WAC Houston

World Affairs Council of Greater Houston
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Stay informed on global affairs with the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston Podcast. Featuring expert insights from world leaders, diplomats, and thought leaders, this podcast brings you the impactful discussions and engaging conversations from our live events—now available anytime, anywhere. Gain a deeper understanding of international issues, global economies, and cultural perspectives that shape our world. Tune in and stay globally connected.

  1. APR 27

    TGL 24 | What Happens When You Travel to Understand the World, Not Just See It

    Most people travel to see the world. WAC Houston members travel to understand it. In this episode, Maryanne Maldonado sits down with Ilyas Hokkaci, WAC Houston's travel program lead, to talk about what intentional travel really looks like — from the just-completed cherry blossom season trip through Kyoto and Tokyo, to the upcoming October journey through Morocco that has members already booking their seats. Morocco isn't just a destination. It's a crossroads — where North Africa, Europe, and the Arab world collide across 1,000+ years of layered history. From the Atlantic coast of Casablanca and Rabat, through the Atlas Mountains, into the Sahara desert, and on to the ancient souks of Marrakesh — this 10-day trip moves through civilizations, not just cities. And thanks to WAC Houston's decades-long relationships with local partners, travelers get access that no individual traveler — or standard tour company — can replicate. Private palace lunches. Overnight desert camps. Conversations with people who actually live the history you came to see. If you've been on the fence about Morocco, this episode will get you off it. Hosted by Maryanne Maldonado | The Greater Loop — A podcast of the World Affairs Council of Houston Subscribe for global affairs content that connects the world to your world. What's covered: Highlights from WAC Houston's Japan trip — Kyoto to Tokyo What makes Morocco a once-in-a-lifetime destination The Atlas Mountains, Sahara desert, Kasbahs & Marrakesh itinerary Why Morocco is one of the most stable, welcoming countries in the region Exclusive access: private lunches, desert glamping & local homes How to secure your spot on the October trip Ready to go?    Morrocco: https://wachouston.org/event/morocco-from-sahara-to-the-sea/ All trips: https://wachouston.org/events/category/travel/

    16 min

  2. APR 21

    TGL 23 | While the World Watches Iran, Gaza Is Still Burning — Dr. Alice Rothchild

    The war in Iran has dominated every headline. But in Gaza, there is no ceasefire. The suffering didn't pause; it just stopped being covered. In this episode, Maryanne Maldonado sits down with Dr. Alice Rothchild, physician, author, filmmaker, and one of the most unflinching voices on the Gaza crisis. A former Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School with nearly 40 years of practice as an OB-GYN, Dr. Rothchild has spent decades traveling to Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel, documenting what mainstream media doesn't show. She serves on the board of the Gaza Mental Health Foundation, is a member of the Jewish Voice for Peace Health Advisory Council, and has written multiple books on the human cost of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including Broken Promises, Broken Dreams, and On the Brink, translated into multiple languages. She's also a Jewish American who has dedicated her life to telling the Palestinian story. That combination, medical credibility, firsthand access, and moral courage, makes her one of the most important voices you can hear right now. While the world's attention shifts, Dr. Rothchild reminds us: Gaza is still there. And the people inside it still need the world to pay attention. Why Dr. Rothchild matters on this subject: Nearly 40 years as an OB-GYN, former Harvard Medical School faculty Has traveled to Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel repeatedly since the late 1990s Author of multiple books on Palestinian health and human rights Producer of the award-winning documentary Voices Across the Divide Board member, Gaza Mental Health Foundation Jewish Voice for Peace Health Advisory Council member Co-founder of Americans Jews for a Just Peace — Boston One of the few American Jewish voices with direct on-the-ground Gaza experience. Hosted by Maryanne Maldonado | The Greater Loop — A podcast of the World Affairs Council of Houston Subscribe for global affairs content that connects the world to your world.

    24 min

  3. APR 16

    TGL 22 | Former Iranian Ambassador Says Trump Just Killed the Deal... Again!

    The peace talks in Islamabad lasted just 21 hours. Hours later, the U.S. Navy began a full blockade of Iranian ports. And yet, a former Iranian Ambassador says this wasn't a collapse. It was progress. So what's really going on? Maryanne Maldonado sits down with Dr. Seyed Hossein Mousavian, a former Iranian ambassador and one of the most closely watched voices on Iran-West relations, to decode the nuclear deadlock, the broken diplomacy, and whether there's any realistic path to a deal before the next escalation. From the JCPOA's collapse to zero-enrichment demands, from the Strait of Hormuz to China and Russia's quiet role, this is the conversation that goes beyond the headlines. Hosted by Maryanne Maldonado | The Greater Loop, A podcast of the World Affairs Council of Houston Subscribe for global affairs content that con nects the world to your world. Topics covered: Why the Islamabad talks failed, and why Mousavian calls it progress Iran's nuclear red lines and the NPT rights dispute The U.S. naval blockade and what it signals to Tehran A proposed regional enrichment consortium as an alternative Who inside Iran is pushing for peace — and who isn't The Supreme Leader's ceasefire gamble Whether a second round of negotiations is still possible Check out our upcoming event with Amb. Sayed Mousavian on May 05! https://wachouston.org/event/iranian-ambassador/

    15 min

  4. APR 13

    TGL 21 | Russia's Moment Explained by Dr. Angela Stent

    The fall of Assad. The capture of Maduro. A ceasefire in Iran. On the surface, it looks like Russia is losing ground, but is it? Dr. Angela Stent, one of the world's leading experts on U.S.-Russia relations and author of Putin's World, says the picture is far more complicated than the headlines suggest. In this episode, Maryanne Maldonado sits down with Dr. Stent to unpack what's really happening inside Russia, whether Putin's grip on power is as strong as it appears, and what a Trump-era reset of U.S.-Russia relations actually means for Ukraine, Europe, and the global order we've taken for granted. From sanctions and oil revenues to NATO fractures and China's quiet role — this is the conversation that puts it all in context. Hosted by Maryanne Maldonado | The Global Lens — A podcast of the World Affairs Council of Houston Subscribe for global affairs content that connects the world to your world. Topics covered: Is Russia really losing influence — or just recalibrating? Putin's grip on power and rising domestic pressure The Trump-Putin relationship and what it means for Ukraine Why a negotiated peace remains out of reach Sanctions, oil revenues, and Russia's economic cracks Europe's fear that Russia's ambitions go beyond Ukraine China's role as Russia's most critical lifeline The shift toward a post-Western global order

    13 min

  5. APR 9

    TGL 20 | Longer Than You Hope, Shorter Than You Fear — Decoding the Global Oil Crisis

    Check Wafik Beydoun IN PERSON at our upcoming event on April 29th 2026. https://wachouston.org/event/1080-global-oil-in-chaos-with-otc/   The Strait of Hormuz carries over 20% of the world's oil — and right now, it's at the center of a global energy crisis. Gas is hovering around $4 a gallon, emergency reserves are being tapped, and analysts warn that even if the conflict ends tomorrow, recovery could take months. To make sense of it all, Maryanne Maldonado sits down with Wafik Beydoun, an energy executive with four decades of experience across the global oil and gas industry. He breaks down what's really happening inside major energy operators, why Asia is most exposed, whether renewables can actually step in, and how long everyday consumers should expect to feel the pain — at the pump and beyond. This is the episode for anyone trying to understand why a war on the other side of the world is showing up in your grocery bill. Topics covered: Strait of Hormuz shutdown & global oil supply How energy companies respond to supply shocks Emergency reserves — bridge or real solution? Japan, South Korea, India & China's exposure Renewables: catalyst or overnight fix? Where the global energy industry is heading   Subscribe for more videos about global affairs and international politics!

    14 min

  6. APR 1

    TGL 19 | India's dangerous game with US, China, & Russia - Ambassador Rahul Chhabra

    India is rewriting the rules of global power, and nobody does it quite like New Delhi. In this episode of The Global Lens, host Maryanne Maldonado sits down with Ambassador Rahul Chhabra, a 40-year veteran of Indian diplomacy, to break down how India is simultaneously managing its relationships with the United States, Russia, and China without fully committing to any of them. From buying Russian oil while courting Washington, to resetting ties with China while keeping troops at the border, India is executing one of the most complex foreign policy balancing acts in modern history. Ambassador Chhabra calls it "strategic autonomy", and he explains exactly what that means, why it works, and how long India can keep it up.  In this episode: Why India refuses to pick a side, and why that's actually strategic How Trump's pressure on Modi over Russian oil is playing out India's tactical stabilization with China (and why it's not a real reset) The role of soft power in India's rise as a global force What India's rise actually means for Houston, Africa, and Southeast Asia Why India is now a rule-shaper, not a rule-taker Whether you follow geopolitics closely or you're just trying to understand what's happening in the world right now, this conversation will give you the full picture. Want to see Ambassador Chhabra in person? He'll be speaking live in Houston on April 9, 2026, at Asia Society Texas. Don't miss it   https://wachouston.org/event/1077-indias-global-leadership/ Subscribe so you never miss an episode. #India #Geopolitics #ForeignPolicy #IndiaChina #IndiaUS #BRICS #Modi #GlobalAffairs #Diplomacy #TheGlobalLens #WACHouston

    15 min

  7. MAR 23

    TGL 18 | Healthcare for the World's Forgotten - Medical Bridges CEO, Walter Ulrich

    Check out the upcoming live event that will cover these and many more topics on the 2026 World Health Day. https://wachouston.org/event/2026-world-health-day/ Billions of people around the world lack access to basic healthcare — and most of us never hear about it. In this episode, we speak with Walter Ulrich, CEO of Medical Bridges, a Houston-based nonprofit redistributing surplus medical supplies to under-resourced communities across 61 countries. From war-torn Ukraine to crisis-stricken Haiti, Walter shares what the global health emergency actually looks like on the ground — and how small, agile organizations are making an outsized difference where large institutions fall short. In this conversation, you'll learn: How conflict and war are systematically destroying healthcare infrastructure worldwide The critical supply shortages facing hospitals in Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East Why nimble nonprofits often deliver aid faster and more effectively than governments The story of a woman who survived a life-threatening pregnancy after a natural disaster — thanks to donated supplies from Houston What frontline workers in Ukraine and Gaza are facing right now How you can get involved — through volunteering, advocacy, or donation Subscribe for more conversations on global affairs, humanitarian issues, and international security.   #GlobalHealth #MedicalBridges #HumanitarianAid #Healthcare #Ukraine #Haiti #NGO #Houston #WorldHealthDay #ForeignPolicy #GlobalAffairs

    18 min

  8. MAR 19

    P Series 19 | Jon Meacham - America’s Never-Ending Battle Over Freedom and Power

    In a polarized era, history can become a subject of political contention. Many see America as perfect; many others argue that the national experiment is fundamentally flawed. The truth, Meacham shows, likely lies between these extremes. America has had shining hours, and also dark ones. In American Struggle, Pulitzer Prize-Winner Jon Meacham illuminates the nation’s complicated past. This rich and diverse collection covers a wide spectrum of history, from 1619 to the twenty-first century, with primary-source documents that take us back to critical moments in which Americans fought over the meaning and the direction of the national experiment. From the founders to Lincoln to Obama, from Andrew Jackson to Theodore Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan, from Seneca Falls to the March on Washington, this chorus—sometimes discordant and always fascinating—tells the story of the country and of its people. As clashes over liberty and slavery, inclusion and exclusion, play out, these voices, brilliantly framed by Meacham’s singular commentary, remind us that contentious citizenship and fair-minded observations are essential to bringing about the more perfect union envisioned in the Preamble to the Constitution, which Frederick Douglass called a “glorious liberty document.” Conflict is nothing new in our democracy; rather, as Meacham and these texts show, tensions are inherent, stubborn, and perennial. And American Struggle teaches us anew that to know what has come before, to watch as long-running disputes rise and fall, is to be armed against despair. Featured Speaker: Jon Meacham Jon Meacham is a Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer. The author of the New York Times bestsellers Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, Franklin and Winston, Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush, and The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels, he is a distinguished visiting professor at Vanderbilt University, a contributing writer for The New York Times Book Review, and a fellow of the Society of American Historians. Meacham lives in Nashville and in Sewanee with his wife and children.

    56 min
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About

Stay informed on global affairs with the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston Podcast. Featuring expert insights from world leaders, diplomats, and thought leaders, this podcast brings you the impactful discussions and engaging conversations from our live events—now available anytime, anywhere. Gain a deeper understanding of international issues, global economies, and cultural perspectives that shape our world. Tune in and stay globally connected.

Information

  • Creator
    World Affairs Council of Greater Houston
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    43
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    WAC Houston

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