Podcasts about Baltic

A.M. Edition for Aug. 26. A bullish AI forecast from Nvidia lifts markets. And despite blockbuster growth and revenue forecasts, IG Markets' Chris Beauchamp says Nvidia still has more room to run. Plus, Fed chairman Kevin Warsh has so far kept his views on interest rates to himself. But investors hope that's about to change. And, WSJ's Tripti Lahiri brings us the latest from the devastating floods in Nepal and China. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Judy Dempsey, Senior Scholar in Berlin for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, with co-host Thaddeus McCotter: Dempsey describes European Baltic and Nordic leaders flocking to Kyiv, yet warns that "moral outrage" lacks a cohesive strategic plan to negotiate an end to the war. She highlights the rising prominence of the pro-Russian, far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in state elections. Interestingly, an ideological rift has emerged as radical AfD factions in East Germany sour on MAGA due to Trump's policies on Iran. McCotter delivers a severe critique of the MAGA-AfD relationship, arguing MAGA should never have "played footsies" with neo-Nazis, and asserting the AfD is fundamentally aligned with Vladimir Putin rather than the United States—their temporary embrace of MAGA merely a superficial attraction. Although West Germans have abandoned historical sentiments toward Russiadue to the Ukraine invasion, East Germany remains deeply split, harboring lingering sentimental pro-Russian views and separate post-unification cultural dynamics. (7)

The war on the Eastern Front was fought on a scale unlike anything the world had ever seen. Stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea, it consumed millions of soldiers, saw entire armies destroyed, and ultimately decided the fate of Nazi Germany. When we tell the story of this campaign, we often focus on a handful of famous names: Zhukov, Manstein, Guderian, Model. But were they really the men directing the war throughout its four brutal years? Behind these household names stood dozens of army and army group commanders whose decisions shaped the course of the fighting, yet whose contributions have largely been overlooked. In this episode, I'm joined by Robert Forczyk, author of Generalship on the Eastern Front, 1941–45: A Study in Command. Together we'll explore what made an effective commander on the Eastern Front, compare the German and Soviet approaches to leadership, and shine a light on some of the remarkable generals who have slipped from popular history. Generalship on the Eastern Front is also available on Audible and Spotify. patreon.com/ww2podcast    

Silicon Bites Ep388 | 2026-08-21 | Something big is happening. NATO filled the Baltic sky this week with aviation assets – what does it mean? These are extraordinary movements of NATO aircraft in the Baltics. Do they constitute exercises, or something more? Deterrence, or moves to counter specific threats from Russia. The debate rages around why Putin may attack or provoke NATO specifically in Europe. Putin's main aims: subjugate Ukraine, destroy the credibility and cohesion of NATO and the EU, and erode the global power and authority of the US. He needs a major provocation to achieve any of these objectives. Of course, he's counting on us to flinch – but if that doesn't work, would he go fully ‘kinetic' and hostile? This episode argues, he already has. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.org----------SOURCES:----------

Craig Unger, investigative reporter and author, explores President Donald Trump's unstable foreign policy toward Russia and Ukraine. Unger contends that Trump behaves as a Russian appeaser whose real estate-linked advisers take marching orders from Vladimir Putin. The discussion highlights how Ukrainian-manufactured drones have successfully targeted Russian oil refineries, causing severe fuel shortages and long gas lines across Russia. While these military successes initially impressed Trump, leading him to publicly promise Patriot missiles and production technology to President Zelenskyy, Unger reveals that Trump subsequently withheld this critical support. Unger cautions that as Putin faces an existential crisis and potential military defeat, he may launch a limited incursion into Baltic states like Estonia or Poland. This would trigger NATO's Article 5, which Unger warns Trump would likely refuse to honor, thereby destroying the Western alliance. (4)

TABLE OF CONTENTS THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 8-19-2026Rebecca Grant, Vice President of the Lexington Institute, discusses technological advancements on the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. She details the transition from traditional steam-powered catapults to modern electromagnetic aircraft launch systems (EMALS), which offer superior, adjustable torque to launch both lightweight drones and heavily armed fighter jets. Additionally, Grant highlights the ship's new electromagnetic advanced weapons elevators, which double the capacity of older Nimitz-class systems and move much faster to significantly improve sortie generation rates. However, a White House executive order directing a study to reconsider steam systems threatens to disrupt these advancements. Grant warns that backtracking to older technology on carriers currently in construction, like the CVN-81, could delay delivery by up to seven years, creating dangerous operational gaps as Chinese naval threats rise in the Pacific. (1)Rick Fisher of the International Assessment and Strategy Center analyzes China's advancement in space and its competition with the United States. Fisher discusses China's Gandai constellation, a space debris monitoring satellite system controlled by the People's Liberation Army (PLA), which tracked a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster crashing near the moon's Einstein crater from over 380,000 kilometers away. He warns that this constellation can perform dual-use military targeting for space combat and missile defense. Fisher criticizes China's lack of transparency, noting its refusal to give advance notice for earthbound ICBM tests and its intention to let expendable propulsion stages crash into the lunar surface. Finally, he highlights the rapid progress of China's LandSpace with its liquid-fueled, methane-oxygen-powered reusable Zhuque-3 rocket, predicting that ten Chinese companies will offer cheap reusable launch services within five years and directly undercut Western competitors. (2)Greg Scarlatoiu, President and CEO of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, analyzes the multifaceted security threats posed by Pyongyang. Scarlatoiu describes North Korea as a post-communist, dynastic kleptocracy and a crime family masquerading as a nation-state. Under Kim Jong-un, the regime has consolidated its intelligence and police agencies while streamlining its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Scarlatoiu explains that North Korea's war economy exploits its people's human rights and security to fund weapons, which it now exports globally to Russia and Iran. The discussion, co-hosted by Gordon Chang, highlights active military provocations along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), including recent boundary crossings. Finally, Scarlatoiu and Chang evaluate how controversial remarks by the Trump administration praising Kim Jong-un have strained trust in extended deterrence and undermined relationships within the vital US-South Korea alliance. (3)Craig Unger, investigative reporter and author, explores President Donald Trump's unstable foreign policy toward Russia and Ukraine. Unger contends that Trump behaves as a Russian appeaser whose real estate-linked advisers take marching orders from Vladimir Putin. The discussion highlights how Ukrainian-manufactured drones have successfully targeted Russian oil refineries, causing severe fuel shortages and long gas lines across Russia. While these military successes initially impressed Trump, leading him to publicly promise Patriot missiles and production technology to President Zelenskyy, Unger reveals that Trump subsequently withheld this critical support. Unger cautions that as Putin faces an existential crisis and potential military defeat, he may launch a limited incursion into Baltic states like Estonia or Poland. This would trigger NATO's Article 5, which Unger warns Trump would likely refuse to honor, thereby destroying the Western alliance. (4)Caleb Weiss of the Bridgeway Foundation and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies examines the evolution of African jihadist movements. Weiss details the case of Jamal Chima, a Ugandan Guantanamo Bay alumnus who transitioned from Al-Qaeda to recruiting for the Islamic State Central African Province (ISCAP) in Kampala. Weiss explains that East African court systems frequently experience "catch and release" cycles due to strict evidentiary demands for terrorism cases. The segment also addresses the kidnapping of missionary Kevin Rideout by the Islamic State Sahel Province. Weiss describes how these groups raise funds through lucrative ransoms, utilizing regional coordination hubs like the Al-Furqan and Al-Karrar offices to move capital globally to active cells in regions like Afghanistan. Finally, he notes that eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar has leveraged anti-jihadist operations to secure Western backing. (5)Michael Bernstam of the Hoover Institution warns of a severe global crisis in refined petroleum products, especially diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel. Bernstam explains that the "crack spread"—the cost differential between crude oil and refined diesel—has reached an unprecedented historical peak of over $102 per barrel. This crisis stems from a fifty-year systemic failure, during which no major new refineries were built in the United States or Europe. Compounding this, sophisticated Ukrainian drone strikes have successfully knocked out 40% of Russia's refining capacity, forcing the major oil exporter to ban refined product exports and become an importer. Additionally, China has halted refined exports to meet its domestic demand. Bernstam warns that the resulting global diesel shortage directly threatens agricultural planting, harvesting, and regional food security, particularly for developing nations as winter approaches. (6)Peter Huessy of the Gold Institute for International Strategy critiques the Hollywood film House of Dynamite for its inaccurate depiction of US nuclear command and control. Huessy argues that the movie relies on flawed premises, such as the sudden, unexplained failure of Defense Support Program (DSP) tracking satellites and the total failure of US missile defense interceptors, to fabricate a helpless crisis scenario. He highlights that actual US missile defenses achieve 75% to 85% success in tests and up to 98% in combat scenarios like Israel's missile defense systems. Huessy strongly refutes the film's negative portrayal of military leadership as reckless warmongers and its central message that nuclear deterrence is ineffective. He asserts that the nuclear triad has successfully and perfectly preserved global peace for eighty years, keeping the country safe. (7)Simon Constable, writer for the Wall Street Journal, discusses European climate anomalies and their severe impact on global commodities. Speaking from the south of France, Constable reports temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius, contributing to low water levels in the Danube, Rhine, and Po rivers. These climate constraints, alongside maritime blockades of Ukrainian ports, have driven up prices for energy, wheat, and coffee. Turning to UK politics, Constable criticizes Prime Minister Keir Starmer for failing to spur house-building and notes that regional politicians like Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham lack an international profile. Finally, he reviews a longevity quiz from the Wall Street Journal, which highlights that the wealthiest Americans live fourteen years longer than the poorest. He notes that Japan leads the world in centenarians, emphasizing that geographic location and financial wealth are pivotal factors in determining an individual's healthy lifespan. (8)Andrea Stricker of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies examines Middle Eastern nuclear proliferation and the mystery surrounding legacy materials. Stricker details a positive, US-brokered development in which the post-AssadSyrian government agreed to cooperate and turn over legacy yellowcake uranium stored at a covert facility known as Site 99. This material was intended for a North Korean-built plutonium-producing reactor at Al-Kibar, which was destroyed by Israel in 2007. Despite long-standing Syrian secrecy and the site changing hands among various factions, environmental sampling by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed undeclared, man-made uranium particles at multiple locations. Stricker also raises concerns regarding Turkey's nuclear ambitions, highlighting its civilian programs' potential military purposes and Turkey's recent attempt to secure raw uranium contracts with the military regime in Niger. (9)Joel Kotkin, senior research fellow at the Civitas Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, examines California's economic and demographic challenges. Kotkin notes that California is on the verge of losing its population lead as middle-class families vote with their feet and move to states like Texas. He attributes this out-migration to exorbitant housing costs, a severe shortage of upwardly mobile middle-class jobs, and high electricity prices that hamper manufacturing and modern technology sectors like artificial intelligence. Furthermore, Kotkin highlights systemic social issues, including high teen unemployment, rising store break-ins, and a deteriorating public education system. These factors have depleted the state's middle class, leaving the tax base heavily dependent on a wealthy top one percent who can easily relocate to lower-tax states like Florida. Kotkin warns that this loss of middle-class families threatens California's future tax base and demographic vitality. (10)Corrections applied, several pending your confirmation: Bridgeway Foundation (transcribed as "Ridgeway," segment 5 — Weiss's actual affiliation), Al-Furqan and Al-Karrar offices (transcribed as "Al-Furkan and Al-Karr" — the standard renderings of the ISIS regional offices), LandSpace and Zhuque-3 (transcribed as "Land Space Corporation" and "Juk 3" — the Chinese firm and its rocket), Zelenskyy per house style, and "yellow cake" → yellowcake. One flag: "Gandaiconstellation" (segment 2) — I couldn't verify that name; the audio may be rendering a Chinese program name roughly, worth checking with the transcript or Fisher's notes. In segment 8, note the source describes Keir Starmer as PM and Andy Burnham as Manchester Mayor — this contradicts the recent batches where Burnham is PM. I've left it as the source has it since it's Constable's segment, but flag it if the summary tool garbled the timeline.R

Gavin catches up on the four latest Cure Euro Summer Festivals shows in Lithuania, Estonia, Norway & Sweden.#thecure #eurosummerfestivals#2026tour #thecure #robertsmith #thecure2026 ---- 2026 Euro Festivals Apple Playlist (in progress):https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/the-cure-2026-euro-summer-festivals-playlist/pl.u-MDAWM5JtaXAVM———Like & Subscribe:Apple Podcasthttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-holy-hour/id1073013033 Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/55NTfq3OEz6aj32xH8GqZI?si=1aa4fb82a23249f4YoutubeSocialMediayoutube.com/@TheHolyHourTheAllCurePodcast  https://www.instagram.com/theholyhourpodcast/?hl=enhttps://www.facebook.com/theholyhourpodcast Visit:THE HOLY HOUR MERCH STORE! https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-holy-hour-podcast-merch-storehttps://theholyhourpodcast.creator-spring.com/The Holy Hour Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/theholyhourpodcastContact/Follow Gavin at:gavinconner@gmail.comhttps://linktr.ee/gavinconnerContact/Follow Chaz at:https://www.instagram.com/seventeen_seconds?igsh=MWprdHhxanAwdGk5cA==https://www.instagram.com/jamesdobsonsbastardkids?igsh=ZWFhb2c5aGllb21iContact/Follow Antonio at:https://linktr.ee/kultleader?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=1eb20a4b-4c87-408c-a231-fba7e71f5c82https://www.instagram.com/punkrockrag?igsh=MW9nb2ZqeXZ2cDkwYg==And now a word from our sponsors:https://988lifeline.org/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sarlacc-digest-a-star-wars-podcast/id1228256521https://www.curethreads.com/https://graphix.tv/https://dickensyyc.com/https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheObsessiveGeek

Episode 2013  Brought to you by our incredible sponsor: Mars Men - For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at Mengotomars.com 00:00:00 Timestamps 00:05:57 Stabbing at “Gathering of the Water Juggalos” Boat Event AKA Raft Off 00:22:14 The FAA Gamer Plan Worked - Most Nerds Ever Hired that Passed Flight Control School 00:28:17 Brittany is back with another crazy dance video 00:32:11 Polish athletes becomes first to swim across Baltic sea and almost died 00:34:01 Jared Leto is a creepo? For more head over to patreon.com/hardfactor for weekly bonus episodes and most importantly HAGFD! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Endurance swimmer endures swim across the Baltic sea… Kris Cruz stops by with possible HR issue… Burger King back in second place… Burger King has a way to get a replacement burger? McDonalds has new U.S. president… A look at Powerball drawing… Email: Chewingthefat@blazemedia.com Subscribe to Blaze TV / $20 off annual subscription… www.blazetv.com/jeffy NJ man has stick rammed into his face after fall… Etsy laying of employees due to competition… Neanderthals were sprinters?... Who Died Today: Ben Jones 84 / Mark A Nobles 66… Joke of The Day: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and savant poaster Dan Baltic, the show's lawyer, joins the pod to talk about Norm Macdonald's book and last special, cancer and more. Get ad-free Core Episodes, the After Dark episode, and more at patreon.com/artofdarkpod or substack.com/@artofdarkpod. x.com/baltic_dan x.com/artofdarkpod x.com/therewillbbooks x.com/kautzmania Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

GB2RS News Sunday the 9th of August 2026 The news headlines: RSGB announces updated Contest Entry Policy Take part in solar eclipse experiments with the RSGB Propagation Studies Committee Improved RSGB Course and Exam finder is now available The RSGB Board has approved an updated Contest Entry Policy following a review, consultation and careful consideration. From the 1st of January 2027, eligibility to participate in RSGB contests will be open to all appropriately licensed radio amateurs, regardless of nationality or location. Entry will be subject only to the legal and regulatory obligations applicable to both the Society and the entrant, together with the relevant contest rules and any applicable RSGB membership requirements. The implementation date has been chosen to allow the Society's HF and VHF Contest Committees sufficient time to prepare contest administration and adjudication systems ahead of the 2027 contest season. The Board considers that this approach reflects the long-established principles of amateur radio, including friendship, cooperation and goodwill between individual operators across national boundaries. It is also consistent with the principles promoted by the International Amateur Radio Union, encouraging international understanding and cooperation through amateur radio. The policy also ensures that all RSGB activities continue to comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations. The Board is grateful to the Board subgroup, the members of the HF and VHF Contest Committees, and everyone who contributed to the review of this policy, including the many members who took the time to submit their comments and observations. Full details of the updated Contest Entry Policy are available on the RSGB website. There will be a partial solar eclipse on Wednesday the 12th of August and the RSGB's Propagation Studies Committee would like your help with some radio experiments. There are three ways that RSGB members can get involved and support the Committee in investigating how the Sun's ultraviolet and X-ray output affects our ionosphere and how radio waves are propagated. If you are active on the lower bands, including medium wave, 80m and perhaps even 40m, you can report back on your findings on how transmissions are impacted during the eclipse. Alternatively, you could run WSPR on 160, 80 and 40m during the main eclipse period and then repeat the exercise, either the day before or the day after so comparisons can be drawn. Or you could take part in two specially organised RSGB contests on 80m CW and 40m FT8. These are open to non-RSGB members as well. For more details go to rsgb.org/psc  and select ‘Projects' from the right-hand menu. The Course and Exam finder page on the RSGB website is now back online at rsgb.org/examfinder  The application has been completely redeveloped, following major works on the Society's website this summer. It now features a fully responsive layout for mobile devices, plus a clearer and more accessible user interface. You'll find colour-coded banners for the exam levels offered by each club, plus useful and easy to read accessibility information for each venue. Training providers and exam centres are reminded that any updates need to be submitted to the RSGB Examinations Team via exams@rsgb.org.uk by 3.30pm each Friday, for them to appear the following week. You have one week left to secure your RSGB Convention ticket at early bird prices. Weekend tickets currently stand at £49 and are available until Sunday the 16th of August. Your weekend ticket gives you access to two days' worth of engaging and informative content from over 40 speakers, including the AMSAT-UK colloquium. Buy your ticket at rsgb.org/convention  Find out what else is going on during the weekend by selecting ‘What else is happening at the RSGB 2026 Convention?' from the right-hand menu of the Convention web pages. Ofcom and the RSGB have formally signed the Memorandum of Understanding under which the RSGB provides the amateur radio licence examinations currently and in the future. The main changes from the original relate to the confidentiality of examination questions and the replacement of the Examinations Audit Committee with 'independent' voting members of the ESC. You can read the latest document by going to rsgb.org/esc The first of this year's International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekends will run from 0001UTC on Saturday the 15th to 2400UTC on Sunday the 16th of August. The event usually attracts more than 500 lighthouse entries located in over 40 countries. To register for the event, and view a list of participating stations, visit illw.net And now for details of rallies and events Today, the 9th, Flight Refuelling Amateur Radio Society Hamfest is taking place at Cobham Sports and Social Club Ground, Merley, near Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 3DA. The doors are open from 9am to 3pm. Car-boot and field traders are welcome from 7am. Admission costs £5 and includes parking. Talk-in is on 145.550MHz. For more information visit frars.co.uk On Saturday the 15th of August, DX Commander Fest will be taking place at Holly Farm Business Park, Honiley, Warwickshire, CV8 1NP. More information is available at dxcommander.com On Sunday the 16th of August, the North Wales Amateur Radio Group Rally and Tabletop Sale will take place at the Bryn Cadno Community Centre. The doors open at 10am and the entry fee is £3. Light refreshments will be available. To book a table email secretary@nwarg.org Rugby Amateur Transmitting Society Radio Rally will be taking place on Sunday the 16th of August at Princethorpe College, Princethorpe, Rugby, CV23 9PY. The doors will be open to the public from 10am. More details are available at rugbyats.co.uk Also on Sunday the 16th of August, West Manchester Radio Club Red Rose Summer Rally will take place at Mather Hall, Mather Lane, Leigh WN7 2PJ. The doors open at 10am. For more information and bookings, contact rally@wmrc.co.uk Now the Special Event news Special callsign YR100RC is on the air until the 30th of September to celebrate 100 years of amateur radio in Romania. Look for activity on the HF bands using a variety of modes. For details of a certificate that is available for working the station, visit tinyurl.com/romania1786 Marking the 70th anniversary of the DARC's weekly news broadcast, special callsign DB70DLRS will be on the air until the 31st of December. Look for activity on all bands and modes. QSL via DK5ON, Logbook of the World and the DARC Community Logbook. More information is available at QRZ.com Now the DX news Darek, SP9DLM and his 13-year-old son Greg, SN9GM are active as UK/SP9DLM and UK/SN9GM from Uzbekistan until Saturday the 15th of August. The stations have been worked recently on the HF bands using SSB. QSL via OQRS. Sands, VK4WXW has returned to Willis Island, OC-007, and will be stationed at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's weather monitoring facility until late October or early November. He expects to become increasingly active as VK9WX in the coming weeks. He operates using FT8 and SSB on the 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands. QSL via OQRS. Now the contest news Today, Sunday the 9th, the UK Microwave Group 25GHz Trophy contest runs from 0800 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on the 1.2cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The RSGB Machine Generated Mode Contest started at 1400UTC on Saturday the 8th and ends at 1400UTC today, Sunday the 9th of August. Using machine-generated modes on the 6 and 2m bands, the exchange is report and your four-character locator. The Worked All Europe DX CW Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday the 8th and ends at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 9th of August. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Tuesday the 11th of August the RSGB 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 11th, the RSGB UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 12th of August the RSGB Eclipse CW Contest runs from 1630 to 1930UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is report and serial number. Also on Wednesday the 12th, the RSGB Eclipse FT8 Contest runs from 1630 to 1930UTC. Using FT8 on the 40m band, the exchange is your report. On Wednesday the 12th, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 12th, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Thursday the 13th of August, the RSGB 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 6th of August 2026. The Sun was mostly settled last week with very little to report. The solar flux index declined to 108 by Thursday the 6th of August, with most of the sunspot activity being on one half of the solar surface. Geomagnetic conditions have also been settled with a Kp index mostly below 3 for the past few days. A coronal mass ejection impacted the Earth and pushed the Kp index to 5.67 on Sunday the 2nd of August, but conditions recovered within 24 hours. We've even been almost solar flare free with, at the time of writing, only seven minor C-class events over the past three days. So, this all bodes well for HF propagation. 24 and 28MHz are mostly only open to Sporadic-E. Some multi-hop paths are still opening up to the Far East especially, so don't write off 10m, even if you have to listen to noise for a lot of the day! F2-layer propagation still favours North-South paths on the 10m band. Next week, DX to be worked includes E51KEE from the Cook Islands; YS/WE9G in El Salvador; UK/SP9DLM from Uzbekistan; and OX3LX operating from Greenland. Later in the week look for A50QO in Bhutan; J68TT from St Lucia and OJ0JR and OJ0YL working from Market Reef. NOAA predicts that next week the Sun will remain pretty calm and be in the 105 to 110 range. The Kp index is forecast to be mostly around 2 to 3. So, conditions should remain fair but not disrupted. And don't forget the solar eclipse on Wednesday the 12th of August. The RSGB has lots of activities planned including two HF contests, WSPR activity and medium- and long-wave monitoring. See the August issue of RadCom for details. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The main theme of the weather during the coming week is one of some settled high-pressure with tropo options, especially early in the coming week. This is likely to be interrupted by occasional periods of low pressure with rain for north westerly areas. The summer weather patterns typically produce a more showery type of rain, even from fronts, giving a reasonable chance of rain scatter. However, activity may be low in the south and east. Of the two modes mentioned above, next week will probably be more biased towards tropo than rain scatter. The Kp index made a brief excursion to 5 last week but seems a bit quieter now. However, it's useful to check now and again in case we find some radio aurora. The meteor scatter options feature strongly this week as the Perseids meteor shower peaks around Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th of August. It's quite interesting to simply leave a receiver on a meteor scatter calling channel to hear the transient signals. The Sporadic-E season continues and, since meteor debris plays a role in providing the ionisation required, the Perseids week is always worth checking for a surprise opening. In terms of jet stream weather patterns, the stronger hints come from looking east towards the Baltic. However, other directions are not to be ignored since even quite small features, such as a slow-moving severe thunderstorm, can have an influence. For EME operators, Moon declination reaches maximum today, Sunday the 9th, when Moon window length and Moon elevation will be at their peak. Path losses are at their lowest at perigee tomorrow, Monday the 10th of August. 144MHz sky noise is low to moderate until Wednesday the 12th, when the Sun is close to the Moon in the sky due to the partial eclipse that day. And that's all from the propagation team this week.

Check out the new Smart Travel PodcastThis episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel PodcastWinging It On Location – Day 1: 5-Hour Layover in Amsterdam & Arriving in TallinnThe European tour is officially underway.In this first on-the-road episode, I take you through my journey from Toronto to Tallinn via Amsterdam, including what you can realistically do with a 5-hour layover at Schiphol Airport. I share the exact train route into the city, why I chose the Jordaan district, and the coffee stop that made the short visit worthwhile.After a quick wander through Amsterdam's canals, bridges, and tree-lined streets, I head back to the airport for my flight to Estonia. Once in Tallinn, I give my first impressions of the city, explain the easiest tram connection from the airport, and meet up with friends for dinner in the heart of the Estonian capital.If you're planning an Amsterdam layover, a Tallinn city break, or simply enjoy hearing authentic travel stories from the road, this episode is for you.In this episode:How to do Amsterdam on a short layoverUsing contactless payment on Dutch trainsThe best area to wander for 2–3 hours in AmsterdamCoffee recommendation in the Jordaan districtArriving in Tallinn and getting into the city for €2Hotel informationDinner, drinks, and the start of the Baltic adventureSupport Winging It Travel PodcastIf you enjoyed this episode:⭐ Leave a 5-star rating or review on your podcast app☕ Support the show at buymeacoffee.com/wingingit

John is joined by Hen and Louis a.k.a. Joy Anonymous, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced a selection of tracks across their back catalog.  Joy Anonymous formed in 2018 with the aim of spreading joy through music and live performance. Their South Bank pop-up shows during the pandemic brought widespread attention, with recordings from these performances featuring on their debut album ‘Human Again' (2021). Since then, they have released ‘Cult Classics' (2023), collaborated with numerous artists, and continued to release new music, including their stripped-back ‘Source' versions. Their third record is set for release in the coming months. Sitting down together at Baltic Studios, the trio discuss getting inspired by the rhythm of spoken voices and their techniques for making dance music sound uniquely human, their secrets for building a club banger, how playing live with Fred again and Ezra Collective influenced tracks in the studio and much more, plus they answer questions from our Patreons! Tracks discussed: JOY (Nobody Ever), JOY (Like You Used To), JOY (This One) LISTEN to  JOY (Nobody Ever) - 2026 From Concentrate - JOY (Nobody Ever) 7” mix by Joy Anonymous, Tamaraebi  JOY (Like You Used To) - 2026 From Concentrate - JOY (Like You Used To) by Joy Anonymous, MOTHERBOARD  JOY (This One) - 2026 From Concentrate - JOY (This One) by Joy Anonymous, Ezra Collective, Stush  TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. Try the new Tape It Denoiser  currently 50% off! MUSIVERSAL Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE Recorded at Baltic Studios - Recording Studios at Baltic  LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES   linktr.ee/tapenotes  Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective GEAR MENTIONS Excite Audio Bloom Bass Forever 89 Visco Plugin Safari Dirty Dog Safari Pedals Plugins Soundtoys MicroShift RC-505 Loop Station LHI Audio ST4B BOSS SP-505 Groove Sampling Workstation Roland TR-1000 Rhythm Creator Drum Machine Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S8 Coda Labs Szechuan Saturator Neumann U87 LHI Audio ST4b Transient Shaper  Akai MPC Coles 4038 Moog Matriarch Soundtoys Crystallizer Soundtoys Decapitator Logic Pro OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns. KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes Patreon: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you'd like to hear, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We'd love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A round-up of the main headlines in Sweden on 4th August 2026. You can hear more reports on our homepage www.radiosweden.se, or in the app Sveriges Radio. Presenter/producer: Kris Boswell.

Hoa Kỳ đã thông báo kế hoạch giảm quân số tại châu Âu, nơi mà từ sau Thế Chiến Thứ Hai, Washington đã thiết lập các căn cứ thường trực trải dài từ Groenland xuống đến tận Địa Trung Hải. Gần 40 % lính Mỹ đồn trú ở hải ngoại tập trung tại châu Âu,  nhất là tại Đức, Ý và Tây Ban Nha. Sau Chiến tranh Lạnh, Mỹ đã thiết lập các căn cứ quân sự tại nhiều nước đông Âu như Rumani, Ba Lan, Bulgari và cũng đã mở rộng địa bàn tại vùng Baltic. Những kế hoạch thu hẹp sự hiện diện quân sự của Mỹ tại châu Âu là một thách thức lớn đối với các đối tác của Hoa Kỳ tại châu lục này cả về kinh tế lẫn an ninh. Từ đầu tháng 5/2026 bộ trưởng Quốc Phòng Mỹ, rồi tổng thống Hoa Kỳ liên tiếp thông báo kế hoạch « cắt giảm quân số tại châu Âu ». Hôm 18/06/2026 Lầu Năm Góc cho biết đang « xét lại » việc triển khai lực lượng tại các nước châu Âu thành viên NATO (Liên Minh Bắc Đại Tây Dương). Từ Anh Quốc đến Thổ Nhĩ Kỳ, từ Iceland đến Rumani, nơi Hoa Kỳ đã đặt những cơ sở quân sự, nước nào cũng lo ngại. Đứng đầu trong số này là Đức, nơi có hơn 30 cơ sở quân sự của Mỹ đã hoạt động từ 70-80 năm nay và khoảng 50.000 lính Mỹ đang đồn trú đã thực sự trở thành một yếu tố trong đời sống xã hội và kinh tế của nền kinh tế số một châu Âu này. Đức và lo ngại mất một phần trong số 50.000 quân nhân Mỹ Ramstein, miền tây nam nước Đức, là căn cứ không quân lớn nhất của Hoa Kỳ ở hải ngoại. Căn cứ này là cả « một thành phố trong một thành phố » với trường học, bệnh viện ... dành riêng cho các quân nhân Mỹ và gia đình. Rất nhiều đường phố ở Ramstein mang tên các vị tổng thống Mỹ. Tại các cửa hàng, người ta cũng có thể thanh toán bằng đô la bên cạnh đồng euro. Phóng sự trên đài phát thanh Pháp France Inter của thông tín viên Sébastien Baer từ căn cứ quân sự Mỹ tại thị trấn Vilseck cho thấy quyết định của Washington cắt giảm 5.000 lính Mỹ tại Đức là một tai họa:  « Một góc nhỏ của nước Mỹ, thị trấn Vilseck của vùng Bayern, đông nam nước Đức từ hơn 80 năm nay gắn bó với sự hiện diện của quân đội Hoa Kỳ. Với khoảng 6.500 dân cư, Vilseck là nơi mà một lữ đoàn của Mỹ đóng quân, thế nhưng sự hiện diện này có thể sẽ chấm dứt, do Donald Trump thông báo sẽ rút 5.000 lính Mỹ trong thời gian tới. Nào là nước ngọt Coca-Cola, nào là bia Mỹ và sốt BBQ chồng chất ngay lối vào một siêu thị. Travis, một quân nhân Mỹ 27 tuổi từ bang Texas đến, đang chất hàng vào xe, anh nói : ‘Tôi được điều đến đây đã 9 tháng. Tối rất thích nơi này. Phong cảnh ở đây rất đẹp. Tôi thích các món ăn bản địa như xúc -xích, thịt thăn chiên bột. Người dân ở đây thì thân thiện, đi lại cũng dễ dàng. Ở Texas phải lái xe hàng giờ để đi từ nơi này đến nơi khác. Tại đây chỉ chỉ cần 5 phút là tôi đến được một công viên xinh đẹp. Tôi đang học tiếng Đức với ứng dụng Duolingo'. Travis tìm được một ngôi nhà trên sườn đồi của thành phố, nhà có vườn. Mười ba ngàn quân nhân Mỹ đóng quân ở khu vực này. Từ sau Đệ Nhị Thế Chiến, kinh tế địa phương phụ thuộc vào sự hiện diện của quân đội Mỹ. Là chủ một tiệm tạp hóa nhỏ của gia đình đã hoạt động từ những năm 1950, Katrin Kredle kể lại : ‘Một trong những người lính Mỹ đầu tiên đến mua hàng của bà ngoại tôi là danh ca Elvis Presley. Khi đang nhập ngũ, anh đến đây mua chuối. Bà tôi rất tự hào được phục vụ một khách hàng như anh. (…) Những người Mỹ đã hoàn toàn hòa nhập vào cuộc sống ở đây. Trẻ nhỏ đi học ở trường hay được gửi trong các nhà trẻ, chúng tham gia các câu lạc bóng đá, các hội đoàn hóa trang trong mùa lễ Carnaval… Rất nhiều người lấy vợ Đức, họ sống ở đây. Thậm chí ở lại hẳn một khi xuất ngũ ». Do vậy đối với cả thành phố này, thông báo Mỹ rút 5.000 quân khỏi nước Đức là một bất ngờ. Chỉ riêng căn cứ quân sự tại Vilseck mỗi năm đem về 700 triệu euro doanh thu cho chính quyền quyền đia phương. Valantis, 32 tuổi, vừa từ Anh Quốc đến đây mở một hiệu ăn, chủ yếu để phục vụ các thực khách Mỹ. Nhà hàng của ảnh chỉ cách căn cứ Rose Barracks vài trăm mét. Anh nói : ‘Chúng tôi đã thu xếp tất cả để phục vụ các quân nhân Mỹ, chiều theo khẩu vị của họ. Chúng tôi có món bánh mì kẹp thịt ba chỉ, sốt BBQ và thịt heo xé phay … Nếu người Mỹ bỏ đi thi mọi chuyện sẽ kết thúc. Nhà hàng phải đóng cửa. Tháng trước họ ra nước ngoài một tháng để tập luyện, lượng khách của chúng tôi lập tức giảm đi 70 %' ».   Nói cách khác, chỉ cần Mỹ rút bớt quân khỏi Đức thì sẽ ảnh hưởng đến rất nhiều lĩnh vực kinh tế của người dân địa phương, không chỉ có doanh thu của giới tiểu thương, mà còn đến cả thị trường địa ốc của những thành phố như Stuttgart, hay Kaiserslautern …. cũng bị tác động lây. Việc làm của hàng ngàn, thậm chí hàng chục ngàn người tại những địa phương có căn cứ của Mỹ đều sẽ bị ảnh hưởng.  Một kế hoạch được báo trước  Thực ra từ cuối 2025 Nhà Trắng đã báo trước « rà soát lại toàn bộ và sẽ bố trí lại » sự hiện diện quân sự của Mỹ tại Châu Âu cũng như trên toàn thế giới. Cũng cuối năm ngoái Washington nêu lên khả năng giảm 1.000 quân đang đồn trú tại Rumani. Ngoài thông báo rút 5.000 lính Mỹ tại các căn cứ quân sự ở Đức, giữa tháng 5/2026, Lầu Năm Góc vào giờ chót đã hoãn lại chương trình triển khai 4.000 quân sáng Ba Lan. Theo giới quan sát được báo Le Monde trích dẫn, cho dù những thông báo từ phía chính quyền Trump gây hoang mang cho các đối tác châu Âu nhưng cho đến hiện tại Lầu Năm Góc vẫn duy trì khoảng 80.000 binh sĩ trên Lục Địa Già. ngay cả trong trường hợp giảm quân số, chỉ để thu hẹp hiện diện quân sự của Mỹ đang từ 80.000 xuống còn 76.000 lính thì « chính quyền Trump cần có sự chấp thuận của Quốc Hội ». Trên đài truyền hình Arte của Pháp và Đức, chuyên gia quân sự giảng dạy tại đại học Sorbonne Guillaume Lasconjarias nhắc lại, trước Donald Trump, tổng thống Barack Obama từ 2014 đã chủ trương giảm sự hiện diện quân sự của Mỹ tại châu Âu. Riêng trong giai đoạn 2022-2023, khi Nga đưa quân xâm chiếm Ukraina, nhất thời dưới chính quyền Biden, quân số Mỹ tại châu Âu được tăng lên tới 100.000. Tác động về an ninh Nghịch lý ở đây là vào lúc căng thẳng về địa chính trị tại nhiều nơi trên thế giới không ngừng gia tăng, không chỉ vì chiến tranh Iran và xung đột Ukraina, thì Hoa Kỳ lại thông báo các kế hoạch thu hẹp sự hiện diện quân sự. Về câu hỏi Mỹ giảm quân tại châu Âu sẽ dẫn tới những hệ quả nào về an ninh đối với lục địa này, chuyên gia về quân sự Jean- Baptiste Noé chủ nhiệm tạp chí chuyên đề Conflits lưu ý, ở châu Âu, Hoa Kỳ hiện có hơn 20 căn cứ quân sự thường trực, phần lớn tại các nước Tây Âu như Ý, Đức, Tây Ban Nha hay Anh Quốc … Bên cạnh đó, lính Mỹ được triển khai tại các căn cứ của các nước châu Âu mà chủ yếu là ở các quốc gia từng thuộc Liên Xô cũ. Trên đài truyền hình Arte nhà nghiên cứu Aurélien Duchêne thuộc cơ quan tư vấn Eurocréative, đặc trách các khu vực Trung và Đông Âu, giải thích vì sao Hoa Kỳ là quốc gia đã thiết lập một mạng lưới các căn cứ ở hải ngoại « dày đặc » tại châu Âu: « Các căn cứ quân sự của Mỹ ở hải ngoại đóng một vai trò kép : sự hiện diện của lĩnh Mỹ tại một quốc gia như Estonia không làm Matxcơva thay đổi chiến lược nếu Nga muốn xâm chiếm quốc gia vùng Baltic này, thế nhưng Điện Kremlin cũng phải cân nhắc rất kỹ khi biết rằng can thiệp vào Estonia nơi có các đơn vị của Mỹ đồn trú tức là sẽ đụng độ trực tiếp với Hoa Kỳ. Nói cách khác, các căn cứ của Mỹ trong trường hợp này là một công cụ răn đe. Bên cạnh đó các căn cứ quân sự của Hoa Kỳ tại châu Âu còn đóng vai trò hậu cần, là các trạm tiếp liệu … cho các chiến dịch ở ngoài lãnh thổ Mỹ, như trong trường hợp xung đột tại Trung Đông hiện nay (…) Căn cứ Ramstein tại Đức có thể ví như một ‘hàng không mẫu hạm'khổng lồ : đây là nơi có hai sân bay quân sự với khoảng 600 chiến đấu cơ đủ loại mà Hoa Kỳ đang sử dụng trong chiến tranh Iran. Sau cùng, việc thiết lập một căn cứ quân sự thường trưc tại một quốc gia còn cho phép Washington xây dựng một mối bang giao vững chắc với quốc gia đó ». 128 hay 800 căn cứ quân sự ở hải ngoại ? Theo báo cáo chính thức của Hạ Viện Hoa Kỳ, Mỹ đặt 128 căn cứ quân sự tại 51 quốc gia trên thế giới. Nguyên giáo sư David Vine, trường American University tại Washington, cho rằng con số này thấp hơn thực tế rất nhiều. Theo thẩm định của ông, Mỹ có từ 750 đến 800 cơ sở ở hải ngoại « bên cạnh rất nhiều  thực thể khác được xây dựng trong vòng bí mật ». Những cơ sở đó đôi khi chỉ là nơi đặt các hệ thống radar để theo dõi.  Như vừa nói, 50.000 lính Mỹ đang đồn trú tại Đức; Tây Ban Nha, với hai căn cứ, là nơi tiếp nhận hơn 3.000 quân có nhiệm vụ giám sát khu vực eo biển Gibralta và châu Phi ; Căn cứ của Hoa Kỳ tại Sctoland, Anh Quốc chủ yếu có nhiệm vụ thu thập thông tin tình báo. Sự hiện diện của Mỹ trong vùng biển Baltic trước hết là công cụ răn đe nhắm vào nước Nga. Còn các cơ sở trên lãnh thổ Ba Lan, hay Cộng Hòa Sec, Bulgari … là nhằm củng cố sườn đông cho NATO. Thổ Nhĩ Kỳ, Hy Lạp và Kosovo là những địa điểm để quan sát toàn khu vực Địa Trung Hải và Trung Âu.

Virgin Voyages sets its first Scandinavia and Baltic season, basing Valiant Lady in Amsterdam for summer 2028 across a six-sailing program that adds an Arctic Circle crossing and puts at least one first-time port on every voyage, from Oslo and Copenhagen to Tromso and the Norwegian fjords. Royal Caribbean lifts its 2026 adjusted earnings outlook to $17.73 to $17.87 per share after a second quarter that beat estimates, with revenue of $4.83 billion, 2.4 million guests carried and load factors at 110%, even as fuel costs climbed 27%. And Villa Vie Residences prepares to unveil Legacy, a second residential ship targeted for early 2029 with residences roughly 50% larger than comparable units aboard Odyssey, which has now sold more than 85% of its available homes.

For almost the whole of human history, wood was the main act. It was the fuel that cooked food and smelted iron, the material that framed every house and hull, and the first bulk commodity ever moved at scale over long distances. In this episode Chris Keefer talks with energy analyst Mark Nelson about a material we almost entirely take for granted, starting with a fact hiding in plain sight: the grasping hands, binocular vision, and colour sight that define us were all built by an ancestry lived in the trees. From there the conversation turns to why wood, of all the products of photosynthesis, became civilization's battery, storing a century of sunlight in a form that can be felled and hauled away.That storage came with a hard ceiling, because the energy available to any pre-industrial society was set by its land area multiplied by how fast the sun could regrow a forest. Chris and Mark trace that single constraint through the iron furnaces that each needed a forest standing behind them to the oak fleets that turned a Baltic chokepoint into the 19th century equivalent of the Straits of Hormuz. Listen to Decouple on:• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PNr3ml8nEQotWWavE9kQz• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/decouple/id1516526694?uo=4• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1516526694/decouple• Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ehbfrn44• RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/23775178/podcast/rssWebsite: https://www.decouple.media

This weeks ai slop is served up by DeepSeek v4 Pro. I tried to use Kimi but it got stuck generating the notes. So now you get this. Could be worse. Episode SummaryJack the Insider and Hong Kong Jack return for a wide-ranging conversation that spans the turbulent state of Australian politics and the precarious state of global affairs. The episode opens with striking Redbridge polling data suggesting One Nation could pick up as many as 19 seats in the upcoming Victorian state election -- a result that would leave neither major party able to form government in its own right. The Jacks explore the mechanics of minority government, the prospect of a marriage of convenience between the Liberals and One Nation, and whether Labor voters in protest mode could deliver One Nation unexpected inroads into heartland seats.The domestic focus then shifts to the Australian economy. Drawing on former ACTU Secretary Bill Kelty's recent analysis, the hosts dissect a bureaucracy more concerned with treating symptoms than causes, lamenting squandered billions on unused quarantine centres, infrastructure costs among the highest in the world, and a housing crisis driven by a failure to train enough workers. The conversation turns to political courage -- or the lack of it -- comparing today's risk-averse governing class with the Hawke-Keating reform era, when fringe benefits tax was meant to kill the long lunch but somehow did not.A spirited defence of Emerge Australia -- an advocacy group training GPs to diagnose and treat myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome) -- highlights the government's decision to cut a mere $400,000 in funding, a move Jack the Insider brands disgraceful for an organisation serving an estimated 250,000 Australians. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme reform also gets a hearing, with pharmaceutical companies increasingly bypassing Australia for clinical trials.Internationally, the Jacks confront the escalating dangers of the Russia-Ukraine war. With Ukraine making Crimea increasingly uninhabitable and Vladimir Putin backed into a corner, the prospect of an attack on a NATO or NATO-aligned state looms. The conversation covers Russia's cancelled bond sale, the shifting power dynamic between Putin and Xi Jinping, and thousands of Russian passports arriving in Moldova -- a familiar prelude to intervention. On Iran, the hosts reflect on the Trump administration's military strikes, oil climbing past USD 100 a barrel, and the political consequences for the upcoming US midterm elections.The episode closes with sport: the FIFA World Cup (and Argentina's remarkable ability to unify the football world in mutual disdain), the AFL's handling of the Nicky Winmar domestic violence case and questions of consistency, the end of the Bazball era in English Test cricket, a warm tribute to the late Sir Garfield Sobers, and rugby union's new Nations Championship format.Timestamped Highlights(All timestamps adjusted +25 seconds to account for theme music.)00:00:26 -- Introduction and Banter Jack the Insider and Hong Kong Jack open the show trading observations on air conditioning, long lunches, and the perils of sitting directly beneath the vent.00:01:32 -- One Nation's Victorian Polling Surge Redbridge polling data indicates One Nation could win as many as 19 seats in the Victorian state election. In an 88-seat legislature, that would make a majority for either major party almost impossible.00:02:52 -- Minority Government Mechanics Hong Kong Jack explains the constitutional pathway: if no party wins a majority, the sitting Premier gets the first conversation with the Governor and may be recommissioned to form government.00:04:20 -- A Three-Cornered Contest Jack the Insider argues the Allan government is at the end of the road, but the Liberal alternative inspires little confidence. One Nation may poll well in Labor heartland seats as protest voters look for an outlet that is not the Liberal Party.00:06:33 -- The Polling vs. the Pencil Hong Kong Jack predicts One Nation's polling numbers will soften once voters are alone in the booth with an HB pencil hovering over the ballot paper.00:08:32 -- Commonwealth Games Land in Glasgow The hosts acknowledge the Commonwealth Games have begun -- in Glasgow, not Victoria. The opening ceremony featured King Charles and Queen Camilla emerging from a Doctor Who TARDIS.00:10:50 -- Pauline Hanson and the Tommy Robinson Interview The Jacks dissect Hanson's decision to interview the controversial British figure, with Hong Kong Jack arguing the motivation is straightforward: publicity, good or bad.00:12:12 -- Factions Within One Nation Barnaby Joyce's visible discomfort with the Robinson interview signals internal tensions. Jack the Insider warns One Nation risks veering further towards the "lunar right."00:13:30 -- Two Australias: The Great Dog Divide A detour into the changing culture of pet ownership. Jack the Insider contrasts the utilitarian farm dogs of his Reservoir childhood with the multi-billion-dollar industry of designer dog beds, pushchairs, and booties.00:15:59 -- Bill Kelty's Economic Diagnosis Former ACTU Secretary Bill Kelty delivers a blunt assessment: Australian governments have spent decades treating symptoms rather than causes -- quarantine centres never used, infrastructure costs at world-record levels, a housing crisis born of under-investment in skills.00:17:59 -- The Courage Deficit Hong Kong Jack argues the current government, like its recent predecessors, lacks political boldness. The Prime Minister's Labor conference speech seemed "spooked by One Nation" rather than offering a growth narrative.00:19:22 -- The Keating Comparison Jack the Insider revisits the Hawke-Keating reform era, noting the howls of outrage that greeted early reforms -- including fringe benefits tax, which was meant to "kill lunch" but somehow did not. The difference today: social media amplifies every backlash.00:23:02 -- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Funding Cut An urgent segment on the defunding of Emerge Australia, an advocacy group that has trained roughly 10% of the nation's GPs in diagnosing and treating ME/CFS. The cut amounts to approximately $400,000 -- a sum Jack the Insider describes as negligible in public expenditure but catastrophic for the 250,000 Australians living with the condition.00:26:37 -- The PBS and Australia's Clinical Trial Problem Pharmaceutical companies are increasingly bypassing Australia for clinical trials, leaving patients with rare conditions to raise extraordinary sums for overseas treatment. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme's pricing structure may require root-and-branch reform, particularly for newly developed drugs.00:29:50 -- What Should Labor Do About One Nation? Hong Kong Jack's prescription is simple: fix the economy and stop saying silly things. One Nation will wither on the vine if economic growth returns.00:30:17 -- Derryn Hinch: The Human Headline Remembered The former broadcaster, senator, and Justice Party founder has died aged 82. The Jacks reflect on a complicated legacy -- a man who transformed Melbourne talkback radio and tabloid television, was twice married to Jacki Weaver, and whose profound impact on the media is tempered by a deeply troubling intervention in the justice system.00:32:00 -- The Glennon Case: When a Headline Cost Children Their Safety Jack the Insider recounts in detail how Hinch's decision to publicly name convicted paedophile priest Michael Glennon during an active trial led to the suspension of proceedings, an eventual overturned conviction, and a four-year window in which Glennon continued operating camps and abusing children -- as many as 20 additional victims.00:38:14 -- Hinch's Media Legacy Despite the Glennon tragedy, Hong Kong Jack credits Hinch with changing the sound of Melbourne radio. The talkback format he pioneered arguably saved stations like 3AW.00:40:32 -- Ukraine and the Battle for Crimea The Ukrainians cannot hold Crimea, but they are making it unliveable. Water, electricity, and supplies have been cut. Crimeans are fleeing en masse. The Russian Black Sea Fleet has effectively ceased to exist.00:42:13 -- Putin Backed Into a Corner Jack the Insider warns that Vladimir Putin, when cornered, does not act rationally. The spectre of an attack on a NATO country -- perhaps a Baltic state -- or on Moldova is real. Putin cannot sue for peace; it would mean the end of him.00:44:21 -- Russia's Economic Pressure Points Hong Kong Jack notes that Russia cancelled a regular bond sale last week after failing to find buyers. The economic squeeze is mounting. Putin and his deeply unpopular party are now being fused together ahead of elections.00:47:13 -- Russian Passports Arrive in Moldova Thousands of Russian passports have been shipped to Moldova -- the same playbook used in Crimea and eastern Ukraine before intervention.00:49:32 -- Iran, the Houthis, and Oil Above USD 100 US strikes on Iran continue. Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have struck oil tankers. The price of crude has pushed past USD 100 a barrel -- a politically dangerous number for Donald Trump four months out from the midterms.00:50:33 -- The Netanyahu Pitch for Regime Change Jack the Insider recounts the scene from Swan and Haberman's book: Benjamin Netanyahu presenting a case for US-Israeli combined bombing to achieve regime change in Iran. Trump was impressed; Marco Rubio and the CIA director were not.00:52:56 -- US Midterms: The Democratic Candidate Problem The Democrats' prospects are muddied by candidate issues including the withdrawal of Graham Plattner over sexual assault allegations and the party's persistent inability to select candidates who genuinely connect with the white working class.00:54:40 -- Tim Waltz, John Kerry, and Authenticity Hong Kong Jack contrasts the Democrats' clumsy attempts to project authenticity -- Tim Waltz hunting, John Kerry windsurfing -- with the reality that Kerry was an ice hockey player who once attended a White House meeting with two black eyes from a congressional game.00:58:19 -- The Sickness in American Democracy Jack the Insider argues the two-party lock on presidential politics -- achieved partly by keeping third-party candidates off ballots in roughly 30 states -- is profoundly undemocratic. With 40% of voters now registering as independents, millions have no candidate who represents them.00:59:43 -- Can Trump Disrupt the Midterms? Hong Kong Jack analyses the constitutional limits on presidential interference in state-run elections. Any attempt to use emergency powers would go straight to court.01:03:43 -- Marine Le Pen: France's Next President? Polling around 67%, Le Pen is the frontrunner for the French presidential election. Her felony conviction for misusing EU funds appears to be no impediment.01:05:09 -- Andy Burnham's Fast Start as UK Prime Minister The new PM has hit the ground running with popular measures: a GBP 2 bus fare cap across England, 20% business rate cuts for pubs, clubs, and live music venues, and the scrapping of VAT on domestic electricity bills.01:07:36 -- Britain's Investment Challenge The biggest test for Burnham will be attracting investment. The UK has 11 million working-age citizens on benefits -- a figure now exceeding tax receipts.01:09:03 -- FIFA World Cup: Argentina Triumphs, Trump Photobombs Argentina are world champions, but not before a petition signed by millions demanded their exclusion from the final. Donald Trump appeared on the podium; the Spanish commemorative photos, the Jacks note, did not include him.01:11:07 -- The Refereeing and the Expansion The officiating was patchy, but the expanded tournament format was vindicated. Seeing Cape Verde, Australia, New Zealand, and Iran compete gave the event a genuinely global feel.01:14:23 -- Nicky Winmar, the AFL Hall of Fame, and Domestic Violence The Jacks grapple with the AFL's removal of Winmar from the Hall of Fame following a domestic violence conviction. Jack the Insider questions the consistency: Wayne Carey and Gary Ablett Sr. remain honoured. Hong Kong Jack suggests a suspension rather than permanent expulsion would have been more appropriate, arguing that football cannot be reserved for choirboys.01:19:06 -- Bazball's End: The McCallum Era Concludes Baz McCallum is out as England's Test coach after 49 Tests: 27 wins, 20 losses. Ten of the first eleven were victories; seven of the last nine were defeats. The hosts debate whether Bazball added to cricket's audience even if it could not sustainably win Test matches.01:23:20 -- Sir Garfield Sobers: The Greatest of All Time A warm tribute to the late West Indian legend. Jack the Insider recalls meeting Sobers at the Hilton in Barbados. Hong Kong Jack shares the story of Sobers -- completely ambidextrous -- playing golf off scratch left-handed and off two right-handed.01:27:53 -- Rugby Union's Nations Championship A new format pits Northern Hemisphere sides against Southern Hemisphere sides, culminating in finals at Twickenham. Hong Kong Jack is sceptical anyone will care which hemisphere wins. The 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, however, is selling tickets strongly.01:30:00 -- Sign-Off Jack the Insider thanks listeners and apologises for the previous week's absence due to illness. The hosts promise to return on or around 31 July, though Hong Kong Jack advises against buying "20-year futures in us."Social Media PostsTwitter / XPost 1: One Nation could win up to 19 seats in the Victorian election. On this week's episode, we break down what a three-cornered contest means for the major parties -- and why minority government may be coming to Spring Street. Listen now.Post 2: "Putin, when cornered, does not act rationally." This week we examine the escalating dangers in Ukraine, Russian passports in Moldova, and why oil above USD 100 spells trouble for Trump. New episode of The Two Jacks out now.Post 3: $400,000. That is what it costs to train GPs across Australia to diagnose and treat ME/CFS -- and the government has cut it. We discuss why this quiet defunding of Emerge Australia is a disgrace. Full episode linked.Post 4: Derryn Hinch transformed Australian media. He also, by his own grandstanding, gave a paedophile priest four more years of access to children. This week we examine the complicated legacy of the Human Headline.Post 5: Bazball is dead. Garry Sobers is immortal. Nicky Winmar is out of the Hall of Fame. Our sport segment this week covers the big calls in cricket, AFL, rugby, and a World Cup final that unified the planet -- against Argentina.FacebookThis week on The Two Jacks: Jack the Insider and Hong Kong Jack navigate a political landscape where the old rules no longer apply.Redbridge polling has One Nation on track to become kingmaker in Victoria. We explore what minority government would actually look like -- and whether Labor can cling to power even if it finishes second.Bill Kelty says Australia's bureaucracy treats symptoms, not causes. We ask: where has political courage gone, and could anyone sell reform the way Keating did?From a USD 400,000 funding cut that will devastate chronic fatigue sufferers, to pharmaceutical companies abandoning Australian clinical trials, to a PBS in need of root-and-branch reform -- the domestic agenda is packed.Internationally, the picture is darker. Putin is cornered in Ukraine. Iran burns. Oil has passed USD 100. And the US midterms are shaping up as a referendum on Trump's foreign policy.Plus: Derryn Hinch's complicated legacy, Argentina's World Cup, Nicky Winmar and the AFL's consistency problem, the death of Bazball, and a toast to Sir Garfield Sobers -- the greatest cricketer who ever lived.Listen wherever you get your podcasts.InstagramCaption for episode artwork: Episode 165 is live. This week: One Nation's Victorian moment, Putin's dangerous corner, the Hinch legacy, and why a $400K funding cut matters more than you think. Link in bio.

Today's Cruise News covers three itinerary developments across ocean and river cruising. AIDA Cruises has canceled AIDAperla's Middle East winter season, saying conditions in the region cannot be reliably assessed, and will redeploy the ship from Kiel, Germany for winter 2027-28 with Baltic, Nordic, Norwegian fjord and a 24-day Canary Islands voyage; affected guests receive a 10 percent cabin voucher. Century Cruises is bringing its river operation to Egypt in 2027 aboard the 20-suite Sunrise Terramar on the Nile, with an 11-day Treasures of the Nile itinerary and a 15-day Legends of Egypt sailing that adds a four-day Red Sea extension in Hurghada. And Uniworld Boutique River Cruises plans three new vessels for 2028 — the S.S. Helen on the Danube, the S.S. Clara on the Rhine, and Mekong Mystique in Southeast Asia — part of a seven-ship expansion that brings its fleet to 22 ships.

Human settlement goes back thousands of years in the region of the Baltics that would become Lithuania. Like so many Baltic states, it went from being a significant regional power to one that was subjugated by the Soviet Union for decades. This is a proud land that has its own legends and haunted locations. Join us for the history and hauntings of Lithuania. This Month in History features Boris Yeltsin elected. Check out the website: http://historygoesbump.com Show notes can be found here: https://historygoesbump.blogspot.com/2026/07/hgb-ep-647-haunted-lithuania.html Become an Executive Producer: http://patreon.com/historygoesbump Music used in this episode: Main Theme: Creepy Carnival Theme  Created and produced by History Goes Bump Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (This Month in History) "In Your Arms" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  Pod wiejskim słońcem by Sasha Ende at ende.app Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this Conflicted Conversation, Thomas meets Laura Spinney, author of Proto: How One Language Went Global, the story of the Proto-Indo-European language and its descendants, which are spoken today by half of humanity. Laura explains: How, where, and among whom Proto-Indo-European emerged How Indo-European split into English, Hindi, Persian, Russian, Greek, Latin-derived Romance languages, Celtic, Germanic, Baltic and Slavic tongues How linguists reconstruct an unwritten prehistoric language through sound laws, comparative vocabulary and ancient texts Why ancient DNA has transformed the debate over Indo-European origins by restoring migration to the centre of the story Who the Yamnaya were, and how mobile pastoralists north of the Black Sea spread language through cattle, wagons, dairy and steppe mobility How a small number of steppe migrants may have transformed Europe's languages through disease, prestige, violence, intermarriage and social networks Why Tocharian, Sanskrit and Persian reveal extraordinary Indo-European journeys from the Pontic-Caspian steppe to China, India and Iran How ‘Aryan' began as a real Indo-Iranian self-description before being distorted by racial nationalism and Nazi pseudoscience Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find Laura on X: https://x.com/lfspinney And on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/laurainparis.bsky.social And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laura.spinney Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Conflicted is a Message Heard production. Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren. Produced and edited by Thomas Small. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hungary's new government is rapidly dismantling Viktor Orbán's political legacy, Ukraine is preparing another major government reshuffle, and the latest NATO summit has delivered potentially significant news for Kyiv.In this episode of the Talk Eastern Europe Weekly News Roundup, Nina Panikova, Alexandra Karppi and Adam Reichardt discuss the political transformation underway in Hungary under Péter Magyar, including the removal of President Tamás Sulyok and efforts to reform institutions shaped by years of Fidesz rule.The co-hosts also examine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposed government changes and what they could mean for Ukraine's wartime management, economy and foreign policy. They assess the outcome of the NATO summit, including reports that Ukraine could receive access to technology needed to produce Patriot missiles.The discussion then turns to deteriorating Polish-Ukrainian relations, growing anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Poland and the political consequences ahead of future elections.Finally, the team looks at warnings of possible Russian provocations, cyberattacks and hybrid operations against Poland and the Baltic states and asks whether Moscow is preparing for a much longer confrontation with Europe.Talk Eastern Europe is the podcast from New Eastern Europe magazine - your trusted source for in-depth analysis and expert perspectives on Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and the post-Soviet space. ABOUT THIS PODCASTWe publish twice weekly:· Every Tuesday: Expert Interviews featuring deep dives with leading analysts, journalists, and scholars· Every Friday: Weekly News Roundup with essential updates and commentary on the latest developmentsRead the New Eastern Europe Magazine Bimonthly publication with exclusive long-form analysis. https://neweasterneurope.eu/become-a-member-of-new-eastern-europe/ Support us on PatreonJoin our community for bonus content, early access, behind-the-scenes insights, and access to our exclusive WhatsApp group where we discuss the news in real-time.https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneuropeSubscribe to the Brief Eastern Europe NewsletterWeekly briefing sent out every Monday with news updates, expert commentary, and our editorial picks - free toyour inbox: https://briefeasterneurope.eu/subscribeFOLLOW USInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/neweasterneuropemag/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewEasternEurope/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-eastern-europe/

Ed, Harvey and Simon break down the week's biggest stories from the world of real estate portals: a Baltic classifieds giant borrowing to buy back its own shares, the escalating legal fight between REA Group and Domain over their marketing claims, and OMYHOME's unusual delisting back to its own founders for a single dollar. Plus, is the market overestimating AI's short-term threat to portals?In this episode:• Baltic Classifieds Group borrows ~€118m to buy back its undervalued shares (on 78% margins)• REA Group and Domain trade lawsuits over the "nine in ten" and Matterport marketing claims• Simon's confession about a certain "four times more views" claim from 2002• OMYHOME sold to its founders for $1, wiping ~$20m of debt• Enterprise vs consumer AI adoption, and why portals' AI-referral traffic is still under 1%Chapters:00:00 Welcome00:24 Baltic Classifieds Group: borrowing to buy back shares08:30 REA Group vs Domain: the marketing claims lawsuits20:55 Simon's "very expensive selfie" confession23:50 OMYHOME sold to its own founders for $127:55 Enterprise vs consumer AI adoption in real estate41:51 PPW Europe 2026 — Madrid, 28–30 OctoberHosted by:Edmund Keith — https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmund-keith/Harvey Hancock — https://www.linkedin.com/in/harvey-hancock/Simon Baker — https://www.linkedin.com/in/stbaker/

The Cambridge Five did more damage to the Western Bloc than any other intelligence outfit of the Cold War. They were five Cambridge graduates who drank gin at the right clubs, moved through the right corridors of British intelligence at the height of WW2, and quietly handed Stalin the keys to post-war Europe. Kim Philby, Anthony Blunt, Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, and John Cairncross were recruited for their sympathies to communism because they were radicalized by the wreckage of World War I and the Great Depression. They believed that Soviet communism was the only serious answer. The Five each quickly took up a place in the British government, granting them access to top-secret intelligence that they shared with the USSR, whether decrypted German intelligence obtained from Alan Turing’s Bletchley Park and the Wehrmacht’s latest troop movements, or nuclear designs fresh from Manhattan Project labs. What followed was decades of betrayal so consequential it shaped the entire postwar map of Eastern Europe. They did this not just by passing secrets, but by condemning millions of Poles, Ukrainians, Albanians, and Baltic peoples to Soviet repression when their underground resistance networks were quietly handed over to Moscow. Today’s guest is Antonia Senior, author of Stalin's Apostles, and she explains how she pieced together a story that was designed never to be found, because moles don't leave paper trails, and the Cambridge Five made sure their communications rarely entered any correspondence at all. We see that they did more to cause the Iron Curtain to descend deep into Europe than any other intelligence group.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul returns from a two-week Baltic cruise refreshed and ready to dig into the numbers. He opens with a 12-month performance review of the recommended portfolios at Avantis, DFA and Vanguard — Avantis averaged 31.1% across the 10 equity asset classes in the Ultimate Buy and Hold, versus 27.7% at DFA and 26% at Vanguard — and explains why the non-traditional index funds keep outperforming traditional cap-weighted indexes.Paul also revisits Ben Carlson's look at the ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK), which grew to $30 billion under management before falling 65% while the S&P 500 gained more than 60% — a costly lesson in performance chasing, with an estimated $7.5 billion in shareholder losses.Then Paul answers 12 listener questions, with a special deep dive into table G1B — 56 years of S&P 500 vs. small cap value returns, one year at a time, plus every combination in 10% increments.QUESTIONS COVERED1. Funds that match the international and U.S. small cap value asset classes 17:182. Keep investments at Fidelity or move to Vanguard? 18:513. Is the Vanguard money market fund a good long-term emergency fund? 20:194. Pairing the S&P 500 with small cap value — the G1B fine-tuning table 21:465. Why the Four Fund worldwide portfolio uses U.S. small cap value only 31:176. Should geopolitical tension make you cash out? 33:577. Why has small cap value historically produced higher returns? 36:478. Can you get rich from investing? The Rule of 72 and $100 a month 41:519. Is the all-value worldwide portfolio better than the other strategies? (Table H2) 44:0310. Where to find the 10 Fund portfolio allocations 48:3911. Paul's take on DFA's micro cap fund (DFMC) 49:1612. Lump sum or dollar cost average when switching funds in a Roth? 51:57LINKS• Table H2 — Sound Investing Portfolios Comparison (Worldwide All Value)• Table H1a — Sound Investing Portfolios Asset Allocations• Fine-Tuning Table G1B — S&P 500 vs. Small Cap Value• Fine-Tuning Table G1C — S&P 500 vs. SCV, 2025 Returns• Best-in-Class ETF Recommendations

All eyes are on Estonia at the Nato conference in Ankara as the Baltic nation looks to spend more than €10bn euros on defense over the next three years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Russia-Ukraine war and the Left . . With Russia's all-out war against Ukraine now in its fifth year, Simon Pirani and Volodymyr Artiukh discuss the complex character of the war, the main stances to the war on the left, aspects of Ukrainian society today, and more. . . Related reading, viewing and other resources: . Simon Pirani, In Mexico, people fear one imperialist aggressor. In Estonia, it's a different one https://peopleandnature.wordpress.com/2026/06/26/in-mexico-people-fear-one-imperialist-aggressor-in-estonia-its-a-different-one/#more-7216 . Simon Pirani (ed.), Voices against Putin's war https://resistancebooks.org/product/voices-against-putins-war/ . V. Artiukh and T. Fedirko, War and dependent state formation in Ukraine. https://www.berghahnjournals.com/view/journals/focaal/2025/102/fcl1020105.xml?rskey=5xbawE&result=2 . D. Dzenovska, V. Artiukh, D. Martin, M. Gunko, and M. Chew. Living Emptiness: Place, power, and meaning-making from the Baltic to the Russian Far East. https://emptiness.eu/news-and-events/living-emptiness-place-power-and-meaning-making-from-the-baltic-to-the-russian-far-east-multimodal-book/ . TRY ME FOR TREASON: anti-war protesters' speeches in Russian courts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FHacVH8tK8 . Commons, a Ukrainian left journal Main Page - Спільне Commons https://commons.com.ua/en/ . Ukraine Solidarity Information https://ukrainesolidarityinformation.ca/ . Ukraine Solidarity Network https://www.ukrainesolidaritynetwork.us/

In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Dr Duncan Depledge about climate change and its growing impact on the world's militaries.This conversation looks at the geopolitics of the Arctic, the role of energy and logistics in warfare, and the growing competition across the High North, exploring how environmental change has become a central concern in defence planning. Duncan explains why it is a problem for militaries today rather than in the future, and why armed forces now treat a warming world as a practical operational challenge instead of a distant environmental one. The discussion examines whether militaries can decarbonise without compromising readiness and combat effectiveness, and why energy is both a necessity and a vulnerability in war. We also explore NATO's growing engagement with climate security, the rising competition for the critical minerals that green technologies depend on, and why the Arctic, the Baltic, and Northern Europe are now closely connected. The conversation explores:Whether the Arctic is the new central theatre of military strategyHow energy transitions create both resilience and vulnerabilityThe role of critical minerals and resource competition in future conflictWhy climate change is a present-day defence issue, not a future one Dr Duncan Depledge is Senior Lecturer in Geopolitics and Security at Loughborough University, specialising in climate security, defence policy, and Arctic geopolitics. He has advised the Ministry of Defence, NATO, and the European Commission, and previously served as Special Adviser to the House of Commons Defence Committee for its inquiry into UK defence policy in the Arctic.  The International Risk Podcast brings together global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers to explore the forces transforming our world — from geopolitical instability and organised crime to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare.  Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and one of Europe's leading experts on international risk and crisis management. He advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across Europe on how to prepare for uncertainty, navigate crises, and build strategic resilience in an increasingly volatile world. #Geopolitics #ClimateChange #Arctic #NATO #Defence #Military #HighNorth #Baltic #CriticalMinerals#EnergySecurity #China #ClimateSecurity #PoliticalRisk #InternationalRisk #StrategyTell us what you liked!

Today's Cruise News covers three stories from across the industry. Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Sun has dropped four Baltic ports — Nynäshamn/Stockholm, Klaipeda, Gdynia/Gdansk, and Kiel — from its June 24, 2026 sailing after propulsion issues limited the ship to 11 knots, with affected guests offered a $100 onboard credit per stateroom, a 25% future cruise credit, and a 25% fare refund. Ambassador Cruise Line has cut deposits to £99 per person on its 2026-27 fly-Caribbean program aboard Renaissance, featuring 14-night round-trips from Bridgetown, Barbados with Virgin Atlantic charter flights from London Heathrow and Manchester. And Hurtigruten's MS Vesteralen has returned to the classic Bergen–Kirkenes Coastal Express after a heritage-led refit that renovated 100 cabins and added new Arctic Superior cabins and Mini Suites. Visit CruiseNews.io for the full stories and to sign up for free email alerts.

Der liebe Andreas hat die vergangene Hitzewelle im Rheinland nur überstanden, weil er rechtzeitig an die deutlich kühle(re) Ostsee entschwunden ist um sich die wunderschöne Stadt Lübeck anzuschauen - eine mehr als weise Entscheidung! Der Hitze im Aufnahmestudio und der Tatsache geschuldet, das für die Produktion dieser 464. Episode von "XtraChill" wenig Zeit zur Verfügung stand, erlebt ihr die aktuelle Playliste heute, am 01. Juli 2026, im "Schnell-Modus" ohne zu viele Moderationen! Eine sehr abwechslungsreicher "Sechserpack" steht dabei im Zentrum des Geschehens, mit insgesamt vier Neuvorstellungen! Dear Andreas only survived the recent heatwave in the Rhineland by making a timely escape to the considerably cooler Baltic coast to explore the beautiful city of Lübeck – a more than wise decision! Owing to the heat in the studio, and the fact that there was very little time available to produce this 464th episode of "XtraChill", today's playlist, on July, 1st 2026, comes to you in "fast mode", with minimal chat between the tracks. Taking centre stage is a wonderfully varied six-track selection, featuring no fewer than four brand-new additions to the pool of artists.

Keir Starmer's much-hyped defence investment plan has unravelled… and retired British Army Colonel Tim Collins OBE is still unimpressed. With nearly £5 billion unaccounted for, ammunition stockpiles at zero, and Type 45 destroyers that simply don't work, Britain's military is in crisis. Collins warns we are already at war in the cyber realm, that Poland and the Baltic states are watching Britain's retreat with alarm, and that conscription may now be inevitable.Also: two police officers face gross misconduct charges over the death of Henry Nowak — handcuffed as he lay dying whilst his killer was treated as the victim. A judge hands youth rehabilitation orders to teenage rapists who used a knife, filmed their crimes, and shared the footage. Grooming gang ringleader Shabbir Ahmed, convicted of 30 child rape offences, is due for release tomorrow — and the government appears powerless to deport him. And villagers in Shropshire discover that brand-new homes promised as social housing have been quietly earmarked for asylum seekers.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Want a more impressive belt? Before you search for another vocal exercise, you might want to question what you think makes great belting in the first place. In this episode, Alexa Terry shares eight thought-provoking ideas - some that might surprise you.  About the presenter HERE RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS Amanda Flynn Voice Study Centre Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.133 Mastering Belt in Musical Theatre  Emily Kristen Morris Singing Teacher's Talk - Ep.200 The Secret to Powerful Belting and Seamless Mixing  Sing Like Never Before by Justin Stoney of New York Vocal Coaching  Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell Kerrie Obert Singing Teacher's Talk - Ep.151 How to Sing with Twang   ABOUT THE GUEST Alexa is a singing teacher and vocal coach who runs her own singing tuition practice in the South of England. She is also a 1-1 singing tutor at one of the UK's leading performing arts schools – Italia Conti, where she regularly panels auditions and assessments. Alexa is the host of BAST Training's Singing Teachers Talk podcast, and is one of the mentors for their level 5 singing teaching qualification. [Text Wrapping Break][Text Wrapping Break]After graduating with a BA Musical Theatre degree, Alexa Terry donned her sailor's cap and performed as a lead soloist on cruise ships travelling the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Baltic seas. She trod the boards in London's West End as the protagonist in a new Musical Theatre project, studied as a librettist with Book, Music and Lyrics (BML), and has written for the likes of BritishTheatre.comas a reviewer. Alexa has also presented on topics of Musical Theatre repertoire, authentic Musical Theatre performance, and imposter syndrome for Vocology in Practice and The Sing Space; and at the BAST Intensive Weekend of Summer 2026, Alexa delivered talks in diagnosing and assessing voices and choosing repertoire to build technique.   Website Instagram: @AlexaTerryVocalCoaching  

he Crimson Fairy Book contains thirty-six stories collected from around the world and edited by Andrew Lang. Many tales in this book are translated, or adapted, from those told by mothers and nurses in Hungary; others are familiar to Russian nurseries; the Servians are responsible for some; a rather peculiarly fanciful set of stories are adapted from the Roumanians; others are from the Baltic shores; others from sunny Sicily; a few are from Finland, and Iceland, and Japan, and Tunis, and Portugal. No doubt many children will like to look out these places on the map, and study their mountains, rivers, soil, products, and fiscal policies, in the geography books. The peoples who tell the stories differ in colour; language, religion, and almost everything else; but they all love a nursery tale. The stories have mainly been adapted or translated by Mrs. Lang, a few by Miss Lang and Miss Blackley. (Summary from the preface)Genre(s): Myths, Legends & Fairy TalesLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): children (1119), fairy tales (283), andrew lang (8), crimson fairy book (1)Group: Andrew Lang's Fairy Books

This week host James Savage and regular panelist Richard Orange record the podcast from Almedalen, the annual politics fest in Visby on the Baltic island of Gotland. They are joined for a lively politics conversation by Henrik Torehammar, a political commentator for the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper. Almedalen is sometime criticised as an event for Sweden's elites, but how elitist can any event really be in what Torehammar calls a "bicycle monarchy" famed for its flat hierarchies? Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's Moderate Party is edging towards a disastrous election if polls are to be believed. Can he pull a result out of the fire at the eleventh hour? The opposition parties look poised to snatch power. But will some pretty major ideological differences act as a stumbling block for the Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson? And what issues are likely to dominate in the run-up to the September election. Immigration? Climate? Or could the rise of AI make its presence felt on the campaign trail? Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:PoliticsWhy are Swedish politicians so silent on AI?Sweden Democrat leader takes aim at Social Democrats in key speechSweden Democrats launch retro election campaign to make 'Sweden like Sweden again'More than half of voters think Sweden's government will lose electionStay on top of the Swedish election: How to follow The Local's coverage  Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Located at the edge of the Baltic sea, 17th century Gdańsk was a multicultural merchant city. Peter Mundy, a British traveller, lived there for around a decade, and left a fascinating memoir of his time in the town located in modern-day northern Poland that we're reading in this episode. _________________ Check out my Patreon!  https://patreon.com/textory 

Long treated as the immovable foundation of European security, America's role in NATO is now being questioned more openly than at any point in decades, as Washington signals doubts about its commitment to the continent and debates whether US forces should be pulled back toward other theatres. On paper, Europe still looks formidable. Its militaries outspend Russia, field large numbers of troops, aircraft, ships, and armoured vehicles, and are already beginning a major rearmament push. Yet behind those headline numbers lies a much messier reality. Much of Europe's ability to fight as a single coherent force still depends on the United States: its intelligence networks, satellites, airlift, logistics, targeting systems, command structures, missile defence, and nuclear deterrent. Replacing those capabilities would not simply mean buying more tanks or raising defence budgets, but rebuilding the operating system that allows NATO to function in a crisis. And with Russia's war economy still running, its northern military districts being rebuilt, and the Baltic states sitting exposed on NATO's front line, the question is not just whether Europe could defend itself without America, but whether it could do so quickly enough. Our panel of experts examines what the US still provides, what Europe would need to replace, and whether Moscow's timelines may move faster than Europe's. - Ruben Stewart (IISS) - Ben Barry (IISS) - Neil Melvin (UI)  - Gen. Philip Breedlove (Fmr. Supreme Allied Commander for Europe) Intro - 00:00 PART I - 02:47 PART II - 28:06 PART III - 41:26 PART IV - 1:05:20 Outro - 1:31:31 Follow the show on https://x.com/TheRedLinePod Follow Michael on https://x.com/MikeHilliardAus Support the show at: https://www.patreon.com/theredlinepodcast Submit Questions and Join the Red Line Discord Server at: https://www.theredlinepodcast.com/discord For more info, please visit: https://www.theredlinepodcast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you enjoy this episode, we're sure you will enjoy more content like this on The Occult Rejects.  In fact, we have curated playlists on occult topics like grimoires, esoteric concepts and phenomena, occult history, analyzing true crime and cults with an occult lens, Para politics, and occultism in music. Whether you enjoy consuming your content visually or via audio, we've got you covered - and it will always be provided free of charge.  So, if you enjoy what we do and want to support our work of providing accessible, free content on various platforms, please consider making a donation to the links provided below.  Thank you and enjoy the episode!Links For The Occult Rejectshttps://linktr.ee/theoccultrejectsOccult Research Institutehttps://www.occultresearchinstitute.org/Cash Apphttps://cash.app/$theoccultrejectsVenmo@TheOccultRejectsBuy Me A Coffeebuymeacoffee.com/TheOccultRejectsPatreonhttps://www.patreon.com/TheOccultRejectsCore historical / comparative sourcesEncyclopaedia Britannica. “moon worship.” Good for the broad comparative frame: lunar symbolism, death-rebirth, hunting vs. agrarian patterns, and why the moon is sometimes male and sometimes female.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “The moon,” in Nature Worship: Celestial Phenomena as Objects of Worship or Veneration. Good for lunar phases, magical timing, menstruation/tides, dangerous dark days, eclipse anxiety, and symbolic variation.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Celestial phenomena as objects of worship or veneration,” in Nature Worship. Useful for the broader claim that many hunting and gathering societies, and some pastoral and royal cultures, conceived the moon as male.MesopotamiaOracc / Ancient Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses. “Nanna-Suen.” Best core reference for the identity, names, and cultic status of the Mesopotamian moon god.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Sin.” Best quick reference for Nanna/Sin as moon god, his bull symbolism, Ur, fertility functions, and Nabonidus.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Enheduanna.” Useful if you want to reference the priestly/literary world attached to the cult of Nanna at Ur.EgyptEncyclopaedia Britannica. “Khonsu.” Strong for Khonsu as youth, moon god, Pyramid Text background, and Karnak.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Thoth.” Strong for Thoth as moon god of reckoning, learning, writing, and later Hermetic importance.The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Collections and bulletin material on Iah / Osiris-Iah and Egyptian lunar symbolism. Best for the more specialized lunar material beyond Khonsu and Thoth.Levant / Anatolia / Near EastEncyclopaedia Britannica. “Yarikh.” Best starting point for the Ugaritic / West Semitic moon god and the Nikkal marriage material.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Kushukh.” Best for the Hurrian moon god, oath function, iconography, and Hittite adoption.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Religions of the Hittites, Hattians, and Hurrians,” in Anatolian religion. Best broad source for Arma and the Hittite/Luwian/Hurrian lunar world.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Men.” Best source for the later Anatolian moon god, iconography, and possible tie to Mao.ArabiaEncyclopaedia Britannica. “Arabian religion.” Good for the broad astral background of pre-Islamic Arabian religion.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Pre-Islamic deities,” in Arabian religion. Essential for Wadd, ʿAmm, Ḥawl, and for correcting outdated claims about Almaqah and Syn.India and IranEncyclopaedia Britannica. “navagraha.” Good for Chandra/Soma in astrology and lived Hindu cosmology.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “nakshatra.” Best for lunar mansions, lunar months, and Chandra's mythic/calendar role.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “soma.” Essential for Soma as sacred drink and later lunar identification.Encyclopaedia Iranica. “Māh Yašt.” Best specialist source for the Iranian moon, lunar phases, and the “seed of the Bull” symbolism.Northern / Eastern EuropeBritannica Kids / Students. “Sól and Máni.” Good clean source for the Norse sibling pair and the male moon.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Mēness.” Best source for the Baltic moon god, renewal, prayer, and agricultural strength.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Slavic religion: Folk conceptions.” Essential for the masculine Slavic moon, kinship language, and lunar veneration.JapanEncyclopaedia Britannica. “Tsukiyomi.” Best short source for Tsukuyomi as moon god.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Izanagi.” Useful for the birth of Tsukuyomi from purification and the Shintō context.Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Ukemochi no Kami.” Best source for the separation myth involving Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu.Indigenous / circumpolar traditionsEncyclopaedia Britannica. “Oral literatures,” in Mythologies of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas. Best broad source for the Arctic male moon pursuing his sister the sun.Encyclopedia.com. “Igaluk.” Useful specialist entry for the Inuit moon god story.MesoamericaEncyclopaedia Britannica. “Aztec religion.” Best for the Teotihuacán fire myth and Tecciztécatl becoming the moon.Susan Milbrath. “The Moon in Meso-America.” Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Planetary Science (2020). Best specialist source for masculine moon material in Central Mexico and broader lunar roles in Mesoamerica.Qabalah / Jewish mysticism / occult sourcesHistorical Jewish mysticismEncyclopaedia Britannica. “sefirot.” Best concise source for the sefirot, including Yesod as “foundation.”Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Jewish mysticism,” in Judaism. Good for the broader Kabbalistic context.My Jewish Learning. “What Are the Sefirot?” Good readable support source for explaining sefirot on air.Western esoteric / occult QabalahDion Fortune. The Mystical Qabalah. Weiser, 2000. Strongest single occult source for Yesod as astral foundation, imaginal reservoir, and “treasure house of images” current.Aleister Crowley. 777 and Other Qabalistic Writings of Aleister Crowley. Weiser, 1986. Best for formal occult correspondences, including the Yesod-Moon scheme.Aleister Crowley. Magick Without Tears. New Falcon, 1991. Useful for Crowley's practical Qabalistic framing.Lon Milo DuQuette. The Chicken Qabalah of Rabbi Lamed Ben Clifford. Weiser, 2001. Good modern, readable summary of Yesod in Western occult terms.Israel Regardie. The Tree of Life: A Study in Magic. Weiser, 1972. Strong for Golden Dawn style Yesod/astral-plane framing.Gareth Knight. A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism. Weiser, 2001. Very useful for Yesod symbolism and the broader Tree of Life structure.Science / symbolism supportNASA Science. “Moon Phases.” Best source for the simple but important physical point that moonlight is reflected sunlight.NASA Science. “Eclipses.” Useful if you want a clean science-side reference when talking about eclipses before contrasting that with mythic fear and ritual response.Also want to remind people about the website, if you're into reading we have tons of information by multiple contributors, and we got t-shirts up on the site if you're interested. Fun fact, the art is all based on the eyeball. A

The Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, is widely regarded as the man who helped the band break through. He's inspired plays, films, and even an artistic installation by the Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller. He's now the subject of a new biography, Mr Moonlight, by Philip Norman.A Unesco-listed cathedral in Kyiv went up in flames on Sunday night after an intense Russian bombing attack. The Ukrainian government sees the attack on the historic Pechersk Lavra monastery complex as part of a sustained campaign to destroy the nation's cultural landmarks and identity. And in Kharkiv, workers at the state art museum have just moved its collection after a bombing raid caused fires. The Baltic republic of Estonia, which has an Eastern border with Russia, say it is planning for such attacks too. Samira Ahmed talks to its culture minister, Merilin Piipuu.Tributes have been pouring in for the Oscar-winning special effects pioneer Brian Johnson, who's died at the age of 87. He worked on the British television shows Thunderbirds and Space:1999, the latter taking him to Hollywood, and The Empire Strikes Back. One of those who has been influenced by his craft is the visual effects designer and filmmaker Paul Franklin, who explains why Brian Johnson changed the sci-fi landscape.What is it like to grow up in a town which lost its industry decades before you were even born? That's the story of Effie o Blaenau, Effie in Blaenau, a Welsh language film about a young woman looking for love to escape her weekly routine of unemployment and drinking. Lead actor Leisa Gwenllian joins Samira in the Front Row studio to discuss her role. When the Barbie film was released in 2023, it made over a billion dollars in just 17 days – making director Greta Gerwig the first ever woman to reach that milestone as a solo director. Now an exhibition charting the evolution of Barbie from her creation in 1959 to the present day is opening in Glasgow. It was first shown at London's Design Museum, where it proved one of the venue's most popular ever shows. Senior curator Danielle Thom and writer and fan Sara Sheridan discuss Barbie as art. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Andrea Kidd

The Baltic states are stalwart NATO members today, but their membership was not assured from the moment they restored their independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union. They fought to overcome the reticence of other allies, then proved themselves as devoted partners on battlefields in Afghanistan and Iraq. Today, this alliance is once again in question. What does it mean to the Baltic states, and what does the future hold? Ben Gardner-Gill chats with Dr. Andris Banka about his research and cautiously optimistic view about what comes next.Baltic Ways is a podcast from the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, produced in partnership with the Baltic Initiative at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of AABS or FPRI. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fpribalticinitiative.substack.com

We're up to the early 1880s where world events are intersecting in various ways with southern African events. The mere ratification of the Pretoria Convention in 1881 failed to bring peace and prosperity to South Africa. The frenzied speculation in diamond shares reached it's height in 1881, and war expenditure had swelled the tide of fictitious prosperity which had flowed from Table Bay to Lydenburg. Now the troops and the glory departed, Natal after the pomp and ceremony of the Wolseley period, drifted into a political backwater — and yet clamoured for responsible government and an augmented imperial garrison. In the Cape, the overcapitalised diamond companies began to topple, and banks shortened credit and in 1882, the crash came. John Scanlen the Cape Prime Minister succumbed to what some called retrenchment mania and laid off judges amongst other members of the bureaucracy. Times were bad, and growing worse, with Phylloxera visiting the Western Cape vineyards, drought had smote the land and red-water fever the cattle. It was old testament level pestilence and suffering, at least if you read the journals of the time. Did I mention the outbreak of smallpox as well? How remiss. It scoured Cape Town first, this pestilence, from whence it followed the railway and wagon route to the diamond fields of Kimberley, and from there into the Orange Free State and Basotholand. Plagues of locusts chewed through what was left. For anyone who would return to an earlier epoch in South African history, believing these were golden years, perhaps the reality I've just outlined would make you recalibrate your Time Machine. SJ Du Toit launched his pro-Afrikaans campaign by the early 1880s, railing against die Engelse and the elites in the Cape who were determined to keep speaking high Dutch instead of this new form which was disparagingly called Kitchen Dutch. Emerging at this messy moment to influence South Africa forever was a lawyer who eventually became known as Lord De Villiers. It's difficult to understand this these days — in the 1880s South Africa was still a mishmash of rebels, settlers, African chiefdoms, Khoesan raiders, dirt tracker miners and trekboers, wild Baltic and Nordic merchants, American and Australian frontiersmen. Every geographical locale was represented by a different language so folks like De Villiers who obsessed over federal ideas were outliers. Self-government meant they leaned towards the Union Jack, the English, for defence, but not the Union Jack as a cloak for interference in the internal affairs of the Cape. The quarrels divided the Anglican community particularly in Natal into adherents of the Church of England, and the Church of the Province of South Africa. The two main questions were these: Must Anglican Bishops in South Africa be appointed by Letters consecrated by the Archbishop of Centebury, and secondly, was the Church in South Africa bound by acts of an Imperial Parliament in England far far away or mainly independent? De Villiers was going to decide both questions — and in doing so — would set the scene for a future South African Republic while also setting in stone, some of our concepts in South Africa of the right to practice the religion we prefer.

In this episode of The Moon in Carolina, host Shelby Bundy explores the mythology of the sun — the deities across world traditions who were understood to carry the light, fight for it, and in some cases withdraw it entirely. We look at Ra, the Egyptian sun god who sailed his barque through the underworld each night and battled the serpent Apophis before every dawn could come. At the Greek figures of Helios and Apollo, who represent two very different ideas about what the sun actually means. And at Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess whose retreat into a cave plunged the world into darkness — and what it took to bring her back. We also look at the tradition that tends to get overlooked: the feminine sun, and the Norse, Celtic, and Baltic goddesses who held the light before the solar mythology we inherited took its current shape. 

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls for greater pressure on Russia, and stronger Europe and U.S. roles in peace talks.

Silicon Bites Ep344 | 2026-05-29 | The Institute for the Study of War's assessments through May 2026 have documented, with consistent emphasis, that Russia is "escalating its efforts to set informational conditions for possible future aggression against the Baltic states." The 19-21 May 2026 unannounced Russian strategic nuclear exercises, which ISW characterised as "using unannounced strategic nuclear exercises to posture strength against Ukraine's allies and distract from mounting battlefield weaknesses," coincided with Putin's Beijing summit and the Kallas-acknowledged Russian effort to "divide Ukraine from its European partners and diminish support for Ukraine's defensive effort." The September 2025 incursion of three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets into Estonian airspace for 12 minutes without permission was, in Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna's framing, "a blatant, reckless, and flagrant" violation. The German Navy's vice admiral Jan Christian Kaack told The Times this month that NATO faces a "rapid threat" from Russia in the Baltic Sea, and that "a possible escalation will occur in the maritime domain."----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SOURCES:----------

2026-05-28 | UPDATES #208 | How the May 26th Pentagon announcement may just have handed Putin the greatest strategic gift of the 21st century. A prize that barely could have been conceived of before Trump returned to the White House. 26–27 May 2026 — a third of us jets pulled from NATO, destroyers cut, every submarine withdrawn, drones slashed — and Russian forces drilling for Baltic operations in the same week. As I predicted in 2025, Europe is now on its own. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Der Spiegel (via Military Times) — "Report: US to cut strategic bombers and warships available to NATO in a crisis" (26 May 2026)RT — "US plans to slash contributions to NATO – Spiegel" (26 May 2026) Daily Mail (via PapaLinc/Intel Drop syndication) — "Trump's secret NATO ultimatum sparks panic as US 'pulls jets, bombers and EVERY submarine from Europe'" (26-27 May 2026)CNN Politics — Natasha Bertrand, "US military withdrawing some troops from Eastern Europe" (29 October 2025) The Hill / Yahoo News — "GOP chairs blast Trump's move to pull troops from Romania" (October 2025) CBS News — "Trump administration's Europe troop drawdown fuels concern amid NATO allies, draws fire even from Republicans" (October 2025) — Estonia's Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur statement on continued US commitment; Pentagon's "force posture adjustment will not change the security environment in Europe" framing; "primary responsibility for the conventional defense of Europe" languagePBS NewsHour / AP — "U.S. to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany in next 6 to 12 months" (May 2026)CNN Politics — "Trump is cutting the numbers of US troops in Europe. Here's how" (14 May 2026)Fox News — "Congress moves block Pentagon from cutting US troops Europe South Korea" (late 2025/early 2026) House Armed Services Committee / Wicker.senate.gov — "Chairmen of Senate and House Armed Services Committees: We Strongly Oppose the Pentagon's Decision to Scale Back the U.S. Troop Presence in Romania" (29 October 2025) Yahoo News / The Hill — "Pentagon cuts troops in Eastern Europe, prompting rare pushback by GOP lawmakers" (October-November 2025) ----------

Anatol Lieven discusses the resignation of Latvia's Prime Minister following air defense failures. Ukrainian drones targeting Russia have been transiting Baltic airspace, leading to Russian threats of retaliation. Lieven explores the risk of unintended escalation between NATO and Russia amidst suspicions of Baltic-Ukrainian cooperation regarding these drone flight paths. (1/16)

SCHEDULE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 5-21-2026.1943 USA INFORMATION WAR.Anatol Lieven discusses the resignation of Latvia's Prime Minister following air defense failures. Ukrainian drones targeting Russia have been transiting Baltic airspace, leading to Russian threats of retaliation. Lieven explores the risk of unintended escalation between NATO and Russia amidst suspicions of Baltic-Ukrainian cooperation regarding these drone flight paths. (1/16)Following meetings in Beijing, Vladimir Putin seeks to finalize a gas pipeline to China to offset lost European markets. Anatol Lieven notes that while trade in dual-use technology grows, China remains cautious about full military escalation. Russia's involvement in the Iran and Ukraine wars complicates its position, as it lacks spare weaponry for Iran. (2/16)Russia has resumed military cargo shipments to Syria for the first time since the al-Sharaa government took power. Ahmad Sharawi explains that President al-Sharaa is balancing relations with Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine to rebuild his military. Tensions remain regarding the integration of foreign jihadist groups, such as al-Qaeda affiliates, into the new Syrian army. (3/16)Mary Anastasia O'Grady reports that the U.S. has imposed sanctions on GAESA, a shadowy military-controlled conglomerate dominating 70% of Cuba's economy. The company manages retail, ports, and foreign currency, including billions allegedly gained through human trafficking of medical personnel. These financial restrictions aim to pressure the regime toward democratic transition and have already impacted foreign investors. (4/16)Evan Ellis reports that Bolivia faces nationwide protests and blockades over austerity measures and fuel shortages. President Rodrigo Paz attempts reconciliation, but former President Evo Morales is accused of destabilizing the government to avoid child trafficking prosecution. While La Paz faces resource shortages, the eastern lowlands remain calm, highlighting a deep regional and political divide. (5/16)Evan Ellis characterizes protests in Bolivia as an organized "coup in motion" funded by coca growers' unions. Figures like Evo Morales and rivals within the government benefit from dismantling reforms. The instability threatens counter-drug efforts and allows criminal organizations to flourish while the government struggles to maintain order amidst resource blockades. (6/16)Evan Ellis reports that the U.S. Justice Department has indicted 94-year-old Raul Castro for the 1996 murder of "Brothers to the Rescue" pilots. The indictment serves as leverage in transition negotiations. Meanwhile, Russia and China pledge support to Cuba, and the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier signals a potential shift toward selective military pressure. (7/16)Evan Ellis reports that Venezuela has surrendered Alex Saab, Nicolas Maduro's former bagman, to the U.S. for prosecution. Saab possesses critical information on illicit financial flows involving Iran, Cuba, and Colombia. Delcy Rodriguez's decision to extradite him suggests a complex internal power play to appease Washington while eliminating her own political rivals. (8/16)Peter Mauch explores the early life of Hideki Tojo, focusing on his failed 1945 suicide attempt and the military code prohibiting the disgrace of surrender. Born into a samurai-descended family, Tojo's ambitions were fueled by the perceived mistreatment of his father by a cronyist military system, leading him to excel academically. (9/16)Peter Mauch explains that during the 1930s, the Japanese army split into the "Imperial Way" and "Control" factions. The Imperial Way prioritized morale and the Emperor, while Tojo's Control faction advocated for "total war" preparation involving all state resources. This rivalry turned murderous, culminating in assassinations and coup attempts against the civilian government. (10/16)Peter Mauch explains that in 1937, the Marco Polo Bridge incident sparked conflict between Japan and China. While Tokyo sought de-escalation, the Kwantung Army, including Tojo, pushed for escalation and conquest. Chiang Kai-shek's refusal to surrender drew the Japanese military into a "quicksand" interior, creating an inescapable and draining quagmire for the army. (11/16)Peter Mauch explains that as War Minister, Tojo—nicknamed "The Razor"—instilled iron discipline within the fractious Japanese army to earn the Emperor's favor. He consolidated political power by centralizing military communication and cashiering insubordinate officers. Meanwhile, Japan eyed the defenseless Southeast Asian colonies of European powers, determined not to "miss the bus." (12/16)Veronique de Rugy argues that tariffs function as taxes paid by Americans, with costs passing to consumers at a 96% rate. Despite promises to revive manufacturing, employment in that sector has continued to decline. The policy is described as a "catastrophe" resulting in billions in unconstitutional levies that require federal refunds. (13/16)Sadanand Dhume reports that the BJP's landslide victory in West Bengal marks a significant defeat for longtime leader Mamata Banerjee. Her neglect of the economy and corruption allegations led to her ouster. This victory signals Narendra Modi's regained political strength, cracking opposition bastions and positioning India as a vital alternative in global supply chains. (14/16)Anatoly Zak reports that despite sanctions and corruption scandals, Russia successfully launched the Soyuz-5 rocket, a joint project with Kazakhstan designed to replace Ukrainian technology. While international commercial prospects have vanished, Russia is pivoting toward domestic military payloads. Development continues on the Angara family of rockets, though the program faces significant spacecraft production delays. (15/16)Anatoly Zak reports that Russia has successfully tested the Sarmat, a heavy liquid-propellant ICBM designed to target the United States. Capable of carrying up to 20 maneuverable warheads, it replaces the Ukrainian-built "Satan" missile. While technologically complex and using toxic propellants, it represents Russia's commitment to maintaining a formidable strategic nuclear deterrent. (16/16)Notes: corrected "Akmed Sharawari" → Ahmad Sharawi; "Alshara" → al-Sharaa (Syrian president). Flag if you prefer alternate transliterations.

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Iran's massive internet blackout is now crippling the country's economy, threatening millions of jobs and deepening the regime's ongoing financial crisis. We'll explain how Tehran's digital crackdown is beginning to paralyze commerce, banking, and daily life across the country. Russia warns Latvia could face retaliation over claims that Ukrainian drone operations are being launched from Baltic territory. Latvian officials are calling the accusations “pure fiction,” but the rhetoric is raising new concerns about tensions between Moscow and NATO. The United States and United Kingdom are easing some sanctions on Russian oil, citing rising global fuel costs linked to the Iran conflict and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. In today's Back of the Brief—a US-bound flight is forced to divert after officials discover a passenger from an Ebola-hit region onboard. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.  YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Tax Relief Advocates: End your tax nightmare today by visiting us online at https://TRA.com or call 800-583-6515 DeleteMe: Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/PDB and use promo code PDB at checkout. Chapter: Compare every medicare plan call 915-671-5252 today! Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan's contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don't directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact https://Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The countries along NATO's eastern flank have long been on the frontline against Russian aggression. But now they are in the firing line between Ukraine's long-range drones and targets in northwest Russia. Nick Schifrin spoke with Latvia's foreign minister and reports on NATO's efforts to defend itself against a growing drone threat. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Day 1,545.Today, after a NATO fighter jet shoots down a suspected Ukrainian drone over Estonia, we examine the mounting risks of escalation on NATO's eastern flank and what the incident reveals about the increasingly crowded skies above the Baltic region. We also look at reports of a collapse in Russian defensive lines near a settlement in Zaporizhzhia as Ukraine presses its counterattacks in the south. Then we turn to Moscow to assess how the Kremlin and Russian state media are reporting – or not – news of Ukraine's major strikes on Russian infrastructure ahead of Putin's high-stakes visit to China. And later, we take a deep dive into how investigations into war crimes have evolved over the past four years.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.With thanks to Yevhenia Motorevska – head of the War Crimes Investigation Unit at the Kyiv Independent.NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED:The drone attacks Putin doesn't want Russians to see (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/19/drone-attacks-putin-doesnt-want-russians-see-ukraine/ Xi Jinping told Donald Trump that Putin might ‘regret' invasion of Ukraine (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/567c57b0-6346-43e6-9d14-840a793b4d1d?syn-25a6b1a6=1 Dom's Video On the Frontline:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-LWZtJBCwY From the Kyiv Independent's War Crimes Investigation Unit: The War Before the War, Part I: https://kyivindependent.com/video/?slug=crimea-the-war-before-the-war-part-2From Stalin to Putin – Russia's history of torture: https://youtu.be/p7Ei6mAf3mQExposing Russia's indoctrination of Ukrainian children: https://youtu.be/RZGmv2EQdGkInvestigation: Uncovering the secret Russian FSB operation to loot Ukraine's museumshttps://kyivindependent.com/investigation-uncovering-fsbs-secret-operation-to-steal-ukraines-valuable-art/The Kyiv Independent doesn't have a paywall or an owner and is supported by acommunity of readers who make this work possible. Starting today, the Kyiv Independent team is on a quest to find 4000 new members globally. You can become a member here. EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:Russian position 'collapses' in southeastern townThe drone attacks Putin ‘doesn't want you to see' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At 93, Paul Biya is the oldest head of state in the world. In June he will have been the leader of Cameroon for 44 years and is currently serving his eighth consecutive term. It was announced in April that for the first time in Biya's leadership, the position of vice-president would be created in the country. This new post has drawn attention to the lack of certainty within Cameroon over who will take over from Paul Biya once he is no longer in office. BBC Africa's Paul Njie is from Cameroon himself and has been looking into the story. A Thai drag performer has won the latest series of the television show RuPaul's Drag Race: UK versus The World. Gawdland is the first Thai winner of the all-star series and also the first non-native English speaker to take the title. Her triumph took some by surprise, but for fans of Drag Race, she's seen as a trailblazer for East Asian drag queens. Panisa Aemocha of BBC Thai explains what makes Gawdland such a stand-out performer. Like anyone forced to leave their home country against their will, Russians who've sought asylum abroad face a variety of painful realities. Besides homesickness and the challenges of adapting to a new country, they also cannot safely return home to visit loved ones. For many years, exiled Russians could reunite with Russian family and friends in a wide variety of European and other countries, including the Baltic states. But as the rift between Russia and the rest of Europe deepend in the wake of the war in Ukraine, visa restrictions changed, leaving Russians with only a small handful of countries in which they could meet people from home. Recently, an exiled Russian man in his twenties, Sasha, planned and filmed a unique reunion with Russian friends. BBC Russian's Tatiana Kovtun tells Sasha's story and discusses the online response. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.   Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.   If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)