Nick Pelham, The Economist's Middle East correspondent, sheds light on the Kurdish resurgence in northeastern Syria, revealing their transition from oppression to autonomy. He discusses the cultural revival amid complex power dynamics with local Arabs. Meanwhile, Wendelin von Bredow dives into the ramifications of the murder of German politician Walter Lübcke, painting a stark picture of rising far-right extremism and its implications for democracy. The podcast also touches on surprising developments in China's education system where students adopt American-style debate techniques.