Podcasts about Correspondent

Comedians Ian Smith and Amy Gledhill bring you the weirdest local news stories.Headlines this week include teens in Sheffield fighting for the right to wear shorts, and an urn found in Goole Tesco. Featuring guest correspondent, John Robins!You can listen to John's podcast 'How Do You Cope?' wherever you listen. John is going on tour with 'Elis & John: That Feels Significant Live!' this autumn. For tickets and information head to elisandjohnmerch.com.Northern News will be recording a special LIVE edition of the podcast at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival on 20 August. For tickets and information head to edfringe.com.Want Extra! Extra! content? Join our Patreon for weekly bonus episodes, videos, live show discount codes, BTS clips and more...Got a juicy story from t'North? Email it to northernnewspod@gmail.com.Follow Northern News on Instagram @NorthernNewsPodcastRecorded and edited by Aniya Das for Plosive.Artwork by Welcome Studio.Photography by Jonathan Birch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Team De Dag is er even tussenuit voor een zomerbreak. Een mooi moment om onze - vinden we zelf - superleuke serie Van onze Correspondent nog eens te laten horen.  Vandaag met: Sjoerd den Daas, Amerika-correspondent

The UK and France both vowed to recognise Palestine as a state if Israel doesn't agree to a ceasefire, but Israel has voiced opposition to this proposal. Prime Minister Netanyahu has accused UK PM Keir Starmer of 'appeasement' following the announcement. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Starmer remains committed to the move. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ritualisierte politische Scharmützel zwischen München und Berlin, man weiß es im Prinzip, sind keine ‘Errungenschaft‘ erst der deutschen Nachkriegsgeschichte. Dennoch vermag schon zu überraschen, wie vertraut die die preußisch-bajuwarischen Raufereien wirken, von denen der nachfolgende Artikel aus dem Hamburgischen Correspondenten vom 30. Juli 1925 zu berichten weiß. Sehr klar analysiert der Text die den regelmäßigen Querschüssen – bis heute – zugrunde liegende Logik und erläutert ganz nebenbei, warum sich damit natürlich nie so viel Aufmerksamkeit generieren ließ wie im Sommerloch. Nur in seiner Einschätzung bezüglich der Gefahr, die noch immer von den Nationalsozialisten ausging, lag der Correspondent hier leider genauso falsch, wie der von ihm beobachtete bayerische Ministerpräsident Heinrich Held. Es liest Frank Riede.

Linda Gradstein, Correspondent for CBS Radio based in Jerusalem, discuses the latest developments in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Science correspondent Allan Blackman joins Kathryn to discuss how a 15-year-old study claiming that a microorganism can thrive on the toxic element arsenic has been retracted by the journal Science - why did chemists and biologists have their concerns about it? A new study turns claims of eggs' effect on cholesterol on its head and a start-up energy company Marathon Fusion claims it can turn an isotope of mercury into gold, while creating clean energy via nuclear fusion... Allan Blackman is a Professor of Chemistry, School of Science, Auckland University of Technology.

Team De Dag is er even tussenuit voor een zomerbreak. Een mooi moment om onze - vinden we zelf - superleuke serie Van onze Correspondent nog eens te laten horen.  Vandaag met: Fleur Launspach, correspondent Verenigd Koninkrijk

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer caught up with President Donald Trump during the US leader's trip to Scotland, with experts claiming Trump dominated the exchange. Trump reportedly expressed concerns about the region's wind farms, weighed in on London's 'terrible' mayor, and offered Keir Starmer political advice ahead of the next election. UK correspondent Enda Brady unpacked the exchange further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian exporters may face tariffs of up to 20 percent as US President Donald Trump keeps flagging higher baselines. Trump revealed the range for the new minimum tariff earlier this week, and the pressure's on the Albanese-led Government to strike a better deal. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says it's unclear how the Government will proceed here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Israel's rejected the UK's moves to recognise Palestine as a state at a UN meeting in September. The UK and France will both do so, unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire. New Zealand isn't among the 139 countries that recognise a Palestinian state, but last year Foreign Minister Winston Peters stated it's a question of when, not if. UK and Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge Israel's rejected the move, stating it harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza. He says this comes amid huge pressure in Gaza, with 60 thousand now killed during Israeli action there. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian exporters may face tariffs of up to 20 percent as US President Donald Trump keeps flagging higher baselines. Trump revealed the range for the new minimum tariff earlier this week, and the pressure's on the Albanese-led Government to strike a better deal. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says it's unclear how the Government will proceed here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Kelly and I chat about our favorite books that published in April through June 2025. Our shared top reads: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans This American Woman by Zarna Garg My Friends by Fredrik Backman It's a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan Kelly's remaining top reads: Abigail & Alexa save the Wedding by Lian Dolan The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin The Names by Florence Knapp The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby Home of the American Circus by Allison Larkin The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley Cindy's remaining top reads: The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper Heartwood by Amity Gaige The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer No More Tears by Gardiner Harris The Eights by Joanna Miller Park Avenue by Renee Ahdieh We Don't Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess The Whyte Python World Tour by Travis Kennedy Kelly's Favorites of 2025 (so far): Dead Money by Jakob Kerr⁠ Seeking Shelter by Jeff Hobbs The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy This American Woman by Zarna Garg The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff The Correspondent by Virginia Evans⁠ The Names by Florence Knapp Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley Cindy's Favorites of 2025 (so far): What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson Dead Money by Jakob Kerr Nesting by Roisin O'Donnell Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton Heartwood by Amity Gaige  No More Tears by Gardiner Harris The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer The Correspondent by Virginia Evans This American Woman by Zarna Garg What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown The Whyte Python World Tour by Travis Kennedy Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a tip of your choice or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for a set price here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ via credit card with over 60 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this summer - books you will not see on other guides. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Connect with Kelly Hooker on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠. Donate to the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Venmo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stories set on school campuses.     Connect with me on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠YouTube⁠, and ⁠Threads⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe discusses Kiwi cyclist Ally Wollaston who finished third on stage three of the Tour de France Femmes, and the Black Caps who their Zimbabwe series. 

The Housing Minister wants to decouple the economy from relying on house price rises - economists say it is possible, but will make the recovery slower. 

US President Donald Trump has been in Scotland and has agreed on a lower tariff for the European Union.

Team De Dag is er even tussenuit voor een zomerbreak. Een mooi moment om onze - vinden we zelf - superleuke serie Van onze Correspondent nog eens te laten horen.  Vandaag met: Kysia Hekster, correspondent voor de EU en NAVO

Analysis of the EU-US trade deal suggests it's a huge win for the US and a major climbdown for the EU. The details of the deal have still been kept under wraps, but Donald Trump is set to meet with Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer to further discuss trade. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Albanese recently claimed Israel is 'quite clearly' breaching international law by withholding aid from civilians in Gaza. He added that he would respect formal processes for determining any breaches - but said the actions were a 'breach of decent humanity and morality.' Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says there's been pressure on Albanese to join France in recognising a Palestinian state. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heidi and Ellen welcome the sign of Leo. It is a time to let your heart lead. To be inventive and courageous. To experiment with new ways to share your message.  Books discussed: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans; Educated by Tara Westover; and Unbound by Kasia Urbaniak. Television: The Gilded Age, Movies: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Frye. They celebrate the life and death of the great Leo poet Andrea Gibson, whose poetry focused on gender norms, politics, social justice, LGBTQ topics, life, and mortality. They died of ovarian cancer on July 14, 2025 at age 49. Heidi read one of their last poems: Love Letter From the Afterlife.

Fionnuala Jones, Podcaster and Presenter Donald Clarke, Chief film Correspondent for The Irish Times join Brendan to give some of their recommendations for what to watch on the big and small screen this week.

Team De Dag is er even tussenuit voor een zomerbreak. Een mooi moment om onze - vinden we zelf - superleuke serie Van onze Correspondent nog eens te laten horen.  Vandaag met: Frank Renout, Frankrijk-correspondent 

Don't miss this gorgeous episode in which we talk about what it takes to stay on the road to publication (and what it feels like to get there). Virginia Evans is from the northeastern United States. She attended James Madison University for her bachelor's in English literature, as well as Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, for her master's of philosophy in creative writing. She lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with her husband, two children, and her Red Labrador, Brigid. The Correspondent is her debut novel.

Team De Dag is er even tussenuit voor een zomerbreak. Een mooi moment om onze - vinden we zelf - superleuke serie Van onze Correspondent nog eens te laten horen.  Vandaag met: Elles van Gelder, Afrika-correspondent

Christian Smith joins Emile Donovan to discuss protests against President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine over anti-corruption changes, and French President Macron and his wife Brigitte who are suing rightwing influencer Candace Owens.

Over in Australia, the Government's denying their move to lift restrictions on imports of US beef is not related to President Trump's increasing tariff war. The Government recently confirmed that the Department of Agriculture would allow the imports into Australia, saying the US now 'effectively' manages the biosecurity risks. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says the Opposition has raised questions about this move. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

India and Britain are set to sign a free trade deal to cut tariffs on goods and increase market access for the two countries. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the UK to sign the deal, and he's set to have further discussions with Prime Minister Keir Starmer. UK correspondent Enda Brady explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Team De Dag is er even tussenuit voor een zomerbreak. Een mooi moment om onze - vinden we zelf - superleuke serie Van onze Correspondent nog eens te laten horen.  Vandaag met: Geert Groot Koerkamp, Rusland-correspondent

Over 100 survivors of alleged sexual abuse by former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed have entered the company's compensation scheme, reports confirmed. The retailer set up the scheme after dozens of women came forward with allegations of abuse by the late owner, with some going as far back as 1977. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starvation is on the rise in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army launched a drone strike against pro-government troops in southern Syria on Tuesday, sources in Jordan said. Iran is saying it will not abandon its nuclear programme, including uranium enrichment. On today's episode of Trending Middle East: Children starve to death in Gaza as doctors faint from hunger amid Israeli aid blockade Four children among 15 dead due to starvation in Gaza Israeli army resumes strikes on southern Syria Europe takes snapback leverage to Iran talks in Istanbul This episode features Rakan Abdelrahman, Correspondent; and Khaled Yacoub Oweis, Jordan Correspondent. Editor's note: We want to hear from you! Help us improve our podcasts by taking our 2-minute listener survey. Click here.

Team De Dag is er even tussenuit voor een zomerbreak. Een mooi moment om onze - vinden we zelf - superleuke serie Van onze Correspondent nog eens te laten horen.  Vandaag met: Nasrah Habiballah, correspondent voor Israel en de Palestijnse gebieden

Over in the UK, the Government is looking into a review of the state pension age to see if it needs to be increased. The review will consider whether the current state pension age - currently 66 - is still appropriate, based on factors such as life expectancy. UK correspondent Enda Brady says this comes as Denmark pushes the pension age back to 70, and it's raised some concerns. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A childcare centre director who employed her convicted child sex offender husband as a groundskeeper has been sacked. There is no allegation he offended against children at the centre, and investigations are ongoing. Australian correspondent Sam Emery says this story will prompt questions about child safety as Parliament returns. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest in the Jeffrey Epstein situation as President Trump takes a defamation case against the Wall Street Journal. 

Team De Dag is er even tussenuit voor een zomerbreak. Een mooi moment om onze - vinden we zelf - superleuke serie Van onze Correspondent nog eens te laten horen in De Zomerdag.  Vandaag: Vaticaan-correspondent Andrea Vreede 

Over in Australia, the opposition isn't faring too well in the months after their election loss. The first post-election opinion poll has revealed Sussan Ley's coalition is sitting on 29 percent - the lowest figures since 2023. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says Ley is still trying to appeal to prospective voters as the coalition assesses the damage. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The water sector for England and Wales is set to undergo a significant overhaul following the release of a new report. The Independent Water Commission sets out 88 recommendations to get the industry back into shape after years of notable controversies. UK correspondent Gavin Grey unpacks the findings. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Germany, France & UK band together for revived European axis, Kremlin brushes off likely impact of 18th package of EU sanctions, and the French PM sparks budget row over plan to scrap two public holidays.

Originally Recorded June 6th, 2025About Mushfig Baryam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mushfig-bayramov-700b304a/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit musicallyspeaking.substack.com

Being Jewish podcast host Jonah Platt—best known for playing Fiyero in Broadway's Wicked—joins People of the Pod to discuss his journey into Jewish advocacy after October 7. He reflects on his Jewish upbringing, challenges media misrepresentations of Israel, and shares how his podcast fosters inclusive and honest conversations about Jewish identity. Platt also previews The Mensch, an upcoming film he's producing to tell Jewish stories with heart and nuance. Recorded live at AJC Global Forum 2025. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC. Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: Untold stories of Jews who left or were driven from Arab nations and Iran People of the Pod:  Latest Episodes:  Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War: The Dinah Project's Quest to Hold Hamas Accountable Journalist Matti Friedman Exposes Media Bias Against Israel John Spencer's Key Takeaways After the 12-Day War: Air Supremacy, Intelligence, and Deterrence Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript of the Interview: Manya Brachear Pashman:   Jonah Platt: is an award winning director of theater and improv comedy, an accomplished musician, singer and award winning vocal arranger. He has been on the Broadway stage, including one year as the heartthrob Fiyero in Wicked and he's producing his first feature film, a comedy called The Mensch. He also hosts his own podcast, Being Jewish with Jonah Platt:, a series of candid conversations and reflections that explore the many facets of Jewish identity.  Jonah is with us now on the sidelines of AJC Global Forum 2025. Jonah, welcome to People of the Pod. Jonah Platt:   Thank you so much for having me, happy to be here.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   So tell us about your podcast. How is being Jewish with Jonah Platt: different from Jewish with anyone else? Jonah Platt:   That's a great question. I think it's different for a number of ways. I think one key difference is that I'm really trying to appeal to everybody, not just Jews and not just one type of Jews. I really wanted it to be a very inclusive show and, thank God, the feedback I've gotten, my audience is very diverse. It appeals to, you know, I hear from the ultra orthodox. I hear from people who found out they were Jewish a month ago. I hear from Republicans, I hear from Democrats. I hear from non Jews, Muslims, Christians, people all over the world. So I think that's special and different, especially in these echo-chambery, polarized times online, I'm trying to really reach out of that and create a space where the one thing we all have in common, everybody who listens, is that we're all well-meaning, good-hearted, curious people who want to understand more about our fellow man and each other.  I also try to really call balls and strikes as I see them, regardless of where they're coming from. So if I see, let's call it bad behavior, on the left, I'll call it out. If I see bad behavior on the right, I'll call it out. If I see bad behavior from Israel, I'll call it out. In the same breath that I'll say, I love Israel, it's the greatest place.  I think that's really unfortunately rare. I think people have a very hard time remembering that we are very capable of holding two truths at once, and it doesn't diminish your position by acknowledging fault where you see it. In fact, I feel it strengthens your position, because it makes you more trustworthy. And it's sort of like an iron sharpens iron thing, where, because I'm considering things from all angles, either I'm going to change my mind because I found something I didn't consider. That's going to be better for me and put me on firmer ground.  Or it's going to reinforce what I thought, because now I have another thing I can even speak to about it and say, Well, I was right, because even this I checked out, and that was wrong. So either way, you're in a stronger position. And I feel that that level of sort of, you know, equanimity is sorely lacking online, for sure.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Our podcasts have had some guests in common. We've had Dara Horn, Sarah Hurwitz, you said you're getting ready to have Bruce Pearl. We've had Coach Pearl on our show. You've also had conversations with Stuart Weitzman, a legendary shoe designer, in an episode titled Jews and Shoes. I love that. Can you share some other memorable nuggets from the conversations you've had over the last six months? Jonah Platt:   I had my dad on the show, and I learned things about him that I had never heard about his childhood, growing up, the way his parents raised him. The way that social justice and understanding the conflict and sort of brokenness in the world was something that my grandparents really tried to teach them very actively, and some of it I had been aware of, but not every little specific story he told. And that was really special for me. And my siblings, after hearing it, were like, We're so glad you did this so that we could see Dad and learn about him in this way. So that was really special.  There have been so many. Isaac Saul is a guy I had early on. He runs a newsletter, a news newsletter called Tangle Media that shows what the left is saying about an issue with the right is saying about an issue, and then his take. And a nugget that I took away from him is that on Shabbat, his way of keeping Shabbat is that he doesn't go on social media or read the news on Shabbat. And I took that from him, so now I do that too.  I thought that was genius. It's hard for me. I'm trying to even start using my phone period less on Shabbat, but definitely I hold myself to it, except when I'm on the road, like I am right now. When I'm at home, no social media from Friday night to Saturday night, and it's fantastic.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   It sounds delightful. Jonah Platt:   It is delightful. I highly recommend it to everybody. It's an easy one.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   So what about your upbringing? You said you learned a lot about your father's upbringing. What was your Jewish upbringing? Jonah Platt:   Yeah, I have been very blessed to have a really strong, warm, lovely, Jewish upbringing. It's something that was always intrinsic to my family. It's not something that I sort of learned at Hebrew school. And no knock on people whose experience that is, but it's, you know, I never remember a time not feeling Jewish. Because it was so important to my parents and important to their families. And you know, part of the reason they're a good match for each other is because their values are the same.  I went to Jewish Day School, the same one my kids now go to, which is pretty cool. Manya Brachear Pashman:  Oh, that's lovely. Jonah Platt:   Yeah. And I went to Jewish sleepaway camp at Camp Ramah  in California. But for me, really, you know, when I get asked this question, like, my key Jewish word is family. And growing up, every holiday we spent with some part of my very large, amazing family. What's interesting is, in my city where I grew up, Los Angeles, I didn't have any grandparents, I didn't have any aunts or uncles or any first cousins. But I feel like I was with them all the time, because every holiday, someone was traveling to somebody, and we were being together. And all of my childhood memories of Jewish holidays are with my cousins and my aunts and my uncles and my grandparents. Because it was just so important to our family. And that's just an amazing foundation for being Jewish or anything else, if that's your foundation, that's really gonna stay with you. And my upbringing, like we kept kosher in my house, meat and milk plates. We would eat meat out but no pork, no shellfish, no milk and meat, any of that. And while I don't ascribe to all those things now, I'm grateful that I got sort of the literacy in that.  In my Jewish Day School we had to wrap tefillin every morning. And while I don't do that now, I'm glad that I know how to do that, and I know what that looks like, and I know what that means, even if I resisted it very strongly at the time as a 13 year old, being like what I gotta wrap this up every day. But I'm grateful now to have that literacy. And I've always been very surprised to see in my life that often when I'm in a room with people, I'm the most observant in the room or the most Jewish literate in the room, which was never the case in my life.  I have family members who are much more observant than me, orthodox. I know plenty of Orthodox people, whatever. But in today's world, I'm very grateful for the upbringing I had where, I'll be on an experience. I actually just got back from one in Poland. I went on a trip with all moderate Muslims from around the North Africa, Middle East, and Asia, with an organization called Sharaka. We had Shabbat dinner just this past Friday at the JCC in Krakow, and I did the Shabbat kiddush for everybody, which is so meaningful and, like, I'm so grateful that I know it, that I can play that role in that, in special situations like that.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   So you've been doing a lot of traveling. Jonah Platt:  Yes. Manya Brachear Pashman:   I saw your reflection on your visit to Baku, Azerbaijan. The largest Jewish community in the Muslim world. And you went with the Jewish Federation's National Young leadership cabinet. Jonah Platt:   Shout out to my chevre. Manya Brachear Pashman:   And you posted this reflection based on your experience there, asking the question, how much freedom is too much? So can you walk our listeners through that and how you answered that question? Jonah Platt:   Yes. So to be fair, I make very clear I don't have the answer to that question definitively, I just wanted to give people food for thought, and what I hoped would happen has happened where I've been getting a lot of people who disagree with me and have other angles at which they want to look and answer this question, which I welcome and have given me a lot to think about.  But basically, what I observed in Azerbaijan was a place that's a little bit authoritative. You know, they don't have full freedom of the press. Political opposition is, you know, quieted, but there's no crime anywhere. They have a strong police presence on the streets. There are security cameras everywhere, and people like their lives there and don't want to mess with it.  And so it just got me thinking, you know, they're an extremely tolerant society. It's sort of something they pride themselves on, and always have. It's a Muslim majority country, but it is secular. They are not a Muslim official country. They're one of only really two countries in the world that are like that, the other being Albania. And they live together in beautiful peace and harmony with a sense of goodwill, with a sense of national pride, and it got me thinking, you know, look at any scenario in our lives. Look at the place you work, look at the preschool classroom that your kid is in.  There are certain rules and restrictions that allow for more freedom, in a sense, because you feel safe and taken care of and our worst instincts are not given space to be expressed. So that is what brought the question of, how much freedom is too much. And really, the other way of putting that is, how much freedom would you be willing to give up if it meant you lived in a place with no crime, where people get along with their neighbors, where there's a sense of being a part of something bigger than yourself. I think all three of which are heavily lacking in America right now that is so polarized, where hateful rhetoric is not only, pervasive, but almost welcomed, and gets more clicks and more likes and more watches. It's an interesting thing to think about.  And I heard from people being like, I haven't been able to stop thinking about this question. I don't know the answer, but it's really interesting. I have people say, you're out of your mind. It's a slippery slope. The second you give an inch, like it's all going downhill. And there are arguments to be made there.  But I can't help but feel like, if we did the due diligence, I'm sure there is something, if we keep the focus really narrow, even if it's like, a specific sentence that can't be said, like, you can't say: the Holocaust was a great thing. Let's say we make that illegal to say, like, how does that hurt anybody? If that's you're not allowed to say those exact words in that exact sequence, you know. So I think if it's gonna be a slippery slope, to me, is not quite a good enough argument for Well, let's go down the road and see if we can come up with something. And then if we decide it's a slippery slope and we get there, maybe we don't do it, but maybe there is something we can come to that if we eliminate that one little thing you're not allowed to say, maybe that will benefit us. Maybe if we make certain things a little bit more restrictive, it'll benefit us. And I likened it to Shabbat saying, you know, on Shabbat, we have all these restrictions. If you're keeping Shabbat, that's what makes Shabbat special, is all the things you're not allowed to do, and because you're not given the quote, unquote, freedom to do those things, you actually give yourself more freedom to be as you are, and to enjoy what's really good about life, which is, you know, the people around you and and having gratitude. So it's just something interesting to think about.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   It's an interesting perspective. I am a big fan of free speech. Jonah Platt:   As are most people. It's the hill many people will die on. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Educated free speech, though, right? That's where the tension is, right? And in a democracy you have to push for education and try to make sure that, you know, people are well informed, so that they don't say stupid things, but they are going to say stupid things and I like that freedom. Did you ever foresee becoming a Jewish advocate? Jonah Platt:   No. I . . . well, that's a little disingenuous. I would say, you know, in 2021 when there was violence between Israel and Gaza in the spring over this Sheik Jarrah neighborhood. That's when I first started using what little platform I had through my entertainment career to start speaking very, you know, small things, but about Israel and about Jewish life, just organically, because I am, at the time, certainly much more well educated, even now, than I was then.  But I was more tuned in than the average person, let's say, and I felt like I could provide some value. I could help bring some clarity to what was a really confusing situation at that time, like, very hard to decipher. And I could just sense what people were thinking and feeling. I'm well, tapped into the Jewish world. I speak to Jews all over the place. My, as I said, my family's everywhere. So already I know Jews all over the country, and I felt like I could bring some value. And so it started very slowly. It was a trickle, and then it started to turn up a little bit, a little bit more, a little bit more. I went on a trip to Israel in April of 2023. It's actually the two year anniversary today of that trip, with the Tel Aviv Institute, run by a guy named Hen Mazzig, who I'm sure, you know, well, I'm sure he's been on the show, yeah.  And that was, like, sort of the next step for me, where I was surrounded by other people speaking about things online, some about Jewish stuff, some not. Just seeing these young, diverse people using their platforms in whatever way, that was inspiring to me. I was like, I'm gonna go home, I'm gonna start using this more.  And then October 7 happened, and I couldn't pull myself away from it. It's just where I wanted to be. It's what I wanted to be spending my time and energy doing. It felt way too important. The stakes felt way too high, to be doing anything else. It's crazy to me that anybody could do anything else but be focusing on that. And now here we are. So I mean, in a way, could I have seen it? No. But have I sort of, looking back on it, been leaning this way? Kinda. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Do you think it would've you would've turned toward advocacy if people hadn't been misinformed or confused about Israel? Or do you think that you would've really been more focused on entertainment.  Jonah Platt:   Yeah, I think probably. I mean, if we lived in some upside down, amazing world where everybody was getting everything right, and, you know, there'd be not so much for me to do. The only hesitation is, like, as I said, a lot of my content tries to be, you know, celebratory about Jewish identity. I think actually, I would still be talking because I've observed, you know, divisions and misunderstandings within the Jewish community that have bothered me, and so some of the things I've talked about have been about that, about like, hey, Jews, cut it out. Like, be nice to each other. You're getting this wrong.  So I think that would still have been there, and something that I would have been passionate about speaking out on. Inclusivity is just so important to me, but definitely would be a lot lower stakes and a little more relaxed if everybody was on the same universe in regards to Israel. Manya Brachear Pashman:   You were relatively recently in Washington, DC. Jonah Platt:   Yeah. Manya Brachear Pashman:   For the White House Correspondents Dinner. I was confused, because he just said he was in Krakow, so maybe I was wrong. Jonah Platt:   I flew direct from Krakow to DC, got off the plane, went to the hotel where the dinner was, changed it to my tux, and went downstairs for the dinner.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Wow. Jonah Platt:   Yeah. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Are you tired? Jonah Platt:   No, actually, it's amazing. I'll give a shout out. There's a Jewish businessman, a guy named Andrew Herr, who I was in a program with through Federation called CLI in LA, has started a company called Fly Kit. This is a major shout out to Fly Kit that you download the app, you plug in your trip, they send you supplements, and the app tells you when to take them, when to eat, when to nap, when to have coffee, in an attempt to help orient yourself towards the time zone you need to be on. And I have found it very useful on my international trips, and I'm not going to travel without it again. Yeah. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Wow. White House Correspondents dinner. You posted some really thoughtful words about the work of journalists, which I truly appreciated. But what do American journalists get wrong about Israel and the Jewish connection to Israel?  Jonah Platt:   The same thing that everybody who gets things wrong are getting wrong. I mean, we're human beings, so we're fallible, and just because you're a journalist doesn't make you immune to propaganda, because propaganda is a powerful tool. If it didn't work, people wouldn't be using it. I mean, I was just looking at a post today from our friend Hen Mazzig about all the different ways the BBC is getting things horribly, horribly wrong. I think part of it is there's ill intent. I mean, there is malice. For certain people, where they have an agenda. And unfortunately, you know, however much integrity journalists have, there is a news media environment where we've made it okay to have agenda-driven news where it's just not objective. And somehow it's okay for these publications that we've long trusted to have a story they want to tell. I don't know why that's acceptable. It's a business, and I guess maybe if that, if the dollars are there, it's reinforcing itself. But reporters get wrong so much. I'd say the fundamental misunderstanding that journalists as human beings get wrong, that everybody gets wrong, is that Jews are not a group of rich, white Europeans with a common religion. That's like the number one misunderstanding about Jews. Because most people either don't know Jews at all on planet Earth. They've never met one. They know nothing about it except what they see on the news or in a film, or the Jews that they know happen to maybe be white, rich, European ancestry people, and so they assume that's everybody. When, of course, that's completely false, and erases the majority of Jews from planet Earth. So I think we're missing that, and then we're also missing what Israel means to the Jewish people is deeply misunderstood and very purposefully erased.  Part of what's tricky about all of this is that the people way behind the curtain, the terrorists, the real I hate Israel people agenda. They're the ones who plant these seeds. But they're like 5% of the noise. They're secret. They're in the back. And then everybody else, without realizing it, is picking up these things. And so the vast majority of people are, let's say, erasing Jewish connection to Israel without almost even realizing they're doing it because they have been fed this, because propaganda is a powerful tool, and they believe it to be true what they've been told.  And literally, don't realize what they're doing. And if they were in a calm environment and somebody was able to explain to them, Hey, here's what you're doing, here's what you're missing, I think, I don't know, 75% of people would be like, holy crap. I've been getting this wrong. I had no idea. Maybe even higher than 75% they really don't know. And that's super dangerous. And I think the media and journalism is playing a major role in that. Sometimes things get, you know, retracted and apologized for. But the damage is done, especially when it comes to social media. If you put out, Israel just bombed this hospital and killed a bunch of doctors, and then the next day you're like, Oops, sorry, that was wrong. Nobody cares. All they saw was Israel bombed a bunch of doctors and that seed's already been planted. So it's been a major issue the info war, while you know, obviously not the same stakes as a real life and death physical war has been as important a piece of this overall war as anything. And I wouldn't say it's going great. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Did it come up at all at the Correspondent's Dinner, or more of a celebration? Jonah Platt:   No, thank God. Yeah. It was more of a celebration. It was more of just sort of it was cool, because there was no host this year, there was no comedian, there was no president, he didn't come. So it was really like being in the clubhouse with the journalists, and you could sense they were sort of happy about it. Was like, just like a family reunion, kind of a vibe, like, it's just our people. We're all on the same page. We're the people who care about getting it right. We care about journalistic integrity. We're here to support each other. It was really nice. I mean, I liked being sort of a fly on the wall of this other group that I had not really been amongst before, and seeing them in their element in this like industry party, which was cool.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Okay, so we talked about journalists. What about your colleagues in the entertainment industry? Are you facing backlash from them, either out of malice or ignorance?  Jonah Platt:   I'm not facing any backlash from anybody of importance if I'm not getting an opportunity, or someone's written me off or something. I don't know that, you know, I have no idea if I'm now on somebody's list of I'm never gonna work with that guy. I don't know. I don't imagine I am. If I am, it says way more about that person than it does about me, because my approach, as we've discussed, is to try to be really inclusive and honest and, like, objective. And if I get something wrong, I'll delete it, or I'll say I got it wrong. I try to be very transparent and really open that, like I'm trying my best to get things right and to be fair.  And if you have a problem with that. You know, you've got a problem. I don't have a problem. So I wouldn't say any backlash. In fact, I mean, I get a lot of support, and a lot of, you know, appreciation from people in the industry who either are also speaking out or maybe too afraid to, and are glad that other people are doing it, which I have thoughts about too, but you know, when people are afraid to speak out about the stuff because of the things they're going to lose. Like, to a person, maybe you lose stuff, but like, you gain so many more other people and opportunities, people who were just sort of had no idea that you were on the same team and were waiting for you to say something, and they're like, Oh my God, you're in this with me too. Great, let's do something together, or whatever it is. So I've gotten, it's been much more positive than negative in terms of people I actually care about. I mean, I've gotten fans of entertainment who have nasty things to say about me, but not colleagues or industry peers.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   So you would declare yourself a proud Zionist. Jonah Platt:   Yes. Manya Brachear Pashman:   But you wrote a column in The Forward recently over Passover saying, let's retire the word Zionist. Why?  Jonah Platt:   Yes. I recently wrote an op-ed and actually talked about on my pod as well about why I feel we should retire the word Zionism. Not that I think we actually are. It's pretty well in use. But my main reasoning was, that the way we all understand Zionism, those of us who actually know what it is, unlike a lot of people –is the belief that Jews should have self determination, sovereignty in some piece of the land to which they are indigenous. We have that. We've had it for almost 80 years. I don't know why we need to keep using a word that frames it as aspirational, that like, I believe we should have this thing. We already have it.  And I feel by sort of leaving that sentence without a period, we're sort of suggesting that non-existence is somehow on the table. Like, if I just protest enough, Israel's going to stop existing. I want to slam that door closed. I don't think we need to be the, I believe that Israel should exist people anymore. I think we should be the I love Israel people, or I support Israel people. I'm an Israel patriot. I'm a lover of Israel, whatever the phrase may be. To me, the idea that we should continue to sort of play by their framework of leaving that situation on the table, is it only hurts us, and I just don't think we need it. Manya Brachear Pashman:   It lets others define it, in their own terms.  Jonah Platt:   Yeah, we're playing, sort of by the rules of the other people's game. And I know, you know, I heard when I put that out, especially from Israelis, who it to them, it sort of means patriot, and they feel a lot of great pride with it, which I totally understand. But the sort of more universal understanding of what that word is, and certainly of what the Movement was, was about that aspirational creation of a land, that a land's been created. Not only has it been created, it's, you know, survived through numerous wars, it's stronger than ever. You know, third-most NASDAQ companies in the world. We need to just start talking about it from like, yeah, we're here. We're not going anywhere, kind of a place. And not, a we should exist, kind of a place. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So it's funny, you said, we all know what Zionism is. And I grinned a little bit, because there are so many different definitions of Zionism. I mean, also, Zionism was a very inclusive progressive ideology packaged in there, right, that nobody talks about because it's just kind of not, we just don't talk about it anymore.  So what else about the conversation needs to change? How do we move forward in a productive, constructive way when it comes to teaching about Jewish identity and securing the existence of Israel? Jonah Platt:   In a way, those two things are related, and in a way they're not. You can have a conversation about Jewish identity without necessarily going deep down the Israel hole. But it is critical that people understand how central a connection to Israel is, to Jewish identity. And people are allowed to believe whatever they want. And you can be someone who says, Well, you know, Israel is not important to me, and that's okay, that's you, but you have to at least be clear eyed that that is an extreme and fringe position. That is not a mainstream thing. And you're going to be met with mistrust and confusion and anger and a sense of betrayal, if that's your position.  So I think we need to be clear eyed about that and be able to have that conversation. And I think if we can get to the place where we can acknowledge that in each other. Like, dude, have your belief. I don't agree with it. I think it's crazy. Like, you gotta at least know that we all think you're crazy having that idea. And if they can get to the base, we're like, yeah, I understand that, but I'm gonna believe what I'm gonna believe, then we can have conversations and, like, then we can talk. I think the, I need to change your mind conversation, it doesn't usually work. It has to be really gently done. And I'm speaking this as much from failure as I am from success. As much as we try, sometimes our emotions come to the fore of these conversations, and that's–it's not gonna happen. You know, on my pod, I've talked about something called, I call the four C's of difficult conversation. And I recently, like, tried to have a conversation. I did not adhere to my four C's, and it did not go well. And so I didn't take my own advice. You have to come, like, legitimately ready to be curious to the other person's point of view, wanting to hear what they have to say. You know, honoring their truth, even if it is something that hurts you deeply or that you abhor. You can say that, but you have to say it from a place of respect and honoring. If you want it to go somewhere. If you just want to like, let somebody have it, go ahead, let somebody have it, but you're definitely not going to be building towards anything that. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So before I let you go, can you tell us a little bit about The Mensch? Jonah Platt:   Yeah, sure. So the Mensch is one of a couple of Jewish entertainment projects I'm now involved with in the last year, which, you know, I went from sort of zero to now three. The Mensch is a really unique film that's in development now. We're gonna be shooting this summer that I'm a producer on. And it's the story of a 30 something female rabbi in New Mexico who, life just isn't where she thought it would be. She's not connecting with her congregation. She's not as far along as she thought things would be. Her synagogue is failing, and there's an antisemitic event at her synagogue, and the synagogue gets shut down. And she's at the center of it. Two weeks later, the synagogue's reopening. She's coming back to work, and as part of this reopening to try to bring some some life and some juzz to the proceedings, one of the congregants from the synagogue, the most eccentric one, who's sort of a pariah, who's being played by Jennifer Goodwin, who's a fantastic actress and Jewish advocate, donates her family's priceless Holocaust-era Torah to the synagogue, and the rabbi gets tasked with going to pick it up and bring it. As things often happen for this rabbi, like a bunch of stuff goes wrong. Long story short, she ends up on a bus with the Torah in a bag, like a sports duffel bag, and gets into an altercation with somebody who has the same tattoo as the perpetrator of the event at her synagogue, and unbeknownst to the two of them, they have the same sports duffel bag, and they accidentally swap them. So she shows up at the synagogue with Jennifer Goodwin, they're opening it up, expecting to see a Torah, and it's full of bricks of cocaine. And the ceremony is the next day, and they have less than 24 hours to track down this torah through the seedy, drug-dealing, white nationalist underbelly of the city. And, you know, drama and hilarity ensue. And there's lots of sort of fun, a magic realism to some of the proceedings that give it like a biblical tableau, kind of sense. There's wandering in the desert and a burning cactus and things of that nature.  So it's just, it's really unique, and what drew me to it is what I'm looking for in any sort of Jewish project that I'm supporting, whether as a viewer or behind the scenes, is a contemporary story that's not about Jews dying in the Holocaust. That is a story of people just being people, and those people are Jewish. And so the things that they think about, the way they live, maybe their jobs, even in this case, are Jewish ones. But it's not like a story of the Jews in that sense. The only touch point the majority of the world has for Jews is the news and TV and film. And so if that's how people are gonna learn about us, we need to take that seriously and make sure they're learning who we really are, which is regular people, just like you, dealing with the same kind of problems, the same relationships, and just doing that through a little bit of a Jewish lens. So the movie is entertaining and unique and totally fun, but it also just happens to be about Jews and rabbis. Manya Brachear Pashman:   And so possible, spoiler alert, does the White Nationalist end up being the Mensch in the end? Jonah Platt:   No, no, the white nationalist is not the mensch. They're the villain.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   I thought maybe there was a conversion moment in this film. Jonah Platt:   No conversion. But sort of, one of the themes you take away is, anybody can be a mensch. You don't necessarily need to be the best rabbi in the world to be a mensch. We're all fallible, flawed human beings. And what's important is that we try to do good and we try to do the right thing, and usually that's enough. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Well, I thought that kind of twist would be… Jonah Platt:   I'll take it up with the writer.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Well, Jonah, you are truly a mensch for joining us on the sidelines here today. Jonah Platt:   Thank you. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Safe travels, wherever you're headed next.  Jonah Platt:   Thank you very much. Happy to be with you.   

Comedians Amy Gledhill and Ian Smith bring you silly stories from the silliest half of the country.Headlines this week include Massive Attack's green initiative in Manchester, and a weird and useless cycle semi-circle appears in Calderdale.Featuring guest correspondent, Olympic Weightlifter Emily Campbell!Northern News will be recording a special LIVE edition of the podcast at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival on 20 August. For tickets and information head to edfringe.com.Want Extra! Extra! content? Join our Patreon for weekly bonus episodes, videos, live show discount codes, BTS clips and more...Got a juicy story from t'North? Email it to northernnewspod@gmail.com.Follow Northern News on Instagram @NorthernNewsPodcastRecorded and edited by Aniya Das for Plosive.Artwork by Welcome Studio.Photography by Jonathan Birch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RNZ Pacific Editor Koroi Hawkins joins Kathryn for an update on the latest Pacific news. 

This episode was such a joy to record! I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Virginia Evans about her stunning debut novel The Correspondent; a book I truly loved. One of my favourite moments during our chat was hearing Virginia share the incredible story of how writing a letter to none other than Ann Patchett turned into a real friendship. Isn't it just so heartening to know that someone as iconic as Ann Patchett would take the time to encourage and support a new writer? In our conversation, Virginia opens up about her writing journey—from early rejections to the sheer determination that kept her going (thank goodness she did!). We talk about what inspired The Correspondent, how her unforgettable protagonist Sybil came to be, and the enduring power of letter writing in an increasingly digital world.We also reflect on what we might be losing as we move away from the handwritten word. I loved hearing how passionate Virginia is about this, especially as someone who's always felt a bit self-conscious about my own handwriting. She's inspired me to embrace the scrawl, good luck to anyone receiving my cards!And of course, Virginia shares the five books that shaped her life which were:Stoner by John WilliamsThe Firm by John Grisham (not currently available on bookshop.org)Rebecca by Daphne Du MaurierOne By One in the Darkness by Deirdre MaddenThe Dutch House by Ann PatchettAlso mentioned in this episode:The Flatshare by Beth O'LearyThe Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan HenryThe Woman in White by Wilkie CollinsAfter You'd Gone by Maggie O'FarrellI also mentioned having my mum's handwriting embroidered into a piece of art. See Ivy & Stitch for details.I really hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I did. I'll be back next week with the final episode in this Season (how have eight weeks flown by so fast). If you are enjoying the show I'd be so grateful if you could take the time rate, review, subscribe and most importantly tell your friends all about it. Thanks for listening and see you next week!

Karen Middleton with news from Australia, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's week-long trip to China.

Thousands of Afghans have been moved to the UK, because a defence ministry official inadvertently leaked their data, and put their lives at risk. Correspondent in London Olly Barratt spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Danielle Kurtzleben is a political correspondent assigned to NPR's Washington Desk.

Sports correspondent Glen Larmer.

World number one Jannik Sinner has won his first Wimbledon title, dethroning Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in a four-set final. Correspondent at Wimbledon Simon Cambers spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie and Hunter discuss the best books of 2025 (so far)! To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 536) or download and shop on The Bookshelf's official app: Annie's books: First five-star read: Show Don't Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld Most surprising: Blessings and Disasters by Alexis Okeowo (releases August 5th) Least favorite: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins Next on your TBR: The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley, The Names by Florence Knapp Most anticipated fall release: Same by Hannah Rosenberg (releases October 21st), Heart the Lover by Lily King (releases October 7th) Annie's Top Ten (So Far): 1. Tilt by Emma Pattee 2. Flashlight by Susan Choi 3. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans 4. Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li 5. Show Don't Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld 6. Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks 7. Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green 8. The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett 9. Lucky Night by Eliza Kennedy 10. Playworld by Adam Ross Hunter's books: First five-star read: Mothers and Sons by Adam Haslett Most surprising: Exit Zero by Marie-Helene Bertino Least favorite: When The Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris Next on your TBR: Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley Hunter's Top Ten (So Far): 1 Audition by Katie Kitamura 2. Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones 3. Mothers and Sons by Adam Haslett 4. Alligator Tears by Edgar Gomez 5. Among Friends by Hal Ebbott 6. The Wilderness by Angela Flourney (releases September 16th) 7. Open Heaven by Sean Hewitt 8. The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett 9. Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico 10. Exit Zero by Marie-Helene Bertino From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today's episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading A Change of Habit by Sister Monica Clare. Hunter is reading The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong. If you liked what you heard in today's episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We're so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.