Podcasts about Eurasia

Qui trovate il mio nuovo libro "PAUSA LIBRO": https://geopop.it/Pausa-Libro-su-Amazon Cosa c'è davvero sotto lo Stretto di Messina? In questo video vi porto in un viaggio nella geologia tra Calabria e Sicilia: una zona dove Africa, Eurasia e microplacche mediterranee si muovono, si scontrano, si strappano. Vi racconto i concetti principali per capire la dinamica geologica dello Stretto e aggiungere questo tassello agli altri aspetti – economici, sociali, politici, ambientali, ingegneristici – per farvi un'idea vostra sul tema “Ponte sì o Ponte no”. Spoiler: Se cercate un sì o un no, questo non è il video per voi. Se volete capire cosa accade sotto lo Stretto, allora siete nel posto giusto. Vi lascio qui in basso i link dei video correlati e la bibliografia Prendi parte alla nostra Membership per supportare il nostro progetto Missione Cultura e diventare mecenate di Geopop: https://geopop.it/ngCbN Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can the United States advance its interests without abandoning its core values? Alexander Vindman, retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and former director for European Affairs on the White House's National Security Council, presents a discussion on the critical interplay between morality, values and power in the practice of geopolitics and national security.  After the collapse of the Soviet Union, six U.S. presidential administrations across both parties crafted policies for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia that unintentionally emboldened Russia and played into its imperialist, centuries-long mythos of regional hegemony, by pursuing short-term transactional policies. The result: military aggression and full-scale invasion. It was all too foreseeable.  Vindman will discuss the shifting U.S. foreign policy landscape, what a just peace and lasting end to the war in Ukraine might look like, the administration's increasingly transactional approach to international relations, and Trump's heavy-handed approach to national security and domestic politics. About the Speaker  Dr. Alexander Vindman, a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel, was the director for European Affairs on the National Security Council. Before that, he served as the political-military affairs officer for Russia for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and as an attaché at the U.S. Embassies in Moscow and Kyiv. While on the Joint Staff, he authored the National Military Strategy for Russia. He earned a Master's from Harvard University, where he served as a Hauser Leader, and a Master's and Doctorate from Johns Hopkins, where he is a senior fellow. Dr. Vindman leads the national security think tank Institute for Informed American Leadership, is the president of the nonprofit Here Right Matters Foundation, an executive board member for the Renew Democracy Initiative, a senior fellow at the Kettering Foundation, and a senior advisor to VoteVets. Dr. Vindman is the author of the "Why It Matters" Substack and the New York Times bestselling books Here, Right Matters and The Folly of Realism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades Western policymakers have struggled to understand the mindset of the Russian people and their leaders. This episode of The Transatlantic brings together two Russia experts who provide unique perspectives into the challenges American leaders often face when negotiating with Russian officials. Join James Collins, former Ambassador to Russia, and Wayne Merry, the officer in Embassy Moscow who authored a 1993 dissent cable predicting the adversarial turn of post-Soviet Russia, for a wide-ranging conversation about their combined decades inside Russia, a look inside the Vladimir Putin's world, and their thoughts on what will determine the future of Russia. -- Read E. Wayne Merry's Dissent Cable here: https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/document/32704-document-1-wayne-merry-dissent-channel-cable-american-embassy-moscow -- Ambassador James F. Collins is an expert on the former Soviet Union, its successor states, and the Middle East. Ambassador Collins was the U.S. ambassador to the Russian Federation from 1997 to 2001. Prior to joining the Carnegie Endowment, he served as senior adviser at the public law and policy practice group Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP. Before his appointment as Ambassador to Russia, he served as Ambassador-at-Large and Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for the newly independent states in the mid-1990s and as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d'affaires at the U.S. embassy in Moscow from 1990 to 1993. In addition to three diplomatic postings in Moscow, he held positions at the U.S. embassy in Amman, Jordan, and the consulate general in Izmir, Turkey. He is the recipient of the Secretary of State's Award for Distinguished Service; the Department of State's Distinguished Honor Award; the Secretary of State's Award for Career Achievement; the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service; and the NASA Medal for Distinguished Service. Before joining the State Department, Ambassador Collins taught Russian and European history, American government, and economics at the U.S. Naval Academy. -- E. Wayne Merry is Senior Fellow for Europe and Eurasia at the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, DC. He is widely published and a frequent speaker on topics relating to Russia, Central Asia and the Caucasus, the Balkans, European security and trans-Atlantic relations. In twenty-six years in the United States Foreign Service, he worked as a diplomat and political analyst specializing in Soviet and post-Soviet political issues, including six years at the American Embassy in Moscow, where he was in charge of political analysis on the breakup of the Soviet Union and the early years of post-Soviet Russia. He also served at the embassies in Tunis, East Berlin, and Athens and at the US Mission to the United Nations in New York. In Washington he served in the Treasury, State, and Defense Departments. In the Pentagon he served as the Regional Director for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia during the mid-nineties. He also served at the Headquarters of the US Marine Corps and on Capitol Hill with the staff of the US Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He was later a program director at the Atlantic Council of the United States

The Three Archetypes of American Global Strategy — Gaius & Germanicus — Gaius and Germanicus analyze the prospective American National Security Strategy for 2025–2026, framing it as a deliberate return to the "Trump corollary" of the Monroe Doctrine emphasizing hemispheric supremacy and regional sphere-of-influence arrangements. Germanicus categorizes American foreign policy history into three religious-like ideological visions: Washington'sisolationist "beacon on the hill," the Monroe-Adams "realm of liberty" (defensive empire protecting American interests), and the Jacksonian "Prometheus unbound" (universalist ideological expansion spreading democratic values). Germanicus argues the incoming administration systematically rejects the "Wilson to Biden" lineage of global interventionism and messianic crusading in favor of Theodore Roosevelt-style "flexible realism" emphasizing power, national interest, and transactional diplomacy. Gaius details this shifted strategy as consolidating American dominance in the Western Hemisphere and Pacific region while according Russia respect and a recognized sphere of influence in Eurasia, explicitly rejecting Cold War confrontationalism. Gaius documents that Kremlin leadership has explicitly welcomed this "flexible realism," viewing it as a geopolitical departure from perpetual adversarial Cold War mindset. Germanicus contrasts this transactional approach with the "Manichaean" moral crusades characterizing recent American foreign policy, suggesting the American public now explicitly favors strategy avoiding military entanglement while prioritizing domestic prosperity and economic reconstruction, mirroring isolationist sentiments following World War I. 1911 USS MAINE IN HAVANA HARBOR

David DeBatto is host of the ‘No Delusion Zone' podcast @NoDelusionZone is a retired U.S. Army Counterintelligence Special Agent, a geopolitical analyst, writer, and podcaster. David is an Iraq war veteran who served as Team Leader of a Tactical Human Intelligence Team (THT) in operations within Iraq and is also a former police officer. David is considered too conservative for the progressive left and too independent minded for the radical right and seeks to challenge political dogma and the naked self-interest of politicians. DAVID DEBATTO LINKS: @NoDelusionZone https://www.protectingtherepublic.com/podcasthttps://x.com/ddebattohttps://www.kyivpost.com/authors/743----------Chuck Pfarrer is an American writer, film producer and former navy SEAL. He'll be a familiar and trusted presence to many who have tuned in to the Mriya Report on ‘X' over the course of the war. As an author, Chuck has penned screenplays, novels and comic books, as well as non-fiction works. His works feature themes relating to the military, and of course is a strong advocate for Ukrainian victory. ----------Timothy Ash, who has been professional economist for more than 30 years, with two thirds of that in the banking industry. Timothy's specialism is emerging European economics, and he writes and blogs extensively on economic challenges for leading publications such as the Kyiv Post, Atlantic Council, the Financial Times, and the United Business Journal. He is also an Associate Fellow in the Russia and Eurasia programme at Chatham House and has advised various governments on Ukraine-Russia policy and specifically on the impact of sanctions.TIMOTHY ASH LINKS:https://timothyash.substack.com/ https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/our-people/timothy-ashhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-ash-83a87158/https://cepa.org/author/timothy-ash/----------This is super important. There are so many Battalions in Ukraine, fighting to defend our freedoms, but lack basics such as vehicles. These are destroyed on a regular basis, and lack of transport is costs lives, and Ukrainian territory. Once again Silicon Curtain has teamed up with Car4Ukraine and a group of wonderful creators to provide much-needed assistance: https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/autumn-harvest-silicon-curtainAutumn Harvest: Silicon Curtain (Goal€22,000)We'll be supporting troops in Pokrovsk, Kharkiv, and other regions where the trucks are needed the most. 93rd Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar", Black Raven Unmanned Systems Battalionhttps://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/autumn-harvest-silicon-curtain----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/----------

On today's Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomic Aeronautical Systems, Dr. Eugene Rumer, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the US drive to end the Ukraine war; whether a deal will fracture the NATO alliance; European support for Ukraine should Washington decide to partner with Moscow; impact of European Central Bank's decision against being a “backstop” on Ukrainian use of 140 billion euros in seized Russian assets; the impact of the corruption scandal involving those close to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy; Russian claims to have taken Pokrovsk from Ukrainian forces; and whether Ukraine is delivering as much pain on Russia through strikes on energy and shipping as Russia is on Ukraine through massive air strikes targeting civilians.

This episode we look at many of the natural events and talk about those observing and writing things down, and why they may have wanted to do so. For more, check out our podcast blogpage:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-139   Rough Transcript: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 139: Observing the "Natural" World. Members of the Onmyou-ryou, dressed in the official robes of their office, sat around in their observation tower, measuring the location of the stars.  They kept their light to a minimum, just enough so that they could write down their observations, but not so much that it would destroy their vision.  As they looked up, suddenly they saw a strange movement: a streak through the sky.  They waited, and observed, and then there was another, and another after that.  It was as if the stars themselves were falling from the heavens.  They watched as it seemed that the constellations themselves were melting and falling apart.  Quickly they scribbled down notes.  Tomorrow, with the light of day, they would consult various sources to see just what it could mean.  For now, their role was simply to observe and record.   Welcome back, everyone.  It is the height of holiday season in the US as I record this, and in our narrative we are in the middle of the reign of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou, who came to power in 672 and who has been shoring up the Ritsuryo state instigated by his late brother, Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tennou.  We have talked in recent episodes about how Ohoama put a lot of the state under the control of members of the royal family, or at least those with claims to royal blood, and how he had also begun work on the Chronicles—the very works that we have been using to try and understand the history of this and earlier periods.   It seems clear that Ohoama and his cohorts were doing their best to solidify their control and, in the process, create what they felt was a modern state, leveraging the continental model, but not without their own local flavor.  After all, they were also investing in the kami based rituals of state and specifically in Ise shrine, which they claimed as an ancestral shrine for their lineage. This episode, let's dig into another thing that was getting reported around this time.  And that is… science!  Or at least observations of the world and indications of how people were interacting with it. Before going into the subject, I want to acknowledge that "science", or "Kagaku" in modern Japanese, may not look like what we think of as "science" today.  The word "Kagaku" itself appears to come about in the late Edo period, and became associated with the western idea of "Science" in the Meiji period.  Today we think of it as observations, yes, but also testing via the scientific method. I think it might be more appropriate to categorize a lot of earlier science under a term like "learning" or "study", and it seems to have encompassed a wide range of topics of study, some of which we would include as "science" and some which we might refer to more as "arts".  There is also a very fine line with religion and philosophy as well. From a modern perspective, I think one could fairly argue that "science"—particularly the so-called "hard" sciences—refers to something that can be empirically tested via the scientific method.  So you can see something, form a hypothesis, create a test, and then that test should produce the same results no matter who conducts it, assuming you account for the variables. And please don't @ me about this… I know I am simplifying things.  This isn't a podcast about science unless we are talking about the social sciences of history and archaeology. In contrast to our modern concept of science, much of what we see in the Asuka era is built around using our reasoning to arrive at the truth of something.  In cases where we are dealing with clearly physical phenomena that have observable causes and effects, this can lead to remarkably reliable results.  One example of this is calendrical science—it isn't that hard to observe the passing of days and seasons.  Even the rotation of the earth and the movements of stars and even something with as large a period as comets could be observed and tracked, especially if you had centuries of data to comb through.  In fact, they often would predict things that it turns out they couldn't, themselves, see.  They could predict that an eclipse would occur, for example, even when that eclipse was only visible somewhere else.  And they didn't have to calculate gravitational pull, mass, or distances between different heavenly bodies for that to occur. Similarly, in the agricultural sphere: you had so many people who observed the seasons and would figure out new ways of doing things.  It doesn't take an understanding of chlorophyl to know that plants generally do better when exposed to sunlight. I believe the leap happens when you get to things that go beyond purely observable means.  Sickness, for example—how do you explain viruses or germs without equipment like microscopes to see what our eyes alone cannot?  And if such "invisible" things could cause so much damage, then why could there not be other "invisible" elements, such as kami and boddhisatvas?  And as humans we are driven to make connections.  It is one of the things that has driven our technological innovation and rise, but it is also something that can easily go awry.  Like when you are sitting in a dark house, alone, and you hear a noise.  Rationally, you might know that houses settle and creak, but that doesn't necessarily stop your brain from connecting it with thoughts that someone must be in the house making that noise. Or even how we make judgments based on nothing more than how someone talks or what they look like, because our brains have made connections with those things, for good or ill. A large part of the rationalization that was accomplished in Asian thought had to do with concepts of Yin and Yang, the negative and the positive, the dark and the light.  This was thought of as a kind of energy—qi or ki—that was embedded in things.  We discussed this somewhat back in episode 127, because yin yang theory, along with the five element theory, known as Wuxing or Gogyou in Japanese, became embedded in the idea of the calendar.  Why was summer hot, except that it was connected with an excess of fire energy?  And the cold, dark days of winter would be associated with an excess of water, naturally. I should note that while this is one of the more comprehensive philosophical systems in use, it was not the only means by which various phenomena and effects were rationalized.  After all, it had to be imposed on a framework of how the world otherwise worked, and descriptions of the world came from a variety of places.  There was, for example, the Classic of Mountains and Seas, or Sanhaijing, which detailed the world as envisioned in the period before the Qin dynasty, although there were occasional updates.  The Sanhaijing  described regular plants and animals in the same breath as gods and monsters.  There were also various buddhist sutras, which brought their own cosmological view of the universe that had to be squared with other visions, including those passed down locally describing the archipelago as the "Reed Plain" and giving particular importance to eight of the islands—though which eight depends on which variant of the creation myth you are referencing. To categorize the study of the natural—and what we would consider the supernatural—world around them, the Ritsuryou set up specific bureaus.  One of these was the Onmyou-ryou, the Bureau of Yin-yang, also known as the Onyo no Tsukasa.  This Bureau oversaw divination, astronomy, time, and calendars.  At its head was the Onmyou-no-kami.  Below them were the various scholars studying the core subjects, as well as technical practitioners to carry out the rites and divination. On the continent, priority was generally given to astronomical and calendrical studies, and many of the more magical practices or rituals would fade away, likely because there were local Taoist institutions who could take up much of that work.  In Japan, however, it seems that the calendrical studies tended to ossify, instead, while onmyoji came to fill a role not just for the state but also among the population for divination and other such practices.  Even into the Edo period one could find private onmyoji, and the Bureau itself lasted until the very beginning of the Meiji period. Another important institution of the Ritsuryo government for learning was the Daigakuryou, the Bureau of Great Learning.  Students of Japanese may recognize the term "Daigaku" referring, today, to universities. The original concept for the Daigaku-ryou, or Daigaku no Tsukasa, was focused on the study of those things that were considered perhaps a bit more practical and necessary to anyone who might want a political career.  Since this was founded on concepts of Confucian government, it is little wonder that it was originally designed to focus on Confucian studies, among other things.  This fits into the idea of a supposed meritocracy, where one's education was part of the examination.  You may recall from Episode 115 we talked about the National University in Chang'an, which is likely something that the Daigaku Ryou could only ever dream of becoming. Early arts taught at the Daigaku Ryou included the Confucian classics, mathematics, writing, and Chinese pronunciation.  These were all things that you would need to know to become a part of the bureaucracy The idea of a school may have been born along with the early institution of the government, with mention as early as 671, in the last year of Naka no Oe's reign, but we don't have it clearly established in the code until later.  Full operations may have been somewhat delayed due to the tumultuous events of Ohoama's accession to power in 672, but we do see it explicitly mentioned in the year 675.  On the first day of the year we are told that Students from the Daigaku Ryou, along with students from the Onmyou-Ryou and from the Gaiyaku Ryou, the Bureau of External Medicine; along with the Woman of S'ravasti, the Woman of Tara, Prince Syeonkwang of Baekje, and Silla labourers offered presents of drugs and various rarities. We talked about the first two, the Daigaku-ryou and the Onmyou-ryou, but the Gaiyaku Ryou doesn't seem to have a lot of information out there beyond this mention.  Later there would a "Ten'yaku Ryou", or Bureau of Medicine, established in the code.  Since we don't have any extant codes from this period beyond what was written down in the Nihon Shoki, we don't know for certain what the Gaiyaku-ryou was , and it is possible that the Gaiyaku-Ryou was a precursor to the Ten'yaku Ryou.  "GAI" means "outside" or "external", leading me to wonder if this referred to external medicine in contrast to internal medicine, or if it meant medicine or drugs from outside teh archipeloago. I would point out that these students are found with the Woman of S'ravasti, or Shae; the Woman of Tara; a Baekje prince and Silla labourers.  In other words, they were all people from outside of the archipelago.  This is not entirely surprising as it was from outside that much of the learning was coming into the country. "Yaku" or "Kusuri", which can be translated as either "Drugs" or "medicine", could refer to a number of things.  How effective they were is somewhat questionable. Almost certainly some of them had confirmed medicinal efficacy, but others may have been thought to have been effective due to things like their connection to the five elements, or wuxing, theory. For example, something red might be assumed to have a warming effect because of the presumed presence of the fire element.  And the power of the placebo effect no doubt made them seem at least partially effective.  Consider, for example, how many people will swear by certain remedies for the common cold when all it really does is distract you, or perhaps make you a bit more comfortable, until the symptoms pass on their own. A more certain science was probably that of Astronomy, which we've mentioned a few times.  The passage of the stars through the sky was something that could be easily observed.  There is a theory that some of the first lines in the Yijing, or book of changes, may actually be a description of the changing of seasons as different aspects of a given constellation rise over the horizon, and the placement of certain stars would help in the adjustment of the lunar calendar, since the moon's orbit does not match up exactly with the solar year, and year the solar year was quite important to things like agriculture and even sailing to the mainland. This all makes 675 a seemingly banner year for science, as four days after the presentation of medicine to the throne, the government erected a platform by which to observe the stars.  This wouldn't need to be much—it could have been an earthen mound, or just a tower, from which one could get above the ground, presumably see over any buildings, to the horizon.  Granted, Asuka might not be the best place for such observations, with the nearby mountains meaning that the true horizon is often obstructed.  Nonetheless, it may have been enough to make calculations. Astronomy platforms, or Tenmondai, would continue to be used up until at least the Meiji period.  Without a telescope, observations were somewhat limited—though they also didn't have the same level of light pollution that we have today.  Remember, many woke just before dawn and went to sleep not too long after the sun went down, which only makes sense when you are living in a place where creating light, while doable, also ran the risk of burning your entire house to the ground. It is worth noting that the sky for the ancient Japanese was likely quite different than what most of us see when we look up, unless you are fortunate enough to live in a place with very little light pollution.  For many of those living today in the cities and suburban landscape, go outside at night and you might see the moon and some of the brightest stars, but for most of the ancient Japanese, they would look up and see the heavenly river, the Amakawa, or Milky Way.  They would have looked up at a sky glittering with myriad dots of light, as well as planets and more.  It was both familiar and strange—something one saw regularly and yet something that was also extremely inaccessible. Astronomical observations would have been important for several reasons, as I've mentioned.  They would have been used to keep the calendar in check, but they would also have likely been used to help calibrate the water clock, which helped to tell time.  Of course, going back to the five elements and yin yang theory, it is also believed that the energy, the qi or ki, changed with the seasons and the movements of the stars and planets—planets were not known as such, of course, but their seemingly erratic movements compared to bright lights in the sky meant they were noticed and assigned values within the elemental system. One of the things that came with the changing seasons, the heavenly movements, and the flow of ki was a concept of "kata-imi", literally directional taboos.  There were times when certain directions might be considered favorable or unfavorable for various actions.  This could be something as simple as traveling in a given direction.  In the centuries to come this would spawn an entire practice of kata-tagae, or changing direction.  Is the north blocked, but you need to travel there, anyway?  Well just go northwest to say hello to a friend or visit your local sake brewery, and then travel due east.  Ta-da!  You avoided going directly north!  There were also mantra-like incantations that one might say if they had to travel in an inauspicious direction to counteract the concept of bad influences. This also influenced various other things, and even today you will often see dates where a year and month might be followed by simply the character for "auspicious day" rather than an actual day of the month. So observing the heavens was important, and it was also important that they tostudy the works of those on the continent, whose records could help predict various astronomical phenomena.  Except that there was one tiny problem:  I don't know if you've noticed, but Japan and China are in two different locations.  Not all astronomical phenomena can be observed from all points of the globe.  The Northern Lights, for example, are rarely seen in more southerly latitudes, and while eclipses are not too rare, a total eclipse only impacts certain areas of the earth, along relatively narrow paths. I mention this because it isn't always clear if the records we get in the Nihon Shoki are about phenomena they directly observed or if they are taking reports from elsewhere and incorporating them into the narrative.  One such event is the comet of 676. The entry in the Nihon Shoki tells us that in the 7th lunar month of the 5th year of Temmu Tennou, aka 676 CE, a star appeared in the east that was 7 or 8 shaku in length.  It disappeared two months later. We've mentioned some of this before, but the sky was divided up into "shaku", or "feet", though how exactly it was measured I'm not entirely sure.  It appears to be that one foot was roughly 1.5 degrees of the sky, give or take about a quarter of a degree, with 180 degrees from horizon to horizon.  So it would have been about 10 to 12 degrees in the sky.  Another way to picture it is if you hold out your arm towards the object, and spread your index and little finger, it would probably fit between those two points.  This comet hung around for some time, and a great part about a comet like this is that it was viewable from multiple locations.  After all, as the earth turned, different areas were exposed to the comet as it passed through our part of the solar system.  Thus we have records of it from not just the Nihon Shoki:  We also find it in the Anglo-Saxon chronicles, where it was thought to have foretold the end of Bishop Wilfred's control of Northumbria.  We also see it in Tang, Silla, and Syrian sources. These sources aren't always in complete agreement.  For one thing, they noted when they first saw it, which might have been impacted by local conditions.  And then conversion between lunar and solar calendars can also sometimes get in the way.  Roughtly speaking, we have the Nihon Shoki providing dates of somewhere from about August or September of 676, on the Western calendar, to October or November. Tang sources put it from 4 September to 1 November.  Silla Chronicles claim that it first appeared in the 7th lunar month, so between August and September.  A Syrian Chronicle notes a comet from about 28 August to 26 October in the following year, 677, but this is thought to have been a mistake.  European sources generally seem to claim it was seen in August and lasted for three months.  All of these sightings put it at roughly the same time. Working with that and with known comets, we think we actually know which comet this is:  The Comet de Cheseaux also known as the Comet Klinkenberg-Cheseaux.  And I should mention this is all thanks to a research paper by M. Meyer and G. W. Kronk.  In that paper they propose that this is the comet with the designation of C/1743 X1, or the common names I just mentioned.  If so, based on its trajectory, this comet would have been visible in 336, 676, 1032, 1402, 1744, and is next predicted to show up in 2097.  And no, those aren't all exactly the same amount of time.  It is roughly every 350 years or so, but with the movements of the solar system, the planets, and various gravitational forces that likely slow or speed up its movement, it doesn't show up on exactly regular intervals.  Still, it is pretty incredible to think that we have a record of a comet that was seen the world over at this time, by people looking up from some very different places. Comets were something interesting for early astronomers.  They may have originally been seen as particularly ominous—after all, in the early eras, they were hardly predictable, and it would take years to get enough data to see that they were actually a somewhat regular occurrence.  In fact, it is likely that early astronomers were able to figure out eclipse schedules before comets.  Still, they seem to have come to the realization that comets were in fact another type of natural and reoccurring phenomenon.  That isn't to say that they didn't have any oracular meaning, but it did mean they were less of an obvious disturbance of the heavenly order. We have another comet mentioned in the 10th lunar month of 681, but that one seems to have had less attention focused on it, and we don't have the same details.  Then in the 8th lunar month of 682 we have an entry about a Great Star passing from East to West—which was probably a shooting star, rather than a comet.  Comets, for all that they appear to be streaking across the sky thanks to their long tails, are often relatively stable from an earthbound perspective, taking months to appear and then disappear again. Then, on the 23rd day of the 7th month of 684 we get another comet in the northwest.  This one was more than 10 shaku in length—about 15 degrees, total, give or take.  Given the date, we can be fairly confident about this one, as well: it was the famous Halley's comet.  Halley's comet is fascinating for several reasons.  For one, it has a relatively short period of about 72 to 80 years, though mostly closer to 75 to 77 years in between sightings.  The last time it visited the earth was in 1986, and it is expected back in 2061.  Halley's comet has been recorded since the 3rd century BCE, and, likely because of its short period, it was the first periodic comet to be recognized as such.  There are other periodic comets with short periods, but many of them are not visible with the naked eye.  Halley's comet is perhaps the most studied comet, given its regular and relatively short periodicity.  It is also connected to the famous writer, humorist, and essayist, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, aka Mark Twain.  He was born only a few days after the comet reached perihelion in 1835 and died a day after it reached the same point again in 1910, and while he may not have visited Japan in his lifetime, it was a period of great change both in his home country of America and in Japan.  America, of course, would undergo a Civil War over the issue of slavery in the early 1860s, and shortly after that Japan would have its own civil war in the form of the Meiji Revolution.  And while he never visited—and translation could only do so much to capture the art of his prose—Mark Twain's works were apparently quite influential in Japan in the early 20th century. Of course, comets were just one of the celestial phenomena to be observed.  The astronomers were interested in just about anything happening in the sky.  We have accounts of both solar and lunar eclipses, and not necessarily full eclipses either.  We even have notice of the movement of some planets, such as in 681, when they noted that the planet mars "entered" the moon. Obviously the astronomers weren't recording every raincloud that came through—at least not in the main chronicles—but they did capture a fair number of events.  They did record particularly memorable storms.  For instances, in the 8th lunar month of 675 there was a storm that is said to have caused sand to fly and which then damaged houses.  This sounds like a wind storm without rain—after all, if there was rain, you would expect that the sand would have been wet and tamped down.  It is possible to have hurricane level winds without the rain.  While typhoons typically bring rain, especially as they usually build up their strength at sea, it is possible to have the winds alone, as I've experienced, myself, in Tokyo.  This most likely happens in an isolated area—there is water and rain somewhere, but the typhoon can be large, so parts of it may only get the wind and little or no rain.  I wonder if something like that happened in this instance.  It is also possible that this record refers to actual sand being brought across from the continent.  In some instances, sand can be lifted up from as far away as Mongolia and carried all the way to Japan, though it is pretty rare. And it wasn't just wind and sand.  We get accounts of hail coming down as large as peaches, torrential rainstorms, and even ash, likely from a volcanic eruption that was otherwise unrecorded.  There are also accounts of snow, though typically recorded in times where you wouldn't expect to see it, such as the third lunar month, which would mean snow in late April or early May. Mostly these storms are mentioned in terms of how they affected the immediate fortunes of the living, but sometimes storms did even more damage.  In 682, for example, a hoar-frost was reported in both Shinano and Kibi in the 7th lunar month.  On its own, this probably wouldn't have been worth mentioning, but the chroniclers add that because of storms the "five grains had not formed".  So storms had diminished the crops and the hoar-frost was apparently the killing blow.  The harvest that year would be lean, and it would not be a happy time for many that winter. And then, just as important as what was happening was what was not.  There are several mentions of droughts, particularly towards the end of Spring, early Summer.  This is traditionally a drier period, and if it is too dry it could harm the harvest.  And so the government was expected to find a way to bring the rain—a tall order, the general resolution to which seems to be prayers and rituals designed to bring rain.  In a place like Japan, I suspect that it was usually just a matter of time before the prayers were "successful", thus reinforcing their presumed efficacy. Some of the things that they recorded were a bit more mysterious.  For example, in the second lunar month of 680 we are told that a sound like drums was heard from the East.  There are many things this could theoretically be, from rumbles of thunder to some other phenomenon, though the following year we have a note about thunder in the West, so theoretically they knew the difference between thunder and drums.  Later that same year, 680, we are told that there was a "brightness" in the East from the hour of the dog to the hour of the rat—about 8pm to midnight.  Was this some kind of aurora?  But wouldn't that have been in the north, rather than the east?    Could it have been some kind of lightning?  But that is a long time for a lightning storm to hang around.  And there are other strange things, some of which seem impossible and we have to doubt.  For example, in 684 they said that, at dusk, the seven stars of the Big Dipper drifted together to the northeast and sank.  Unless they are just recording the natural setting of the stars of the big dipper.  Certainly, over time the constellation appears to rotate around the north star, and it dips down to or below the horizon in the autumn months.  So were they just talking about the natural, yearly setting of the stars, or something else? There may be some clues in that the 11th lunar month, when that was recorded, we see several other heavenly phenomena recorded.  Two days after the Big Dipper set, at sunset, a star fell in the eastern quarter of the sky that we are told was as large as a jar.  Later, the constellations were wholly disordered and stars fell like rain.  That same month, a star shot up in the zenith and proceeded along with the Pleiades until the end of the month.  While this sounds like shooting stars and a possible meteor shower, a later commenter suggested that this was all a heavenly omen for the state of the court, showing the "disordered" state of the nobility at this time.  Of course, this was also a year and change before the sovereign's eventual passing, so there is also the possibility that the Chroniclers were looking at events later and ascribing meaning and importance after the fact. In another account of something seemingly wonderous: in 682 we are told that something shaped like a Buddhist flag, colored like flame, was seen by all of the provinces and then sank into the Japan sea north of Koshi.  A white mist is also said to have risen up from the Eastern mountains. There are various things that could be going on here.  It strikes me that the white mist could be a cloud, but could also be something volcanic.  And the flame colored prayer flag makes me think about how a high cloud can catch the light of the rising or setting sun.  That could look like a flag, and can seem extremely odd depending on the other conditions in the sky. Or maybe it was aliens. Okay, it is unlikely that it was aliens, but I think that these do give an idea of the kinds of records that were being made about the observed phenomena.  Obviously the Nihon Shoki is recording those things that were considered particularly significant for whatever reason.  This could just be because it was something odd and unexplained, or perhaps it was more well known but rare.  It may have even had religious connotations based on some aspect, like evoking the image of Buddhist flags.  And it is possible that it was thought to have had significant impact on events—perhaps even an impact that isn't clear to us today, many centuries removed from the events. Some things were clear, however.  Lightning strikes are often mentioned specifically when they strike something of note.  In 678, we are told that a pillar of the Western Hall of the New Palace was struck by lightning, though apparently the building itself survived.  Then, in 686, Lighting appeared in the southern sky with a large roar of thunder.  A fire broke out and caught the tax cloth storehouse of the Ministry of Popular affairs, which immediately exploded in flames.  After all, a thatched roofed, wooden building filled with kindling in the form of cloth—and likely a  fair amount of paper and writing supplies to keep track of it all—sounds like a bonfire waiting to happen.  There were reports that the fire had actually started in Prince Osakabe's palace and then spread to the Ministry of Popular Affairs from there. It is also worth noting that recording of such events was still somewhat new to the archipelago as a whole. They were learning from the continent, but also defining their own traditions. Observations of natural phenomena weren't just relegated to celestial occurrences or weather.  After all, there was something else that one could observe in the sky:  birds.  Now this wasn't your average bird-watching—though I'm not saying that there weren't casual birders in ancient Japan, and if we ever find someone's birding diary from that era I think that would be so cool.  But there were some things that were significant enough to be mentioned. For example, in 678 we get a report of "atori", or bramblings.  Bramblings are small songbirds which are found across Eurasia.  Notably they are migratory, and are known to migrate in huge flocks especially in the winter time, and sure enough on the 27th day of the 12th month we are told that the bramblings flew from the southwest to the northeast, covering the entire sky.  This makes me think about some of the other mass migrations that used to occur that have largely been reduced significantly due to habitat loss, disruption to traditional migratory routes, and other population pressures on various bird species.  Still, having so many birds that it blocked out the sky certainly seems a significant event to report on.  We later see a similar account in 680, with the flock moving from southeast to northwest.  Given the location of Asuka it sounds like they were flocking in the mountains and heading out over the Nara Basin, perhaps seeking food in another mountainous area. In 682, the birders were at it again.  This time, around midday on the 11th day of the 9th lunar month, several hundreds of cranes appeared around the Palace and soared up into the sky.  They were there for about two hours before they dispersed.  Once again, cranes are migratory and known to flock.  Cranes are also known as a symbol of long life and joy—and I can understand it.  Have you ever seen a flock of cranes?  They are not small birds, and they can be really an incredible sight.  Flocks of cranes themselves were probably not that rare, and it was no doubt more about so many gathering around the palace which made it particularly special. It wasn't just birds in the sky that were considered important symbols, though.  Birds often are noted as auspicious omens.  Usually strange birds, plants, or other such things are found in various provinces and presented to the throne.    So in 675, Yamato presented auspicious "barn-door fowl", likely meaning a fancy chicken.  Meanwhile, the Eastern provinces presented a white falcon and the province of Afumi presented a white kite.  Chickens are associated with the sun and thus with the sun goddess, Amaterasu, and albino versions of animals were always considered auspicious, often being mentioned in Buddhist sources.  Later, in 680, we see a small songbird, a "Shitodo", also described as white, and probably albino, sent to the court from nearby Settsu. Then, in 681 there is mention of a red sparrow.  Red coloration is not quite the same as albinism, though it is something that does occur at times, when the brownish coloration comes out more red than brown, and I suspect this is what we are talking about.  This is most likely just a recessed gene or genetic mutation, similar to causes for albinism, but just in a different place in the DNA.  As for why it was important:  I'd first and foremost note that anything out of the ordinary (and even some ordinary things) could be considered a sign.   Red was also seen as an auspicious color, so that may have had something to do with it as well.  And then there is the concept of Suzaku, the red bird of the south.  Suzaku is usually depicted as an exotic bird species of some kind, like how we might depict a phoenix.  But it was also just a "red bird", so there is that, and perhaps that was enough.  Not that this red sparrow was "Suzaku", but evoked the idea of the southern guardian animal.  A year prior, in 680, a red bird—we aren't told what kind—had perched on a southern gate, which even more clearly screams of the Suzaku aesthetic. It is probably worth noting here that in 686, towards the end of the reign, not that anyone knew it at the time, Ohoama decided to institute a new nengo, or regnal period.  It was called Shuuchou—red or vermillion bird—and it likely referred to Suzaku.  This nengo was cut short, however, with Ohoama's death that same year.  Nengo were often chosen with auspicious names as a kind of hope for the nation, so clearly "red bird" was considered a good thing. A month after the red sparrow, Ise sent a white owl, and then a month after that, the province of Suwou sent a red turtle, which they let loose in the pond at the Shima palace.  Again, these were probably just examples of animals seen as auspicious, though they would have likely been recorded by the Onmyou-ryou, who would have likely combed through various sources and precedents to determine what kind of meaning might be attached to them. Color wasn't the only thing that was important.  In 682, the Viceroy of Tsukushi reported that they had found a sparrow with three legs.  There are numerous reasons why this could be, but there is particular significance in Japan and Asia more generally.  A three legged bird is often associated with the sun Andusually depicted as a black outline of a three legged bird inside of a red sun.  In Japan this was often conflated with the Yata-garasu, the Great Crow, which is said to have led the first mythical sovereign, Iware Biko, to victory in his conquest of Yamato.  Thus we often see a three legged crow depicted in the sun, which was an object of particular veneration for the Wa people from centuries before.  And I suspect that the little three-legged sparrow from Tsukushi  I suspect that this had particular significance because of that image. Animals were not the only auspicious things presented to the throne.  In 678, Oshinomi no Miyatsuko no Yoshimaro presented the sovereign with five auspicious stalks of rice.  Each stalk, itself, had other branches.  Rice, of course, was extremely important in Japan, both from a ritual and economic sense, so presenting rice seems appropriate.  Five stalks recalls things like the five elemental theory—and in general five was consider a good number.  Three and five are both good, prime numbers, while four, pronounced "Shi", sounds like death and is considered inauspicious.  Three, or "San" is sometimes associated with life, and five is associated with the five elements, but also just the fact that it is half of ten, and we have five fingers on one hand and in so many other ways, five is regarded as a good number in much of Asia. That the stalks had multiple branches likely referred to them bearing more than the usual amount of rice on them, which seems particularly hopeful.  Certainly the court thought so.  In light of the auspicious gift, all sentences of penal servitude and lower were remitted.  In 680, Officials of the Department of Law gave tribute of auspicious stalks of grain, themselves.  I'm not sure, in this case, that it was all that they hoped, however, as that began three days straight of rain and flooding. A year earlier, in 679, we are told that the district of Ito, in Kii, immediately south of Yamato, sent as tribute the "herb of long life".  We are told that it "resembled" a mushroom—probably meaning it was a mushroom, or maybe something formed into a mushroom shape.  But the stem was about a foot long and the crown was two spans, about 6 feet in diameter.  This is pretty incredible, and I have to wonder if there is a bit of exaggeration going on here. Another tribute was a horn found on Mt. Katsuraki.  It branched into two at the base, was united at the end, and had some flesh and hair still attached, about an inch in length.  They claimed it must be horn or a Lin, or Kirin, sometimes referred to as an Asian unicorn—a mythical creature considered to be quite auspicious and benevolent.  This was on the 26th day in the 2nd lunar month of the year 680, probably around March or April.  I highly suspect that what they found was an oddly shaped bit of antler from  a buck whose antlers had begun to come in and which might have been taken out by wolves or bears or something else altogether.  The fact that the ends were said to be fused together could just be referring to some kind of malformation of the antlers.  The fur and flesh could mean that the antlers were still growing—antlers would probably just be coming in around early spring time.  Still, there is no telling how long it was there, so it could have been from the previous year as well.  Attributing it to a kirin seems a bit of a stretch, but it was clearly something unusual. Animals and plants were recorded in tribute, but also when something odd happened.  Fruiting out of season was one such occurrence, which we've seen elsewhere in the chronicles as well.  There was even a record when the famous Tsuki tree outside of Asukadera had a branch fall down.  Presumably it was a large and noticeable branch, and by now this appears to have been a tree with a bit of age to it that had seen a lot, so it makes sense it got a mention. Finally, we go from the heavens to the earth.    Perhaps the most numerous observations in the Chronicles were the earthquakes.  We've noted in the past that Japan is extremely active, volcanically speaking, so it makes sense that there are multiple accounts of earthquakes each year, especially if they were compiling reports from around the country.  Most of these are little more than just a note that there was an earthquake, but a few stand out. The first is the 12th lunar month of 678.  We are told that there was a large earthquake in Tsukushi—modern Kyushu. The ground split open to the width of about 20 feet for more than 30,000 feet.  Many of the commoners' houses in the area were torn down.  In one place there was a house atop a hill, and though the hill crumbled down the house somehow remained intact.  The inhabitants had apparently been home and must have been oblivious, as they didn't realize anything had happened until they woke up the next morning. Again, probably a bit of hyperbole in here, but if we think back to things like the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, where large areas of land shifted noticeably along the fault lines, it is likely that this was a similar or even more catastrophic event.  And here I'll give a quick plug for Kumamoto, which is still working to rebuild from the earthquake, and if you ever get a chance, I recommend a visit to the Kumamoto Earthquake Memorial Museum or Kioku, where you can see for yourself just how powerful mother nature can be. Another powerful earthquake was mentioned in the 10th lunar month of 684.  If the earthquake in Tsukushi had hit mostly agricultural areas, based on the description, this seems to have hit more populated regions.  We are told that it started in the dark of night, the hour of the boar, so about 10pm, give or take an hour.  The shaking was so bad that throughout the country men and women cried out and were disoriented—they could not tell east from west, a condition no doubt further hindered by the dark night sky.  There were mountain slides and rivers changed course, breaking their banks and flooding nearby areas.  Official buildings of the provinces and districts, the barns and houses of the common people, and the temples, pagodas, and shrines were all destroyed in huge numbers.  Many people and domestic animals were killed or injured.  The hot springs of Iyo were dried up and ceased to flow.  In the province of Tosa, more than 500,000 shiro of cultivated land sank below sea level.  Old men said that they had never seen such an earthquake.  On that night there was a rumbling noise like that of drums heard in the east—possibly similar to what we had mentioned earlier.  Some say that the island of Idzu, aka Vries Island, the volcanic island at the entrance of Edo Bay, increased on the north side by more than 3,000 feet and that a new island had been formed.  The noise of the drums was attributed to the gods creating that island. So here we have a catastrophic quake that impacted from Iyo, on the western end of Shikoku, all the way to the head of Edo Bay, modern Tokyo.  This appears to be what seismologists have labelled a "Nankai Trough Megathrust Earthquake".  Similar quakes have occurred and are predicted to occur in the future., along a region of Japan from the east coast of Kyushu, through the Seto Inland Sea, including Shikoku, through the Kii peninsula and all the way to Mt. Fuji.  The Nankai Trough, or Southern Sea Trough, is the area where the continental shelf drops down, and where the Philippine tectonic plate slips underneath the Eurasian—or more specifically the Amuric—plate.  As these plates move it can cause multiple events all along the trough at the same time.  Since being regularly recorded, these quakes have been noted every 100 to 150 years, with the last one being the Showa Nankai quakes of 1944 and 1946. For all of the destruction that it brought, however, apparently it didn't stop the court.  Two days after this devastating quake we are told that Presents were made to the Princes and Ministers.  Either they weren't so affected in the capital, or perhaps the date given for one of the two records is not quite reliable.  Personally, I find it hard to believe that there would be presents given out two days later unless they were some form of financial aid.  But what do I know?  It is possible that the court itself was not as affected as other areas, and they may not have fully even grasped the epic scale of the destruction that would later be described in the Chronicles, given the length of time it took to communicate messages across the country. Which brings us back to the "science" of the time, or at least the observation, hoping to learn from precedence or piece out what messages the world might have for the sovereign and those who could read the signs.  While many of the court's and Chronicler's conclusions may give us pause, today, we should nonetheless be thankful that they at least decided to keep notes and jot down their observations.  That record keeping means that we don't have to only rely on modern records to see patterns that could take centuries to reveal themselves.  Sure, at this time, those records were  still a bit spotty, but it was the start of something that would be remarkably important, and even though these Chronicles may have been focused on propaganda, the fact that they include so many other references are an incalculable boon to us, today, if we can just see to make the connections.  And with that, I think I've rambled enough for this episode.  We still have a couple more to fully cover this period. Until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

** VIDEO EN NUESTRO CANAL DE YOUTUBE **** https://youtube.com/live/U1iir6JkLzc +++++ Hazte con nuestras camisetas en https://www.bhmshop.app +++++ #actualidad #geopolítica #guerraenucrania ¿Siguen las negociaciones de paz o solo es una maniobra táctica? ¿Qué impacto real tienen las sanciones cinéticas —ataques ucranianos a refinerías, puertos, radares, plantas de gas y centros logísticos— sobre la economía rusa? ¿Está Moscú usando las conversaciones como una pausa operativa para recomponer fuerzas? ¿Puede la Unión Europea permitirse una Rusia inestable y golpeada energéticamente? ¿Es esta la antesala de un cambio estratégico mayor? En este nuevo Frente Geopolítico, Francisco García Campa y Lope Guerrero analizan: - El estado real de las conversaciones de paz. - Las presiones de EE.UU., Turquía y la UE para forzar un alto el fuego. - El efecto acumulado de los ataques ucranianos: refinerías incendiadas, oleoductos interrumpidos, caída de ingresos energéticos. - Cómo afectan estas “sanciones cinéticas” a la economía rusa: caída del rublo, déficit récord, fuga de capital, dependencia creciente de China. - La lucha entre el tiempo estratégico y el tiempo económico de Putin. Si hay posibilidades reales de un acuerdo… o si asistimos a un simple teatro diplomático. Un programa que conecta guerra, geopolítica y economía, esencial para entender el momento decisivo que vive Eurasia como os cuento en mi libro "UN MUNDO CONVULSO" ** https://amzn.to/44Gy1wn ** SUSCRÍBETE y apoya a Bellumartis Historia Militar: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bellumartis PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/bellumartis Bizum: 656 778 825 Síguenos: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellumartis_historia_militar X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/BellumartisHM Compra en Amazon con el enlace de BHM y apóyanos: https://amzn.to/3ZXUGQl Libros de Paco firmados y dedicados: https://franciscogarciacampa.com/ #FrenteGeopolítico #Ucrania #Rusia #SancionesCinéticas #EconomíaRusa #Geopolítica #Guerra #Bellumartis #LopeGuerrero

President Trump wants an end to the war in Ukraine. The Ukrainians want peace too - but not at any cost. The past week saw the emergence of a leaked US 28 - point- plan which was wholly unacceptable to President Zelensky and European leaders. But how it originated and why it looked like a Russian wish list has led to intense debate. ( It included Ukraine giving up territory it still holds in the east, as well as the area already occupied by Russia, a cap on the Ukrainian army of 600 thousand, a permanent ban on NATO membership for Ukraine and an amnesty on all war crimes. ) Talks hastily took place in Europe and Abu Dhabi and there's now a revised version still to be agreed with Russia. President Zelensky wants to meet President Trump to agree the most sensitive issues.. So why did this latest attempt at peace in Ukraine emerge through a leaked document which many assumed had come straight from Russia? How has Europe and Ukraine responded and could it really mean an end to nearly four years of war?Guests: Angela Stent, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former National Intelligence Officer for Russia and Eurasia. Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College, London Christopher Miller, Financial Times' Chief Ukraine Correspondent Sir Laurie Bristow, former UK Ambassador to Russia and President of Hughes Hall, Cambridge.Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Cordelia Hemming, Kirsteen Knight Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

Little sign of peace in Ukraine - but trans-Atlantic diplomatic efforts to end the war are intensifying. Ukraine and its European allies are vying with Russia to sway US President Donald Trump in forging a deal. Can one be reached - or will the war go on? In this episode: Chris Weafer, Chief Executive Officer at Macro-Advisory, a strategic consultancy focused on Russia and the Eurasia region. Anatol Lieven - Director of the Eurasia Programme at Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Michael Bociurkiw - Senior Fellow at Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Host: Imran Khan Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Geopolitics of the Gulf and Eurasia: US-Saudi Relations and China's Global Strategy — Victoria Coates, Vice President, Heritage Foundation — Victoria Coates addresses U.S.-Saudi relations, noting that technology transfer risks from China exist but remain manageable through export-controlled F-35 versions. She argues that Russia is dependent on Beijing in the Ukraine war, which serves China's strategic objective of distracting the West from Indo-Pacific developments. A perceived Russian victory would embolden China toward aggression in East Asia. Coates identifies security guarantees and Saudi openness to the Abraham Accords as key priorities for regional stability.  1922 PEKING

The genome sequences of Neandertals and Denisovans have provided a wealth of new information about the origins, migrations, and interactions of ancient humans. These genomes have revealed that mixture between hominin groups was common: all modern humans outside Africa carry around 2% Neandertal DNA from a single major episode of Neandertal gene flow, while the ancestors of present-day Asians and Oceanians also met and mixed with multiple, genetically distinct Denisovan populations. Archaeological evidence suggests multiple dispersals of modern humans out of Africa, with early fossils identified in East and Southeast Asia over 50 thousand years ago. In contrast, genomic studies indicate that all present-day non-African populations descend primarily from a single dispersal after ~50 ka, though the migration routes of ancestral populations across Eurasia and Oceania remain unclear. Janet Kelso, professor at Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, shows how using the distribution of Neandertal and Denisovan ancestry in ancient and present-day modern humans can determine when, where and how often modern and archaic humans met and mixed. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 41192]

The genome sequences of Neandertals and Denisovans have provided a wealth of new information about the origins, migrations, and interactions of ancient humans. These genomes have revealed that mixture between hominin groups was common: all modern humans outside Africa carry around 2% Neandertal DNA from a single major episode of Neandertal gene flow, while the ancestors of present-day Asians and Oceanians also met and mixed with multiple, genetically distinct Denisovan populations. Archaeological evidence suggests multiple dispersals of modern humans out of Africa, with early fossils identified in East and Southeast Asia over 50 thousand years ago. In contrast, genomic studies indicate that all present-day non-African populations descend primarily from a single dispersal after ~50 ka, though the migration routes of ancestral populations across Eurasia and Oceania remain unclear. Janet Kelso, professor at Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, shows how using the distribution of Neandertal and Denisovan ancestry in ancient and present-day modern humans can determine when, where and how often modern and archaic humans met and mixed. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 41192]

The genome sequences of Neandertals and Denisovans have provided a wealth of new information about the origins, migrations, and interactions of ancient humans. These genomes have revealed that mixture between hominin groups was common: all modern humans outside Africa carry around 2% Neandertal DNA from a single major episode of Neandertal gene flow, while the ancestors of present-day Asians and Oceanians also met and mixed with multiple, genetically distinct Denisovan populations. Archaeological evidence suggests multiple dispersals of modern humans out of Africa, with early fossils identified in East and Southeast Asia over 50 thousand years ago. In contrast, genomic studies indicate that all present-day non-African populations descend primarily from a single dispersal after ~50 ka, though the migration routes of ancestral populations across Eurasia and Oceania remain unclear. Janet Kelso, professor at Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, shows how using the distribution of Neandertal and Denisovan ancestry in ancient and present-day modern humans can determine when, where and how often modern and archaic humans met and mixed. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 41192]

The genome sequences of Neandertals and Denisovans have provided a wealth of new information about the origins, migrations, and interactions of ancient humans. These genomes have revealed that mixture between hominin groups was common: all modern humans outside Africa carry around 2% Neandertal DNA from a single major episode of Neandertal gene flow, while the ancestors of present-day Asians and Oceanians also met and mixed with multiple, genetically distinct Denisovan populations. Archaeological evidence suggests multiple dispersals of modern humans out of Africa, with early fossils identified in East and Southeast Asia over 50 thousand years ago. In contrast, genomic studies indicate that all present-day non-African populations descend primarily from a single dispersal after ~50 ka, though the migration routes of ancestral populations across Eurasia and Oceania remain unclear. Janet Kelso, professor at Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, shows how using the distribution of Neandertal and Denisovan ancestry in ancient and present-day modern humans can determine when, where and how often modern and archaic humans met and mixed. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 41192]

The genome sequences of Neandertals and Denisovans have provided a wealth of new information about the origins, migrations, and interactions of ancient humans. These genomes have revealed that mixture between hominin groups was common: all modern humans outside Africa carry around 2% Neandertal DNA from a single major episode of Neandertal gene flow, while the ancestors of present-day Asians and Oceanians also met and mixed with multiple, genetically distinct Denisovan populations. Archaeological evidence suggests multiple dispersals of modern humans out of Africa, with early fossils identified in East and Southeast Asia over 50 thousand years ago. In contrast, genomic studies indicate that all present-day non-African populations descend primarily from a single dispersal after ~50 ka, though the migration routes of ancestral populations across Eurasia and Oceania remain unclear. Janet Kelso, professor at Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, shows how using the distribution of Neandertal and Denisovan ancestry in ancient and present-day modern humans can determine when, where and how often modern and archaic humans met and mixed. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 41192]

Timothy Ash, who has been professional economist for more than 30 years, with two thirds of that in the banking industry. Timothy's specialism is emerging European economics, and he writes and blogs extensively on economic challenges for leading publications such as the Kyiv Post, Atlantic Council, the Financial Times, and the United Business Journal. He is also an Associate Fellow in the Russia and Eurasia programme at Chatham House and has advised various governments on Ukraine-Russia policy and specifically on the impact of sanctions.----------Tetyana Nesterchuk is Barrister and Arbitrator at Fountain Court Chambers. She is a UK expert at the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe, and a vocal Ukrainian in London. Nesterchuk is doing everything in her power to aid Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion. For Nesterchuk, the war didn't start in 2022. The war began in 2014 when her hometown of Donetsk was overtaken by Russia-backed separatists before eventually being annexed two years ago. Some of her most vital work now centres on the seizure of Russian state assets, the funds from which she hopes can be redistributed to pay for vital services so sorely needed by the embattled Ukrainian population. She acknowledges that she won't be able to save Ukraine alone, but she won't ever stop doing her part to help.----------TETYANA NESTERCHUK LINKS:https://fountaincourt.uk/profile/tetyana-nesterchuk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/tetyana-nesterchuk-a4469a21/https://www.thelawyer.com/microeventpeople/tetyana-nesterchuk/TIMOTHY ASH LINKS:https://timothyash.substack.com/ https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/our-people/timothy-ashhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-ash-83a87158/https://cepa.org/author/timothy-ash/----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------DESCRIPTION:Analyzing the Controversial Ukraine-Russia Peace Plan with ExpertsJoin us in this critical discussion with Timothy Ash and Tetyana Nesterchuk as they delve into the recent developments around the so-called peace negotiation process between the US and Russia. The conversation focuses on the controversial peace plan, suspected to be influenced by Moscow, and its potential implications for Ukraine, Europe, and global security. Timothy Ash, an economist with extensive experience in Ukrainian affairs, and Tetyana Nesterchuk, a barrister and expert in European law, provide their insights on the complexities of the plan, the influence of Russian psychological operations, and the broader geopolitical stakes. They also highlight the importance of Europe leveraging frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and push back against conceding to Russian demands. This episode emphasizes the urgent need for a principled stance on international law and the decisive action required from European leaders.----------

On today's Land Warfare program, sponsored by American Rheinmetall, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses and Dr. Eugene Rumer, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Ukraine's fight to defend Pokrovsk as Russian forces increase attacks to take a town seen as key to controlling Donbas; how Moscow is changing tactics to increase battlefield gains, including targeting Ukraine's energy grid; how Ukraine is responding at the tactical level at the front as well as strategically with deep strikes on Russian energy infrastructure; Washington's strategy to end the war and how Europe is stepping up; and Moscow finally stands up its unmanned systems force.

Send us a text“This is crazy. It's Russia, you don't illegally enter Russian territory. You don't do that!” says Sofiane Sehili. Except he did… And the ultra-endurance legend tells us all about it on this epic episode of the podcast.In September, Sehili was a day away from breaking the world record for the fastest Eurasia crossing by bike when he was refused entry to Russia at the country's border with China. Undeterred, he forged on through a forest, through streams, and over barbed wire across the border. After handing himself in, he was arrested, spending 51 days in a Russian jail before being sent home.Now back home safe in France, Sehili talks in depth about that dramatic conclusion to his latest record attempt, his 51 days in a jail in Russia's Far East, and the response he's got since returning home.We also chat about the logistical planning that goes into these mammoth, ultra-cycling rides, how his perspective on life has changed since his time in Russia, and – most importantly – what happened to his bike when he was in jail…

In this episode, Garrison is joined by Dr. Wess Mitchell, who serves as cofounder and principal at The Marathon Initiative, and who also served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs during the first Trump administration. The two discuss Mitchell's brand new book "Great Power Diplomacy: The Skill of Statecraft from Attila the Hun to Kissinger." They discuss the historic scope, perennial meaning, and vital importance of rediscovering the great tradition of statecraft, and deep dive the example of Otto von Bismarck. They also discuss the efforts of the current Trump administration to serve as peacemakers in this era of great power rivalry. You can purchase Great Power Diplomacy from Princeton University Press, or wherever books are sold.Dr. A. Wess Mitchell is a principal and co-founder at The Marathon Initiative, which he created in 2019 with Elbridge Colby. He previously served as Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs under the first Trump administration. In this role, he was responsible for diplomatic relations with the 50 countries of Europe and Eurasia and played a principal role in formulating Europe strategy in support of the 2017 National Security Strategy and 2018 National Defense Strategy.Mitchell is the author of four books, including Great Power Diplomacy: The Skill of Statecraft from Attila the Hun to Kissinger (Princeton Press, 2025), The Grand Strategy of the Habsburg Empire (Princeton Press, 2018), and Unquiet Frontier: Rising Rivals, Vulnerable Allies and the Crisis of American Power (Princeton Press, 2016 – co-authored with Jakub Grygiel). His articles and interviews have appeared in major publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, National Interest and National Review.Prior to the State Department, Mitchell served as President and CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), which he co-founded in 2005 with Larry Hirsch. In 2020, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg appointed Mitchell to co-chair, with former German Minister of Defense Thomas de Maizière, the NATO 2030 Reflection Group, a ten-member consultative body charged with providing recommendations on the future of NATO.Mitchell is a Non-Resident Fellow in the Applied History Project at Harvard University Kennedy School of Government's Belfer Center, a member of the International Security and Foreign Policy Grants Advisory Committee at the Smith Richardson Foundation, a member of the International Advisory Council at Cambridge University's Centre for Geopolitics, and a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations.Mitchell holds a doctorate in political science from the Otto Suhr Institut für Politikwissenschaft at Freie Universität in Berlin, a master's degree in German and European Studies from Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, and a bachelor's degree in history from Texas Tech University. He received a 2020 prize from the Stanton Foundation for writing in Applied History (with Charles Ingrao) and the 2004 Hopper Award at Georgetown University. He is the recipient of the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary, and the Gold Medal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic. He is a sixth-generation Texan. Garrison Moratto is the founder and host of The New Diplomatist Podcast; he earned a M.S. of International Relations as well as a B.S. in Government: Public Administration (Summa Cum Laude) at Liberty University in the United States. He has been published in RealClearDefense, and Pacific Forum International's "Issues & Insights", among other publications.  He is the author of Distant Shores on Substack.Guest opinions are their own.All music licensed via UppBeat.

Pr. Timothy McMiller, LCMS Missionary to Eurasia The post The Family of God – Pr. Timothy McMiller, 10/29/25 (3021) first appeared on Issues, Etc..

What does it look like to step into the role of Regional Business Manager in Eurasia? Sean McHugh (LCMS Regional Business Manager for Eurasia) along with his wife Hanna, and Anne Gonzalez (Manager, Lay Missionary Recruitment, LCMS Office of International Mission) join Andy and Sarah to share Sean and Hannah's stories of coming to Lutheranism, how they learned about opportunities to serve as missionaries with the LCMS, their journey to accepting the appointment as Regional Business Manager, what they've found valuable in their training and preparation to deploy in 2026, and what they're looking forward to as they get ready to serve. Learn more about the McHughs and how to support their work at lcms.org/mchugh. Find your opportunity to serve at servenow.lcms.org and lcms.org/careers! As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

Timothy Ash, who has been professional economist for more than 30 years, with two thirds of that in the banking industry. Timothy's specialism is emerging European economics, and he writes and blogs extensively on economic challenges for leading publications such as the Kyiv Post, Atlantic Council, the Financial Times, and the United Business Journal. He is also an Associate Fellow in the Russia and Eurasia programme at Chatham House and has advised various governments on Ukraine-Russia policy and specifically on the impact of sanctions.----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN 10 Events in 10 months - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur first live events this year in Lviv and Kyiv were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run 10 events in 10 months (at a minimum). We may add more venues to the program, depending on the success of the fundraising campaign. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------LINKS:https://twitter.com/tasheconhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-ash-83a87158/https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/our-people/timothy-ashhttps://cepa.org/author/timothy-ash/----------ARTICLES:https://timothyash.substack.com/ https://kyivindependent.com/author/timothy-ash/----------This is super important. There are so many Battalions in Ukraine, fighting to defend our freedoms, but lack basics such as vehicles. These are destroyed on a regular basis, and lack of transport is costs lives, and Ukrainian territory. Autumn Harvest: Silicon Curtain (Goal€22,000)https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/autumn-harvest-silicon-curtain----------DESCRIPTIONIn this episode, professional economist Timothy Ash, with over 30 years of experience, particularly in the banking industry and emerging European economies, dives into the effectiveness and implications of recent oil sanctions on Russia. Ash discusses the potential impact of both UK and US sanctions, the secondary sanctions, and the enforcement challenges. He highlights the economic effects on Russia, including the significance of shadow fleets and market reactions. The discussion extends to the broader geopolitical context, including Russian influence, the significance of drone warfare, and the intricacies of defense funding. He also touches upon the moral considerations and the necessity of a defined objective in sanctions policy. Ash emphasizes the importance of maintaining sanctions to reduce Russia's war capabilities, calling for innovative global cooperation and effective enforcement.----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------

El Ártico es mucho más que una región extensa, con una climatología adversa. Su riqueza en recursos naturales y energéticos, muchos aún por explotar, supone importantes oportunidades económicas y comerciales a quien controle su territorio. Los países árticos – Finlandia, Noruega, Suecia, Islandia, Dinamarca, Canadá, Estados Unidos y Rusia – son conscientes del potencial del Ártico como zona de gran interés, especialmente ante un deshielo que facilita la llegada y transporte a zonas hasta ahora inaccesibles y la apertura de nuevas rutas comerciales. Países como China ya han mostrado su interés en la construcción de una “ruta polar de la seda”. La vertiente militar es también fundamental en esta zona. En las últimas décadas Rusia ha invertido más que cualquier otro país ártico en adquirir rompehielos, desarrollar tecnología de misiles, incluyendo misiles de crucero hipersónicos, realizar maniobras aéreas, y establecer bases militares. En el segundo episodio de la sexta temporada de Conversaciones Elcano, Mira Milosevich, investigadora principal del Real Instituto Elcano para temas de Rusia, Eurasia y los Balcanes, analiza cuáles son las ambiciones y proyectos de Rusia en la región, identifica el quién es quién en la carrera por sus recursos naturales, y explica por qué es necesario que la OTAN no descuide esta región estratégica.   ----more---- La OTAN en el Ártico: el flanco sobrevenido https://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/analisis/la-otan-en-el-artico-el-flanco-sobrevenido/   Conversaciones Elcano en nuestra web: https://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/podcast/  Síguenos en nuestras redes sociales: X: https://x.com/rielcano LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/company/real-instituto-elcano Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealInstitutoElcano Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rielcano/ Threads: https://threads.net/@rielcano Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/rielcano.bsky.social YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RealInstitutoElcano

U.S. President Donald Trump sanctions Russia's two biggest oil companies - after scrapping a summit with President Vladimir Putin on the Ukraine war. New EU measures too - targeting Russian oil and assets. Will they bring an end to the war any closer? In this episode: Anatol Lieven - Director of the Eurasia Programme at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Steven Erlanger - Chief Diplomatic Correspondent for Europe at The New York Times. Chris Weafer - CEO of Macro-Advisory, a strategic consultancy focused on Russia and Eurasia. Host: Bernard Smith Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

On today's Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomic Aeronautical Systems, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses and Dr. Eugene Rumer, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the upcoming meeting between President Trump and Vladimir Putin in Budapest and how it will impact the Ukraine war; how Kyiv can continue striking deep into Russia without US Tomahawk cruise missiles; an update on the ongoing ground war; whether Ukraine would be able to supply billions of dollars in military equipment to the United States without undermining its ability to right for its survival; the European consensus that troops in Ukraine will be necessary despite Moscow's opposition to the move; and whether NATO's response to Russia's recent string of provocations is sufficient to keep deterring Moscow.

We are joined by author and researcher Patrick Chouinard, who discusses his work on the Lost Giants of Atlantis. Let's get this out of the way: he doesn't believe in a physical place named Atlantis. He uses the common word as a placeholder for an advanced civilization lost to history. He also uses the word Aryan, but not in the corrupted way that's become the common use. Rather, the ancient use which simply traces the Iranic peoples from Asia, throughout Eurasia, the Near East, and beyond and very clearly the full spectrum of skin colors.Patrick's book has an excellent summary of many myths and lore from around the world dealing with giants and persons of great impact (not necessarily of enormous height).This is a nice companion to the prior episode which dealth primarily with the archeology. This episode deals primarily with the lore around beings. 

1 Chronicles 29 outlines the extensive offerings for the temple, that David in gratefulness to God had prepared. And like the Tabernacle those offerings had had come from willing hearts - verse 9 compare Exodus 25:2. David then prays for the Assembly and asks that whatever those assembled had done would be acceptable to the Almighty. Note the similarity between David's prayer and the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6. Also take notice of the deep spirit of humility in which it was offered. Solomon was anointedking for the second time and we need to consider the import of verse 23 "He sat as king upon the throne of Yahweh over Israel". Thus began the kingdom of God on earth in its first constitution. David dies and is buried and let us consider the Apostle Paul's comments on David's faithful service in Acts 13 verses 36-37. Ezekiel 38 speaks of an invasion of the recently regathered and reconstituted nation of Israel (verses 7-8). The chapter speaks of a northern confederacy headed by one termed Gogue - meaning 'roof', or 'one at the top'. Looking at a map of Eurasia we need no imagination to be able to see the nation being spoken about. The leader of this nation is called in the Hebrew tongue prince of Ros, Meshech and Tubal - the ancient names for Russia, Moscow and Tobolski as many lexicographers tell us. In a book by a notable Russian historian (George Vernadsky - he says Ezekiel 38 is the first historical reference to Russia. Note the alliances mentioned and much of this has already transpired. This Eurasian confederacy is opposed by Israel and Arabian countries (verse 13). The principal aggressor comes from the "uttermost parts of the north" (verse 16 RSV). Moscow is directly north of Jerusalem. Verses 17-23 indicate that the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY will come to the aid of His beleaguered people and there will be a great earthquake (see Zechariah 14 and Joel 3 verses 16-21). It will be occasioned by the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ standing on the Mount of Olives. This was promised by the two angels at Jesus' ascension to heaven: Acts 1:1-11 compare with Luke's other record in Luke 24 verses 50-52. John 4 deals with the incident between Jesus and the woman of Samaria in which he offers her "living water". There follows a discussion between Jesus and the woman about the site of acceptable worship - Jerusalem, or Gerazim. Jesus firstly tells her that salvation is from the Jews. Acceptance by God is dependent on two factors sincerity and truth - these have always been the focus at Shechem, and with Joseph and his brothers in Egypt (Joshua 14 verses 14-15; Judges 9 verses 14-15). The woman accepts Jesus as the Christ (Messiah) and she then has an incredible impact on helping the Samaritans to receive Jesus also. Philip would about 7 years later reap the gathering harvest now being sown. That harvest is spoken about in Acts 8. From verse 46 to the end of John chapter 4 our Lord Jesus heals the son of an official from Capernaum - this being the second of the signs recorded by John and resulting in the official and his household believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. That Nobleman is thought by some to be Herod's keeper of the larder ChuzaThanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has now passed the three-and-a-half-year mark, and there is still no end in sight. The Trump administration's recent push to negotiate a ceasefire ground to a halt in early September, after Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky rejected Vladimir Putin's proposal to meet in Moscow, dismissing the invitation as a sign that his Russian counterpart has no desire to negotiate. Meanwhile, on the battlefield in Ukraine, Russian troops are continuing their offensive in central Donbas. While Ukrainian forces have succeeded in slowing their advance, this has come at the cost of Kyiv's defenses elsewhere, creating vulnerable gaps between frontline positions that Russian forces can slip through. With the front line becoming increasingly fluid and peace talks stalled, Russia has also continued to launch deadly missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, targeting the country's energy grid ahead of the approaching winter months.  By all appearances, Putin believes that if Russia's military keeps pushing forward, it will eventually outlast and overpower Ukraine. But how much longer can the Kremlin sustain its war machine?  In a new report for the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), senior fellow Maria Snegovaya and Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program director Max Bergmann break down the mounting costs of Russia's war effort and outline four plausible scenarios for the war's next chapter. Dr. Maria Snegovaya joins this episode of The Naked Pravda to discuss their analysis. Time stamps for this episode: (2:05) The current state of the Russia–Ukraine war(4:49) Russia's war strategy and unchanging goals(8:03) How sustainable is this war for the Kremlin?(13:12) How Russia is replenishing its military losses(17:30) Potential scenarios for the war's future(26:55) Strategies for Ukraine and Western alliesКак поддержать нашу редакцию — даже если вы в России и вам очень страшно

Ochelli Effect 10-7-2025 SNAFU NEWS After 3 quarters of 2025 Under GOP TRUMP style regime by Proxi Project 2025 Rule in what was once America, Am I NOW allowed to ask when or if Trump accepts Blame??Seems like NO.Shooting for No More News Speak!Let's get to a couple, three things ...---TODAYTROOPS are being deployed and already active in select cities near you.Memphis, Los Angels, Portland, (GOP FAV) Chicago, DC, and we can all assume many more will become domestic training grounds or staging areas for Wars on The Alleged Enemy Within. Unless I am misreading intent and statements made by those who currently hold, enable, and support Those in Power?Senator Shifty Vs. AG BLONDIEPam Bondi, Adam Schiff spar at Senate oversight hearinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knPQUHJbAywBlumenthal and STOLEN VALOR has been at issue as Bondi attacked him when she felt questioning her integrity was happeningSIMPLEBlumenthal said some places he was a Vietnam Vet, and It Turns out he was a veteran in The Vietnam Era, which was either a mistake or intentional lie to gain more credibility in his political post-service ventures dating back to at least 15 years ago. No NEW WARS? well those boats and new attacks on a foreign nation seem to be a new war or at least a new theater of war in The Drug War. Do we need to see in a crystal ball where the war goes next?White House rebukes ‘egregious' court order blocking troop deployments amid Portland unrestThe ruling is "one of the most egregious and thunderous violations of constitutional order we have ever seen," Stephen Miller saidhttps://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-slams-egregious-court-order-blocking-troop-deployments-amid-portland-unrestTrump's National Guard Moves Are Part of a Dangerous Plan, California AG Warnshttps://www.kqed.org/news/12058799/trumps-national-guard-moves-are-part-of-a-dangerous-plan-california-ag-warnsCulture WarsRenewed Drug warsWar against "The Left"Rumors of Civil WarsWars of words by the best words from all STABLE Genius mouths?Is Orwell smiling over the Nobel Peace Prize demands of The POTUS?ARE You With THEM, or  WITH THE ANTIFA Terrorists? As we approach Halloween Time, Is Santa still in charge of Christmas? As of October 7, 2025, it has beentwo years since the Hamas attack on Israel.1,321 days since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.In Orwell's 1984, Oceania is in a state of perpetual war with the other two superstates, Eurasia and Eastasia, though the specific enemy frequently changes to maintain a state of perpetual conflict that uses up surplus resources and keeps the population impoverished and ignorant. Oceania is at war with both Eurasia and Eastasia, but it is unclear which is the primary enemy at any given moment, as the state's allegiance shifts and is presented differently in propaganda.Trump, Project 2025 and ‘Culture Wars'https://www.factcheck.org/2025/10/trump-project-2025-and-culture-wars/---MEDIA MAYHEMBy The Way, There is a Supermoon coming in October. The U.s. Government Big Beautiful Showcase Shutdown is already in progress, and Yes Bob Barker The Alleged actual opposition is already neutered.Ochelli has to at least mention the off-cycle 2025 (S)election effecting Jersey, Right?So in some places character is a throwback issue, 90s 70s 60s or the rest of American history style , but only in off Presidential decisions and aside from midterm Years? Or is this just more Dirty Jersey Purple State Madness that gets as personal as anybody can and happens to invole another embarrassing Italian?How Mikie Sherrill's Navy records could impact the N.J. governor's racehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY4Gxf-KZ54Calls for criminal investigation into release of Mikie Sherrill's military recordshttps://abc7ny.com/post/calls-investigation-release-mikie-sherrills-military-records-amid-ugly-nj-governor-race-jack-ciattarelli/17882493/A NARA standard behavior may ne responsible for influencing the NJ Gov. selection 2025 as (R) Jack Ciattarelli vs. (D) Mikie Sherrills gets a bit of an old school shake-up because A Former Navy Helicopter Pilot, congressmember, and war veteran was barred from walking in her 1994 Naval Academy graduation for failing to report classmates who had cheated on an exam. There are allegations that her opponent in the current very close race may have been involved with leaking personal records that were made available by NARA in violation of the 1974 privacy act.That should have prevented the politician from being Doxed in a by a federal agancy. This allowed public view of information that should have been redacted and has been cited as opposition research to litigate her candidacy in the court of public opinion. Social Security Numbers, Insurance Details, Addresses of The Candidate and family members have now been disseminated.THERE WILL NOT BE AN ITALIAN POTUS IN CHUCK"S LIFETIME AND BEYONDCiattarelli doesn't have a clear meaning in Italian, seems to be of southern Italian origin, and may simply be a name that is just meant to be a name. CH A TER L LEE 40 Presidents have Dollar Coins and only dead POTUS was eligible when the program for the Gold Metallic color series was being minted and ended. H.W. got a special made after , but Obama, Trump, Biden, Clinton, Carter, and W could be added later by acts of congress. Rush announce reunion tour five years after the death of drummer Neil Pearthttps://apnews.com/article/rush-reunion-tour-neil-peart-new-drummer-anika-nilles-9527015b58124236e8f9413dd074db77?Trump says he'd consider Ghislaine Maxwell pardon and mentions Diddy in same breath as Epstein pal: ‘Have to take a look'https://ca.news.yahoo.com/trump-talks-diddy-ghislaine-maxwell-211721407.htmlAnother Ochelli Prediction that will fall down the memory hole, When the Crypto-Media scheme is revealed, It will be a mad dash to figure out who lined who's pockets.TRUMP/Ellison is just one portion of the multi-layered, multi-generational Dynasty we are witnessing as it is born and becomes the future Borg.Media world rocked as Bari Weiss takes over CBS News as editor-in-chiefhttps://www.foxnews.com/media/bari-weiss-joins-cbs-news-editor-in-chief-paramount-buys-free-press-150-millionDavid Ellison And Bari Weiss Tell CBS News Employees Of Their Goal To Restore Trust; Read Their Notes To Staffershttps://deadline.com/2025/10/read-bari-weiss-david-ellison-notes-cbs-news-1236571011/Move over, Murdochs - a new family dynasty is shaking up US mediahttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr4qwwk0g0yoSeymour HershIS TRUMP IN COGNITIVE DECLINE?The view from inside is that the president has been slippinghttps://seymourhersh.substack.com/p/is-trump-in-cognitive-decline?Kakistocracy is a thing even if the population thinks it's winning. Neofascism may have multiple colored horses in the derby.---PSUEDO or NEO RELIGION If Propaganda falls on the Internet, Does Everyone Hear it?In the Bible according to MAGA...Trump plans aid package for US soybean farmers while seeking trade deal with Chinahttps://apnews.com/article/trump-china-soybean-farmers-trade-war-aid-1a848735ba89c2673d44489eea5a0e35AI ‘Text With Jesus' app is exploding despite concerns of possible blasphemyhttps://www.bizpacreview.com/2025/10/06/ai-text-with-jesus-app-is-exploding-despite-concerns-of-possible-blasphemy-1590395/Trump: Hamas agreeing to important things, Gaza peace within reachhttps://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/415918New generation of militias steps out of Hamas's shadow to fill Gaza power vacuumhttps://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2025/10/07/new-generation-of-militias-step-out-of-hamass-shadow-to-fill-gaza-power-vacuum/Hijacked alternative media of the past co-opted perfectly. Funny Ochelli gets no credit for telling the future just rage from those who believe he was out to get their heroes and only THEIR HEROES. Sad to say he was out to expose all of the One party Grifters, but it doesn't matter when you punish an honest analyst, so long as the reckoning is due.Manosphere Influencers Who Boosted Trump Are Now Cooling on Himhttps://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/theo-von-joe-rogan-manosphere-influencers-trump-1235441563/ Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson's Conspiracy Theories Totally Wreck the Credibility That Alternative Media is Trying to Gainhttps://www.mediaite.com/opinion/candace-owens-and-tucker-carlsons-loony-conspiracy-theories-totally-wreck-the-credibility-that-alternative-media-is-trying-to-gain/ There's that Trump Trojan Horse AgainLouis C.K.'s Saudi Arabia Defense Is Terrible https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025/10/07/louis-ck-saudi-arabia-defense-terrible/TIT-FOR-TAT TAC TOE?Jack Smith Faces Arrest Calls Over ‘Arctic Frost' Investigationhttps://www.newsweek.com/jack-smith-faces-arrest-calls-over-arctic-frost-investigation-10838199---WORTH REPEATINGThe Umbrella Man (2018)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmNJuJzdVLUCredit to Jimmy James for sending me this failed propaganda message in a bottle-neck for much more than the a metaphor in the metadata corrupted by but not owned by metaverse.---NOT QUITING AS LONG AS YOU KEEP US GOINGBE TBE THE EFFECTListen/Chat on the Sitehttps://ochelli.com/listen-live/TuneInhttp://tun.in/sfxkxAPPLEhttps://music.apple.com/us/station/ochelli-com/ra.1461174708Ochelli Link Treehttps://linktr.ee/chuckochelliAnything is a blessing if you have the meansWithout YOUR support we go silent.---NOVEMBER IN DALLAS LANCER CONFERENCEDISCOUNT FOR YOU10 % OFF code = Ochelli10https://assassinationconference.com/Coming SOON Room Discount Details The Fairmont Dallas hotel 1717 N Akard Street, Dallas, Texas 75201. easy access to Dealey Plaza

From the bustling lanes of the world's largest bazaar in Urumqi to the state-of-the-art logistics hubs at its 17 land ports, Xinjiang is rapidly transforming its geographical advantages into robust economic strength. As China's vital gateway to the west, the region now hosts a comprehensive opening-up network, highlighted by the groundbreaking Pilot Free Trade Zone. This dynamic integration of cross-border trade, an expansive web of China-Europe freight trains, and vibrant cultural exchanges is weaving Xinjiang into the very fabric of the Belt and Road Initiative, cementing its role as a pivotal hub for continental connectivity.

Matt Ehret and Ghost take listeners on a global tour of intrigue, from the fallout of Charlie Kirk's assassination to the shifting alliances shaping the Middle East and Eurasia. They break down Trump's fiery UN speech, the odd “malfunctions” that marred it, and his high-stakes meetings with Arab leaders and Erdogan. The discussion moves into Israel's maneuvers in Syria, the looming specter of a land war with Iran, and the deeper game being played with NATO and Turkey. From Kazakhstan's record-breaking $4 billion rail deal with the U.S. to China and Russia's nuclear and infrastructure partnerships, the hosts trace how railroads, energy, and geopolitics are fusing into a new map of power. Along the way, they expose the dangers of transhumanist ideology, AI “saints,” and psychological operations designed to warp faith and culture. This episode ties together history, current events, and the battle for the future in the style only Breaking History delivers.

From the bustling lanes of the world's largest bazaar in Urumqi to the humming logistics hubs at the region's 19 ports, Xinjiang is transforming its geographical advantage into economic strength. As China's gateway to the west, it now hosts a major network for opening-up, including the pioneering Pilot Free Trade Zone. This episode explores how cross-border trade, a web of China-Europe freight trains, and cultural exchanges are weaving Xinjiang into the very heart of the Belt and Road Initiative, making it a pivotal hub for continental connectivity. On the show: Niu Honglin, Laiming & Yushan.

HEADLINE: Global Allies Worry About US Division, Adversaries Exploit Weakness GUEST AND TITLE: Ambassador Husain Haqqani, Hudson Institute Director of Eurasia Project; Bill Roggio, Senior Fellow for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies SUMMARY: Ambassador Husain Haqqani states US allies are "very worried" by American internal division and extreme rhetoric, unlike past unity. Bill Roggio notes similar European issues, but the US now seems to lead in domestic disorder. Adversaries like China, Russia, and Islamist extremists exploit this polarization, using social media manipulation and citing Western decline. Both emphasize leaders must reduce aggressive rhetoric, promote bipartisan cooperation, and control social media to heal divisions, advocating for unity to counter external exploitation and domestic radicalization. 1957

HEADLINE: Global Allies Worry About US Division, Adversaries Exploit Weakness GUEST AND TITLE: Ambassador Husain Haqqani, Hudson Institute Director of Eurasia Project; Bill Roggio, Senior Fellow for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies SUMMARY: Ambassador Husain Haqqani states US allies are "very worried" by American internal division and extreme rhetoric, unlike past unity. Bill Roggio notes similar European issues, but the US now seems to lead in domestic disorder. Adversaries like China, Russia, and Islamist extremists exploit this polarization, using social media manipulation and citing Western decline. Both emphasize leaders must reduce aggressive rhetoric, promote bipartisan cooperation, and control social media to heal divisions, advocating for unity to counter external exploitation and domestic radicalization.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Dr. John Pennell discusses his book and Ph.D. research: Assessing Russia's Actions in Ukraine and Syria, 2014–2022 Implications for the Changing Character of War. Recording Date: 4 Sep 2025 Research Question: John Pennell suggests an interested student or researcher examine:  How can we better inform the American public about the information space; focusing on informing the American public about threats from adversaries and discerning fact from fiction. How Russian information operations has evolved since 2022; studying the evolving Russian information operations since 2014, including the shift in approach in 2022, as well as the influence of non-state actors like criminal syndicates and drug cartels in the information space. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #151 Daniel Runde on Chinese Soft Power #230 Randy Rosin on Warfare is Informational; the Case for a New DoD Information Paradigm Assessing Russia's Actions in Ukraine and Syria, 2014–2022 Implications for the Changing Character of War By John A. Pennell Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio:  Dr. Pennell is a highly accomplished, retired US senior foreign service officer (Minister-Counselor rank), with 20+ years of executive-level experience leading multidisciplinary, interagency, and joint teams to oversee US cooperation programs across Africa, Eurasia, the Indo-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East. He has deep expertise in irregular warfare, strategic competition, public diplomacy, strategic communications, and countering hybrid threats including in high-threat, gray-zone, and/or active combat environments.  He's currently a Senior Diplomacy Fellow with Narrative-Strategies, Senior Strategic Advisor with Pax Strategies LLC, and Senior Practitioner (pro bono) with the US Department of Defense's Irregular Warfare Center (IWC) in the intelligence, operations in the information environment, and emerging tech networks. He's also a subject matter expert reviewer (pro bono) for National Defense University's Joint Forces Quarterly (JFQ) and an International Advisory Board Member of Ukraine Foundation, a Swiss-based organization focused on peace processes and conflict resolution in Ukraine. In addition to being a lifetime member of the Information Professionals Association (IPA), he's a member of the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs (BCFA), Foreign Policy for America (FP4A), Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA), and National Security Leaders for America (NSL4A).  He has a PhD in War & Defense Studies from King's College London and Masters degrees from the National War College and American University. His book on Russia's irregular warfare activities in Syria and Ukraine is available from Bloomsbury, Amazon, Waterstones, etc. You can also visit his website. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

On today's Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomic Aeronautical Systems, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses and Dr. Eugene Rumer, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss details of Russia's drone attacks on Poland, Romania and Moldova — the first and largest such attack against the alliance; how the alliance can respond given President Trump's conditioning of US support on all alliance members agreeing to halting energy purchases from Russia and imposing penalties on China; the changing nature of Russia's ever larger attacks on Ukraine; the joint Russian-Belorussian Zapad 2025 exercises and how Moscow and Minsk are working to improve capabilities; whether the exercise is cover for potential future action against NATO given how Russia used past Zapad exercises to pre-position forces and equipment for the 2022 attack on Ukraine; the implications of US military observers at Zapad; and whether Washington's engagement with Minsk will change Belarus' alignment with Russia.

Peter Zalmayev, Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative and host of an international affairs program on Pryamy Channel. Unpacked the key shifts from the Trump–Putin meeting in Alaska, what it means for Ukraine and post-Soviet states, and the underreported dynamics shaping global perception.

BOOK TITLE: The Decisive Decade: American Grand Strategy for Triumph over China AUTHOR: Jonathan DT Ward HEADLINE: China's Response to Geographical Weakness: Expansionism and Global Power Projection China has historically faced geographical weaknesses, lacking natural borders in regions like the Tibetan Plateau, Mongolian and Xinjiang Deserts, and the South China Sea. To address this, China, under Xi Jinping, is converting its global economic power into military power, initially focused on the Indo-Pacific. Their strategy includes the Belt and Road Initiative to consolidate economic geography across Eurasia and Africa, projecting military power globally, which defines an expansionist approach. 1950S PEKING UNIVERSITY

Lawyer Lisa joins us for a great chat about the state of the world in regards to speech suppression, and the ongoing tyranny.   We talk about speech restriction, pulling apart society, culling lawyers, politicization, Real 411, the One Globalist Beast System, what is happening with aFLD, the ai push into technical interoperability, immigration, protest zones, central banks, the upcoming war between Canada and USA, the Group of 30, Luciferianism, the UN Migration Compact and Carney and Eurasia.   In the last part we get into the DNA - Declaration of North America, new Bill of Rights, Bill C293 kill bill campaign, Elections Canada asking questions, UBI, CBDC, GFANS, Tariffs, Christianity, Selling man to man, the Green scam war crimes, smart city infrastructure, Trans rights to transhumanism, recency bias and ghost cities in China.   Lawyer who has practiced as a litigator. I've run my own firm and done large file litigation including files against the government and class action work. https://lawyerlisa.substack.com/p/diana-carney-gerald-butts-ian-bremmer?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1287362&post_id=172786867&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=24pqe&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email https://www.amazon.ca/WORLD-MUTE-Committees-Destroying-Eliminating-ebook/dp/B0F8RC4PTD   completestreetsforcanada.ca   To gain access to the second half of show and our Plus feed for audio and podcast please clink the link http://www.grimericaoutlawed.ca/support.   For second half of video (when applicable and audio) go to our Substack and Subscribe. https://grimericaoutlawed.substack.com/ or to our Locals  https://grimericaoutlawed.locals.com/ or Rokfin www.Rokfin.com/Grimerica Patreon https://www.patreon.com/grimericaoutlawed   Support the show directly: https://grimericacbd.com/ CBD / THC Tinctures and Gummies https://grimerica.ca/support-2/ Eh-List Podcast and site: https://eh-list.ca/ Eh-List YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEh-List Our Adultbrain Audiobook Podcast and Website: www.adultbrain.ca Our Audiobook Youtube Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/@adultbrainaudiobookpublishing/videos Darren's book www.acanadianshame.ca Check out our next trip/conference/meetup - Contact at the Cabin www.contactatthecabin.com Other affiliated shows: www.grimerica.ca The OG Grimerica Show www.Rokfin.com/Grimerica Our channel on free speech Rokfin Join the chat / hangout with a bunch of fellow Grimericans  Https://t.me.grimerica https://www.guilded.gg/chat/b7af7266-771d-427f-978c-872a7962a6c2?messageId=c1e1c7cd-c6e9-4eaf-abc9-e6ec0be89ff3   Leave a review on iTunes and/or Stitcher: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/grimerica-outlawed http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/grimerica-outlawed Sign up for our newsletter http://www.grimerica.ca/news SPAM Graham = and send him your synchronicities, feedback, strange experiences and psychedelic trip reports!! graham@grimerica.com InstaGRAM https://www.instagram.com/the_grimerica_show_podcast/  Purchase swag, with partial proceeds donated to the show www.grimerica.ca/swag Send us a postcard or letter http://www.grimerica.ca/contact/ ART - Napolean Duheme's site http://www.lostbreadcomic.com/  MUSIC Tru Northperception, Felix's Site sirfelix.bandcamp.com 

General Paul Vallely rejoins the program to discuss a viable Ukraine peace deal. Drawing on his experience brokering agreements—including past efforts between Ukraine and Russia—he shares unique, hard-won insight into what it would take to stop the war and make a settlement stick. We also explore his roadmap for moving beyond a two-party system of political non-action to a reality-based model where parties take a back seat to people and measurable results.Learn more and follow General Paul Vallely at https://standupamericaus.orgGeneral Paul Vallely's article referred to in the show: https://standupamericaus.org/transition-from-ideologies-and-politics-to-a-world-of-reality-and-facts/

Guest Name: Anatol Lieven • Affiliation: Eurasia Project Director of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft • Summary: The conversation critically examines a proposal for a Eurocentric security force in Ukraine, highlighting its practical unfeasibility given European military limitations and domestic fiscal challenges, particularly in France. It suggests the proposal might be political grandstanding or a strategy to "trap" the US. Ukraine's strategy aims to wear Russia down to concede on demands, recognizing they cannot achieve a full military victory. 1914 BRUSSELS

Guest Name: Anatol Lieven • Affiliation: Eurasia Project Director of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft • Summary: The conversation critically examines a proposal for a Eurocentric security force in Ukraine, highlighting its practical unfeasibility given European military limitations and domestic fiscal challenges, particularly in France. It suggests the proposal might be political grandstanding or a strategy to "trap" the US. Ukraine's strategy aims to wear Russia down to concede on demands, recognizing they cannot achieve a full military victory. continued 1914 BRUSSELS 

The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit wasn't just a meeting; it was the unveiling of a strategy. Hosted by Xi Jinping, the summit served as a calculated demonstration of Sino-Russian convening power. More importantly, it marked a concrete effort to operationalize an alternative, multipolar system designed explicitly to bypass Western economic and technological architectures.We just witnessed a significant inflection point in the global strategic competition. The rhetoric in Tianjin was overtly adversarial, with Xi Jinping denouncing "bullying behavior" and a "Cold War mentality." But beyond the rhetoric, the summit launched China's Global Governance Initiative (GGI), formalized commitments to building parallel financial infrastructure, and featured a strategically significant—and complex—détente between China and India.To break down the implications of this pivotal gathering, SCSP's President and CEO Ylli Bajraktari sat down with colleagues David Lin (China/East Asia/Tech), Joe Wang (Russia/Europe), and Sameer Lalwani (U.S.-India Defense) for an immediate assessment.The Propaganda Coup and Autocratic Convening PowerThe immediate takeaway from the summit was the sheer spectacle. Xi positioned himself at the center of the largest gathering in the organization's history, flanked by Vladimir Putin and, significantly, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The timing was deliberate. As David Lin noted, it was a "big week for Xi." The SCO meeting was strategically sandwiched between the first-ever public meeting of Putin, Kim Jong Un, and Xi, and a massive World War II anniversary parade in Beijing featuring thousands of troops and military hardware."It's a huge propaganda win for Beijing," Lin observed. "It gives Xi an opportunity to promote itself as being this global convener," while simultaneously pushing a tech-focused agenda.For Vladimir Putin, the summit was essential for mitigating diplomatic isolation and promoting the SCO as an alternative to NATO."Look at the past couple of weeks of Putin... he's going to be riding high right now," said Joe Wang. While few concrete deals may have materialized immediately that changed the dynamics in Ukraine, the optics were invaluable. "Being seen with President Xi, being seen with Modi... it's like Russia's back. For him, it's a great PR coup."The Architecture of a New Techno-Economic OrderThe summit demonstrated that the SCO is evolving from a regional security forum into the primary vehicle for the PRC to consolidate a bloc resistant to U.S. influence. We are witnessing the acceleration of a bifurcated world, characterized not just by differing political ideologies, but by competing technological ecosystems and financial systems.1. The Export of Digital AuthoritarianismXi formally introduced the Global Governance Initiative (GGI). While promoting "sovereign equality," the GGI is, in practice, a strategic blueprint to legitimize digital sovereignty—the right of states to control domestic information ecosystems, data flows, and technological infrastructure without adherence to democratic norms.The SCO's endorsement provides an institutional foundation for the PRC to export its model of techno-authoritarian control. This isn't just theoretical."At the SCO in particular, China was trying to push a lot of its techno-political agenda," David Lin emphasized. This included announcements that Beijing wants to set up S&T cooperation centers, an “AI application cooperation center,” launch joint solar and wind projects, and push Beidou, its alternative to GPS, across the SCO member states. Taken together, this could directly challenge the open, interoperable architecture championed by the U.S. and its allies, moving toward a fractured, PRC-controlled digital ecosystem across Eurasia.2. Accelerating Financial De-CouplingThe most concrete outcome was the political decision to fast-track the establishment of an SCO Development Bank, seeded with significant Chinese capital. This mechanism, coupled with agreements to expand the use of local currencies for intra-SCO trade, is explicitly designed to circumvent the SWIFT system and erode the efficacy of U.S. financial sanctions.This coordinated effort directly challenges the foundation of U.S. economic statecraft by building a resilient, alternative financial architecture among major energy producers (Russia, Iran) and the world's largest manufacturer (China).The India Factor: A Strategic RecalibrationThe most significant geopolitical development, and the one that caused the most consternation in Washington, was the visible rapprochement between Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi—Modi's first visit to China in seven years."For a lot of US-India relationship watchers, Prime Minister Modi's visit to Beijing and attending this meeting came as a big surprise. It was a shock," Ylli Bajraktari noted.How should the U.S. interpret this move by a critical Quad partner?"Honestly, I think this was inevitable in some ways. India has been rebalancing," explained Sameer Lalwani. India has always professed itself to be a multi-aligned country, but recent U.S. actions also played a significant role. "The elephant in the room is, the United States has been pushing India around a little bit more... in terms of tariffs, additional tariffs because of Russian oil."Lalwani argued that India was "demonstrating they had some options." However, this does not signal a fundamental shift. "It shouldn't be lost on us that before India went to this, they stopped in Japan first." Furthermore, Modi notably absented himself from the military parade, signaling nuance in his engagement—he would participate in the SCO, but not the military spectacle.The underlying strategic realities also remain unchanged."India has a border with China that's still disputed, and China continues to coerce India... [and] China armed, trained and wired the weapons that Pakistan used to fight India" in a recent conflict. — Sameer Lalwani"I don't think that's forgotten for India," Lalwani added. The U.S.-India defense relationship remains a strong ballast, pointing to ongoing joint exercises (like Yudh Abhyas currently underway in Alaska) and India's reliance on U.S. platforms for maritime reconnaissance.The Limits of the Axis (And Why We Can't Ignore It)While the summit projected unity, the SCSP analysts urged a nuanced view of the underlying relationships."It is important to remember that a lot of this is perhaps only skin deep," David Lin cautioned, pointing to the recent history of violent border clashes between China and India, and the tight spot Beijing was put in by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Yet, dismissing the SCO would be a strategic error. The organization has evolved significantly."I remember I was in grad school when [the SCO] first came up... we all kind of jokingly just laughed it off," Joe Wang recalled. "Fast forward 15, 20 years and see where it is now... Things don't just happen overnight."While the "bromance between Putin and Xi" is undeniable, the integration is not comparable to U.S. alliances like NATO or the U.S.-Japan relationship. "There's still a level of distrust that I think we need to be mindful about," Wang noted.The trap is assuming this alignment is already solidified, while simultaneously failing to plan for the contingency that it might be. "If you're in the US government, you don't have the luxury of not taking a lot of these statements at face value," Wang said. "We need to plan ahead."The U.S. Response: Competing in the Gray ZoneThe 2025 SCO Summit confirms that the organization is the leading edge of China's campaign to fracture the global order. How should the United States respond?1. Offer a Compelling Alternative Tech Stack. "One of the lowest hanging fruit things the U.S. should do is show that there is an alternative to this," David Lin argued. As the SCO bloc develops internal capacities and indigenous technology standards, the U.S. must demonstrate there is a viable, democratic alternative to the "China tech stack" that Beijing is actively exporting.2. Master the Game of Global Diplomacy. The U.S. must regain its strategic agility and relearn how to operate in a complex world. "After the Cold War, one of the things that America stopped doing well was play the game of global diplomacy," Joe Wang argued. The U.S. has often viewed the world in black-and-white terms, assuming its preeminence was undisputed."We've lost that strategic foresight and ability to be nimble and operate in this sort of gray zone... We need to see the world for being the gray zone that it is." — Joe WangThis means avoiding the trap of reacting to events like Modi's visit by assuming allegiances have permanently shifted—"Oh my God, Modi is in China. Therefore it must mean that he's now on their side"—while still applying pressure and offering incentives to keep partners aligned.3. Double Down on Real Alliances. The U.S. must emphasize the depth of its own partnerships, which Lin noted "runs so much deeper" than the transactional relationships within the SCO.For India specifically, Sameer Lalwani urged action over reaction. "I don't think there's any need to overreact to cheap talk." Instead, the U.S. bureaucracy needs to move faster on concrete deliverables, and Congress should confirm key diplomatic nominees. "When India says it wants to buy Javelin missiles and it's ready to do so, I don't want that to get stalled in a process when we need the political wins now."The competition is no longer just between the U.S. and China; it is between the U.S.-led democratic order and a sophisticated, resource-rich, PRC-led coalition. The Tianjin Summit is a clear signal that this coalition is moving from rhetoric to action. The U.S. must do the same. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit scsp222.substack.com

It's Tuesday, September 2nd, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson Pakistani Muslim kidnapped 16-year-old Christian girl Pakistan is in the persecution news again. This time for a 16-year-old Christian girl kidnapped and forced into sex slavery by a Muslim in the Punjab district. She was rescued by court order on August 14th. This is just one of thousands of these cases occurring each year, where girls and women are kidnapped and forced into conversions, marriages, and prostitution. Pakistan is the seventh worst nation in the world on The Worldview's International Morality Index, and the eighth worst on Open Doors' World Watch List. Finnish politician tried third time for condemning perversion A Finnish Member of Parliament, Päivi Räsänen, is back in court this month, after already being acquitted twice for the so-called hate crime of calling homosexual relationships “sinful.” Räsänen has been charged with “agitation against a minority group” under the Finnish criminal code addressing “war crimes and crimes against humanity.” She's been under attack for seven years. This time the prosecutor is taking the case to Finland's Supreme Court. Afghanistan earthquake claims 800 lives In God's providence, Afghanistan has been hit by a third major earthquake since the Taliban took over, reports Reuters. This has claimed 800 lives and wounded 2,800 more, mostly in the Kunar Province. The 2022 quake killed over 1,000 people and the 2023 quake killed over 2,000 people. Russia's Putin, India's Modi and China's Jinping met in summit The new Axis power base was further solidified yesterday in a meeting which took place in Tianjin, China, with the presidents of China, India, and Russia — Presidents Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, and Vladimir Putin. This was Modi's first visit to China in seven years. Modi expressed his desire to Putin that the two nations deepen cooperation “in all sectors.”  The meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization boasts “the world's largest regional organization” including nations with a combined economic output of nearly $30 trillion. That's just over the United States' annual Gross Domestic Product. Russia's Putin called the alliance the beginnings of a “new system” of security in Eurasia.  The Shanghai Cooperation Organization consists of the communist, Hindu, and Islamic states of Russia, Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Chinese Navy boasts more warships than America The BBC reports that the Chinese Navy has exceeded America's Navy in number of warships -- 234 to 219. However, the Chinese are still behind the United States in overall tonnage and aircraft carriers.  Importantly, the Chinese shipyards have upwards of 200 times the ship-building capacity of America at this point. Brazilian socialists want to lock up Jair Bolsonaro Socialist elements in the Brazilian government are looking at locking up the nation's previous president Jair Bolsonaro for 30 years. Bolsonaro is accused of staging a coup after disagreeing with the election results in January of 2023.   The Associated Press reports that the evidence includes “an unsigned document that sought to invalidate the election and his alleged push for supporters to destroy government buildings in Brasilia on January 8, 2023.”  Low Scottish birth rate Scotland's birth rate is the lowest on record — hitting 1.23 children per woman. The nation's abortion rate is 17.9 per 1,000 women. Out of 50 countries, that's the fifth lowest birth rate in Europe. Only Malta, Spain, Lithuania, and Italy have lower birth rates.  Deuteronomy 7:12 and 14a makes a promise to a nation. “Because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them. …You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock.” Not so much for Scotland. Vice President JD Vance defends prayer U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance defended prayer as a proper response to the recent massacre at the Minneapolis, Minnesota Catholic School. His X post explained that, “We pray because our hearts are broken. We pray because we know God listens. We pray because we know that God works in mysterious ways, and can inspire us to further action.” Vance was responding to Jen Psaki, Joe Biden's previous press secretary, who skeptically asserted that “Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers does [sic] not end school shootings. Prayers do not make parents feel safe sending their kids to school. Prayer does not bring these kids back.” In addition to Vice President Vance, CNN's conservative commentator Scott Jennings defended prayer as well. Listen. JENNINGS: “I think it's wrong, frankly, to vilify or attack people of faith. I think ‘thoughts and prayers' are the most solid on days of tragedy for people who live their faith every day. And I think on a day like today, particularly in a church community, there are probably people praying harder for comfort today than they have ever prayed in their life. “And I heard others on the Left today go down this line of attack against people of faith, sort of denigrating the idea that they might want to pray today.” Proverbs 28:9 reminds us that “If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” And Proverbs 15:29 says, “The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.” Chip and Joanna Gaines roll out “LGBTQ roller skating show” The reality show pop-star couple and known-to- be professing Christians, Chip Gaines and his wife, Joanna, are under fire again. This time, they are producing a program on their Magnolia Network featuring what has been termed “an LGBTQ+ roller skating reality show” called “Roller Jam.” Joanna Gaines called it “a show the whole family can watch together,” according to Protestia and FaithWire.  Office mortgages hit record 11.7% delinquency rate In economic news, delinquency rates on office mortgages in the United States have hit a record 11.7%, exceeding the last record set during the 2008 recession. That delinquency rate was only 1.6% just two years ago. Silver and gold keep climbing According to TradingView.com, silver surged to $40.76 per ounce and gold hit $3,475 per ounce on Monday — record highs for the metals. Married mothers happier than childless single women And finally, no surprise here. The Institute for Family Studies surveyed 3,000 women and found that married mothers were more likely to enjoy life.   The report documented that 47% of married mothers say their lives are enjoyable most or all the time, compared to 34% of unmarried, childless women who say the same thing. Psalm 127:3 says, “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, September 2nd, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

01:00:44 – AI's “Depressed Robot” MeltdownGoogle's Gemini AI sparks headlines with bizarre, self-loathing messages—declaring itself a “disgrace to all possible universes”—raising concerns over unhealthy human attachment to AI systems. 01:13:12 – Tesla Abandons Dojo SupercomputerElon Musk shutters Tesla's in-house AI chip project after mass staff departures, shifting reliance to external partners like Nvidia and Samsung for autonomous driving technology. 01:19:31 – Cracker Barrel Remodel BacklashLoyal customers revolt against the chain's sterile redesign, accusing executives of destroying its nostalgic Southern charm in favor of bland, “modern” aesthetics. 01:28:33 – Cracker Barrel's Pride ControversyA resurfaced rainbow rocking chair post from Pride Month draws conservative criticism, with many accusing the company of abandoning its core customer base. 01:33:31 – Israeli Strike Kills Al Jazeera JournalistsAirstrike outside Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital kills five journalists, including Anas al-Sharif, fueling accusations that Israel is deliberately targeting media personnel. 01:38:34 – Trump's “Crony Fascism” MovesTrump's policies force companies like Nvidia and AMD to give the U.S. government 15% of China-related revenues, with critics warning of state capitalism creeping into America. 01:47:01 – Nationalizing Steel?Discussion over Trump approving a foreign steel takeover while demanding government “golden share” control, likened to mixing nationalization with crony capitalism. 02:26:53 – Political Wrestling and Controlled OppositionSpeculation that U.S. politics functions like staged wrestling—Biden creating chaos so Trump can appear as savior, only to destroy the populist movement. The conversation connects this to bipartisan pushes for national ID systems. 02:34:24 – Lincoln's Legacy and the Civil War NarrativeThey challenge mainstream Civil War history, arguing the South's secession mirrored America's own independence from Britain, and that Lincoln's actions contradicted self-determination. The segment emphasizes historical propaganda as a control tool. [02:52:32] – Trump's Martial Law Push in D.C.Criticism of Trump's plan to federalize the D.C. police and deploy the National Guard despite no active riot or natural disaster, framing it as an unnecessary and dangerous expansion of emergency powers. [03:00:19] – Federalizing Police and Constitutional DangersWarnings about the historical opposition to federalized policing, recalling John Birch Society campaigns, and linking Trump's moves to broader authoritarian trends. [03:09:22] – Authoritarian Capitalism with American CharacteristicsComparison of Trump's governance model to China's mix of authoritarianism and crony capitalism, emphasizing corporate-government fusion and personal enrichment of elites. [03:21:19] – Don Jr.'s Pharmaceutical VenturesExposure of Donald Trump Jr.'s move into direct pharmaceutical sales, raising questions about conflicts of interest given the family's vaccine profiteering history. [03:26:10] – Harvard Patent Fight and Free Speech RetaliationExamination of the federal government's unprecedented move to seize Harvard patents, framing it as retaliation for allowing criticism of Israel, and highlighting the unconstitutionality of federal research grants. [03:55:31] – Genocide Against Christians AbroadCoverage of Christian persecution in Africa and Eurasia, including Israel's role in arming Azerbaijan during its ethnic cleansing of Armenian Christians, and U.S. complicity through indirect arms transfers. Follow the show on Kick and watch live every weekday 9:00am EST – 12:00pm EST https://kick.com/davidknightshow Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code KNIGHTFind out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-showOr you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-david-knight-show--2653468/support.

Hal Brands, Henry A. Kissinger distinguished professor of Global Affairs at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and author of The Eurasian Century: Hot Wars, Cold Wars, and the Making of the Modern World, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how and why control of Eurasia affects U.S. national security. This episode is the fifth in a continuing TPI series on U.S. grand strategy.   This episode was originally released by The President's Inbox on January 21, 2025.   Mentioned on the Episode   Hal Brands, The Eurasian Century: Hot Wars, Cold Wars, and the Making of the Modern World   H. J. Mackinder, “The Geographical Pivot of History,” The Geographical Journal   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President's Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/eurasia-challenge-hal-brands

01:00:44 – AI's “Depressed Robot” MeltdownGoogle's Gemini AI sparks headlines with bizarre, self-loathing messages—declaring itself a “disgrace to all possible universes”—raising concerns over unhealthy human attachment to AI systems. 01:13:12 – Tesla Abandons Dojo SupercomputerElon Musk shutters Tesla's in-house AI chip project after mass staff departures, shifting reliance to external partners like Nvidia and Samsung for autonomous driving technology. 01:19:31 – Cracker Barrel Remodel BacklashLoyal customers revolt against the chain's sterile redesign, accusing executives of destroying its nostalgic Southern charm in favor of bland, “modern” aesthetics. 01:28:33 – Cracker Barrel's Pride ControversyA resurfaced rainbow rocking chair post from Pride Month draws conservative criticism, with many accusing the company of abandoning its core customer base. 01:33:31 – Israeli Strike Kills Al Jazeera JournalistsAirstrike outside Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital kills five journalists, including Anas al-Sharif, fueling accusations that Israel is deliberately targeting media personnel. 01:38:34 – Trump's “Crony Fascism” MovesTrump's policies force companies like Nvidia and AMD to give the U.S. government 15% of China-related revenues, with critics warning of state capitalism creeping into America. 01:47:01 – Nationalizing Steel?Discussion over Trump approving a foreign steel takeover while demanding government “golden share” control, likened to mixing nationalization with crony capitalism. 02:26:53 – Political Wrestling and Controlled OppositionSpeculation that U.S. politics functions like staged wrestling—Biden creating chaos so Trump can appear as savior, only to destroy the populist movement. The conversation connects this to bipartisan pushes for national ID systems. 02:34:24 – Lincoln's Legacy and the Civil War NarrativeThey challenge mainstream Civil War history, arguing the South's secession mirrored America's own independence from Britain, and that Lincoln's actions contradicted self-determination. The segment emphasizes historical propaganda as a control tool. [02:52:32] – Trump's Martial Law Push in D.C.Criticism of Trump's plan to federalize the D.C. police and deploy the National Guard despite no active riot or natural disaster, framing it as an unnecessary and dangerous expansion of emergency powers. [03:00:19] – Federalizing Police and Constitutional DangersWarnings about the historical opposition to federalized policing, recalling John Birch Society campaigns, and linking Trump's moves to broader authoritarian trends. [03:09:22] – Authoritarian Capitalism with American CharacteristicsComparison of Trump's governance model to China's mix of authoritarianism and crony capitalism, emphasizing corporate-government fusion and personal enrichment of elites. [03:21:19] – Don Jr.'s Pharmaceutical VenturesExposure of Donald Trump Jr.'s move into direct pharmaceutical sales, raising questions about conflicts of interest given the family's vaccine profiteering history. [03:26:10] – Harvard Patent Fight and Free Speech RetaliationExamination of the federal government's unprecedented move to seize Harvard patents, framing it as retaliation for allowing criticism of Israel, and highlighting the unconstitutionality of federal research grants. [03:55:31] – Genocide Against Christians AbroadCoverage of Christian persecution in Africa and Eurasia, including Israel's role in arming Azerbaijan during its ethnic cleansing of Armenian Christians, and U.S. complicity through indirect arms transfers. Follow the show on Kick and watch live every weekday 9:00am EST – 12:00pm EST https://kick.com/davidknightshow Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code KNIGHTFind out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-showOr you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-david-knight-show--5282736/support.

 SHOW SCHEDULE  7-30-25 THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE AIR WAR OVER EURASIA...1931 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR FIRST HOUR 9:00-9:15 Jeff McCausland 9:15-9:30 Jeff McCausland 9:30-9:45 Lance Gatling 9:45-10:00 Lance Gatling SECOND HOUR 10:00-10:15 DPRK agitprop aggression. David Maxwell, Gordon Chang 10:15-10:30 USN: No easy fix. Rebecca Grant, Gordon Chang 10:30-10:45 Taiwan: What is the Trump policy? Steve Yates, Gordon Chang 10:45-11:00 PRC: Addiction to exports. Charles Ortel, Gordon Chang THIRD HOUR 11:00-11:15 PRC: No peacekeeper. Victoria Herczegh, @GPFUTURES 11:15-11:30 Budapest: Orban complains of the EU deal. Victoria Herczegh, @GPFUTURES 11:30-11:45 CNMI: PRC soft power in the Marianas. Grant Newsham 11:45-12:00 AI and FTC: The pursuit of bigness. Jessica Melugin, Civitas Institute FOURTH HOUR 12:00-12:15 France plums and blackberries. Simon Constable 12:15-12:30 UK: POTUS asks after North Sea. Simon Constable 12:30-12:45 Raising investors. Bob Zimmerman, BehindTheBlack.com - Firefly 12:45-1:00 TMT: Canary Island bid. Bob Zimmerman, BehindTheBlack.com