The Rest Is Politics

Twenty-five years after 9/11, does terrorism still pose an existential threat to humanity? How do ordinary people become extremists — and why is it a mistake to generalise about the “type” of person who joins a terror organisation? What opportunities did the chaos of ISIS’ caliphate present to otherwise unlikely recruits?

This week, Rory is joined by Iraqi historian and blogger Omar Mohammed, who, when ISIS captured Mosul in 2014, began secretly reporting on life inside the city, at great personal risk, and documented the occupation while it was happening.

To hear the whole episode and the rest of the series where Rory interviews Yuval Noah Hararri, Edward Fishman, Carlo Rovelli and Toby Ord, sign up at therestispolitics.com

Video Editor: Vasco Andrade

Producer: India Dunkley

Assistant Producer: Evie Townend

Executive Producer: Bella Soames

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As supermarket fridges are hacked and bomb threats are called in, how is AI accelerating the rate of cyberattacks, and can Britain’s defences keep up? Who is in the running to become the next UN Secretary-General, and what will the appointment mean for the future of the organisation and the international order? Following the ANC’s worst-ever performance in South Africa’s local elections, has corruption finally caught up with the ruling party, and can it tackle the country's deepening unemployment crisis?

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time.

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Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Paul van Zyl by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube.

Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord.

Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory.

Give The Rest Is Politics Plus this Christmas. Treat yourself or a fellow fan to a membership: bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access, a members’ newsletter, and more. Annual gifts come with a special edition T-shirt.

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Twitter: @restispolitics

Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com

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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Caroline Kaye, Adam Thornton

Assistant Producer: Jake Preston, Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames

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Following the disastrous midterm results for the Republicans, where will Trump turn his attention for the last two years of his presidency, and what will the MAGA movement look like without him? With Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admitting an affair with a suspected Chinese spy, what does the fallout mean for the future of the company – and its enormous influence over the future of AI and the entire American economy? What do the recent elections in Israel and New Zealand reveal about the challenges of proportional representation?

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more.

__________

Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Paul van Zyl by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube.

Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord.

Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory.

Give The Rest Is Politics Plus this Christmas. Treat yourself or a fellow fan to a membership: bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access, a members’ newsletter, and more. Annual gifts come with a special edition T-shirt.

The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription.

🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee!

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Instagram: @restispolitics

Twitter: @restispolitics

Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com

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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Bruno Di Castri, Oliver Ortega-Smith

Assistant Producer: Jake Preston, Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames
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Why did Trump concede defeat so quickly and pledge to work with Democrats, and what does this mean for the final two years of his presidency, including his influence on the world stage? Was this a cost of living election defeat for Trump more than an outpouring of love for the Democrats, and will MAGA’s ‘America First’ worldview persist anyway? After the most highly funded election in American history, could there finally be bipartisan support for tackling the influence of extreme wealth and corruption in US politics?

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more.

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Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Kevin Rudd by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube.

Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord.

Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory.

The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription.

🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee!

Subscribe to The New World from just £1 a week, and you get a free signed copy of Alastair's new book, Persevilience. And for £1 more, you get the award-winning magazine delivered every week. Go to thenewworld.co.uk/TRIP and sign up today!

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Instagram: @restispolitics

Twitter: @restispolitics

Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com

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Social Producer: Bex Tyrrell

Video Editor: Caroline Kaye, Oli Ortega, Lorcan Moullier

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne, Jake Preston

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames
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What has Rory uncovered on the road through JD Vance country, and how did he feel attending a Trump MAGA rally? What is driving the wave of youth protests sweeping across Europe, and could we see similar unrest in the UK? What will be the political legacy of the late, great Patrick Stewart, and what was he really like?

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week’s edition of Question Time.

__________

Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Kevin Rudd by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube.

Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord.

Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory.

The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription.

🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee!

__________

Instagram: @restispolitics

Twitter: @restispolitics

Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com

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Social Producer: Celine Charles, Emma Jackson

Video Editor: Tom McCagherty, Jack Meek

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne, Jake Preston

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames

Reporter: Isabelle Stanley
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