Podcasts about Bhutan

Why Travel Changes Everything - A Deep Dive with James Hammond on the Island Vacation Travel PodcastHello guys!Another guest appearance on another travel podcast today, and this time it is the Island Vacation Travel Podcast with Al Philogene, as we take a deep dive into the impact of travel on our daily lives, as a lifestyle choice and the impact on me personally too.You can watch this episode on YouTube here (please subscribe to Winging It) - https://youtu.be/XWfXoSQ5r7cI loved speaking with Al on his podcast, so please check it out below, too. Enjoy!Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6IKCiUg5sZstUia5vOpK62?si=d9c56d650b754e28Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/island-vacation-travel-podcast/id1579773196Website - https://islandvacationpodcast.com/#Island Vacation's Shownotes below.James Hammond shares his unforgettable travel experiences in Bhutan, Japan, and Bolivia, highlighting the importance of practical budgeting and lifestyle centered around exploration. He emphasizes the significance of people, culture, and food in each destination, and provides valuable insights on planning a six-month backpack trip to South America, including budgeting, route planning, and avoiding common travel mistakes.The conversation covers topics related to visa rules and immigration, the difference between hidden gems and tourist-heavy spots, the choice between travel and a traditional career path, financial trade-offs and the balance between freedom and stability, and the impact of COVID-19 on travel. The conversation covers the impact of COVID on travel, the rise in travel costs, the experience of over-tourism, and the financial considerations of long-term travel. It also delves into the importance of cultural familiarity when starting to travel and the need to adapt to changing travel costs and conditions.Takeaways• Unforgettable travel experiences in Bhutan, Japan, and Bolivia• Practical budgeting and lifestyle centered around exploration Visa rules and immigration are important considerations for travelers, and it's essential to research and understand the rules of each country.• Choosing hidden gems over tourist-heavy spots can lead to a more unique and less crowded travel experience.• The decision to prioritize travel over a traditional career path involves a trade-off between stability and freedom, and the pursuit of experiences over material possessions.• The impact of COVID-19 on travel has led to increased costs and a surge in travel to popular destinations, highlighting the importance of exploring hidden gems and off-peak travel periods. COVID has impacted travel costs and led to a rise in expenses.• Cultural familiarity is important when starting to travel, and it's advisable to start small and gradually explore different cultures.• Adapting to changing travel costs and conditions is crucial for long-term travel.Support Winging It Travel PodcastIf you enjoyed this episode:⭐ Leave a 5-star rating or review on your podcast app☕ Support the show at buymeacoffee.com/wingingit

✈️ ETF III Update #5: Bangkok 2026 Hey now! I am your host Ric Gazarian. And I am here with the fifth update for the Extraordinary Travel Festival for October 22-25, 2026 in Bangkok. We have 4 amazing days of community, content, and exploration of Bangkok and beyond. Over 150 people have committed to joining ETF III.

Welcome to the Art Life Faith Podcast, and I’m your host, Roger Lowther. We are recording live from the JCAMM conference in downtown Tokyo with the theme of “The Beauty of Japan・The Beauty of Heaven.” It’s a week-long conference from Friday, May 22 to Wednesday, May 27, 2026, where we are talking about the arts of Japan, the beauty of Japan, and how that helps us worship God. We’ve had so many amazing guests this week, and now I have the privilege of sitting down with one of our key presenters, a band like no other I’ve ever seen in the world called IziBongo. They sing not only in the various languages of the world, but they use the various instruments of the world and the various styles and genres of the world so people can see what it looks like for the nations to praise God and how that can lead us all in praise of God. So I wanted to sit down with them and have a conversation. I’ve also asked Akira Mori to sit down with us. He is our MC for the conference, and he’s a longtime friend and partner. We got to know each other very well through the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster. He’s the pastor of Global Mission Chapel in Iwaki, Japan, not too far south of the nuclear power plants in Fukushima. And his amazing church was one of the key centers for relief work for all of Tohoku. Through the years, we’ve gotten to know each other better, and I’ve so appreciated not just his encouragement and the way he leads especially movements of prayer in Japan but the way he’s encouraged me personally and for his friendship. And so I invited him to be the MC for this conference and also to be with us for this podcast episode. So thank you, all of you, for being here. Why don’t we start with a quick introduction? Please tell me who are you and where this name IziBongo came from. It’s kind of an interesting name. Cory Sure, Izibongo is a Zulu word which means praises intoned in honor of a person. It’s a kind of praise poetry. This is a second generation of the group itself, originally called the Wycliffe World Music Band, which came from Wycliffe Bible Translators. Roger Not as catchy… Cory Yeah…, which came from Wycliffe Bible Translators. Roger Okay, so what do you do? Why did you form IziBongo? Cory Originally, the Wycliffe World Music Band was meant to be an illustrative form of the music of the world and to promote Bible translation. That was one of the hopes for the people who organized it. We would go to Christian music festivals and perform there to show how the nations would worship or do their songs. Paul I might add that originally it was an ad hoc group of students in a particular class learning about some of these principles of music and worship around the world. The leader of that class was our mentor, Tom Avery. He would gather the students and throw instruments at them and say, “Sing this and let’s play this.” And so it was just to appreciate the worship around the world. This developed out of that educational starting point to more of a worship focus and whatever it is today. Cathy Another point that Tom would make when teaching us these songs was that music is not a universal language, it’s a universal phenomenon. But different peoples have different ways of singing. We think we might understand what they’re singing about. We might make a judgment if we hear another culture’s music and say, “That’s demonic,” or, “You could not praise God with that music.” But he was teaching us that we need to understand when we go into cultures their music systems. We can’t just go in and say, “No, you have to sing it this way.” Mary And to follow up on that is the focus of outsider-insider, an outsider trying to understand from the insiders, “What does this mean to you? What is the content?” because as outsiders, we can really miss it and not understand what’s actually being expressed. So we have terms. We say etic and emic, outsider/insider perspectives, that we talk about in our courses and our learning. Roger Help us to see what this looks like a little bit more concretely. What countries, what groups are you representing, and what kinds of instruments are you playing? Paul Well, I’m playing about 3 or 4 instruments here. One is a charango from Bolivia, which I bought on the River Walk in San Antonio from a real live player. I’m also playing a Moroccan oud, which we use for other instruments as well. We don’t carry 50 instruments, we carry about 10. And I’m playing a Greek bouzouki, but I’m using that to represent music from other parts of the world as well if the instrument sounds similar to the sounds. So again, we’re approximating all these. We’re never being exactly authentic. We are just Americans. We’re not trying to pretend that we’re something else. But we love the sounds of the world and the praises that they lift up. So we want to approximate those sounds so that you will learn to appreciate their music. As for the countries that we actually sing songs from, we could give a list if you’d like. Cory We do some from South America, so there’s Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia…Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo… Cathy Nigeria… Cory Egypt… Paul Tunisia, Papua New Guinea, Bhutan, South Korea…We don’t have a Japanese song yet. Roger Okay, well, we’ll have to fix that. Paul Exactly! We’re working on it. Roger So tell me more about why you do this. What is your purpose in singing these different styles—using different instruments, different languages, representing different countries? Paul Well, for myself, and I think for my wife as well, we were worship leaders in a local church and trying to find the most relevant ways to help people worship in our culture. It was mostly not a mixed culture. It was mostly just a normal American church in Texas, but still we had to wrestle with contemporary versus older styles and who was there and what kind of music they liked. In the South it’s a little more Baptist hymnal kind of songs, which I wasn’t that familiar with. So you always have to learn and find out from the congregation that you’re worshiping with, what helps them express their heart, because that’s really what a worship leader is trying to do, just help the people worship from their heart. So that was where we started, and when we ran into Tom and he was doing that in the jungles of Brazil, it sounded radically different, of course. So we learned from him how to approximate that sound so that we could present it. Cathy So the first time we performed this kind of music, we thought we were just going to give people an educational experience and say, this is what your brothers and sisters sound like over in Africa, or this is what they say to God in their songs. The people that heard us in Memphis, Tennessee, on that very first trip were crying. They said, “This is a kind of worship that we’ve never experienced before.” It wasn’t necessarily something they could participate in, but it was like when you look up at the stars and go, “Wow, God, that’s amazing.” And you get a glimpse of the worship that God is preparing for himself across the world. And it does increase your love for your brothers and sisters. So we wanted to give more people that kind of understanding and that kind of love for brothers and sisters that they’ve never met, maybe an experience that would have them want to pray for those brothers and sisters. And so when we go to a mission conference, we hope, too, that it opens people’s eyes to understand that we want to encourage authentic ethnic worship and not just press our Western songs onto others. Mary I was just going to say one word, beauty. Well, I’ll say a few more words than just that. We have a colleague who decades ago said, why would God have created birds that only sing one song? And so we think about the diversity of artistic communication and think about the beauty of how we can all be different and have different artistic expression, but that it can be unified in the worship of our Creator, and to learn to appreciate that, but also know that it’s perfectly great to have those styles and songs and ways that you can sing and worship that come really from a deep place in your heart. So, we want to get into what that is in each culture to lead people to that place of beauty. Paul It makes me think also the necessity that we feel of presenting things with authentic instrumentation as much as possible and with some costuming. It’s not like we’re not trying to appropriate someone else’s culture. We’re trying to represent so that you will have a deeper appreciation of those—the beauty, not just the sound, but the beauty of those cultures in their expression of worship. Roger I’m glad you all are talking about this because that was one of my next questions is like, why is this important? You know, when I first came to Japan, the first thing that people wanted me and my wife to do is, as musicians, help with worship. And there’s basically two choices you can do. Contemporary or you can do traditional. One or the other. If you play organ and piano, well that’s traditional. If you use the guitar, well then that’s going to be contemporary. Those are the only two choices, so choose. If you go back and forth between the two, then that’s blended, a little of both. So to hear what you all do is so far outside people’s expectations of what worship can be. And that message, I feel, is especially needed in Japan. I would love Mori-Sensei to comment on that. Have you heard anything like this in Japan, this group? Mori No. That’s it. Roger And is it important then for Japan? Mori Absolutely. Japanese people like to feel safe, I guess, and don’t want to be criticized. Therefore, they try to conform to whatever is the mainstream, whether it’s a small group of 3, 4, 5 or a bigger group of 50–100. But that’s what I sense, and that’s what I find in myself from the past. So, especially when you think about the Christian church. The gospel was brought by typically Caucasian Western missionaries, and I don’t think they had any other way than to just do what they were used to. And without being intentional, I believe a kind of very clear line between Christians and non-Christian Japanese was drawn. When I was a teenager and a church member, the pastor said secular songs shouldn’t be sung, not even for yourself when you’re alone. So there was a very clear line, and I think in every church it was the same. And if you dare to play jazz or, rock was not so much in Japan in those days, then you were looked at as unspiritual, not a good Christian. So naturally, for those reasons, the Japanese ethnic or original music was separated from the church. It is still very much the same, I think. Therefore, it’s very difficult to take different styles of music and even ethnic music into the church. We don’t have any group like IziBongo. I don’t know if any other countries do either, but it is great riches brought to the church. Roger You know, when I first came to Japan, I was in language school that first year. We made friends with a clarinetist, and she was feeling turmoil about being in the church because the church told her she couldn’t play. She was a professional clarinet player, but they would not allow her to play clarinet in church because that was not appropriate for Christian worship. But, they said, you can play the piano because we need someone to play the piano. She was like, but I’m not a keyboardist and don’t play the piano very well, and it was hard for her to worship while playing the piano. When we came in, they asked us as missionaries to come give a concert, and we invited her to join us. There were tears in her eyes because that was the first time anyone in the church had ever heard her play the clarinet, which was her heart language. And I was like, wow, well, maybe it’s just this church. Well, then we went and were helping to plant another church out in Chiba, where we met a pastor whose son played the saxophone. And it was the same story. He invited his son to play saxophone once in worship, and the church members got so upset. Saxophone is not appropriate for worship, they said. It sounds worldly. It sounds like jazz, you know. And we’ve come across stories like that over and over again. And I want to tell you one more. Sorry I’m talking so much! But there’s this other story when we met this koto player. She was featured in one of our videos during the conference. I think I’ve shared this in a past podcast episode, but we invited her to come and play koto in worship. That’s a traditional Japanese harp, and it was so beautiful. We loved it, but there were so many people upset afterwards. And there were so many meetings afterwards, not the kind of meetings that you really want to have happen, you know, like with the pastor and the elders. Okay, this person’s upset, and they felt like it was connecting to the non-Christian culture in Japan. They said, “You can’t use the koto in worship. You were distracting me from worship. I was not able to worship God because you had the koto there.” And, you know, the way—I’ve shared this with some of you before—the way that we were able to bring healing to that situation is when they realized how she was able to worship God through her heart language, through the koto, it drew them in and they were able to worship God by seeing how she was worshiping God. It wasn’t a gimmick, you know, it wasn’t like we’re trying to force something on the church, but that this is how she worshiped, and they were able to worship through her. It was that relational key that made all the difference. Mori Um, can I ask you a question? Roger Sure. Mori That was your experience in the beginning. Is that still very much the same in the Japanese churches? Roger I do sometimes continue to hear stories, yeah… Mori This is my subjective, biased opinion, but around 20 years ago, God raised a young man and gave him song after song. An authentic Japanese young man, producing Japanese praise songs, worship songs, and they did some gatherings using yukatas and guitars on the stage, dancing and singing. And those worship songs created by those people, they have quite rapidly spread all across Japan. Roger Oh, wow. I’d like to hear them. Mori Yes. Oh, you know him. Taka. His songs, I believe, have changed the atmosphere of Japanese churches. Nagasawa Takafumi wrote that famous song, “Sono Hi Zen Sekai Ga” (“On That Day”). He started out as a worship leader in his father’s church. Now, he’s the senior pastor. But he was invited as a worship leader to a church in a different place, totally different place, and the pastor, as the congregation sang that song, proudly said to Taka, “Don’t you think this is an awesome song?” He didn’t know that Taka wrote that song, and Taka did not tell him. But today, more instruments are naturally taken into church services. Different styles are tolerated. Not every church, but, by and large, so many churches are resembling Western American churches, worship band in front and leading songs with guitars and drums and bass guitars and keyboard. And it’s spreading. And I just think that change has been happening. But still though, not Japanese authentic instruments or styles. Roger Yeah, that's still pretty rare. Mori Yeah, because of the schism that happened, right in the beginning, the Christians somehow feel that those instruments are not theirs. And to me, that’s okay if Christians don’t play any koto or shakuhachi. Of course, they’re greatly considered by Christians to be a special genre of instrument. Roger Generally. Yeah, Cathy? Cathy That’s one thing that seems to happen when we play. We had an experience in Singapore. A Japanese gal came up and talked to me afterwards and said, “This makes me want to go home and find what is unique from my culture that I can offer to God. It makes me want to go home and find or make something unique from my culture. And so, I think that IziBongo sometimes has that effect when we show what other cultures are doing. Roger Yeah, I also wanted to ask you all, I know that like sometimes I hear this word “appropriation” in the States, because you are not from those cultures, because you are Americans doing that music. If someone was to come at you and say, “Hey, that’s not appropriate for you to be doing that,” how would you respond to them? Paul Well, it depends who it’s coming from, I think, is where we start. We have never had anyone come to us from those nations with a problem with us. In fact, all we’ve ever heard is appreciation that we at least attempted to sing in their language. And again, we don’t do it perfectly. We had one experience up at Prairie Bible College where we played a First Nations song, a Native American song, and there was one young gentleman there who was a young man from the First Nations, and he was so excited. He wanted to sing the song. It was very simple, so he wanted to lead it. It was so amazing to him that he could do that. And almost immediately, we got strong pushback from a missionary couple who’d been there for 30 years working with First Nations peoples who felt like that was very inappropriate for the church. So let me say it this way: What we do is not try to impose on the church what you should do. What we’re doing is saying praise is happening all over the world, not always on Sunday morning. In fact, most of this wouldn’t be in Sunday morning worship, but it’s worship. Some of it’s on the streets of Brazil, a samba. And it was a Christian song sung on the streets of Carnaval. I mean, that’s not Sunday morning. So again, what we’re presenting is just the various expressions of praise. Whether they fit on Sunday morning in the church, your pastor and your worship leaders need to work that out. And we shouldn’t be judging them. They’re the ones who are to guide and guard the flock. So pray for your pastors that they might have vision even when they have reservations. Cathy I would say it’s also not only praise, but Scripture memory songs, storytelling, telling of Bible stories, and historical things. So there are other ways to use the music. Cory And the use of the music that we do when we perform are based on relationships that we have with the communities themselves, either through a Bible translation project or actual one-on-one. So, we have gotten permission to do these songs according to the communities that we’ve come in contact with. Mary And I’ll say that coming back to the U.S. from West Africa and starting to hear this word appropriation, I was a little bit shocked because I was like, oh, what does that mean? You know, I had to say, what does that actually mean? Because to be in West Africa or in that particular culture, you dress with the cloth and you learn their songs and they are thrilled that you are learning their language and wearing their clothes. So appropriation is not about using these things for our own benefit, but it’s about lifting up and respecting that culture. Roger We are almost out of time, but I want to give Mori Sensei the last word. So, think about what you’re going to say. Let me just say that I’ve been moved by talking with all of you, you know, outside this interview, the stories you’ve told me about how people respond saying, wow, I had no idea I could worship God in that way through my culture, through my art, and how it’s encouraging them, empowering them really. You are empowering the nations to say, God has given you these gifts to worship him, and it’s just such an important message. Thank you so much for the time and money you’ve spent to come all the way to Japan to share this with us. We really appreciate it. Mori Sensei, do you have any final comments? Mori Well, thank you very much. I’m so honored. Change is happening in the Japanese churches. It’s not only negative. In one church, 45 minutes away from Tokyo, they started using enka. Enka is very secular, many love songs. They were the songs church members' husbands especially loved. So they invited the husbands and did a couples' night. They served beer and they sang enka. And the people loved it. Actually, the wives loved it too. So, some changes are happening. Also, Japanese instruments—koto, shakuhachi, shamisen—are not widely used in the churches. I think that’s because nowadays Japanese people have grown up without those instruments nearby. But those who have, they should be invited to the churches to perform and make them feel at home. Still, the Japanese churches are very much under the control of pastors. So these gatherings would be excellent for the Japanese pastors to know and come attend, listen to, hear the stories. That’s probably the challenge for the near future. Roger Thank you. Thank you so much, all of you. I really appreciate it. God bless you. You've been listening to the Art Life Faith Podcast. To watch the video of this podcast or many other videos from the conference, please go to our website: www.communityarts.jp. As we say in Japan, “Ja, mata ne.” We'll see you next time.

This episode is a wild ride around the world with one of the travel industry's most respected and well-travelled voices. Glenn Johnston has lived across continents, shaped how people explore the world and collected a lifetime of extraordinary travel experiences along the way.   Episode Highlights & Destination Gems: 1. Australia's Northern Territory - A Journey Back in Time Most people think of Australia and picture its cities. Glen takes us somewhere far more profound. • Home to the world's longest continuing culture, stretching back 40,000 years • Ancient rock art sitting open in nature, unchanged and accessible to anyone willing to make the journey • Landscapes that look exactly as they would have millennia ago, with no manmade developments as far as the eye can see • Katherine Gorge, Kakadu National Park and extraordinary wildlife including saltwater crocodiles in their natural habitat 2. California - The One Destination Everyone Must Visit Glen's pick for the single place every traveller must experience at least once in their lifetime. • Something for every kind of traveller, whether you seek luxury, adventure, food or nature • San Francisco's culinary scene and the extraordinary experience of riding through the city in a driverless car • Napa Valley for world class wineries and Michelin starred dining • The iconic Pacific Coast Highway drive from Half Moon Bay down through Monterey, Big Sur and Santa Barbara • Post Ranch Inn at Big Sur for breathtaking ocean views and a stay you will never forget - https://www.instagram.com/postranchinn/ • Newport Beach and Montecito for relaxed luxury   3. AlUla, Saudi Arabia - Where History Lives and Breathes • Breathtaking rock formations surrounding a lush oasis of date farms and greenery • Hegra, one of the most remarkable ancient sites in the world • A destination that is new and exciting even for many Saudis themselves • Accessible directly from Dubai and outstanding value, particularly during Ramadan and the summer months 4. The Faroe Islands - Where the World Feels Untouched Glen's personal bucket list destination and perhaps the most surprising gem of the entire episode. • Located between Scotland and Iceland, accessible via Copenhagen • Landscapes and nature that are genuinely out of this world • The most charming and characterful townships you will ever encounter • Weather that changes in moments, adding to the raw and dramatic atmosphere • Restaurant Raest, a wonderful culinary surprise in the heart of the tiny capital - https://www.instagram.com/raestrestaurant/ • A place that offers something rare in today's connected world, true isolation and the chance to be completely present 5. Malta - The Destination That Can Surprise You • A place layered with history • Maltese language rooted in Arabic • Centuries of influence from the Arabs, the French, the British and the Knights of Malta all layered one on top of the other • History built on layer upon layer that makes every corner of Malta feel significant 6. Trnava Region, Slovakia - Europe's Best Kept Wellness Secret Glen's most transformational wellness experience and a destination almost no one is talking about. • A town with roots going back to Roman times, drawn there by its natural healing waters • Piešťany, a small town within the region entirely dedicated to wellness • Natural mud treatments with a remarkable purification process that takes months and returns the mud to the river when its work is done • Outstanding value and a genuinely immersive wellness experience that goes far beyond a spa day 7. Kyrgyzstan - Nomadic, Raw and Completely Unforgettable One of the most underrated destinations on earth and one that can be surprising at every turn. • Soviet mosaics and brutalist architecture in the capital Bishkek for architecture lovers • A culinary scene that exceeded all expectations • Staying in a yurt in the mountains during summer with no electricity, no running water and no distractions • Horse and jeep trails through landscapes that have never seen a single manmade structure • A way of travelling that is inherently sustainable and deeply connected to the natural world 8. Japan - The Number One Foodie Destination in the World • Tokyo has more Michelin starred restaurants than any other city on earth • Japanese cuisine goes far beyond sushi and sashimi and rewards every curious eater • Exceptional value right now thanks to the yen and decades of stagflation keeping prices low • The Izu Peninsula seafood shacks south of Tokyo where you can taste fresh shellfish cooked over open fires for free • Quality that holds whether you are in a Michelin starred restaurant or a tiny ramen shop at a train station 9. Slovenia - Hidden Gem A small country with an enormous amount to offer and one that not nearly enough people have discovered. Ljubljana, a beautiful university city with a wonderful energy and a thriving café and restaurant scene Mountain landscapes sitting alongside a city that is small enough to cover completely in just a few days Slovenian wine that deserves far more recognition than it currently receives The extraordinary Postojna Cave where a little train takes you deep into one of the most spectacular natural wonders in Europe 10. Bhutan – Bucket List   Connect with Glen Johnston: https://www.instagram.com/glennjohnston88/ Thank you for tuning in to Travel Stories with Moush! If you loved this episode, please hit subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and leave us a rating or review - it truly helps us reach more travelers like you.   Drop a comment and tell us which destination from today's episode is going straight to your bucket list? Stay connected with me on https://www.instagram.com/moushtravels/ to find out who's joining me next week.   Explore all past episodes and destinations here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ae/podcast/travel-stories-with-moush/id1691525895 https://open.spotify.com/show/1pAUXiXuRLv1E9WFznWm7T?si=qA_E3Cf8RqKT97pUJcINxQ https://www.youtube.com/@travelstorieswithmoush Until next time…safe travels and keep adventuring. Connect with me on the following: Instagram @moushtravels Facebook @travelstorieswithmoush LinkedIn @Moushumi Bhuyan You Tube @travelstorieswithmoush "Want a spotlight on our show? Visit https://admanager.fm/client/podcasts/moushtravels and align your brand with our audience."Connect with me on the following:Instagram @moushtravelsFacebook @travelstorieswithmoushLinkedIn @Moushumi BhuyanYou Tube @travelstorieswithmoush Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What do you do when your team is full of talent, but you're still carrying all the weight? You know what I'm talking about…that moment you realize you're the one pushing every conversation forward. Holding everyone accountable. Keeping the mission alive.  It's exhausting. Let's be honest: you're not leading a team. You're dragging one. That's why J.R. sat down with leadership expert, executive team coach, and #1 New York Times bestselling author, Keith Ferrazzi. Keith has coached some of the most elite executive teams in the world, including the turnaround of General Motors, the national strategy of Bhutan, and some of the fastest-growing Unicorn startups on the planet. His latest book, Never Lead Alone, challenges one of the biggest myths in leadership:  The best leaders don't carry the team. They build teams that rise up and lead alongside them. In this powerful conversation, Keith shares the leadership shifts that separate average teams from elite teams, why conflict avoidance is quietly destroying performance, and how leaders can stop feeling isolated at the top. If you've ever felt like you're carrying the organization, the family, or the mission on your back, this episode may completely change the way you think about leadership. In this episode, you'll hear: The most important leadership shift elite teams are making right now Why high-performing teams cross the finish line together How conflict avoidance creates politics, mistrust, and division A practical framework for creating accountability without damaging relationships The difference between giving directives and providing input How to create psychological safety while still challenging people to grow Why many leaders feel lonely at the top (and how to change that immediately) The power of peer-to-peer feedback and accountability How to move from leadership to "teamship" KEY QUOTES "High-performing teams cross the finish line together." - Keith Ferrazzi "Most teams avoid difficult conversations, but true high-performers challenge each other in real time. The result? More trust, faster growth, and stronger teams." - Keith Ferrazzi "The struggles of your life can be solved with the people around you—it's a more enriching way to do it." - Keith Ferrazzi "Leaders must shift from focusing on leadership to teamship, where you expect the team to level up and meet you in leadership." - Keith Ferrazzi "You don't think your way to a new way of acting. You act your way to a new way of thinking." - Keith Ferrazzi "If you feel lonely at the top, that's on you. You are choosing to isolate yourself from people who are ready to love and support you." - Keith Ferrazzi CONNECT WITH KEITH Connected Success: https://www.connectedsuccess.com/ (This is Keith's 9-week program that explores how meaningful relationships shape opportunity, impact, and fulfillment. The program provides a practical framework for building connections that unlock greater career success and personal potential.) Never Lead Alone (Book): https://amzn.to/4bLusra Never Eat Alone (Book): https://amzn.to/4hIACdb Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithferrazzi/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithferrazzi/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keithferrazzi Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keithferrazzi/ X: https://x.com/ferrazzi YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keithferrazzi NEXT STEPS Listen to the full episode: https://jamesreid.com/keith-ferrazzi-cuc Want to bring your best home more consistently? Take the Invisible Four™ Assessment and uncover what's quietly blocking you: https://jamesreid.com/assessment Follow J.R. on Social (@jamesJRreid): Facebook | Instagram | Linkedin | X Visit J.R.'s website: https://jamesreid.com RATE & REVIEW this episode on Apple: https://jamesreid.com/review. We'd love it if you could drop a review or 5-star rating! Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. SHARE this episode with someone who wants to be challenged, pushed, and positioned to come up clutch more often. SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on any new episodes and Special Guests! Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. LISTEN to previous episodes on Apple, Spotify, or whatever podcast platform you prefer!

Julia shares the origins of Gross National Happiness (GNH) in Bhutan and how its origins in the 1970's has impacted the development of Bhutan and shaped its policies and culture. By putting the happiness and well-being of all people and all life at the center of development and growth, there are noticeable differences in the way Bhutanese citizens care for each other, how their children speak of their futures, and how citizens hold their government accountable. The inclusion of all life in the measure of happiness extends to policies that curb emissions, protect forests, and limit the impacts of tourism. Julia also discusses the role of music in the development of culture and nurturing our well-being, relating improvisation to the ways in which we should approach envisioning the future. She delved into the idea of awareness and inner well-being and shares four dimensions of well-being Awareness, Connection, Insight and Purpose. She concludes by sharing a message of hope and resilience as humanity works towards an ecocivilization, recognizing that change is difficult and takes time but requires trust that change may be occurring in ways we cannot easily measure. 

When you feel an interest arising in you to learn and practice Tantra, you will very soon encounter vitriolic gate keeping (by those who are themselves often outside the gates). You will come up against established hierarchies and rigid "traditions". People, often internet strangers, will almost always have something to say about your practice and as if they were the highest authorities on the subject, offer their opinions (whether asked or unasked) about what you can or cannot do. What human being is allowed to have power over any human being, though? When did we accept that as natural and alright and when did we decide to give away our power to those who claim to know better. If there's anything to learn, we must learn for ourselves following our svadharma, our inherent nature and the inclinations of our own heart, which is often (and this is sometimes scary to hear) wholly unique and wholly different from anyone else. What you have to do in your own journey has never been and will be never done. What model then exists to guide you but your own inspiration and whimsy? Everyone is valid and everyone's truth is true in their own context, given their own predilections, but just because something is true before and is true for someone else does not mean it is true now or true for you. Why do we cling to the way things used to be? The ideas of 10th and 11th CE India (and a lot of the times these are distorted by 700 years of Mogul rule and after that a wave of Christian apologetics during the British Rāj, e.g the Brāhmo and Arya Samāj movements of 19th CE ) are like beautiful but antiquated coins. They worked before for different people in a different time but they have no currency now. We are now, and we are different and so these ideas need to be re-evalutated, re-interpreted and re-contextualized, to preserve the best and incinerate the rest!You are a sovereign being! You can do whatever the fuck you want. And because you value radical freedom in yourself, you will by nature value it in others and be perfectly ethical, peaceful and loving, giving others the space to express themselves the way you express yourself freely. It is only when you deprive yourself the right to radical, authentic expression that you start to judge others and feel negatively towards them. Unethical action comes from repression and fear. Stop letting people suppress you! Stop letting the fear mongering and superstition on the internet scare you away from doing the things you love. You see, when you come to Tantra, out of genuine love and curiosity, especially when you have an interest in the "darker" side of our tradition (the left hand path, fierce Goddesses like Kālī, the radical world-affirming and life-embracing Advaita of the Mahārtha, i.e Śākta tradition), you will sooner or later come up against established hierarchies and self-appointed pontiffs telling you what you can or cannot do, keeping a gate closed to a city they have often themselves never entered.To this, we say, lovingly: fuck all that. Lets storm the gates, loot the city and redistribute the wealth (esoteric wisdom) which is the common property of every being everywhere regardless of race, nationality, religion, caste, gender, sexual-orientation, life-style choices etc. But what would such an anti-establishment, punk-rock, outlaw Tantra look like? We try to articulate what such a revolution would take n this first installment from our "Kentucky Fried Tantra" retreat of 2026.No masters, no leaders, no rules. Take back what's yours. Reclaim your power. Do what you want and leave others to do what they want. Freedom! Radical freedom! We will settle for nothing else, we who are the rabid ganas and Bhutan of our Lord and Lady, Shiva and Kali, who are the themselves Revolution Incarnate. You'll find all the lectures for this retreat here.Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST Use this link and I will see you there:https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Nepal has crossed 4500 MW of electricity generation. But why are we still importing electricity? Why are transformers under pressure? And can Nepal turn its energy surplus into an economic advantage? In this episode, Anjal Niraula breaks down Nepal's energy future—from hydropower, solar, and EVs to energy security, Bitcoin mining, grid infrastructure, and the hidden challenges facing the country's power sector. A conversation about the future of energy, the economy, and Nepal's path toward true energy independence. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:35 The Energy Crisis Nobody Is Talking About 04:27 Why Energy Imports Hurt Nepal's Economy 07:59 Why Nepal Still Imports Electricity 11:45 Green Hydrogen and Nepal's Energy Future 12:02 Bhutan's Bitcoin Mining Strategy 16:53 Can Nepal's Grid Handle EVs and Induction Stoves? 20:39 Why More Electricity Doesn't Automatically Mean Prosperity 28:09 Smart Energy Planning and Demand Management 28:39 Why NEA Can't Do Everything Alone 29:46 The Challenge of Creating Domestic Demand 30:21 Can 4500 MW Become an Economic Risk? 32:24 The Case for Private Sector Participation 38:37 Every Home Is a Power Plant 39:25 The Rooftop Solar Debate 41:54 Cheap Power, Growth and Development 42:39 Solar vs Hydro: The Speed Difference 46:23 Can Solar Power Factories? 53:45 Why Solar Complements Hydropower 1:13:52 energy security is national security   If you love reading, don't miss our newsletter on Substack Link: https://substack.com/@doersglobal?     Want to join us live in the studio as an audience member? Fill out this form: https://forms.gle/xZi8yptyoxkkc6aa8     ✉ Reach out to us at partners@doersnepal.com   

India's relations with Europe are often viewed through the lens of Brussels, Paris, Berlin, or London. But in recent years, India has also been deepening its ties with another important set of partners: the Nordic countries. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveled to Oslo for the third India-Nordic Summit, bringing together India and the five Nordic countries—Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark.  The agenda for the six countries was wide-ranging, covering trade, investment, green technology, maritime cooperation, the Arctic, and the Indo-Pacific.  The visit also marked the first official trip by an Indian prime minister to Norway in more than four decades. As a result of the summit, Norway and India have elevated their bilateral relationship with new agreements on climate, technology, science, and the blue economy. To discuss what all of this means for India, Norway, and the changing global order, Milan is joined this week by May-Elin Stener, who serves as Ambassador of Norway to India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives. Prior to taking up this position, Ambassador Stener was the Deputy Director General of the Regional department in the foreign ministry. She has served as Norway's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York as well as Deputy Head of the Norwegian Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa. She has been a member of the Norwegian Foreign Service since 1995. Milan and Ambassador Stener discuss the outcomes of the India-Nordic summit, the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), and the green technology partnership Norway envisions with India. Plus, the two discussed linkages between the Arctic and the Indo-Pacific and the controversy over a Norwegian journalist's questioning of Indian officials in Oslo.  Episode notes: Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, “India-Norway Joint Statement,” May 18, 2026. Government of Sweden, “Joint Statement: 3rd India-Nordic Summit, Oslo, 19 May 2026,” May 19, 2026. Priyanka Shankar, “India-Nordic summit: Why is Modi wooing Northern Europe?” Al Jazeera, May 19, 2026. “The India-Nordic Summit: What It Is and What Has Now Been Set in Motion,” India's World, May 20, 2026. Suhasini Haidar, “Commitment to democracy makes India, Nordic nations natural partners: Modi,” Hindu, May 20, 2026.

Welcome to this special episode where I am on the other side of the mic!I recently joined the Temporary Locals Podcast to share my experience travelling through the fascinating Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. In this conversation, we dive into what makes Bhutan one of the most unique travel destinations on Earth, from its strict tourism policies and sustainable tourism model to its rich Buddhist culture and breathtaking mountain scenery.We discuss the realities of planning a trip to Bhutan, including costs, guided tours, and the famous Sustainable Development Fee. I share stories from hiking to the iconic Tiger's Nest Monastery, staying with a local family in a traditional homestay, attending Bhutanese festivals, exploring the capital Thimphu, and experiencing the country's deep spiritual culture.Along the way, we talk about Bhutanese food, local customs, mountain life, and even the surreal experience of flying home on the same flight as the King and Queen of Bhutan. If you've ever wondered what it's really like to visit one of the world's most exclusive and mysterious countries, this episode is packed with practical advice, cultural insights, and memorable travel stories.Temporary Locals' ShownotesIn this episode, Jared and Megan welcome travel vlogger James Hammond to discuss his recent trip to Bhutan. They explore Bhutan's unique culture, geography, and the requirements for visiting this lesser-known Himalayan destination. James shares his experiences hiking to the famous Tiger's Nest Monastery, staying with a local family, interviewing a Lama, nightlife of Thimphu and ending up on the same flight as a King.Please check out Megan and Jared's Temporary Locals Podcast below. I love their style, content and approach to travel.Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/temporary-locals-podcast/id1845249694Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3pQ3gIDSRfd4Ep9zqZ2YoK?si=f4997bb0755b4997YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TemporaryLocalsPodcastSupport Winging It Travel PodcastIf you enjoyed this episode:⭐ Leave a 5-star rating or review on your podcast app☕ Support the show at buymeacoffee.com/wingingit

VOV1 - Hôm qua (30/5), Ấn Độ đã tổ chức lễ bế mạc cuộc tập trận đa phương PRAGATI 2026 tại căn cứ quân sự Umroi, bang Meghalaya ở Đông Bắc nước này. Đây là lần đầu tiên cuộc tập trận được tổ chức, đánh dấu bước tiến mới trong hợp tác quốc phòng giữa các quốc gia khu vực Ấn Độ Dương và Đông Nam Á.PRAGATI là viết tắt của “Quan hệ đối tác giữa các quân đội khu vực vì sự phát triển và chuyển đổi ở khu vực Ấn Độ Dương”. Cuộc tập trận diễn ra từ ngày 18 đến 30/5, quy tụ hơn 400 quân nhân đến từ 13 quốc gia gồm Ấn Độ, Bhutan, Campuchia, Indonesia, Lào, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka và Việt Nam.Trong thời gian huấn luyện, các lực lượng tham gia đã thực hành nhiều nội dung như phục kích và phản phục kích, phát hiện và xử lý thiết bị nổ tự chế, bắn súng trong rừng, đổ bộ đường không, sơ tán thương vong và các kỹ năng tác chiến đặc biệt khác. Điểm nhấn của cuộc tập trận là cuộc diễn tập thực binh kéo dài 72 giờ với sự tham gia của các đội hình hỗn hợp đa quốc gia, nhằm nâng cao khả năng phối hợp tác chiến và xử lý các thách thức an ninh chung.Theo Bộ Quốc phòng Ấn Độ, PRAGATI 2026 không chỉ góp phần tăng cường khả năng phối hợp giữa các lực lượng vũ trang mà còn củng cố lòng tin, sự hiểu biết lẫn nhau và thúc đẩy hợp tác quốc phòng trong khu vực. Cuộc tập trận cũng tạo cơ hội để các quân nhân giao lưu văn hóa, trao đổi kinh nghiệm chuyên môn và tăng cường quan hệ hữu nghị.Bên lề sự kiện, Quân đội Ấn Độ phối hợp với Liên đoàn Phòng Thương mại và Công nghiệp Ấn Độ (FICCI) tổ chức triển lãm quốc phòng, giới thiệu nhiều loại vũ khí, trang thiết bị và công nghệ quân sự do Ấn Độ tự nghiên cứu, phát triển và sản xuất theo sáng kiến “Ấn Độ tự cường”.Đoàn 40 quân nhân của Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam đã hoàn thành xuất sắc các nội dung huấn luyện và diễn tập, bao gồm đổ bộ đường không, tuần tra, bảo vệ biên giới, phục kích, phản phục kích, vượt chướng ngại vật và bắn đạn thật. Ban tổ chức và các nước tham gia đánh giá cao tính kỷ luật, tinh thần chuyên nghiệp, năng lực chiến thuật và khả năng phối hợp quốc tế của đoàn Việt Nam.Theo giới chức Ấn Độ, thành công của PRAGATI 2026 đã đặt nền tảng cho các hoạt động hợp tác quân sự đa phương trong tương lai, góp phần tăng cường hòa bình, ổn định và an ninh tại khu vực Ấn Độ Dương - Thái Bình Dương. Việc Việt Nam tham gia cuộc tập trận cũng tạo cơ hội quý báu để trao đổi kinh nghiệm, nâng cao năng lực phối hợp trong các hoạt động gìn giữ hòa bình và ứng phó với các thách thức an ninh chung của khu vực.Lê Dũng/ VOV Ấn Độ Hình ảnh buổi bế mạc PRAGATI 2026 (1) (Ảnh Bộ Quốc phòng Ấn Độ)Hình ảnh buổi bế mạc PRAGATI 2026 (2) (Ảnh Bộ Quốc phòng Ấn Độ)Hình ảnh buổi bế mạc PRAGATI 2026 (3) (Ảnh Bộ Quốc phòng Ấn Độ)

APEX Express is a weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. On this episode, host Miata Tan is joined by guests from the South Asian Coalition, an emergent national network committed to collective liberation and solidarity. Together they explore what it means to build South Asian political power in this moment—and how cross-movement solidarity can shape a more just, multiracial future. Learn more about the South Asian Coalition Website | Instagram | Policy Priorities   The South Asian Coalition was convened in October 2024 by: Manavi, Alliance of South Asians Taking Action, Muslims for Just Futures, and Raksha.   Transcript ​[00:00:00]  Miata Tan : Hello and welcome. You are tuning in to APEX Express, a weekly radio show uplifting the voices and stories of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. I'm your host, Miata Tan. Tonight, we're focusing on South Asian communities and the organizers working to build political power. South Asians are one of the fastest-growing racial groups in the United States, Over six million people [00:01:00] and roughly a quarter of the Asian American population. South Asian is used as a broad umbrella term for people with roots in countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and sometimes Afghanistan. Though exact definitions can vary across communities and organizations. And as we'll talk about tonight, within the South Asian diaspora who call the United States home, you have a mix of nationalities, religion, immigration status, and more. Tonight, I'm joined by four people working to address the issues impacting South Asian communities in the US and beyond. At a time when questions of belonging, safety, and political power continue to shape immigrant communities across the country, South Asian organizers are building new forms of solidarity while also grappling with the diversity and complexity within their own communities. The first voice you'll hear is Sabiha Basrai Sabiha is the daughter of Muslim Gujarati immigrants and has been [00:02:00] organizing with the Bay Area-based Alliance of South Asians Taking Action, or ASATA, since 2009. Here's Sabiha helping us to understand how South Asian political organizing has evolved in the United States, especially in the post 9/11 era Sabiha Basrai: Thanks for the opportunity to do some reflection this year marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11, which was a real a political flashpoint that absolutely changed my life because I was a 19-year-old college student trying to figure out a lot of things about how the world works and my place in it, and my own identity and the multiple identities I hold. Uh, and also where my responsibilities lied in solidarity, not just with other Muslims who were being targeted, but our broad immigrant diasporas and allies, uh, who have experienced discrimination in different forms from the state. So thinking about the ways in which- organizing happened in the, months and years after 9/11 to support immigrant [00:03:00] rights that was really a time in which new projects formed, um, or existing projects kind of found a new focus. ASATA as an organizing project, as a group of volunteers, has both done things like shown up to support folks being called up for the NCR's Special Registration Program and also participate in direct action protests in solidarity against the war, and has continued to be part of coalitional work regionally in the Bay Area. And, you know, more recently, uh, when we think about the ways in which our communities under, are under increased pressure with the Trump administration's immigrant policies, there have been also opportunities to build more relationships and make sure that as we advocate for our community's rights, we're doing so in formation with others, not just focusing on one particular bad piece of legislation, but connecting that to a larger story, to really build towards liberation for all of us. I'll [00:04:00] just add, too that those relationships that were kind of seeded and invested in in that moment of crisis and anxiety and fear have endured in many ways to now. The fact that that very ecosystem is actually growing in this moment is a testament to the relationships that were built in those days. Miata Tan : That was Sabiha Basrai grounding us in the history of South Asian political organizing in the US. As she mentioned, for many South Asians, 9/11 marked a particularly mobilizing moment, one that helped our communities organized and built solidarity. To help us better understand how that moment influenced the evolution of progressive South Asian activism, we now turn to Deepa Iyer, South Asian American writer, strategist, and lawyer. Deepa leads projects on solidarity and social movements at Building Movement Project and brings more than 25 years of experience in Asian American organizing and advocacy Deepa Iyer: I think that I would say that there [00:05:00] were, looking back, a couple of trends and themes that we can pull out from that time. one is that there was definitely a shift in the general consciousness of South Asian communities about our place in American society, our understanding of racism, Islamophobia, and also the role of the state. And so we had a situation where both hate violence and state violence were actually being endured by South Asian, Muslim, Arab communities. And so I think that there was a shift in the ways in which our communities began to think about ourselves in the United States. A second piece is the growth of a field, an ecosystem of South Asian organizations in the wake of the attacks and the global war on terror. So we began to see a lot of groups that were actually formed or becoming more staffed up in the weeks and months after 9/11. For example, the Sikh [00:06:00] Coalition was actually birthed the evening of the attacks, and an organization that I was close to, SALT, was also emerging and forming in the months after 9/11 as well. So we began to see that a, a field was growing. And the third, sort of theme I would point out that Sabihah alluded to is this sense of solidarity, that instead of sort of being siloed as, you know, South Asians working within just our communities and just talking about certain specific issues, there was real sense that we needed to collaborate and build bridges with Arab, Muslim, Sikh, and, Black communities in the United States to understand the trajectory of racism and xenophobia, and how they were all kind of coming together in the weeks after 9/11. Those three themes and trends are what, when I look back, I see coming up over and over again in our messaging and in our advocacy. Miata Tan : [00:07:00] That was Deepa Iyer, as you heard from Deepa, collaboration across movements was essential in helping South Asian communities to understand and respond to the waves of xenophobia in the wake of 9/11. Now we turn to Rajiv Narayan and Farah Mahesri, who lead national policy work at the Alliance of South Asians Taking Action, or ASATA together they launched and now co-lead ASATA's new political base building group, ASATA Power. Rajiv begins by reflecting on what South Asian communities are facing today and what has and hasn't changed since 9/11. Rajiv Narayan: I think unfortunately many of the challenges present in the early 2000s remain today. They take new form. Some have evolved and transformed, but they were ex- existed in, in much the same form following 9/11. One of the, the instances in which I, I learned about that is at the recent South Asian Coalition convening where we did this exercise in mapping a number of [00:08:00] historical and present day events, as well as a future vision of things that are important to our organizations and to our movements. And something that we reflected on together in the convening is that a number of these attacks on our communities have waxed and waned, uh, at different periods in time, dating back to the, the 1960s and truly at, even at the beginning of, you know, the 19th century and the late 18th century. And so, to answer your question specifically, in the early 2000s, like Deepa and Sabihah mentioned, we've dealt with, uh, an incredible expression of Islamophobia of, uh, anti-Brown and anti-Black racism and hate speech. There was a, in, in general a skepticism and unwelcoming of South Asian communities. And unfortunately with the current federal administration and political discourse in our country, uh, a number of those same themes are relevant today and take on similar forms, whether they're in [00:09:00] response to what the federal administration is doing in countries like Iran or previous administrations have done in Afghanistan or Pakistan. I think all of those events underscore all the more so that it's important for our organizations to, organize together, much as we did in the early 2000s, to address these harms, to remember what they look like at previous stages of history, and to fight to prevent them again from happening in the future. Miata Tan : Farah, perhaps you could speak a bit to the organizing. What did that look like, a few years ago, and what does that look like today? How has that changed? Farah Mahersi: Rajiv and I started ASATA Power a couple of years ago specifically to be able to look forward to practice radical imagination, and fight for not just protection of our communities, which we will always do. That is built into our DNAs. It's what we know. It's how we move. And also to fight for things that we want, to build the world that we want to live in so that we're not constantly caught in these cycles. And as we're doing [00:10:00] that, we are learning a lot about how organizing is happening today, the BLM movement, Black Lives Matter, and incredible street power, but also that movement's ability to change our national discourse and change what is baseline, what we should be demanding, and how we are visioning a future that is built on policies governance and hard material changes in our lives is profound. beyond that, also the Palestine solidarity movement over the last couple of years has rewritten every book about organizing. And so I think that it is an interesting moment of both a little bit of sadness, to be honest, that we are still fighting some of these same fights and we are still in some of these same dynamics that we have been for 25 years, and the profound opportunity that we have to build power and to look forward, and I think that is, more true in the Bay Area than it is almost everywhere else. Uh, because of what our workforce looks like, because of the sheer [00:11:00] amount of wealth that is accumulated in this little corner of our world, and also when you look around at the political power and people who hold political power or are running for political power and elected office around the Bay Area, you could really start to see not just how South Asians are increasingly politicized and increasingly looking to build electoral and political power, but also s- very specifically progressive political power. And so when you look to Congress now, The progressive caucus is full of South Asian progressives who are leading the charge, who are doing some of this critical work, that's part of our organizing strategy, is to be part of those conversations and to continue to push and to continue to, again, advocate for policies and changes at that big level to make the future we want possible. Miata Tan : I love that. Coming together to dream and really fight. Rajiv, you are leading this work at the Alliance of South Asians Taking Action. Can you speak more to why the Bay Area [00:12:00] is a, like, a distinct microcosm in this progressive South Asian movement? Rajiv Narayan: Of course. So Farah and I, we both work together at ASATA Power, and ASATA is sort of political power building project within the auspices of, uh, ASATA which has been operating in the Bay Area for more than 25 years now. I think what makes the Bay Area a microcosm of the South Asian diaspora is a tremendous amount of diversity and, uh, a set of interrelated intersectional challenges. So you have, uh, folks of South Asian descent with all different immigration histories. So I'm, for example, a person, um, who has birthright citizenship in the United States as I was born here. But there are folks who immigrated here, like my parents and had to attain their citizenship uh, through the, the US legal system, and folks beyond that who are refugees or asylees or are undocumented due to a variety of political and social and economic pressures. And so we all coexist in this same space across an economic gradient. So there are folks [00:13:00] who are very well compensated in the tech sectors and healthcare sectors sometimes, uh, characterized, uh, as part of a, a model minority myth, um, as representatives of the South Asian diaspora, um, within the San Francisco Bay Area and the United States broadly. And then there are whole variety of South Asians who are working in less well-compensated, often quite exploited industries. For example, in, care industries as people who are providing childcare or senior care services, people who are working in the restaurant industry folks who are lesser compensated within healthcare as well as in tech industries and other ways. Of course, those economic positions interact with the political and legal system. So for example, even if a person might be, um, well-compensated in a tech job in the Bay Area, um, which they attained by way of an H-1B visa that person might be subject to exploitative labor conditions based on the, uh, the legal configuration of how H-1B [00:14:00] visas are treated. For example, that you depend on your employer for your immigration status in this country, which changes the worker-employer relationship in a way that makes it very difficult to identify workplace abuses. beyond that, we also have a diverse range of South Asians across the age gradient. So we have folks who are quite young, who are in Gen Z, and are entering politics in a completely different way than somebody like myself or Deepa entered politics at, in earlier in, in our lives and experience it today, which provides an opportunity for us to learn from earlier generations and to also share lessons from our political experience. So like with many things, the Bay Area has it all, the good and the bad, and ASATA and ASATA Power work within that, that space to identify opportunities for solidarity. Miata Tan : That was Rajiv Narayan and Farah Mehestri. Through their work with the Alliance of South Asians Taking Action, or ASATA, Rajiv and Farah are helping to build South Asian political power here in the Bay Area and [00:15:00] nationwide. The ASATA team and all four of our guests tonight are connected through the South Asian Coalition, a network of local and national organizations focused on advancing policy issues affecting South Asian communities and building shared spaces for strategy and collaboration. To better understand this evolving movement of progressive South Asian action, let's return to Deepa Iyer, who shares how and why this coalition came together Deepa Iyer: Yeah. I really appreciate Rajiv bringing up, um, how- what is happening in the Bay Area is part of a larger movement. And what I would say about this ecosystem, this field that I talked about earlier, and I've been able to understand this through the course of the work I've done, but also a book I've written about post 9/11 America, is that so much happens on the coasts, and we often forget that there are organizations and are communities that are really [00:16:00] growing in other parts of the country, right? You know, I grew up in Kentucky, um, and there are places like Kentucky and Indiana where you are seeing, um, more South Asians settle and build their lives there. So one of the things that I think has been important in thinking about as we come up on this 25th anniversary of 9/11 is how our coalition of South Asian groups, how that field has grown with these additional organizations, in geographic areas that are different, as well as the ways in which folks are organizing. So now we've got, for example, groups that are working with Bhutanese refugees or Nepali-speaking community members, or groups that are organizing around the exploitation of community members based on caste. These are, um, really important movement interventions and organizations that are growing. one of the key aspects of network infrastructure is the ability to connect with each other, [00:17:00] not to flatten our experiences and say we're all the same, but to actually find some threads of commonality in our shared struggle and our experiences, and to also know that together as collectives, as Farah mentioned earlier, we can actually build the futures that we wanna see. One of the really, I think, inspiring pieces of coalition building that I've been fortunate to work with and support along with, um, everyone here is the South Asian Coalition, which is this emergent network of now 35 organizations around the country, and this coalition really seeks to build relationships and strengthen relationships, engage in peer learning and skills building, make it clear that there are certain policy issues that we need to uplift and to advocate around, and to create opportunities and pathways for solidarity with larger movements. This coalition and the infrastructure that it's been [00:18:00] creating is a way for us to look at our ecosystem of South Asian organizing in this moment, and to really see what happens when we galvanize our power collectively. Miata Tan : and Deepa, can you share a bit about the various co-conveners that make up the South Asian Coalition?  Deepa Iyer: So the South Asian Coalition, um, as we've mentioned, is this emergent network of groups that address various issues but are aligned around shared values. And the groups that really came together to co-convene it include Asad the Power, as well as Muslims for Just Futures, Raksha, which is an organization in the South, and Manavi, which is based in New Jersey. And these four organizations really had the vision to set up the structure for the coalition. the organization where I work at, Building Movement Project, supports the coalition through infrastructure, so providing facilitation, providing resources, policy analysis, and creating the container to support [00:19:00] movements in that way, which is so critical for coalitions. Miata Tan : That was Deepa Iyer a South Asian American writer, strategist, and lawyer. after the break, we'll hear more from organizers and advocates working to address issues shaping South Asian communities today. Stay with us  [00:20:00] [00:21:00] that was “Phenom” by Thao and the Get Down Stay Down. You are tuned into [00:22:00] APEX Express on 94.1 KPFA, a weekly radio show uplifting the voices and stories of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. I'm your host, Miada Tan. Tonight, I'm joined by four people who are working to address the issues impacting South Asian communities in the US and beyond. Back in March, organizers, advocates, and community leaders from across the country gathered in Washington, DC, for a national convening focused on the challenges and possibilities facing South Asian communities today. Here's Sabiha Basrai with the Alliance of South Asians Taking Action, or ASATA. She speaks about how this coalition of progressive South Asian groups formed and why this moment called for it. Sabiha Basrai: So this new emergent South Asian Coalition had its first convening in Washington, DC in March, and this was, the culmination of, a little over a year of monthly Zoom calls which started because [00:23:00] we knew we were on the verge of a Trump re-election. Uh, we knew that there was this ecosystem of South Asian activism and organizing across the country. Some of us knew each other from previous collaborations, but some of us didn't. New organizations were forming, and there was this recognition that we need each other in order to face what's coming, and we are stronger together. And we know that being South Asian is not a monolith, uh, that we deal with within our own communities based on labor exploitation, caste discrimination, anti-Muslim violence. And when we talk to each other, when we connect, we give ourselves the best chance at being able to move through those pieces of pain and build towards a future where we can all feel a sense of belonging, feel represented, and an agency in shaping that future together. So what started with a few conversations with a few folks, grew steadily [00:24:00] and, um, and through some intentional work to, to kind of invite each other in, which is of course an ongoing process, we were able to unite under this umbrella called the South Asian Coalition. Uh, we committed to some shared political points of unity and kind of community agreements to really set some expectations with one another on how we could move well in formation. And, made sure we had pathways to share information with each other so that someone like me working in Oakland could understand what, uh, someone working in Texas or in Georgia was facing, what local policy positions they were needing to, to navigate. And, uh, we could give each other advice, give each other moral support, and also sharpen our political understandings. So, uh, these kind of, uh, regular check-ins was one way of just understanding what we were all facing and feeling connected. But, actually being together in person was remarkable. I cannot overstate how much of a difference it makes to be able to share [00:25:00] space and see each other as whole people and not just representatives of a particular organization or a particular issue area, and, have those in-between moments where we actually build, build some friendships. One of the things that was also really important for me to understand when we met together was just how important that intergenerational work is. we had folks in the room who were, in their 50s and 60s who had been doing this work for decades. And we had folks in the room who were in their 20s for whom 9/11 was, something that happened in history. The conversations that were happening across generations informed the way that we think about ourselves as a coalition and helped me also to let go of some of the constraints that, kept my imagination small about what we were capable of. I was really grateful that so many people attended and chose to prioritize that work. It's hard, you know, to take a pause from The daily work to leave, fly to [00:26:00] DC take those risks as well because for many of us, uh, going through TSA is no small thing. There's a lot of harassment and racism that still permeate, you know, these institutions. So not to minimize just the effort that ta- it takes to convene and really make the most of our time together. One of the things that we did while we were in DC together was hold a congressional briefing to really, uh, amplify and share the issues that were coming up for our communities that folks were already working very hard on. Miata Tan : That was Sabiha Basrai with the Alliance of South Asians Taking Action, or ASATA. Now let's return to Rajiv Narayan, another member of the ASATA team and co-lead of their political action group, ASATA Power. Rajiv will take you inside the congressional briefing that Sabiha mentioned and how South Asian organizers from across the country shared the issues shaping their communities and what support is needed now Rajiv Narayan: We in ASATA Power worked in [00:27:00] collaboration with a number of the organizations in the South Asian coalition, to put together a congressional briefing on the issue of South Asians and immigration in the heart of Washington, DC, in the halls of Congress in Capitol Hill. And we were fortunate to do so in collaboration with Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Grace Meng. we had a number of, speakers representing, different perspectives and political struggles within the South Asian, uh, space in the United States, especially as it relates to immigration. So, for example, we had representatives from the Dalit Solidarity Forum talking about the plight of oppressed workers, caste-oppressed workers, in New Jersey working in a Hindu temple.  ​ Dr Roja Sunganthy-Singh – Dalit: I stand here as a Dalit, formerly known as an untouchable in India's caste system, speaking for over two hundred skilled Dalit artisans who were brought to the US from India to build the largest Hindu temple in New Jersey. In their words, ” We are the Indian stone workers of America, workers [00:28:00] rescued by the FBI in twenty twenty-one from forced labor conditions constructing the BAPS temple in New Jersey. we were brought to the US on R one visas and compelled to perform construction labor for over eighty-seven hours a week and paid just a dollar twenty an hour. Rajiv Narayan: We heard from, um, the executive director of the Sikh Coalition talking about Sikh truck drivers and religious workers and their experience under the federal regime's, uh, rule-making efforts. Harman Singh – Sikh Coalition: Uh, Punjabi Sikhs began entering the US trucking industry in large numbers during the nineteen eighties, and Sikh truck drivers and business owners have played a critical role in addressing driver shortages over the past several years. Unfortunately, Sikhs in this critical industry have become the subject of harmful rhetoric and policy from this current administration. These drivers are being excluded solely because of their specific immigration status and regardless of their driving histories, skills, knowledge, or English proficiency.  Rajiv Narayan: We heard from, the executive director of Asian Refugees United, who [00:29:00] spoke about the experience of Bhutanese refugees who have been rendered stateless by the current administration's, deportation efforts Robin Gurung – ARU: Because of the ethnic cleansing campaign of Bhutan government, more than hundred thousand Bhutanese citizens were forced to flee the country. For twenty years, I lived in a refugee camp in Nepal. In 2008, the government of this country came to rescue us. We were promised safety and security. But last year, that promise was broken. As of March 2025, over seventy of our community members are deported to Bhutan, the same country that persecuted us and made us refugees. These community members are kidnapped from their homes and jobs. They have been taken from their routine ICE check-ins. We know due process was not followed. Rajiv Narayan: We also heard from the executive director of Raksha, a domestic violence organization based in the Southern United States that has played an instrumental role in supporting South Asians who have been the victims [00:30:00] and who are now survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence, about the needs for supporting these kinds of organizations, with federal dollars and through the grant-making systems conditions. Aparna Bhattacharyya – Raksha: For thirty years, we have supported community members in navigating interpersonal violence, but also waves of racism and policy backlash.  South Asian and Indo-Caribbean survivors need safe places to turn, safe places that speak their language, understand their unique immigration and cultural needs. Raksha recently had $700,000 in OVC grants terminated by DOGE. additionally, we are still waiting for OVW sexual assault cultural funds for five months, where we have gotten no determination of whether we're getting that funding or not. Five months. Rajiv Narayan: We also heard from, the director of the South Asian American Justice Collaborative, which is currently, before the US Supreme Court in the birthright citizenship case, and [00:31:00] filed this foundational amicus brief detailing the story of South Asians in the United States going back to the 1600s. Klapana Peddibhotla – SAAJCO: Our brief pushes back against this notion that we are forever foreign.  South Asians actually arrived on these shores in the sixteen hundreds, and by the seventeen hundreds, South Asians were already asserting their rights here. In an Afghan immigrant actually fought in the Civil War in the Union Army. by the late nineteenth century, the largest farming group in Central California was formed by Punjabis. Today, South Asians are one of the largest immigrant populations in the US, but many families are caught in immigration backlogs that last for decades and make them vulnerable to the President's executive order restricting birthright citizenship. Rajiv Narayan: Across all of these speakers, you know, the, the, the message became very clear that we have so many different struggles, but they're all [00:32:00] united by a sense of solidarity for each other's political experiences under the same system of exploitation and oppression, and that there, there's so much that Congress can do in this moment to support the South Asian diaspora in the United States and, and even abroad in some cases. for ASATA Power's part, we, had the opportunity to put together over the course of the last year a policy brief on undocumented South Asians, and it was during the congressional briefing that we shared some pretty startling statistics that we, collected and collated from a number of public sources. And so what we were able to identify for the room is that there are about eight hundred thousand to nine hundred thousand undocumented South Asians in the United States, and because there are only six point five million South Asians in the US, both those who are undocumented and those who have birthright citizenship or are otherwise naturalized, refugees, asylees, and, and everyone in between. Of those six point five million South Asians One in eight of [00:33:00] them is undocumented, which is shocking and not something that somebody would understand at the outset given these problematic narratives like the model minority myth and whatever you see these days on X or Twitter about South Asian immigrants. So it's important for us not only to, to set the narrative straight and to identify both the diversity and opportunity for solidarity across our struggles, but to do so in the halls of power and to speak that truth to power directly. Miata Tan : That's Rajiv with ASATA Power reflecting on a recent congressional briefing in Washington, DC he helped to organize alongside other progressive South Asian leaders, organizers, and activists. Here's a snippet of Rajiv's opening remarks at the briefing Rajiv Narayan: I want to draw your attention to the slide behind me, they'll show a couple of images of South Asian community members who've been impacted recently by the horrific policies and practices of the federal administration. These members include Sheraz Fatehali Sachwani, a forty-eight-year-old citizen of Pakistan who died in ICE [00:34:00] detention last December. They include seventy-three-year-old Harjit Kaur, who was arrested during a routine ICE check-in, separated from her family, and deported to India without notice. I should say, I grew up seeing Harjit Kaur behind the counter at Sari Palace in Berkeley. She would help my mom try on saris. Her home was here. Her community was here. You know, these are just some of the names and stories of community members who have been affected by immigration policy as of late, and we hope that you will keep them in mind as you hear from our speakers today. There are many more we were not able to picture or name, but their stories are just as important. We'll be making many asks over the course of today's briefing. Some of those include the following: Congress should not increase funding for ICE or Border Patrol, including providing funds for detention facilities, especially in this funding moment. We have to remember that ICE is not a long-standing American institution. It was created in two thousand and two, recently, as part of the Homeland Security Act following nine [00:35:00] eleven. Miata Tan : That was Rajiv Narayan with ASATA Power speaking at a recent congressional briefing in Washington, DC. The briefing was part of a larger national convening organized by the South Asian Coalition, bringing together progressive South Asian groups from across the country. Now let's return to Deepa Iyer, who leads projects on solidarity and social movements at Building Movement Project here's Deepa reflecting on her takeaways from the congressional briefing Deepa Iyer: I think that there were so many pieces in that briefing that maybe people didn't know about that organizations are struggling with, and part of it is that, um, our communities, and Sabihah said this earlier, are not a monolith, right? And there are so many different ways in which we are experiencing what is happening right now in the United States, the fractures and the fissures that we're seeing. Rajiv spoke so well about the community needs and issues. One thing I'll lift up is actually the impact on nonprofit [00:36:00] organizations. Several of the groups that were, uh, speaking at the briefing noted how the attacks on nonprofits that are specifically working on issues like immigration in terms of losing federal funding and grants, being forced to certify that they are not addressing issues work that deal with undocumented immigrants, as well as the ways in which, um, nonprofit organizations are being, in some ways, seen as doing risky and un-American work. there is the, the exploitation of domestic terrorism as a frame that is being used right now to target certain nonprofit organizations. This is something that I think is not necessarily known to many people in terms of the ways in which national security, immigration issues are also affecting the nonprofit sector as a whole. And where I work at the Building Movement Project, we really look at the nonprofit sector and the health of the nonprofit sector, and we're [00:37:00] seeing that these types of external threats, the spotlight on organizations that are on the front lines, including South Asian groups, um, Muslim groups, Palestinian groups, that are working with, um, immigrant communities, queer and trans community members that are providing- Vital language access, service provision, community safety are really under threat right now, and this includes many of the organizations that were present at the, coalition's convening. So that's something that I also wanna lift up, that in addition to our communities who are facing the impact of the current moment in really acute ways, our nonprofit sector and our organizations are also dealing with a range of constraints and threats and difficulties. So that is one thing that came up over and over again. Miata Tan : That was Deepa Iyer with the Building Movement Project, highlighting the pressures facing the nonprofit sector right now, [00:38:00] especially as it relates to South Asian organizers, advocates, and communities. Let's return to Farah Mahesri with ASATA Pawa.  Farah Mahersi: One of the other things that I am very proud of for this congressional briefing that we did was that it was us telling our own stories and us presenting our own policy recommendations. There was no need to have, like, an expert come in and talk on behalf of our communities or try to represent our communities. We were the experts in the room, and we were really recognized and seen as that. As Rajiv mentioned, you know, there, the room was packed with Hill staffers and congressional staffers who were taking diligent notes as we spoke our truths Miata Tan : That was Farah Mahesri with ASATA Pawa reflecting on the recent congressional briefing she helped to organize, one that brought greater visibility to the experiences of South Asian immigrants. You'll hear more on how South Asian activists, organizers, and community groups [00:39:00] are mobilizing after this. Stay with us ​ Miata Tan : [00:40:00] [00:41:00] [00:42:00] That was Lion on the Hunt by Thao and the Get Down Stay Down. You are tuned into APEX Express on 94.1 KPFA, a weekly radio show uplifting the voices and stories of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. I'm your host, Miata Tan. Tonight, we're talking about South Asian organizing in the United States and how community leaders are responding to immigration challenges, political representation, and the shifting landscape of civil rights back in March, organizers and advocates from across the country gathered in Washington, DC for a national convening focused on the challenges and possibilities facing South Asian communities today. Here's Rajiv Narayan with the Alliance of [00:43:00] South Asians Taking Action, or ASATA, reflecting on the importance of honoring both the diversity of the South Asian diaspora and the shared struggle that connects these communities Rajiv Narayan: Something I appreciate about, your work, Miata, at APEX Express, is to highlight both that diversity of the South Asian diaspora and the many struggles and experiences that unite our political experiences and our commitment to social justice. It, it used to be, and in, in some places it still is the case, that folks will use an over-broad group to represent all of the South Asian diaspora. For example, talking about all Brown people as Indian or Desi or to, to collapse all the differences in our community. And part of the power of the congressional briefing is that we are able to show that what it means to be South Asian is at once an incredibly diverse expression and at the same time a collective expression of solidarity. We can do two of these things at the same time. We can recognize our differences and fight for each other. One of my [00:44:00] favorite takeaways that I, I heard from Deepa at the briefing is that there are some staffers that came up to her and said, “I've never heard my story, my experience, my political struggles represented in a panel in this building in front of other congressional staffers.” And that's something that we can do, and we should do more of. There are so many ways in which we can tell the stories and highlight the campaigns of folks from different parts of the South Asian diaspora who are all fighting for a better life for all of us. Miata Tan : That was Rajiv Narayan with ASATA, in the recent congressional briefing that Rajiv helped to organize through the South Asian Coalition, organizers also pointed toward the future of South Asian organizing in the United States and the role of a new generation shaping it. back to Deepa Iyer with Building Movement Project. Here, Deepa Iyer: Some of the young folks that are entering or working at nonprofits now, supporting South Asian nonprofits don't have a living memory of 9/11 and the global war on terror, [00:45:00] and they have been politicized in different ways, right, over the last eight years, for example, the pandemic global wars, et cetera. And so there are a couple of ways in which I've been thinking about how we can support South Asian young people. so for example, how can we share historical analysis and political analysis so that young people understand that they are part of a trajectory of South Asian activism that actually started well before 9/11, before the 1960s, right, and that continues to today, so they don't feel fragmented. So that's something I've been sitting with a lot. Another is around pathways into public service and community service and into the nonprofit sector. So how could we support young people in terms of building their skills, in having pathways open to them into our nonprofit organizations? And then finally, how do we support them, um, so that they, can do this work for the long run? You know, we all struggle with burnout, we all [00:46:00] struggle with sustainability. what are some lessons learned that we can pass on? What are some best practices? that's something that's been sitting with me quite a bit since the gathering that we had, and I hope that the coalition will really think about, supporting young people's leadership and finding different avenues and pathways to do that. Miata Tan : That was Deepa Iyer reflecting on how movements can better support the next generation of South Asian organizers. Within the South Asian coalition, that work also means building long-term infrastructure for better collaboration. Now back to Sabiha Basrai with ASATA. Sabiha Basrai: I'm also really appreciating that the South Asian Coalition is this model for creating a container for many, many organizations to unite as a group while maintaining regional focus and individual issue priorities. I also wanna name that the place where I first learned how to do national coalition work was as a member of the National South Asian Coalition that ASATA had been part of. [00:47:00] It was facilitated by a group called SALT which played such a critical role in the post 9/11 era and continued to then work on DACA, creating resources for undocumented South Asians, along with other issues facing our diverse diasporas. And SALT closed a few years ago. It was a decision that I don't understand and was- has really left me with a lot of sadness and confusion. but I al- I know that sometimes institutions do end, but that the work does not end and the relationships do not end. And the South Asian Coalition is this emergent space that, um, is not led by any one organization. it is a space that is being invested in collectively, and we're really moving at the speed of trust so that we can be really laying that strong foundation that supports the work ahead. I'm really sitting with the ways in which sometimes this labor of Building the container, creating the container, [00:48:00] investing in the network. It's sometimes invisible labor, but it is the most critical because without it we can have moments of mass mobilization, but then that wasn't actually building any power over the long term. And I'm really looking forward to all of the very good work ahead, because I trust the relationships and the containers that we're building. Miata Tan : That was Sabiha reflecting on the collaborative infrastructure that the South Asian Coalition is helping to build. Now let's return to Deepa Iyer. I asked Deepa what campaigns are on the horizon for the coalition, especially as this year marks 25 years since 9/11. Deepa Iyer: As Sabiha mentioned, the coalition is a space for invested leadership, and so there are lots of different campaigns that groups within the coalition are eyeing and taking on. One of them Rajiv mentioned already is the fight around birthright citizenship. And so there are groups like SACHCO and others that showed up with a South Asian [00:49:00] delegation at the Supreme Court on April 1st when that case was being heard, and it was really great to see so many South Asians out there in a delegation along with other communities, to raise their voices on this really vital, pivotal issue. And so that is a campaign that some of the groups within the coalition are going to continue to be lifting up as we get the results of that case and moving forward. Another one that you mentioned, is around the 25th anniversary of 9/11, and there are groups that are considering, along with others in other movement spaces what does narrative strategy look like as we go into this time period? How do we think about the fact that we're marking the 25th anniversary in the same year that we're marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, right? how do we use 9/11 and its anniversary as a lens through which we understand empire, through which we understand the ways in which domestic [00:50:00] policies are being recirculated against other communities? And also this piece around awareness and education. this is an opportunity to share some of the personal experiences that many of us have around that moment in time, but also the ways in which our communities have built up themselves as well as the solidarity with other communities. So I think there are lots of ways in which organizations are thinking about that anniversary and how they can, utilize that moment, to draw greater attention to our community's experiences. Miata Tan : Rajiv, Farah, would you like to add anything about upcoming campaigns and how you're thinking about the South Asian political power movement moving forwards?  Rajiv Narayan: Yeah, I'm happy to talk about one sort of continuing campaign, which is that, like I mentioned, we put together this policy brief on undocumented South Asians, and we had this great opportunity to circulate and talk about it on Capitol Hill in DC. But it's also important for us to bring that story home. And so part of [00:51:00] what we'll be doing, um, for the remainder of, of this year is identifying opportunities to do town halls both, with community members and potentially with elected officials to help educate, do political education about the nature of undocumented peoples in the South Asian community. A large part of what we did in that policy brief is to collate all these numbers to tell you, how many folks might be undocumented, what is the proportion of undocumented people in the South Asian community. But an important, equally important contribution of that report is the nature of undocumented experiences. Why do people become undocumented? What are the factors that put them in that position, and what does it mean for a person to become undocumented? How can we support them, not just in different policy prescriptions, but also the ways that we talk about undocumented people and the South Asian community as a whole? So that'll, that'll be, um, a focus that we have, uh, and a contribution that we hope to make both in the, the Bay Area and beyond.  Farah Mahersi: I'll add to that, that it is election year. It is [00:52:00] a… I feel like we say every election is a critical election, and I do believe that that is very true this year. And so ASATA Power, as a political organization, will be making endorsements and talking through not just that it is important to vote, but it is really important and critical for us in this moment to vote for progressive candidates who are part of our, what is often called like a build coalition, who are here to help us build this world that we are dreaming of, who are aligned on policy positions. The other thing that we are working on locally and nationally is around the war budget. So as a group that has been so directly impacted by the global war on terror 4.5 million Muslims around the world who have been killed by US war-making in that global war on terror, and just watching kind of what the United States foreign policy in particular over the last couple of years has been, we have a particular point of view and a particular interest on tracking and watching things like the [00:53:00] largest, request for a defense budget in US history. How are those dollars being spent, And how those dollars that are being spent abroad to do war-making are also having a boomerang effect and coming back to impact our communities at home. So the same technologies that were developed and used in war-making through the global war on terror that impacted, uh, so many of our communities around the world for 25 years, a lot of that is the same technology that ICE is now using to go after undocumented South Asians in the United States, right? And so that's another way in which we really see our struggles are interconnected, and that we are wanting to dismantle als- a lot of these systems of harm, and also, again, at that intersection between both hate violence and state oppression that's happening. Miata Tan : That was Farah Mahestri with ASATA and ASATA Power. As she shared, ASATA Power is focused on the midterm elections and how war spending and post 9/11 policies continue to affect South Asian communities today. [00:54:00] To close out, we return to another ASATA organizer, Sabiha Basrai. Sabiha Basrai: So I wanted to bring the conversation back locally to the Bay Area again, and just thinking about, the Alliance of South Asians Taking Action, which is, part of a network of AAPI and Asian organizing in the Bay Area as a space where South Asians progressive South Asians can actually build community, sharpen our political analysis, embrace our responsibilities here in the Bay Area in this political moment. And just also, lifting up that ASATA currently is working on things like the Oakland Arms Embargo or local community defense against ICE , environmental justice projects, and also looking for more ways to fight supremacist ideologies of Hindutva but in collaboration with anti-Zionist Jewish community activists. these are opportunities that we have here in the Bay Area. And also thinking about ways that we participate in mobilizations. Like, we show up for Reclaim MLK Day, [00:55:00] International Working Women's Day, May Day, the Trans March every year because we understand our responsibility to show up and to show up consistently. And so when I think about the South Asian Coalition and this moment of, okay, we've been trying to- we've built- been building towards this convening and this congressional briefing, and now we're on the other side of this moment, and we are kind of reflecting and coming back together around how we maintain this energy. Also wanted to highlight,  Some of the amazing work that many of our coalition members are, are already doing. One is Savaira, so Savaira United Against Supremacy is actually a coalition of work as well, they focused, their energy on addressing Hindu nationalism and and Hindutva ideology and the, and the many ways in which, the supremacist ideology is kind of insidiously part of institutions, policy even cultural work, uh, within our diaspora. they're so committed to both, like, [00:56:00] resisting the tides of hatred but also combating all forms of supremacist politics and the intersections between them. so their, their work has been a big part of my political education, and I'm really glad that they're part of this coalition. Every member of the coalition is bringing analysis and experience that cross-pollinates to the rest of us. So I'm looking forward to just more of that   also considering what ASATA's role is and how ASATA working in the Bay Area alongside so many other amazing organizing projects here can be strengthening those relationships nationally. Miata Tan : That was Sabiha Basrai with the Alliance of South Asians Taking Action, or ASATA.  This is APEX Express on 94.1 KPFA, a weekly radio show uplifting the voices and stories of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. APEX Express airs every Thursday evening at 7:00 PM. And with that, we're at the end of our time here [00:57:00] tonight. We really appreciate you for tuning in to listen, and a huge thank you to our wonderful guests. For a transcript of tonight's episode, please visit our website. That's kpfa.org/program/apex-express  We've also added links on the episode page for tonight's show so you can learn more about the South Asian Coalition, ASATA, and all of the organizations we've talked about tonight, along with their upcoming campaigns as well. APEX Express is produced by Ayame Keane-Lee, Anuj Vaidya, Isabel Li, Jalena Keane-Lee, Miko Lee, Miata Tan, Preeti Mangala Shekar and Swati Rayasam. Tonight's show was produced by me, Miata Tan. Get some rest y'all. The post APEX Express – 5.28.26 – Building South Asian Power appeared first on KPFA.

This Episode is unlike any others in this Podcast. It takes the listener on a fascinating tour of the most unique country in the world- the Kingdom of Bhutan, in addition to describing a short visit to India.

The practice of healthcare is inherently powerful, and our patients are vulnerable to our power. Though power can be abused, the righteous use of power, for the benefit of the vulnerable, is profoundly Christlike. We will explore the lessons of power which help us understand our roles, including the fundamental nature of professionalism and key kingdom strategies of healthcare missions.

Radio International - The Ultimate Eurovision Experience is broadcast from Malta's Radio 105FM on Tuesday evenings from 2100 - 0059 hours CET. The show is broadcast live on Wednesday evenings from 1900 - 2300 hours CET on the Eurovision Radio International Mixcloud Channel as well as on the Facebook Page of Eurovision Radio International with an interactive chatroom.     AT A GLANCE - ON THE SHOW THIS WEEK  Indepth Interview with Eurovision Winner Dara (Bulgaria 2026) Interview with Jiva (Azerbajan 2026) done at the Turquoise Carpet Interview Clips with ESSYLA (Belgium 2026)  Interview Clip with Simón (Armenia 2026) Interview Clip with Bzikebi (Georgia 2026)  Interview Clip with Alis (Albania 2026)  Eurovision Spotlight: Eurovision Song Contest 2026 - The Assessment with Chris Poppe Interview with Christer Björkman on Eurovision Song Contest - Asia  Tribute to Björn Tidmand (Denmark 1964)  Eurovision News with Johannes Vitt courtesy of www.escXtra.com Eurovision Birthday File with David Mann Eurovision Cover Spot with David Mann Eurovision Calendar with Javier Leal  New Music Releases by Eurovision Artists  Your music requests    Eurovision Winner 2026 for Bulgaria - Dara "Bangaranga"   Interview with Eurovision Winner Dara:  The Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest took place on 16 May 2026 from the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria with delegations from 35 countries battling it out for the winning trophy of the contest and the right to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2027. For the very first time Bulgaria won the competiton with Dara and the song "Bangaranga" receiving a total amount of 516 points combined from Public and Jury Vote. The Radio International Team was on location and had the chance to meet Dara at the Turquoise Carpet but also Johannes was able to meet the singer during the rehearsals for an interview. Hear it all on the show this week.  The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 Scoreboard   What a thrilling voting it was on Saturday with the final result being visible just above. Full details can be viewed at our friends from Wikipedia - click here The Radio International Photo Album from the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 - CLICK HERE ESSYLA (Belgium 2026)   Interview with ESSYLA (Belgium 2026): Belgium has been part of the Eurovision Song Contest since the very beginning in 1956 only missing out participations for three times. In 2026, ESSYLA represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Dancing on the Ice" successfully qualifying Belgium to the Grand Final reaching Number 21. The Radio International Interview Team had pleasure to meet ESSYLA at the Turquoise Carpet as well as JP met her after the had qualified for the Grand Final and conducted interview which you can hear on the show this week.  Jiva (AZ), Bzikebi (GEO), Alis (AB) and Simon (AR)  with Radio International Interview Team   Interview Clips from the Turquoise Carpet (Alis, Jiva, Simón, Bzkebi):   The Turqoise Carpet marks the start of the Welcome Ceremony of the Eurovision Song Contest. The Eurovision Artists walk the carpet in front of the many Eurovision Fans and International Media who conduct short interview clips with the artists. This week listen to the interview clips JP, Marc and Salman did with Jiva from Azerbaijan, Alis from Albania, Simón from Armenia, Bzikebi from Georgia.  Jiva performed "Just Go" and ended up at Number 15 in Semi Final 2. Alis performed "Nan" and made it to the Grand Final coming 13th. Simón performed "Paloma Rumba" reached Number 14 in Semi Final 2. Bzikebi performed "On Replay" reaching Number 15 in Semi Final 1.  Listen to these interview clips on the show this week.   Christer Börkman with JP Eurovision Song Contest 2026 - Asia: Interview with Christer Börkman:  During the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 and a Media Briefing it was announced that that Eurovision Song Contest 2026 - Asia will be taking place in Bangkok, Thailand on 24 Nov 2026. The venue is IdeaLive and so far these countries are competing in the very first edition of the contest:  Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam (more countries will be added). One of the creative minds behind this new project is Christer Bjoerkman who himself represented Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest 1992 and created Sweden's National Selection to the Eurovision Song Contest - Melodifestivalen in the form as we know it today. Christer retired from Melodifestivalen but still is part of the Eurovision Family now creating Eurovision Song Contest - Asisa. Radio International had the pleasure to chat with Christer Björkman in the Media Centre of Eurovision 2026 in Vienna. Listen to it on the show this week.      The Eurovision Spotlight: The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 - The Assessment:  It is a tradition that Radio International will review the Eurovision Song Contest with the Team Members and talking about the highlights and sharing opinions on the staging of the contest. This week Chris Poppe continues the new serieslooking at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.     Björn Tidman (Denmark 1963)   Tribute to Björn Tidmand (Denmark 1964):  During this week's edition of Radio International the sad news reach the studio of the passing away of Björn Tidmand at the age of 86. Björn represented Denmark at the Eurovision Song Contest 1963 with the song "Sangen of Dig" which came 9th. Rest in Peace. More details about Björn Tidmand can be found over at our friends of Wikipedia - click here.   Eurovision News, New Song Releases, Birthday File, Coverspot, Eurovision Calendar: Also JP will be joined by David Mann for the Eurovision Birthday File and Eurovision Coverspot.  Javier stands in for Nick and will be presenting the Eurovision News courtesy of escXtra.com. There will be a lot of the great new releases of Eurovision artists on the show as well as great Eurovision Classics. Javier will be updating us on the upcoming Eurovision events in the Eurovision Calendar and lots more.   For full details of this week's Show Content and Play List - click here

The Daily Quiz - Geography Today's Questions: Question 1: The country of Bhutan is on which continent? Question 2: The world's biggest meteor crater is located in which country? Question 3: Which of these colors would you find on the flag of Syria? Question 4: Which of these colors is included on the flag of Greece? Question 5: In which country would you find the UNESCO World Heritage site of St. Kilda? Question 6: Which River Forms A Border Between France and Germany? Question 7: Which city is known as the Windy City? Question 8: Which of these cities is in Kazakhstan? Question 9: Which of these cities is in South Korea? This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transforming healthcare delivery in resource-limited contexts around the world calls for compassionate, innovative solutions. Learn how The Luke Commission is bringing healthcare to the most isolated and underserved in Eswatini through a scalable model for advancing health equity.

Want a quick estimate of how much your business is worth? With our free valuation calculator, answer a few questions about your business, and you'll get an immediate estimate of the value of your business. You might be surprised by how much you can get for it: https://flippa.com/exit -- In this episode of The Exit, host Steve McGarry sits down with Mike Brcic, founder of Wayfinders, to discuss the raw reality of scaling a business, the trap of founder burnout, and the mechanics of a successful exit. Mike shares his journey from getting fired from three "ski bum" jobs to building a global mountain bike guiding business that he eventually sold after 20 years. Whether you are currently grinding through due diligence or just starting to scale, Mike's "four-hour work week" approach to systematization offers a masterclass in making your business attractive to buyers while reclaiming your personal freedom. -- Key Takeaways: Systems are Your Best Sales Pitch: Mike reduced his involvement to just four hours of meetings per week before selling. A business that can run without the founder is far more valuable and easier to sell. The "Money vs. Terms" Framework: You can rarely have both the highest price and the best terms. Mike prioritized a clean, fast exit over a long earn-out, allowing him to launch his next venture with fresh energy. Perform Due Diligence on the Buyer: Don't just let buyers pick your company apart. Mike shares a "horror story" of a massive company putting him through months of grueling diligence only to slash their offer at the last minute. Alignment is Everything: Don't use "scaling" as a band-aid for burnout. If the business no longer brings you joy, it's better to sell early while your energy (and the business's trajectory) is still high. -- Timestamps: [00:43] From "terrible employee" to mountain biking entrepreneur. [02:43] How to prepare a business for sale (hint: it's the same as running a good one). [05:50] Identifying the "right" time to sell before you hit a crisis point. [08:52] Revamping a "broken" business model to drive up valuation. [11:58] Common exit mistakes: Why you shouldn't go it alone without a broker. [13:50] The "Due Diligence Hell" story and why you must vet your acquirer. [18:05] Deal structures: Negotiating a fast exit vs. a 3-year earn-out. [21:56] What Mike would tell his younger self about the "myth" of scaling. [24:09] About Wayfinders: Adventure retreats for founders in Mongolia, Bhutan, and beyond. -- Mike Brcic is an entrepreneur, adventurer, and community builder best known as the founder of Wayfinders, an organization that helps entrepreneurs and leaders build deeper connection, purpose, and fulfillment through transformative travel experiences and retreats. He previously founded Sacred Rides, which was named the “#1 Mountain Bike Tour Company on Earth” by National Geographic Adventure. Through his work, writing, and speaking, Mike shares insights on entrepreneurship, mental health, personal growth, and creating a more meaningful life through adventure and human connection. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikebrcic/ Websites - https://way-finders.com/ - https://www.mikebrcic.com/ -- The Exit—Presented By Flippa: A 30-minute podcast featuring expert entrepreneurs who have been there and done it. The Exit talks to operators who have bought and sold a business. You'll learn how they did it, why they did it, and get exposure to the world of exits, a world occupied by a small few, but accessible to many. To listen to the podcast or get daily listing updates, click on flippa.com/the-exit-podcast/

Bhutan timed the Bitcoin top almost perfectly. The CLARITY Act may only let 10–20 chains qualify as “decentralized.” And onchain Pokémon cards are popping off. David runs through all three. TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (01:31) Bhutan Sells (06:37) Nexo Ad (07:12) Bhutan Sells (Cont.) (14:39) CLARITY Markup (15:40) Nexo Ad (16:31) CLARITY Markup (Cont.) (25:30) Onchain Pokemon Card Boom FOLLOW THE SHOW › David — https://x.com/dcanellis › The Breakdown — https://x.com/TheBreakdownBW SPONSORS › NEXO Nexo is the premier digital wealth platform. Receive interest on your crypto, borrow against it without selling, and trade a range of assets. Now available in the U.S with 30 days of exclusive privileges. Get started at http://nexo.com/breakdown Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to the Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ DISCLAIMER As always, remember this podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely their opinions, not financial advice.

What is cultural distress? It is a negative response rooted in a cultural conflict where the patient lacks control over their situation. It results in more physiologic effects on the body resulting in allostatic overload. To prevent this, healthcare practitioners must use strategies such as cultural humility to help patients navigate healthcare. Come find the best ways to deliver culturally sensitive care in any setting.

 In Bhutan, you see many houses and temples decorated with phallus symbols. Naturally, you ask: Why?This question leads to profound insights—and just might change your life.Who Was Drukpa Kunley?Drukpa Kunley was born in 1455 in Lhasa, Tibet. He became a monk and later a Lama, following the Tantric teachings. He was a deeply sincere seeker with great insights, and during his time in monasteries, he was admired for his wisdom.But he often asked uncomfortable questions—questions that mostly went unanswered.What if our discipline is driven by fear of punishment or a need for validation?What if we achieve a higher rank and feel proud of it? Isn't that motivation rooted in ego?Why do we need validation that we are "good"?Isn't our very search for enlightenment an ego trip?Why do we aspire to become a Lama or a Rinpoche?Might it not be better to just be an ordinary person?The Monk Who Left the MonasteryOne day, he left the monastery for good. He traveled through Tibet, teaching as he went—but he was just as likely to be found in taverns, drinking alcohol with ordinary people.When he visited temples, he would invite the monks to drink with him. If they refused, he would ask:"Are you afraid of the alcohol? Or are you afraid of breaking the rules? Or perhaps you're afraid of losing your status as an honorable monk?"The Saint of 5000 WomenDrukpa Kunley became known for his unconventional methods of enlightening others—especially women, which earned him the title "The Saint of 5000 Women." Women would sometimes seek his blessing through sexual intercourse.His intention was radical for his time: to show that enlightenment and a healthy sex life are not mutually exclusive. He sought to demonstrate that celibacy is not a requirement for spiritual realization.How the Mad Saint Saved BhutanAt that time, Bhutan was suffering from unfavorable signs that led to bad harvests. The people needed a solution to change their negative karma.They asked Drukpa Kunley for his blessing.He explained that Bhutan was under a curse from a goddess. To counter it, he introduced sexual Tantra to the kingdom. From that moment on, the curse was lifted, and the land prospered again.Teachings That ChallengeMany religious people came to him for advice. They would list all the practices and sacrifices they had already made on their spiritual path.His response cut through their seeking:"If you have done it the right way, why do you need my validation?"He taught that if you have built a genuine connection—a true faith—in God, you don't need anyone else to validate it.The Ego Trap of EnlightenmentDrukpa Kunley questioned the very goals of the spiritual path:In Buddhism, the goal is Nirvana, enlightenment, or freedom from rebirth.But he saw these as ego-driven aspirations. You cannot reach them, he suggested, because they were never truly separate from you to begin with.The Sufis say: Don't make a business out of your death. Surrender to God without conditions—not even for paradise.The true Christians, he observed, put God first in every decision, without conditions or bargaining.Why Do We Need Spiritual Titles?Drukpa Kunley also questioned the need for spiritual titles—Lama, Rinpoche, and so on. These, he pointed out, are creations of the ego.Purpose vs. FaithWestern philosophy has created a life built around purpose or mission—think of Tolstoy. This often happens, Drukpa Kunley might observe, when people have lost their faith in God.The danger of a purpose-driven life is that your purpose can be taken away. You can age, fall ill, or face war—and suddenly your mission is gone.But no one can take away your connection to God.Faith in God is infinitely superior to any earthly purpose.My Video:  Drukpa Kunley: The Mad SaintMy Audio: https://divinesuccess.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/Podcast5/Drukpa-Kunley-The-Mad-Saint.mp3

This is my second conversation with Grammy-winning producer Ian Brennan, whose work continues to make a meaningful impact around the world. If you missed Part 1 of our interview, be sure to check the link in the show notes.In this episode, we explore Ian Brennan's remarkable approach to recording music in some of the most remote and overlooked places on Earth. You'll hear stories from his travels to Ghana, where he recorded in witch camps, as well as projects in Bhutan and within unhoused communities in Oakland, California—near where he grew up.This ongoing series within my podcast highlights more than 50 albums Ian Brennan has produced, many of which have helped local musicians gain international recognition and perform outside their home countries for the first time.In addition to his work in music production, Ian Brennan is also an accomplished author and a respected expert in nonviolent crisis resolution. In this conversation, we also discuss his book Peace by Peace and the philosophy behind his work.The excerpts from the albums featured in this episode are linked in the show notes.The show notes also take you to: transcript, YouTube video, Ian Brennan's website, Marilena Delli Umuhoza's videos, other episodes you'll enjoy including with Ian Brennan, newsletter sign-up, podcast merch, and how you can buy this indepedent podcaster a coffee to keep this going! Show Notes!(00:00) Intro(01:32) Bhutan Balladeers with clips (album and film linked in show notes)(18:35) experience recording “Not a Homelless Person, just a person without a home” with the Homeless Oakland Heart Collective with clips (album linked in show notes)(31:34) non-violent crisis resolution, book Peace by Peace(44:14) recording Witch Camp in Ghana (album linked in show notes)photo: Marilena Delli Umuhoza

Rob Ryder comes to Two Dollar Late Fee to discuss The Warriors, Sonny Landham (Predator), White Men Can't Jump, & more!  Rob Ryder has had a wild life! He writes about it in his new book, Purple Fury. From being a member of “The Punks” & “Baseball Furies” in The Warriors to helping make White Men Can't Jump the classic that it is today! In this interview Rob discusses his book, working with Walter Hill (Southern Comfort), a wild Sonny Landham story, building homes in Bhutan, & a whole lot more!  Enjoy! Order Rob Ryder's book Purple Fury here: https://purplefury.net As mentioned in this interview, find more info on the phenomenal documentary Making Megaforce here: https://www.makingmegaforce.com Dig the show? Please consider supporting $2 Late Fee on Patreon for tons of bonus content (like Tales From The Video Store)! Links are below: Two Dollar Late Fee: ⁠www.patreon.com/twodollarlatefee⁠ Please follow/subscribe and rate us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! Apple Podcasts: ⁠podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-dollar-late-fee⁠ Spotify: ⁠open.spotify.com/show/⁠ Instagram: ⁠@twodollarlatefee⁠ Subscribe to our ⁠YouTube⁠ Check out Jim Walker's intro/outro music on Bandcamp: ⁠jvamusic1.bandcamp.com⁠ Facebook: ⁠facebook.com/Two-Dollar-Late-Fee-Podcast⁠ Merch:⁠ https://www.teepublic.com/user/two-dollar-late-fee⁠ IMDB: ⁠https://www.imdb.com⁠ Two Dollar Late Fee is a part of the nutritious ⁠Geekscape Network⁠ Every episode is produced, edited, and coddled by Zak Shaffer (⁠@zakshaffer⁠) & Dustin Rubin (⁠@dustinrubinvo⁠) You can watch the entire interview on our YouTube channel here. Don't forget to like & subscribe!You can listen & NOW watch on Spotify here. Don't forget to like & subscribe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nepal just experienced one of Asia's most dramatic recent political upheavals. A former rapper and Kathmandu mayor, Balen Shah, swept to power in a landslide election, winning 182 of 275 parliamentary seats and wiping out every established political party. With half of Nepal's 30 million people under 25, this “Gen Z Revolution” could signal a trend for young democracies worldwide.In this episode, Sujeev Shakya - Chair of the Nepal Economic Forum and senior advisor for Nepal and Bhutan at BowerGroupAsia - explains what happened, why it matters, and what comes next for this small Himalayan country sandwiched between India and China.We explore:•⁠ ⁠How a youth-led anti-corruption movement toppled the government and formed an interim administration on Discord in just five days•⁠ ⁠Why Nepal's new PM is focused on public service delivery rather than grand promises, and whether he can actually end decades of entrenched corruption•⁠ ⁠Nepal's remarkable economic transformation: GDP growth from $7B to $44B in 20 years, fueled by $15B in annual remittances and a booming IT export sector•⁠ ⁠How Nepal navigates its position between India and China - aiming to be an economic “bridge” rather than a geopolitical buffer•⁠ ⁠The impact of the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz closure on Nepal's fuel supply and its two million workers in the Gulf•⁠ ⁠Why thousands of Nepali soldiers are fighting for Russia in Ukraine - and the new government's challenge of bringing them home•⁠ ⁠Investment opportunities in hydropower, agriculture, technology, tourism, and infrastructureWhether you follow South Asian politics, India-China competition, or youth-led political movements, Nepal's story offers insights into how small states survive and thrive between great powers.

Kuzuzangpo la! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger & Chris Sanford answer your travel health questions, including:How should I prepare for a high-altitude trek in Bhutan?What is the latest about oropouche virus?Did the head of CDC really just suppress a scientific paper written at CDC?How strongly do you recommend the dengue vaccine available overseas?Can we trust travel and health advice found on social media?Is it possible to get TOO MUCH exercise when you travel?We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please follow us on the socials @germ.and.worm, subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please visit our website: germandworm.com where you can find all our content and send us your questions and travel health anecdotes. Or, just send us an email: germandworm@gmail.com.Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford's & Dr. Pottinger's alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

VOV1 - Chiều ngày 28/04 tại Phủ Chủ tịch, Tổng Bí thư, Chủ tịch nước Tô Lâm chủ trì buổi lễ trao Quyết định bổ nhiệm 5 Đại sứ đặc mệnh toàn quyền Nước Cộng hoà Xã hội Chủ nghĩa Việt Nam tại nước ngoài.Trân trọng trao Quyết định bổ nhiệm Đại sứ Việt Nam tại Ấn Độ, kiêm nhiệm Cộng hoà Dân chủ Liên bang Nepal và Vương quốc Bhutan, Đại sứ Việt Nam tại Vương quốc Bỉ, kiêm nhiệm Đại Công quốc Luxembourg và Đại diện thường trực Việt Nam bên cạnh Liên minh Châu âu, Đại sứ Việt Nam tại Liên bang Thuỵ Sĩ, kiêm nhiệm Công quốc Liechtenstein; Đại sứ Việt Nam tại Cộng hoà Dân chủ Nhân dân Triều Tiên và Đại sứ Việt Nam tại Cộng hoà Kazakhstan, kiêm nhiệm Cộng hoà Kyrgyzstan, Cộng hoà Tajikistan và Georgia tới 5 đồng chí, Tổng Bí thư, Chủ tịch nước Tô Lâm khẳng định, đây là vinh dự nhưng cũng là trách nhiệm rất lớn đối với các Đại sứ, bởi các đồng chí không chỉ đại diện cho Nhà nước mà còn là hình ảnh của đất nước, của dân tộc và phải triển khai thực hiện đường lối đối ngoại của Đảng ta góp phần xây dựng và bảo vệ Tổ quốc từ sớm, từ xa.

Bhutan has become quite a popular tourist destination for Australians, despite the relatively high cost to get there. While it's a small nation tucked between Tibet and India, it has a lot to offer, with many unique locations and cultural experiences from the Tigers Nest Monastery perched precariously on the side of a cliff, to a host of vibrant festivals, and intriguing local cuisine.

Fruitful domestic and international medical missions overlap in multiple ways. Both require cross-cultural skills, a willingness to work with limited resources, courage in the face of potentially dangerous situations, and possible disapproval from friends and family. Each is excellent preparation for the other. Many international workers spend furlough time working in American Christian health centers--and vice-versa.

Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the 49-year-old billionaire founder of Binance, has written a memoir. It arrives with the unmistakable timing of a man determined to tell the world his version of his meteoric crypto rise and fall, and foreshadow his comeback. The book, Freedom of Money: A Memoir of Protecting Users, Resilience, and the Founding of Binance, runs 364 pages, self-published in English and Chinese, and is available on Amazon Kindle for $9.99, where it's already ranked #4 among all Kindle books. The book traces Zhao's path from rural China to Canada, then through jobs in Tokyo, New York and Shanghai, and finally to building Binance, the crypto exchange that grew with extraordinary speed into the largest in the world. Zhao also recounts Binance's long battle with U.S. regulators, the company's record $4.3 billion settlement over anti-money-laundering and other charges, his four-month prison sentence in California, where he says he began writing the book, and his recent pardon by President Trump. He says the memoir is for readers who know him only from headlines, for those who have followed him for years, and for anyone curious how one founder could help shape an industry "and pay for it." Like most memoirs, this one is an exercise in selection and emphasis. The glowing and inspiring portrait Zhao assembles is of a man philosophically untouched by his success. Forbes estimates his fortune at roughly $110 billion, placing him ahead of Bill Gates. But wealth, he insists, was never the point. "I don't care about money," he writes. "I don't care about power. I don't care about fame. I don't even care about legacy." As evidence of his selflessness, Zhao cites charitable efforts such as Giggle Academy, his nonprofit education platform, and includes a foreword from Yi He, Binance's cofounder and the mother of his three children. She says even after Binance became a global juggernaut, Zhao still wore clothes ordered from Amazon, biked to meetings and drove an old Toyota minivan. Yet the book is equally intent on establishing Zhao firmly within the world's power circles. He writes of traveling the world and being received by political leaders and royalty, from Saudi Arabia's de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to the king of Bhutan, who contributed praise for the book alongside Ray Dalio and Larry Fink.  The anecdotes that follow serve the same function. Binance invested $500 million in X in 2022 — "a finger in the air number," as Zhao puts it — after little financial analysis and a brief conversation with Elon Musk. Thanks to its corporate reshuffling, Zhao adds, Binance wound up with a small stake in SpaceX, which will soon IPO with an astronomical valuation as high as $2 trillion. When Bahrain's central bank governor complained that ChatGPT was blocked in his country, Zhao writes that he reached out to Sam Altman and had the matter resolved the following day. Forbes appears numerous times in his memoir—sometimes as a marker of validation, sometimes as a source of grievance. Zhao recalls a 2017 Hong Kong photo shoot that put him on the cover, Binance hoodie and all, prompting him to turn to a friend and ask, "Does this mean I'm rich?" He writes that he considered a $200 million investment in Forbes in 2022, a deal that never materialized. And then there is the 2020 "Tai Chi" article, Forbes' report on an alleged scheme by Binance to evade U.S. regulators. Zhao casts it as part of the machinery closing in on him, suggesting prosecutors may have tipped off the reporter and later used the piece to help open an investigation. Binance sued Forbes for defamation over the article, but then dropped its lawsuit three months later. The book is at its most interesting when details slip in sideways. Zhao describes a friendly relationship with Gary Gensler before Gensler became chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. By Nina Bambysheva Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Som Subedi’s daughter, a fifth-grader, was concerned about attending her soccer practice for fear of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials raiding the public practices and games. She was worried her father would be targeted by ICE officers. Subedi assured her daughter that he is, in fact, a U.S. citizen, by showing her his Real I.D. card and passport.   Subedi is originally from Bhutan, and after spending nearly twenty years in a refugee camp in Nepal, he moved to Portland in 2008 and eventually obtained citizenship. Upon seeing his identification, his daughter was still convinced that because of her father’s appearance and accent, she wouldn’t be able to see him after her soccer practice was over.   This inspired Subedi to organize the recent Refugee and Immigrant Girls’ World Cup Soccer Tournament, inviting the young athletes to compete in a safe environment, as fear and anticipation of federal immigration enforcement activity has burdened youth sports across the U.S.   Subedi joins us to share more about the tournament, and his efforts to remove cultural, linguistic and financial barriers for immigrant and refugee youth and create a safe and welcoming environment for them.  

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Moving about the Earth becomes a living initiation when we enter sacred landscapes in relationship. From whale encounters in Baja to Tiwanaku, Bhutan, and Irish stone circles, this Kristina Wood from Mystical Nature Journeys reveals how every site holds a message and how Earth's elemental intelligence awakens love, coherence, and planetary guardianship within us.This documentary-style episode is part of the curated special series DESTINATION AWAKENING. Journey as Initiation. Travel as Transmission in collaboration with GnosticTV - directed by Julia Weigert.

The episode kicks off with Ross revealing he is a devoted fan of Phil Rosenthal, the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond, who now hosts a food travel show on Netflix called Somebody Feed Phil. Ross has personally visited around 15 of the restaurants the show featured, which is either very impressive or the most expensive hobby a woodworking podcast host has ever admitted to on air. Jess loves the show too, mostly because she cannot figure out how the man stays thin eating like that. Ross explains Phil only takes a bite and hands the rest to the crew, which is the most polite thing anyone has ever done at a Michelin-starred restaurant and a taco truck back to back.From there the three of them do what any group of close friends does when the mics are hot and nobody has stopped them, which is spend a solid chunk of time ranking summer fruit. Jess is pushing enormous Walmart grapes nearly two inches across that basically look like plums. Colton is a mango guy who cuts them like an avocado and eats them off the grid. Ross wants dark plums all the way through, loves end-of-summer strawberries and Georgia peaches but peels them because the fuzz is a dealbreaker. Jess eats the entire kiwi including the skin. Ross does not like watermelon. This is treated as breaking news.The real meat of the episode is Colton's deck. He wants to build a 38-foot wide covered back deck on his 1945 farmhouse and came with some ideas, some of which were fine and some of which made Jess say the words "way too thin" with an energy suggesting Colton had proposed framing an aircraft carrier with toothpicks. Two-by-sixes for the floor joists are out. Minimum two-by-tens, go with twelves if spanning 16 feet, and nobody uses four-by-four posts to hold up a roof at 12-foot height unless they enjoy watching things bow slowly over time. Jess advocates hard for at least a 24-inch roof overhang to protect the deck from sun damage, which apparently kills wood faster than water does. The pressure-treated lumber debate gets thorough, covering ground contact versus outdoor rated, copper-based treatments, and whether you need to seal every cut end. Ross strongly recommends filming all of it because outdoor build content crushes every other category on YouTube and TikTok and Colton is leaving serious views on the table.The back half belongs to a trivia game Jess built from scratch where every country has a national tree and most of them are trees these three have never heard of. Countries like Bhutan, Laos, Guyana, Botswana, and Papua New Guinea get their trees identified one by one while Ross and Colton guess the Janka hardness rating and are wrong almost every single time. African Blackwood from Tanzania sinks in water and was historically used as bearings on boats. Mopane from Zambia rates around 3000 Janka and will destroy your planer blades. The Marula tree from Mozambique produces fruit that ferments on the ground and has been documented getting elephants genuinely drunk. Frangipani from Laos rates under 500, which Jess describes as one you could fart on and dent it. The national food trivia woven in is equally unhinged, including larb from Laos, blood sausage with lingonberry jam from Estonia, and a Uruguayan dish Colton identifies from personal West Texas experience as requiring a full week of recovery after eating.Ross closes with a nugget about threaded insert bolts for table bases, Colton finally committed to SketchUp and recommends the Sketchup Essentials YouTube channel, and Jess says use YouTube for every tool purchase decision you ever make and also just buy the good drill the first time.Legal complaints go to Barone Barone Barone Barone Barone and Barone Legal Partners. Motto available upon request.Beat Around the Bench is a woodworking, DIY, and general nonsense podcast hosted by Jess of Jess Build It, Colton of Cold Crit, and Ross of R&C Woodworking and Designs. Find them on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Patreon.

Amanda Black founded The Solo Female Traveler Network (SoFe Travel), a global community of 560,000+ rad women who travel solo. She designs women-only trips to offbeat places like hot air balloons in Turkey and cliffside monasteries in Bhutan, night markets in Egypt and dawn deserts camelback in Morocco. Amanda also studies how strangers become friends, the idea at the heart of her TEDx talk on shared-first experiences. Her work spans three projects: SoFe Travel (immersive group trips), Kindred (a community-building project for women closer to home), and The SoFe Travel Collective (an artisan-driven store supporting women artisans worldwide). Across it all, her focus is the same: build spaces where women feel braver, less alone, and more connected to themselves, each other, and the world. In episode 667 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Amanda chose University of Cincinnati and joined Chi Omega, how being "the new person" shaped how she thinks about belonging today, what was the moment Amanda realized this was more than just a travel group, what exactly is "shared firsts", how to have deeper conversations in college, why people feel lonelier in college, what is a practical way someone listening today can deepen one relationship this week, what role vulnerability plays in building connection, why safety is such a key ingredient in connection, and what it takes to turn an idea into a global community. Enjoy!

In this dynamic session, participants will begin to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can support missionary work. From content creation in fundraising to administrative support and research tools, AI can revolutionize how missionaries serve and connect. Learn about the practical benefits of AI, such as automating repetitive tasks, improving communication, researching important topics, and fostering creativity. We’ll also discuss the ethical challenges and potential pitfalls of using AI in ministry. Discover specific resources and strategies to enhance your work while staying grounded in biblical principles.

Send us Fan MailDelia Leung is an accomplished yoga instructor based in Hong Kong, who owns a boutique yoga studio and teaches Dharma yoga both at her studio and corporate environments like Google. She has a diverse academic background with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, a law degree, and a Master's in Buddhist Studies. Her journey includes significant professional experience in finance, law, and trading. Delia has studied under the guidance of Dharma Mittra in New York and integrates her rich educational and life experiences into her yoga teachings, focusing on blending spirituality with practical applications.Visit Delia on IG: https://www.instagram.com/delia.indrayoga/Key Takeaways:Delia Leung's path from a finance career to becoming a respected yoga teacher highlights the potential to combine professional skills with personal passions.Delia emphasizes the importance of planting seeds of spirituality and mindfulness even in corporate environments like Google, to aid tech-savvy employees in stress management.The conversation includes insights into how yoga and meditation can profoundly benefit physical and mental resilience, especially among older practitioners.Delia discusses the essence of practicing discernment in one's spiritual and personal development, a key teaching in Buddhist philosophy.The podcast highlights the unique cultural and spiritual practices in Bhutan, showcasing how such environments contribute to the metric of happiness.Thanks for listening to this episode. Check out:

On this episode of the Overland Journal Podcast, host Scott Brady welcomes James Fountain, a cultural geographer and fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the Explorers Club, to discuss how exploration can support communities and science. Fountain shares how Overland Journal first inspired him, formative work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the United Nations remapping roads, and how cultural geography examines how landscapes shape cultures. They compare happiness and development through examples like Malawi and Bhutan, including Bhutan's Gross National Happiness and conservation policies, and discuss reducing travel gear and impact. Fountain recounts an ambitious Wakhan Corridor motorcycle journey relying on local generosity, then offers practical guidance on respectful, sustainable travel and citizen science.