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President Trump posted on social media that the US was getting very close to meeting its objectives in Iran. Earlier he told reporters he didn't want a ceasefire. The BBC's US partner, CBS, has reported that US military officials are making detailed preparations for the possibility of deploying ground troops in Iran. Also: we hear from the journalist in Israel who's been pressured by online gamblers to change a story; why social media is awash with chat about how thin everyone was at the Oscars - and it's not just about the women; and the new research which calls into question the march south by English troops, ordered by King Harold, to face the Norman invasion in the famous Battle of Hastings in 1066.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
Ralph welcomes international human rights lawyer Craig Mokhiber to discuss the U.S. and Israel's illegal war on Iran. Then, Ralph speaks to investigative reporter David Cay Johnston about the finances of Donald Trump.Craig Mokhiber is an international human rights lawyer and activist, and a former senior United Nations human rights official. A human rights activist in the 1980s, he would go on to serve for more than three decades at the United Nations, with postings in Switzerland, Palestine, Afghanistan, and UN Headquarters in New York. In October of 2023, he left the United Nations, penning a widely read letter criticizing the UN's human rights failures in the Middle East, warning of unfolding genocide in Gaza, and calling for a new approach to Palestine and Israel based on international law, human rights, and equality.Anyone who pays attention knows that Iran wasn't attacked because it has nuclear weapons. It was attacked because it doesn't have nuclear weapons, and was therefore viewed by Israel and the U.S. as being a state that could be overcome militarily. But what really is, I think, most telling about this is the hypocrisy of the claims, because the only party in the region that has stockpiles of nuclear weapons (which are entirely undeclared and unsupervised) is the Israeli regime, not the Iranian. And the Israeli regime was joined in attacking Iran by another nuclear power—the United States.Craig MokhiberIsrael (which has attacked the United Nations throughout its entire life and declared that the United Nations is an anti-Semitic terror organization) fights like hell to stay in the United Nations, pays its dues every year to make sure that it stays in…and renews its treaty obligations as a member of the United Nations (that, of course, it violates with impunity). So it's very funny that Israel calls the UN an anti-Semitic terror organization, yet it insists on being a member and paying its dues to fund that so-called anti-Semitic terror organization.Craig MokhiberI don't think that putting Iran in an existential crisis is the best way to tell them you don't need nuclear weapons. I think stopping attacking them, their economy, their currency, their scientists, their political leaders, their military personnel, their civilians, their girls' schools—if you want a country to believe that it doesn't need to arm itself, this is not the way to go about it.Craig MokhiberDavid Cay Johnston is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter, specialist in economics and tax issues, and a professor of practice teaching law, public policy, and journalism at Rochester Institute of Technology. He is the author of several books, including The Making of Donald Trump and It's Even Worse Than You Think: What The Trump Administration Is Doing To America. He is also the co-founder of DCReport, a nonprofit news service that reports what the President and Congress DO, not what they SAY.Convicting Donald Trump of tax fraud would be very easy. You establish these corporations [reporting major losses] don't exist. You establish that he took tax losses from these multiple corporations (in all, about 60 entries over the six years of tax returns). And there's no defense for that. It's flat-out fraud. It's blatant fraud. So Trump has gotten away with this because we don't seriously treat high-level tax fraud in this country.David Cay JohnstonNews 3/20/26* Our top story this week concerns a new study titled “Inequality, not regulation, drives America's housing affordability crisis.” As summarized in Hell Gate, this study demonstrates that the precipitous rise in rent prices are not primarily the result of insufficient housing supply or of vacancy rates. Moreover, contrary to the claims of the so-called Abundance movement, reducing regulations to spur new construction is unlikely to create significantly more housing. Even if it did, that would probably fail to bring down rents, because the real cause of the rental spike is “Steep national inequality.” So, what can be done to bring down rents? Maximilian Buchholz, the lead author of the study, puts it bluntly in this interview: “rent control, tenant protection policies like just cause eviction, and income supports for people toward the bottom.” Simply put, the best policies to lower rents are policies that lower rents. This has been demonstrated time and time again in different policy areas, yet on the whole, Democrats still seem to prefer byzantine policy formulae instead of straightforward policy solutions to the glaring issues facing the American people. * Speaking of rising costs, Washingtonian magazine is out with a new story on the Washington Post hiking prices for subscribers. Yet apparently not all subscribers are created equal. According to this story, these increases are accompanied by a simple yet insidious message: “This price was set by an algorithm using your personal data.” This is the latest deployment of what has become known as algorithmic – or “surveillance” – pricing. This piece notes other examples of surveillance pricing, ranging from the Princeton Review charging more for the same SAT tutoring package in areas with higher Asian populations (they called it the “tiger mom tax”) to Amazon charging local school districts vastly different prices for the same supplies. However, this new policy from the Post is especially brazen given the straits the paper has recently found itself in, declining by a million subscribers between 2021 and 2026 and hemorrhaging key reporters to a new rival paper sponsored by Robert Albritton, including Dana Milbank, Jeff Stein, Paul Kane and Paige Cunningham, among others, per the Hill.* In more media news, Variety reports that ratings for CBS Evening News are cratering, falling back to where executives at the news division behind the show “hoped never to return.” The nightly news program, anchored by Tony Dokoupil, has fallen below 4 million viewers; when the previous iteration of the program anchored by Maurice DuBois and John Dickerson fell to this nadir, Paramount Skydance pulled the plug. While this is perhaps just a symptom of the collapse of cable news, Variety notes that ABC's “World News Tonight,” averaged nearly 8 and a half million viewers and “NBC Nightly News” scored just over 6 and half million. Dokoupil did score a slight uptick in viewership when he took over the Evening News, but that seems to have been nothing more than a flash in the pan. This pathetic showing seems to confirm what seemed obvious all along: there is simply little audience for the editorial viewpoint espoused by CBS's new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss.* The bad news for Bari doesn't end there, either. According to the Wrap, the new chief is locked in contentious negotiations with the unionized staff of CBS, specifically the 60-person unit behind the network's streaming service, “CBS News 24/7.” These workers staged a 24 hour walkout earlier this week. Their grievances include everything from new grueling 12-hour weekend shifts – despite no weekend-specific live programming – as well as CBS News' reported plans to lay off 15% of staff. CBS News already laid off roughly 100 people in October after Paramount merged with Skydance and many believe more layoffs will come if the merger with CNN, which is not unionized, goes through as part of the Paramount Warner Bros. deal.* In other news, a recent study reveals a fascinating disconnect between the self-description of Democrats and their policy preferences. The study, conducted on behalf of the New Republic by Embold Research, gave respondents five choices to describe their ideology: conservative, moderate, moderate-to-liberal, liberal, and progressive. Only 12% identified as moderate, but another 21% called themselves moderate-to-liberal. Yet, among this combined group, approximately 70% said Democrats are “too timid” on taxing the rich and corporations, and cracking down on corporate criminals. Fewer than 5% of moderates said Democrats are “too aggressive” on these issues. In a word, even the moderates among the Democratic base think the party should take a more strident economic populist line. This tracks with polling conducted during the Texas Democratic Senate primary which found that 47% of voters who identified as socialists also identified as moderates.* Our next several stories this week have to do with the intersection of foreign policy and energy. The AP reports that on Tuesday, Cuba reconnected its energy grid following a 29-hour long nationwide blackout. This story notes that this reconnection will only provide scant and temporary relief, because not enough power is being generated. The energy crisis in Cuba has gotten progressively worse since the beginning of the year, as the new government in Venezuela and the newly reinforced sanctions regime have both served to cut off the island from energy imports. That said, cracks in this blockade are beginning to form. Bloomberg reports that a “tanker carrying more than 700,000 barrels of Russian crude is expected to arrive in Cuba by the end of the month,” and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced that her administration is “looking into different possibilities” to resume fuel shipments to Cuba as well. Sheinbaum stressed that Mexico is “sovereign” and able to “have trade agreements with any country in the world,” per the Latin Times. The U.S. government has already eased sanctions on Russian oil sales to India, but has now announced that they will not allow the Russians to send oil to Cuba, per Bloomberg. As the ship is already on its way, it is an open question of how far the U.S. will go to prevent Russia from sending lifesaving resources to the country that has held out against American pressure for so long.* Next, a stunning story in the Wall Street Journal documents how the Trump administration settled on their final course of action in Venezuela. According to this piece, the Central Intelligence Agency consulted former Chevron executive Ali Moshiri, described as the oil company's man in “Man in Venezuela—and a CIA Informant.” Apparently, Moshiri warned that if the U.S. government tried to oust the Chavista government of Nicolás Maduro and install María Corina Machado and her exile comrades in its place, the country would turn into “another quagmire like Iraq.” Moshiri specifically warned that Machado did not have the support of the country's security services or control of its oil infrastructure. For their part, Chevron issued a statement claiming that “between spring of 2025 and the removal of Maduro, Chevron did not authorize anyone working for, or on behalf of, the company to engage with the CIA related to Venezuela's leadership, including assessments of government officials or opposition leaders.” Moshiri, formally left Chevron in 2017 and ended his consulting relationship with the company in 2024. Unlike many other oil companies, Chevron maintained a presence in Venezuela over the years, positioning the company to benefit most from the new extraction political environment under the leadership of upjumped Vice President Delcy Rodríguez.* Meanwhile, a story from NOTUS highlights why this kind of outside advice is likely more heeded than ever in the halls of power: the publication reports that six months ago, the State Department under the leadership of Secretary Marco Rubio, fired its in-house oil and gas experts, including laying off staff who “would have been responsible for gaming out possible scenarios if the Strait of Hormuz was closed” and “staffers with close professional relationships at oil and gas companies in the Middle East and experts tasked with maintaining diplomatic contacts at foreign energy bureaus.” This is a final nail in the coffin for the misguided logic of Elon Musk's DOGE initiative and serves as a crystal clear example of why it is so dangerous to purge experts with significant institutional knowledge from the federal bureaucracy.* Another consequence of this lack of diplomatic expertise is the ultimate cost to the taxpayer – $200 billion in additional Pentagon funding, to be exact, per CNBC. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, defending the request in typically childish terms, said “It takes money to kill bad guys.” In similarly childish terms, President Trump, asked why the Pentagon is seeking so much money, said, “We're asking for a lot of reasons,” and while he told a reporter he would not send U.S. troops to the region, he added, “If I were, I certainly wouldn't tell you.” Beyond the flippant attitude towards the immense sums of taxpayer money they are requesting from Congress, to say nothing of the cost in American and Iranian lives, the American people would do well to remember how casually the political class treats $200 billion when it is to be spent on war instead of social programs. All this as gas prices spike, with price increases rippling out to all other consumer goods.* Finally, the BBC reports a Belgian court has ruled that a former diplomat, Etienne Davignon, can stand trial in connection with the 1961 killing of Congo's first prime minister, Patrice Lumumba. Davignon, 93, is the “only surviving member of the 10 Belgians accused in a criminal case brought by Lumumba's family in 2011.” At the time, Davignon was a diplomat in training. He would go on to become a vice-president of the European Commission. Lumumba meanwhile was ousted in a Belgian and U.S.-backed coup led by Mobutu Sese Seko, who would rule Congo (renamed Zaire) until 1997. In 1961, Lumumba was executed by a Belgian-backed Congolese firing squad and his body was dissolved in acid. Lumumba's grandson, Mehdi Lumumba, is quoted saying “We are all relieved…Belgium is finally confronting its history.” Many have remarked that while this has taken over 50 years, it sets a powerful precedent that justice can be found even after so many decades. Many of the war criminals that walk the Earth today are far younger than Mr. Davignon.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe
On 18th December 2025, the offices of two of Bangladesh's biggest newspapers, The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, were surrounded by mobs, attacked and set on fire. At The Daily Star, journalists were forced to take shelter on the roof of the building as smoke billowed through the lift shaft. They were rescued hours later by the military and many required hospital treatment. The BBC's Soutik Biswas went to Dhaka to talk to journalists caught up in the violence and to investigate the social media posts that may have driven it. Hallyu, or the Korean wave, is what South Koreans call the international success of TV shows like Squid Game and K-Pop Demon Hunters. The phenomenon has grown exponentially since the 1990s, encompassing South Korean music, TV, drama, food and cosmetics. Boy band BTS have been central to the Hallyu craze since they got together in 2010. Their decision to go on hiatus so they could complete their military service sparked debate in South Korea. Now, as they prepare for a huge return concert in Seoul, Suhnwook Lee of BBC Korean joins the online queue for tickets. 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 Irena TaranyukProduced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo:Irena Taranyuk.)
“The problem is Islam. The problem is Muhammad,” says Tommy Robinson, who came from England to warn America about how the far Left is using Muslim immigrants to shore up its own political power. After watching the unchecked rise of Islam in his hometown in England, he “picked up a camera and became a journalist,” documenting the gut-wrenching reality of Pakistani rape gangs, “chemical jihad,” and the slow death of free speech in the United Kingdom. Despite facing defamation, legal challenges, and prison time for refusing to censor his opinion about the incompatibility of Islam with the West, Tommy unflinchingly exposes the members of the Labour Party, the BBC, and the mainstream media complicit in the decline of Britain. Solitary confinement was meant to break his spirit, but his time in America and the inspiration of men like Elon Musk and Donald Trump are “healing” him. “Our hope has come from America.” Warning: Tommy Robinson is a proper British man who curses like a “football hooligan.” GLENN'S SPONSORS: Byrna: Byrna is the best alternative to deadly force. Visit https://byrna.com/GLENN for a 10% discount. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Iran's Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib has been killed in an overnight Israeli strike. It comes just a day after Israel assasinated Ali Larijani and another senior Iranian commander, and as thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran for their funerals. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described the latest killing as ''cowardly". Also: an Iranian petrochemical complex on the world's largest natural gas field is hit by Israeli airstrikes - a significant escalation against Iran's energy infastructure. Retaliatory strikes by Iran and its allied militia groups continue across the region. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky tells the BBC he has a "very bad feeling" about the impact of the Middle East conflict on the situation in Ukraine. Elsewhere, the death toll in Monday's deadly Pakistani strike on Kabul is confirmed at more than 140. Also: Disney has a new chief executive - we find out what might be in his inbox. Our correspondent in Havana reports on how Cubans are continuing to struggle amid a three-month fuel blockade by the Trump administration. And how Venezuela defeated the US to win the World Baseball Classic in a thrilling final in Miami.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
Israel has launched a series of deadly strikes in central Beirut and ordered mass evacuations in southern Lebanon, as it ramps up its air and ground offensive against the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. About a million people are estimated to have been forced from their homes in Lebanon since war resumed two weeks ago. The BBC speaks to citizens in a Lebanese border town who have refused to evacuate, as the offensive fuels fears of a prolonged occupation.Also: Iran vows to avenge the death of its security chief, Ali Larijani, who was killed in an Israeli strike. We hear from people in Iran, living in fear of both US-Israeli strikes and the Islamic regime. Senegal's AFCON victory is handed to Morocco after a review of the football team's behaviour in January's final. A US judge has ordered the Trump administration reinstate the jobs of more than a thousand employees of Voice of America and allow the government-funded outlet to resume global broadcasting. We look back at the life of Shigeaki Mori, a prominent survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. Sri Lanka introduces a four day work week amid fuel shortages. And just how lonely are sharks - researchers say bull sharks in Fiji have "best friends".The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
When Trump brags about reshaping corporate media, it is a “tell” that something has gone very wrong in his lawsuits against corporate media. Popok explains how Trump couldn't get 1 vote out of 12 on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to let him sue CNN in defamation, for calling his false claims of election fraud the "Big Lie” or calling him “Hitler-like,” as Judges around the country are on the verge of dismissing his other cases against the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, the BBC and the Des Moines Register!Check out the Popok firm at https://thepopokfirm.com Subscribe: @LegalAFMTN Visit https://meidasplus.com for more! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steve Hassan: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show The Ken Harbaugh Show: https://meidasnews.com/tag/the-ken-harbaugh-show Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“The changing date was the war in Ukraine in February 2022, and then probably the new American administration. So we don't know where the world is going to land. We live a little bit in a world of disorder right now.”Matt Chorley speaks to Alexander Stubb, President of Finland about shifting global priorities and allegiances.President Stubb is known for his good relationship with his American counterpart Donald Trump, forged in part over their shared love of golf. But in spite of this he believes it is right that Nato, as a defensive alliance, should stay out of the war in Iran. This, he says, is the US and Israel's conflict.Thank you to the BBC Newsnight team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Polish President Karol Nawrocki and the Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Matt Chorley Producers: Jonathan Aspinwall, Adam Bowen, Katherine Hodgson, Jack Hunter and Osman Iqbal Editor: Justine Lang and Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Alexander Stubb Credit: Jason Alden/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
According to the UK Health Security Agency, five new cases of meningitis have been confirmed in Kent. Two people have died in the outbreak. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has described it as an 'unprecedented' outbreak although the risk of the disease spreading is low. So what are the facts parents and young people should be aware of? Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, Deputy Director, Immunisations and Vaccine Preventable Diseases at the UK Health Security Agency, and GP Dr Ellie Cannon join Anita Rani.Today, the Football Association is launching new educational resources to tackle the barriers girls face in playing football in school. Sue Day, director of women's football at the FA tells Anita how we can get more girls onto the pitch, and how she kept playing sport as a teenager.MI5 will pay compensation and has apologised to a woman who was coercively controlled and attacked with a machete by one of its agents. The woman, who is being called Beth, made a legal claim following a BBC investigation four years ago, which showed that the man was a neo-Nazi misogynist who used his security service role as a tool of abuse. Joining Anita are Kate Ellis from the Centre for Women's Justice who represented Beth, and BBC investigations reporter Daniel de Simone.Have you ever stopped to think about how our gardens got to be filled with so many different plants and flowers? A new exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford answers exactly that question, taking visitors across the world. Anita talks to Dr Francesca Leoni, the co-curator of In Bloom - How Plants Changed Our World. Last year, MPs voted to decriminalise abortion for women in England and Wales, meaning a woman would no longer face prosecution for ending her own pregnancy. The amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill removes criminal liability for the woman herself, but medical professionals and others who assist an abortion outside the legal framework could still be held criminally liable. The Bill is still passing through Parliament, and according to research by the Guardian, women are still being arrested. We hear from Guardian reporter Hannah Al-Othman.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Kirsty Starkey
How do we create stories powerful enough, moving enough, inspiring enough - and grounded enough - to shift the trajectory of our culture onto a totally new pathway? This week's guest, Matt Golding, has spent his entire professional life exploring what makes stories go viral, gaining awards, big contracts and a deep instinct for how to help people see the best in themselves in ways that can shape new narratives. Since the early days of the internet, Matt has been breaking rules and breaking new ground. He's a strategist, writer & filmmaker using story to excite people about the possible future that's emerging all around us - that works better for the majority. He believes the stories we share shape the culture we inhabit, and with a background in viral campaigns, he's fascinated with how we can use creativity, heart and humour to shape stories people share - that unlock a more positive future. As director of impact and social change studio, Rubber Republic, he was as the forefront of a movement that used shareable content campaigns to engage mass audiences with a better future. Historically, he worked with brands like Disney, eBay, Channel 4, BBC, Fiat and Yorkshire Tea, but since 2019 he has committed only to work with organisations 100% committed to creating a future that functions for all.He's the founder of ANTIDOTE - a positive storytelling platform sharing stories of collective action by ordinary people that are changing our world for the better. Matt says that it's 'an experiment in reshaping how we find and tell collective action stories to see if we can get them more mainstream traction and appeal, and make them more invitational so we can get more people to be inspired into action.' Which is as Thrutopian as it gets. And, on top of all this, he's co-host of the recently launched - and absolutely brilliant - podcast 'Screw This, Let's Try Something Else...' sharing stories of ordinary communities creating extraordinary change. And then finally, on top of all of this, there's a postcode search tool, so you can get involved in transformative things wherever you are (in the UK - though at some point, someone will stretch it worldwide) In a crazy-making world, join us for a dose of inspiring sanity, creativity and hope. LinksAntidote https://www.antidotelive.studio/Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/screw-this-lets-try-something-else/id1863391095Postcode Search Tool (find collective action near you): https://www.antidotelive.studio/near-youLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattgolding/Substack: https://mattgolding.substack.com/Rubber Republic https://www.rubberrepublic.com/—About Accidental Gods—We offer three strands all rooted in the same soil, drawing from the same river: Accidental Gods, Dreaming Awake and the Thrutopia Writing Masterclass Our next Open Gathering offered as part of our Accidental Gods Programme is 'FINDING YOUR SOUL'S PURPOSE' which will run on Sunday 22nd March 2026 from 16:00 - 20:00 GMT - details are here. You don't have to be a member of Accidental Gods - but if you are, all Gatherings are half price.If you'd like to join us at Accidental Gods, this is the membership where we endeavour to help you to connect fully with the living web of life. If you'd like to train more deeply in the contemporary shamanic work at Dreaming Awake, you'll find us here. If you'd like to explore the recordings from our last Thrutopia Writing Masterclass, the details are hereManda and Louise both offer one-to-one Mentoring Calls. Manda is fully booked just now, but if you'd like to contact Louise, details are here.
The number of couples struggling to become pregnant due to unexplained infertility is growing at an alarming rate across the globe. Alongside this concerning rise is the growing awareness of how endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) – particularly those found in plastics and personal care products – are negatively affecting our hormonal health and overall well-being. If we removed or reduced EDCs from the environments of couples struggling to conceive – dramatically reducing their exposure – is it possible their fertility would be improved? In this episode, Nate is joined by Dr. Shanna Swan, an award-winning scientist, and Sian Sutherland, a plastics expert, to discuss Shanna's new Netflix documentary, titled The Plastic Detox, where she enacts a real-world 'plastic intervention' in the lives of six couples struggling with unexplained infertility – with the hope that they are able to get pregnant by the end of the study. Additionally, Sian shares the strategies her organization has been using to increase regulation of EDC-containing products and increase the availability of plastic-free options. Shanna and Sian also discuss how they're bringing their work together for the Plastic Free Babies campaign, which emphasizes why avoiding toxic chemical exposure during the first one-thousand days of a baby's life is so important to preventing generational effects on overall health and fertility. How might reducing our exposure to EDCs such as phthalates, bisphenols, and parabens improve markers of hormonal health and create ripple effects on our overall quality of life? What is the reasonable responsibility of our governments to test and regulate the safety of products on the market – and are our current institutions fulfilling those expectations? Finally, could addressing the toxins and pollution related to declining fertility lead us down a path of broader systemic change for the entire web of life? About Dr. Shanna Swan: Dr. Shanna H. Swan, PhD, is an award-winning scientist based at Mt. Sinai (New York, NY). Shanna has published more than 200 scientific papers and has been featured in extensive media coverage around the world. She currently serves as the Director of the Action Science Initiative, a program that conducts rapid interventions and larger, longer-term studies that look at the impacts of environmental pollutants on fertility and related markers of reproductive health. Additionally, Shanna co-authored the 2021 book, Countdown: How Our Modern World Is Threatening Sperm Counts, Altering Male and Female Reproductive Development, and Imperiling the Future of the Human Race. Most recently, Shanna was featured in the documentary, The Plastic Detox, where she helped six couples dealing with unexplained fertility reduce their exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in their environment in hopes of getting pregnant. The movie was released on Netflix on March 16th, 2026. Shanna's previous appearances include ABC News, NBC Nightly News, 60 Minutes, CBS News, PBS, BBC, PRI Radio, NPR, Andrew Huberman Lab, and The Joe Rogan Experience. About Sian Sutherland: Sian Sutherland is Co-founder of A Plastic Planet, one of the most recognized and respected organizations tackling the plastic crisis. More recently, she also co-founded PlasticFree, the first materials and systems solutions platform, empowering the 160m global creatives to design waste out at the source. Sian was awarded the Female Marketer of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, and British Inventor of the Year. In 2023 at the UN Plastics Treaty negotiations (INC2), in partnership with Plastic Soup Foundation, A Plastic Planet launched the Plastic Health Council, bringing expert scientists to the negotiating process with the irrefutable proof of plastic chemicals' impacts on human health. Most recently, in early 2024, Sian co-founded the Foundation for Visionary Science and Art with Alex Adams, working with the scientists to help fund their extraordinary research work on psychedelic therapies. Passionately pro-business and solutions focused, Sian believes the plastic crisis gives mankind a rare gateway to change both materials and systems to create a different future for next generations. Show Notes and More Watch this video episode on YouTube Want to learn the broad overview of The Great Simplification in 30 minutes? Watch our Animated Movie. --- Support The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future Join our Substack newsletter Join our Hylo channel and connect with other listeners
What is Starmer hiding about Mandelson? Jon Gaunt LIVE #JonGaunt #JonGauntTV #LIVE #KeirStarmer #PeterMandelson #PMQs #KemiBadenoch #JeffreyEpstein #UKPolitics Tonight, we ask the question Keir Starmer would not answer in the House of Commons: what is he hiding about Peter Mandelson? At Prime Minister's Questions today, Kemi Badenoch put a simple, direct question to him again and again. Not once did he give a straight answer. Not once. Instead, we got diversion, dissembling and one of the weakest performances of Starmer's premiership. Clearly, he would not say whether he had spoken to Mandelson and questioned him about his post-conviction contact with paedophile Epstein. Why not? And why is he refusing simply"Instead of answering, he tried to switch the argument on to Conservative comments about Muslims praying in Trafalgar Square — a classic dead cat tactic from a Prime Minister who plainly did not want to address Mandelson, to fess up to it? This was one of Starmer's worst performances at PMQs. His diversions and dissembling did not help him; if anything, they only strengthened the impression that he is hiding something. The Speaker's performance was disgraceful too. He should have insisted that Starmer answer the question, because the British public have every right to know what is going on and why? Join me and tell me your views. Is STARMER A LIAR? Jon Gaunt, JonGauntTV, LIVE, Keir Starmer, Peter Mandelson, PMQs, Prime Minister's Questions, Kemi Badenoch, Jeffrey Epstein, Starmer Mandelson, Starmer PMQs, Badenoch PMQs, UK politics, British politics, Westminster, House of Commons, Speaker of the House, political scandal, Labour Party, Conservative Party, Tory attack, Commons clash, live politics, breaking politics, UK news, political commentary, Mandelson row, Starmer under pressure, PMQ showdown, Jon Gaunt Live #JonGaunt #JonGauntTV #LIVE #KeirStarmer #PeterMandelson #PMQs #PrimeMinistersQuestions #KemiBadenoch #JeffreyEpstein #StarmerMandelson #StarmerPMQs #BadenochPMQs #UKPolitics #BritishPolitics #Westminster #HouseOfCommons #SpeakerOfTheHouse #PoliticalScandal #LabourParty #ConservativeParty #ToryAttack #CommonsClash #LivePolitics #BreakingPolitics #UKNews #PoliticalCommentary #MandelsonRow #StarmerUnderPressure #PMQShowdown #jongauntlive This is political blogging and hard-hitting social commentary from Triple Sony Gold Award-winning talk radio legend, Jon Gaunt — former host on BBC, Talk Radio, and Sky News. On Jon Gaunt TV, we cut through the noise and say what others won't. No political correctness. No censorship. Just real conversations that matter.
Ros Atkins and Katie Razzall with some of the week's biggest media stories:Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy talks about her plans to support local news, the £12 million funding package she's announced, and what she thinks the future holds for the BBC.CNN Senior International Correspondent Frederik Pleitgen explains how he gained access to Iran to report from the ground during the war and how he navigated restrictions, safety, and criticism of his coverage.And behind the scenes at the Oscars with the BBC's Tom Brook and The Ankler's Katey Rich. From falling TV ratings to rising production costs, the move to streaming, and what this year's ceremony reveals about the state of the film industry.Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Assistant Producer: Laura Cain
Kelly Goshorn is an old-fashioned girl at heart who loves Jesus, her family, and all things historical. A native Virginian, she developed a deep love for history, exploring battlefields and museums, which eventually led her to write inspirational historical romance. After earning degrees in social studies, education, and history, Kelly spent nearly two decades as a licensed childcare provider before returning to writing – a passion sparked by her youngest son. Her debut novel, A Love Restored, was published by Pelican Book Group in 2018, and her nonfiction piece, “Beautiful Words,” appeared in the Spoken Moments anthology. She lives in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband of 30+ years, Mike. They enjoy BBC period dramas, board games, and spoiling her Corgi, Levi. You've described yourself as, “An old-fashioned girl trapped in the 21st century. How has that shaped your passion for historical fiction? Kelly: As long as I can remember, I’ve loved history. I had a wonderful grandfather who would tell us stories about his life growing up and stories about our ancestors. The random things I'd find – my dad's World War II Navy picture or my mom's ration book from World War II – I always found them fascinating. But I suspect Little House on the Prairie probably had something to do with it. That was my favorite show growing up. If I did anything to get in trouble, all my mom had to do was threaten to take that away. Because back then, we didn't have unlimited access to shows. If you missed it when it was on, you didn't get to see it again until summer re-runs. Then when Laura called Almanzo “Manly” and I discovered historical romance, I think that just sealed the deal. KyLee: Honestly, that sounds similar to my experience. I had grandpas who were in World War II in the Korean War, and we got to hear all their stories. And I watched a lot of old black-and-white shows, lots of westerns. I love that, as adult women, God's allowed a way for us to look back on those good memories and the values we developed, and now we're creating with them. Can you share how your youngest son inspired you to start writing? Kelly: When the time came to move on from my career as a childcare provider, I wasn't sure what the next step was, but I sensed from the Holy Spirit that it was not going back to teaching. So my husband and I , and our small group, started praying about it. Now my youngest son Noah always love to write. He might be watching SpongeBob, but he had a notebook he always carried with him, and he'd be writing some kind of story. I remember watching Noah one day and thinking how I always loved writing research papers in college and grad school. I thought of myself as hopelessly un-creative, but I loved to play with the sentences, move them around, tweak them. And that day I thought, “I should give fiction a try.” So I started writing, just for myself, no secret desire to be published. And after a few nights of me sitting in front of the TV with my laptop, my husband asked what I was doing. And when I told him, he wanted to read it, so I let him. And he said, “This is good, but you should write our story.” Shortly after that, I switched to writing our story, but set in the 1870s, and it became something I couldn't wait to do each day. I started study the writing craft, and in that process of writing and learning, I realized that was the answer to my prayer. And our story became my debut, A Love Restored. Darcy: I love how you say discovering your new path was a process. You had your family and church family praying, but the Lord didn't drop you a note in your lap to “write novels now.” You were curious, and you tried it, and in that, He show you this was what He wanted you to do. Sometimes we really want the writing on the wall, but God's like, “No. You'll find out. Just trust Me on this.” I think that's cool. KyLee: I was just about to tell you, Kelly, that you should go on the Hope-Filled Romantic Podcast with Heather Tabers. She and I chat quite a bit, and she just started her podcast for Christian romance lovers who believe in both storybook love and the hope that God provides in real life. So I was double-checking her podcast name on Instagram, and I see Kelly Goshorn has already been on the Hope-Filled Romantic Podcast! Authors get to share about their books, but also their real-life love stories, if they’re comfortable doing so. Just a quick shout-out for Heather – our listeners should definitely check out Kelly’s episode on her podcast. Kelly: And secondary shout-out, I had the privilege of reading and endorsing Heather's book that just released, Their Burden to Bear. If people like the World War I era, I highly recommend it. A fantastic novel. Do you have a favorite battlefield or museum or site that you visited that inspired a story scene? Kelly: I'm really inspired by the area where I live in Northern Virginia. Loudoun County has a lot of Revolutionary War and especially Civil War history. We're in a border county in a border state – the next county over became West Virginia. In the western part of our county, we had Quakers who were pro-union, and we have people who were pro-slavery and voted for Virginia to secede from the union. If I could set all of my stories here, I would. I have two, A Love Restored and The Christmas Carving set in Loudoun County. Is there anything especially interesting you could share with us, or something God has laid on your heart that you'd like to share with your readers? Kelly: I like to write about flawed characters that overcome their obstacles with faith and fortitude. Recurring themes in my books are about self-acceptance, and forgiveness, and second chances. The world can be so unforgiving, and we can be so hard on ourselves. I like to write those kind of stories where you kind of dig inside yourself and your faith, and you come out on the other side. And hopefully readers also find a swoon-worthy romance 'cause I'm a romance girl. Darcy: I love that. I was actually reading in Luke this morning, the stories of the prodigal son and the scriptures around there where the Pharisees condemn Jesus for hanging out with sinful and unrighteous people. And I was thinking how we know the story of the lost sheep where Jesus said, “I leave the ninety-nine, and go after the lost one.” Yet, even as we're trying to follow Jesus, we build this sense of self-righteousness. And then we start comparing: “I'm not as holy as that person. I'm not as far along as this person.” So I love that you write about flawed characters who learn to accept that. Because God uses flawed people. He says that over and over in His Word. Book Two in the Enduring Hope series, six stand-alone novels by six different authors, examining manmade catastrophes and how the characters overcome. When life seems weighed down by challenges, there are always pillars of enduring hope and love to be found. Henrietta “Etta” Maxwell, heiress to the Maxwell fortune, is a hard-hitting investigative reporter for The Enterprise Daily. The catch? Etta must pen her columns under the nom de plume, Henry Mason—a fact that routinely puts a knot in her knickerbockers. Leo Eriksson is a second-generation firefighter with a passion for rendering aid to those in need. When Leo discovers that Henry Mason is really Henrietta Maxwell, the fire department's wealthy benefactress, he agrees to keep her identity secret. After a sudden blast rocks the Grover Shoe Factory, Leo and Etta team up to determine if the explosion is related to a series of suspicious fires in the area. When an unnamed source reveals Etta's secret identity to a rival reporter, she falsely accuses Leo of being the informant. As the truth comes to light, Etta must persuade Leo to give her a second chance or lose the only man she's ever loved. What inspired your heroine, Etta Maxwell – a wealthy heiress living a double life as an undercover reporter? Kelly: I am not a plotter. I never know how the story will go; the Lord kind of brings it all together for me. But one thing I did know is I didn't want my characters to be employees of the factory because I thought that might take the reader too close to the grittiness of the disaster. I knew I wanted to make Leo a fireman, and I needed to keep Etta active in the story, so I decided on making her a reporter. Now there were some female investigative reporters, like Ida Tarbell or Nellie Bly, but most female journalists were relegated to domestic or social columns. So I decided Etta would have to masquerade as a man to pull it off. She also writes for The Gilded Gown, a social magazine in Boston. And her parents let her move back to Brockton and work with their charitable foundation, unaware she is secretly the top-notch reporter Henry Mason. How did you go about researching this real-life disaster, this shoe factory explosion? Kelly: I started with a list on Wikipedia of manmade disasters in America, and I'm not exactly sure why I clicked on the Grover Shoe factory. I can only say it was the Holy Spirit. And I immediately saw two images: one of this giant factory, four floors that covered three-quarters of a city block, and an after-picture in which literally nothing is left but the smokestack. And I instantly thought, “Nobody could have survived this. What happened?” I found myself reading more out of my own curiosity. And I just felt like I needed to tell these people's stories. I found a document called, The History of the Brockton Relief Fund, which was compiled a couple years after the disaster. And that became my bible, so to speak because it was written so close to the time. Sometimes even newspapers from the time contradicted one another, so this document became my ultimate primary source. I also found a lot of great information on the Brockton Fire Department through a document online. They have a fire museum there. And I found YouTube documentaries on early 20th-century firefighting and fire investigation techniques. Many of their techniques have now been proven to not be the best way to get to the bottom of an arson, but it's what they used then. Oh, and I found great information on the fire dogs and how they were used, why they were Dalmations. It was fun to incorporate so many details into the book. How do you balance the historical material with the romance? Kelly: It was kind of tricky to build a romance in the midst of such a disaster. It was the beginning of the workday when the fire started, so the building was full – nearly 400 people. And between the broken gas lines and floors treated with linseed oil, they had to call off the rescue within twelve minutes. Fifty-eight people perished. You almost expect it to be the reverse, that only 58 people survived, because it was just a perfect storm of things contributing to the fire. So trying to figure out how to put a romance in that, when you don't want to lighten the gravity of the situation, was tricky. It was another reason to keep my characters outside the factory, and not related to the factory owner or anyone bearing such a heavy weight that they can't think of romance. I started the story with fictitious arsonists she's investigating, and they team up for that. So when the disaster occurred, she already had sources inside the fire department and she's following leads, which enabled them to have that close proximity needed for a romance. Darcy: In some ways, the fact that their romance grows out of something so deep and tragic lets us know that these people are not involved in some light infatuation. They can't hide behind the typical early-romance stage, but have to get to know each other for real. What's next for your writing? Kelly: I don't have any contracts at the moment, but last week I turned in a proposal for a novella collection, along with Carolyn Miller, Angela Couch and Jacinta Meredith. If it's picked up, it will be four marriages of convenience at Christmas. (You might be able to tell that marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes. I will always pick that up to read – it fascinates me.) And this weekend, I'm working on a proposal for a book about a mail-order groom that's got some serious You've Got Mail vibes. Where can listeners connect with you? Kelly: I would love to have readers visit my website and sign up for my newsletter. I publish monthly, and I include updates on my writing, but I also cover a new historical romance release each month. I do giveaways. And I like to talk about historical tidbits that history-nerd girls like us enjoy. If you're on Facebook and Instagram, you can find me there, probably talking way too much about my Corgis. I love my Corgi dogs. Levi, who we mentioned at the beginning, has sadly crossed the rainbow bridge. So now we have another Corgi puppy named Biscuit. I also have pages on my website dedicated to extras and historical details for the book. Things that don't always make it into the story, which I hope readers will enjoy. Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor by Roseanna M. White THE BOOK As the beloved stepdaughter of the Earl of Castleton, Lady Mariah Lyons cherishes her home at Plumford Manor, but her idyllic world will be threatened when the estate passes to Cyril Lightbourne, a childhood friend she hasn't seen or heard from in years. Once, Mariah dreamed their friendship would kindle into something more, but that was before she heard Cyril was courting the cruelhearted Lady Pearl. Now Mariah is willing to welcome him as a friend and pray he will be the heir her stepfather needs, but she'll keep her heart locked safely away from anyone with such poor taste. Cyril Lightbourne has long avoided returning to Plumford Manor, yet he reluctantly arrives in time for Christmas. When his friendship with Lady Mariah reignites, he finds himself caught between his affection for her and her family's misunderstanding of his attachment to Lady Pearl. Then, more trouble arrives in the form of a Danish lord on a mission to win Mariah's hand by Christmas. Will the magic of the holiday season help lead to the discovery of true love, or will duty to country leave all longing for what could have been? Bookworm Review “Oh my giddy gumdrops, this confection of a tale is a sheer delight from beginning to end! Winsome and whimsical, “Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor” by Roseanna M. White captures all the splendor of the holiday season, from the effervescent joy of childhood to the awe-inspiring wonder of Christ’s birth. Nods to The Nutcracker will evoke smiles from fans of the classic story as they explore the luxury of an Edwardian Manor and the enchantment of a winter wood, glittering with snow. If you fancy a Nutcracker suite romance, spend your Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor!” Read more about Roseanna at her website. (www.RoseannaMWhite.com) (www.jaimewrightbooks.com)~ Angela Bell, author of A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure Thank you, fellow bookworm, for joining us once again! We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Kelly and are excited to check out her book! If you enjoyed this episode, we hope you'll subscribe for more on your favorite listening platform, and join our newsletter (see the sidebar). Don't forget to share it with a fellow historical fiction reader! Until next time, may you find hope even in challenges! –KyLee & Darcy
Israel has ordered Lebanese civilians as far as 25 miles from the border to leave their homes. The UK, German, French and Italian governments have warned of "devastating humanitarian consequences" if Israel does not halt its ground operation. We report from southern Lebanon and hear from an Israeli government spokesperson.Also on the programme: the government says the adoption system needs to change after a BBC investigation finds parents were left without support and even faced false accusations by adoptive children.And a decision that's rocked African football, people in Senegal react to their team being stripped of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Under international law, when can a country declare war on another?Was it legal for Israel and the United States to have carried out "pre-emptive" airstrikes across most of Iran's provinces, which started the war? The USA says the attacks were justfied, because of an imminent threat from Iran's nuclear programme, and Israel claims it acted in self-defence. The Israeli President went further - telling the BBC that focusing on the legality of the war instead of regional security is "mind-boggling" to him. And what of Iran's response? Was it reasonable under international law? In the last few weeks, practically all its Gulf-state neighbours have been targeted, as well as its drones or missiles landing in Syria, Cyprus, Turkey and Azerbajan. So does the Iranian retalliation justify the American and Israeli attacks under international law? And if any country breaks international laws - are there any real consequences? Presenter: Dr Joelle Grogan Producers: Ravi Naik and Charlotte Rowles Editor: Tom BigwoodContributors: Susan Breau, Professor of International law at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London Christian Henderson, Professor of International Law, University of Sussex Éamon Chawke, intellectual property, data protection and commercial law solicitor, Briffa Legal
Today, President Zelensky has been in London to agree a new defence partnership with the UK, with Downing Street hoping to unite “Ukrainian expertise and the UK's industrial base" to manufacture drones. But while Starmer and Zelensky were meeting one side of the Atlantic, President Trump was changing his mind on whether he needs Nato support in the Strait of Hormuz again.During a meeting with the Irish Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, President Trump hit out at Starmer again. Adam and Chris discuss Zelensky's visit and President Trump's change of heart.Plus, economics editor Faisal Islam joins Adam, fresh from looking at quantum computers with Rachel Reeves, to discuss the Chancellor's annual Mais Lecture which covered AI, closer ties with Europe, and possible plans to devolve tax revenue spending.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Anna Harris with Shiler Mahmoudi and Harry Craig. The social producers were Jem Westgate and Joe Wilkinson. The technical producer was James Piper. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
Joe Kent, the head of the US National Counterterrorism Centre and a long-time Trump supporter, has announced his resignation from the role. He said he could not in good conscience back the administration's war. The BBC's US State Department correspondent gives us more details on this development. Also on the programme: At least 100 people are dead after a Pakistani airstrike hit an Afghan hospital; how Fijian bull sharks appear to have preferred swimming companions while avoiding others; and a man living close to the Ukrainian front line tells us what daily life is like as the war with Russia continues. (Photo: Joe Kent speaking into a microphone. Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Cities are getting bigger - and louder. As urban noise increases, we look at how sound itself can be used to make things feel quieter. Myra Anubi visits an audio lab in London to experience immersive soundscapes for herself and then hears how a park in Montreal, Canada uses sounds from the ocean to sooth urban stress. And we hear about campaigners' hopes for making a difference in one of the noisiest countries of them all, India.People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every Tuesday. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer: Natasha Fernandes India reporter: Chhavi Sachdev Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Annie Gardiner(Image: traffic jam in Delhi, Getty Images)
The confidence of one of the great confidence players takes a battering this week. What starts off as some light-hearted fun around the London Marathon (after Johnny JR reveals some exciting news), turns into a head-in-hands moment that curses Elis for the entirety of today's show.How does his misstep affect his Cymru Connecting performance? Will the unassailable points gap in Made Up Games get even more unassailable? It's all to play for.Elsewhere, John's imagined a world that almost leaves him in tears, and there's a TV-worthy MUG that's more tense than this show's compliance meeting with BBC bosses after hearing John's supermarket docu-drama last week…You can contribute to the Elis and John canon by emailing elisandjohn@bbc.co.uk.
DR1In our 'Asshole is selfish' headline of the week. Billionaire Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick admits strategically moving to Texas before California wealth tax***************Kalanick was caught on camera in a heated argument with an Uber driver, who complained about falling fares and the company's treatment of drivers: "Some people don't like to take responsibility for their own sh*t"In our 'Top snarky podcast hosts plead with airline companies to stop the share buyback bullshit and pay airport workers. ‘Once again, air travel CEOs are bullshit artists'' headline of the week. Top airline CEOs plead with Congress to restore DHS funding and pay airport workers. ‘Once again, air travel is the political football'***************Between June 1, 2025, and March 16, 2026:Southwest repurchased $2.6B in 2005; $400M in 2026United $1.5B5 NEOs: $91 million in 2025Scott Kirby $34M; $97M in shares Delta focused on $4.8B debt reductionFrontline Transportation Security Officers (TSOs, Airport Screeners): 50,000$328M per monthIn our 'Pervy owner does pervy stuff and everybody is fake shocked.' headline of the week. It Was Going to Be Magic City Night at the Atlanta Hawks. Then the Outrage Poured In.***************Tony Ressler founded the private equity firm Apollo Global Management with Leon Black.An independent review revealed that Leon Black paid Jeffrey Epstein $158M for financial and tax-planning services between 2012 and 2017. These payments occurred after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting an underage girl.Ressler is the brother-in-law of Leon Black (Black is married to Ressler's sister, Debra) In our 'College dropout techbro ignores actual experts, part 17 million ' headline of the week. OpenAI's own mental health experts unanimously opposed “naughty” ChatGPT launch*************** The probably might be too many women and not enough Stanford? The council consists of the following eight independent experts:David Bickham, Ph.D. – Research Director at the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children's Hospital and Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical SchoolMathilde Cerioli, Ph.D. – Chief Scientific Officer at everyone.AI and researcher in cognitive neuroscience and psychologyMunmun De Choudhury, Ph.D. – Professor of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech, specializing in how technology shapes mental healthTracy Dennis-Tiwary, Ph.D. – Professor of Psychology at Hunter College and co-founder/CSO of Arcade TherapeuticsSara Johansen, M.D. – Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford University and founder of Stanford's Digital Mental Health ClinicDavid Mohr, Ph.D. – Professor at Northwestern University and Director of the Center for Behavioral Intervention TechnologiesAndrew K. Przybylski, Ph.D. – Professor of Human Behavior and Technology at the University of OxfordRobert K. Ross, M.D. – Former President and CEO of The California Endowment and a national leader in public health.In addition to the council's pushback, Ryan Beiermeister, OpenAI's head of product policy, was reportedly fired in January 2026 after being an outspoken internal critic of the erotica rollout. OpenAI has denied her dismissal was related to her opposition, citing separate workplace allegations that Beiermeister has called "absolutely false."In our 'Petulant manchild with no regulatory or societal guardrails screws up again and bails himself out with shareholder money from a different company' headline of the week. Elon Musk admits xAI ‘wasn't built right' as only 2 co-founders remain and its biggest AI bet stalls out***************The people leaving xAI right now aren't "legacy" employees—they are the hand-picked superstars Musk himself recruited in 2023 to build his AI dream.Out of the 12 original co-founders, 10 are gone. This isn't just "trimming the fat"; it's the original architects of the company walking out the door.In early 2026, Tesla (a public company) invested $2B into xAI.Tesla shareholders are furious, arguing that Musk used their money to fund a "broken" startup, then tucked it away inside his private SpaceX empire where there is less public oversight.Total Headcount Before Buyout: Approximately 7,500 to 8,000 employees.In his first week, Musk fired roughly 50% of the staff (about 3,700 people) overnight.Shortly after, he issued his famous "extremely hardcore" memo. When hundreds of employees refused to sign it and resigned instead, the headcount plummeted further.By April 2023, Musk confirmed in a BBC interview that the workforce had been slashed by 80%, leaving only about 1,500 employees. MM1In our 'The world's most stable billionaire announces a billionaire to all other billionaires ratio of 693:1' headline of the week. Elon Musk Is Now Worth More Than Bottom 693 Billionaires CombinedIn our 'In news celebrated worldwide, older women announce a "please save us from tech bros" to asshole ratio of 64:1 Elon Musk' headline of the week. Older women set to inherit most of $54 trillion in ‘great wealth transfer' to widowed spousesIn our 'Asshole wants you to know he is still here' headline of the week. ‘I never left': Travis Kalanick launches new robotics company Atoms with manifesto"At Atoms we make gainfully employed robots — specialized robots with productive jobs that bring abundance to their owners and society at large,"In our 'Company founder announces major "stealth mode" company perk is stealthy sexual harassment' headline of the week. Travis Kalanick sees benefits of being in stealth mode for 8 years. ‘You build a culture of people that want to build and do not need to be famous'In our 'Christmas, St. Patrick, Mel Gibson, and Casper the Friendly Ghost have reportedly filed complaints with the EEOC' headline of the week. Nike and Coca-Cola cases point to the next DEI fight: who gets to claim discriminationDR2In our 'Sheryl Sandberg says "If I could have worked at Facebook things would have turned out differently."' headline of the week. Sheryl Sandberg says Silicon Valley's hypermasculine rhetoric is ‘terrible'—contributing to ‘one of the worst' corporate climates she's ever seen*************** In our 'Explosive Messages Show Live Nation Thinks Customers Are ‘Stupid'; board member Richard Grenell Demands Credit for Same Observation' headline of the week. Live Nation Directors Mocked Customers in Explosive Just-Released Messages, Saying They're “Stupid” for Allowing Themselves to Be Gouged***************"Yes, I cut the DEI bullshit." — In a leaked 2025 email Grenell justified dismantling diversity programs by labeling them "woke" initiatives that "haven't made money."appointed to the Live Nation board on May 19, 2025, but was not up for the vote at the AGM on June 12, 2025In our 'Gun manufacturers say, "Oh no, it's not the gun that kills people, it's the pesky bullets."' headline of the week. She spent 16 hours on Instagram in a day. It's up to a jury to decide if Meta is to blame*************** In our 'She responded to "O" with "K," she said "J' to "D," and she responded to "F" with a simple "U"' headline of the week. Mary Barra still responds to ‘every single letter' she gets by hand despite running $65 billion automaker General Motors***************She did not say "V" to "E"In our 'OpenAI Chairman Admits It's Painful Watching AI Replace His Coding, Less So Watching It Accelerate the Collapse of Global Democracy' headline of the week. OpenAI Chairman says it's 'hard, emotionally' to let AI write his code: 'I have a hard time not caring'*************** MM2In our 'Proposals include a reduction in the CEO pay ratio from 1800:1 to 1799:1, for my boss to stop calling me Carl when my name is Todd, having a job, and not to have to take out my nose ring I got in 1998' headline of the week. Starbucks union sent the company a proposed contract. Here's what baristas wantProtections for union baristas against discrimination, unjust firings and temporary or permanent store closures.Starting wage floor of $17 per hour, down from its prior proposal of $20 an hour but still above the company's current starting wage of $15.25 to $16 an hour in 43 states.Annual raises of 4%.A process for baristas, management and union representatives to resolve workforce grievances.A dress code endorsed by the union.Requirement for at least three workers on the floor at all times and enforceable staffing and safety protections.A mandate to offer open hours to existing employees before hiring new baristas.Resolution of hundreds of outstanding unfair labor practice charges.In our 'But Sam Altman is SORRY' headline of the week. Professors Say AI Is Destroying Their Students' Ability to ThinkIn our 'Don't be fooled, I'm actually a MAN' headline of the week. CoStar Group Appoints Nana Banerjee to Its Board of DirectorsI pulled every Trade Wire story with a director appointment - 69 in the last week, all press released, some private some public - and here's the count: 60 men added to boards, 9 women added, 1 woman leftIn our 'Building on Warren Buffet's innovative "Giving Pledge", billionaire creates the rival "Taking Pledge"' headline of the week. Peter Thiel is actively convincing billionaires to abandon The Giving Pledge — and it's workingIn our 'When asked for comment, ISS asked if Nelson Peltz was involved.' headline of the week. The Coca-Cola Company Announces Maria Elena Lagomasino Will Conclude Her Service on the Board of Directors
Anthony Klotz is a professor of organizational behavior at the UCL School of Management in London. He is best known for predicting a global pandemic-related labor shift and dubbing it the Great Resignation. Anthony's new best-selling book, Jolted: Why We Quit, When to Stay, and Why It Matters, explores the pivotal moments, or "jolts," that trigger career changes, arguing that most people are just one event away from quitting their job. An award-winning teacher and a leading scholar on the psychology of work, Anthony has written for Harvard Business Review and The Wall Street Journal, and his research is regularly published in the leading academic journals in management. He has discussed the current and future state of work with media outlets, including NBC News, Bloomberg Businessweek, CNN, CNBC, Today, The New York Times, Financial Times, BBC, and NPR, and with executive teams at numerous Fortune 100 firms. Connect with Professor Anthony Klotz: LinkedIn: Anthony Klotz; UCL School of Management; London, England anthony.klotz@gmail.com
Are Starmer's immigration and energy policies killing Britain? #Starmer #KeirStarmer #Trump #DonaldTrump #UKPolitics #Immigration #EnergyCrisis #NorthSeaOil #JonGaunt #JonGauntTV Donald Trump has launched a blistering attack on Keir Starmer from the White House — and it's explosive. Trump warns that Britain (and even Europe) could be finished if Starmer continues with his current immigration and energy policies. He simply cannot understand why the UK is refusing to drill for oil in the North Sea while Norway pushes ahead and cashes in. But it doesn't stop there… Trump also takes aim at the BBC, slams what he calls Britain's immigration failures, and even invokes Winston Churchill — using the iconic bust in the White House to hammer home his point about leadership. So here's the big question: Is Trump actually more in touch with the British public than Starmer? Jon Gaunt gives his no-nonsense take — and it's not for the faint-hearted.
In this week's episode, Lesley and Fraser navigate a blustery start to the week. Lesley recounts her experience at the Irish Consul's celebration in Edinburgh, noting Ireland's cultural confidence.The discussion turns to the "heating oil headache" facing off-grid Scots, with the UK government's £35 support package being branded as woefully inadequate. We look to our Northern neighbours for solutions, analysing how district heating and hydro energy allow countries like Finland to maintain energy security while the UK remains tethered to volatile fossil fuel markets.The mood shifts as we examine the continuing escalation in the Middle East. We discuss Donald Trump's "wasp's nest" approach to Iran, the tragic bombing of a girls' school in Minab linked to outdated AI data, and the growing criticism of the BBC's "sanitised" coverage of the conflict.We discuss the count down to the election and the SNP's campaign conference at the weekend with some headline grabbing announcments. Plus the news that ‘Your Party' like the Alba Party, won't be contesting the Holyrood elections. Plus, we look at the potential for political upheaval in Hungary, the latest goings on surrounding Peter Mandelson's departure, and Lesley's whirlwind tour of Scotland with her Finland film screenings.In this episode:St Patrick's Day Confidence: What Scotland can learn from the Irish approach to history and culture.The Heating Oil Crisis: Why £35 is a "hotchpotch" response to doubling energy bills for rural households.District Heating – Why Wait?: Analysing the Scandinavian model, where wasting industrial heat is against the law.Iran & The AI Failure: The devastating consequences of old data and the "distancing" language of modern warfare.BBC Under Fire: Ben Depeer's critique of "if it bleeds, it leads" and the challenges of reporting from a bunker.The Mandelson Payoff: The "brazenness" of a £547,000 request following a reputational meltdown.LinksSupport the podcast with a monthly or annual subscriptionhttps://lesleyriddoch.com/podcast/subscribeFinland Film Screenings & EventsCheck the latest dates for Lesley's screenings across Scotland.https://lesleyriddoch.com/eventsMetagama: An Atlantic Odyssey https://www.facebook.com/p/Metagama-An-Atlantic-Odyssey-61557037868810/17 March: Birks Cinema, Aberfeldy18 March: Universal Hall, Findhorn19 March: Community Hall, Kincraig20 March: Macphail Centre, Ullapool21 March: Stratherrick Public Hall, Gorthleck22 March: Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Isle of Skye24 March: Cultarlann Inbhir Nis, Inverness25 March: Appin Village Hall, Argyll26 March: The Tolbooth, StirlingTickets for village halls:https://tickets-scotland.com/events.html...Tickets for Macphail Centre:https://tickets.highlifehighland.com/.../highlife.../2031529Tickets for all other venues:From venue box office & websites 'This acclaimed 5* live stage show tells the story of 1920s mass emigration from the Hebrides, featuring some of Scotland's top folk musicians and singers. The show has played to capacity audiences across the Highlands and Islands, Celtic Connections and HebCeltc Festival, with the current 2026 Scottish tour supported by Creative Scotland.''''The quality of the music is astonishing. A MUST LISEN! *****'' Folk London magazine''A story full of imense contemporary resonances. ****'' Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman''Top drawer music.'' Gary West, piper and piping podcast presenter''A night of exquisite music and storytelling. *****'' Inverness CourierAn ensemble of acclaimed musicians and singers will carry you aboard the Metagama, a journey that will take you to the lakes and plains of Canada, to 1920s Detroit and Prohibition, through the ebb and flow of fortunes on both sides of the Atlantic.Join award-winning writer Donald S Murray, musician Liza Mulholland, actor and 7:84 Theatre founding player Dolina MacLennan, noted Gaelic singer John Joe Macneil, fiddler Charlie Mackerron of Capercaillie, singer-songwriter Willie Campbell, young up-and-coming cellist Juliette Lemoine, and visual artist Doug Robertson, in marking this historic event with an evening of music, song and story.This five-star show toured to great acclaim and capacity audiences in the Highlands & Islands in 2023 and followed this with a sell-out concert at Celtic Connections 2024. This current tour in March 2026 has secured support from Creative Scotland, ★ Support this podcast ★
Simon and Rachel speak with Doug Naylor, who co-created the hit 1990s science-fiction comedy "Red Dwarf". After abandoning his university studies in psychology in Manchester, Doug spent the better part of a year visiting Manchester Central Library, reading film and TV scripts and teaching himself the mechanics of comedy writing; unbeknownst to his parents, who thought he was still pursuing his degree. After breaking into radio comedy, he became the head writer and script editor on the 1980s satirical puppet show "Spitting Image". He co-wrote the novelty hit "The Chicken Song", which topped the British charts for three weeks in 1986, and he has also published several novels. We spoke to Doug about breaking into the world of comedy, creating "Red Dwarf" and his new children's novel, "Sin Bin Island". In addition to the standard audio format, the podcast is now available in video. You can check us out on YouTube under Always Take Notes. Join us on April 21st as we interview Michael Morpurgo at the Lantern Theatre in Bristol. You can get your tickets here. We've made another update for those who support the podcast on the crowdfunding site Patreon. We've added 40 pages of new material to the package of successful article pitches that goes to anyone who supports the show with $5 per month or more, including new pitches to the New York Times, the Washington Post and the BBC. The whole compendium now runs to a whopping 160 pages. For Patreons who contribute $10/month we're now also releasing bonus mini-episodes. Thanks to our sponsor, Scrivener, the first ten new signs-ups at $10/month will receive a lifelong license to Scrivener worth £55/$59.99 (seven are left). This specialist word-processing software helps you organise long writing projects such as novels, academic papers and even scripts. Other Patreon rewards include signed copies of the podcast book and the opportunity to take part in a monthly call with Simon and Rachel.A new edition of “Always Take Notes: Advice From Some Of The World's Greatest Writers” - a book drawing on our podcast interviews - is available now. The updated version now includes insights from over 100 past guests on the podcast, with new contributions from Harlan Coben, Victoria Hislop, Lee Child, Megan Nolan, Jhumpa Lahiri, Philippa Gregory, Jo Nesbø, Paul Theroux, Hisham Matar and Bettany Hughes. You can order it via Amazon or Waterstones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Starmer announces 53m support to help with heating oil costs Wary allies show theres no quick fix to Trumps Iran crisis Car park firm NCP collapses with nearly 700 jobs at risk Nightjars make remarkable comeback to South Downs National Park What are the symptoms of meningitis and is there a vaccine Abortion Schoolgirl traumatised after being wrongly sent to England for termination BBC urges court to dismiss Trump Panorama lawsuit Roads closed and screens put up around RAF Fairford Family beyond devastated by meningitis death in Kent outbreak Key Oscars moments as snubbed Timoth e Chalamet becomes butt of jokes
In Touch reflects in the Milano Cortina Winter Paralympic Games. Although the GB team did not return home flush with medals, ParalympicsGB are taking these games as a win in terms of some stand-out performances and future stars. In Touch digs into the visually impaired team's overall performance, how the sighted guiding works when plummeting down a mountain at speeds of 100mph and above and the experiences of the debutant athletes. Guests include six-time medal winning alpine skier Menna Fitzpatrick, debutants Hester Poole and Fred Warburton, ParalympicsGB Chef de Mission Phil Smith and BBC commentator and reporter Ed Harry. Clips featured within the programme are courtesy of Channel 4.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Helen Surtees Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word ‘radio' in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside of a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
Esta semana arranca la primavera y, con ella, la temporada fuerte de la BBC: bodas, bautizos y comuniones. Por eso, le hemos pedido a Carmen Mañana, jefa de Contenido Editorial de Glamour España, que nos dé los trucos para lucir como el invitado o la invitada perfecta en cualquier evento. Antón Meana ha relacionado el verbo "lucir" con la ropa deportiva y nos ha hablado de los maillots en el ciclismo y de la moda de vestir con camisetas retro de fútbol. El 'Gatopardo' ha sido el productor Agustín Almodóvar.
(0:00) Wstęp(0:49) Unia Europejska nie zamierza brać udziału w misji zabezpieczenia Cieśniny Ormuz. Donald Trump grozi konsekwencjami sojusznikom z NATO(3:53) Wymiana handlowa pomiędzy Unią Europejską i Stanami Zjednoczonymi osiągnęła rekordowy poziom mimo wprowadzenia ceł(5:13) Chiny oczekują od Ameryki korekty błędów popełnionych przy rozpoczęciu dochodzeń w sprawach handlowych(6:43) BBC złożyło wniosek o oddalenie pozwu złożonego przez Donalda Trumpa(8:08 )Google wycofuje możliwość uzyskania porad medycznych przez internautów korzystających ze sztucznej inteligencjiInformacje przygotował Maurycy Mietelski. Nadzór redakcyjny – Igor Janke. Czyta Michał Ziomek.
Legend Rob Schneider joins Adam for a wide ranging conversation. He talks about his start in comedy and the work-ethic difference between different generations of immigrants. They then break down the media bias during COVID and all of the lies that fauci told. Rob offers some insight to the new Norm Macdonald documentary and they close with Trevor Noah's insane takes on trans athletes. You're not gonna want to miss this one. IN THE NEWS: Mexican president claims she proudly declined Trump's offer to send US military to fight cartels, BBC says “deep wound” stab kits are now recommended on London buses for some strange, unstated reason, Quentin Tarantino Fires Back At Quentin Tarantino Fires Back At Rosanna Arquette For N-Word CriticismFOR MORE WITH ROB SCHNEIDER:SPECIAL: “I Really Love You”- Released on AngelTOUR: March 20th - Northfield OH -MGM Northfield ParkMarch 21st - Flint, MI - Capitol TheaterINSTAGRAM: @iamrobschneiderX: @robschneiderFACEBOOK: Rob Schneider OfficialFOR MORE WITH RUDY PAVICH:DATES: March 20 - Oakdale, MN, March 21 - Monroe, WIMarch 27th, Gambit Brewing St. Paul, MNDates with Adam in Phoenix and OklahomaWEBSITE: RudyPavichComedy.comINSTAGRAM: @ Rudy_PavichPUNCHUP LIVE: https://punchup.live/rudypavichLIVE SHOWS: March 22 - Santa Ana, CA (Live Podcast)March 27 - Norfolk, NE (2 shows)March 28 - Norfork, NE (2 shows)Thank you for supporting our sponsors:BetOnlineBollAndBranch.com/acs with code acsChime.com/ADAMoreillyauto.com/adampluto.tvSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
One Battle After Another wins best picture at the 98th Oscars, while Jessie Buckley wins best actress for her role in Hamnet, and Michael B. Jordan best actor for Sinners. Other winners include Frankenstein and Sentimental Value, while Amy Madigan takes home an Academy Award for best supporting actress and KPop Demon Hunters wins best Animated Feature Film.Also: Donald Trump widens his calls for other countries to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine tells the BBC he's left the country. Ukraine's president accuses Hungary of trying to force Kyiv to re-open a Russian pipeline transporting oil. Thousands gather in Mexico to attempt a new Guinness World Record for the largest-ever football lesson, and we look at the revival of the Dull Men's Club.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
Germany and Britain say the war against Iran has nothing to do with Nato and the alliance won't be taking part in any effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. But the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said London was working with individual allies on a plan to secure the vital waterway, which has been largely closed by Iran. President Trump has said it will be very bad for Nato if it doesn't get involved, though the alliance is only a defensive partnership. He also called on China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz - saying it gets "90% of its oil" from there and hinting he might delay his summit with the Chinese president Xi Jinping if he doesn't get what he wants. Also: Russia launched a rare daytime attack in Kyiv on Monday morning - using drones that Ukrainian officials say appear "upgraded"; Whistleblowers have told the BBC that social media giants allowed more harmful content on people's feeds, after research showed how outrage fuelled engagement. TikTok and Meta have denied the claims; BBC Talking Movies presenter Tom Brook on this year's Oscar winners and what they say about the future of the film industry; and new research reveals babies younger than one practise deceit such as pretending not to hear parents or hiding toys. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
Today, President Trump has reiterated his requests for support from Nato allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz - days after saying we don't need” UK aircraft carriers in the Middle East.For now, the PM and other European allies are holding off - with Sir Keir Starmer saying the UK doesn't want to get drawn into the wider US-Israeli war with Iran. James and Chris are joined by Panorama film maker Jane Corbin to discuss the ongoing disagreement between the two sides of the Atlantic.Plus, The Economist's defence editor Shashank Joshi joins James to explain why Trump has requested European support in the Gulf, and whether it would actually make a difference.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenters was James Cook. It was made by Anna Harris with Shiler Mahmoudi and Harry Craig. The social producer was Gabriel Purcell Davis. The technical producers were Philip Bull and Rohan Madison. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
As the Iran war goes into its third week, which countries will heed President Trump's call to help unblock the flow of global oil? We hear from a former British army officer who served as Nato's deputy supreme allied commander of Europe. Also on the programme: whistleblowers tell the BBC social media giants have allowed harmful content on feeds to entice users; and a new study finds that babies experiment with deceptive behaviour much earlier than previously thought. (Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One on a flight back to Washington on March 15, 2026. Credit: Reuters)
The BBC's Africa Eye embeds with Puntland forces in Somalia's northeastern Al-Miskaad mountains as they fight Islamic State (IS) militants. Nearly a decade after its defeat in the Middle East, IS has spread across Africa. Somalia's semi-autonomous region of Puntland has become a key hub, with the UN estimating that IS in Somalia was comprised of up to 800 fighters last year. Over half of these militants were believed to be foreign recruits.We also look at the rising number of Egyptians migrating irregularly to Europe. Victims' families said that smugglers were demanding thousands of dollars, sometimes issuing death threats, leaving loved ones living in fear. Egyptians now represent the largest African group entering the European Union (EU) and the second largest globally, after Bangladeshis. This episode explores what's behind this surge in migration.Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producer: Ayuba Iliya Technical Producer: David Njenga Kinyanjui Senior Producers: Bella Twine and Blessing Aderogba Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla
“When you've been really nihilistic in your life when you're younger, and then you feel you've been given a second chance.”Emma Barnett speaks to artist Dame Tracey Emin about her life and career. Emin rose to fame in 1990s as a disruptor of the art world, with her works, such as the sculpture ‘My Bed', gaining widespread media attention. Having been at the forefront of the modern art scene for over three decades, a solo exhibition has now opened at the Tate Modern in London showcasing 40 years of her work.She's well-known for channelling her life experiences into her artwork. Following a troubled childhood, in which she was a victim of sexual abuse, Emin battled alcohol addiction throughout her adult life. However, she gave up alcohol after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of bladder cancer in 2020 - which is now in remission.Emin views the experience as a ‘second life', and believes the lifestyle change has been for the better.Thank you to the Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, free speech campaigner Maria Ressa, and Olympic cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producers: Ben Cooper, Mark Ward and Clare Williamson Editor: Justine Lang and Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Tracey Emin posing beside her artwork during a preview of her upcoming show, Tracey Emin: A Second Life at The Tate Modern in London. Credit: ADRIAN DENNIS / AFP via Getty Images)
'It's all in the best possible taste'. But what does it mean to have good taste? And does pursuing good taste lead to favouring style over substance? Who are the thinkers who have considered a philosophy of aesthetics Matthew Sweet hosts Radio 4's late night ideas discussion programme. His guests are:Film historian and New Generation Thinker Sarah Smyth, who lectures in film and TV at the University of Essex Philosopher Dr John Callanan, who lectures on Kant at King's College London Writer and management consultant Peter York, whose books include Style War, co-author of The Official Sloane Ranger handbook Broadcaster and writer Emma Dabiri who co-presented Britain's Lost Masterpieces for BBC 4 and whose latest book is Disobedient Bodies: Reclaim Your Unruly Beauty Opera singer Le Gateau ChocolatProducer Luke Mulhall
Your brain doesn't just run on chemistry. It runs on time.Every day your body broadcasts signals through sleep timing, light exposure, body temperature, hormones, and circadian rhythms—yet most people ignore these patterns while chasing pills, supplements, and productivity hacks.In this episode of the Crackin' Backs Podcast, we sit down with Benjamin Smarr to explore a new frontier of human biology: how time-series biology and wearable data may unlock powerful, non-drug ways to improve brain health, mood, and performance.Dr. Smarr's research looks at the body not as a snapshot—but as a movie, where continuous biological signals reveal patterns that traditional medicine often misses.In this episode, we explore:Why “normal” is a misleading concept in human biologyHow circadian rhythms and sleep timing shape mental performance and moodWhat wearable devices can reveal about your hidden biological patternsWhy body temperature rhythms may be linked to depression and mental healthThe overlooked role of light timing, temperature regulation, and daily rhythmsHow “social time” vs biological time affects cognition, sleep, and productivityWhere self-tracking and wearable data help—and where they can backfireWhether the future of medicine could include “time prescriptions” instead of drugsThis conversation reframes how we think about health, performance, and mental well-being—not as something fixed, but as something that shifts with how we live in time.If you're interested in sleep science, circadian biology, wearables, mental performance, precision health, and the future of non-drug brain optimization, this episode will challenge how you think about your own body.About Dr. Benjamin SmarrBenjamin Smarr is an Associate Professor of Bioengineering and Data Science at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). He earned his PhD in Neurobiology from the University of Washington, and later served as an NIH fellow at UC Berkeley in Psychology.His research focuses on biological rhythms, neuroendocrinology, wearable health data, and HealthAI, developing technologies that improve precision medicine while reducing algorithmic bias for diverse populations.The Smarr Lab works at the intersection of women's health, aging, circadian biology, and data science, aiming to accelerate the future of personalized healthcare and population-level health insights.Dr. Smarr's work and insights have been featured in global media outlets including NPR, BBC, Forbes, and many others. He is also a strong advocate for science communication and community empowerment in discovery and health innovation.Learn more about his research and work HERE: We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies. Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast
Self Esteem, aka Rebecca Lucy Taylor, performs her new song written for David Hare's play Teeth 'n' Smiles.We bring you a roundup of the 2026 Academy Awards. Ryan Gosling discusses his new sci-fi adventure film Project Hail Mary.And a look at the BBC's new talk show format, The Claudia Winkleman Show, with Boyd Hilton, entertainment director at Heat Magazine, and Bea Ballard, executive producer on the Jonathan Ross show.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Harry Graham
Starmer Get a Backbone or Get Out of Number 10! #KeirStarmer #StarmerSpeech #UKPolitics #JonGaunt #IranConflict #UKForeignPolicy #NATO #Trump "Did we really need another speech today from Keir Starmer about a war he still refuses to properly back? No. What Britain needs right now is a Prime Minister with a backbone. What we've got instead is a man playing the hokey-cokey with war — half in, half out. First he refuses permission for US aircraft to use British bases. Then he says they can… but only if it's for 'defence'. What on earth does that even mean? Either you stand with your allies or you don't. And right now the so-called special relationship looks like it's been badly damaged. The truth is Labour is still haunted by the ghost of Tony Blair and the Iraq War. They're so scared of being accused of backing another 'illegal war' that they'd rather sit on their hands. Meanwhile tensions are rising around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important shipping lanes on the planet. British tankers go through there every day. Yet Starmer refuses to send British ships to protect them. Instead we get a lecture about subsidising fuel bills. Fuel bills? That's not leadership. That's ducking the real problem. And then this weekend he allows yet another anti-British demonstration to take place in London. Yet he has the nerve to stand there today and say he is 'always standing up for the British people'. Standing up? Don't make me laugh. Jon Gaunt says the truth is this: Starmer isn't standing up for Britain — he's bending the knee to our enemies abroad and the extremists at home. And if you can't lead this country when the pressure is on… maybe it's time to get out of Number 10." #KeirStarmer #StarmerSpeech #UKPolitics #JonGaunt #IranConflict #UKForeignPolicy #NATO #BritishPolitics #StarmerLeadership #UKNews #PoliticalCommentary #Number10 #UKGovernment Keir Starmer, Starmer speech, UK politics, Jon Gaunt, Iran conflict, UK foreign policy, NATO, British politics, Starmer leadership, UK news, political commentary, Number 10, UK government This is political blogging and hard-hitting social commentary from Triple Sony Gold Award-winning talk radio legend, Jon Gaunt — former host on BBC, Talk Radio, and Sky News. On Jon Gaunt TV, we cut through the noise and say what others won't. No political correctness. No censorship. Just real conversations that matter.
On Sunday, many of the film industry's biggest stars will gather in Los Angeles for Hollywood's biggest night: the 98th annual Academy Awards.Looming over the celebrations are some major upheavals in Hollywood: big corporate mergers, the incursion of AI, and mass layoffs. And it's against that backdrop that the Oscars are increasingly nominating films, filmmakers, and actors from elsewhere in the world.BBC film reporter and critic Tom Brook explains how the Oscars went global, and what it can tell us about the status of American soft power.The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.Producers: Xandra Ellin and Valerio EspositoExecutive producer: James ShieldMix: Travis EvansSenior news editor: China CollinsPhoto: Workers make preparations for the 98th annual Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles Credit: Reuters / Caroline Brehman
Today, President Trump has called on the UK and other allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, the world's busiest oil shipping channel.Laura, Paddy and Henry unpick what Ed Miliband said in response to pressure from the President and analyse what the current closure of the strait means for the cost of living. Meanwhile, the US president says he wants to make a deal to the end war in Iran, but 'the terms are not good enough yet'.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O'Connell It was made by Chris Gray. The social producer was Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
Nick Redfern returns to the show to talk about his latest book, Close Enounters of the Fatal Kind. First, though we spend a time talking about Bigfoot, Monsters, and the paranormal in general. Redfern is one the world's most sought-after speakers and media spokespersons on the science of animals whose existence has not been proven (until now) and the existence of animals considered to be extinct. He has appeared on more than 100 radio and TV programs, from the BBC to Fox News, MSNBC and National Geographic. Monster Files lays out the persistent rumors, tales, and legends that government agencies around the world have secretly collected, and the book reveals a wide variety of hair-raising data on bizarre beasts, amazing animals, and strange creatures. No longer the subject of just folk tales and bedtime stories, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, sea serpents, psychic pets, the chupacabras, and abominable snowmen have all been sighted, documented and hidden from the public. In his inimitable, entertaining style, Redfern ferrets out this official, ultra-classified information. Monsters, creepy creatures, and terrifying beasts really do exist––our governments know all about them––Monster Files exposes them. A regular contributor to UFO Magazine, Fate, Mysterious Universe, Nick Redfern is the author of:* The Pyramids and the Pentagon* Keep Out! Top Secret Places Governments Don't Want You to Know About* The Real Men in Black* The NASA Conspiracies* Contactees: A History of Alien-human Interaction* Memoirs of a Monster Hunter: A Five-Year Journey in Search of the Unknown* Science Fiction Secrets: from Government Files and the Paranormal* Celebrity Secrets: Official Government Files on the Rich and Famous* There's Something in the Woods A researcher, consultant and spokesperson on TV, Redfern has appeared on:* Fox News* BBC's Out of This World* SyFy Channel's Proof Positive* History Channel's Monster Quest* America's Book of Secrets* Ancient Aliens* UFO Hunters* National Geographic Channel's Paranatural* MSNBC's Countdown Check out Nick's Blog Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mercedes show their strength once again, but will we have an inter-team title fight between George Russell and Kimi Antonelli after the Italian's star show in China? Ferrari produced a battle for the ages, so is Lewis Hamilton back to his best? Plus, what is going on at McLaren? Harry Benjamin, former McLaren Formula E driver Sam Bird and the BBC's F1 correspondent Andrew Benson review the Chinese Grand Prix, asking whether the new rules have worked or whether this is now a ‘battery world championship'.
The United States and Israel have now been at war with Iran for two weeks, since 28th February. In that time, there have been over 1200 civilian deaths in Iran, including 168, most of them children, at a girls' school in Minab, central Iran. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who had ruled Iran for over forty years, was killed on the first day of the war. There have been wider casualties throughout the region. Iran has fired missiles at neighbouring countries, including Dubai, Kuwait, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Israel. For journalists at BBC Persian, reporting on the war from outside of the country has been incredibly difficult. The internet has been shut down on the 90 million people living inside Iran, making it difficult for people to get information on what is happening round them and which locations are being hit by bombing. It is also extremely difficult for Iranians outside the country to contact those inside. BBC Persian's Ghoncheh Habibiazad and Taraneh Fathalian; and BBC Monitoring's Sarbas Nazari, discuss what is known about the situation within Iran. This edition was recorded on 12th March 2026. 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 Caroline Ferguson and Laura Thomas(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)
Today, Laura catches up with Steve Rosenberg in Moscow and Frank Gardner in Saudi Arabia to get their take on the global impact the war in Iran is having beyond the Middle East. President Trump says the US military has bombed a small island off the coast of Iran which is home to one of the country's most important oil terminals. Frank Gardner, the BBC's security correspondent, explains how both the US and Iran are trying to secure their oil interests in the region. Plus Steve Rosenberg joins Laura from Moscow to talk about the US decision to loosen sanctions on Russian oil as the world deals with rising prices. But, what will this mean for Russia's own war in Ukraine?You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Laura Kuenssberg. It was made by Anna Harris with Laura Cain. The social producer was Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Ricardo McCarthy. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
US officials have said a KC-135 refuelling plane that went down in western Iraq was not the result of hostile or friendly fire. They said it had involved a second refuelling aircraft that landed safely. Six crew members were reported to be on the plane that crashed. We also hear from Lebanon where a BBC correspondent has been spending time in the south of the country which is under constant Israeli attack. In other news, a man who was shot dead by armed guards when he drove his truck into a synagogue in the US state of Michigan has been identified as a naturalised US citizen who was born in Lebanon; a satirical cartoonist has been freed from prison in Eritrea after fifteen years without charge; and the chef behind Copenhagen's Noma restaurant steps back after multiple accusations of abuse by staff.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
A proposal in Congress that would impact the abortion pill. A Senate candidate from Texas has some strange theological ideas. The good and bad side of purity culture. And should Christians be connoisseurs of today's art? Segment 1 – Proposed Mifepristone Ban; The Bible According to Talarico Hawley proposes bans on mifepristone A Kind Heretic is Still a Heretic David French article Breakpoint article on Talerico Segment 2 – Purity Culture A New Purity Culture – First Things Segment 3 – The State of Conservative Art First Things article BBC report Segment 4 - Questions and Comments
Krystal and Saagar discuss Ryan beats BBC editor in court, US lies about casualties, Trump declares victory, US flagged ship struck by Iran. Robert Pape: https://escalationtrap.substack.com/ To become a Breaking Points Premium Member and watch/listen to the show AD FREE, uncut and 1 hour early visit: www.breakingpoints.comMerch Store: https://shop.breakingpoints.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Erin Ryan and MS NOW's Brandy Zadrozny break down the newly available FBI interviews with a woman who accused Trump of sexual assault that the DOJ tried to bury, a bizarre attempt at image rehab for Peggy Siegal aka “The Grande Dame of the Epstein Files,” and the Iranian women's soccer team's quest for asylum. They also discuss and review Candace Owens' latest series, The Bride of Charlie. And of course, we wrap up with Sani-Petty.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.DOJ releases Epstein files with accusations against Trump (The Miami Herald 3/6)Fuzzy memories and hard facts: An SC accuser's claims against Epstein, Trump examined (The Post and Courier 3/8)The Grande Dame of the Epstein Files (NY Mag 3/4)Five Iranian footballers granted Australian visas after anthem protest (BBC 3/10)Estrogen patches harder to find as FDA pushes hormone therapy (The Hill 3/5)The Widow and the Firebrand: How Candace Owens Turned a Conservative Succession Into a Crusade Against Erika Kirk (Hollywood Reporter 3/5)