Podcasts about Britain

Johannes Vermeer is one of the greatest painters in history, yet the man himself remains an enigma. But have we finally solved the mystery of one of his most famous paintings? On this episode we're joined by Andrew Graham-Dixon, one of Britain's best known art historians. In his new book Vermeer: A Life Lost and Found, he sets out a radical reappraisal of Vermeer's life, beliefs and the meaning of his paintings. He shows us an artist immersed in the religious debates of the Dutch Republic in the 17th Century, and argues that this atmosphere is key to understanding Vermeer, the man and his work.   In conversation with Hannah Kaye, Graham-Dixon also shares his illuminating new interpretation of The Girl with the Pearl Earring. Graham-Dixon is one of the leading art critics and arts television presenters in the English-speaking world. He has presented numerous landmark series on art for the BBC and other broadcasters, and has a distinguished record of public service in the visual arts.  For over twenty years, he published a weekly art column – first as Chief Art Critic for The Independent, and later for The Sunday Telegraph.  If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For 300 years, the Conservative Party has been one of the most powerful forces in British politics. But it could soon be extinct, destroyed and replaced by the rising power of Reform. Cambridge professor and Reform adviser James Orr is in Phoenix for Amfest and joins the show to discuss the fate of Britain. Plus, he reacts to the testimony of Todd Nettleton about persecuted Christians around the world, from Nigeria to Syria to India. Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at charliekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the wake of the shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia's government has announced a number of measures to address antisemistism, including giving officials the power to reject the visas of anyone who engages in religious hate speech. 15 people were killed when two gunmen opened fire at an event celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.Also: in an end of year speech, President Trump has been telling the American people about his achievements since returning to office. YouTube has secured exclusive broadcasting rights for the Oscars awards ceremony from 2029. Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer orders the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich to donate more than three billion dollars in proceeds from the sale of Chelsea football club to Ukraine, or face having the money confiscated. Human rights groups say the Iranian champion boxer Mohammad Javad Vafaei-Sani is at imminent risk of execution. Officials in Japan warn people not to be fooled by AI-generated videos of bears cozying up to humans, as fatalities from bear attacks are at a record high in the country. And the merits of recording your relatives and getting to know the family history this holiday season.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

SHOW 12-17-25 THE SHOW BEGINS WITH DOUBTS ABOUT THE US CONFLICT WITH VENEZUELA... 1926 USS OMAHA IN THE PANAMA CANAL. Colonel Jeff McCausland discusses the US "blockade" of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers and the potential for escalation into a regional conflict involving Colombia. He also analyzes the Pentagon's refusal to release videos of destroyed drug boats, suggesting possible war crime concerns, and notes stalled Ukraine negotiations. Colonel McCausland reports on NATO's eastern flank "digging in," with Baltic states building defensive bunkers and Germany significantly increasing military spending. He highlights a divergence where European allies prepare for existential Russian threats while US leadership may prioritize "strategic stability" and economic cooperation with Moscow. General Blaine Holt warns that integrating Artificial Intelligence into military command increases the risks of deliberate, inadvertent, and accidental escalation. He argues that while AI accelerates decision-making, it lacks human judgment, potentially leading to catastrophic miscalculations if adversaries rely on algorithms during crises. General Holt explains that AI models in war games demonstrate a bias toward violent escalation, often prioritizing "winning" over negotiation, which leads to nuclear conflict. He emphasizes the necessity of keeping humans in the loop and maintaining direct communications between rival nations to prevent automated catastrophe. Simon Constable reports from France on high copper prices and slowing European energy demand. He describes protests by French farmers burning hay to oppose government orders to cull cattle exposed to disease and notes a significant rise in electric vehicle sales across the European Union. Simon Constable discusses the political troubles of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the suspension of a US-UK tech deal due to clashes over AI regulation. He explains that Britain's "Online Safety Act" aims to tax and regulate tech giants, which threatens to stifle American AI companies operating there. Bob Zimmerman highlights a record-breaking year with over 300 global rocket launches, driven largely by private enterprise competition. He notes that Amazon was forced to contract SpaceX for satellite launches due to delays from rivals like Blue Origin and reports on safety concerns involving Russian launch pad negligence. Bob Zimmerman reports on the success of commercial space station company Vast and orbital tug tests that outperformed government efforts. Conversely, he details problems with NASA's Maven orbiter at Mars, which has lost communication, potentially jeopardizing data relays for surface rovers. David Shedd critiques the bipartisan failure of allowing China into the World Trade Organization in 2001, which was based on the false assumption that economic engagement would lead to democratization. Instead, this decision facilitated a massive transfer of intellectual property, fueling China's rise as a predatory economic rival. David Shedd explains how China's Ministry of State Security operates as a massive intelligence entity combining the functions of the CIA, FBI, and NSA. He traces this economic espionage to Deng Xiaoping's 1984 strategy, noting that Chinese officers view theft as repayment for past Western oppression. David Shedd details espionage cases, including an Apple engineer stealing "Project Titan" car schematics for a Chinese competitor. He also describes a Google employee who stole AI data while secretly working for a Chinese firm, highlighting how corporate greed and weak internal security enable intellectual property theft. David Shedd outlines strategies to counter Chinese espionage, advocating for "partial decoupling" to protect critical technologies like semiconductors and AI. He argues for modernizing legal deterrence to prosecute theft effectively and warns that Chinese platforms like DeepSeek harvest user data to advance their "Great Heist" of American wealth. Nury Turkel discusses the plight of Guan Hang, a whistleblower facing deportation from the US despite documenting Uyghur concentration camps. Turkel criticizes the inconsistent enforcement of forced labor laws and highlights new evidence linking Uyghur slave labor to the excavation and processing of critical minerals. Rebecca Grant argues against the planned retirement of the USS Nimitz in 2026, suggesting it should be kept in reserve given delays in new Ford-class carriers. Despite the ship's age, Grant asserts that retaining the carrier offers crucial strategic depth against threats like China's PLA Navy. Rick Fisher analyzes the emerging race to build AI data centers in low Earth orbit, noting advantages like natural cooling and zero real estate costs. While Elon Musk's Starlink positions the US well, Fisher warns that China has detailed plans to use space-based data centers to support expansion into the solar system. Alan Tonelson evaluates China's economic strengths, acknowledging their dominance in rare earth processing and solar panels, often achieved through subsidies. He argues that China's heavy investment in industrial robots attempts to offset a looming demographic crash, while questioning the true market demand for their subsidized electric vehicles.

Simon Constable discusses the political troubles of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the suspension of a US-UKtech deal due to clashes over AI regulation. He explains that Britain's "Online Safety Act" aims to tax and regulate tech giants, which threatens to stifle American AI companies operating there. 1940 THE BLITZ

Today's Headlines: Trump escalated toward open conflict with Venezuela by labeling the country a “foreign terrorist organization,” blockading sanctioned oil tankers, and laying groundwork that looks a lot like a path to war — even as U.S. oil companies quietly signal they're not interested in going back. Abroad, Britain's MI6 chief warned that tech billionaires and algorithms are reshaping global power faster than politicians, while Putin doubled down on threatening Ukraine with either invasion or “negotiation,” plus some nuclear saber-rattling for flair. Back home, Trump expanded his travel ban, House Republicans briefly rebelled to pass a doomed healthcare bill, and Jack Smith told Congress he found proof Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election and obstruct justice. The FCC chair openly claimed the agency isn't independent from the president — then removed the word “independent” from its website mid-hearing — as the Senate confirmed Elon Musk's friend to run NASA. Meanwhile, Dan Bongino announced he's quitting the FBI, Alan Dershowitz floated a very “it depends” take on a third Trump term, Ghislaine Maxwell moved to toss her conviction, and the DOJ is legally required to release the Epstein files tomorrow. On the crime front, the Brown University shooter is still at large, an MIT professor's killing is now a homicide investigation, Nick Reiner appeared in court for his parents' murders, and — in truly end-times energy — the Oscars are leaving ABC for YouTube. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: Venezuela's Navy Begins Escorting Ships as U.S. Threatens Blockade Politico: Trump administration asking US oil industry to return to Venezuela — but getting no takers I-News: MI6 chief: Tech giants are closer to running the world than politicians WSJ: Putin Warns He Will Achieve Aims in Ukraine Through Negotiation or War Axios: Trump expands travel ban to Syrians, Palestinians and others AP News: Meet the 4 Republicans who defied House Speaker Mike Johnson on ACA subsidies NBC News: Jack Smith tells Congress he could prove Trump engaged in a 'criminal scheme' to overturn 2020 election AP News: FCC leader says agency is no longer independent as he's grilled by Democrats over Kimmel controversy Axios: Dan Bongino announces FBI exit WSJ: Trump Told by Alan Dershowitz Constitutionality of Third Term Is Unclear AP News: Imprisoned Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell seeks release, citing 'new evidence' Axios: MIT professor Loureiro shot at home: Police launch homicide investigation AP News: Rob and Michele Reiner's son appears in court on murder charges while siblings speak of their loss Hollywood Reporter: Oscars Bolts from ABC to YouTube Starting in 2029 Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's December 17th. This day in 1947, the US and UK film industries are in a trade war -- a couple years after the two countries fought together in an actual war.Jody, NIki, and Kellie talk about the year-long battle over taking the film industries, how Britain tried to protect its domestic industry from US dominance -- and the various ripple effects for the cultural dominance of the two countries.Sign up for our newsletter! We'll be sending out links to all the stuff we recommended later this week.Find out more at thisdaypod.comThis Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Your support helps foster independent, artist-owned podcasts and award-winning stories.If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.comGet in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Our website is thisdaypod.com Follow us on social @thisdaypodOur team: Jacob Feldman, Researcher/Producer; Brittani Brown, Producer; Khawla Nakua, Transcripts; music by Teen Daze and Blue Dot Sessions; Audrey Mardavich is our Executive Producer at Radiotopia Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

On the evening of December 14, 2025—the first night of Hanukkah—Rabbi Benjamin Elton was driving home from performing a wedding, looking forward to lighting candles with his family. Then his phone began to explode with messages. There were gunmen at Bondi Beach. His wife and children were in lockdown at a nearby event. Names of the dead were coming through—colleagues, community members. For several terrible minutes, he couldn't reach his wife. And he wondered whether he was going to come home to find that he had lost his family. By the time the shooting stopped, fifteen people were dead, among them two rabbis, an eighty-seven-year-old Holocaust survivor, and a ten-year-old girl. They had been gunned down at a public Hanukkah celebration on one of Australia's most iconic beaches, before a large crowd of Jews who had gathered to light the menorah in the open air—because that's what confident, integrated diaspora communities do. The massacre at Bondi Beach was the culmination of two years of escalating anti-Semitism that the community had been warning about since October 7. Synagogues firebombed with congregants inside. Cars set ablaze in Jewish neighborhoods. Swastikas painted on schools and daycares. Weekly pro-Palestinian marches past synagogues every week, with chants of "globalize the intifada." A van discovered full of explosives along with a list of the addresses of Jewish institutions. And through it all, a government that offered sympathy and money for security, but never quite confronted the deeper problem. Until, finally, the community's darkest warnings came true. Rabbi Benjamin Elton is the chief minister of the Great Synagogue in Sydney—Australia's oldest Jewish congregation, founded in the 1820s, whose pulpit has traditionally made its occupant a primary representative of Judaism to the wider society. He holds a PhD in Jewish history from the University of London, and before entering the rabbinate, he worked in Britain's Ministry of Justice. He is a scholar of Anglo-Jewish history, a fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and a Sacks scholar, and, just over a decade ago, spent a year in residence as a fellow at Tikvah. This week, Rabbi Elton has been burying his friends. He joined Jonathan Silver, the editor of Mosaic, to discuss the recent trials of his family and community, and the growing threat to Australian Jewish security.

Nick Fuentes is a 27-year-old American influencer with a growing following. He believes America has been subverted by rich, powerful Jews. He was recently interviewed by Piers Morgan, where these views were put to him directly. During the exchange, Morgan referenced a video made by Times columnist Danny Finkelstein about his parents – a clip that has since led to Finkelstein being inundated with thousands of antisemitic messages.Danny Finkelstein joins The Spectator's political editor Tim Shipman to discuss the growth of antisemitism, and what it reveals about modern Britain, America and the internet. They explore the pressures of multiculturalism, what this all means for liberal democracy, and the fragility of the political and media ‘mainstream'.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock is a space scientist and science educator who has worked on a number of instruments that are revolutionising our view of the cosmos, including the James Webb Space Telescope. This year she will be giving the Royal Institution Christmas lectures, Britain's most prestigious public science lectures, in which she will be exploring some of the big questions space science still has to answer. Nicola Davis sat down with Dame Maggie to discuss the lectures, why she is convinced there is life beyond our planet, and her dream of journeying to a distant exoplanet. Madeleine Finlay hears from them both in this Christmas special edition of Science Weekly.. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

The descendants of the tribe of Ephraim migrated into lands such as Parthia and Bactria, but they eventually spread to Britain.  Britain became a seedbed for the spread of Christianity.  Just like the meanings of the names "Ephraim" and "Manasseh," Britain and America started out "fruitful" but have become "forgetful."  America needs to follow Christ again, and we need to stand strong in Christ. With God, all things are possible.  VF-2369  Genesis 35:11 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. ©2025 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved

Episode Summary:As 2025 draws to a close, Nick reflects on a pivotal year in global history. From the economic shockwaves of the Trump tariffs to the accelerating shift of power back to Asia, this episode argues that we are witnessing the terminal decline of the Anglo-American world order.We explore the existential threat of "de-dollarization"—a process accelerated not just by Trump, but by the weaponization of the financial system under Biden. Nick also examines the hollowing out of the British state, now a vassal to American private equity, and the dangerous geopolitical flashpoints emerging in Venezuela. Is the AI bubble about to burst? Will the 2026 midterms offer a reprieve for democracy, or are we locked into a cycle of crisis?Key Topics:The Trump Tariffs: How protectionism is biting the American consumer.De-Dollarization: Why the end of the dollar as the reserve currency is an existential threat to US power.The AI Bubble: Will artificial intelligence save the economy or concentrate wealth even further?Britain as Vassal State: The colonization of the UK economy by American private equity.Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is often assumed that only sovereign states can join the United Nations. But this was not always the case. At the founding of the United Nations, a loophole drafted by British statesmen in its predecessor organisation, the League of Nations, was carried forward, allowing colonies to accede as member-states. Colonies such as India, Ireland, Egypt, and many more were afforded a tokenistic representation at the League in Geneva during the interwar years, decades before their independence. Thomas Gidney's An International Anomaly unites three geographically distinct case studies to demonstrate the evolution of Britain's policy from a range of different viewpoints, exploring how this policy came into being, and why it was only exploited by the British Empire. He argues that this membership shaped colonial norms around sovereignty and international recognition in the interwar period and to the present day. Thomas Gidney is a postdoctoral researcher in international history and politics at the Geneva Graduate Institute. Lucas Tse is an Examination Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. 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

Doug Naylor: How Red Dwarf Made TV Better Than LifeGet ready for a sci-fi-soaked comedy ride as Steve Otis Gunn chats with writer and co-creator of Red Dwarf, Doug Naylor. From the early days of radio comedy and Spitting Image to building one of Britain's most enduring cult TV shows, Doug brings thoughtful, funny stories from a lifetime in entertainment. They explore Doug's path through sketch shows, number one singles, and the moment Red Dwarf finally became the show he'd imagined. Doug spills the beans on why the American remake went sideways, and how he'll never get used to the strange feeling of meeting fans who say the show helped them through tough times.They also touch on the big one: the ambitious new Red Dwarf project that was suddenly cancelled — and what Doug plans to do with it next.

Bunker Hill was one of the most important battles of the American Revolution. In this struggle, Britain attempted to break out of Boston, suffering some of the worst casualties incurred by the English in the entire war. At the same, General George Washington, in command of tens of thousands of unruly New England militia, sought… Continue reading A Military History of the American Revolution: Bunker Hill

For 300 years, the Conservative Party has been one of the most powerful forces in British politics. But it could soon be extinct, destroyed and replaced by the rising power of Reform. Cambridge professor and Reform adviser James Orr is in Phoenix for Amfest and joins the show to discuss the fate of Britain. Plus, he reacts to the testimony of Todd Nettleton about persecuted Christians around the world, from Nigeria to Syria to India. Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at charliekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, MI6 and the UK military issued a stark warning: Britain is already on the front line against Russia. And Moscow's tactics – from drone warfare to cyber attacks and sowing disinformation – are growing more sophisticated and aggressive. But is the UK taking the threat seriously enough? A former British army general explains what conflict with Russia would look like and how the UK should prepare. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: General Sir Richard Barrons, former Commander of Joint Forces Command.Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Micaela Arneson and Taryn Siegel. Read more: To repel Putin, Britain and Europe must be ready to punch back hardMilitary head: Britons must be ready to fight as Russian threat growsFurther listening: A continent prepares for war. Here's how it's doneClips: The Mirror, 10 News, BBC, LBC, Netflix / A House of Dynamite.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.comThis podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is often assumed that only sovereign states can join the United Nations. But this was not always the case. At the founding of the United Nations, a loophole drafted by British statesmen in its predecessor organisation, the League of Nations, was carried forward, allowing colonies to accede as member-states. Colonies such as India, Ireland, Egypt, and many more were afforded a tokenistic representation at the League in Geneva during the interwar years, decades before their independence. Thomas Gidney's An International Anomaly unites three geographically distinct case studies to demonstrate the evolution of Britain's policy from a range of different viewpoints, exploring how this policy came into being, and why it was only exploited by the British Empire. He argues that this membership shaped colonial norms around sovereignty and international recognition in the interwar period and to the present day. Thomas Gidney is a postdoctoral researcher in international history and politics at the Geneva Graduate Institute. Lucas Tse is an Examination Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

As another year draws to a close, we are joined for another therapy session by none other than Ian Hislop.The editor of Private Eye took time out of his busy schedule to run through the insanity that has been the year in politics.From the rise of Nigel Farage's Reform and Zack Polanski's Green Party, to the complete and utter collapse in support for Keir Starmer's Labour government, this year in British politics gives ample ground for Ian to reflect on the year that has been.Elsewhere the royals have had a year to forget with Andrew losing all of his titles for his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Another Epstein link had Britain's Ambassador to the US lose his job, even though Peter Mandelson certainly had a mutual friend with Donald Trump through his meetings with the New York financier.Ian also gives his take on how the fiasco that was the founding of Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana's Your Party, and how Donald Trump has managed to alienate the globe by throwing the might of the White House around on the world stage.Subscribe to How to Rebuild Britain now: https://linktr.ee/howtorebuildbritain Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

JoAnn McManamy and Jackie Fletcher with Nayiri Mississian – Los Tres Amigos Joann McManamy is an informed patient who has turned her life around. After a lifetime of overeating, she experienced the realisation that led to good decision making which then led to significant weight loss, good health and a high quality of life. JoAnn is a retired Professor who loves visiting England. She is looking forward to sharing her journey of recovery with The Fabulously Keto audience Nayiri Mississian I am an independent nutrition researcher. I have been involved in nutrition research since 2015 and currently working on a book emphasising the importance of correct nutrition for optimal health.  I work independently and have no associations with the food industry, pharmaceutical industry or any politically powered nutrition organisations. I receive no funds from any of these mentioned bodies, which gives me the freedom to objectively look at studies and share them with you without any biases, obligations or external pressures. I share the scientific information I study with the followers in my members-only exclusive Facebook groups.  The groups promote the low carbohydrate/low insulin lifestyle as supported by scientific evidence. This is the only lifestyle, as shown in medical science, that prevents or reverses insulin resistance, thus dramatically reducing one's chances of developing metabolic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, heart disease, Alzheimer's, unbalanced lipids, fatty liver disease, kidney dysfunction and even some types of cancer.  The low carb and fasting group members have free access to summarised information posts, recipes, tips, and weekly live videos. Members also receive support from me as well as others who are in the same journey. I love my research work and love sharing the information I uncover with others because I believe that knowledge is wonderfully infectious and expands when shared. For members who need further support, I offer coaching services on a one-to-one basis to help them improve their health with good nutrition.  My professional background lies in linguistics, literature, education and translation. I am the founder and director of a translation company. I have 30 years of experience in the education field and have held teaching positions in many of Britain's outstanding private schools.   I am also an avid gardener and grow my own food in the summer months. I love creating healthy recipes that promote nutrient-dense foods to achieve optimal health.  I have been a type 1 diabetic for 42 years. I am in great health thanks to the dietary and workout protocol that I follow. To find out more, join my Facebook group for type 1 diabetics who follow the low carb and fasting lifestyle. Link to Show Notes on Website https://fabulouslyketo.com/podcast/252 Resources Mentioned Oestrogen Matters: Why Taking Hormones in Menopause Can Improve Women’s Well-Being and Lengthen Their Lives – Without Raising the Risk of Breast Cancer – Avrum Bluming and Carol Tavris Connect with Fabulously Keto on social media YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FabulouslyKeto The Fabulously Keto Diet & Lifestyle Journal: A 12-week journal to support new habits – Jackie Fletcher If you have enjoyed listening to this episode – Leave us a review By leaving us a review on your favourite podcast platform, you help us to be found by others. Support Jackie Help Jackie make more episodes by supporting her. If you wish to support her we have various options from one off donations to becoming a Super Fabulously Keto Podcast Supporter with coaching and support. Check out this page for lots of different ways to support the podcast. https://fabulouslyketo.com/support Or You can find us on Patreon: https://www.patreon. com/FabulouslyKeto Connect with us on social media https://www.facebook.com/FabulouslyKeto https://www.instagram.com/FabulouslyKeto1 https://twitter.com/FabulouslyKeto https://www.youtube.com/@FabulouslyKeto Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FabulouslyKeto Music by Bob Collum Recommend a guest We would love to know if you have a favourite guest you would like us to interview. Let us know who you would like to hear of if you have a particular topic you would like us to cover. https://fabulouslyketo.com/recommend-a-guest We sometimes get a small commission on some of the links, this goes towards the costs of producing the podcast.

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture Trump and his administration are now dismantling the entire green agenda. The [CB] has made everything unaffordable, Trump is now in the process of reversing this. The [CB] tried to trap Trump in a failing economy, Trump turn the tables and trapped the [CB]. The [DS] is fighting back, corruption still exists, criminals are still running many parts of gov across the country. Trump is dismantling their system and they are trying to stop him. Trump has countered the fake news, they have been trying to divide the people and pushing doubt in regards to the Trump administration. His admin are now showing the world that they are united and they stand behind Trump. This was needed for the next part of the plan that we are entering. Soon the storm is coming, buckle up. Economy  (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/unusual_whales/status/2001275434898784270?s=20 https://twitter.com/PlanetOfMemes/status/2000978294993236140?s=20 https://twitter.com/USTradeRep/status/2000990028835508258?s=20   enterprise services to EU companies, and they support millions of jobs and more than $100 billion in direct investment in Europe. The United States has raised concerns with the EU for years on these matters without meaningful engagement or basic acknowledgement of U.S. concerns. In stark contrast, EU service providers have been able to operate freely in the United States for decades, benefitting from access to our market and consumers on a level playing field. Some of the largest EU service providers that have hitherto enjoyed this expansive market access include, among others: — Accenture — Amadeus — Capgemini — DHL — Mistral — Publicis — SAP — Siemens — Spotify If the EU and EU Member States insist on continuing to restrict, limit, and deter the competitiveness of U.S. service providers through discriminatory means, the United States will have no choice but to begin using every tool at its disposal to counter these unreasonable measures. Should responsive measures be necessary, U.S. law permits the assessment of fees or restrictions on foreign services, among other actions. The United States will take a similar approach to other countries that pursue an EU-style strategy in this area.  Political/Rights https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2000982942907039813?s=20   Russiagate. In 2017, he founded the Committee to Investigate Russia, a political NGO that promoted the Russiagate hoax. Former CIA Director John Brennan and DNI James Clapper served on its advisory board, giving intelligence world credibility to a partisan effort. The group's mission was clear: cripple President Trump and question the legitimacy of the 2016 election. https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2000993976330191330?s=20   efforts to have Trump imprisoned on wholly fabricated charges. Proof below. 3. In all likelihood, Reiner was in cahoots with the CIA in attempting to destroy our Constitutional form of government. Given the above, if anything Trump’s commentary on Reiner was too kind. So knock it off, bedwetters. https://twitter.com/TonySeruga/status/2001297973209416013?s=20 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2000987037638496554?s=20  https://twitter.com/RedWave_Press/status/2001066545716326714?s=20 https://twitter.com/TheLastRefuge2/status/2001196416056619102?s=20 Brown University Received a Letter from 34 Human Rights Groups in August Requesting They Disable Their CCTV System  The question is: Did Brown University acquiesce under pressure from far-left human rights groups to disable their CCTV systems, in advance of the mass shooting on campus? [SOURCE – AUGUST 19, 2025] As originally reported in August 2025 {SOURCE}, a group of far-left human rights advocate sent a letter to 150 U.S. colleges and universities asking them to disable the CCTV systems to protect “free expression and academic freedom across the country,” because “the Trump administration has launched an aggressive campaign against US academic institutions.” The motive for the request to disable CCTV systems as stated: “Right now these tools are facilitating the identification and punishment of student protesters, undermining activists' right to anonymity––a right the Supreme Court has affirmed as vital to free expression and political participation.” {SOURCE} The letter from ‘Fight For The Future‘ (August, 2025) came after an earlier campaign by the same group seeking to stop the use of facial recognition cameras on college campuses. {SOURCE} Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/DataRepublican/status/2001107948312133776?s=20   network. Students from there have been arrested for participating in terrorist plots. The evidence is so overwhelming, that House Republicans successfully convinced Harvard to cut research ties to Birzeit University — briefly. Let’s put it this way: If I were in Vegas and forced to bet on whether Professor Doumani had ever been part of any extremist plots, I wouldn’t bet on “no.” We need to stop accepting “Ivy League” as any meaningful measure of merit. https://twitter.com/DC_Draino/status/2001052796037017940?s=20   in the area with no noticeable gun, then started jogging towards the building where he shot one of the few conservative leaders on a radical campus. That seems like an assassination of Ella Cook, possibly with an innocent bystander taken down with her. https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2001062786084880887?s=20  today, December 16, 2025, amid widespread speculation and emerging reports identifying him as the prime suspect in the December 13 mass shooting on campus that killed two students and injured nine others. The university has not released an official statement explaining the deletion, but online discussions and news coverage point to it as an effort to scrub digital traces of Kharbouch during the ongoing FBI manhunt and investigation. His X (formerly Twitter) account has also been taken down, fueling theories of a cover-up by the university, media, or authorities to control the narrative around his pro-Palestine activism and alleged radical views. As of now, federal authorities have released images and a timeline of the suspect’s movements but have not publicly confirmed Kharbouch’s involvement, though some outlets report he has fled and remains at large with a $50,000 reward offered for information leading to his arrest. This is a summary of his (now deleted) manifesto: In Mustapha Kharbouch’s 2024 manifesto, “I Hear The Voice of My Ancestors Calling: From The Camps to The Campus,” published by the Institute for Palestine Studies, the author reflects on his role in the Brown University Gaza Solidarity Encampment amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. As a third-generation stateless Palestinian refugee raised in Lebanon, Kharbouch draws from his family’s history of displacement during the 1948 Nakba to frame his activism. The piece begins with lyrics from an adapted “Ancestor Song,” symbolizing a call to action and intergenerational resilience. He describes participating in non-violent protests, including an eight-day hunger strike by 19 students, arrests of 61 comrades for demanding university divestment from apartheid and illegal occupation, and organizing encampments with hundreds of participants engaging in rallies, teach-ins, art, film screenings, and chants. Kharbouch explores themes of “radical love” for land and people in Gaza, collective grief over the genocide, and solidarity as a revolutionary practice rooted in Palestinian revolutionary traditions that reject colonialism, carcerality, and imperialism. He critiques passive hope, instead advocating for active, decolonial hope through community-building and bearing witness to atrocities, like the invasion of Rafah. Influenced by queer feminist approaches (citing scholars like Sarah Ihmoud and Robin Kelley), he emphasizes transforming anger and despair into sustainable world-making, while questioning intergenerational betrayal and the cynicism inherited from survival under oppression. Ultimately, the manifesto affirms the encampment’s role in a broader student rebellion, linking campus actions to global Palestinian liberation and calling for continued, unyielding commitment despite challenges. https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/2001028141851013528?s=20 https://twitter.com/JamesHartline/status/2001090533746467327?s=20 https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/2001089445194235926?s=20 https://twitter.com/ProvidenceRIPD/status/2001345847133643062?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2001345847133643062%7Ctwgr%5E8764cf1453bd57445310069de900ad0f6828d697%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Fbreaking-providence-police-release-photos-person-proximity-brown%2F https://twitter.com/nypost/status/2001047137308590081?s=20 https://twitter.com/TheSCIF/status/2000985628029403418?s=20 https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2001347329585012818?s=20 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2001000454042607728?s=20 DOGE Trump Suspends ‘Tech Prosperity Deal' With UK Over Censorship and Regulations by ‘Online Safety Bill' Hurting US Tech Companies  Trump has suspended the ‘Tech Prosperity Deal' with the UK over its censorship push. The Telegraph reported: “The White House paused the tech prosperity deal amid concerns the Online Safety Act, which regulates online speech, will stifle American artificial intelligence companies, the Telegraph understands. The law allows the British government to levy large fines on tech giants it deems have facilitated hate speech.” After the rise of artificial intelligence, companies like OpenAI or xAI can face huge fines – harming their growth and giving China an edge in the AI race. “'The perception is that Britain is way out there on attempting to police what is said online, and it's caused real concern', a source with knowledge of the decision to suspend the deal said. ‘Americans went into this deal thinking Britain were going to back off regulating American tech firms but realized it was going to restrict the speech of American chatbots'.” Source: thegatewaypundit.com Geopolitical https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2001217017001685167?s=20    of our Assets, and many other reasons, including Terrorism, Drug Smuggling, and Human Trafficking, the Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. Therefore, today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela. The Illegal Aliens and Criminals that the Maduro Regime has sent into the United States during the weak and inept Biden Administration, are being returned to Venezuela at a rapid pace. America will not allow Criminals, Terrorists, or other Countries, to rob, threaten, or harm our Nation and, likewise, will not allow a Hostile Regime to take our Oil, Land, or any other Assets, all of which must be returned to the United States, IMMEDIATELY. Thank you for your attention to this matter! DONALD J. TRUMP PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA In 1970, as National Security Advisor, Kissinger was briefed on and helped shape US oil import policies toward Venezuela following a visit by Venezuelan President Rafael Caldera. These policies, announced in June 1970, focused on long-term petroleum development and were positively received by Venezuela, but they represented unilateral US adjustments rather than a negotiated deal.  In 1972, Venezuela terminated a longstanding reciprocal trade agreement with the US that included concessional tariff rates on Venezuelan oil imports. Kissinger was informed of this as National Security Advisor, and the US considered maintaining low tariffs to avoid cost increases, but this was a termination process, not a new deal.   Venezuela effectively took control of oil fields and assets from US companies on two major occasions, though the processes involved nationalization and expropriation rather than outright theft without legal frameworks or compensation. These actions shifted operations from private foreign (including US) entities to state control under the Venezuelan government.In the 1970s, Venezuela nationalized its entire oil industry, which had been largely developed and operated by foreign companies since the early 20th century. On January 1, 1976, the government officially took over, creating the state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA). This affected major US firms like Exxon (formerly Standard Oil), Gulf Oil, and others, which had held concessions. The companies were provided compensation as part of the process, and it was generally seen as an expected transition in global oil politics at the time, without major disruptions to US supply. In 2007, under President Hugo Chávez, Venezuela escalated state control by mandating that foreign oil projects in the Orinoco Belt (a massive heavy oil reserve) convert to joint ventures where PDVSA held at least a 60% stake. Companies like Chevron complied, but ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips refused, leading to the government expropriating their assets. International arbitration tribunals later ruled these actions unlawful, awarding ExxonMobil about $1.6 billion and ConocoPhillips over $8 billion in compensation (though Venezuela has contested and delayed payments). This has been a point of ongoing tension, with US firms pursuing Venezuelan assets globally to enforce the awards. These events did not involve taking oil fields directly from the US government but from American corporations with investments in Venezuela, reflecting broader shifts toward resource nationalism. https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2001087786879795546?s=20 War/Peace Zelensky: If Putin rejects peace plan, US must give us weapons The Ukrainian leader issued the warning as Russia said it would not drop its claims to land it believes to be its own  So Zelensky, NATO EU DS rewrote the plan knowing Russia wouldn’t accept it.  Source: thetimes.com Zelensky is stealing the election before it begins The overstaying Ukrainian leader has made a show of agreeing to hold a vote – but his preconditions make a mockery of it   The often-heard claim that Ukraine cannot hold presidential elections in wartime, by the way, is badly misleading, and a thoroughly politically motivated misrepresentation of the facts: In reality, the Ukrainian constitution only prohibits parliamentary elections in time of war. Elections for the presidency are impeded by ordinary laws which can, of course, easily and legally be changed by the majority which Zelensky controls in parliament. That is merely a question of political will, not legality.  Zelensky and his fixers are planning to shift the whole presidential election online. If they do, falsification in Zelensky's favor is de facto guaranteed or mail in ballots Source: rt.com Hegseth Orders Christmas Bonuses For War Department Top Performers  The War Department is rewarding its highest performers with monetary awards worth 15 to 25% of base pay, The Daily Wire can first report, rewards intended to reflect the “historic successes” of the past 10 months. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth directed all War Department department heads and principal staff assistants to “take immediate action to recognize and reward [the] very best” of the department's civilian workforce with “meaningful monetary awards consistent with the relevant existing civilian awards authorities for each pay system,” according to a memorandum for senior Pentagon leadership first obtained by The Daily Wire. The distribution of bonuses — which could reach up to $25,000 — is also in line with the Trump administration's broader efforts to make the federal government function more like a private-sector business. Source: dailywire.com FBI Agents Thought Clinton’s Uranium One Deal Might Be Criminal – But McCabe, Yates Stonewalled Investigation: Report Remember Uranium One? The massive 2010 sale of US uranium deposits to Russia approved by Hillary Clinton and rubber-stamped by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) – after figures linked to the deal donated to the Clinton Foundation? Turns out rank-and-file FBI investigators thought there was enough smoke to launch a criminal investigation, but internal delays and disagreements within the DOJ and FBI ultimately caused the inquiry to lapse, newly released records reveal.   The Uranium One transaction – involving the sale of a Canadian mining company with substantial U.S. uranium assets to Russia's state-owned nuclear firm Rosatom – became a flashpoint during Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. Critics argued that then-Secretary of State Clinton, a member of CFIUS, helped approve the deal while donors connected to Uranium One made large contributions to the Clinton Foundation.  The newly released documents suggest that the circumstances surrounding Uranium One were never fully investigated, leaving unresolved questions about how a strategic U.S. asset came under Russian control – and whether potential criminal conduct went unexamined due to internal delays and legal disputes. Source: zerohedge.com Health https://twitter.com/GuntherEagleman/status/2001327868979368264?s=20 [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/Badhombre/status/2001052105155481995?s=20   million stolen through Medicaid fraud by Chavis Willis. – $12.5 million in federal education grants stolen by 1,834 “ghost students.” All of this happened in Minnesota under Tim Walz. Somali fraudsters were involved in almost every case. Ex-Marine planned attack in New Orleans that would ‘recreate’ Waco, officials say Plans to “carry out an attack” in New Orleans were thwarted after an ex-Marine was arrested while on the way to the Louisiana city with guns and body armor in the car, according to court documents obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press. Micah James Legnon, 28, was charged with threats in interstate commerce. Federal authorities said they had been surveilling Legnon due to ties to an extremist anti-capitalist and anti-government group. Four members of the group were arrested Friday in the Mojave Desert, east of Los Angeles, as they were rehearsing a foiled plot to set off bombs in Southern California on New Year's Eve, authorities said.  Legnon believed it was time to “recreate” Waco with an attack in New Orleans, authorities said in court documents. They pointed to a Dec. 4 chat message by Legnon written under the alias “Kateri The Witch” the day after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrived in New Orleans. Legnon's alias had “she/her” written beside it, but jail records referred to Legnon as male. Source: nbcnews.com https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/2001118961073639492?s=20 President Trump's Plan  https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2001336422150869037?s=20 https://twitter.com/RAZ0RFIST/status/2001111187245736061?s=20 https://twitter.com/KariLakeWarRoom/status/2001117437274509736?s=20 RINO Congressman Who Voted to Impeach President Donald Trump Will Not Seek Re-election  In 2021, RINO Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) was one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump. Newhouse announced that he will not seek re-election in 2026, leaving Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) as the only one of the group remaining in Congress. https://twitter.com/RepNewhouse/status/2001291310146158666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2001291310146158666%7Ctwgr%5Ee6d32e37b15338ded9a698a990480010a5616470%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Frino-congressman-who-voted-impeach-president-donald-trump%2F The fates of the ten Republicans who voted to impeach: 1. Liz Cheney (WY) — Defeated in 2022 primary 2. John Katko (NY) — Retired in 2022 3. Adam Kinzinger (IL) — Retired in 2022 4. Fred Upton (MI) — Retired in 2022 5. Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA) — Defeated in 2022 primary 6. Peter Meijer (MI) — Defeated in 2022 primary 7. Anthony Gonzalez (OH) — Retired in 2022 8. Tom Rice (SC) — Defeated in 2022 primary 9. Dan Newhouse (WA) — Will not seek reelection 10. David Valadao (CA) — Reelected in 2024, currently serving in the 119th Congress Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2000999942303998185?s=20 https://twitter.com/HansMahncke/status/2001046169279955130?s=20   January 2017 briefing of Trump followed the same playbook, as did Strzok's conversation with General Flynn. The FBI's so-called briefings of Senators Grassley and Johnson also fit the same mold. Each time, they present it as a routine check-in or just a quick conversation. And each time, the real purpose is to box you in, lay traps and put you in prison. https://twitter.com/Cernovich/status/2001087239938564475?s=20  https://twitter.com/BehizyTweets/status/2000996943741501841?s=20 There is no specific time limit mandated by law or congressional rules for the Senate to vote on a bill passed by the House, including one that codifies executive orders (such as the FY2026 NDAA, which reportedly incorporates 15 of President Trump’s executive orders). The Senate can schedule consideration and a vote at any point during the remainder of the current Congress (the 119th Congress ends on January 3, 2027). If the Senate does not act before then, the bill dies and would need to be reintroduced in the next Congress.In practice, for time-sensitive legislation like the NDAA, the Senate typically votes shortly after the House (often within days or weeks) due to bipartisan urgency around defense authorizations, but this is not a requirement. https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/2001031213516304877?s=20 https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2000991371952357796?s=20   achievements will fail. We are family. We are united. https://twitter.com/EagleEdMartin/status/2001011049106161975?s=20 President Trump Issues Response to Vanity Fair Hit Piece Which Claims Susie Wiles Made a Pointed Remark About Him During an interview with the New York Post, Trump did not take the alleged remark Wiles made about him as an insult. In fact, he admitted to having a “very possessive” personality. “No, she meant that I'm — you see, I don't drink alcohol. So everybody knows that — but I've often said that if I did, I'd have a very good chance of being an alcoholic. I have said that many times about myself, I do. It's a very possessive personality,” Trump told the Post. “I've said that many times about myself. I'm fortunate I'm not a drinker. If I did, I could very well, because I've said that — what's the word? Not possessive — possessive and addictive type personality. Oh, I've said it many times, many times before,” he added. Trump went on to tell the Post that he agrees the Vanity Fair article was a total hit job and Wiles's remarks were taken out of context.  . Source: thegatewaypundit.com  Based on recent reports, the entire Trump administration appears to be standing by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles following the Vanity Fair article, with no notable dissent.   Specific individuals who have expressed support include: Name Position Donald Trump President JD Vance Vice President Doug Burgum Secretary of the Interior Scott Bessent Secretary of the Treasury Chris Wright Secretary of Energy Lori Chavez-DeRemer Secretary of Labor Linda McMahon Secretary of Education Scott Turner Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Brooke Rollins Secretary of Agriculture Sean Duffy Secretary of Transportation Kelly Loeffler SBA Administrator Lee Zeldin EPA Administrator Russ Vought OMB Director Pam Bondi Attorney General Kash Patel FBI Director Karoline Leavitt White House Press Secretary The [DS] has been trying to divide Trump adminitration from the beginning, they want people questioning everything, they are trying to have people doubt the administration.  how do you show the people that you are not divided.   Trump and team just changed the narrative, they took control, Susie and team most likely set this up, this way the team can tell the world they are united not divided. Information warfare. We are now moving into the next phase of the plan and the DS is panicking, the attacks against MAGA, his administration will continue, physical attacks will continue. The [DS] is fighting for their lives while Trump is dismantling their system and producing evidence on the  treasonous crimes they have committed. I think is letting us know we are moving into the storm, look how he stared this truth post.   (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

Ian Brady and Myra Hindley became the most hated people in Britain after they were committed for trial following the discovery of the bodies of several children on Saddleworth Moor. Many were furious that the crimes were uncovered too late for the couple to face the ultimate punishment, but the families of their victims just hoped that justice would finally be served… (Part 4 of 6).*** LISTENER CAUTION IS ADVISED *** This episode was researched and written by Eileen Macfarlane.Edited by Joel Porter at Dot Dot Dot Productions.Script editing, additional writing, illustrations and production direction by Rosanna FittonNarration, additional audio editing and mixing, and script editing by Benjamin Fitton.To get early ad-free access, including Season 1, sign up for They Walk Among PLUS, available from Patreon or Apple Podcasts.More information and episode references can be found on our website https://theywalkamonguspodcast.comMUSIC: The Void by Cody Martin Darker Days by Alternate Endings Layers by Caleb Etheridge To What End by Caleb Etheridge The Last Straw by CJ Oliver Arcadia by Cody Martin Blade Edge by Cody Martin Charlie by Cody Martin Outer Rim by Cody Martin Pull The Plug by Cody Martin Rhospere by Cody Martin The Fall by Cody Martin Rising Sun by Colossus Negative Thoughts by Craig Allen Fravel Don't Let Go by Alice in Winter The Birth Of A Planet by Falls Determination by Lincoln Davis Memories Of Future Events by Hill Prowler by Hill Check Point by Wicked Cinema SOCIAL MEDIA: https://linktr.ee/TheyWalkAmongUsSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/theywalkamongus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carl and Dan discuss the continuing collapse of the centre in Britain.

On this very special episode, Razib talks to paleoanthroplogists John Hawks and Chris Stringer. Hawks is a paleoanthropologist who has been a researcher and commentator in human evolutionary biology and paleoanthropology for over two decades. With a widely read weblog (now on Substack), a book on Homo naledi, and highly cited scientific papers, Hawks is an essential voice in understanding the origins of our species. He graduated from Kansas State University in 1994 with degrees in French, English, and Anthropology, and received both his M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Michigan, where he studied under Milford Wolpoff. He is currently working on a textbook on the origins of modern humans in their evolutionary context. Hawks has already been a guest on Unsupervised Learning three times. Chris Stringer is affiliated with the Natural History Museum in London. Stringer is the author of African Exodus. The Origins of Modern Humanity, Lone Survivors: How We Came to Be the Only Humans on Earth and Homo Britannicus - The Incredible Story of Human Life in Britain. A proponent since the 1970's of the recent African origin of modern humans, he has also for decades been at the center of debates around our species' relationship to Neanderthals. In the 1980's, with the rise to prominence of the molecular model of "mtDNA Eve," Stringer came to the fore as a paleoanthropological voice lending support to the genetic insights that pointed to our African origins. Trained as an anatomist, Stringer asserted that the fossil evidence was in alignment with the mtDNA phylogenies, a contention that has been broadly confirmed over the last five decades. Razib, Hawks and Stringer discuss the latest work that has come out of Yuxian, China, and how it updates our understanding of human morphological diversity, and integrate it with the newest findings about Denisovans from whole genome sequencing. They talk about how we exist at a junction, with more and more data, but theories that are becoming more and more rickety in terms of explaining the patterns we see. Hawks talks about the skewing effect of selection on phylogenetic trees, while Stringer addresses the complexity of the fossil record in East Asia.

What Conservative America gets right about Britain Description: In this bonus episode, I spoke with Ed West about why the American Right is so preoccupied with British decline.Discussed in this episode:The declining lethality of violent assaultChristopher Caldwell on Trump's warnings on EuropeCurtis Yarvin on hobbits and elvesBritish Muslim crime rateLeamington Spa case Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are Britain's top military and intelligence chiefs sounding the alarm about Putin's influence and future plans? How deeply has Russia already penetrated British politics, media, and public debate – and why did it take so long for us to act? If Europe is serious about sustaining Ukraine, why is it still struggling to unlock Russia's frozen assets? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Gift The Rest Is Politics Plus this Christmas – give someone a whole year of Rory and Alastair's miniseries, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, an exclusive members' newsletter, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord. Just go to therestispolitics.supportingcast.fm/gifts. And of course, you can still join for yourself any time at therestispolitics.com The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away free TRIP Plus membership for all of 2025 to new sign ups

"If it quacked like a Duck, to be honest I don't think we'd be that excited about it but because it sings like an angel and it looks so beautiful and it lives in liminal spaces - these wetland areas where we don't really feel at home - all those things add together to make the Curlew a very mysterious and very loved bird."In this episode Ben Goldsmith is joined by Mary Colwell, Director of Curlew Action. She is also a writer, producer and a giant of Britain's conservation movement.Mary has devoted herself to saving the magical curlew from extinction – a species which seems to be negatively impacted by all of the bad things we do in our countryside. Ben Goldsmith is a British financier and rewilding enthusiast. Join him as he speaks to people from all over the world who champion nature and are helping to restore habitats and wildlife to some of the most nature depleted parts of our planet.This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.Text Rewilding the World here. Let us know what you think of the podcast and if there are any rewilding projects you would love Ben to feature in future episodes. Rewilding the World is brought to you by UNI, the world's first coral reef and river safe line of bodycare. These exceptional products are made with sustainably sourced natural ingredients. UNI are leading the way in guilt-free sustainable Body Care, from hand wash to shampoo, body serum and natural deodorants. Learn more at WeareUNI.com. Available in the UK at Space NK.

For more than a decade, Tommy Robinson has been written off again and again. Yet he keeps re-emerging, reshaped for the moment. From street agitator to convicted criminal to most recently, self-styled Christian crusader. Robinson has followed a familiar far-right playbook: collapse, reinvention, repeat.  On The Bunker, Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by journalist Daniel Trilling to examine the staying power of Tommy Robinson and the strategy that keeps bringing him back. We look at the warning signs we missed and what Robinson's latest reinvention reveals about the durability, adaptability and danger of Britain's far-right ecosystem.

Village churches are as much a part of our rural landscape as trees and hedgerows. However according to a recent survey by the National Churches Trust, as many as nine hundred of Britain's countryside churches are in danger of closing in the next five years. We visit a church in North Cumbria where the farming community is determined to save it. We also speak to the National Churches Trust about their fears for the future of small rural churches.There's also discussion of the latest government changes to planning regulations.Producer: Rebecca Rooney

It's a Rightie-off! Two heavyweights are in The Daily T studio to battle it out for the soul of British Right – and help you decide who to vote for.Conservative chairman Kevin Hollinrake goes head to head with Tim Montgomerie, journalist and head of Reform's Christian Fellowship, over their parties' leaders, records in office, and solutions to Britain's biggest problems.The two heavyweights also weigh in on whether they would support a Tory-Reform coalition, and the answer might surprise you…We want to hear from you! Email us at thedailyt@telegraph.co.uk or find @dailytpodcast on TikTok, Instagram and X► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditorProducer: Lilian FawcettSenior Producer: David LeveneExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsVideo Producers: James EnglandStudio Operator: Meghan SearleSocial Producer: Andy MackenzieEditor: Camilla Tominey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Wednesday morning, the 17th of December, 2025, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in the Book of Psalms 27:4, and David said: “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.” Then we go to the New Testament, to the Gospel of Luke 10:41-42: And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”We need to slow down. We need to listen to the Word of God. Jesus said to Martha, “Your sister Mary is sitting at my feet and listening to what I am saying and you are running to and fro, all over the place and wearing yourself out. I want to say to you today, as we are approaching Christmas time, and things are getting busier, I am speaking not only to young mothers but to young men as well, this is not a time to run to and fro. This is a time to settle down and be with your loved ones. You say, “No, I can't afford to.” You cannot afford not to, sir!Do you remember the story, I don't know whether it is true or not, but it is a good story that took place in England when the famous sea captain, Sir Francis Drake, was playing a game of bowls. He must have been on the white cliffs of Dover somewhere, and he could look out and see, and some of his men ran to him and said to him, “The Spanish Armada, hundreds of sea-going warships, are approaching Britain to declare war!” And Sir Francis Drake calmly said he would finish his game of bowls and then have time to beat the Spanish Armada.I want to say to you today, take time to be with your loved ones. Remember, Mary, according to Jesus, chose a better way. She sat at the feet of the Lord, and David, the apple of the Lord's eye, said he wanted to sit at the feet of God. Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day,Goodbye.

Marina and Jemma are back with a Christmas-adjacent scroll through the internet so you don't have to.With the festive season fast approaching, they bring you thrift tips courtesy of Donald Trump (yes, really), as he explains why American children might have to settle for 'two dolls instead of thirty' all in the name of tariffs. Marie Antoinette, but make it MAGA.The Trawl ladies also take on the claim that Britain is somehow worse off than the United States, unpacking why that narrative doesn't stand up from gun laws to healthcare to basic reality.The episode then turns to two devastating mass shootings in the US and Australia, the heroism shown in the face of hate-fuelled violence, and the disturbing speed with which misinformation and outright fabrication spread online in their aftermath.Plus: Trump's response, a MAGA voter discovering too late what 'women's rights' actually means, and a new US policy that might just be the worst tourism advert in modern history.They end, as always, with some much-needed internet relief — underrated tweets and a very beautiful pudding.Scroll wisely, Trawlers.Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast Patreonhttps://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl Twitterhttps://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcastIf you've even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you'll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on• Early access to The Trawl Meets…• Glorious ad-free episodesPlus, there's a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.And it's your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you're not alone.Come join the fun:https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

【欢迎订阅】每天早上5:30，准时更新。【阅读原文】标题：Dr Chatbot is popping up all over China正文：China's public-health system is both world-class and woeful. The best hospitals in Beijing and Shanghai have top-notch doctors, the latest drugs and gleamingequipment. But such places make up only around 10% of China's medical institutions. In the country's 33,000-odd township-level health centres, only half of general practitioners (GPs) even have university degrees. In total China spends around 7% of its GDP on health (for comparison Britain shells out around 11%).知识点：woeful adj. /ˈwəʊfʊl/very bad or disappointing 糟糕的；令人失望的• The school's facilities were woeful compared with others. 与其他学校相比，这里的设施十分糟糕。• His performance in the exam was woeful. 他在考试中的表现令人失望。获取外刊的完整原文以及精讲笔记，请关注微信公众号「早安英文」，回复“外刊”即可。更多有意思的英语干货等着你！【节目介绍】《早安英文-每日外刊精读》，带你精读最新外刊，了解国际最热事件：分析语法结构，拆解长难句，最接地气的翻译，还有重点词汇讲解。所有选题均来自于《经济学人》《纽约时报》《华尔街日报》《华盛顿邮报》《大西洋月刊》《科学杂志》《国家地理》等国际一线外刊。【适合谁听】1、关注时事热点新闻，想要学习最新最潮流英文表达的英文学习者2、任何想通过地道英文提高听、说、读、写能力的英文学习者3、想快速掌握表达，有出国学习和旅游计划的英语爱好者4、参加各类英语考试的应试者（如大学英语四六级、托福雅思、考研等）【你将获得】1、超过1000篇外刊精读课程，拓展丰富语言表达和文化背景2、逐词、逐句精确讲解，系统掌握英语词汇、听力、阅读和语法3、每期内附学习笔记，包含全文注释、长难句解析、疑难语法点等，帮助扫除阅读障碍。

Today's West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy Podcast for our especially special Daily Special, Smothered Benedict Wednesday is now available on the Spreaker Player!Starting off in the Bistro Cafe, polls show Trump's popularity is 'in the toilet.'Then, on the rest of the menu, five Oregon farmworkers were released after their ICE detentions were deemed unlawful; the head of California's Department of Motor Vehicles said that if the carmaker does not correct its “misleading” branding of “Autopilot,” Tesla will be blocked from selling cars in the state; and, absences at a Texas school system soared to almost sixty percent when a measles outbreak hit.After the break, we move to the Chef's Table where Britain launched a review into foreign financial interference after a British former member of the European Parliament was jailed for taking Russian bribes; and, a Brazilian cardinal ordered a popular Catholic priest to go offline following right-wing attacks.All that and more, on West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy with Chef de Cuisine Justice Putnam.Bon Appétit!The Netroots Radio Live Player​Keep Your Resistance Radio Beaming 24/7/365!“It may be safely averred that good cookery is the best and truest economy, turning to full account every wholesome article of food, and converting into palatable meals what the ignorant either render uneatable or throw away in disdain.” - Eliza Acton ‘Modern Cookery for Private Families' (1845)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/west-coast-cookbook-speakeasy--2802999/support.

Join historian Greg Jenner for a hilarious and fascinating family adventure through ancient Britain, exploring the History of Hadrian's Wall, one of the most iconic landmarks of the Roman Empire.Rome meets Britain When the Romans first invaded Britain, they weren't prepared for the chilly weather, the fierce tribes or how long it would take to build their empire. From Julius Caesar's half-hearted invasions to Emperor Claudius's chilly conquest, Greg Jenner whizzes through the centuries of Roman rule with his trademark wit and sketches.Enter Emperor Hadrian! Then along comes the main man himself: Hadrian. The bearded emperor with a love of architecture, art, and… his boyfriend Antinous. With comedy flair, Greg tells how Hadrian rose to power, toured the empire, and decided to solve his northern problem by building a giant wall across Britain.Hadrian's Wall stretched 80 Roman miles, from coast to coast. A monumental feat of engineering that marked the edge of the empire. But was it an impenetrable defence, or just an ancient form of border control (with a bit of extra tax collection on the side)?Behind the wall Greg and the Dead Funny History cast bring the world of Roman soldiers to life, complete with bustling forts, bakeries, temples, hospitals and toga shops! There's even a few unfortunate emperors who discovered that visiting York didn't always end well…With jokes, sketches and sharp historical insight, this episode turns stone and history into laughter and learning for children, families and anyone curious about ancient Britain.The afterlife of a wall From the Romans' chilly retreat to the medieval locals who recycled Hadrian's Wall into castles, churches and pigsties, Greg reveals how this monumental structure survived and how it later became a treasured World Heritage Site.History has never been this funny Packed with facts, puns and fast-paced fun, Dead Funny History – Hadrian's Wall makes the Roman past lively and unforgettable. Perfect for curious kids, history-loving families, and fans of Greg Jenner's clever storytelling.Writers: Jack Bernhardt, Gabby Hutchinson Crouch, and Dr Emma Nagouse Host: Greg Jenner Performers: Mali Ann Rees and Richard David-Caine Producer: Dr Emma Nagouse Associate Producer: Gabby Hutchinson Crouch Researcher: Dr Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow Audio producer: Emma Weatherill Script consultant: Dr Andrew Birley Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy Jo Kyle: Production Manager Studio Managers: Keith Graham and Andrew Garratt Sound Designer: Peregrine AndrewsA BBC Studios Production

PREVIEW: Joseph Sternberg cautions that American conservatives often mistakenly view the United Kingdom as culturally similar to the US, despite its "European" attitudes toward regulation and welfare. He argues that Britain's post-Brexit difficulties have likely deterred other European nations from leaving the European Union.

December 16, 1773. Frustrated at Britain for imposing “taxation without representation”, American colonists dump 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. This episode originally aired in 2021. Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more. History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser. Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.

Patrick Wyman, host of the new Past Lives podcast, joins us to talk about the one ancient civilisational collapse we haven't talked about in depth: the western Roman Empire. What does it mean to live in collapse? How is it hidden by things like the price mechanism in ways it couldn't hide in an agrarian empire? What would a potter have experienced in Britain in 350 AD? All this and more! Check out Past Lives here! Get the whole episode on Patreon here! TF Merch is still available here! *MILO ALERT* Check out Milo's tour dates here: https://www.miloedwards.co.uk/liveshows Trashfuture are: Riley (@raaleh), Milo (@Milo_Edwards), Hussein (@HKesvani), Nate (@inthesedeserts), and November (@postoctobrist)

As the world reacts to the attacks on Bondi Beach in Australia, Conservative peer Paul Goodman joins Tim Shipman and James Heale to discuss the failure of successive British governments to properly tackle extremism – especially Islamist extremism – over the past two decades. In the post 'War On Terror' era, there was a reluctance by some to discuss the problem openly as it got tied up in other polarising topics like immigration. Though that reluctance appears to be fading, Paul argues that there is a 'communalist air of voting' in British politics now, and he warns of the dangers that face British politics if fragmentation becomes entrenched in party politics.Plus – Trump is suing the BBC for $5 billion. What's his motivation?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is the world moving away from liberalism and towards conservatism?One of Britain's most provocative thinkers, John Gray is a political philosopher known for dismantling liberalism and exposing the illusions of human progress. Former Professor of European Thought at the London School of Economics, Gray has challenged orthodoxy across the political spectrum with a body of work that ranges from critiques of Enlightenment rationalism to meditations on the limits of secular humanism.He is the bestselling author of Straw Dogs, The Silence of Animals, and Seven Types of Atheism as well as a frequent contributor to The Guardian, New Statesman, and The Times Literary Supplement. Gray's sharp insights and contrarian stance continue to shape contemporary debates on ethics, politics, and the future of humanity.Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

PayPal files to become a bank in the U.S., the U.S. has paused the “$40 billion Technology Prosperity Deal” with Britain, and Ford shifts away from large EVs. MP3 Please SUBSCRIBE HERE for free or get DTNS Live ad-free. A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible. If youContinue reading "AI Memory Demand to Squeeze Smartphone Market in 2026 – DTH"

How did the Soviet Union infiltrate so many of Britain's institutions? Investigative journalist Tim Tate dives into the dark underbelly of British-Soviet relations—uncovering a world where the Kremlin's influence had already seeped into the heart of Britain's highest echelons of power long before Oleg Gordievsky ever arrived. In conversation with spy writer Charlie Higson, Tim also reveals a shocking paradox: Gordievsky's intelligence eased Cold War tensions, but after his exposure paranoia was sent spiraling out of control on both sides of the Iron Curtain.Have you got a spy story you would like us to tell? Email your ideas to thespywho@wondery.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Host Brian Kerg talks with General Robert Neller, USMC (Ret.) to discuss the role of information in warfighting and the Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group (MIG). General Robert Neller served as the 37th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps from 2015 to 2019. He was commissioned in 1975 and served as an infantry officer. … Continue reading Sea Control: 593 Information and Warfighting with General Robert Neller →

Charlotte Greenway in for Nick today and joined by the Racing Post's Jonathan Harding to look ahead to Ascot this weekend and in particular the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle and whether Honesty Policy could be the next star in the staying hurdle division. Bloodstock agent Tom Malone is along to share why Alexei is sticking to handicaps for the time being whilst the Champion Hurdle is still the ultimate goal and has an update on some of the other leading lights for Brocade Racing. Dan Barber shares how Sunday's runaway bumper winner Oh My Word stacks up in the Timeform ratings before Nick visits Newmarket for this week Weatherby‘s bloodstock segment, as he speaks to Michael Swinburn of Genesis Green Stud, as they prepared to stand their first stallion.

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, we are discussing Fitt 1 of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with Dcn. Garlick, Dr. Justin Jackson of Hillsdale College, Chivalry Guild, and Banished Kent.Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule.Check out our WRITTEN GUIDE to Sir Gawain and the Greek Knight (posted soon!).Episode SummaryThe panel dives into the 14th-century Middle English masterpiece Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, exploring its mysterious single-manuscript survival, alliterative brilliance, and rich layers of meaning in Fit 1. From the Troy-to-Britain prologue to the shocking arrival of the Green Knight and the beheading game, the discussion uncovers dualities, temptations, and the clash between chivalric courtesy and Christian virtue that make this Christmas tale profoundly relevant.Why Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Is Worth ReadingThis poem stands as one of the greatest works of English literature because it masterfully blends adventure, humor, moral depth, and spiritual insight. As Dr. Jackson notes, it survived by miracle in a single tiny manuscript, yet offers the “greatest chivalric romance” alongside exquisite theological literacy. It probes timeless questions—how do pride, fear, courtesy, and faith collide in a fallen world?—without easy answers, forcing readers to wrestle with their own choices. Tolkien saw it as a meditation on seductive worldly culture versus Christian ethos; the guests highlight its realistic portrayal of human imperfection amid high ideals. Beautifully crafted (alliteration, bob-and-wheel, vivid imagery), often funny, and profoundly Christian, it humanizes the heroic while elevating humility and grace—perfect for Christmas reflection on mortality, temptation, and redemption.Key Discussion PointsManuscript & Poet: A unique survival with Pearl, Cleanness, and Patience; anonymous poet of astounding skill in alliterative revival.Historical Frame: Begins with Troy's fall and Aeneas (traitor in medieval legend) leading to Brutus and Britain—history as “bliss and blunder.”Arthur's Court: Young, vital Arthur is admirable yet “somewhat childish,” craving marvels or “life for life” combat.Guinevere's Gray Eyes: Symbol of wisdom/clarity, yet ambiguous; benchmark of beauty later challenged.Green Knight's Duality: Terrifying green giant vs. courtly noble—tempting fear/violence vs. courtesy/mercy.The Game: Explicitly “stroke for stroke,” not beheading; court's violent interpretation reveals failures.Tolkien's Lens: Tension between seductive chivalric/courtly culture and higher Christian virtue.Gawain's Intervention: Praised as humble, loyal self-sacrifice to shield Arthur.Notable QuotesDr. Jackson: “The poem is giving you two readings throughout, and then it wants to see which one are you going to appropriate.”Deacon Garlick: “This text captures my imagination… knowledge is an antecedent to love.”George (via Tolkien): “Gawain… as a matter of duty and humility and self-sacrifice.”Resources & RecommendationsTolkien's translation and scholarly editionJames Winny's facing-page translationDr. Jackson's Hillsdale online course lecture (watch after finishing the poem to avoid spoilers)Next episode: Fits 2–3 with Dr. Tiffany Schubert. Join the discussion on Patreon or X!

Hey before I begin I just want to thank all of you who have joined the patreon, you guys are awesome. Please let me know what other figures, events or other things you want to hear about in the future and I will try to make it happen.   If you are a long time listener to the Pacific War week by week podcast over at KNG or viewer of my youtube channel you have probably heard me talk about Tomoyuki Yamashita, the Tiger of Malaya quite often. It goes without saying when it comes to Japanese generals of WW2 he stands out. Not just to me, from the offset of the war he made a large impression on westerners, he achieved incredible feats early on in the war. Now if you look up books about him, you will pretty much only find information in regards to his infamous war crimes trial. Hell it was so infamous the legal doctrine of hierarchical accountability for war crimes, whereby a commanding officer is legally responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by his subordinates, was created. This is known as the command responsibility or “the Yamashita standard”. His court case was very controversial, he remains a controversial figure, certainly to the people of territories he campaigned in, but I think what can be said of him the most is he was special amongst the Japanese generals. Anyways lets get the show on the road as they say.   So who was Yamashita? When he was 59 years old commanding forces in the Philippines against General Douglas MacArthur, he weighed 220 ls and stood 5 feet 9 inches. His girth pressed out against his green army uniform. He had an egg shaped head, balding, wide spaced eyes and a flat nose. He wore a short mustache, sort of like Hitlers, until it grayed then he shaved it off. He was not a very attractive man, Filipinos referred to him as “old potato face” while Americans called him “a florid, pig faced man”.   Tomobumi Yamashita was born in 1885, he was the second son of Dr. Sakichi Yamashita and Yuu Yamashita in Osugi village, on Shikoku island. Like most males of his day he was indoctrinated into military preparatory school from a young age. Yamashita had no chosen the army as a career, in his words ‘my father suggested the idea, because I was big and healthy, and my mother did not seriously object because she believed, bless her soul, that I would never pass the highly competitive entrance examination. If I had only been cleverer or had worked harder, I would have been a doctor like my brother”Yamashita would graduate from the 18th class of the IJA academy in november of 1905, ranked 16th out of 920 cadets.    In 1908 he was promoted to the rank of Lt and during WW1 he fought against Imperial German and Austro-Hungarian forces in the famous siege of Qingdao, which if you are interested I did an episode over on my Youtube channel about this battle. Its a very overlooked battle, but many histories firsts occurred at it like the first carrier attack. In 1916 he was promoted to captain and attended the 28th class of the Army War college to graduate sixth in his class that year. He also married Hisako Nagayama in 1916, she was the daughter of the retired General Nagayama.    It seems Yamashita's brush against the Germans in 1914 had a huge influence on him, because he became fascinated with Germany and would serve as assistant military attache at Bern and Berlin from 1919-1922. He spent his time in Germany alongside Captain Hideki Tojo, both men would run into each other countless times and become bitter rivals. Both men toured the western front, visiting Hamburg and witnessed first hand the crippling inflation and food prices that came from Germany's defeat. Yamashita said to Tojo then “If Japan ever has to fight any nation, she must never surrender and get herself in a state like this.” He returned to Japan in 1922, was promoted to major and served a few different posts in the Imperial Headquarters and Staff College. Yamashita became a leading member of the Kodoha faction, while Tojo became a leading member of the rival Toseiha faction. In 1927 Yamashita was sent again to Europe, this time to Vienna as a military attache. Just prior to departing he had invested in a business selling thermometers starting by one of his wife's relatives, the business failed horribly and Yamashita was tossed into debt, bailiffs literally came to seize his house. As told to us by his biographer “For a regular officer to have contracted such a debt, however innocently, was a disgrace. He felt he should resign his commission.” Yamashita's brother refused to allow him to quit, instructing him to leave for Vienna, while he resolved his debts. His days in Vienna were the best of his life, professed Yamashita. He studied economics at Vienna university and made friends with a Japanese widow, who introduced him to a German woman named Kitty and they had an affair. This would spring forward his reputation as an eccentric officer. Yamashita was obsessed over hygiene,and refused to eat fruit unless it was thoroughly washed. He avoided ice water, hated dancing and never learnt how to drive a car. One of his most notable quirks was his habit of falling asleep often during meetings where he legendarily would snore. Like I may have said in previous podcast and youtube episodes, this guy was quite a character, often described as a big bear.    Now this is not a full biography on Yamashita so I cant devolve to far into things, such as his first fall from grace. During the February 26th coup incident of 1936, Yamashita was a leading member of the Kodoha faction and helped mediate a peaceful end to the standoff, however in truth he was backing the coup. He simply managed to not get caught red handed at the time doing too much for the mutineers, regardless he lost favor with the outraged Emperor and many young captains whom he loved like sons killed themselves in disgrace. If you want to know more about the February coup of 1936, check out my series on Emperor Hirohito or General Ishawara, they both talk about it in depth and touch upon Yamashita's role a bit.    The coup led to the dissolvement of the Kodoha faction and the dominance of the Toseiha, led by Tojo. Yamashita tried to resign from the IJA, but his superiors dissuade him. He was relegated to a post in Korea, which honestly was a punishment. Yamashita would say “When I was posted to Korea, I felt I had been given a tactful promotion but that in fact my career was over. Even when I was given my first fighting company in North China, I still felt I had no future in the Army, so I was always on the front line, where the bullets flew the thickest. I sought only a place to die.”  He had some time to reflect upon his conduct while in Korea, he began to study Zen Buddhism. He was promoted to Lt General in November of 1937 and when the China war broke out he was one of those speaking out that the incident needed to end swiftly and that peaceful relations must be made with the UK and US. He received a unimportant post in the Kwantung army and in 1938 was assigned command of the IJA 4th division. He led the forces during in northern china against insurgents until he returned to Tokyo in July of 1940. His fellow officers lauded him as Japan's finest general. Meanwhile Tojo had ascended to war minister and one of his first moves was to send a delegation to Germany. Tojo considered Yamashita a ruthless and forceful commander and feared he would become a powerful rival against him one day. Yamashita would go on the record to say then “I have nothing against Tojo, but he apparently has something against me.” You see, Yamashita had no political ambitions, unlike Tojo who was by nature a political monster. “My life, is that of a soldier; I do not seek any other life unless our Emperor calls me.” In late 1940, Tojo asked Yamashita to lead a team of 40 experts on a 6 month train tour of Germany and Italy, a move that kept him out of Tokyo, because Tojo was trying to solidify his political ambitions. This is going to become a looming theme between the two men.   He was presented to Adolf Hitler in January of 1941, passing along messages from Tojo and publicly praising the Fuhrer, though privately he was very unimpressed by the man  “He may be a great orator on a platform, with his gestures and flamboyant way of speaking. But standing behind his desk listening he seems much more like a clerk.” Hitler pressed upon him to push Japan to declare war on Britain and the US. At the time of course Japan was facing China and had two major conflicts with the USSR, thus this was absolutely not in her interest. “My country is still fighting in China, and we must finish that war as soon as possible. We are also afraid that Russia may attack us in Manchuria. This is no time for us to declare war on other countries.” Yamashita hoped to inspect Germany's military techniques and technology to help Japan. Hitler promised open exchanges of information stating “All our secrets are open to you,”, but this would prove to be a lie. “There were several pieces of equipment the Germans did not want us to see. Whenever I tried to persuade the German General Staff to show us things like radar—about which we had a rudimentary knowledge—the conversation always turned to something else.”   Yamashita met with field Marshal Hermann Goring who gave him an overview of the war in europe. Goring would complain about Yamashita falling asleep during lectures and meetings and he believed the man was drunk often. Yamashita met Benito Mussolini in June of 1941 receiving a similar rundown to what he got in Germany. Yamashita visited Kitty in Vienna for a quick fling, but overall the trip deeply impacted Yamashita's resolve that Japan should stay out of the Europeans war and that Germany made a grievous error invading the USSR in June of 1941. This is what he said the members of the commission “You know the results of our inspection as well as I do. I must ask you not to express opinion in favor of expanding the alliance between Japan, Germany and Italy. Never suggest in your report that Japan should declare war on Great Britain and the United States. We must not and cannot rely upon the power of other nations. Japan needs more time, particularly as there may be aggression against us from Russia. We must have time to rebuild our defense system and adjust the whole Japanese war machine. I cannot repeat this to you often enough.” His report was similar, and it really pissed off Tojo who was trying to develop plans for a war against America. Yamashita would then get exiled to Manchuria in July of 1941, but Tojo's resentment towards him could only go so far, because Yamashita was one of their best generals and in his planned war against Britain and America, he would need such a man.   Yamashita's time in Europe reshaped his views on how to conduct war. He saw first hand blitzkrieg warfare, it seems it fascinated him. He consistently urged the implementation of new proposals calling for the streamlining of air arms; to mechanize the Army; to integrate control of the armed forces in a defense ministry coordinated by a chairman of Joint Chiefs of staff; to create a paratroop corps and to employ effective propaganda. Basically he saw what was working for the Germans against the allies and wanted Japan to replicate it. Tojo did not like many of the proposal, hated the fact they were coming from Yamashita, so he obviously was not keen on making them happen. Luckily for Yamashita he would be given a chance to implement some of his ideas in a big way.   On November 6th of 1941, Lt General Yamashita was appointed commander of the 25th Japanese army. His orders were to seize the Malay Peninsula and then the British naval base at Singapore. The Malaya Peninsula snakes 700 miles south of Thailand, a rugged sliver of land that constricts at its narrowest point to about 60 miles wide. It hold mountains that split the peninsula in half, some going as high as 7000 feet. During this time Malaya produced around 40% of the worlds rubber, 60% of its tin, two resources vital for war. At its very southern tip lies Singapore, a diamond shaped island connected to the mainland by a 1115 stone causeway. Singapore's largest asset was its naval base guarding the passage from the Pacific and Indian oceans. Together Malay and Singapore represented the key to controlling what Japan called the Southern Resource Area.   Singapore was known as the gibraltar of the east for good reason. It was a massively fortified naval base. The base had been developed between 1923-1938 and cost 60 million pounds, around 2 billion pounds today. It was 21 square miles, had the largest dry dock in the world, the 3rd largest floating dock and enough fuel tanks to support the entire royal navy for 6 months. She was defended by 15 inch naval guns stationed at the Johre battery, Changi and Buona vista battery. And despite the infamous myth some of you may have heard, these guns were fully capable of turning in all directions including the mainland. For those unaware a myth perpetuated after the fall of Singapore that her large 15 inch guns could not turn to the mainland and that this spelt her doom, no it was not that, it was the fact they mostly had armor piercing shells which are using to hit ships and not land targets. Basically if you fire an armor piercing shell at land it imbeds itself then explodes, while HE shells would have torn any Japanese army to pieces. Alongside the 15 inch monsters, there were countless other artillery pieces such as 9.2 inch guns. By December of 1941 Malaya and Singapore held 164 first line aircraft out of a total of 253 aircraft, but many of the fighters were the obsolete Brewster F2A Buffalo, a pretty slow, fat little beast that could take a licking as it was armored, but against the Zero fighter it was unbelievably outmatched in speed and maneuverability.    The Japanese acquired a major gift prior to the outbreak of war. On november 11th, 1940, the SS Automedon, a German raider attacked the HMS Atlantis which was carrying documents intended for the British far east command. The documents indicated the British fleet was not going to help Singapore; that Britain would not declare war if Thailand was invaded and that Hong Kong was expendable. The Germans gave the documents to the Japanese who were very excited by the information.    Starting in January of 1941, Colonel Masanobu Tsuji led the Taiwan Army Research section based on Formosa to investigate how a campaign could be waged in Malay and Singapore. His findings on the defenses of Malay and Singapore were summed up in these 3 points: 1. Singapore Fortress was solid and strong facing the sea, but vulnerable on the peninsular side facing the Johore Strait;  Newspaper reports of a strong Royal Air Force (RAF) presence were propaganda;  Although British forces in Malaya numbered from five to six divisions (well over 80,000 men), less than half were Europeans.    Now just a little bit about Tsuji as he was to become the chief of staff operations and planning under Yamashita. Tsuji was extremely insubordinate and a political schemer. He was a Toseiha faction fanatic, loyal to Tojo and thus definitely an enemy to Yamashita. Yamashita wrote of Tsuji in his war diary “is egotistical and wily. He is a sly dog and unworthy to serve the country. He is a manipulator to be carefully watched.” Tsuji would go on to have a infamous reputation for ordering atrocities in the name of his superiors, often without them knowing and this would be very much the case under Yamashita. Now using Tsuji's intelligence Yamashita began plans at his HQ at Samah, a port on Hainan island, starting in November of 1941 on how to launch the campaign. He was initially offered 5 divisions for the invasion, but he felt he could accomplish the objective with only three. There are a few reasons why he believed this; first, Tsuji's research suggested the peninsula roads would be the center of the battlefront and that the flanks would extend no more than a km or so to the left or right due to the dense jungle terrain (in fact Yamashita was planning to assault from the jungle specifically); 2nd intelligence indicated the defending troops were not of the highest caliber (the British were busy in Europe thus many of the troops in southeast asia were poorly trained, half were british regulars the rest were Australian, Indian and Malayan); 3rd Yamashita was aware “the Japanese army were in the habit of flinging more troops into the battle than could possibly be maintained” boy oh boy tell that one to the future boys on Guadalcanal. Thus he calculated 3 divisions was the maximum to be fed, equipped and supplied. Based on his recommendations the 25th army was created with 3 divisions; the 5th under Lt General Takuma Matsui; 18th under Lt General Renya Mutaguchi and the Imperial guards division of Lt General Takuma Nishimura. Supporting these would be two regiment of heavy field artillery and the 3rd tank brigade. Something that made Yamashita's campaign quite interesting was the usage and amount of tanks. He was invading with around 200 or so tanks consisting of the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank, type 97 Chi-Ha and Type 89 I-Go medium tanks and Type 97 Te-Ke tankettes. For aircraft he had the 3rd Air division, 459 aircraft strong with an additional 159 aircraft from the IJN to support them. The 3rd air division had a variety of aircraft such as Nakajima Ki-27 Nate's, Nakajima ki-43 Oscars, Kitsubishi ki-51 Sonia's, Kawasaki ki-48 Lily's, Mitsubishi ki-21 sally's, Mitsubishi ki-30 Ann's, Mitsubishi ki-15 babs and Mitsubishi ki-46 dinahs. For the IJN it was the 22nd air flotilla using Mitsubishi G3M1 Nell's, Mitsubishi A5M4 Claudes and some A6M Zeros. To say it was a lot of firepower at his disposal is an understatement, Yamashita was packing heat, heat he could use in a blitzkrieg fashion.   His staff at Samah identified 5 operational objectives: 1 Simultaneous capture of Singora and Patani, Thailand and Kota Bharu, Malaya.  2 Capture of all enemy airfields in southern Thailand and Malaya.  3 Occupation of Kuala Lumpur, Malaya.  4 Occupation of Johore Bahru, and control of Johore Strait.  5 Conquest of Singapore.    Colonel Tsuji, appointed Chief of Operations and Planning for the 25th Army, proposed the following plan which was readily approved:  Land the main strength of the 5th Division simultaneously and without warning at Singora and Patani, and at the same time land a powerful section of the 18th Division to attack Kota Bharu.  The troops disembarked at Singora and Patani to press forward immediately to attack the line of the Perak River Hand capture its bridge and the Alor Star aerodrome.  The troops landed at Kota Bharu to press forward along the eastern coast as far as Kuantan.    The landing at Kota Bharu, the only one in Malaya was expected to be opposed and quite risky. But if it was successful, it would create a useful diversion away from the main force landings in Thailand.   The landings took place around 2:15am local time on December 8th, about an hour and 20 minutes before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The landings went largely unopposed, except at Kota Bahru where the Japanese saw heavy resistance. The British had anticipated this landing point and created operation Matador, a plan to pre-emptively invade southern thailand to secure defensive lines against the Japanese, however this plan was never accepted by British high command for obvious political reasons. But on December 5th, with a Japanese invasion looking certain, suddenly London gave permission to the Far east commanders to decide if Operation matador should be activated or not. The commander in Malaya, General Arthur Percival recommended forestalling it, fearing to violate Thai sovereignty, which ultimately would be the doom of a defense for Malaya.   At the battle of Kota Bharu, the 9th infantry division of Major General Barstow attempted holding off the Japanese from taking the important Kota Bharu airfield. The 8th brigade of Billy Key had fortified the beaches with pillboxes, barbed wire and land mines. The Japanese took heavy losses, but they were able to find gaps and fill them up until Brigadier Key had to ask permission to pull out. The royal air force at Kota Bharu tossed Hudson bombers to hit the troop transports, but it was a suicide mission to do so. Meanwhile the IJA 5th division landed at Pattani and Songkhla in Thailand while the Imperial guards division marched over the border from French Indochina. The Japanese encountered very little resistance, the leader of Thailand Plaek Pibulsonggram had been trying to get assurances from the allies and Japanese all the way up until the invasion, once the Japanese landed he knew his best option was to play nice and sign an armistice. This basically spelt doom for malaya as the Japanese were given access to Thailand's airfields which they used to smash the forward airfields in Malaya.   The first day of aerial encounters were a catastrophe for the British. General Percival would comment “The rapidity with which the Japanese got their air attacks going against our aerodromes was quite remarkable. Practically all the aerodromes in Kelantan, Kedah, Province Wellesley, and Penang, were attacked, and in most cases fighters escorted the bombers. The performance of Japanese aircraft of all types, and the accuracy of their bombing, came as an unpleasant surprise. By the evening our own air force had already been seriously weakened.” Brigadier Key withdrew after causing an estimated 800 casualties upon the Japanese while taking roughly 465. While Kota Bharu was being fought over, Percival unleashed Operation Krohcol, a 2.0 of Matador seeing British forces cross into Thailand to intercept the incoming enemy. It was an absolute disaster, the British attackers were defeated not only by the Japanese 5th division, but some Royal Thai police also defended their territory. The operation had basically become a race to who could seize the important focal point first and the Japanese took it first thus winning decisively. To add to that misery, force Z, consisting of the battleship HMS Prince of Wales,, battlecruiser Repulse and 4 destroyers tried to intercept the Japanese invasion fleet only to be utterly destroyed by overwhelming Japanese airforces.   Within 4 days of the landings, the 5th division advanced from Singora through the town of Jitra to capture the RAF airfield at Alor star, around 100 miles away. Yamashita managed this using flanking techniques that saw his army take town after town and airfield after airfield. There were numerous natural obstacles to the advance such as dense jungles, very long supply lines, torrential rain and heat, but he had a secret weapon, bicycles. At Jitra Percival made his first major stand. Holding Jitra would safeguard the northern airfields of Malaya, but it was a folly to do so as the airfields in question were not provided adequate aircraft and the British lacked something extremely important to be able to defend themselves, tanks. Colonel Tsuji saw the fighting at Jitra first hand and reported “Our tanks were ready on the road, and the twenty or so enemy armored cars ahead were literally trampled underfoot … The enemy armored cars could not escape by running away, and were sandwiched between our medium tanks … It was speed and weight of armor that decided the issue.” The British had spread themselves far too thinly across a 14 mile front with jungle on their right flank and rubber plantations and mangrove swamps to their left. Yamashita used a innovative blitzkrieg like tactic, he combined his air, artillery, tanks and bicycle infantry to punch holes in concentrated attacks forcing allied defenders to withdraw. As Percival would write later in his memoirs “This withdrawal would have been difficult under the most favorable conditions. With the troops tired, units mixed as the result of the fighting, communications broken and the night dark, it was inevitable that orders should be delayed and that in some cases they should never reach the addressees. This is what in fact occurred … the withdrawal, necessary as it may have been, was too fast and too complicated for disorganized and exhausted troops, whose disorganization and exhaustion it only increased”    Yamashita had ingeniously thought of employing large numbers of bicycles for his infantry so they could keep up momentum and speed with his mechanized forces. Oh and he didn't bring thousands of bicycles over to Malaya, the real genius was that they were there ready for him. His intelligence prior to the invasion indicated nearly all civilians in malaya had bicycles, so when the Japanese came over they simply stole them. Half of Yamashitas troops moved in motor vehicles while the rest road on 18,000 bicycles. As noted by Tsuji “With the infantry on bicycles, there was no traffic congestion or delay. Wherever bridges were destroyed the infantry continued their advance, wading across the rivers carrying their bicycles on their shoulders, or crossing on log bridges held up on the shoulders of engineers standing in the stream.” They Japanese overwhelmed the defenders who were forced to fight, flee into the jungles or flee along the roads where they were simply outsped by the faster Japanese. The defenders left numerous stores of food, abandoned vehicles, and supplies that Yamashita's men would dub “churchill's allowance”. British Lt Colonel Spencer Chapmanwas forced to hide on the sides of roads watching Japanese pedal past remarking “The majority were on bicycles in parties of forty or fifty, riding three or four abreast and talking and laughing just as if they were going to a football match.” The Japanese had the ability to carry their gear on the bicycles, giving them an enormous advantage over the allies fleeing on foot. The Japanese could travel faster, further and less fatigued. When the British destroyed 250 bridges during their flight, “the Japanese infantry (to continue) their advance, wading across the rivers carrying their bicycles on their shoulders, or crossing on log bridges held up on the shoulders of engineers standing in the stream”. The British could not escape the bicycle blitzkrieg as it became known, countless were forced to surrender under constant pressure and relentless pursuit.    Alongside the bicycle warfare, whenever Yamashita faced terrain unsuitable for his tanks, he ordered amphibious landings further south to outflank the enemy's  rear.   Meanwhile the war in the air went equally terrible for the allies. The RAF had pulled back its best pilots and aircraft to deal with the war for Britain against the Luftwaffe. 21 airfields were in Malaya and Singapore, few of them had modern facilities, only 15 concrete runways. The heavy rain made the grass airstrips unusable. All the airfields were allocated around 8 heavy and 8 light anti aircraft guns. Quality radar units were completely inadequate. The Super Spitfires and Hyper Hurricanes were mostly in Britain fighting the Germans, while Buffaloes were allocated to Malaya. The Japanese airforces easily overcame the allied opposition and established air superiority quickly. Launching from airfields in Vietnam, they bombed all the airfields into submission and continuously applied pressure to Singapore. . The aerial dominance of the Zero and ‘Oscar' fighters served to undermine the morale of the British infantryman on the ground. As historian H. P. Wilmot has observed, “in the opening phase of the war the Zero-sen was just what the Japanese needed, and the Allies were devastated by the appearance of a ‘super fighter.' To add insult to injury, every airfield taken starting at the most northern going further and further south towards Singapore offered the Japanese new launching points to make for faster attack.   Yamashita's forces reached the southern tip of the peninsula in just 8 weeks, his men had covered some 700 miles, about 12 miles a day on average. They fought 95 large and smaller battles doing so. Multiple lines of defense were erected one after another to try and halt the Japanese advance, to kill their momentum. Starting at the beach landings, to Jitra, then to Kampar, over the Slim river, then Johor. The British failed to employ “leave behind forces” to provide guerilla warfare in lost territories leading not only the Japanese to easily consolidate their gains, the Thai's also came down and grabbed some territory. At the battle of Muar Major General Gordon Bennet deployed the allied defenders south of the Muar River and it was widely believed here they would finally halt the Japanese. Then the Imperial Guards division outflanked them performing an amphibious landing and advancing down the coastal route. The 5th Japanese division followed a parallel route through the center and the 18th division landed near Endau. The allies were thus surrounded and took heavy casualties, countless were forced to flee through swamps and thick jungle abandoned their stuff. Gordons 45th brigade were absolutely shattered, effectively disbanded and left north of the Muar river as the rest of the allies fled south. The defeat at Muar broke the British belief they could hold even a toehold on Malay. Percivals strategy to fight delaying actions until the arrival of reinforcements to Singapore had fatally undermined his troops ability to hold onto defensive positions. As the British governor of the Johore straits settlement, Sir Shenton Thomas would say on January 6th ‘“We … have gone in for mechanized transport to the nth degree. It is a fearsomely cumbersome method. We have pinned our faith to the few roads but the enemy used tracks and paths, and gets round to our rear very much as he likes.”” Yet alongside the conquest came a series of atrocities.    At the Parit Sulong Bridge south of the Muar, Captain Rewi Snelling was left behind with 150 wounded Australian and Indian soldiers not able to trek south. The Imperial guards division herded them into buildings, denied them medical treatment, many of the Indians were beheaded, others shot. This become known as the parit sulong massacre. Its hard to saw what Yamashita would have known about this incident, it technically was under the command of Takuma nishimura. On January 22nd, Nishimura gave the orders for prisoners to be forced outside, doused with petrol and set on fire. Nishimura would be sentenced to life in prison by a Singapore court, but on a flight back to Japan he was hijacked by Australian military police in Hong Kong who grabbed him and held a trial for the Parit Sulong massacre, finding him guilty and hanging him on june 11th of 1951.    When the Japanese reached the straits of Johore, Yamashita took several days to perform reconnaissance, allowing his forces to regroup and prepare to attack the massive fortress. His plan for the invasion would see the Imperial guards perform a feint attack on the northeast side of Singapore, landing on the nearby Palau Ubin island on february 7th. The 5th and 18th division would remain concealed in the jungle until the night of the night of the 8th when they would cross the Johore and hit the northwest side of Singapore. The causeway to Singapore had been blown up by the retreating British, but the ability for Singapore to defend itself from a northern attack was lackluster. When Churchill was told by Wavell the Japanese sat on the other side of the Johore strait ready to attack the fortress he said ““I must confess to being staggered by Wavell's telegram. It never occurred to me for a moment that … Singapore … was not entirely fortified against an attack from the Northwards …””   With barely enough supplies or logistical support for his campaign, Yamashita's rapid advance down the Malay peninsula walked a tightrope of what was possible. His 70,000 men of which 30,000 were frontline troops had overcome a British force double their number. In Japan he garnered the epithet “Tiger of Malaya”, which ironically he was not too happy about. Later on in the war he would bark at a German attache “I am not a tiger. The tiger attacks its prey in stealth but I attack the enemy in a fair play”.   By this point Singapore had swollen from a population of 550,000to nearly a million. Percival had a total of 70,000 infantry of mixed experience plus 15,000 clerks and support staff to man lines if necessary. 38 battalions, 17 Indian, 13 British, 6 Australian and 2 Malayan. He placed his weakest troops west of the causeway, near the abandoned naval base rather than nearby the airfield which he considered was going to be Yamashita's thrust. He placed his best forces over there, which would prove fatally wrong as Yamashita hit west of the causeway. Yamashita meanwhile could only muster 30,000 troops, he was outnumbered 2:1 and amphibious assaults called for the attacker to hold a 2:1 advantage for success. Yamashita's men were exhausted, they had suffered 4565 casualties, roughly 1793 deaths in their 55 day advance south. Worse yet, Yamashita had a critical supply issue. He had greatly exceeded his supply lines and had been surviving on the abandoned churchill stores along the way. His ammunition was critical low, it is said he was down to 18 functional tanks, allowing his men to fire 100 rounds per day, the fuel ran out, and as Yamashita put it “My attack on Singapore was a bluff—a bluff that worked. I had 30,000 men and was outnumbered more than three to one. I knew that if I had to fight for long for Singapore, I would be beaten. That is why the surrender had to be at once. I was very frightened all the time that the British would discover our numerical weakness and lack of supplies and force me into disastrous street fighting.” He told his men of the 5th and 18th division not to build any cooking fires so they could conceal their positions in the jungle as he gathered hundreds of collapsible boats and other crafts to ford the strait. He gathered 40 divisional commanders and senior officers to a rubber plantation and with a flushed red face read out his attack orders while pouring them Kikumasamune (ceremonial wine). He made a traditional toast and said “It is a good place to die; surely we shall conquer”. He had to get the British to surrender quickly, he had to essentially ‘bluff” his enemy. He had to make the British think he was fully armed and supplied for a prolonged siege, how could he do so? He fired his artillery like a mad man, knowing full well they would run out of shells.   Starting on February 3rd,  Yamashita's artillery supported by aerial bombings hit Singapore for 5 days. On the night of the 7th, 400 Imperial Guards crossed to the Ibin island performing their feint attack. Percivals attention was grabbed to the east successfully, while on the night of the 8th the 5th and 18th divisions assembled carefully at the water's edge. At 8:30pm the first wave of 4000 Japanese troops crossed the Johore strait aboard 150 small vessels. The noise of their engines was drowned out by artillery. The thinly spread Australian lines, 3000 or so men led by Major General Bennet were breached fast leading to pockets of surrounded australian troops. As Lewis Gunner cliff olsen recalled “We were horribly spread out and it was pitch black and they [Japanese troops] were very hard to see. They walked through us half the time.” A beachhead was formed, a soon 14,000 Japanese had crossed by dawn.    Communications broke down for the allies, Percival unwilling to believe the Japanese's main thrust was in the west declined to send reinforcements there. When he did finally realize the main thrust was in the west he began to withdraw troops from quiet sectors and built up a reserve. The Japanese held air supremacy and their artillery was fierce. The big 15 inch guns of singapore held mostly armor piercing shells designed to hit ships, there were few HE shells available. When they fired upon the Japanese the shells would hit the ground they would embed deeply before exploding doing little damage. The defenders had no tanks, basically no more aircraft. The last departing ships fled the scene as everything was burning chaos around them. Morale was breaking for the defenders. By the 9th, Japanese bombers were raining bombs on allied positions unopposed. Bennet was forced to pull men back to a new line of defense from the east of the Tengah airfield to the north of Jurong. Poor communications hampered the northern sector of Brigadier Duncan Maxwell whose troops actually battered the hell out of the Imperial Guards who had landed at 10pm on the 9th. The Imperial guards gradually managed a foothold on a beach, but Maxwell feared encirclement and withdrew his men against direct orders of Bennet. The retreat opened up the flank of the 11th indian division who were overrun. All of the beaches west of the causeway fell to the enemy, when they did Yamashita brought over his tanks to smash the new Jurong line. The Japanese could have potentially stormed the city center at this point, but they held back, because in reality, Percival had created a formidable reserve in the middle. The Australian 22nd brigade took the brunt of the fighting.    Yamashita was running out of reserves and his attacks were reaching their limit, but he needed the battle to end swiftly. Yamashita was shocked and shaken when he received a report that the British troop strength within the city was twice what they believed. With covert desperation, Yamashita ordered his artillery to fire until their last rounds and sent Percival a demand for surrender. “In the spirit of chivalry we have the honour of advising your surrender. Your army, founded on the traditional spirit of Great Britain, is defending Singapore, which is completely isolated, and raising the fame of Great Britain by the ut¬ most exertions and heroic feelings. . . . From now on resistance is futile and merely increases the danger to the million civilian inhabitants without good reason, exposing them to infliction of pain by fire and sword. But the development of the general war situation has already sealed the fate of Singapore, and the continuation of futile resistance would only serve to inflict direct harm and in¬ juries to thousands of non-combatants living in the city, throwing them into further miseries and horrors of war. Furthermore we do not feel you will in¬ crease the fame of the British Army by further resistance.”   Singapore had received another order prior to this from Churchill “It is certain that our troops on Singapore Island greatly outnumber any Japanese that have crossed the Straits. We must defeat them. Our whole fighting reputation is at stake and the honour of the British Empire. The Americans have held out on the Bataan Peninsula against far greater odds, the Russians are turning back the picked strength of the Germans, the Chinese with almost complete lack of mod¬ ern equipment have held the Japanese for AVi years. It will be disgraceful if we yield our boasted fortress of Singapore to inferior enemy forces. There must be no thought ofsparing troops or the civil population and no mercy must be shown to weakness in any shape or form. Commanders and senior officers must lead their troops and if necessary die with them. There must be no question or thought of surrender. Every unit must fight it out to the end and in close contact with the enemy. ... I look to you and your men to fight to the end to prove that the fighting spirit that won our Empire still exists to enable us to defend it.”   What was Percival to do? The Japanese had seized control over Singapore water reservoirs, the population would die of thirst within 2-3 days. Japanese shells were causing fires and death everywhere. People were panicking, trying to get on the very last boats leaving the port, even though that surely meant death to the IJN. An American sailor recalled “There was a lot of chaos and people killed on the docks during these bombardments. Everywhere you looked there was death. Even in the water there were dead sharks and people floating all around.” Defeatism was endemic. Australian troops were overheard saying “Chum, to hell with Malaya and Singapore. Navy let us down, air force let us down. If the bungs [natives] won't fight for their bloody country, why pick on me?” Sensing a complete collapse Percival formed a tight defense arc in front of the city, and by the 13th his commanders were telling him they believed Singapore was already doomed. Wavell was asked for approval for surrender, but he replied  “to continue to inflict maximum damage on enemy for as long as possible by house-to-house fighting if necessary.” Percival then told him the water reservoirs were taken, so Wavell sent back “YOUR GALLANT STAND IS SERVING A PURPOSE AND MUST BE CONTINUED TO THE LIMIT OF ENDURANCE”   On the 15th, Percival held a morning conference reported there was no more fuel, field gun nor bofor ammunition. In 24 hours their water would be done. He told them he would ask for a ceasefire at 4pm, by the end of the day Wavell gave him permission to surrender. Over at his HQ on the Bukit Timah heights, Yamashita was staring at a Union Jack fluttering over Fort Canning. Then a field phone rang, and a frontline commander reported the British were sending out a flag of truce.   Meanwhile back on February the 14th, Japanese forces reached the Alexandra Barracks hospital at 1pm. At 1:40pm a British Lt greeting them waving a white flag and was bayoneted on the spot. The Japanese stormed the hospital and murdered the staff and patients. 200 male staff and patients, badly wounded were bound over night and marched to an industrial estate half a mile away. Anyone who collapsed was bayoneted. The survivors of the march were formed into small groups and hacked to death or bayoneted. For a few days over 320 men and women were massacred. Only 5 survivors would give recounts of the event. It is suspected by historians that Tsuji was the architect of the Alexandra hospital massacre. This is because he was the instigator of countless atrocities he ordered unbeknownst to his superior commanders such as Yamashita.    Percival was ordered to go to the Ford motor factory to where he met with Yamashita. Yamashita was hiding his surprise that the surrender party came and as he glanced at the surrender terms he said through his interpreter “The Japanese Army will consider nothing but surrender,” Yamashita knew his forces were on the verge of running out of ammunition and he still held half troops Percival did, he was anxious Percival would figure it out. Percival replied “I fear that we shall not be able to submit our final reply before ten-thirty p.m.,” Percival had no intention of fighting on he simply wanted to work out specific details before signing the surrender. Yamashita was sure Percival was stalling. “Reply to us only whether our terms are acceptable or not. Things must be settled swiftly. We are prepared to resume firing.Unless you do surrender, we will have to carry out our night attack as scheduled.”” Percival replied ““Cannot the Japanese Army remain in its present position? We can resume negotiations again tomorrow at five-thirty A.M”. Yamashita screamed “Nani! I want the hostilities to cease tonight and I want to remind you there can be no arguments.” Percival replied ““We shall discontinue firing by eight-thirty p.m. Had we better remain in our present positions tonight?” Yamashita said yes and that firing would cease at 8:30pm and that 1000 allied men could keep arms to maintain order within the city. Yamashita stated “You have agreed to the terms but you have not yet made yourself clear as to whether you agree to surrender or not.” Percival cleared his throat and gave a simple nod. Yamashita looked at his interpreter “There's no need for all this talk. It is a simple question and I want a simple answer.” He turned to Percival and shouted, “We want to hear ‘Yes' or ‘No' from you! Surrender or fight!” Percival finally blurted out  “Yes, I agree. I have a request to make. Will the Imperial Army protect the women and children and British civilians?”Yamashita replied  “We shall see to it. Please sign this truce agreement”. At 7:50 the surrender was signed off, 40 minutes later Singapore was in the hands of the Japanese. In 70 days Yamashita took at the cost of 9824 casualties, had seized Malaya and Singapore, nearly 120,000 British surrendered. It was the greatest land victory in Japanese history.   Churchill called the fall of Singapore to the Japanese "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history" Churchills physician Lord Moran wrote The fall of Singapore on February 15 stupefied the Prime Minister. How came 100,000 men (half of them of our own race) to hold up their hands to inferior numbers of Japanese? Though his mind had been gradually prepared for its fall, the surrender of the fortress stunned him. He felt it was a disgrace. It left a scar on his mind. One evening, months later, when he was sitting in his bathroom enveloped in a towel, he stopped drying himself and gloomily surveyed the floor: 'I cannot get over Singapore', he said sadly   With the fall of singapore came another atrocity, the Sook Ching massacre. After February 18th, the Japanese military began mass killings of what they deemed undesirables, mostly ethnic Chinese. It was overseen by the Kempeitai and did not stop in Singapore, but spread to Malaya. It seems the aim of the purge was to intimidate the Chinese community from performing any resistance. According to postwar testimony taken from a war correspondent embedded with the 25th army, Colonel Hishakari Takafumi, he stated an order went out to kill 50,000 Chinese, of which 20 percent of the total was issued by senior officials on Yamashita's operations staff, most likely Tsuji. It is certain at the behest of Tsuji the orders were extended to Malay. The death toll is a tricky one, the Japanese went on the record to admit to 6000 murders, the Singaporean Chinese community and the Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew allege 70,000-100,000. Historians analyzing the scale of discovered mass graves after some decades think around 25,000-50,000. How much Yamashita knew of the massacre is debatable, the orders came from his office after all, but it seems Tsuji had orchestrated it. Many of Japan's generals wanted Yamashita to be appointed war minister, a move that obviously threatened then Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who feared his rival. Tojo retaliated, ordering Japan's new war hero back to Manchuria. On the surface, the assignment appeared worthy as Yamashita would serve as the first line of defense against a possible Soviet invasion. But since the two nations had signed a neutrality pact in April 1941, and Soviets were bogged down fighting the Germans, immediate war appeared unlikely. In reality, Tojo had parked Yamashita on the war's sidelines. Tojo went even further, he barred Yamashita any leave in Tokyo, preventing him from visiting his wife as well as from delivering a speech he had written for the emperor. No worries though, an aide of Yamashita's sent him three geishas. Allegedly he said this “I know they want to please me with these girls. But send them back—and don't forget to tip them.” The Tiger of Malaya would maintain a low profile in Manchuria where he received a promotion to full General. As months fell to years Yamashita sat on the sidelines helpless to aid the Japanese forces. His exile would come to an end in 1944 when Tojo was outed and the Tiger was required to try and save the Philippines from General Douglas MacArthur.

Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan, and Carl Cannon discuss White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles interview with Vanity Fair published today, where she said the President has an “alcoholic personality” and spoke critically of some top Trump Administration figures. They also talk about a Washington Post article based on Rasmusen pollster Mark Mitchell's meeting with President Donald Trump which outlines the stressed relationship between President Trump and his MAGA base. Next, lawyer and frequent RCP contributor Richard Porter joins the guys to discuss Mayor Brandon Johnson's leadership in Chicago and Illinois governor JB Pritzker's chances to win the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination. Then, they discuss Vice President JD Vance's visit today to Pennsylvania, where he addressed affordability. And finally, they talk about the conviction by Chinese authorities of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai for sedition, and whether the US and Britain can take steps to free him. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Good morning. This year, for the first time, I've bought a real, 6-foot Christmas tree - and I hit the shops in search of baubles and tinsel.The only problem? Fashions have changed. I want the kind of tree I remember from the 80s: a multicoloured glitter bomb that looks like a dozen boxes of quality street.Alas, things have gone posh. It's all pink and white now, or cold blue; coordinated and minimalist. As if decorating a hotel foyer. I stared for days at my naked tree, preferring that to the retail option, and wondering why I was so bothered.Well, trees clearly do still matter because people are furious that a public tree was cut down at Shotton Colliery in County Durham, a green spruce the village planted over a decade ago in remembrance of the dead from two world wars. . It reminded me of the grief that was felt when the Sycamore Gap tree was butchered in 2023.Christmas trees are far more than decoration. One legend has it, that they were introduced by Martin Luther, when he was out walking one winter night and saw the stars twinkling around the top of a fir. He put a tree hung with candles in his home, to remind onlookers that Jesus came from Heaven. This German tradition was imported to Britain by Queen Charlotte, who, in 1800, decorated the first known royal tree at Windsor - with fruits, toys, raisins and candles.It was already custom here to hang greenery indoors, probably to cheer us up while, in a colder age, the view outside the window was barren and white. To this pagan-ish spirit was added a Christian spin, the sparkling Christmas tree, like Christ, suggests light in the darkness and the promise of new life. For nature this comes with spring. For human beings, with resurrection.Faith, far from being at odds with the tangible world of nature, sacramentalises it. In psalm 96, "the trees of the forest" are ordered to "sing for joy" in praise of God. The author of the Old English poem The Dream of the Rood encounters a talking tree that provided the wood for Christ's cross, bedecked with gold and gems. This fits with my instinct that Christmas trees should be sparkly and bright, so bright that when the lights are switched on they're visible from space.A wise friend pointed out that most Christmas decorations are not bought in one go, but accumulated over a lifetime. When they're taken out of the attic and hung from the tree, the odds and ends are a trip down memory lane. Christmas trees invite wonder. Adults, I suspect, think of childhoods past. The tree connects us to mysteries of time and nature and promise.

Henry VIII wanted to have the most powerful Navy in Europe; he also didn't want to have to travel very far to get it. Around 1512, he built a colossal Naval dockyard on the southern banks of the Thames in London up river from his Greenwich Palace, where he set about building the biggest ships the world had ever seen. Today, you can still find the telltale signs of the history that took place here if you know where to look. Dan joins London tour guide and friend of the podcast, Rob Smith, to trace the beginnings of Britain's Navy and tell the curious tales of early life in the dockyard, the mega ships, the disastrous failures and incredible innovations that made Britain a naval superpower in the 16th century and beyond. If you'd like to take a tour with Rob, you can check out his events here: https://footprintsoflondon.com/live/guides/rob-smith/Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal PatmoreSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Hong Kong's most prominent media mogul was convicted of flouting national security legislation. Our correspondent explains the consequences for the territory. Why the policies of Britain's Labour government are damaging London. And our correspondent offers sober advice on how (not) to cure a hangover.  Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.