Podcasts about Damascus

The Director of National Intelligence showed up to an FBI raid on a Georgia elections office. Then she put the President on speakerphone with the agents. Then we found out she's been sitting on a whistleblower complaint about herself for eight months. This week, we're talking about Tulsi Gabbard, the woman who went from Bernie Sanders endorser to Democratic presidential candidate to Fox News guest host to Trump's spy chief in one of the most cynical political transformations in modern American history. We're talking about the Fulton County raid, the classified complaint locked in a safe, her documented history of consuming Russian state media, her secret meeting with Assad, and why Russian state TV calls her "Russia's girlfriend." I'm not going to dance around it: I think Tulsi Gabbard is a Russian asset. And I'm going to tell you exactly why.  Buckle up.KEY POINTSOn January 28, 2026, FBI agents seized 700 boxes of 2020 election materials from Fulton County, Georgia. DNI Tulsi Gabbard was physically present, at Trump's specific direction.The day after the raid, Gabbard visited the FBI's Atlanta field office and put Trump on speakerphone with the agents. He gave them a "pep talk" for investigating the election he lost.Former FBI officials called this "unprecedented" and said there is "unanimous disgust" across current and former agents.A whistleblower complaint about Gabbard has been locked in a safe for eight months. Federal law requires transmission to Congress within three weeks.Three former aides told ABC News that Gabbard regularly read and shared articles from RT, the Kremlin's principal propaganda outlet.In 2017, Gabbard took a secret trip to Damascus and met with Assad for nearly three hours. Congressional staffers later worried she might leak information about a Syrian defector.A former U.S. ambassador to NATO called Gabbard's 2017 foreign policy memo "basically the Russian playbook."At her confirmation hearing, Gabbard refused to call Edward Snowden a traitor. Senator Bennet responded: "Apparently, you don't understand how critical our national security is."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/we-saw-the-devil-crime-political-analysis--4433638/support.Website: http://www.wesawthedevil.comPatreon: http://www.patreon.com/wesawthedevilDiscord: https://discord.gg/X2qYXdB4Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WeSawtheDevilInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/wesawthedevilpodcast.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (02/03/26), Hank answers the following questions:You have amazing knowledge; how did you manage to learn all that you know? Jerry - Wichita, KS (0:47)I am scared about Islam. Is it a religion or a cult? Jerry - Wichita, KS (2:16)Where does the Bible forbid sex and conceiving children prior to marriage? Katrina - Memphis, TN (6:15)Regarding Joseph Smith's first vision, is it not unlike Paul's vision of Christ on the road to Damascus? Nathan - CA (9:49)My friend participates in deliverance meetings. What are your thoughts? Jeff - Kansas City, KS (15:13)I need to find God's will for my life. I drive a truck and find myself unable to attend church. I feel like I am left out of the Kingdom. Jim - Los Angeles, CA (20:43)Should I stop interacting with an alcoholic person, or continue ministering to them? Keith - Wichita, KS (23:18)

From Victory Lane to Life's True Finish Line: NASCAR Legend Carl Edwards on Fame, Family, and Finding GodJoin host John Coleman for an intimate conversation with NASCAR Hall of Famer Carl Edwards, recorded at the Main Street Summit in Carl's hometown of Columbia, Missouri. Carl shares his remarkable journey from sweeping floors at a NASCAR truck team to becoming one of the sport's most celebrated drivers—and why he walked away from it all at the height of his career.This episode goes beyond the back flips and victory celebrations to explore the deeper questions of identity, purpose, and what it means to truly succeed. Carl vulnerably discusses the intoxication of fame, the moment he realized he'd built his life on sand, and the divine intervention that led him to faith through an unexpected encounter on a mountaintop.From racing with legends like Mark Martin and Jimmy Johnson to the life-changing phone call that made him rethink everything, Carl's story is a masterclass in knowing when to accelerate—and when to walk away.Key Topics:Breaking into NASCAR: The entrepreneurial hustle from dirt tracks to the Cup SeriesThe dark side of fame: When public image becomes an idolWelcome to the league: Racing against—and learning from—the sport's greatest driversThe retirement decision: Walking away from millions to prioritize family and faithIdentity crisis: What happens when you lose the thing that defined youFinding God on a mountaintop: How a dystopian book club led to a Damascus road momentRaising a son who wants to race: Breaking generational patterns while honoring passionStewarding resources: Wrestling with scarcity mindset and learning radical generosityNotable Quotes:"I had actually wet myself completely just because I was completely shaken by what I'd experienced." - Carl Edwards (on his conversion dream)"I'm gonna keep racing for another 10 years. I'ma hit my head another 25 times. 30 years from now, I'll be on the other end of this phone. My son will be sitting on the stairs. I don't know my kids." - Carl Edwards"If you haven't seen God walking beside you your whole life, you're blind." - Stephen Garber to Carl Edwards

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Exodus 33- 34; Psalm 16; Acts 9 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode, Hunter invites us to journey together through Scripture on this second day of February. We dive into Exodus 33 and 34, Psalm 16, and Acts 9—witnessing powerful moments when God's presence, mercy, and transforming love shape His people. We'll hear about Moses' intimate conversations with God, the renewal of God's covenant with Israel, and the incredible conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus. But it doesn't stop there—Hunter guides us to reflect on how Jesus continues to move among us today, bringing light, forgiveness, and hope into our own upper rooms and lives. Through prayer, reflection, and the encouragement of this global community, you're welcomed to open your heart to God's purpose and love. So settle in, grab your Bible (or just listen along), and let's step into another day together, reminded that Jesus is still here—working, transforming, and calling each of us by name. TODAY'S DEVOTION: He's still there. The book is called Acts of the Apostles, and we're going to see a lot of the apostles in the days ahead, especially Paul and Peter. But the person we're going to see the most is Jesus. This book could be called the Acts of Jesus because he's still there with his followers, doing what he always does. But now he's moving beyond Israel and is outside the city of Damascus. He's about to do those things that we've seen him do. He's about to overwhelm one of his enemies with light and forgiveness and love. He'll blind Saul and transform him into Paul. He's on his way up into another upper room where people are mourning the loss of a generous-hearted woman named Tabitha. Peter's there in that room for sure. But the writer of this book doesn't want you to miss the fact that Jesus is there too. If this moment sounds familiar, it should, because it echoes back to Jesus in an upper room, the room of Jairus, the synagogue ruler, with his twelve-year-old daughter, a girl Jesus called Talitha. Both Tabitha and Talitha had passed from life to death. He's still doing what he always does. He's bringing life where there was once death. And he's here with us today too, doing now what he has always done. He's overwhelming our resistant hearts with his light, forgiveness, and love, opening eyes to see more and more just who he is, the way he did with Paul. He's also entering into the upper rooms of our hearts where there is death and a need for resurrection and hope. There he takes us by the hand and says words like, it's time to get up. It's time to live. He's still there doing what he does. He's bringing his light and forgiveness and love. And he's doing this all around the world, even today. In fact, he's in the room with you right now. Do you hear him? Do you sense his presence? Hear his word of forgiveness and light and love? Let him take you by the hand and raise you up to new life. Today. That's a prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, and my daughters, and my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

It's hard to be the only woman , I feel lonely sometimes because I'd like to have another woman colleague to talk too.'The BBC's Chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet speaks to Hind Kabawat, Syria's Minister for Social Affairs and Labour. and the only female minister in the transitional government.She was born in India and grew up across the Middle East and Europe. Her life has been shaped by movement, exile and conflict. She studied economics in Damascus, law in Beirut, and later continued her education in the United States.During Syria's war, she worked abroad on diplomacy and legal reform, advising on negotiations and pushing for greater representation of women in public life. After the fall of the Assad regime and the creation of a transitional authority, she returned home to take up public office. In this conversation, she talks about power, responsibility, and what leadership means in a country still reckoning with more than a decade of conflict.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with the Colombian president Gustavo Petro, the Palestinian-American human rights lawyer Noura Erekat and Mexican actor Diego Calva. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Lyse Doucet Producers: Lina Shaikhouni, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Hind Kabavat Credit: Beyza Comert/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Paul's letter to the Romans contains some of the most meaningful and thought provoking words in Scripture. It is extremely challenging to read it and embrace all its' points in our minds.  Maybe, more than any other book in the Bible, this book calls for our diligent and meditative study.  But this is the challenge of the whole Bible, it is not at all like a school text book that you go through in a year's study and then leave on the shelf for occasional reference.  God's word is designed by him for our lifelong reading and reflection. Paul had been brought up under the Law of Moses with all its rules and regulations.  He had been zealous for the Law, but, as a result of his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, he had, with God's help through the Spirit, applied his mind to the new reality of eternal things – especially – to a personal relationship to his Saviour.The Law of Moses was a Law for Israel as a nation. This Law had been superseded by a situation in which each individual needed to develop a personal relationship with their Saviour the Lord Jesus and with his Father – and through him – is now ‘Our Father.'   Paul writes, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  For the creation waits with eager longing …” [8 v.18,19]  This sense of eagerness is felt by all those who see the emptiness in so much of what people enjoy today:  But it is all “creation” that waits for the removal of the curse imposed in Eden.  We learn in Genesis how God said to Adam “cursed is the ground because of you” [Gen. 3 v.17]  Paul goes on to say we “groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons (& daughters), the redemption of our bodies” [v.23]   How true is the word eagerly – especially as we grow older and our minds and bodies feel the effects.   Those who find this life satisfying and enjoyable will not genuinely “wait eagerly” for that which is going to replace it. But for many in the world this life offers little that is enjoyable – so they are often in a far more spiritually acceptable frame of mind before God. Finally, let us all read carefully and prayerfully the last 8 verses (31-39) of Romans ch 8.

Today, much of the Middle East is “Arab”—an identity that now extends across North Africa and up through the Near East to Syria. Yet how did this region become Arab? How did this identity spread? Was it due to migration, or conquest? Historian Yossef Rapoport, in his book Becoming Arab: The Formation of Arab Identity in the Medieval Middle East (Princeton UP, 2025), makes a different argument: That the region's medieval peasants adopted the Arab identity in response to shifting political power, changing land rights, and the spreading Muslim faith. Professor Yossef Rapoport of Queen Mary University London is a historian of the Islamic, Arabic-speaking Middle East in its Middle Ages, from about 1000 to 1500 CE. Among his publications are books on marriage and divorce in late medieval Cairo and Damascus, on the fourteenth-century religious reformer Ibn Taymiyya, and on medieval Islamic maps. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Becoming Arab. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. 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

Today, much of the Middle East is “Arab”—an identity that now extends across North Africa and up through the Near East to Syria. Yet how did this region become Arab? How did this identity spread? Was it due to migration, or conquest? Historian Yossef Rapoport, in his book Becoming Arab: The Formation of Arab Identity in the Medieval Middle East (Princeton UP, 2025), makes a different argument: That the region's medieval peasants adopted the Arab identity in response to shifting political power, changing land rights, and the spreading Muslim faith. Professor Yossef Rapoport of Queen Mary University London is a historian of the Islamic, Arabic-speaking Middle East in its Middle Ages, from about 1000 to 1500 CE. Among his publications are books on marriage and divorce in late medieval Cairo and Damascus, on the fourteenth-century religious reformer Ibn Taymiyya, and on medieval Islamic maps. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Becoming Arab. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

Abraham just defeated four kings. He refused their wealth. He should feel victorious. Instead, he's terrified. G-d appears to him in a vision and says: "Fear not, Abraham. I am a shield for you. Your reward is very great." But Abraham isn't comforted. What good is any reward if he has no child to pass it to? Everything will go to Eliezer, his servant from Damascus.G-d takes him outside. "Look at the heavens and count the stars, if you can." The simple reading: Abraham looks up at the night sky. But the Hebrew reveals something else. The word used means looking down, not up. G-d takes Abraham above the stars and shows him from there. Because according to Abraham's astrological sign, he and Sarah will never have children. So G-d takes him outside his mazal, outside the natural order. Abram won't have a son, but Abraham will. The Jewish people exist outside the framework of the world, a thread that shouldn't be there but is.Abraham trusts. The Hebrew word is "והאמין," which doesn't mean belief the way we think. It means locked in, steadfast, unwavering. No matter what questions come, Abraham is locked into G-d. Then Abraham asks one question: "How will I know that I will inherit the land?" What have I done to deserve this? Or maybe: how do I make sure I don't mess it up? This episode explores what it means to be taken outside your limitations, and why trust is greater than belief.

The past month has seen the new Syrian government in Damascus move politically and military against the autonomous state of Rojava. In our latest, Scott talks with writer and organizer Arthur Pye with the Emergency Committee for Rojava about the situation on the ground in Syria.Bio//Arthur Pye (@thearthurpye) is a writer, organizer, and popular educator based in the Pacific Northwest. He previously spent a year living in North-East Syria studying the Rojava revolution, and is a steering committee member of the Emergency Committee for Rojava. Arthur is also a co-director of the Municipalism Learning Series and a board member of the Institute for Social Ecology. His writings can be found in Strange Matters Magazine.-------------------------------

The writings of ancient and medieval Christian mystics were rediscovered in the twentieth century, and today they are read more widely than ever before. But do modern assumptions about religious experience influence how we hear those premodern voices? Do we do them justice by thinking of mysticism as interior and ineffable? Or can mystical experience intersect with the natural environment, and indeed the cosmos, which science calculates with precise quantities? David Albertson's The Geometry of Christian Contemplation: Measure without Measure (Oxford UP, 2025) suggests a fresh approach to the history of mystical theology that is oriented toward exteriority more than interiority, and toward the measurable world outside more than the invisible world within. The ancient Greek philosopher Plotinus had taught contemplatives to close their eyes and withdraw into the soul. Most Christians followed his directions, but others dissented. In three critical episodes, an alternative model of Christian contemplation began to emerge: from Dionysius the Areopagite, to the Byzantine monks John of Damascus and Theodore the Studite, to eccentric humanists in medieval Paris. Together these episodes add up to a very different theological aesthetics, one that can enliven the modern study of mysticism and correct some of its imbalances. For in the centuries before the scientific revolution and the secularization of nature, Christians still saw God in the exterior world, not only the interior soul. God was not an ineffable and formless Absolute, immeasurable as the soul, but an infinite Measure who leaves behind geometrical traces in the figures of the world. The God who became a human body in the Incarnation not only entered time and matter, but also spatial extension, and with it the conditions of measure: points, lines, curves, shapes, planes, dimensions, and magnitudes. Today the wisdom of this counter-tradition can strengthen the study of mysticism, not only by supplementing our contemporary fascination with negative theology by redefining what it means to name God positively, but by suggesting a new connection between Christian mysticism and the hyper-measured, hyper-technologized world that surrounds us. 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

Check out our episodes 3 & 4 review of Damascus. Now streaming on Tubi. Follow us @Tripledosepod on all social media platforms.

Janatyn Sayeh Sayeh describes a "total blackout" of information in Iran, where the regime is using military-grade jammers to block Starlink satellite signals, a tactic he notes is dangerous to people on the ground. Beyond throttling the internet, authorities are cutting landlines and targeting electricity in specific neighborhoods to ensure they disconnect Iranians from both the outside world and each other during the unrest.1868 DAMASCUS

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"You can't come in 10 minutes late and leave 10 minutes early and then complain about not having any friends at church." --Pastor Steve Dow In a world where we are more "connected" than ever via social media, why are we lonelier than we've ever been? Pastor Steve Dow breaks open the "box" of casual church attendance to reveal the life-altering power of true, deep biblical friendship. From rattlesnake roundups to the forging of Damascus steel, this message challenges you to move beyond handshakes in the foyer and into the kind of relationships that survive the fire. If you've ever felt isolated in a crowded room, it's time to discover the Friend who sticks closer than a brother. +++++++ You can find our service times on our website: https://www.anctally.com/ You can find sermon highlights on Twitter here: https://x.com/allnationstally

Send us a textWe trace Saul's fierce zeal, the shattering encounter with the risen Christ, and the slow, real work of conversion that turned a persecutor into a fearless apostle. Along the way we explore Ananias' courage, desert formation, and Paul's Eucharistic vision of unity and mission.• Saul's Pharisee roots and misdirected zeal• Damascus Road as history and theophany• The voice of Christ and the church's unity• Three days of blindness, fasting, and prayer• Ananias' obedience and healing reconciliation• Baptism, commissioning, and first preaching• Retreat in Arabia and hidden formation• Eucharistic unity, discernment, and mission• Practical summons to conversion and witnessNow it's your turnFamily, there is more to this post, so please see the lilink in the description for the rest of the articleBe sure to click the link in the description for special news itemAnd since there is more to this article, finish reading and check out the special offerVisit journeysof.com website todaySaint Paul Media CollectionOpen by Steve Bailey Support the showDownload Journeys of Faith Free App link. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/journeys-of-faith/id6757635073 Journeys of Faith brings your Super Saints Podcasts ***Our Core Beliefs*** The Eucharist is the Source and Summit of our Faith." Catechism 132 Click Here “This is the will of God, your sanctification.” 1Thessalonians 4“ Click Here ... lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven...” Matthew 6:19-2 Click Here The Goal is Heaven Click Here Please consider subscribing to this podcast or making a donation to Journeys of Faith we are actively increasing our reach and we are seeing good results for visitors under 40! Help us Grow! Buy Me a cup of Coffee...

Saul's dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus demonstrates God's incredible transformative power. Once a violent persecutor of Christians who dragged believers from their homes and had them killed, Saul encountered Jesus in a blinding flash of light. After three days of physical blindness that mirrored his spiritual condition, Saul surrendered his life completely to Christ's lordship. His transformation from Christianity's greatest enemy to its most influential missionary illustrates a central biblical truth: no matter who you are or what you've done, Jesus keeps choosing you and waiting for you to choose Him back. True faith requires more than intellectual belief—it demands surrendering every area of life to Jesus' ownership and lordship. Follow and subscribe to stay updated with our latest content: Youtube  | Facebook | Instagram | Central Wired Website

After a lightning military advance in Kurdish-held northeastern Syria, Damascus is demanding that the Kurdish-led SDF, a key U.S. ally in the fight against ISIS, agree to integrate into the national army. The United States has thrown its support behind a unified Syria. Also: today's stories, including why the Pentagon is changing Stars and Stripes' independent status, one man's journey from a poor Russian village boy to custodian of state secrets, and our essayist's advice for when the world's worries threaten to weigh you down. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

Full Text of Readings The Saint of the day is Conversion of Saint Paul The Story of the Conversion of Saint Paul Saint Paul's entire life can be explained in terms of one experience—his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus. In an instant, he saw that all the zeal of his dynamic personality was being wasted, like the strength of a boxer swinging wildly. Perhaps he had never seen Jesus, who was only a few years older. But he had acquired a zealot's hatred of all Jesus stood for, as he began to harass the Church: “…entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment” (Acts 8:3b). Now he himself was “entered,” possessed, all his energy harnessed to one goal—being a slave of Christ in the ministry of reconciliation, an instrument to help others experience the one Savior. One sentence determined his theology: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5b). Jesus was mysteriously identified with people—the loving group of people Saul had been running down like criminals. Jesus, he saw, was the mysterious fulfillment of all he had been blindly pursuing. From then on, his only work was to “present everyone perfect in Christ. For this I labor and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me” (Colossians 1:28b-29). “For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and [with] much conviction” (1 Thessalonians 1:5a). Saint Paul's life became a tireless proclaiming and living out of the message of the cross: Christians die baptismally to sin and are buried with Christ; they are dead to all that is sinful and unredeemed in the world. They are made into a new creation, already sharing Christ's victory and someday to rise from the dead like him. Through this risen Christ the Father pours out the Spirit on them, making them completely new. So Saint Paul's great message to the world was: You are saved entirely by God, not by anything you can do. Saving faith is the gift of total, free, personal and loving commitment to Christ, a commitment that then bears fruit in more “works” than the Law could ever contemplate. The conversion of Saint Paul shows that God is always willing to find us. Reflection Paul is undoubtedly hard to understand. His style often reflects the rabbinical style of argument of his day, and often his thought skips on mountaintops while we plod below. But perhaps our problems are accentuated by the fact that so many beautiful jewels have become part of the everyday coin in our Christian language.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

SEGMENT 13: AL QAEDA IN DAMASCUS GOVERNMENT Guest: Bill Roggio and Ahmed Sharawi (FDD)Roggio and Sharawi examine Al Qaeda presence within Syria's new government under clever, effective President al-Sharaa. US forces struck an Al Qaeda commander responsible for killing Iowa National Guard soldiers, but ISIS elements remain unaddressed. The jihadi connections within Damascus leadership raise serious counterterrorism concerns. UNDATED BRUSSELS

SHOW SCHEDULE 1-22-20251954 BRUSSELSSEGMENT 1: GREENLAND, NATO, AND TRUMP'S REVERSALS Guest: Anatol Lieven, Co-Host: Jim McTague Lieven examines Trump's shifting positions on Greenland and NATO, unsettling European allies who question American reliability. Discussion covers the proposed Board of Peace concept and how Trump's unpredictable rhetoric complicates alliance management, leaving partners uncertain whether commitments will hold or dissolve without warning.SEGMENT 2: GAZA AND TRUMP'S SELF-ENRICHMENT CONCERNS Guest: Anatol Lieven, Co-Host: Jim McTague Lieven analyzes Gaza ceasefire dynamics and raises questions about Trump administration officials potentially mixing policy with personal financial interests. Discussion examines how self-enrichment concerns shadow diplomatic initiatives and whether conflicts of interest undermine credibility in Middle East negotiations and broader foreign policy.SEGMENT 3: GEN Z JOB STRUGGLES AND THE TRADES REVIVAL Guest: Chris Riegel, Co-Host: Jim McTague Riegel explains how artificial intelligence eliminates entry-level white-collar positions, leaving Gen Z struggling to launch careers in traditional professions. Meanwhile, skilled trades offer prosperity since AI cannot replicate physical work. Young people working with their hands find better opportunities than peers pursuing displaced office jobs.SEGMENT 4: MAGA EMBRACES BIG GOVERNMENT LIKE NEW DEALERS Guest: Veronique de Rugy De Rugy argues MAGA policies mirror New Deal-era big government activism through state industrial policy and massive spending programs. Traditional Republican principles of limited government appear obsolete or abandoned, with the RINO label now applied to anyone advocating fiscal restraint or free market economics.SEGMENT 5: PREPARING FOR IRAN BOMBING CAMPAIGN Guest: General Blaine Holt (USAF, Ret.) Holt describes military preparations for potential strikes against Iran, including warplane and warship deployments. The KC-135 tanker buildup signals offensive capability, providing aerial refueling that enables sustained bombing campaigns. This logistics infrastructure converts fuel into striking power against Tehran's nuclear and military installations.SEGMENT 6: ESCALATION TOWARD IRANIAN LEADERSHIP Guest: General Blaine Holt (USAF, Ret.) Holt outlines concentric circles of escalation targeting Iranian leadership if conflict erupts. Discussion covers strike planning that moves progressively toward regime centers of power. China's evacuation planes positioning near Iran suggest Beijing anticipates potential conflict and prepares to extract its nationals from the region.SEGMENT 7: MODI'S TIMID REFORM AGENDA Guest: Sadanand Dhume (Wall Street Journal) Dhume assesses Prime Minister Modi as a timid reformer constrained by political realities and socialist-era institutions. India's growth potential remains unrealized as legacy regulations protect inefficient industries. Modi raised some thresholds but fundamental transformation of labor laws and state enterprises remains politically impossible.SEGMENT 8: VENEZUELA'S UNFINISHED TRANSITION Guest: Mary Anastasia O'Grady (Wall Street Journal) O'Grady reports Venezuela's democratic transition stalled with the same regime intact. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and Delcy Rodriguez control state security gunmen and prisons. No real handover to President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez has occurred, leaving the authoritarian apparatus firmly in power despite American pressure.SEGMENT 9: COSTA RICA ELECTION AND PANAMA CANAL TENSIONS Guest: Professor Evan Ellis (US Army War College) Ellis examines Costa Rica's upcoming election amid concerns over giant prison construction projects. Discussion turns to unresolved Panama Canal disputes where Chinese interference continues challenging American interests. Regional dynamics shift as nations balance between Washington's demands and Beijing's economic inducements throughout Central America.SEGMENT 10: PERU AND CHINESE INFLUENCE Guest: Professor Evan Ellis (US Army War College) Ellis analyzes China's growing investment and influence in Peru while the US offers military partnership as counterweight. Discussion covers political turmoil in Lima, economic promise from mineral wealth, and the competition between great powers for access to South American resources and strategic positioning.SEGMENT 11: TRUMP SEEKS CUBAN REGIME CHANGE Guest: Professor Evan Ellis (US Army War College) Ellis examines the Trump administration's push for regime change in Havana. Dictator Díaz-Canel faces collapsing conditions with no oil, no power, and a broken economy driving mass emigration. The Obama administration's engagement offered false hope; now Washington applies maximum pressure on the desperate regime.SEGMENT 12: MERCOSUR AGREEMENT FINALLY REACHED Guest: Professor Evan Ellis (US Army War College) Ellis reports good news as the Mercosur trade agreement concludes after 27 years of negotiations. The deal now faces court challenges while promising affordable food imports for Europe. EU farmers mount roadblock protests opposing competition from South American agriculture despite consumer benefits from the historic accord.SEGMENT 13: AL QAEDA IN DAMASCUS GOVERNMENT Guest: Bill Roggio and Ahmed Sharawi (FDD)Roggio and Sharawi examine Al Qaeda presence within Syria's new government under clever, effective President al-Sharaa. US forces struck an Al Qaeda commander responsible for killing Iowa National Guard soldiers, but ISIS elements remain unaddressed. The jihadi connections within Damascus leadership raise serious counterterrorism concerns.SEGMENT 14: SYRIAN NATIONAL ARMY DRIVES OUT KURDISH ALLIES Guest: Bill Roggio and Ahmed Sharawi (FDD) Roggio and Sharawi report the Syrian National Army increasingly resembles Al Qaeda while attacking Kurdish forces who remain US allies. The Kurds retreat under pressure from Turkish-backed militias with extremist ties. American partners face abandonment as Washington's attention focuses elsewhere in the chaotic Syrian landscape.SEGMENT 15: MUSK, CARLSON, AND VANCE DIVERGE FROM REPUBLICAN ORTHODOXY Guest: Peter Berkowitz Berkowitz discusses Michael Doran's Tablet article examining three Trump celebrities—Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson, and Vice President J.D. Vance—whose views diverge from traditional Republican policies. Musk favors government subsidies and China partnership, Carlson platforms hate speakers, and Vance promotes isolationism over American global leadership.SEGMENT 16: ABANDONING SMALL GOVERNMENT AND FREE TRADE Guest: Peter Berkowitz Berkowitz argues neither Musk, Carlson, nor Vance champions traditional conservative principles of small government, free trade, and private enterprise without government interference. The Republican Party's philosophical foundation erodes as prominent voices embrace statism, protectionism, and industrial policy once associated with the political left.

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our content. While much of America endures an Arctic freeze, Danny and Derek bring to you scorching hot headlines. This week: renewed fighting breaks out between the Syrian government and the SDF as Damascus pushes across the Euphrates and ceasefires collapse (1:39); Israel plans to raze Rafah and construct controlled “humanitarian cities” as a template for postwar Gaza (10:32); Trump hints at striking Iran amid U.S. force movements (14:26); a Cambodian NGO accuses the Thai military of demolishing homes in disputed border villages with Cambodia (17:31); Japan's prime minister is dissolving parliament and calling a snap election to capitalize on high approval ratings (19:45); heavy fighting breaks out in Sudan's North Kordofan as the RSF seeks to block a government offensive toward Darfur (22:17); Somalia reaches a new defense cooperation agreement with Qatar (24:18); the EU is reportedly offering Ukraine a rapid partial membership as part of postwar security guarantees (26:27); attendees at Davos discuss a Ukraine reconstruction plan (28:44); Portugal's far-right Chega candidate reaches the presidential runoff (31:10); the Trump administration is exploring a Maduro-style operation in Cuba (32:47); Trump threatens and then backs off tariffs over Greenland after talks with NATO (35:22); Mark Carney's Davos speech on the collapse of the rules-based order gains attention (41:01); there is renewed speculation about Havana syndrome following reports the U.S. acquired a suspected energy weapon (43:00); and Trump formally launches his “Board of Peace,” with an unclear mandate and membership (45:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the conflict, the Damascus suburb became a killing field. But some of Assad's henchmen are still around – and even working with the new government By Melvyn Ingleby. Read by Selva Rasalingam. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

While much of America endures an Arctic freeze, Danny and Derek bring to you scorching hot headlines. This week: renewed fighting breaks out between the Syrian government and the SDF as Damascus pushes across the Euphrates and ceasefires collapse (1:39); Israel plans to raze Rafah and construct controlled “humanitarian cities” as a template for postwar Gaza (10:32); Trump hints at striking Iran amid U.S. force movements (14:26); a Cambodian NGO accuses the Thai military of demolishing homes in disputed border villages with Cambodia (17:31); Japan's prime minister is dissolving parliament and calling a snap election to capitalize on high approval ratings (19:45); heavy fighting breaks out in Sudan's North Kordofan as the RSF seeks to block a government offensive toward Darfur (22:17); Somalia reaches a new defense cooperation agreement with Qatar (24:18); the EU is reportedly offering Ukraine a rapid partial membership as part of postwar security guarantees (26:27); attendees at Davos discuss a Ukraine reconstruction plan (28:44); Portugal's far-right Chega candidate reaches the presidential runoff (31:10); the Trump administration is exploring a Maduro-style operation in Cuba (32:47); Trump threatens and then backs off tariffs over Greenland after talks with NATO (35:22); Mark Carney's Davos speech on the collapse of the rules-based order gains attention (41:01); there is renewed speculation about Havana syndrome following reports the U.S. acquired a suspected energy weapon (43:00); and Trump formally launches his “Board of Peace,” with an unclear mandate and membership (45:00).Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode, Aaron Zelin returns to Conflicted to unpack the extraordinary collapse of the Syrian Democratic Forces' position in northeast Syria over the past week — and what the fallout could mean for Syria's fragile post-Assad order. Aaron explains: Why the March 2025 framework agreement ultimately failed Why Sunni Arab tribes abandoned the SDF — and how Damascus prepared the ground How and why fighting erupted in Kurdish neighbourhoods of Aleppo The rapid fall of SDF-held areas in Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and Hasakah What happened at ISIS prisons and detention camps during the collapse Why claims of ‘Kurdish abandonment' by the United States are misleading The PKK factor — and the risk of a new insurgency or terrorism campaign What Syria's consolidation means for ISIS, regional stability, and the country's future Follow Aaron on X: https://x.com/azelin This episode includes BONUS MATERIAL after the credits ONLY for subscribers to the Conflicted Community. Join the Conflicted Community here: https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm  Find us on X: https://x.com/MHconflicted And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted And Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Conflicted is a Message Heard production. Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren. This episode was produced and edited by Thomas Small. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A historic reset is unfolding in 2026—and the stakes couldn't be higher. In this powerful episode of The Staksast, Erick Stakelbeck is joined by ambassador Yechiel Leiter, Israel's Ambassador to the United States, for a wide-ranging, no-spin breakdown of what's next for Israel, America, and the Middle East as massive protests spread across Iran.   Ambassador Leiter explains why the Iranian people—92 million strong—are rising up after decades under the boot of the mullahs, a regime that has starved its own citizens of basic necessities while funneling billions to terror proxies worldwide. If the ayatollahs fall, Leiter says, the ripple effects could be seismic—opening the door to a new era of regional peace… and maybe even something he calls the “Cyrus Accords.”   We also dig into: Why Iran's missile program isn't just regional—it's aimed at the United States How Iran funds its terror empire: Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis Behind the scenes of the Trump–Netanyahu Mar-a-Lago meeting The surprising new signals coming out of Damascus—and Israel's cautious talks with Syria The growing “Qatar over Israel” deception—and why Israel remains America's most reliable strategic partner This is a must-watch conversation about peace through strength, the battle against state-sponsored terror, and the future of Judeo-Christian civilization Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Faedah Totah is a walker. So when she traveled to Damascus, Syria in the 2000's, she ditched the car and sauntered the streets to really take in the beauty of the old city. She soon came across a neighborhood that sparked her forthcoming book, Palestinian Refugees in the Old City of Damascus. Also: The report card is out for America's stormwater infrastructure. Spoiler alert: it's a grade that probably would've gotten us all grounded by our parents. Tanjina Afrin explains where America is failing and why effective stormwater management is such an important but largely forgotten public amenity. Later in the show: As the Cold War drew to a close in the 1990s, the Hispanic Caribbean was rocked by what Elena Valdez calls “crisis moments.” She says these “crisis moments” sparked important changes in representations of sexuality and gender in the public sphere - especially in the urban spaces of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.

Galatians 1:11-13, 15-24 - For I would have you know, brothers, that the Gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. … But when He who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son to me, in order that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me.

HEADLINE 1: Israel began demolishing UNRWA's headquarters in East Jerusalem.HEADLINE 2:  U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, who also serves as Trump's Syria envoy, thinks that things are going well in Damascus. HEADLINE 3: The IDF began a sweeping counterterrorism operation in the West Bank city of Hebron.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Israeli American journalist Emily Schrader.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Pieces:"Persian Puzzles" - FDD's Foreign Podicy"As Iran's uprising intensifies, Israel cannot afford to sit this one out" - Saeed Ghasseminejad and Navid Mohebbi, Ynetnews"Canada's Bet on Beijing Puts USMCA at Risk" - Elaine Dezenski and Susan Soh

From Trump's proposed 20-Point Peace Plan, to Israel's resistance to his invitation for Turkey and Qatar to join a Gaza “Board of Peace,” to his pledge to free the Iranian people from a tyrannical regime, Trump, Israel, and Iran have dominated the global news cycle. In this episode of the Blessors of Israel Podcast, Dr. Matthew Dodd and Pastor Rich Jones unpack these volatile developments and offer a biblical lens for understanding how current events may be setting the stage for the rise of the Antichrist.Visit the Blessors of Israel Website: https://www.blessors.org/ Thank you for supporting Blessors of Israel. Donate Online: https://blessors.org/donate/Please Subscribe and Like our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUfbl_rf8O_uwKrfzCh04jgSubscribe to our ⁠Spotify Channel⁠: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/blessorsofisrael Subscribe to our Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blessors-of-israedl/id1699662615Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlessorsofIsrael/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlessorsIGettr: https://gettr.com/i/blessorsofisrael Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-1670015Thank you for watching. Please like and share this video.We would love to hear your comments.Those who bless Israel will be blessed (Genesis 12:3).Pastor Rich JonesPastor Matthew DoddDr. Matthew DoddRich Jones Blessors of IsraelMatthew Dodd Blessors of IsraelBlessors of IsraelBlessers of IsraelTags:Pastor Rich JonesPastor Matthew DoddRich JonesDr. Matthew DoddRich Jones, Blessors of Israel, Rich Jones, Blessers of Israel, Matthew Dodd, Blessors of Israel, Matthew Dodd, Blessers of Israel, Blessers of Israel, Blessors of Israel, Two-State Solution, Palestine, Modern Palestinian Problem, Israel, Jesus Christ, Anti-Semitism, Prophecy Update, End Times Prophecy, Latter Days, Bible Prophecy, The Great Tribulation, Hamas, Gaza Strip, Terrorism, Hezbollah, Iran, Russia, Persia, Gog and Magog, BRICS, China, CCP, Persia, Iran, Turkey, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, India, Yahya Sinwar, Nasrallah, Ismail Haniyeh, Deif, United Nations, Terrorism, Antisemitism, Syria, Bashar al Assad, HTS, Damascus, Mount Hermon, Erdogan, Netanyahu, Trump, Putin, Ceasefire, Hostages, al Jolani, al Sharaa, Holocaust Day of Remembrance, China, Egypt, Iran Nuclear Deal, Trump, War, WWIII, Hamas, Anti-Semitism, October 7, 2023, Trump's 20-Point Peace Plan, Qatar, Egypt, Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, Erdogan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Board of Peace, Iranian Riots, Iranian Revolution, Davos,

In this powerful and eye-opening conversation, Amir Tsarfati sits down with Rawan Osman, one of the most courageous voices speaking out against antisemitism today.Born in Damascus, raised in Lebanon, and once a supporter of Hezbollah, Rawan shares her extraordinary journey from indoctrination and hatred to truth, clarity, and hope. She exposes how antisemitism is deeply embedded in education, media, and culture across the Arab world and why the hatred of Jews has never truly been about Israel.Connect with us on social:Telegram: @beholdisraelchannelInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amir.tsarfati/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beholdisrael/X: https://x.com/beholdisraelYouTube: https://youtube.com/@beholdisrael

Acts 9:1-6 - But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”

MEI Senior Fellow Charles Lister joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to unpack the latest developments in Syria, as a tenuous cease-fire takes hold after several days of intense fighting between the Syrian army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Their discussion explores the drivers of the conflict, the prospects for a lasting deal that would integrate the SDF into the Syrian military, as well as the role and perspective of key external actors, including the US, Turkey, and Israel.    For more background on the Damascus-SDF conflict, please see Charles's recent article on the fighting in Aleppo in mid-January here.   Recorded on January 20, 2026.  

Jesus said in the Gospel of John, that without being born again, no one can enter the kingdom of God. In other words, conversion is absolutely necessary. And yet no two conversions are the same. So how can we have assurance we have been converted? By looking at the most famous conversion in the history of the world we will see that while no two conversions are the same, there are some elements that must be present. Let's look at the conversion of Saul on the Road to Damascus.

THE MARKS OF A MAN MADE NEW (Acts 9:17-22) When we make Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, we become a new creation.  We are made new.  A great preacher once said, “Nature forms us. Sin deforms us. School informs us. Prison reforms us. But, only Christ transforms us.”  In Christ, we become new. A Christian is not just somebody who has become nice; he has become new. He doesn't just turn over a new leaf; he receives a new life. A Christian is not like a tadpole that has become a frog, which has gone through a series of changes, but basically, it is the same creature. No, a Christian is more like a frog that has received the kiss of grace and has become a prince.  That is what we are. We are changed radically and dramatically.  We are a new creature. When Saul of Tarsus met the Lord Jesus on that road to Damascus, Saul asked the two greatest questions that anybody in this world could ever ask: “Who art thou, Lord?” and “Lord, what [would you] have me to do?”  Somebody has said that the Apostle Paul spent the rest of his life finding the answer to those two questions: “Who art thou, Lord?” and “Lord, what [would you] have me to do?”  They truly are wonderful questions! I would to God that everyone in the whole wide world would sincerely ask those questions: Who is Jesus, and what does Jesus want me to do?   As you study the Bible, you will see that the Bible doesn't put the emphasis upon receiving Christ as Savior.  The Bible puts the emphasis upon making Jesus Lord. And, when you make Jesus Christ Lord, He is, therefore, your Savior. Now, I'm not saying that He doesn't save.  Indeed, He does save.  But, while the Bible mentions Him as Savior 24 times, it mentions Him as Lord 433 times. When they spoke of the Lord Jesus, they called Him “the Lord Jesus.” Nobody is saved, who has not made Jesus Lord.  Listen, you cannot have what He gives—salvation—unless you receive what He is—and that is Lord. Click on the link below to hear a message on the marks of a man made new in Christ. This is a live recording of The Master's Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS. Amen.

Guest: Jonathan Schanzer. Syria's new central government remains extremely fragile, with authority barely extending beyond Damascus as factions clash in Aleppo. Schanzer describes a "Sunni jihadist regime" facing retribution from sectarian minorities. Meanwhile, regional tensions escalate as Israel and Iran reportedly narrowly avoided direct conflict, prompting Russia to evacuate its embassy.1979 TEHRAN

Guest: Brandon Weichert. Iranian protesters face a brutal regime that may utilize a "Samson Option," firing all missiles at Israel if the government falls. Weichert notes that while the Israelis and CIA have covert assets on the ground, the protest movement lacks a cohesive leader. Proposals for restoring the Pahlavi dynasty are criticized as an impractical solution.1997 DAMASCUS

SHOW1-14-251671 Guests: Elizabeth Peek and John Batchelor. Batchelor and Peek discuss inflation holding firm at 2.7% in December. They evaluate falling gasoline prices and strong holiday retail performance as indicators of improving consumer sentiment. Peek also critiques a DOJ investigation into Jerome Powell, labeling it an "unforced error" that might inadvertently extend Powell's tenure. Guest: Elizabeth Peek. This segment addresses political dissent in Minnesota following a tragedy involving an ICE agent. Peek argues that liberal activists are nationalizing the incident to demonize law enforcement. She views this as partisan positioning for the midterms, intended as a weapon to be used against President Trump. Guests: Judy Dempsey and Thaddeus Matter. Dempsey explains that the EU lacks a cohesive strategy for Irandespite a consensus on increasing sanctions. Regarding Ukraine, she highlights staggering divisions among European states as the U.S. withdraws military help. Dempsey notes a ceasefire remains unlikely because Russiacurrently has no interest in negotiations. Guests: Judy Dempsey and Thaddeus Matter. The discussion focuses on Chancellor Friedrich Merz's efforts to address immigration to counter the populist AfD party. Dempsey explores the nuances of refugee integration into the German workforce. Finally, she reports European "horror" at potential U.S. moves to annex Greenland, which could threaten the survival of NATO. Guest: Joseph Sternberg. China faces a "sluggish zombie economy" characterized by a burst property bubble and anemic consumption. Sternberg warns of "Japanification," where growth remains stagnant for decades. Beijingstruggles with price deflation, further burdening a heavily indebted economy. Meaningful recovery requires political reforms Xi Jinping resists.  Guest: Joseph Sternberg. President Trump is reportedly using an investigation into Fed Chairman Jerome Powell as a pretext to influence interest rate decisions. Sternberg notes that while central banks like the Bank of England strive for independence, they are increasingly politicized. Additionally, Western media outlets like the BBC initially faced criticism for slow coverage of Iranian massacre 7Guest: Jonathan Schanzer. Intense protests in Iran, sparked by decades of mismanagement, have led to a violent crackdown by the regime. Schanzer highlights that these demonstrations are uniquely supported by President Trump's rhetoric. Reza Pahlavi has emerged as a potential figurehead for a transitional government or constitutional monarchy, as the population remains largely pro-Western.8 Guest: Jonathan Schanzer. Syria's new central government remains extremely fragile, with authority barely extending beyond Damascus as factions clash in Aleppo. Schanzer describes a "Sunni jihadist regime" facing retribution from sectarian minorities. Meanwhile, regional tensions escalate as Israel and Iran reportedly narrowly avoided direct conflict, prompting Russia to evacuate its embassy. Guest: Dr. Brenda Shaffer. Iran is a multi-ethnic state where Persians constitute less than 40% of the population. Shaffer explains that while current protests are Persian-led, the regime's survival often depends on the participation of ethnic minorities like Azerbaijanis, Kurds, and Baluch. These groups frequently engage in direct retribution against security forces. Guest: General Blaine Holt (retired). Holt discusses potential U.S. intervention to support Iranian protesters, emphasizing strikes on command nodes rather than ground troops. While the U.S. maintains air superiority, putting special operators on the ground carries high risk. The Iranian people face a critical window of days to succeed before facing stunning reprisals. Guest: Brandon Weichert. Iranian protesters face a brutal regime that may utilize a "Samson Option," firing all missiles at Israel if the government falls. Weichert notes that while the Israelis and CIA have covert assets on the ground, the protest movement lacks a cohesive leader. Proposals for restoring the Pahlavi dynasty are criticized as an impractical solution. Guest: Brandon Weichert. Turmoil in Iran threatens China's energy security, as Beijing receives roughly 70-80% of Iranian oil. Weichert suggests Russia and China are using the crisis to test anti-Starlink technologies. Furthermore, the regime might import foreign terrorists to suppress domestic dissent, while the U.S. provides behind-the-scenes support to the movement. Guest: Gregory Copley. Iran's collapse could dismantle the "International North-South Transport Corridor," a vital trade route for Russia and India. Copley argues that the Iranian public is increasingly secular, with the youth rejecting clerical authority. While the regime may fire remaining missiles in desperation, a post-clerical Irancould ignite Central Asian economic potential. Guest: Gregory Copley. Although the U.S. promises help, Copley warns that a ground invasion is physically difficult and historically unsuccessful. There are signs that Iranian police and some Revolutionary Guard units are refusing to fire on protesters. Ultimately, the Iranian people must take ownership of the revolution to ensure the legitimacy of any successor government. Guest: Gregory Copley. Following the arrest of Maduro, Venezuela is controlled by four competing "crime families." Copley notes the absence of a clear U.S. plan for citizens facing food and medical insecurity. The U.S.seeks to enforce an oil embargo against Cuba, which is currently suffering from infrastructure collapse and electric grid failures. Guest: Gregory Copley. Reza Pahlavi proposes a constitutional monarchy where the crown serves as a symbolic figurehead, similar to the British system. Copley highlights Pahlavi's unique name recognition and legitimacy as the former crown prince. However, air power alone cannot decisively change the situation on the ground, requiring covert support after the clerics collapse.

SHOW SCHEDULE1-13-251868 PUBLISHER'S ROW NYC Guests: Elizabeth Peek and John Batchelor. Batchelor and Peek discuss inflation holding firm at 2.7% in December. They evaluate falling gasoline prices and strong holiday retail performance as indicators of improving consumer sentiment. Peek also critiques a DOJ investigation into Jerome Powell, labeling it an "unforced error" that might inadvertently extend Powell's tenure. Guest: Elizabeth Peek. This segment addresses political dissent in Minnesota following a tragedy involving an ICE agent. Peek argues that liberal activists are nationalizing the incident to demonize law enforcement. She views this as partisan positioning for the midterms, intended as a weapon to be used against President Trump. Guests: Judy Dempsey and Thaddeus Matter. Dempsey explains that the EU lacks a cohesive strategy for Irandespite a consensus on increasing sanctions. Regarding Ukraine, she highlights staggering divisions among European states as the U.S. withdraws military help. Dempsey notes a ceasefire remains unlikely because Russiacurrently has no interest in negotiations. Guests: Judy Dempsey and Thaddeus Matter. The discussion focuses on Chancellor Friedrich Merz's efforts to address immigration to counter the populist AfD party. Dempsey explores the nuances of refugee integration into the German workforce. Finally, she reports European "horror" at potential U.S. moves to annex Greenland, which could threaten the survival of NATO. Guest: Joseph Sternberg. China faces a "sluggish zombie economy" characterized by a burst property bubble and anemic consumption. Sternberg warns of "Japanification," where growth remains stagnant for decades. Beijingstruggles with price deflation, further burdening a heavily indebted economy. Meaningful recovery requires political reforms Xi Jinping resists. Guest: Joseph Sternberg. President Trump is reportedly using an investigation into Fed Chairman Jerome Powell as a pretext to influence interest rate decisions. Sternberg notes that while central banks like the Bank of England strive for independence, they are increasingly politicized. Additionally, Western media outlets like the BBC initially faced criticism for slow coverage of Iranian massacres. Guest: Jonathan Schanzer. Intense protests in Iran, sparked by decades of mismanagement, have led to a violent crackdown by the regime. Schanzer highlights that these demonstrations are uniquely supported by President Trump's rhetoric. Reza Pahlavi has emerged as a potential figurehead for a transitional government or constitutional monarchy, as the population remains largely pro-Western. Guest: Jonathan Schanzer. Syria's new central government remains extremely fragile, with authority barely extending beyond Damascus as factions clash in Aleppo. Schanzer describes a "Sunni jihadist regime" facing retribution from sectarian minorities. Meanwhile, regional tensions escalate as Israel and Iran reportedly narrowly avoided direct conflict, prompting Russia to evacuate its embassy. Guest: Dr. Brenda Shaffer. Iran is a multi-ethnic state where Persians constitute less than 40% of the population. Shaffer explains that while current protests are Persian-led, the regime's survival often depends on the participation of ethnic minorities like Azerbaijanis, Kurds, and Baluch. These groups frequently engage in direct retribution against security forces. Guest: General Blaine Holt (retired). Holt discusses potential U.S. intervention to support Iranian protesters, emphasizing strikes on command nodes rather than ground troops. While the U.S. maintains air superiority, putting special operators on the ground carries high risk. The Iranian people face a critical window of days to succeed before facing stunning reprisals. Guest: Brandon Weichert. Iranian protesters face a brutal regime that may utilize a "Samson Option," firing all missiles at Israel if the government falls. Weichert notes that while the Israelis and CIA have covert assets on the ground, the protest movement lacks a cohesive leader. Proposals for restoring the Pahlavi dynasty are criticized as an impractical solution. Guest: Brandon Weichert. Turmoil in Iran threatens China's energy security, as Beijing receives roughly 70-80% of Iranian oil. Weichert suggests Russia and China are using the crisis to test anti-Starlink technologies. Furthermore, the regime might import foreign terrorists to suppress domestic dissent, while the U.S. provides behind-the-scenes support to the movement. Guest: Gregory Copley. Iran's collapse could dismantle the "International North-South Transport Corridor," a vital trade route for Russia and India. Copley argues that the Iranian public is increasingly secular, with the youth rejecting clerical authority. While the regime may fire remaining missiles in desperation, a post-clerical Irancould ignite Central Asian economic potential. Guest: Gregory Copley. Although the U.S. promises help, Copley warns that a ground invasion is physically difficult and historically unsuccessful. There are signs that Iranian police and some Revolutionary Guard units are refusing to fire on protesters. Ultimately, the Iranian people must take ownership of the revolution to ensure the legitimacy of any successor government. Guest: Gregory Copley. Following the arrest of Maduro, Venezuela is controlled by four competing "crime families." Copley notes the absence of a clear U.S. plan for citizens facing food and medical insecurity. The U.S.seeks to enforce an oil embargo against Cuba, which is currently suffering from infrastructure collapse and electric grid failures. Guest: Gregory Copley. Reza Pahlavi proposes a constitutional monarchy where the crown serves as a symbolic figurehead, similar to the British system. Copley highlights Pahlavi's unique name recognition and legitimacy as the former crown prince. However, air power alone cannot decisively change the situation on the ground, requiring covert support after the clerics collapse.

In Step 9: Church, we see Jesus. After spending 40 days with his disciples following his resurrection, he ascends into heaven, promising to send the Holy Spirit. The disciples are given a mission - to make disciples from all nations and spread the kingdom message. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples, empowering them to speak in different languages and spread the message to people from all over the world. We witness many thousands of people become believers, including Paul, a persecutor of the Church who becomes a dedicated follower of Jesus after encountering him on the road to Damascus. Finally, we meet John, banished to the island of Patmos, receiving visions of future events. Through John, we're offered a glimpse into the return of Jesus and the establishment of his kingdom.Suggested ReadingsMatthew 28:1-20Acts 2:1-47Acts 9:1-31Episode HighlightsJesus' final commission to His disciples before ascending to heavenThe dramatic events of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit's empowermentPeter's powerful sermon leading to 3,000 new believersPaul's extraordinary conversion on the Damascus roadJohn's exile to Patmos and his glimpse of future eventsSupport the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @realbiblebriefX: @biblebriefFacebook: @realbiblebriefEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.org Want to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out our partner Biblingo (and use our link/code for a discount!): https://bibli...

Join 3 of 7 as they recap a grueling, rain-soaked Proving Grounds mission with Troop 11, announce April registration, and thank Patreon supporters and partner Bear Performance Nutrition. The main discussion walks through Acts 9–10: Saul's conversion and growth in Damascus, his escape and brief visit to Jerusalem, Peter's healing miracles (Aeneas and Tabitha), and the pivotal vision that opens the gospel to Gentiles through Cornelius. Key themes include evidence of the Spirit, cultural barriers being broken, and the components of Peter's gospel message.   Check out Bare Performance Nutrition and use code "3of7" for 10% OFF! https://www.bareperformancenutrition.com   Check out 3 of 7 Project https://www.3of7project.com Apply for our courses at: https://www.3of7project.com/train Thank you for supporting Three of Seven Podcast on Patreon at: www.patreon.com/threeofseven Three of Seven Project Store: https://3of7project.myshopify.com/pages/shop Nuff Said.

SHIFTS IN US POLICY AND THE RISE OF THE SHIA CRESCENT Colleague Brandon Weichert. This section tracks US policy shifts from Clinton's diplomatic attempts to the unintended consequences of the 2003 Iraq War. Weichert argues that removing Saddam Hussein eliminated a check on Iranian power, allowing Tehran to establish a "Shia Crescent" of influence stretching to Lebanon. The conversation covers the deep Sunni-Shia hostility and Iran'sstrategic co-opting of the Palestinian cause to weaken Israel. It also critiques the Obama administration's JCPOA, describing it as a failed attempt to equalize regional power between Iran and Israel, and traces Iran's nuclear ambitions back to Eisenhower's "Atoms for Peace" program. SHADOW WAR BY BRANDON WEICHERT NUMBER 31897 DAMASCUS