November 6, 2023 — 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 Suarez to unpack how Saudi Arabia’s leader may react.
Related Episodes
For Palestine, Biden’s Uncommitted Voters Won’t Be Trump Shamed
Nihad Awad joins Ray Suarez to share why Arab and Muslim voters feel abandoned by the Democratic party, and why they won’t be bullied into accepting the “lesser of two evils.”
Bear Hugs with Israel and Ballot Box Blues
Ray Suarez sits down with Zack Beauchamp, a senior correspondent at Vox, to unpack how the political winds on Israel may be shifting.
Where Does Biden’s Middle East Strategy Go From Here?
Ray Suarez sits down with Trita Parsi, Iran expert and Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, to unpack how Biden’s unwavering support of Israel could cost him in the Middle...
Why Israel Wants to Get Rid of UNRWA
Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, joins Ray Suarez to address Israel’s allegations against UNRWA, and offers a critique of the Biden administration's unequivocal support of Israel, despite...
Dodging Bullets For Bylines: Sean Carberry on War Reporting
Sean Carberry, author of the memoir “Passport Stamps: Searching The World For A War To Call Home,” joins Ray Suarez to unpack the human costs of reporting from war zones.
From Bethlehem to Kyiv: A Prayer for Peace at Christmas
Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac, Senior Pastor at The Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, and Bohdan Nahaylo, Chief Editor of Kyiv Post, join Ray Suarez to share what Christmas in wartime looks like, from...
2023 Wrapped: A Year of Survival, Sovereignty, and Supremacy
Ray Suarez speaks with Jessica Chen Weiss, Karim Elgendy, and Luke Harding about 2023's most significant geopolitical shifts… and the foreign policy issues that will define 2024.
The Day After Tomorrow in Palestine-Israel: A Tale of Two Peace Activists
Ray Suarez sits down with Luxembourg Peace Prize laureates, Ali Abu Awwad and Dr. Gershon Baskin to learn why they maintain hope for a peaceful, two-state solution.
US State Department’s Mallory Stewart on Controlling Nuclear Escalation
US State Department nuclear expert Mallory Stewart joins Ray Suarez to share how serious nuclear threats are to the US.
I’ll See Your Deterrence, And Raise You… Nuclear Annihilation
Shannon E. French and Matt Korda join Ray Suarez to unpack why talk of nuclear annihilation is now being so casually thrown around by world leaders.
Biden and Xi Walk into a Room… Will They Continue to Play Nice?
Ray Suarez and CSIS Senior Associate Ivan Kanapathy unpack the stakes of the Biden-Xi sideline talks, and just how far the two leaders will go to reestablish ties.
Beyond Oil and Uncle Sam: MBS’s Decade of Bold Reforms
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 Salman’s vision for his country’s future.
Poverty? Climate Disaster? Are World Bank Bonds the Solution?
World Bank VP and Treasurer Jorge Familiar joins Ray Suarez to share how the World Bank has revised its mission to tackle the twin problems of climate change and inequality.
Secretary Robert Gates on Israel’s Retaliation, and What Biden Does Next
Former US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates predicts how war could ripple through the Middle East.
How the Palestinian Question Could Unravel Netanyahu’s “New Middle East”
Ray Suarez speaks with Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, about how the tensions between Israel and Hamas may undo years of relationship-building in the Middle East.
The Kremlin’s Kim-ouflage
Andrei Lankov, Director at NK News, joins Ray Suarez to explain why Kim Jong Un is solidifying relations with Russia… and not China.
Two Dictators Walk Into a Bar: What We Learned From the Putin-Kim Summit
Ray Suarez speaks with New York Times’ national security reporter Julian Barnes about Russia’s alleged arms deal with North Korea, and what it means for the war in Ukraine.
Regulating Big Tech: Is TikTok Still on the Clock?
Ray Suarez speaks with Gerard de Graaf about strengthening US-EU cooperation on digital affairs. Then, Caitlin Chin returns with an update on the latest digital drama between Washington & Beijing... and the pending...
Molière Out, Mercenaries In: Powers and Politics in Françafrique
Ray Suarez sits down with security analyst Fola Aina and journalist Nabila Ramdani to discuss the coup in Niger – and across former French colonies in the Sahel region.
China’s Dream of Global Dominance
Aug. 28 — The aftermath of the Chinese surveillance balloon saga reveals a growing diplomatic divide between the US and China. Where does this mistrust come from? Authors Orville Schell and John Delury join host Ray...
Asia’s EV Surge: Coming To An Outlet Near You
International auto journalist Hans Greimel joins Ray Suarez to break down how Asian countries are tackling the EV transition, and what the future of electric vehicles looks like.
General Petraeus’ Guide to Diplomacy… and Deterrence with China
General David Petraeus offers insights on how small nations can contend with formidable superpowers, and how President Volodymyr Zelenskyy scored the role of a lifetime.
Is The Middle East Swiping Left on America?
Ray Suarez sits down with Mara Rudman from the Center of American Progress to dissect the delicate state of play in the Middle East.
Tricks of the Trade: Kiwi Exports and Malaysia’s Balancing Act
Malaysian Deputy Minister Liew Chin Tong tells Ray Suarez how spaces like APEC are key to balancing relationships with competing superpowers. Then, Deputy Secretary Vangelis Vitalis shares how the demand for traditional...
Ambassador Katherine Tai: Buy Local, Trade Global? (Even With China…)
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai tells Ray Suarez about APEC's vision for the future of global commerce, and what a 'worker-centered' US trade policy looks like.
Yemen’s Long Road to Peace: What a Saudi-Iran Deal Means
Ray Suarez speaks with Arwa Mokdad, Peace Advocate with the Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation, about what a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran could mean for the future of Yemen.
Money Talks, Kingdom Walks: Global Finance and Saudi Politics
Eric Pelofsky, Deputy Chief of Staff and Vice President of the Rockefeller Foundation, joined Ray Suarez days before the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact in Paris to share how international financial institutions...
How Erdoğan Plans to “Make Turkey Great Again”
Ray Suarez speaks with Merve Tahiroğlu, Turkey Program Director at the Project on Middle East Democracy about Erdoğan’s imperial ambitions.
The Masculinity Crisis: What’s a Man to Do?
Ray Suarez speaks with Idrees Kahloon, DC bureau chief at The Economist, about how men have been pushed to the sidelines.
Is It a Man’s World?
Angela Saini, author of "The Patriarchs: How Men Came To Rule," joins Ray Suarez to break down what the "patriarchy" is, and how it operates.
What’s Newsworthy? A Behind the Scenes Look at Global Dispatches
Ray Suarez sits down with Mark Goldberg, host of "Global Dispatches," to explore how international journalism can remain vital.
The Free Press, Held Hostage
Gulnoza Said, CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator, joins Ray Suarez to discuss the ongoing threats to free press around the world.
Why is America So Afraid of China?
Ray Suarez sits down with Nancy Qian, James J. O'Connor Professor of Managerial Economics & Decision Sciences at Kellogg MEDS, Northwestern University, to discuss the China-rooted land panic.
Why China and the US are Saber-Rattling Over Taiwan
On this episode, Ray Suarez speaks with Dr. Joel Wuthnow about China's potential invasion of the island it claims as its sovereign territory.
Saudi Arabia’s Thirst for Arizona’s Water
Ray Suarez speaks with Dr. Natailie Koch, author of "Arid Empire: The Entangled Fates of Arizona and Arabia," about mining water, from Arizona to Arabia.
Saudi Arabia Turns Off the Tap: Will Gas Prices Spike?
On this episode, Ray Suarez sits down with Jim Krane, author of "Energy Kingdoms: Oil and Political Survival in the Persian Gulf,” to discuss OPEC's surprise oil cuts, and what that means for your wallet.
An American Inside North Korea’s Nuclear Program
SPECIAL RELEASE: Global Santa Fe chair Jim Falk spoke with Siegfried Hecker, author of "Hinge Points: An Inside Look at North Korea's Nuclear Program," to discuss our missed opportunity to stop a nuclear North Korea.
Kim’s Threats of Nuclear War, A View from Seoul
South Korean journalist Jeongmin Kim sits down with Ray Suarez to share what it's like living a mere 15 miles from a threatening, nuclear-armed neighbor.
War Games: The High Stakes of North Korea’s Nuclear Armament
In this episode, Siegfried Hecker talks about missed opportunities to denuclearize North Korea. Then, Ray Suarez explores the escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula with Dr. Victor Cha.
State Department’s Matt Murray on Trade with Asia, and US-China Relations
In this episode, Ray Suarez talks with Ambassador Matt Murray, senior US official for APEC, about whether the US and China can find common ground in trade on the Asian continent.
TikTok On the Clock: Inside the Efforts To Ban the Video App
Ray Suarez sits down with Caitlin Chin, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to discuss Congress' efforts to ban the Chinese-owned video app, TikTok.
Can Microloans Lift Women Out of Poverty?
Bank run? How about banks run by women? Ray Suarez sits down with Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President & CEO of Women's World Banking and author of "There's Nothing Micro About A Billion Women: Making Finance Work For...
21 Economies Walk Into a Conference Room…
In this episode, Ray Suarez talks with APEC research head, Carlos Kuriyama, about how the global economy can bounce back from the pandemic.
The Children the Pandemic Left Behind (And How We Can Help Them Catch Up)
Ray Suarez is joined by the World Bank's Norbert Schady, Chief Economist for Human Development, and Mamta Murthi, Vice President for Human Development, to discuss COVID-19's hidden economic crisis.
Why China Can’t Forget the Century of Humiliation
Ray Suarez sits down with authors John Delury and Orville Schell to help us understand China's fight for global dominance.
The Man Who Runs The World: Xi Jinping’s China
What is Xi Jinping's plan to reset China, and how do we make sense of his enigmatic rule? Sue-Lin Wong, a reporter from The Economist, joined Ray for a live streamed discussion of the consolidation of power by the...
What ISIS Can Teach Us About Drone Warfare in Ukraine
In the age of remote warfare, how do we judge accountability when the rules of engagement remain murky? We revisit Ray's conversation with investigative reporter Azmat Khan and ethics professor Shannon French.
What Will a Republican Majority in the House Mean for US Foreign Policy?
In this episode, Ray Suarez and Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Chris Tuttle discuss the impacts of the midterms on US foreign policy.
Why Congressman Andy Kim is Worried About War With China
In this episode, Rep. Andy Kim sits down with World Affairs CEO Philip Yun to discuss foreign policy in 2023 and the growing disconnect between Washington and the American people.
An American Martyr in Persia, with Reza Aslan
In this episode of "On Shifting Ground," author and scholar Reza Aslan joins Ray Suarez to reveal an unlikely figure from Iranian history: an American missionary named Howard Baskerville who joined Iran's first fight for...
Women, Life, and Iran’s Struggle for Freedom
Speaking with reporters about the protests in Iran can mean jail or worse, but that hasn't stopped the Iranian people from trying to be heard. In this episode, Ray Suarez and Golnaz Esfandiari, Senior correspondent for...
A Family Flees Genocide: Lisa Phu on Her Mom’s Story in “Before Me”
In this special episode, we share "Before Me", a five-part podcast series following one woman's life—from Cambodia to America—over the course of decades. The story was created, written, and produced by Lisa Phu,...
The New Nuremberg? Cambodia’s Genocide Tribunal
It's been half a century since the Khmer Rouge killed an estimated 2 million people. The genocide tribunal lasted 16 years, cost over $300 million dollars and only convicted three men. Was it worth it? In this episode,...
Why the World Cup is So &#*$&%! Expensive
Qatar smashed records by spending over $200 billion dollars to host the 2022 World Cup. What does this signal about the tournament's future? On this episode, the Athletic UK editor-in-chief Alex Kay-Jelski and American...
How Technology Fights – and Fuels – Misinformation
CEO of PeaceTech Lab, Sheldon Himelfarb, sits down with Ray to discuss what makes our present-day information crisis so unique – and dangerous. Then Alexa Koenig, Executive Director of UC Berkeley’s Human Rights...
Larry Brilliant on Stopping The Next Pandemic
Epidemiologist Larry Brilliant joins Ray Suarez to break down what the global pandemic response community got wrong (and right), the enduring geopolitics of vaccination and the urgent need to build a more...
Taiwan and the US-China Tug of War
This week, Ray takes a close look at Taiwan: its colonial past, vibrant democratic tradition, and what recent disputes over independence could mean for its people — and national security – today. We hear directly...
Welcome to “On Shifting Ground”
New name...same award-winning insights. "On Shifting Ground with Ray Suarez" drops on October 31st.
Bound By Oil: Rethinking Biden’s Middle East Strategy
Ray Suarez sits down with two Middle East policy experts to debate the best path forward for US engagement in the region. Quincy Institute Executive Vice President Trita Parsi and Brookings Institution senior fellow...
I Was Held Hostage. America Can Do Better
This episode, Ray Speaks with The Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian about his story, and why he thinks it’s essential that the US government and media change the way they talk about American hostages abroad so we...
Cryptomania: How Cryptocurrency Can Save—or Destabilize—a Country
Ray Suarez takes a deep dive into the global world of cryptocurrency — from Kazakhstan to Ukraine.
Feeding 7.9 Billion…Without Wrecking the Planet
On this week’s episode, we hear from two experts with competing visions of how we can sustainably feed a growing planet. Ray Suarez is joined by Raj Patel and Robert Paarlberg on a journey through the inequities and...
“The Code of the Warrior” and Ethics on the Modern Battlefield
Shannon French, Inamori Professor in Ethics at Case Western Reserve University, joins Ray Suarez to chart the ever-evolving field of military ethics and its central role in keeping both civilians and soldiers safe.
A Blurred Civilian/Soldier Line? Accountability in the Age of Drones
Ray Suarez speaks with journalist Azmat Khan about accountability in the age of remote warfare, and the importance of civilian oversight in US military action.
Dr. Atul Gawande’s Prescription for COVID and Aging: What Can We Learn?
In this episode, Dr. Gawande and Ray Suarez discuss taking public health work to the global stage, and the immense challenges that lie ahead.
The New Story of Old Age: What Japan and the Pandemic Can Teach Us About Living Longer
MIT AgeLab's Joseph F. Coughlin talks about how leaps in technology have led to longer life spans — and why it may be the key to making the most out of borrowed time. Then, NYT's Motoko Rich shares how this demographic...
Scaling Up: Local Solutions to End Global Homelessness
Ray Suarez digs deeper into two homegrown, people-powered housing initiatives for urban and rural communities across South Asia. Then, Lydia Stazen shares how small-scale local programs can be scaled internationally to...
Price Shock: The World Economy, Upside Down
In this episode, we revisit a conversation with filmmaker Rupert Russell about his book and film, “Price Wars: How the Commodities Markets Made Our Chaotic World.
The Age of Disasters and the Future of Crisis Management
Ray Suarez speaks with "The Devil Never Sleeps" author, Juliette Kayyem, about what global communities can do to prepare before disaster strikes close to home.
