Around the World with Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo

S2 Ep. 14 - Ebola Outbreak, Rubio at Quad and NATO, India-Africa Ties

In this week’s episode of Around the World, Veda Vaidyanathan, Fellow in Foreign Policy and Security Studies at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress, joins hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo to break down the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda — highlighting its implications for health governance and evolving India-Africa ties, as well as the recent cancellation of the fourth India-Africa Forum Summit. The hosts also recap U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s trips to Europe and India, assessing the outcomes of the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting and key developments in U.S.-India relations. Image: © European Union, 2026, CC BY 4.0 [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0], via Wikimedia Commons [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:P056106-58554.jpg]

S2 Ep. 13 - Trump-Xi Summit in China, Europe’s Security Dilemmas

In this week’s episode of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo unpack the high-stakes summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, outlining what each side is hoping to secure amid rising tensions over tariffs, critical minerals, Taiwan, and the conflict in Iran. The episode then turns to Europe’s mounting security dilemmas, from the future of NATO to the growing push for a more self-sufficient European defense strategy. Image: The White House, Public Domain, via WhiteHouse.gov [https://www.whitehouse.gov/gallery/president-donald-trump-participates-in-a-bilateral-meeting-with-chinese-president-xi-jinping/]

S2 Ep. 12 - Africa’s Economic Opportunities, EU Aid to Ukraine

In this week’s episode of Around the World, Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi, President and CEO of the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET), joins hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo to discuss Africa’s shifting economic landscape, from declining global aid and greater domestic resource mobilization to expanding opportunities with non-traditional partners. They also recap recent developments in Ukraine, including the European Union’s latest aid package and what it signals for the trajectory of the war with Russia. Image: Divaris Shirichena, via Unsplash [https://unsplash.com/photos/lettuce-grows-in-rows-on-a-beautiful-farm-xZqfw-VXnYE]

S2 Ep. 11 - Iran Ceasefire, New Space Race, Hungary Elections

In this week’s episode of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo break down a last-minute ceasefire between the United States and Iran, exploring what drove the sudden de-escalation and what to watch as negotiations unfold. They then turn to the recent launch of the Artemis II mission and the broader revival of the global space race, before wrapping up with a preview of Hungary’s upcoming elections and what they could signal for European politics. Image: NHQ202604010263. Artemis II Launch, via NASA [https://images.nasa.gov/details/NHQ202604010263]

S2 Ep. 10 - Iran War Uncertainty, Myanmar, Italy Referendum

In this week’s episode of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo deliver updates on the growing uncertainty surrounding the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, discussing whether a ceasefire is within reach and how the crisis is shaping perceptions in Washington, Tehran, and across Europe. They also recap Myanmar’s recent election and its contentious results, as Tatmadaw chief Min Aung Hlaing seeks presidency. The episode wraps with Italy, where Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s referendum on judicial reform was rejected by voters — raising questions about her popularity and what it could mean for Italy’s next general elections. Image Source: © European Union, 1998 – 2026 [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giorgia_Meloni_at_the_European_Council_-_March_2023_(03).jpg], Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons