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Hump Day Recommendations
WATCH: “An American Bombing: The Road to April 19th,” a new documentary debuting this week on HBO and Max that revisits the deadliest act of domestic terror committed on US soil. Executive produced by Katie Couric, it examines the influences and ideology that led Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols to bomb a federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people including 19 children, and the political extremism that still exists in America today. – Tony Maciulis
Watch:“Civil War” If you read my review on this movie, which imagines what a civil war would look like in the not-too-distant future in the US, then you already know that I had a lot of problems with it. But I still found it very thought-provoking and think it’s worth seeing. It definitely strikes a nerve at a precarious moment for US democracy. – John
Listen: September. Here’s a test. Click this link and see if you can remain completely motionless – every muscle relaxed but still – for the 3 minutes and 35 seconds it takes to listen to this song. Better yet, clear some space and move as you choose. Happy Wednesday. #EW&F -- Willis
Listen: Maggie Rogers’ OG Tiny Desk Concert If you aren’t on the Maggie Rogers train yet, her third album is the stop to hop on at. It's folkier than she’s been in the past, while maintaining her killer lyricism. However, it inspired me to look back at her first visit to NPR. Worth a listen. –RileyRead: “Rethinking the End of Empire: Nationalism, State Formation and Great Power Politics,” by Dr. Lynn Tesser (a GZERO Daily reader!). On the eve of World War I, global politics were dominated by continent-spanning empires. Some were vast and dominant, like Britain’s, some young and rising, like Japan, and some ancient and ailing, like the Ottomans, but today not a single one remains. Tesser asks why. And why did nation-states fill the gap? In her new study, she subverts conventional nationalistic explanations to argue that the same elites who formed the core of imperial projects from Peru to Phnom Penh ultimately introduced the conditions for their dissolution in the 20th century. – Matt
Watch:“Manhunt.” This new miniseries focuses on the hunt for John Wilkes Booth after he assassinated President Abraham Lincoln as the American Civil War drew to a close. Even though we already know how this ends, the series keeps you interested. If you enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend checking this out. – John
Watch: “Dictator’s Dilemma.” This is National Geographic’s thoughtful and chilling 2022 profile of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un … and his enigmatic younger sister. – Willis
Read: What does “Never Again” really mean? For Israeli genocide scholar Omer Bartov, the meaning of the Holocaust has often been distorted and exploited over the past 80-odd years in ways that may make crimes against humanity more likely, rather than less. There is a lot to contend with in his long essay on the “Misuses of Holocaust Memory,” and close readers from across the spectrum will surely find points of disagreement. But it’s a worthy read if you want to engage with this (fraught!) topic. – Alex
Listen: Youssou Ndour will turn 65 this year. After 30 years on the world music scene, and many more lifting spirits in his native Senegal, he’s still raising that mighty voice. – Willis
Listen: “Cowboy Carter,” by Beyoncé. If Spotify charts are to be believed, you’ve probably already heard snippets from Queen Bee’s country debut, but the whole album is worth your time. The creative risk pays off beautifully with innovative original pieces and covers of country classics like Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” (featuring harmonica from Stevie Wonder!). My favorite? A reimagining of the Beatles’ “Blackbird.” – Matt, with thanks to GZERO reader Ruth S.
Watch: “The Gentlemen.” Ever wondered what Brexit did to cannabis exports? This new Netflix series sheds some light on that underworld, and it’s just as darkly humorous and addictive as any of Guy Ritchie’s work. A British aristocratic heir and spare have their scripts flipped by their deceased father’s will … only for the shocked new duke to find himself hip-deep in his big brother’s misdeeds. Hijinks ensue. – Tracy
Watch:“Love Lies Bleeding.” This movie felt like a fever dream. It’s difficult to describe the plot. It’s a crime thriller and a love story jumbled together, with a whole lot of weirdness sprinkled in. And as the title suggests, there’s a lot of blood. If you enjoy nontraditional narratives and surrealism, I would highly suggest checking this out. – JohnListen: To the latest episode of This American Life in honor of my hometown Baltimore (Ira Glass also happens to be from Bmore). In true TAL fashion, they manage to use a nursery rhyme to connect wide ranging stories – from a skateboarding legend and an estranged uncle’s funeral to the devastating number of journalists that have been killed in Gaza – to reveal a universal theme about how, like humpty-dumpty, some things can’t be put back together again. – Riley
Watch: “Repatriation” In 1992, as South Korea’s military government began relinquishing power to a democratic administration, authorities found a thorny problem on their hands. Dozens of captured North Koreans had spent decades in South Korean prisons without ever renouncing their allegiance to Pyongyang. By then old men, in poor health, these alleged former spies were hardly a threat to Seoul, but successive governments hesitated to grant their wish to return to their homelands and see their remaining family members before they died. Groundbreaking South Korean documentarian Kim Dong-won recorded over 800 hours of footage across 12 years with a group of these men to create a surreal, challenging film that inverts familiar sympathies. - Matt
Read: Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. Many years of focused research by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson produced a theory of success and failure of entire peoples that rewrites the narrative of centuries of history. Agree or disagree, it’s a provocative page-turner. - WillisPeter Navarro, who served as U.S. then-President Donald Trump's trade adviser, talks to the media before turning himself in at a federal correctional institution to begin his prison sentence for defying a subpoena from a panel that investigated the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, in Miami, Florida, U.S.
38: In a move straight out of "Footloose," Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has banned musical horns after videos surfaced on social media showing people, especially youths, engaging in impromptu dances on roads to tunes emitted by truck horns. Manet, who succeeded his father Hun Sen, has directed the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation and police to enforce the ban nationwide, aiming to curb what he views as a public order and traffic safety issue.
230,000: Goma, a resource-rich city in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is under siege from M23 rebels reportedly backed by Rwanda. With nearly all supply routes controlled by M23, the conflict is asphyxiating the city, causing a surge in basic commodity prices. Over 230,000 people fled Goma in February, with aid agencies warning of humanitarian disaster and the increasing risk of a wider regional conflict.
21 million: Afghanistan, one of the nations most susceptible to climate change, faces a dire situation as a fourth straight year of drought displaces entire villages, leaving fields barren and stomachs empty. The drought has deprived 21 million Afghans, almost half of the country's population, of access to potable water.
Listen: Jon Batiste I was blessed to see and hear Batiste and his band at New York’s Beacon Theatre last night. If you have a chance to experience his music anywhere at any time, grab it. In the meantime, here’s a sample of his epic range. – Willis
Watch: “The Regime” Do you enjoy dark comedies and geopolitics? Then this new show on Max is probably perfect for you. It stars Kate Winslet as the paranoid, ruthless leader of an authoritarian regime in an unnamed country in Central Europe. Her character is an extraordinarily quirky hypochondriac who will stop at nothing to assume complete control of her country. Keep an eye out for fun references to real-life dictators and geopolitical issues. – John
Get dirty: During a recent visit to the Phillips Collection — a stunning art collection in Washington, DC — I saw some lovely ceramic flower wall hangings in the gift shop. As an amateur potter, I decided to try it rather than buy it — so I sat down last weekend with this YouTube video to create a basic wallflower. I fire my pieces in a kiln, but you don’t have to — air dry clay will work just as well. If you decide to have a go, send me a pic of how it turns out. – Tracy
Watch: “The Holdovers” I watched this movie with my mom to close out my week-long vacation, and it hit the happy/sad sweet spot on the head. Set at a New England prep school, a cantankerous teacher and troubled pupil are stuck on campus together over Christmas vacation. Both grow and learn lessons from each other, and all that good stuff, but the script brilliantly shows the toxic masculinity, racism, and classism of the Vietnam War era. This movie is arguably a Christmas movie, but who doesn’t need a good Christmas movie in March? It will hit even harder if you, like me, went to a lapsed military academy for high school. – Riley
Stop: And smell the flowers! It’s the best time of year in Washington, DC, with cherry blossoms and Magnolia trees in full bloom. If you’re in the area, come enjoy their pastel hues before it’s too late. Here’s a tip: Skip the crowds on the Mall and enjoy the blossoms at the National Arboretum. – Matt
Russian President Vladimir Putin tours an exhibition as part of the Strong Ideas for a New Time forum held by the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, an autonomous non-profit organization in Moscow, on Feb. 20, 2024.
Amid tight control of dissent, a crackdown on the opposition, and a big pressure campaign to get voters to the polls, there is little doubt President Vladimir Putin will win another term in office in elections being heldon March 15-17. Still,the Kremlin is working hard to ensure a strong showing for the 71-year-old leader who has ruled the country for 25 years. Displays of public support are important for his legitimacy.
Eurasia Group expert Alex Brideau says one important watchpoint will be whether the followers of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who recently died in a Russian prison, can organize a symbolic protest vote. We sat down with Alex to learn more about what to expect in the election and the strength of the Putin regime.
What steps is the Kremlin taking to ensure Putin’s victory?
The Kremlin is not worried about Putin losing the election, but it doesn’t want any big surprises. The authorities have ensured that voters have few options when choosing the president. Along with Putin, three other candidates represent loyal opposition parties that lack substantial public support. The state’s repression of critical politicians and activists through arrests, bans on activities and fundraising, exile, or killings has been so strong that there were few real opposition candidates capable of rallying large numbers of voters. Those who tried this time to get on the ballot failed to get past the Central Election Commission.
Putin’s team also has been working with regional and local officials to ensure that both turnout and support for the president will be high. It is aiming for 70%-80% of the vote, according to independent Russian media outlet Meduza. Government employees, soldiers, and people working for state-owned companies will be under pressure to vote and ensure others vote for Putin, too.
Will Navalny’s death have any impact?
The crowds that gathered in Moscow to say farewell to Navalny showed that people will show their opposition to Putin, if very cautiously. Still, there is no candidate on the ballot to rally those voters. Navalny’s organization has been hounded by the security services since his arrest in 2021, making it hard for them to have an effect. But they will nevertheless try. Navalny’s widow Yulia has encouraged people to vote for anyone other than Putin, while others have encouraged opponents to do this together at noon on the 17th. The tactic won’t stop Putin from winning, but it could embarrass the regime if enough voters follow their advice.
What do you make of the level of support garnered by anti-war candidates before they were barred?
Two candidates running on anti-war messages tried to get on the ballot: Ekaterina Duntsova and Boris Nadezhdin. This offered an imperfect gauge of anti-war sentiment in January, when thousands of people lined up in cities across the country to give Nadezhdin the needed signatures to become a candidate. But Russian authorities stepped in and both politicians were barred from the ballot on technicalities widely seen as a way to ensure their anti-war campaigns would not continue.
Nonetheless, it is important to note that Putin has not shied away from talking about the war while campaigning. Instead, he has expressed optimism about continued success in the invasion and has not dialed back his previously declared objectives for the war. He has also played up his narrative of a threat from NATO and the West.
What other indications do we have about the true level of public support for Putin and the war in Ukraine?
Experts continue to debate the reliability of opinion polling in Russia, especially as repression has increased. At the very least, polls like those from the independent Levada Center have shown Putin gets consistently high backing in the upper-70% to mid-80% range. Putin’s apparent high popularity has long been an important part of how he demonstrates his legitimacy and manages Russia’s elites.
Polls also show the public’s consistently strong support for Russia’s military actions in Ukraine. However, they also show contradictory views on the issue. A majority support negotiations to end the war, but a majority also opposes giving back any occupied Ukrainian land to secure peace. Mobilization is not popular, something seen during the partial mobilization drive in the fall of 2022. Putin appears sensitive to this and has stated multiple times that a new mobilization won’t be necessary.
How would you place the level of repression in Russia now in a historical context?
Dissent in Putin’s Russia has always carried some risk, but the last three years have seen the highest level of repression in Russia’s post-Soviet existence. It started in the wake of Navalny’s 2021 imprisonment and expanded as Russian authorities used the war to further clamp down on dissent. The public now has very few legal outlets to protest government actions.
It’s hard not to see some similarities to the Soviet era's use of the security services, and their tactics, to squash opposition to the regime. But the societal control Russian officials can muster today through arrests, intimidation, and censorship is not nearly on the same level as what the Communist Party exerted over the everyday lives of Soviet citizens.
What would it take to loosen Putin’s grip on power?
Putin enters this election confident about the war and an economy that has grown despite major Western sanctions. But the war and the economy present a risk to him if they falter down the road. Moreover, some of the biggest protests during Putin’s time in power have been reactions to corruption or the abuse of power. The lack of outlets to oppose the government without fear of jail or fines creates a danger for the Kremlin: that an incident triggers spontaneous unrest that spreads nationwide. That said, Putin will enter his next term quite firmly in power, with little to suggest that he is under threat of losing control anytime soon.
Edited by Jonathan House, Senior Editor at Eurasia Group
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