intelligence is just the latest innovation in a never-ending “make our lives better.” But can we trust them with our data… and our lives… if they can’t be held accountable?   Journalist Kara...
Thumbnail for "Foreign Policy is on the Ballot… But Do We Care? A 2024 Election Special".
Most Americans are far more focused on “pocketbook issues” – like stretching an ever-inflating dollar – than what the country does overseas in their name. But this election cycle, calls for additional aid for overseas wars has put foreign...
Thumbnail for "Will War Bring the End of Ukraine’s Democracy?".
Saturday marks the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. And while foreign support may be dwindling, Ukrainian determination to win the war is not. But what’s at stake when war no longer feels like an emergency… but a...
Thumbnail for "Ukraine’s David and Goliath Fight for the Security of Europe".
Vladimir Putin set the world on edge when Russia invaded Ukraine. Two years later, international support for Ukraine’s sovereignty is becoming more precarious, and war weariness amongst the resistance — and their allies— has begun to set...
Thumbnail for "Remembering Alexei Navalny".
On February 16, 2024, the Russian prison service reported that Alexei Navalny had died, and offered no further explanation.    The cause of death hasn’t yet been reported, but since the news broke, world leaders have started speaking out...
Thumbnail for "Where Does Biden’s Middle East Strategy Go From Here?".
Nearly 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as Israel continues its massive retaliation against Hamas. And as violence spreads to Yemen, Iraq, and Syria, America’s global standing is taking a hit.   Ray Suarez sits down with , Iran...
Thumbnail for "Why Israel Wants to Get Rid of UNRWA".
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was established to aid Palestinian refugees, but it has become yet another flashpoint in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Israel has accused 12 out of the 13,000 UNRWA employees of...
Thumbnail for "Stranded: Immigration Policy and the Price of Entry".
Immigration has emerged as a major voter concern in the 2024 elections, and the challenge of securing America’s Southern border is once again a political flashpoint. But while the US debates immigration reform, tens of thousands of migrants have...
Thumbnail for "Between Two Worlds".
Immigrants in California are generally protected from federal deportation under sanctuary and safe haven laws, unless they've been incarcerated. And in 2022, after serving 25 years for murder, San Quentin State Prison parolee Phoeun You was turned...
Thumbnail for "What’s Wrong, America? A 2024 Election Special".
Americans — from the largest urban centers to the smallest rural towns — are deeply pessimistic about the state of the nation. And on both sides of the political aisle, there seems to be a disconnect between what people want… and where they feel...
Thumbnail for "Scott Galloway: Dislike by Design, How Big Tech Drives ‘American Enragement’".
Elon Musk’s leadership at “X” (formerly Twitter) has been messy, and his disregard for user safeguards is part of a troubling trend in Silicon Valley. Revisiting the conversation from 2023, Ray Suarez sits down with NYU professor to explore how...
Thumbnail for "For America’s Democracy… and Your Well-Being, Check the Facts".
The 2024 US election season is officially underway, and experts are already bracing for the array of threats to free and fair elections that were made all too real the last time Americans elected a president. And this time, many are concerned that...
Thumbnail for "Dodging Bullets For Bylines: Sean Carberry on War Reporting".
From accidental collateral damage deaths to targeted murders by the people in charge who don’t want them telling the truth, an unprecedented number of journalists are being killed while reporting. So what motivates reporters to keep filing stories...
Thumbnail for "WSJ Moscow Bureau Chief on the Fate of Evan Gershkovich".
Reporting in war zones is an inherently dangerous job. Last year, 95 international media workers were killed while reporting, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. And as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza drag on, 2024 may be just as deadly....
Thumbnail for "David Brooks on ‘How to Know A Person’… And Why It Matters to Democracy".
Hate crimes, gun violence, political polarization…. to New York Times’ columnist David Brooks, these are signs that America is undergoing a new epidemic: social isolation. He joins Ray Suarez to discuss his new book, “How To Know A Person: The...
Thumbnail for "Bye Bye Boomers, Hello Perennials".
While many Baby Boomers have already left the workforce behind, almost half are considering coming out of retirement in search of a new purpose in life. Leading sociologist and business economist Mauro Guillén joins Ray Suarez to explain why the days...
Thumbnail for "From Bethlehem to Kyiv: A Prayer for Peace at Christmas".
Christmas is here, but for many Christians around the world, war has cast a shadow over this year’s festivities. To break with Russian orthodoxy and influence, Ukraine will officially observe Christmas on December 25, even as the terror of...
Thumbnail for "2023 Wrapped: A Year of Survival, Sovereignty, and Supremacy".
From Putin’s costly war in Ukraine, to simmering tensions between the US and China, and renewed violence in the Middle East, this week, we’re looking back at the international news stories that defined 2023. Professor Jessica Chen Weiss, senior...
Thumbnail for "The Day After Tomorrow in Palestine-Israel: A Tale of Two Peace Activists".
As the war on Gaza continues with no end in sight, two peace activists – one Palestinian and one Israeli – are already charting a non-violent path forward. Ray Suarez sits down with Luxembourg Peace Prize laureates, , founding leader of the ...
Thumbnail for "In the People, Planet, Profit Equation, Who Leads the Energy Transition?".
The , organized by the Commonwealth Club World Affairs, was the first of its kind to feature Indigenous perspectives on what a ‘just transition’ away from fossil fuels should look like. , Chairman of Moriori Imi Settlement Trust, and , Director of...
Thumbnail for "Decolonizing Energy: Indigenous Led Climate Action".
What does a ‘just’ transition away from fossil fuels actually mean for Indigenous communities? At the , organized by the Commonwealth Club World Affairs,  Ray Suarez sat down with , a renewable energy expert and Mi’kmaq descendant. They...
Thumbnail for "US State Department’s Mallory Stewart on Controlling Nuclear Escalation".
It’s been 78 years since a nuclear weapon was last used in war. Since then, the number of countries with a nuclear arsenal has increased from one… to nine. For the US government, two of the greatest nuclear threats are China and Russia – two...
Thumbnail for "I'll See Your Deterrence, And Raise You... Nuclear Annihilation".
Former president Dwight Eisenhower described nuclear war as “unwinnable, unsurvivable and unthinkable.” But what changes when the use of a nuclear weapon now seems thinkable, and maybe… inevitable?    Ray Suarez sits down with Shannon...
Thumbnail for "Kofi Annan’s Masterclass on Peace and Power Sharing".
Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who died in 2018, was one of the most famous diplomats of his time. In today’s episode, we're sharing an Foreign Policy Magazine's about Annan’s mediation of a Kenyan political crisis in 2008—which...
Thumbnail for "Biden and Xi Walk into a Room… Will They Continue to Play Nice?".
During APEC, President Xi Jinping reminded world leaders that China is “open for business.” So what does the next era of US-China relations look like? Ivan Kanapathy, Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, joins...
Thumbnail for "The Covert War on LGBT+ Rights".
While the past year has seen major gains for LGBT+ rights, politicians around the world are increasingly using the community as scapegoats. Julie Dorf, Co-Chair of the Council for Global Equality, joins Ray Suarez to explain how a transnational...
Thumbnail for "How American Radicalism Inspired the Most Homophobic Law on Earth".
This year, Uganda enacted one of the harshest anti-LGBT+ laws in the world, making homosexuality punishable by death. Ugandan Human Rights activist Dr. Frank Mugisha joins Ray Suarez to share how American Christian evangelicals radicalized the East...
Thumbnail for "Beyond Oil and Uncle Sam: MBS's Decade of Bold Reforms".
Can economic power-brokering overcome decades of repression and human rights abuses? Karen Elliott House has covered Saudi Arabia for over four decades, and the Pulitzer-Prize reporter joins Ray Suarez to share her take on Crown Prince Mohammed Bin...
Thumbnail for "Are Saudi-Israel Talks Dead in the Water?".
Saudi Arabia has embarked on a bold vision of innovation, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stated aims for a long war on Gaza could interrupt Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s plans. NPR International Correspondent Aya Batrawy joins Ray...
Thumbnail for "Poverty? Climate Disaster? Are World Bank Bonds the Solution?".
By 2030, around 600 million people will be struggling with extreme poverty. And the effects of climate change will only exacerbate the problem. Jorge Familiar joins Ray Suarez to share how the World Bank has revised its mission to tackle the twin...
Thumbnail for "Is US Wealth Inequality Undermining Democracy?".
What do you need to know about wealth to understand structural inequality in America? Becoming wealthy is getting harder with each generation, and the biggest predictor of whether you’ll achieve it isn’t your class… but your race. Ray Suarez...
Thumbnail for "Secretary Robert Gates on Israel’s Retaliation, and What Biden Does Next".
Thousands have been killed in the ongoing violence between Israel and Hamas, and a ground invasion into Gaza appears imminent. Former US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates predicts how war could ripple through the Middle East.   Guest: , former...
Thumbnail for "How the Palestinian Question Could Unravel Netanyahu’s “New Middle East”".
On October 7, Hamas, an Iran-backed Islamist terrorist group, broke through the high-tech security barrier which divides Israel from the Gaza Strip, and launched a coordinated surprise attack on neighboring Israeli military targets and communities....
Thumbnail for "Bye Bye Boomers, Hello Perennials".
While many Baby Boomers have already left the workforce behind, almost half are considering coming out of retirement in search of a new purpose in life. Leading sociologist and business economist Mauro Guillén joins Ray Suarez to explain why the days...
Thumbnail for "Putin’s Victory in the South Caucasus".
How does Russia benefit from conflict in the Caucasus? And what role can the media play in building bridges of understanding? In this episode, we revisit our conversations with Russian-American journalist Simon Ostrovsky and independent Azeri...
Thumbnail for "Whose Sovereignty Is It Anyway? Armenia's ICC Bid For Justice with Sheila Paylan".
In late September, Azerbaijan wiped out the self-proclaimed, ethnically Armenian Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh. The attacks prompted Armenia to finally join the International Criminal Court—despite warnings from Russia.   Ray Suarez speaks with...
Thumbnail for "Troubled Times: Brexit’s Toll on Northern Ireland".
The United Kingdom recently passed a law which grants immunity for the violence of The Troubles – adding another wrinkle to the ongoing Brexit saga. Jude Webber, Ireland correspondent for The Financial Times, joins Ray Suarez to unpack how the...
Thumbnail for "Inside the Good Friday Agreement, with Tony Blair’s Chief Negotiator".
April marked the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday agreement, bringing to an end decades of violence known as “The Troubles.” But the chaotic implementation of Brexit and a new Northern Ireland Troubles “reconciliation” law from the UK are...
Thumbnail for "The Kremlin's Kim-ouflage".
If military cooperation with North Korea is a violation of UN Security Council resolutions, why would Russia do it so publicly? And what’s in it for the Hermit Kingdom? Andrei Lankov, Director at NK News, joins Ray Suarez to explain why Kim Jong Un...
Thumbnail for "Two Dictators Walk Into a Bar: What We Learned From the Putin-Kim Summit".
Russia is firing off more artillery shells than they can produce at home, forcing the Kremlin to shop around for a new supplier. Ray Suarez speaks with New York Times’ national security reporter Julian Barnes about Russia’s alleged arms deal with...
Thumbnail for "Why Detroit’s Auto Workers Are On Strike".
As many as 150,000 US auto workers have walked out in a historic strike against the Big Three Automakers. In this special rerun episode, Mark Phelan, auto writer and columnist for the Detroit Free Press, joins Ray Suarez to break down why electric...
Thumbnail for "Regulating Big Tech: Is TikTok Still on the Clock?".
In 2023, the rapid pace of innovation in Silicon Valley is making it increasingly challenging for our global partners to keep up. Ray Suarez speaks with Gerard de Graaf, Senior Envoy for Digital to the US, about strengthening US-EU cooperation on...
Thumbnail for "Molière Out, Mercenaries In: Powers and Politics in Françafrique".
Is West Africa going to war over Niger? And is the Niger coup part of a wider decline in French colonial influence – and growing Russian and Chinese interest – in the region? Ray Suarez sits down with security analyst Fola Aina and journalist...
Thumbnail for "Blood and Butter: Why Russia’s Economy is Falling Faster Than Prigozhin’s Plane".
What will happen to Wagner without Prigozhin? And can Russia continue to isolate itself from the economic chaos its war has created? Ray Suarez speaks with Catherine Belton, The Washington Post’s Russia reporter, about the mercenary organization’s...
Thumbnail for "China’s Dream of Global Dominance".
The aftermath of the Chinese surveillance balloon saga reveals a growing diplomatic divide between the US and China. Where does this mistrust come from?   In “Wealth and Power,” authors Orville Schell and John Delury argue that foreign...
Thumbnail for "QAnon’s German Blitz".
Groups like the Reichsbürger and Sovereign Citizens are not new, but the ways in which they radicalize each other on the Internet are. Ray Suarez and journalist Julia Ebner explore how once-fringe movements like QAnon are popping up in European...
Thumbnail for "Trump-ing Tradition: American Democracy at the Crossroads".
When former President Trump incited his followers to storm the US Capitol, he punctured a 220-year-old tradition in the US. And from the looks of things, the country is headed for another contentious election in 2024. Ray Suarez and New York Times...
Thumbnail for "Asia’s EV Surge: Coming To An Outlet Near You".
Asian carmakers have pulled ahead in the race for EV innovation, leaving the US in their rearview mirrors. International auto journalist Hans Greimel joins Ray Suarez to break down how Asian countries are tackling the transition, and what the future...
Thumbnail for "Why Detroit’s Auto Workers Are Pumping the Breaks on EVs".
President Biden’s bold energy future features significant investment in electric vehicles, but the United Auto Workers are pumping the breaks. Mark Phelan, auto writer and columnist for the Detroit Free Press, joins Ray Suarez to break down why the...
Thumbnail for "Scott Galloway: Dislike by Design, How Big Tech Drives ‘American Enragement’".
Elon Musk’s leadership at “X” (formerly Twitter) has been messy, and his disregard for user safeguards is part of a troubling trend in Silicon Valley. Ray Suarez sits down with NYU professor to explore how Silicon Valley’s profit-chasing –...
Thumbnail for "Blue-Check Blues and Trauma X-Posure: Coping with Viral Violence".
With a few keystrokes, users across the world can find virtually anything online. But at what cost? Alexa Koenig and Andrea Lampros join Ray Suarez to break down how everyday exposure to trauma is affecting social media users worldwide, and to...
Thumbnail for "General Petraeus’ Guide to Diplomacy… and Deterrence with China".
In June, retired joined the speaker series, where he offered insights on how small nations can contend with formidable superpowers, and how President Volodymyr Zelenskyy scored the role of a lifetime.   Guest:   , Former CIA Director and ...
Thumbnail for "Is The Middle East Swiping Left on America?".
After 20 years of “forever wars,” the American contest for influence and control in the Middle East hasn’t stopped. But now the US has company, and the countries in the region have options. Mara Rudman, Executive Vice President for Policy at the...
Thumbnail for "Tricks of the Trade: Kiwi Exports and Malaysia’s Balancing Act".
At the 2023 APEC Forum in Detroit, Malaysian Deputy Minister tells Ray Suarez how spaces like APEC are key to balancing relationships with competing superpowers. Then, Deputy Secretary shares how the demand for traditional Kiwi exports has kept...
Thumbnail for "Ambassador Katherine Tai: Buy Local, Trade Global? (Even With China…)".
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai played host to the APEC Forum in Detroit, where she balanced American interests, international trade agreements and ongoing rivalries with China. Ambassador Tai joined Ray Suarez to speak about how that meeting...
Thumbnail for "Fact-Checking a Crisis: Scientists vs. Science Deniers".
Researcher Christopher Reddy has watched in despair as public confidence in science has plummeted. He joins Ray Suarez to discuss his new book, “,” and why scientists may be part of the problem in science denialism.   Guest:   , Senior...
Thumbnail for "How to Talk To Your Child About the End of the World".
In his new book, “,” nature writer David Gessner grapples with communicating about climate change with the next generation. David and his daughter, Hadley, join Ray Suarez to have that conversation, and to spur all of us “hypocrites” who drive...
Thumbnail for "Falling (Communist) Blocs and the Rise of Tetris".
Screenwriter Noah Pink tells Ray Suarez how he discovered the true story behind “,” from the Cold War race to secure the rights to the classic video game to its escape from the former Soviet Union. Guest:   , “Tetris” screenwriter ...
Thumbnail for "A Twitter Coup? Pics or Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Mutiny Didn’t Happen".
Putin may have won the “battle” against Wagner’s Yevgeny Prigozhin, but he’s losing the meme war. Ray speaks with Jen Kirby, foreign and national security reporter, about fact verification and conflict reporting amidst state propaganda and...
Thumbnail for "Yemen’s Long Road to Peace: What a Saudi-Iran Deal Means".
Peace is a process, not an outcome. And in the case of Yemen, Saudi Arabia’s meddling in the country’s civil war has prevented peace for almost a decade. Ray Suarez speaks with , Peace Advocate with the , about what a deal between Saudi Arabia and...
Thumbnail for "Money Talks, Kingdom Walks: Global Finance and Saudi Politics".
Can a single gathering of world leaders really pull billions of people out of poverty? , Deputy Chief of Staff and Vice President of the Rockefeller Foundation, joined Ray Suarez days before the in Paris to share how international financial...
Thumbnail for "PlateGate: The Conspiracies About What We Eat".
Conspiracy communities that once promoted QAnon and anti-vaccine theories have now sunk their teeth into an even tastier morsel: our food supply chain. Laicie Heeley, Executive Producer and Host of “,” joins Ray Suarez to break down how cracks in...
Thumbnail for "French Identity and the Battle for the Baguette".
Concerns about a 'global elite' exerting control over demographic shifts and our food choices have hit the mainstream, and they are feeding anxieties. Ray Suarez speaks with French legal scholar about the "great replacement theory", and what it takes...
Thumbnail for "Is Kosovo on the Verge of Renewed Conflict?".
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Putin’s Prigozhin Trap, with Anne Applebaum

Thumbnail for "Putin’s Prigozhin Trap, with Anne Applebaum".
September 2, 202353min

On August 23rd, Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed in a mysterious plane crash just 60 days after his mercenary group Wagner led a failed coup attempt that Russian president Vladimir Putin called “treasonous.”

Atlantic staff writer Anne Applebaum argues that Putin needed a spectacular act of violence after Prigozhin’s challenge to his power. She and Ray discuss what this means for a fragile Russia. 

Read Applebaum’s latest column for The Atlantic,  Prigozhin’s Death Heralds Even More Spectacular Violence - The Atlantic.  

Guest:

Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer-Prize winning historian, author of   Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism and staff writer at The Atlantic.

Host:  

Ray Suarez

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Thumbnail for "Putin’s Prigozhin Trap, with Anne Applebaum".
Putin’s Prigozhin Trap, with Anne Applebaum
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