Topic: Peace Corps

Sir Kevin, Keeper of the Spee, is awarded the No Agenda International Peace Prize for his significant financial support. The show concludes with a list of upcoming meetups in Oklahoma City, California, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. A final salute is given to the US Marine Corps for their 250th anniversary.

President Joe Biden announced the launch of the Climate Corps, a program modeled after the Peace Corps intended to put 20,000 young people to work in clean energy. Biden pledged to triple this number over the next decade while aiming to cut carbon emissions in half by 2030. Concerns are raised about the funding and long-term political implications of creating a large-scale government-employed youth workforce.

The Peace Corps issued a notice to volunteers of color warning them about potential racism and the use of dehumanizing language in Ukraine. The memo advises volunteers on how to handle being called racial slurs or seeing "blackface" in local games. Meanwhile, the U.S. government's approval of $14 billion in aid to Ukraine is contrasted with the difficulty of securing funding for domestic projects like the border wall, leading to allegations of money laundering.

International media coverage of Ebola is critiqued for using stock photos of "bunny suits" to incite fear in Australia and the UK. A report from Al Jazeera contrasts the healthcare infrastructure of the United States with West Africa, suggesting the virus is unlikely to spread in America. The Peace Corps is noted for evacuating hundreds of volunteers from the affected region.

A Congressional hearing addressed a history of sexual assault and rape within the Peace Corps, with volunteers testifying that the organization prioritized its reputation over their safety. Reports indicate that these issues have been documented since at least 2002, despite claims of improved safety measures. The hearing highlighted the lack of action taken against assailants in foreign countries where volunteers are stationed.