Season 2 Episode 4 : Trump’s Board of Peace, U.S. Defense Strategy, China Military Purges

January 30, 2026 — In this week’s episode of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo examine Trump’s Board of Peace, a multilateral initiative originally aimed at overseeing the Gaza ceasefire — and the questions around its membership, funding, and Trump’s ongoing role. They also assess the Department of War’s newly released National Defense Strategy and its priorities for U.S. security, as well as China’s recent detainment of top PLA officers. 

Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Transcript Available SOon

Image: Board of Peace session with world leaders at the Official, on 22/1/2026 from 10:30 to 11:30 in the Congress Centre – Congress Hall (Zone C), Stakeholder Dialogue (special session/board of peace). CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Courtesy of the World Economic Forum / Jason Alden, via Flickr.

Season 2 Episode 3 : Transatlantic Rift, EU-India Summit, UK-Mauritius Chagos Deal

January 23, 2026 — In this week’s episode of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo are joined by Garima Mohan, Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund, to discuss the growing momentum in EU-India relations ahead of an upcoming summit and potential trade agreement. Dhruva and Rachel also dig into the latest developments between Trump and Greenland, as well as the sudden resurrection of the U.K.–Mauritius Chagos Islands deal.

Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Transcript Available SOon

Image: FellowNeko, via Shutterstock.

Image: 111176. PM meeting the President of the European Commission, Ms. Ursula Von Der Leyen, in New Delhi on April 25, 2022. Courtesy of the Government of India Press Information Bureau, via pib.gov.in.

Image: Copernicus Sentinel-2 data 2021, ESA / CNES, via Wikimedia Commons.

Season 2 Episode 2 : Iran Protests, Germany-India Ties, U.S. Fed Tensions

January 16, 2026 — In this week’s episode of Around the World, Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo dive into the resurgence of protests in Iran and what it means for the country’s economic and political future. They also unpack German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to India and the growing tensions between the Trump administration and the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Transcript Available SOon

Image: Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image: 200886. PM and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, participates in the International Kite Festival at the Sabarmati Riverfront at Ahmedabad, in Gujarat on January 12, 2026. Courtesy of the Government of India Press Information Bureau, via pib.gov.in.

Image: DSC_0454. Chair Powell answers reporters’ questions at the FOMC press conference on December 10, 2025. Courtesy of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, via Flickr.

Season 2 Episode 1 : Venezuela Operations, Greenland Tensions, and Recognition of Somaliland

January 9, 2026 — To kick off Season 2 of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo recap what went down in Venezuela and the U.S. military’s capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife. They also discuss the revived tensions between the United States and Greenland, and touch on Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland as an independent state. 

Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Transcript Available SOon

Image: SWinxy, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image: www.horndiplomat, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons