Podcasts about Black Sea

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.0:00 China Imports5:26 Crop Progress9:21 Brazil Planting Begins10:57 Russia Wheat11:54 Grain Shipments

Edition No240 | 03-09-2025 - Flames, Palaces & Flamingos: Ukraine Challenges Putin's Aura of Invincibility.A future film of the war, depicting Ukraine's victory over its imperial neighbour, will savour this moment, as it builds the tension and rolls out in glorious orange flame ripping through forests near Putin's secret palace complex, his minions panicking as the flames encroach on the $1.5 billion Black Sea palace, and then consume it. We'll have to wait for the full feature, but we were treated to the trailer last week, a teaser for the full blockbuster attraction. Picture this: debris from a Ukrainian drone — falling like an uninvited and unwelcome weekend guest at a dacha — ignites a forest inferno just six miles from Putin's alleged $1.5 billion bolt hole, his Black Sea palace. Was it a deliberate power move by Ukraine, were they aiming for the palace itself, or is this just collateral damage? Likely the former. According to Russian emergency services, the blaze was triggered when debris from a downed Ukrainian drone fell near the opulent estate—sparked by air defence intercepts. And we know from reports that Putin has concentrated a huge number of air defence systems near the places he holds dear or visits frequently. Of course, defending civilian objects is a far lower priority. It reportedly occurred six miles from the palace, though investigative outlet IStories claims it might have been as close as two miles. (Meduza)----------SOURCES: https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drone-cases-fire-near-vladimir-putins-palace-and-winery/https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/08/28/emergency-crews-battle-forest-fire-near-putins-palace-after-ukrainian-drone-attack-a90373https://nypost.com/2025/08/30/world-news/downed-ukrainian-drone-sparks-massive-forest-fires-just-miles-from-putins-mysterious-1-5b-black-sea-palace/https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/downed-ukrainian-drone-sparks-massive-forest-fires-near-vladimir-putins-mysterious-palace-9190220https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2025/08/28/forest-fire-caused-by-ukrainian-drone-strike-approaches-putins-palace-in-southern-russia-en-newshttps://meduza.io/en/feature/2025/08/28/ukrainian-drone-sparks-forest-fire-just-six-miles-from-putin-s-black-sea-palacehttps://tvpworld.com/88671811/ukraines-new-flamingo-missile-makes-battlefield-debut-wiping-out-six-russian-hovercraft-in-crimea-reporthttps://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-flamingo-missile-crimea-russia-2122562https://militarnyi.com/en/news/fss-facility-in-crimea-hit-by-flamingo-missiles-not-neptune-sources/https://www.trenchart.us/p/the-flamingo-missiles-first-confirmed----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISERA project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

Matthew needles Dave in this episode, plus we talk about Coriolis licenses, Tabletop Scotland, Windheim and NPC for Tales of the Old West00.00.40: Introductions00.03.26: World of Gaming - Coriolis the Great Dark 3rd party license released; TableTop Scotland approaches (next weekend!); Windheim Falling the second part of the Horn of Dawn, is on Kickstarter00.24.48: Essay and Discussion: Non-player characters in Tales of the Old West01.06.00: Next time and Goodbye Effekt is brought to you by Effekt Publishing. Music is by Stars in a Black Sea, used with kind permission of Free League Publishing.Like what we do?Sign up for updates on Tales of the Old West via our new website and download Tales of the Old West QuickDraw available for free on DriveThru. The core rules are now available on DriveThru too.Put our brand on your face! (and elsewhere)Buy pdfs via our DriveThru Affiliate linkLeave a review on iTunes or PodchaserFind our Actual Play recordings on effektap ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We're most familiar with the Celts of the west, the people who eventually fought Julius Caesar in Gaul and left their languages along the Atlantic fringe. Yet thanks to mass migrations to the east, the Celtic world also extended all the way to the Black Sea. Today, we'll try to understand the world these Celtic migrants found in the Balkans, full of barely remembered ancient peoples who lived full, rich, compelling lives.Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge. And check out Patrick's new podcast The Pursuit of Dadliness! It's all about “Dad Culture,” and Patrick will interview some fascinating guests about everything from tall wooden ships to smoked meats to comfortable sneakers to history, sports, culture, and politics. https://bit.ly/PWtPoDListen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistoryBe the first to know about Wondery's newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 1905, a Russian battleship crew said “enough.” Starving, abused, and fed up with maggot-ridden meat and brutal officers, the sailors aboard the Potemkin launched one of the most famous mutinies in naval history—an act of defiance that sent shockwaves through the Russian Empire. What followed was a chaotic, bloody standoff that played out across the Black Sea and the port of Odessa, inspiring revolutionaries and terrifying the Tsar. In today's episode Ben and Andrew tell the story of how one battleship became a symbol of resistance, rebellion, and revolutionary firepower.

With the release of the album Song of the Birds, mandolinist Avi Avital joins the Between Worlds Ensemble in a vibrant celebration of folk traditions from Italy, Iberia, and the Black Sea regions. Learn more at https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/artists/avi-avital/news/avi-avitals-song-of-the-birds-a-dialogue-between-folk-and-classical-music-275906

Turkish armed forces could play a major role in securing any peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. For Ankara, this would be a chance to reassert itself at a time when many fear it is being sidelined by Western allies. European and US military chiefs last week reportedly presented ideas to their national security advisers on how to guarantee Ukraine's security if there is a peace deal with Russia. The discussions followed a summit of European leaders in Washington with US President Donald Trump on ending the conflict. "It's going to be a big challenge, but they will find ways of tackling that challenge without the US troops on the ground," said Serhat Guvenc, professor of international relations at Istanbul's Kadir Has University. "It will be a novelty because Europe has never carried out any peacekeeping or stabilization operation of this magnitude before." Turkey, with NATO's second-largest army, is seen as a possible option. "Turkey is an option, you know. And it seems that there is some talk of Turkish contribution," Guvenc added. Armenia and Azerbaijan peace deal raises hopes of Turkish border reopening Ankara signals readiness On the same day, French President Emmanuel Macron held a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss Ukraine's security. Ankara has already signalled it could take part in monitoring any peace deal, but Moscow's approval would be necessary. "If the parties agree, Turkey may send our troops to peacekeeping operations," said Mesut Casin, a former presidential adviser and professor at Istanbul's Yeditepe University. Casin pointed to Turkey's past record in UN operations. "Turkey joined many UN peacekeeping operations in the former Yugoslavia, Somalia, and Korea, and in many other peacekeeping operations. The Turkish army is very powerful," he said. "Also, remember Putin is talking many times with Erdogan, and at the same time, Zelensky is visiting Ankara." Turkey and Italy boost cooperation in bid to shape Libya's political future Balancing Moscow and Kyiv Since the start of the war, Erdogan has kept good relations with both Russia and Ukraine. Ankara has refused to apply most international sanctions on Moscow, while at the same time selling vital military hardware to Kyiv. That balancing act has raised questions among European partners. "Turkey ought to have been at the Washington meeting," said Soli Ozel, an international relations scholar at the Institute for Human Studies in Vienna. Even though Turkey borders both Ukraine and Russia, Erdogan was excluded from this month's summit between Trump and European leaders. "The fact that it wasn't backs the observation that the bigger players or the major partners are not bringing Turkey center stage, they're sidelining it," Ozel added. Despite this, Ankara remains strategically important. "They keep it in the play, it's important because if you're going to need troops, you're going to need Turkey. If you're going to talk about the Black Sea security, you need Turkey. And so you cannot really dismiss Turkey," Ozel said. But he warned that mistrust is limiting Ankara's role. "You're not making it part of the process that will hopefully lead to a conclusion or a peace treaty between Ukraine and Russia. There is a lack of trust, and I think that has something to do with the way Turkey has conducted its diplomacy," Ozel said. Peace or politics? Turkey's fragile path to ending a decades-long conflict Doubts over influence Some analysts suggest Ankara hopes Europe's reliance on Turkish forces or its navy for Black Sea security could help restore influence. But others see limited gains. "There is no automatic increase in Turkey's influence and credibility as a result of taking part in such operations," said Guvenc. "It does have a certain impact, but on the other hand, such contributions do not change other Western partners' views of Turkey." Rather than a reset with Europe, Guvenc sees a continuation of the current dynamic. "What might happen is yet another manifestation of transactionalism on both sides. And if Turkey contributes to peacekeeping in Ukraine, probably President Erdogan expects concrete benefits that will help him manage the deteriorating economic situation in Turkey. "Therefore, you cannot build a comprehensive and sustainable relationship built on that transactionalism on both sides."

On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, the surprise invasion of the Soviet Union that opened the Eastern Front in World War II. With lightning speed and devastating success, the German army tore through Soviet territory and rolled over the Red Army, scoring some of the most dramatic victories in military history--until the blitzkrieg bogged down during the approach on Moscow. At the spearhead of the attack was General Heinz Guderian, one of the most celebrated and controversial commanders of the war, who commanded a tank group in the center of the German front that stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Guderian's Panzers reconstructs Barbarossa from the perspective of Generaloberst Guderian and his 2nd Panzer Group. With the German war machine at the height of its martial prowess in June 1941, Guderian's group of 250,000 men and 900 tanks rapidly broke through the Soviet frontier defenses and thrust some 600 kilometers into Soviet Russia in a matter of weeks--in doing so playing an integral part in the successful encirclement (cauldron) battles of Belostok-Minsk (June/July 1941) and Smolensk (July/August 1941); each of these battles resulting in the loss of several Soviet armies and hundreds of thousands of prisoners. Despite having sustained alarming losses of personal and equipment in these opening battles, Guderian pushed his men, and himself, to even greater achievements, culminating in the triumphant cauldron Battle of Kiev in the Ukraine (September 1941) that obliterated Soviet Southwestern Front and resulted in the capture of over 600,000 Red Army POWs. It was, perhaps, Germany's greatest victory in WWII, and Guderian had made it happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Russia launches one of its largest attacks on Ukraine in recent months, while Ukrainian drones also hit Russian targets in the Black Sea.

As Russia's deadly attacks on Ukraine continue, the Black Sea has emerged as a focal point of Moscow's strategic ambitions. Dr Natalie Sabanadze of Chatham House explores why dominating this critical waterway has long been central to Russia's geopolitical goals—from trade and energy to military power projection—and why it poses a significant challenge for Europe and NATO.The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. Watch more: www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio Read more: www.thetimes.com Photo: Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,275.Today, as Russia's foreign minister accuses the Coalition of the Willing of “undermining” efforts to secure peace in Ukraine – comments later described as nothing but “noise” – Vladimir Putin makes clear how serious he is about negotiating peace by launching another mass aerial attack. Far from ending the war, we hear how Donald Trump is apparently going to “step back” from peace talks “for now”. Plus, we look at how Ukraine has demonstrated the next stage of drone development with a strike on Russian forces in the Black Sea, and interview the commander of Finland's armed forces.Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.With thanks to the Commander of the Finnish Army, Lt Gen Pasi VälimäkiContent Referenced:US will only give ‘minimal' security guarantees to Ukraine, Europe warned (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/21/us-elbridge-colby-minimal-security-guarantees-ukraine/ Trump steps back from Russia and Ukraine peace talks for now, sources say (The Guardian):https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/21/trump-ukraine-russia-peace-talks Why Steve Witkoff Is Trump's Master of Disaster (Foreign Policy):https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/08/19/steve-witkoff-trump-putin-russia-ukraine-war-diplomacy Witkoff delivered Russian medal from Putin to family of American who was killed fighting for Russia in 2024 (CNN):https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/20/politics/witkoff-delivered-medal-from-putin-family-american-killed A Letter to America's Discarded Public Servants (William J Burns in The Atlantic):https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/10/trump-retribution-public-servants/683914/SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/ Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a text-Welcome to is Celebrate Creativity for episode 440 Crossing the Symbol -the second part of a look into Lord Byron.Making swimming even more difficult historically and even today it's a vital strategic waterway which means it was and still is a busy maritime passageway  Now if you will excuse me, I wanna take a little aside and delve into the Hellespont - and hopefully in a few minutes you will understand it's importance to Lord Byron, his thinking, and where I'm trying to go with this.So I asked Gemini for a little background about the Hellespont.It answered - The Hellespont, now known as the Dardanelles, is a narrow, historically significant strait in northwestern Turkey that connects the Aegean Sea (part of the Mediterranean) to the Sea of Marmara, and ultimately, via the Bosphorus, to the Black Sea.To Lord Byron, the Hellespont was what's like a bridge Between Continents and Civilizations - metaphorically. It famously marks a natural boundary between Europe (on the Gallipoli Peninsula side) and Asia (on the Troad, or mainland Turkey, side). Byron's swim was, in essence, a literal crossing between continents.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

In this episode of Designed for Advantage, host Tony Skinner speaks with Rafael's VP of business development and marketing, Gideon Weiss, and Commander ‘K', a naval surface warfare and air defence expert, about how navies are adapting to an era of bold, asymmetric threats at sea.From swarming drones in the Red Sea to precision missile strikes in the Black Sea, the maritime threat landscape is shifting fast. The discussion explores:How multi-domain threats are reshaping naval air defence and counter-UAS (CUAS) strategies.The economics of modern naval warfare and ammunition management during high-intensity operations.The role of layered, modular and radar-agnostic defence systems, including the TYPHOON Mk 30, C-Dome and Naval Iron Beam.Real-world examples of how Rafael systems are deployed to counter UAV swarms and sea-skimming missiles.How high-energy laser systems could deliver near-zero-cost-per-shot interception and “endless magazine” potential at sea.Rafael's approach to interoperability, open architecture and strategic partnerships with navies and shipyards worldwide.Whether you are a defence leader, naval operator or industry watcher, this conversation offers operational insights and a forward-looking perspective on maritime security.

This episode forms part of a new strand of our podcast: Seapower Past and Present which explores seapower as it is understood and practised in the modern world whilst offering a historical perspective on the themes we explore. Each episode is chosen according to a theme or a location – a hotspot in the modern world where seapower has a major influence on geopolitics. So if you enjoy this episode do please seek out others in this strand – you will shortly be able to find episodes on economic warfare, critical national infrastructure, how technology is changing the nature of warfare at sea; and on hugely significant locations in the modern maritime world – the Black Sea, South China Sea, Middle East and Arctic.To make this series come alive we've teamed up with the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre. In each episode you will hear from at least one historian and from at least one practitioner, a member of the armed forces who has direct first hand, personal experience of the topic being discussed.In this episode, Dr Sam Willis speaks to three guests at the Royal Naval Base in Portsmouth to help us understand seapower in the South China Sea. This region is rich in maritime history and diverse in its modern strategic concerns. To discuss this further, the podcast is joined by Dr Jennifer Sabourah-Till from Permanent Joint Headquarters, who commands joint and multinational military operations on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. Dr Matthew Heaslip, Senior Lecturer in Naval History at the University of Portsmouth, also joins to discuss the Royal Navy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. He provides expert knowledge on the use of gunboat diplomacy, amphibious operations and imperial policing in the South China Sea. Also joining Sam in this episode is Joe Reilly, a junior Warfare Officer in the Royal Navy who has previously spent time in the Asia-Pacific theatre on board the patrol vessel HMS Spey. Joe is also a Richmond Fellow with the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

De minimis; Diablo; deadly wuxia; DIE; Dungeons and Dyslexia; and detectives 00.00.40: Introductions00.03.59: World of Gaming - De minimus and US imports; Diablo rpg; Streets of Jade and its inspiration; DIE the TTRPG of the comic about TTRPGs is getting a Comic QuickStart; we got a great review; Tabletop Scotland 00.42.12: Interview with Paul Baldowski about Cork Bord01.29.03: Next time and Goodbye Effekt is brought to you by Effekt Publishing. Music is by Stars in a Black Sea, used with kind permission of Free League Publishing.Like what we do?Sign up for updates on Tales of the Old West via our new website and download Tales of the Old West QuickDraw available for free on DriveThru. The core rules are now available on DriveThru too.Put our brand on your face! (and elsewhere)Buy pdfs via our DriveThru Affiliate linkLeave a review on iTunes or PodchaserFind our Actual Play recordings on effektap ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Hey Slaycaters, here we go again…  Another case that will have you scratching your heads and saying, “WTF???” On July 8th, 2014, Lars Mittank entered the airport in Varna, Bulgaria.   It had already been an interesting vacation on the coast of the Black Sea that included a fight with locals in which Lars had sustained injuries preventing him from flying home with his pals.   Now medically cleared to fly, Lars arrived at the Varna Airport — only to be seen suddenly running out of the airport doctor's office headed straight for…our show. Get ready for one of the most bizarre mysteries we've ever covered and see if you can make sense of the madness.   As always, thanks for Slaycating with us and please stay safe out there, both home and abroad!    Slaycation is recorded at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio by Josh Wilcox Editing is by Kelley Marcano MORE KIM!:  Subscribe to SLAYCATION PLUS and get weekly ‘More Kim' bonus episodes. SUBSCRIBE to SLAYCATION PLUS right in Apple Podcasts, or on our website: ⁠⁠https://plus.slaycation.wtf/supporters/pricing⁠⁠ SLAYCATERS ONLY:  Interact with the Hosts and get behind the scenes info, photos and more in our FACEBOOK GROUP: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/394778366758281⁠⁠ MERCH!  Top quality ‘Pack Your Body Bags" tote bags, as well as Slaycation T-shirts, towels, sandals, fanny packs, stickers and more available at:  ⁠⁠https://plus.slaycation.wtf/collections/all⁠⁠ MORE INFO:  to learn more about Slaycation, the Hosts go to: ⁠⁠www.slaycation.wtf⁠⁠ EMAIL:  ⁠⁠info@slaycation.wtf⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conversations on Groong - August 16, 2025In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with analyst Hamid Bahrami about Iran's shifting role in the South Caucasus following the White House meeting between Trump, Pashinyan, and Aliyev that unveiled the TRIPP corridor, also known as the Trump Route. We examine how the project threatens to bypass and encircle Iran, potentially cutting it off from Russia and the Black Sea, while serving broader US and Israeli strategic aims. The discussion explores Iran's decades of passivity in the region, its missed opportunities, and the wake-up call of the 44-day war, before turning to how Tehran might now defend its red lines through deeper cooperation with Russia, China, and Armenia. Topics:TRIPP Corridor & US InvolvementUS-Israel Strategy & War RisksIran's Missed Opportunities & ShiftsFuture of Iran–Armenia RelationsHamid Bahrami's article published by the Institute for Iran and Eurasia Studies (IRAS) in Iran: https://www.iras.ir/%D8%B2%D9%86%DA%AF%D8%B2%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%8C-%D9%86%D9%82%D8%B7%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%81%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%82%D9%81%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AA%D8%A8%D9%86 Guest: Hamid BahramiHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 461 | Recorded: August 13, 2025SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/461VIDEO: https://youtu.be/lTYVEAuZ8fc#ArmenianNews #Iran #Armenia #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridorSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Fiona Forsyth chats to Paul Burke about her new historical thriller DEATH and the POET, Ghastly misogynists, Ovid, small town life in the ancient world, studying the classics.Death and the Poet 14 AD. When Dokimos the vegetable seller is found bludgeoned to death in the Black Sea town of Tomis, it's the most exciting thing to have happened in the region for years. Now reluctantly settled into life in exile, the disgraced Roman poet Ovid helps his friend Avitius to investigate the crime, with the evidence pointing straight at a cuckolded neighbour.But Ovid is also on edge, waiting for the most momentous death of all. Augustus, the first Emperor of Rome, is nearing his end, and the future of the whole Roman world is uncertain.Even as far away as Tomis, this political shadow creates tension as the pompous Roman legate Flaccus thinks more of his career than solving a local murder.Avitius and Ovid become convinced that an injustice has been done in the case of the murdered vegetable seller. But Flaccus continues to turn a deaf ear.When Ovid's wife, Fabia, arrives unexpectedly, carrying a cryptic message from the Empress Livia, the poet becomes distracted - and another crime is committed.Assisted by Fabia, the investigators get closer to the truth. But the truth will come at a price.Ovid hopes for a return to Rome - only to discover that he is under threat from an enemy much closer to home.FIONA FORSYTH I will never fully understand the Romans, and that is the challenge. I have loved the ancient world since I read my first Greek myth, Theseus and the Minotaur. After reading Classics at Oxford, I taught at a boys' public school for twenty-five years, but then my family moved to Qatar. There wasn't much call for Latin teachers, so I wrote, and now I am back in the UK, all the questions I have asked myself about the Romans over the years are turning into novels. I was once accused by a slightly indignant teenager of being in love with Cicero. This is not strictly true...Recommendations SJ Parris, DV Bishop, RM Cullen Harlequin is Dead, Nicola Upson, Robert Graves, Alan Massie, John Williams.Paul Burke writes for Monocle Magazine, Crime Time, Crime Fiction Lover and the European Literature Network, Punk Noir Magazine (fiction contribution). He is also a CWA Historical Dagger Judge 2025. His first book An Encyclopedia of  Spy Fiction will be out 2026.Produced by Junkyard DogCrime TimeCrime Time FM is the official podcast ofGwyl Crime Cymru Festival 2023 & 2025CrimeFest 2023CWA Daggers 2023 & 2024 & National Crime Reading Month& Newcastle Noir 2023 and 20242024 Slaughterfest,

In this episode, we're reading Nalini Singh's very latest release, Atonement Sky! BEWARE: SPOILERS AHEAD! Both Ines and Leslye agree this is a solid and satisfying addition to the Psy-Changeling series—even if we're still longing for a return trip to Black Sea and the aquatic shifters. We discuss how this installment continues to explore one of the series' central questions, first posed in book one: how will this world heal from and ultimately fix the broken Silence protocol? Tune in as we unpack the romance, the stakes, and where this story might be steering us next.   Sign up for author Nalini Singh's newsletter to receive fan service here: https://nalinisingh.com/ Want the official Psy-Changeling Reading Order? Click here: https://nalinisingh.com/books/psychangeling-series/   Want to learn worldbuilding from Leslye? Sign up here: https://learn.myimaginaryfriends.net/ Want to learn story structure from Ines? Sign up here: https://ineswrites.com/PTP   Find the hosts online at: Leslye Penelope: https://lpenelope.com/ Ines Johnson: https://ineswrites.com/   Credits: "Moonlight Hall" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

In the early 17th century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth stood as one of Europe's largest and most formidable states, stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea. By 1618, its territory had expanded to twice the size of France, thanks to military victories against Muscovy during the chaotic “Time of Troubles.” But that glory also came at the cost of internal stagnation and decay. The Commonwealth's political system was both its strength and its fatal flaw. Proudly self-identified as a “Christian Republic,” it operated under a unique elective monarchy where power was shared between the king, the Senate, and the Chamber of Envoys (Sejm), which with time would cease all progress Travel to Thailand with me ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our sister podcast the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mystery of Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Coffee Collab With The Lore Lodge ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COFFEE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bonus episodes as well as ad-free episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Submit your relatives on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.0:00 Trump Comments, Soybeans Surge2:40 Trump and Farm Economy7:47 StoneX Yield Conspiracy10:11 The Funds and Corn12:12 USDA Preview14:24 Food Prices Rise

Grains mixed last week; soybeans higher this morning on Trump talk; Black Sea wheat production adjustments; Supply/Demand tomorrow.

Russia's military presence on a narrow sandbar controlling a major Black Sea access point has badly disrupted Ukraine's economy. What can Kyiv do about that? Also: today's stories, including how Trump may reach a peace deal between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, why Italy's far-right premier wins plaudits from European neighbors, and an impression of Provence, where the Tour de France took place. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

The mandolin player Avi Avital, with his ensemble Between Worlds, has just released a new DG album ‘Song of the Birds' which crosses boundaries to explore the musics of three geographical regions – Iberia, southern Italy (Puglia) and the Black Sea – with vivid results. For this week's Gramophone Podcast, James Jolly caught up Avi Avital while he was on tour in Northern Germany to talk about the new album.

Old school podcasting! Hose rules for Coriolis the Third Horizon00.00.40: Introductions00.03.37: Thank you to our new Patron - D20 Raven00.05.12: World of Gaming - The One Ring starter set and 5e version; Dragonbane minis up on Kickstarter; Coriolis - The Great Dark official release date 12 August; new game Twilight Sword, by 2Little Mice & Free League; ENNIE wins. 00.32.56: A Vaesen tour of Uppsala01.13.25: Next time and Goodbye Effekt is brought to you by Effekt Publishing. Music is by Stars in a Black Sea, used with kind permission of Free League Publishing.Like what we do?Sign up for updates on Tales of the Old West via our new website and download Tales of the Old West QuickDraw available for free on DriveThru. The core rules are now available on DriveThru too.Put our brand on your face! (and elsewhere)Buy pdfs via our DriveThru Affiliate linkLeave a review on iTunes or PodchaserFind our Actual Play recordings on effektap ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Edition No215 | 05-08-2025 - Today we take apart the drama that unfolded in Sochi — and the unexpected fascistic pop‑culture fallout. Strap in. It's going to be weird — why the fall of Russia, and Putin, will be live streamed by idiots, and will hardly seem real. In the early hours of August 3, 2025, Ukraine launched a drone strike that ignited at least two fuel tanks at the Rosneft-Kubannefteprodukt oil depot near Sochi, Russia's Black Sea resort. According to Governor Veniamin Kondratyev, more than 120 firefighters fought the blaze. Flights at Sochi Airport were briefly halted as a precaution. (The Kyiv Independent)This episode marks a sharp intensification in Ukraine's campaign to disrupt Russian energy infrastructure in retaliation for Moscow's war operations since February 2022. Ukraine has hit facilities across Penza, Voronezh, Smolensk, and recently near Adler, Sochi—no longer the glamorous Olympic city, and showcase of Russia's economic and cultural power, sporting prowess and triumphant leadership – now it's a frontline target. Smouldering and ruined, a fitting metaphor for what Putin's Russia has become. (Financial Times)Russia's defence ministry claimed it shot down 93 Ukrainian drones overnight, though Kyiv later confirmed it had carried out the strike, targeting a fuel depot at Sochi Airport. (Reuters)----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------SOURCES: “Ukraine's drone strike reportedly sparks fire at oil depot in Russia's Sochi”, Kyiv Independent, 3 Aug 2025 “Ukrainian attack sparks blaze at Russian oil depot…”, The Guardian, 3 Aug 2025“Russian firefighters extinguish Sochi oil depot blaze …”, Reuters, 3 Aug 2025 “Ukraine's Drones Light Up Sochi Airport Fuel Depot”, Kyiv Post, 4 Aug 2025 “Young Woman Fined for Filming Oil Depot Fire…”, Moscow Times, 4 Aug 2025 )“Russian TikTokers … forced to issue grovelling apology …”, The Sun, 4 Aug 2025 Timeline context from Wikipedia of prior drone attacks (Los Angeles Times)----------TRUCK FUNDRAISER - GET A SILICON CURTAIN NAFO PATCH:Together with our friends at LIFT99 Kyiv Hub (the NAFO 69th Sniffing Brigade), we are teaming up to provide 2nd Battalion of 5th SAB with a pickup truck that they need for their missions. With your donation, you're not just sending a truck — you're standing with Ukraine.https://www.help99.co/patches/nafo-silicon-curtain-communityWhy NAFO Trucks Matter: Ukrainian soldiers know the immense value of our NAFO trucks and buses. These vehicles are carefully selected, produced between 2010 and 2017, ensuring reliability for harsh frontline terrain. Each truck is capable of driving at least 20,000 km (12,500 miles) without major technical issues, making them a lifeline for soldiers in combat zones.https://www.help99.co/patches/nafo-silicon-curtain-community----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyślhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/----------

On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, the surprise invasion of the Soviet Union that opened the Eastern Front in World War II. With lightning speed and devastating success, the German army tore through Soviet territory and rolled over the Red Army, scoring some of the most dramatic victories in military history--until the blitzkrieg bogged down during the approach on Moscow. At the spearhead of the attack was General Heinz Guderian, one of the most celebrated and controversial commanders of the war, who commanded a tank group in the center of the German front that stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Guderian's Panzers reconstructs Barbarossa from the perspective of Generaloberst Guderian and his 2nd Panzer Group. With the German war machine at the height of its martial prowess in June 1941, Guderian's group of 250,000 men and 900 tanks rapidly broke through the Soviet frontier defenses and thrust some 600 kilometers into Soviet Russia in a matter of weeks--in doing so playing an integral part in the successful encirclement (cauldron) battles of Belostok-Minsk (June/July 1941) and Smolensk (July/August 1941); each of these battles resulting in the loss of several Soviet armies and hundreds of thousands of prisoners. Despite having sustained alarming losses of personal and equipment in these opening battles, Guderian pushed his men, and himself, to even greater achievements, culminating in the triumphant cauldron Battle of Kiev in the Ukraine (September 1941) that obliterated Soviet Southwestern Front and resulted in the capture of over 600,000 Red Army POWs. It was, perhaps, Germany's greatest victory in WWII, and Guderian had made it happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

On this episode of Heard Tell, we focus on one of the most strategically important and geopolitically challenging areas of the world: The Black Sea Region. Joining us from Romania is Antonia-Laura Pup, policy fellow with Young Voices Europe and a Fulbright Student at Georgetown focusing on China's increasing influence on the economy and security of the Black Sea. Antonia talks us through understanding a region that is more than just the dominating Russia-Ukraine war headlines. Turkey's role, 5G and tech revolution, media influence, economic changes, and cultural shifts that we all need to know about when this important region of the world hits the headlines.All that and more on this episode of Heard Tell.Read Antonia's work and watch some of her media appearances here:Antonia-Laura Puphttps://www.joinyv.org/talent/antonia-laura-pup--------------------Heard Tell SubStack Free to subscribe, comes right to your inboxhttps://heardtell.substack.com/Questions, comments, concerns, ideas, or epistles? Email us HeardTellShow@gmail.comPlease follow @HeardTellShow like the program, comment with your thoughts, and share with others.Support Heard Tell here: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/4b87f374-cace-44ea-960c-30f9bf37bcff/donationsAll that and more on this episode of Heard Tell.--------------------Heard Tell SubStack Free to subscribe, comes right to your inboxhttps://heardtell.substack.com/Questions, comments, concerns, ideas, or epistles? Email us HeardTellShow@gmail.comPlease follow @HeardTellShow like the program, comment with your thoughts, and share with others.Support Heard Tell here: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/4b87f374-cace-44ea-960c-30f9bf37bcff/donationsSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/heard-tell/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, the surprise invasion of the Soviet Union that opened the Eastern Front in World War II. With lightning speed and devastating success, the German army tore through Soviet territory and rolled over the Red Army, scoring some of the most dramatic victories in military history--until the blitzkrieg bogged down during the approach on Moscow. At the spearhead of the attack was General Heinz Guderian, one of the most celebrated and controversial commanders of the war, who commanded a tank group in the center of the German front that stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Guderian's Panzers reconstructs Barbarossa from the perspective of Generaloberst Guderian and his 2nd Panzer Group. With the German war machine at the height of its martial prowess in June 1941, Guderian's group of 250,000 men and 900 tanks rapidly broke through the Soviet frontier defenses and thrust some 600 kilometers into Soviet Russia in a matter of weeks--in doing so playing an integral part in the successful encirclement (cauldron) battles of Belostok-Minsk (June/July 1941) and Smolensk (July/August 1941); each of these battles resulting in the loss of several Soviet armies and hundreds of thousands of prisoners. Despite having sustained alarming losses of personal and equipment in these opening battles, Guderian pushed his men, and himself, to even greater achievements, culminating in the triumphant cauldron Battle of Kiev in the Ukraine (September 1941) that obliterated Soviet Southwestern Front and resulted in the capture of over 600,000 Red Army POWs. It was, perhaps, Germany's greatest victory in WWII, and Guderian had made it happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, the surprise invasion of the Soviet Union that opened the Eastern Front in World War II. With lightning speed and devastating success, the German army tore through Soviet territory and rolled over the Red Army, scoring some of the most dramatic victories in military history--until the blitzkrieg bogged down during the approach on Moscow. At the spearhead of the attack was General Heinz Guderian, one of the most celebrated and controversial commanders of the war, who commanded a tank group in the center of the German front that stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Guderian's Panzers reconstructs Barbarossa from the perspective of Generaloberst Guderian and his 2nd Panzer Group. With the German war machine at the height of its martial prowess in June 1941, Guderian's group of 250,000 men and 900 tanks rapidly broke through the Soviet frontier defenses and thrust some 600 kilometers into Soviet Russia in a matter of weeks--in doing so playing an integral part in the successful encirclement (cauldron) battles of Belostok-Minsk (June/July 1941) and Smolensk (July/August 1941); each of these battles resulting in the loss of several Soviet armies and hundreds of thousands of prisoners. Despite having sustained alarming losses of personal and equipment in these opening battles, Guderian pushed his men, and himself, to even greater achievements, culminating in the triumphant cauldron Battle of Kiev in the Ukraine (September 1941) that obliterated Soviet Southwestern Front and resulted in the capture of over 600,000 Red Army POWs. It was, perhaps, Germany's greatest victory in WWII, and Guderian had made it happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/german-studies

On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, the surprise invasion of the Soviet Union that opened the Eastern Front in World War II. With lightning speed and devastating success, the German army tore through Soviet territory and rolled over the Red Army, scoring some of the most dramatic victories in military history--until the blitzkrieg bogged down during the approach on Moscow. At the spearhead of the attack was General Heinz Guderian, one of the most celebrated and controversial commanders of the war, who commanded a tank group in the center of the German front that stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Guderian's Panzers reconstructs Barbarossa from the perspective of Generaloberst Guderian and his 2nd Panzer Group. With the German war machine at the height of its martial prowess in June 1941, Guderian's group of 250,000 men and 900 tanks rapidly broke through the Soviet frontier defenses and thrust some 600 kilometers into Soviet Russia in a matter of weeks--in doing so playing an integral part in the successful encirclement (cauldron) battles of Belostok-Minsk (June/July 1941) and Smolensk (July/August 1941); each of these battles resulting in the loss of several Soviet armies and hundreds of thousands of prisoners. Despite having sustained alarming losses of personal and equipment in these opening battles, Guderian pushed his men, and himself, to even greater achievements, culminating in the triumphant cauldron Battle of Kiev in the Ukraine (September 1941) that obliterated Soviet Southwestern Front and resulted in the capture of over 600,000 Red Army POWs. It was, perhaps, Germany's greatest victory in WWII, and Guderian had made it happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, the surprise invasion of the Soviet Union that opened the Eastern Front in World War II. With lightning speed and devastating success, the German army tore through Soviet territory and rolled over the Red Army, scoring some of the most dramatic victories in military history--until the blitzkrieg bogged down during the approach on Moscow. At the spearhead of the attack was General Heinz Guderian, one of the most celebrated and controversial commanders of the war, who commanded a tank group in the center of the German front that stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Guderian's Panzers reconstructs Barbarossa from the perspective of Generaloberst Guderian and his 2nd Panzer Group. With the German war machine at the height of its martial prowess in June 1941, Guderian's group of 250,000 men and 900 tanks rapidly broke through the Soviet frontier defenses and thrust some 600 kilometers into Soviet Russia in a matter of weeks--in doing so playing an integral part in the successful encirclement (cauldron) battles of Belostok-Minsk (June/July 1941) and Smolensk (July/August 1941); each of these battles resulting in the loss of several Soviet armies and hundreds of thousands of prisoners. Despite having sustained alarming losses of personal and equipment in these opening battles, Guderian pushed his men, and himself, to even greater achievements, culminating in the triumphant cauldron Battle of Kiev in the Ukraine (September 1941) that obliterated Soviet Southwestern Front and resulted in the capture of over 600,000 Red Army POWs. It was, perhaps, Germany's greatest victory in WWII, and Guderian had made it happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/eastern-european-studies

Day 1,258.Today, after a weekend in which Ukrainian drones brought the war to Russian tourists flying into the Black Sea resort of Sochi, the week starts with news of another long-range strike against Russian air assets. Plus, we look ahead at what is likely to be another lively week on the diplomatic front, before hearing the second of our two-part dispatch on military innovation in US Army Europe.Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.With thanks to the 173rd Bayonet Innovation Team of the U.S. Army.Content Referenced:Ukraine uncovers drone procurement corruption scheme (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/02/ukraine-uncovers-drone-procurement-corruption-scheme/ Russia's advance in Ukraine accelerates for fourth straight month (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/01/russias-advance-ukraine-accelerates-fourth-straight-month/ Trump's Ukraine Policy Deserves a Reassessment (Eliot Cohen in The Atlantic):https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/07/trump-ukraine/683661/ SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/ Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW LANGUAGES:The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatestSubscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.0:00 Depressing News0:40 The Funds are Short2:52 Heat Wave4:15 US/China Update5:56 Meal Update7:41 Wheat 8:42 Flash Sales

Futures continue mostly lower; Black Sea wheat production estimates declining; world FOB update.

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv How the mystery of Winston Churchills dead platypus was finally solved Tan lines are back in fashion. But can you get the look safely New offence to target online posts for small boat Channel crossings Amber warning issued ahead of Storm Floris due to hit UK on Monday Mums brutal murder in her own home still a mystery 20 years on Ukraine and Russia strikes hit homes and oil depot near Black Sea Aid group says worker killed by Israeli military in attack on Gaza HQ Ten years after the Zika outbreak What happened to the babies born with microcephaly Russian volcano erupts for first time in centuries BBC reportedly launches probe into Strictly drug use

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Ukraine and Russia strikes hit homes and oil depot near Black Sea Russian volcano erupts for first time in centuries Amber warning issued ahead of Storm Floris due to hit UK on Monday How the mystery of Winston Churchills dead platypus was finally solved Tan lines are back in fashion. But can you get the look safely BBC reportedly launches probe into Strictly drug use Ten years after the Zika outbreak What happened to the babies born with microcephaly New offence to target online posts for small boat Channel crossings Mums brutal murder in her own home still a mystery 20 years on Aid group says worker killed by Israeli military in attack on Gaza HQ

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv New offence to target online posts for small boat Channel crossings Russian volcano erupts for first time in centuries Mums brutal murder in her own home still a mystery 20 years on Tan lines are back in fashion. But can you get the look safely Amber warning issued ahead of Storm Floris due to hit UK on Monday Ukraine and Russia strikes hit homes and oil depot near Black Sea BBC reportedly launches probe into Strictly drug use Aid group says worker killed by Israeli military in attack on Gaza HQ Ten years after the Zika outbreak What happened to the babies born with microcephaly How the mystery of Winston Churchills dead platypus was finally solved

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Aid group says worker killed by Israeli military in attack on Gaza HQ Ten years after the Zika outbreak What happened to the babies born with microcephaly Amber warning issued ahead of Storm Floris due to hit UK on Monday Mums brutal murder in her own home still a mystery 20 years on Tan lines are back in fashion. But can you get the look safely How the mystery of Winston Churchills dead platypus was finally solved Ukraine and Russia strikes hit homes and oil depot near Black Sea New offence to target online posts for small boat Channel crossings BBC reportedly launches probe into Strictly drug use Russian volcano erupts for first time in centuries

“They will never see their gold again, just as they do not see their own ears.”Josef StalinGold's strength is that its value exists in and of itself. It's nobody else's liability. Unlike money in the bank or a bond, it carries no promise from a third party, and its value is not dependent on the creditworthiness of any issuer or guarantor. Hand it to someone else and its value is transferred. It is a “bearer” asset, effectively owned by whoever has possession of it. For this reason gold has been the target of many a heist. Quickly resmelt it, and its provenance is very hard to prove.So there is one obvious problem with gold: that is keeping it safe. It's all very well having a pot of gold, but if somebody comes along and takes it from you, as Alexander did from the Persians, or the Conquistadors from the Incas, then you're left with nothing at all.When the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936, the Soviet Union, under Joseph Stalin, supported the Spanish Republican government. The Nazis supported their opponents, the revolutionary fascist forces led by General Franco. At the time Spanish gold reserves, some 635 tonnes, were the fourth largest in the world.Much of that treasure had been accumulated during WWI, when Spain had stayed neutral. Selling stuff to the British seems to have been the really big earner: 70% of Spanish gold holdings were British sovereigns.With Franco just 20 miles from the capital, the Republicans were on the verge of defeat. Never mind the fascists, there were also rumours that Catalan separatists had hatched plans to take the gold from Madrid to Barcelona. All that gold was at risk.Finance minister, Juan Negrín, and Prime Minister, Francisco Largo Caballero, leant on President Azaña to sign a secret decree to move the gold - some 10,000 cases - to a place “which in his [Negrín's] opinion offers the best security”. Azaña signed and the gold was moved, starting the next day, to Cartajena on the south coast, as far from Franco's armies as possible. The Spanish soldiers who transported the cases thought they were lifting munitions. A fifth of it was then shipped to Marseille where it was traded for French francs, which the Republicans used to fund their side of the war. The rest, 510 tonnes, would be sent to Joseph Stalin in Moscow for safekeeping.Even if Bolshevik sympathisers, what were Negrín and Caballero thinking? The Russians had already demonstrated that they had no qualms about seizing other people's gold. In 1916, the Romanian government sent its treasury of 91 tonnes of gold to Tsarist Russia for safekeeping, worried that it was vulnerable to the Axis powers when Romania had just joined WWI on the side of the Entente. Shortly afterwards, during the Great October Revolution, communists, led by Lenin, seized power, sequestered the gold and refused to give it back. Though small amounts were returned in 1935, 1956, and 2008, “as a gesture of goodwill”, the large majority was retained. As you can imagine, it has been something of a sore spot in diplomatic relations between the two nations ever since.It seems Negrín and Caballero did not know the story. In any case, Caballero actually wrote to Stalin asking if he would “agree to the deposit of approximately 500 tonnes of gold.” Two days later, he got a reply from the Soviet leader, not previously known for his prompt responses. No surprise: Stalin would be “glad” to take the gold.Buying gold or silver to protect yourself in these ‘interesting' times? The bullion dealer I use and recommend is the Pure Gold Company. Pricing is competitive, quality of service is high. They deliver to the UK, the US, Canada and Europe or you can store your gold with them. More here.Alexander Orlov was the Russian agent in charge of transporting the booty. Negrín gave him fake documents to show he was an US official from the Bank of America, in case he should be stopped. Negrín, who, remember, was finance minister, had thought Bank of America was the US central bank. That would be the Federal Reserve. Russian agent Orlov didn't realise either. It's extraordinary.Four Russian ships came to Cartagena to collect the bounty, and the gold was loaded on. There was a discrepancy of 100 cases between Orlov and Spanish treasurer Mendez Aspe's number: Aspe said 7,800 cases, Orlov 7,900. Orlov said nothing. He reported the discrepancy to his superiors, who told him, “Do not worry about figures. Everything will be counted anew in Moscow. Do not mention your figure to anybody.” Aspe didn't even get a receipt off Orlov (who had been instructed not to give him one). “Don't worry, my friend,” said Orlov, “it will be issued by the State Bank of the Soviet Union, when everything is checked and weighed.” We will never know whether Orlov miscounted or whether those 100 boxes went missing.It took them three nights to load the four ships. The Russians then left Cartagena for Odessa in the Black Sea, escorted by the Spanish as far as Italy. From Odessa it was loaded onto a freight train bound for Moscow. "If all the boxes of gold that we piled up on the wharfs of Odessa were to be placed here side by side,” said one of the officials. “They would completely cover up the Red Square".When the gold arrived in Moscow, Stalin celebrated with a banquet at the Kremlin. “They will never see their gold again”, he laughed. “Just as they do not see their own ears.”The Spanish eventually got their receipt: for 5,619 standard cases and 126 damaged. Some distance below both Aspe and Orlov's figure. But three months later the Russians completed the audit, calculating that the shipments totalled 510 tonnes of gold coins and ingots, 90% pure, thus around 460 tonnes of pure gold. There were gold coins from across Europe and Latin America, especially those British sovereigns and Portuguese escudos, but also Spanish pesetas, French, Swiss and Belgian francs, German marks,, Russian rubles, Austrian schillings, Dutch guilders, and Mexican, Argentine and Chilean pesos. The numismatic value of the coins was higher than their gold content.The following year Spain met with a currency crisis. With exceptional chutzpah, even by the standards of politicians, Republicans blamed the inflation on the free market. Nothing to do with the absence of all that gold!Later, the Franco regime was happy to let the story of the "Moscow gold" stolen by Russia spread, as part of its anti-communist propaganda. And yet it appears sell orders from Negrín were actually carried out in 1937 and 1938, for which Spain received pounds, dollars and francs. Spain also received planes, tanks, machine guns, artillery, rifles, cartridges, food and fuel from Russia. The Soviets demanded some compensation for what they had sent during the war, but it's believed that aside from various expenses, the Soviets did not abuse their position and defraud the Spanish. Ultimately then, most of the gold went, one way or another, on the cost of the civil war. Such is the way with war. It is expensive.And just a couple or three years later, as Nazi forces advanced through Europe, the farce of transporting gold would be repeated many times over, and across the continent.Stories like this fill the pages of The Secret History of Gold (although this one didn't actually make the cut).The Secret History of Gold is available to pre-order at Amazon, Waterstones and all good bookshops. I hear the audiobook, read by me, is excellent. The book comes out on August 28. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.theflyingfrisby.com/subscribe

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week…We talk to Black Sea Technology CEO Chris Devine about the varied and innovative work his company is doing. Cavas and I were at the company's headquarters in Baltimore to see first hand the naval work being done by BlackSea, including the manufacturing and delivering of dozens of uncrewed platforms each month. Also, Cavas and Servello discuss their trip to Baltimore and Cavas' visit to the Norfolk waterfront. Given the travel this week, we are skipping the headlines and jumping right into the discussion portion of the pod. Please send us feedback by DM'ing @CavasShips or @CSSProvision or you can email chriscavas@gmail.com or cservello@defaeroreport.com.

Day 1,253.Today, after a quieter night in the skies, we turn our focus to renewed tank movements on the ground and covert operations at sea – before sitting down with the director of the Oscar-winning ‘20 Days in Mariupol' to discuss his new film, ‘2000 Metres to Andriivka'. Plus we share how Elon Musk reportedly stopped Starlink operations during an important Ukrainian counterattack.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Hamish de Bretton Gordon (Former Tank Commander). @HamishDBG on X.Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.With thanks to our guest, Mstyslav Chernov.Content Referenced:Learn More' About 2000 Meters To Andriivka':https://releasing.dogwoof.com/2000-meters-to-andriivka Musk ordered shutdown of Starlink satellite service as Ukraine retook territory from Russia (Reuters):https://www.reuters.com/investigations/musk-ordered-shutdown-starlink-satellite-service-ukraine-retook-territory-russia-2025-07-25/ Why Ukraine can't afford to demobilize its soldiers (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/why-ukraine-cant-afford-to-demobilize-its-soldiers/ Understanding Russia's Black Sea strategy (Chatham House):https://www.chathamhouse.org/2025/07/understanding-russias-black-sea-strategy 100 years of Telegraph Puzzles: Can you complete our first ever crossword?:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/28/100-years-the-telegraph-crossword-week-long-celebration/ Puzzles Main Page:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/puzzles/ SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/ Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,252.Today, after another 24 hours of heavy civilian losses in Ukraine, and significant strikes on Russian railway infrastructure, we assess Trump's claim that he is shortening the 50-day deadline for a ceasefire. Then, we hear the latest on German military reforms and return to the Black Sea for a second dispatch with the Ukrainian navy.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.James Rothwell (Berlin Correspondent). @JamesERothwell on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNichollson X.With thanks to Igor and Pavlo, representatives from 39th Coastal Brigade of the 30th Marine Corps. Content Referenced:Dom's Video Dispatch from the Black Sea:https://youtu.be/w2YjuuQz414 Longer Audio Version, with more voices:https://open.spotify.com/episode/2X5CXYgUvXpVfUblBBu5DF Germany passes ‘Bundeswehrbeschaffungsbeschleunigungsgesetz' law to streamline army (James Rothwell in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/23/germany-bundeswehrbeschaffungsbeschleunigungsgesetz-law/ Britain and Germany to develop super missile (James Rothwell in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/17/britain-germany-develop-super-taurus-long-range-missile/EU warns Kyiv it will halt funding unless anti-corruption agencies' independence is restored (Ukrainian Pravda):https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/07/29/7523882/ Europe's roads and rail unfit for war with Russia, EU transport chief warns (Financial Times)https://www.ft.com/content/d77d4c1d-da26-4624-8b77-2178d4ac1125SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/ Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The mysterious power of gold to shape human civilization extends far deeper than most realize. In this captivating conversation with Alan Ereira, author of "Gold: How It Shaped History," we uncover gold's extraordinary journey through time and its profound impact on humanity.Herrera reveals how his work with the Kogi people of Colombia sparked his fascination with gold. This indigenous culture, which managed to resist Spanish colonization by retreating to their mountain sanctuary, maintains a sacred relationship with gold as the "fundamental source of fertility in the world." Their warnings about excessive gold extraction mirror concerns voiced by ancient Roman writer Pliny, suggesting a cross-cultural understanding that modern society has forgotten.The archaeological evidence tells a remarkable story. Six thousand seven hundred years ago at Varna on the Black Sea shores, the first known deliberate use of gold created what we immediately recognize as royal regalia - a crown, scepter, and chest disc. This same pattern appeared independently across civilizations separated by vast distances and time, suggesting something deeply ingrained in human psychology connects gold with power and divinity.Perhaps most fascinating is gold's cosmic origin. The tremendous forces required to create gold atoms likely came from neutron star collisions - catastrophic events visible across the universe. This means all Earth's gold arrived after our planet formed, deposited from space in a cosmic jackpot that continues to influence our destiny.From ancient Babylon to modern central banks, gold's monetary role has shaped economies and empires. When Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem for its temple gold, he unwittingly caused inflation that disrupted ancient economies. Similarly, when Spanish conquistadors brought American gold to Europe, it transformed the social order. Yet through all these fluctuations, gold maintains its purchasing power in ways fiat currencies cannot match.As we navigate today's financial uncertainties and potential shifts away from dollar hegemony, gold's enduring significance offers perspective on what truly constitutes value in our world. Whether viewed as sacred substance or economic anchor, gold continues its millennia-long relationship with humanity, connecting us to our past while potentially securing our future.

This episode forms part of a new strand of our podcast: Seapower Past and Present which explores seapower as it is understood and practised in the modern world whilst offering a historical perspective on the themes we explore. Each episode is chosen according to a theme or a location – a hotspot in the modern world where seapower has a major influence on geopolitics. So if you enjoy this episode do please seek out others in this strand – you will shortly be able to find episodes on economic warfare, critical national infrastructure, how technology is changing the nature of warfare at sea; and on hugely significant locations in the modern maritime world – the Black Sea, South China Sea, Middle East and Arctic.To make this series come alive we've teamed up with the Royal Navy Strategic Studies centre. In each episode you will hear from at least one historian and from at least one practitioner, a member of the armed forces who has direct first hand, personal experience of the topic being discussed.This episode explores how seapower has been exercised in the Black Sea. To find out more Dr Sam Willis spoke with Basil Germond, Professor of International Security in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion and Co-Director of the University research institute Security Lancaster. Commander Caroline Tucket provides a fascinating legal perspective on seapower in the Black Sea, in particular looking at the imposition of sanctions and the legal status of the wreck of the Russian warship Moskva, sunk in 2022. A serving naval officer, Caroline is also a member of Navy Legal. To provide an historical perspective Professor Andrew Lambert explores the history of naval operations in the Black Sea during the Crimean War (1835-6). Andrew Lambert is Laughton Professor of Naval History in the Department of War Studies at King's College, London. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

**Discussion begins at 5:15**In the 1970s and 80s, the USSR had a dedicated branch of the navy researching “anomalous phenomena”, which used Soviet submarines to track USOs in the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, Lake Baikal, and the Arctic Ocean.  These objects allegedly moved at impossible speeds, changed directions instantly, and were seen emerging from or diving into the water without creating splash disturbances.  Then, in 2009, a number of documents related to the USSR research into UFOs/USOs revealed the story of the Lake Baikal swimmers.  There were declassified reports that 7 Navy divers on a training mission in Lake Blaikal, the world's oldest and deepest lake, had encountered mysterious humanoid beings underwater.  These figures, which came to be known as the Baikal Swimmers, were 9-10 feet tall, wearing tight silver suits with umbrella like helmets on their heads, but lacked scuba gear or breathing apparati.  The divers told their superiors who instructed them to capture one.  The divers again made contact with these acquatic beings, but failed to capture one as  a sudden and powerful force allegedly repelled them.  As a result, the divers all were propelled to the surface and leading them all to suffer from decompression sickness.  Three of the divers died as a result.  But what were the swimmers really?   Extraterrestrial?  Unknown sea creature? – perhaps one of the many species endemic only to Lake Baikal..  Or is this another urban legend gone viral?  Send us a textSupport the showTheme song by INDA

Most of us speak a descendant of one ancient tongue: Proto-Indo European. Almost all of Europe shares the DNA of its legacy. Acclaimed journalist and author of international bestseller Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How it Changed the World Laura Spinney explores the origins of this ancient language and how it spread far from its cradle near the Black Sea. Reaching the coasts of Scotland and the western reaches of China, traveling across the Mediterranean and deep into South Asia, Indo-European unites Dante's Inferno and the Rig Veda, the knights of Arthurian legend and the early Hittite kings. Now Indo-European languages are spoken by nearly half of humanity. How did this happen? Laura shares the epic journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over 100,000 megaliths covered the French region of Bretagne, to the point where it once resembled a forest of stone. It is the world's largest megalithic metropolis.And yet in central Portugal and the isles of Scotland there exists the same phenomenon. Why were these three locations chosen above all others by Neolithic architects?  And why were stones as tall as sixty feet transported as much as forty miles from their quarry?In his latest documentary https://invisibletemple.com/megalith.html bestselling author and researcher Freddy Silva takes an in-depth look at these regions — along with southern England — and finds a common thread: the selective choice of stone, identical design and construction methods, folklore, experiences of altered states, and legends of gods arriving from the sea. Add an understanding of gravity anomalies, electromagnetism, fault lines, a migration from the Black Sea region, and a language fingerprint originating in Armenia, and seemingly unconnected ideas converge to explain who masterminded this megalithic enterprise. And why.has rarely travelled anywhere since graduating in 1982 without being attached to a Nikon or a Leica. He began as an acredited concert photographer in London, and now captures his passion for temples, ancient sacred sites and the spirit inherent in the land. He is also a best-selling author and documentary filmmaker. You can view his body of work at InvisibleTemple.cominvisibletemple.comfreddysilva.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/earth-ancients--2790919/support.

Day 1,226.Today, as the fallout from Donald Trump freezing US weapons to Ukraine continues, in a special dispatch, we join the Ukrainian navy out on the Black Sea during an air attack on Odesa. Then we speak to the creator of Wargame – the new podcast simulating an attack by Russia on British soil, and hear what lessons it offers countries across the Western world.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.With thanks to our guest Deborah Haynes (Security and Defence Editor at Sky News). @haynesdeborah on X.Content Referenced:Our Black Sea Video Dispatch:YouTube Version -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2YjuuQz414 Telegraph Version - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/03/russia-attacks-cargo-ships-ports-black-sea-ukraine-war/The Wargame - Sky News and Tortoise Media podcast simulates a Russian attack on UK: https://news.sky.com/story/the-wargame-new-sky-news-and-tortoise-media-podcast-series-simulates-a-russian-attack-on-uk-13371462 North Korea is sending Putin 30,000 more troops, Kyiv says (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/03/north-korea-russia-troops-ukraine/ Trump Is Playing a Cynical Game With Ukraine (Jake Sullivan in The New York Times):https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/02/opinion/trump-ukraine-weapons.html Ukraine Can Still Win (Michael Carpenter in Foreign Affairs):https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/ukraine-can-still-win SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/ Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Abkhazia stands at a critical juncture, caught between its historical dependence on Russia and the uncertain allure of reconciliation with Georgia. Long overshadowed by Moscow's influence, recent years have seen the territory's population increasingly frustrated with Russia's heavy-handed presence, just as Tbilisi tentatively begins exploring pathways to re-engagement. Could growing anti-Russian sentiment signal a geopolitical realignment in the South Caucasus? Will Abkhazia tilt back toward Georgia, upsetting decades of frozen conflict dynamics? And why, despite mounting tensions and economic costs, does Moscow remain committed to maintaining its grip on this disputed strip of Black Sea coastline? To unpack these questions and understand the future of Abkhazia, we turn to our panel of experts: On the panel this week: - Laura Linderman (Central Asia-Caucasus Institute) - Beka Bajelidze (Institute for War and Peace) - Thomas de Waal (Carnegie Europe) Intro - 00:00 PART I - 03:49 PART II - 30:49 PART III - 1:00:15 Outro - 1:21:46 Follow the show on https://x.com/TheRedLinePod Follow Michael on https://x.com/MikeHilliardAusSupport the show at: https://www.patreon.com/theredlinepodcast Submit Questions and Join the Red Line Discord Server at: https://www.theredlinepodcast.com/discord For more info, please visit: https://www.theredlinepodcast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices