Podcasts about Beijing

PREVIEW HEADLINE: Experts Warn of US Vulnerability Due to Reliance on Taiwan for High-End AI Chips GUEST NAME: Brandon Weichert SUMMARY: Brandon Weichert discussed House Oversight Committee testimony detailing US vulnerability regarding high-end AI chips. The panel argued that relying on Taiwan for 90% of production makes the US supply chain susceptible to Chinese disruption. Experts recommended a comprehensive Chips Act and budgeting language to stop companies like Nvidia from selling advanced chips to Beijing. 1954

This week, we're celebrating new fall cookbooks that belong on your kitchen counter. First, Aleksandra Crapanzano, author of Chocolat: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights, takes us from Marie Antoinette's early “truffle” to the French art of baking at home. She leaves us with her Chocolate Ganache Tart with Raspberries. Then, Anna Ansari explores the delicious connections across cuisines in Silk Roads: A Flavor Odyssey, tracing flavors from Baku to Beijing and shares her recipe for Shivit Oshi (Khivan green noodles with beef stew). Finally, creator and Next Level Chef alum Cassie Yeung brings big, weeknight-friendly energy from Bad B*tch in the Kitch, including her 30-minute Beef & Broccoli. Broadcast dates for this episode: October 3, 2025 (originally aired)Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he dives into today's top stories shaping America and the world. In this Friday Headline Brief of The Wright Report, we cover the third day of the government shutdown, new polling on political violence, a Minnesota immigration bust, shocking revelations in the Epstein case, crackdowns on unsafe foreign truck drivers, the rising cost of AI power demands, European drone threats, the UK's immigration and crime crisis, a free speech case in Switzerland, a new defense pact in the Pacific, and the science of living to 117. Quick hits to set your radar for the weekend.   Day Three of the Shutdown: Trump celebrated, “I can't believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity.” He is targeting Democrat-leaning agencies and clawing back billions from NYC's subway system and Biden's green energy projects to fund AI and mineral wars.   Poll on Political Violence: NPR and PBS found 30 percent of Americans say violence may be necessary to “steer the country in the right direction,” up from 19 percent last year. Bryan warns that equals 60 million people.   Immigration Fraud Bust in Minnesota: Operation Twin Shield uncovered 275 likely cases of sham marriages, fake jobs, and forged documents. Nationwide “neighborhood checks” are set to follow.   Epstein Blackmail Claims: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a former neighbor, said Epstein's massage room “was on video” and called him “the greatest blackmailer ever.” His account echoes Cindy McCain's 2020 remark that “we all knew” what Epstein was doing.   Foreign Truck Driver Crackdown: DOT Secretary Sean Duffy imposed strict new visa, immigration, and English requirements after finding 25 percent of California CDLs are bogus. Trucking groups applauded the move.   AI Sends Power Bills Higher: Bloomberg reports AI data centers pushed utility costs up $16.1 billion in the PJM grid, raising household bills. But Johns Hopkins found AI can predict surgical complications better than doctors, offering life-saving potential.   Russia's Shadow Fleet and Drone Threats: France detained a Russian oil tanker tied to drones buzzing Denmark. Bryan warns adversaries could launch drones or missiles from disguised ships off U.S. shores.   UK's Crisis of Immigration and Crime: A Syrian named Jihad al-Shamie attacked a synagogue, while a British blogger was arrested for posting “F- Hamas.” Seven Pakistani men were sentenced for grooming gangs, and the NHS briefly praised first-cousin marriage before pulling the report.   Swiss Man Jailed for Free Speech: He refused to pay fines for calling gender ideology a “mental illness” and chose 10 days in jail. Bryan notes Trump and Vance are right to warn Europe is committing “national suicide.”   Pacific Defense Pact: Papua New Guinea signed a deal with Australia, reversing a drift toward Beijing and securing vital waters for U.S. and allied navies.   Life at 117: Spanish researchers studied a woman who lived to 117, crediting strong gut bacteria, olive oil, daily walks, and plain yogurt. Bryan quipped, “Unless you live in Portland, where Antifa will get you first.”   "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32     Keywords: Trump government shutdown day three, Trump cuts Democrat agencies, NYC subway green energy clawback, NPR PBS poll political violence, Minnesota Operation Twin Shield sham marriages, Epstein blackmail Howard Lutnick massage room, Cindy McCain Epstein hiding in plain sight, Sean Duffy DOT truck driver crackdown, AI data center power bills Bloomberg, Johns Hopkins AI surgical risk, France detains Russian tanker drones Denmark, UK Jihad al-Shamie synagogue attack, UK blogger arrested Hamas post, UK grooming gangs Pakistani men, NHS cousin marriage report, Switzerland man jailed free speech skeletons, Papua New Guinea Australia defense pact, Spain woman age 117 gut bacteria

The Shutdown Senate VoteThe shutdown rolls on, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune has already said it is unlikely the Senate will vote this weekend. That means the government shutdown will extend into next week unless something changes Friday morning. He criticized Democrats for demanding an extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies in the stopgap bill and insisted negotiations must begin only once the government reopens. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is predicting GOP unity will falter as the shutdown drags on, but I'm not convinced.From where I sit, the numbers tell the story. Three Democrats voted with Republicans last time. Rand Paul opposes continuing resolutions, so Republicans will need eight Democrats to reach 60 votes because J.D. Vance is the tie breaker. Every time the Senate votes, I'm watching to see if more than three Democrats side with Republicans — that's the real signal of where this is going.I don't believe Democrats are built for shutdowns. They're posturing as if they're ready to see this through, but the longer it goes the more likely rank and file members will embarrass Chuck Schumer into ending it. The real pain — furloughs, firings, and cuts to the federal workforce — is only going to show up if this lasts into next week. That's when the Russ Vought part of the story kicks in, and that's when this gets serious.Politics Politics Politics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Abigail Spanberger in VirginiaFormer Representative Abigail Spanberger is leading Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earl Sears by 10 points in the governor's race, 52 to 42, according to a new Emerson College and Hill survey conducted September 28 and 29. Early voting is already underway with more than 146,000 ballots cast. Among those voters, Spanberger leads 60 to 38 and still holds a 50 to 43 edge among those yet to vote.Her gains have come from independents, men, and younger voters. Independents back her by 19 points, men are evenly split, and voters under 50 favor her by 27 points. History suggests the party that is not in the White House usually wins the Virginia governor's race. Based on that, I'd bet Spanberger, even though this isn't exactly an electric matchup.The only real advantage Sears has is the men's and women's sports issue — a culture war topic, not a kitchen table one. I don't think that will be enough, especially in Northern Virginia, which is heavily government dependent and angry at the president. Add on Sears not being a great candidate and Spanberger looks far stronger heading into November.Bailouts are BackTreasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the Trump administration will announce substantial support for U.S. farmers next week, likely funded by tariff revenue. Soybean growers have been hit hard as China has halted U.S. purchases during their trade war. Bessent accused Beijing of using farmers as hostages in negotiations but pledged aid, noting their loyalty to Trump.He discussed the plan with the president and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, but details and costs remain unclear. Argentina's discounted soybean sales to China have undercut U.S. farmers and stoked tension. Bailouts are back, and this is classic Trump — he's never been a fiscal hawk and has no problem using the federal government's pocketbook to shape the world as he sees fit.That's where things stand. Farmers are hurting, the administration is signaling payouts, and we'll see next week how big the support really is.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro and Synagogue Shooting00:03:47 - Interview with Gloria Young00:34:28 - Update00:34:44 - Shutdown00:38:08 - Abigail Spanberger00:40:18 - Farmers00:41:49 - Interview with Gloria Young (con't)01:03:18 - Wrap-up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

For years, Washington and Beijing have gone head-to-head for economic, military and technological superiority. At the United Nations General Assembly, China sent a clear message that it was ready to step in as the world's superpower - making pledges on everything from trade to climate. As US Ambassador to Beijing, Nicholas Burns witnessed China's push for power up close - from cyber attacks on America to designs on Taiwan, and he joins the show from New York to explain what he saw and what's ahead.   Also on today's show: Benny Safdie, Director, "The Smashing Machine"; Trymaine Lee, Author, "A Thousand Ways to Die"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Pompeo, former Secretary of State and CIA Director, Fox News Contributor, and author of Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love, joined The Guy Benson Show today for a wide-ranging conversation on foreign policy and national security. Pompeo weighed in on President Trump's pitched plan to end the conflict in Gaza, along with his brand new Sunday ultimatum, arguing the proposal offers the best hope for Gazans, Palestinians, and Israel, even though Hamas may never abandon its terrorist mindset. Sec. Pompeo also addressed the troubling rise of global antisemitism, including an attack in the UK on Yom Kippur, before turning to the war in Ukraine and the growing intelligence partnership between Washington and Kyiv that is enabling strikes deep inside Russian territory. Pompeo and Benson also detailed the CCP's foiled effort to target New York City's cell grid, as well as the potential TikTok deal that could finally force Beijing to relinquish control of the platform's algorithm, a development that would help quell many national security fears. Listen below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1995, there was a landmark meeting on gender equality in Beijing: the Fourth World Conference on Women. The conference produced the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a highly influential blueprint for advancing women's rights. It was at this conference that then–First Lady Hillary Clinton famously declared, “Human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights, once and for all.” Last week, at the United Nations General Assembly, there was a 30-year commemoration of this landmark conference, which has become a touchstone for advocates around the world — particularly from civil society. Today, I'm joined by two of those advocates: Bani Dugal and Liliane Nkunzimana, representatives of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations. They explain why the conference 30 years ago was so significant, how it continues to influence debates on gender equality today, and how to keep advancing gender equality in a profoundly different geopolitical context three decades on. This episode is produced in partnership with the Baha'i International Community, an NGO that represents the worldwide Baha'i community at the UN and other international forums, where it emphasizes that recognizing humanity's interconnectedness is key to a shared global future. The Baha'i International Community recently released the book "In Full Partnership: Thirty Years of Women's Advancement at the United Nations and Beyond, " which honors 30 years since the landmark Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing and the creation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. You can find the book at BIC.org.  

Watch this episode on YouTube here.From China's stranglehold on critical minerals to the coming AI power crunch, energy is no longer a domestic policy issue — it's the front line of global power.To discuss how America's new National Energy Dominance Council is built to weaponize oil, gas, coal, and nuclear as tools of statecraft — and why abandoning them hands Beijing and Moscow the keys to the century — host Cliff May is joined by his FDD colleague, Rich Goldberg. Rich, a Navy intelligence officer turned senior National Security Council official, helped conceive and stand up the White House's new Energy Council.

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he dives into today's top stories shaping America and the world. In this episode of The Wright Report, we cover Trump's viral sombrero memes targeting Democrats, the Pentagon's crackdown on leaks, fresh warnings for U.S. farmers and ranchers, the massive energy demands of AI, the arrest of Nord Stream saboteurs, Ukraine's push for Tomahawk missiles, Chinese mafia violence in Italy, Trump's Gaza peace deal, and even a rare case of good news about China's green energy trash. From mariachi memes to missile wars and mafia battles, today's brief connects the headlines shaping America and the world.   Trump's Sombrero Memes Spark Outrage: The White House posted AI videos mocking Democrats with sombreros and mustaches as they demanded $1 trillion for health care, part of which would go to migrants. VP JD Vance shrugged, saying, “Hakeem Jeffries said it was racist… but I honestly don't even know what that means.” GOP commentators called the memes “politically genius” for using humor to spotlight taxpayer costs.   Pentagon Orders Polygraphs to Stop Leaks: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth now requires NDAs and random polygraph tests for all staff and contractors to crack down on leaks. Bryan cautions that “polygraphs are tools, not an oracle,” recalling how his first CIA test flagged him for feeling guilty about stealing junior high concession stand quarters.   Screwworm Outbreak Worsens in Mexico: Cases jumped 32 percent in September to 6,700, including 5,000 in cattle. Ranchers warn the deadly parasite could soon hit Texas and drive beef prices higher. Bryan urges, “Stock up now.”   Farmers and Trump Clash Over Argentina Soybeans: After Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent bailed out President Milei, Argentina sold $7 billion in soybeans to China, undercutting U.S. farmers. Trump promised a bailout using tariff funds, but Democrats are blocking the deal. Bryan calls it “a Mexican standoff” with farmers caught in the middle.   AI Revolution Requires 44 New Nuclear Reactors: The IEEE reports U.S. AI demand will equal the output of 44 new nuclear power plants within five years. Russia remains the top uranium supplier. Trump is expanding coal leases and equity stakes in mineral and energy companies, while Bryan slams Silicon Valley's AGI obsession: “Give me a little buddy I can train each day… not a know-it-all chatbot filled with junk data.”   Nord Stream Saboteur Arrested in Ukraine Plot: German officials detained a Ukrainian tied to the 2022 pipeline bombing, allegedly ordered by General Valery Zaluzhny. Defense may argue the sabotage was a legitimate act of war.   Ukraine Pushes for Tomahawk Missiles: Trump leans toward sending 1,500-mile Tomahawks for “kind-for-kind” strikes. Putin warned it would make America a direct combatant, with U.S. CIA and Special Forces bases likely targets. Bryan warns Russia could also strike from Mexico or use saboteurs posing as asylum seekers.   Chinese Mafia Wars in Italy: Gun battles erupt in Prato as Chinese gangs fight over the $115 million hanger market for Italy's fast fashion industry. The city's Chinese population exploded from 500 in 1990 to 40,000 today, fueling Beijing-backed mafia influence.   Hamas Has Hours to Accept Trump's Gaza Plan: Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt told Hamas to accept Trump's deal or lose support. Turkey may gain F-35 jets and Egypt may see Trump pause recognition of Somaliland in return. Bryan says, “We are on a knife's edge… pray for peace.”   China Finds a Use for Dirty Green Energy Trash: Beijing is planting old wind turbine blades in the Gobi Desert to block sand dunes, creating a “New Great Wall of China.” Bryan admits, “It makes me sad to report it, but this one actually works.”   "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32     Keywords: Trump sombrero memes Hakeem Jeffries, JD Vance sombrero quote, Pete Hegseth Pentagon polygraph leaks, screwworm outbreak Mexico Texas beef, Argentina soybeans Milei China sales, Trump tariff farmer bailout, AI nuclear power IEEE report, Trump mineral wars coal leases, Nord Stream pipeline sabotage Zaluzhny, Ukraine Tomahawk missile request Trump, Putin warns U.S. combatant, Chinese mafia Prato Italy fast fashion, Trump Gaza peace plan Hamas Qatar Turkey Egypt, China wind turbine blades Gobi Desert

The National Security Hour with Brandon Weichert – America faces coordinated threats from radicals, cyber saboteurs, jihadists, and hostile regimes. Cities burn, telecom networks are compromised, and sleeper cells prepare strikes. From Beijing's cyberwar to Venezuela's narco-terror ties, enemies converge to destabilize the homeland. Blackouts, violence, and infiltration escalate as the nation stands in the crosshairs of shadow...

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.

For decades, free trade was treated as an unquestioned good—an engine of prosperity and cooperation. But today, leaders from Washington to Beijing are rethinking trade as something very different: a tool of power.In this episode, we dive into new research with Harvard's David Yang that asks: how do trade relationships actually give countries leverage over one another? Why might exports matter more than imports when it comes to power? And how do tariffs, subsidies, and industrial policy reshape not just economies, but the global order itself?We explore what this means for U.S.–China rivalry, Trump's tariffs, Germany's dependence on Russian oil, and why trade power may sometimes matter as much as military power. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Dinny McMahon, Head of China Markets Research at Trivium China, and Andrew Polk, Co-Founder and Head of Economic Research at Trivium China. Dinny and Andrew discuss their new Freeman Chair report,China's Economic Transition: Debt, Demography, Deglobalization, and Scenarios for 2035. The conversation unpacks the structural challenges facing China's economy, why the next decade will be decisive in whether China can escape the middle-income trap, and who really matters when it comes to economic policy-making in Beijing.

Cracked Racquets Editor-in-Chief Alex Gruskin breaks down a fun Thursday in the Pro Tennis World. He offers his thoughts on an All-American SF in Beijing, looks at the most intriguing R2 matchups in Shanghai, plus SO much more!! Don't forget to give a 5 star review on your favorite podcast app! In addition, add your twitter/instagram handle to the review for a chance to win some FREE CR gear!! Episode Bookmarks: WTA Beijing - 5:00 ATP Shanghai - 19:22 Most Intriguing Shanghai R2 matches - 21:22 Who needs a big Shanghai most? - 33:25 WTA 125Ks + ITF Events - 38:15 ATP Challengers - 43:10 Laurel Springs Ranked among the best online private schools in the United States, Laurel Springs stands out when it comes to support, personalization, community, and college prep. They give their K-12 students the resources, guidance, and learning opportunities they need at each grade level to reach their full potential. Find Cracked Racquets Website: https://www.crackedracquets.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/crackedracquets Twitter: https://twitter.com/crackedracquets Facebook: https://Facebook.com/crackedracquets YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/crackedracquets Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week on the Good Humans Podcast I sit down with Belle Brockhoff — a trailblazer in Australian snowboarding and one of the toughest athletes I've ever met.Belle has represented Australia at three Winter Olympics (Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022) and came agonisingly close to a medal, finishing 4th in Beijing. We dive deep into what it takes to reach the top of such a demanding sport, and the heartbreak of being just shy of the podium after years of sacrifice.She opens up about the struggles with injuries that tested her resilience, and the importance of mental health in navigating the highs and lows of elite sport. Belle's story is not only one of athletic achievement, but also of courage, vulnerability, and perspective.In this episode we explore:Belle's journey to becoming a three-time Winter OlympianThe heartbreak and lessons from finishing 4th at the OlympicsHow injuries shaped her outlook on sport and lifeWhy mental health is just as important as physical performanceWhat keeps her motivated to push forward despite setbacksBelle's honesty and grit will leave you inspired to chase your own goals and care for your mental health along the way.Follow BelleINSTAGRAM—GOLD COAST BOOK LAUNCH TICKETS - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-1-book-club-gold-coast-book-launch-tickets-1717332049389

US officials and lawmakers seem to be increasingly concerned about China's global network of ports, including Greece's port of Piraeus, and reports indicate the Trump administration is on a mission to weaken Beijing's hand here. Dr. Elizabeth Economy, an acclaimed author and expert on Chinese domestic and foreign policy and a former senior advisor for China in the Department of Commerce, joins Thanos Davelis as we look into this dimension of the US-China power struggle, breaking down what it means for Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:U.S. targets China's grip on global ports in sweeping maritime missionUS monitoring Piraeus PortGov't unveils ‘bold' military overhaulUS committed to bizonal, bicommunal federation in Cyprus

US equity futures are firmer. Asian markets advanced, and European equities opened firmer. Soybeans have become a flashpoint in US-China trade talks after President Trump criticized Beijing for halting US purchases, saying he will raise the issue with President Xi next month. In addition, the US government shutdown continued after the Senate again failed to pass stopgap funding legislation, however, shutdown widely telegraphed and remains more noise than news, though data delays and Trump threat of mass federal worker firings the near-term; Meanwhile, US macro releases showed weakness, with September ADP private payrolls falling, though September ISM manufacturing improved modestly from August.Companies Mentioned: OpenAI, Exxon Mobil, Apple

Everyone knew it was coming, but when U.S. President Carter announced on Dec. 15, 1978 that Washington D.C. was switching diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in two weeks, both the Taiwanese people and the foreign community (then mostly Americans) were shocked. On that historic day of Jan. 1, 1979, Robert Parker began his term as the President of the American Chamber of Commerce. He soon found himself forced to act as a kind of de facto U.S. ambassador. Part of the bombshell announcement was the deadline for decoupling: everything and everyone officially connected to the United States would vanish by April 1979. For Parker, this resulted in near-surreal experiences that included helping cobble together a civilian radio station in 90 days (ICRT FM100.7), walking a political tightrope to determine the legality of the Taipei American School, and testifying before the U.S. Congress as American officials reacted to Carter's recognition of the PRC by passing the Taiwan Relations Act… a large part of which was based on his testimony. These tumultuous times are described in his 2025 book (written with Don Shapiro), “Derecognition: How Americans in Taiwan surmounted multiple crises and helped shape the Taiwan Relations Act when the U.S. broke diplomatic relations with a loyal ally” – and this week, we're happy to have Mr. Parker on Formosa Files for a fascinating chat.Please share, like, comment, review - we need your help so that others can discover this podcast.

We talk Carlos Alcaraz capturing the Tokyo title (while his biggest rival triumphed in Beijing) and Iga Świątek producing 70 unforced errors in a loss to Emma Navarro at the China Open.Follow us on YouTube or Apple Podcasts as well. Download the TennisONE APP for scores, stats, news, videos, player content, fan contests, and more (https://t1.app.link/Vansh)

The National Security Hour with Brandon Weichert – America faces coordinated threats from radicals, cyber saboteurs, jihadists, and hostile regimes. Cities burn, telecom networks are compromised, and sleeper cells prepare strikes. From Beijing's cyberwar to Venezuela's narco-terror ties, enemies converge to destabilize the homeland. Blackouts, violence, and infiltration escalate as the nation stands in the crosshairs of shadow...

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Balancing Budget and Joy: A Mid-Autumn Festival Tale Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-02-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 中秋节快到了，北京的市场充满了节日的气息。En: The Zhongqiujie is approaching, and the markets in Beijing are full of festive spirit.Zh: 秋风轻轻拂过，带来了丝丝凉意。En: The autumn breeze gently brushes by, bringing a hint of coolness.Zh: 市场上，摊位林立，红红的灯笼，香甜的月饼，精致的饰品，琳琅满目。En: The market is lined with stalls, filled with red lanterns, sweet yuebing, and exquisite ornaments, all dazzling to the eye.Zh: 美琳和她的弟弟常，在这样的市场中穿梭。En: Meilin and her younger brother, Chang, are weaving through such a market.Zh: 美琳是一位懂得节俭的姐姐，她希望在中秋节为家里添置一些传统的装饰，但不希望超出预算。En: Meilin is a sister who knows how to be frugal; she hopes to add some traditional decorations to their home for the Mid-Autumn Festival without going over budget.Zh: 常则兴高采烈，虽然年轻却充满了对节日的热情。En: Chang, on the other hand, is full of excitement—even though he's young, he is overflowing with enthusiasm for the holiday.Zh: 他对五光十色的装饰品总是流连忘返。En: He is always lingering over the colorful decorations.Zh: “姐姐，你看那个灯笼，好漂亮！买一个吧！”常指着一个巨大的红色灯笼兴奋地说。En: "Sis, look at that lantern; it's so beautiful! Let's buy one!" Chang said excitedly, pointing at a huge red lantern.Zh: 美琳看了看价签，略显犹豫：“这个太贵了，我们还要买其他东西。”En: Meilin glanced at the price tag, hesitating slightly, "It's too expensive, and we have other things to buy."Zh: 常满脸期待地说：“可是中秋节一年只有一次，我们应该好好庆祝啊。”En: Chang said eagerly, "But the Mid-Autumn Festival comes only once a year, and we should celebrate it well."Zh: 他们继续穿过熙熙攘攘的人群。En: They continued through the bustling crowd.Zh: 美琳紧盯着手中的购物清单，而常则不断被新奇的饰物吸引，嘴里不停地赞叹。En: Meilin kept her eyes on the shopping list in her hand, while Chang was constantly drawn to the fascinating ornaments, exclaiming with admiration.Zh: “常，听我说，我们要把钱用在刀刃上。”美琳轻声对弟弟说，希望能让他明白节俭的重要，但不希望他的热情被浇灭。En: "Chang, listen to me, we need to spend our money wisely," Meilin said softly to her brother, hoping to convey the importance of frugality without dampening his enthusiasm.Zh: “姐姐，我知道。但我们也可以买些特别的东西，让节日更快乐。”常认真地说道。En: "Sis, I understand. But we can also buy something special to make the festival more joyful," Chang replied earnestly.Zh: 终于，在一家摊位前，美琳停下了脚步。En: Finally, Meilin stopped in front of a stall.Zh: 那里有一些既传统又实惠的小灯笼和花灯，她挑了几样放进篮子里。En: There were some traditional yet affordable small lanterns and decorative lights; she picked a few and placed them into the basket.Zh: 然后，她看着常，微笑着说：“我们再选一样特别的装饰，好吗？”En: Then, she looked at Chang, smiling, "Shall we pick one special decoration together?"Zh: 常的眼睛一下子亮了起来，他挑选了一个精美的月亮形状的灯笼，上面还有梅花图案，象征着美好的团圆。En: Chang's eyes lit up immediately. He chose a beautiful moon-shaped lantern with plum blossom designs, symbolizing a wonderful reunion.Zh: “这个灯笼不但特别，而且不太贵。”美琳赞同地说。En: "This lantern is not only special but also not too expensive," Meilin agreed.Zh: 他们达成了共识，买到了适合两个人心意的装饰。En: They reached a consensus and bought decorations that suited both of their wishes.Zh: 市场上的欢笑声依旧不绝于耳，灯笼和月饼飘香四溢。En: The sound of laughter still echoed throughout the market, and the aroma of lanterns and mooncakes filled the air.Zh: 美琳和常一起默契地拎着装饰品，愉快地走在回家的路上。En: Meilin and Chang happily carried their decorations home in harmony.Zh: 通过这次购物，美琳意识到，有时候，适当地放下严格的预算，也能为节日带来意想不到的惊喜。En: Through this shopping trip, Meilin realized that sometimes relaxing a strict budget can bring unexpected surprises to the festival.Zh: 而常也学会了在热情和实际之间找到平衡。En: Meanwhile, Chang learned to find a balance between enthusiasm and practicality.Zh: 夕阳的余晖洒在他们身上，市场的热闹渐渐远去。En: The afterglow of the sunset cast upon them, and the hustle and bustle of the market gradually faded away.Zh: 这个中秋节，注定有着特别的温暖和欢笑。En: This Mid-Autumn Festival is destined to be filled with special warmth and laughter. Vocabulary Words:approaching: 快到了festive: 节日的spirit: 气息hint: 丝丝exquisite: 精致的ornaments: 饰品dazzling: 琳琅满目frugal: 节俭的enthusiasm: 热情lingering: 流连忘返hesitating: 略显犹豫admiration: 赞叹frugality: 节俭joyful: 快乐的affordable: 实惠的plum blossom: 梅花symbolizing: 象征着consensus: 共识harmony: 默契unexpected: 意想不到的surprises: 惊喜practicality: 实际afterglow: 余晖destined: 注定warmth: 温暖laughter: 欢笑breeze: 秋风brushed: 拂过bustling: 熙熙攘攘shopping list: 购物清单

Carlos Alcaraz' withdrawal from Shanghai has given Jannik Sinner a chance to claim the year-end No.1 ranking. Brie is joined by AusOpen.com’s Matt Trollope, data guru Levi Huddleston, and Aussie tennis legend John Fitzgerald to discuss the big news to come out of the Asian swing. The panel dissects the rise of Beijing finalist Learner Tien and Eva Lys, and takes a close look at Coco Gauff’s game as the WTA finals approach. Plus, Rhys de Deugd checks in from Shanghai and Brie puts the rest to the test in her quiz! beIN SPORTS is the exclusive home of the Pro Tour in Australia. Watch now and receive an exclusive Tennis Australia offer. AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China's presence in Mexico has grown dramatically over the past two decades. While Chinese investment across Latin America has been commodity-driven, in Mexico the story is different. Chinese firms are embedding themselves in manufacturing supply chains, wholesale trade, telecommunications, and real estate – with over 800 companies active in Mexico as of 2025. In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Heidi Jane Smith, professor of economics at La Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. Together, they unpack Beijing's strategy for engagement with Mexico, and the data behind China's investments. They also explore how the U.S.-Mexico relationship has been impacted by the latter's dealings with China, and likely pathways forward.

News and Updates: Pope Leo XIV rejected a proposal to create an AI-powered “virtual pope,” calling the idea of a digital clone horrifying. He warned that deepfakes, automation, and artificial substitutes erode trust, strip dignity from work, and risk turning life into “an empty, cold shell.” His stance echoes concerns as layoffs at Microsoft and Salesforce mount amid AI adoption. OpenAI released its first major study on ChatGPT usage, showing that over 70% of queries are non-work-related, with people mainly seeking tutoring, how-to guidance, brainstorming, and writing help. Only 4% of consumer queries involve coding, with writing far more dominant. Work-related use centers on information gathering and decision-making. Adoption is now global, especially in low- and middle-income countries, with 10% of adults worldwide estimated to use ChatGPT. A preliminary deal to keep TikTok in the U.S. has been reached: existing investors and new U.S. backers, including Oracle and Silver Lake, will control about 80%. ByteDance's stake drops below 20% to comply with U.S. law. Oracle will safeguard U.S. user data, while the recommendation algorithm will be licensed, retrained under U.S. oversight, and cut off from Beijing's influence. The U.S. government is also set to receive a multibillion-dollar facilitation fee. The European Commission is considering scrapping the cookie consent banner requirement, part of the 2009 e-Privacy Directive. Alternatives include setting preferences once at the browser level or exempting “technically necessary” cookies. Any change would fold into GDPR, but privacy advocates are likely to resist. Samsung has begun testing ads on its Family Hub smart refrigerators in the U.S. Despite previously denying plans, a software update now pushes “promotions and curated ads” to fridge screens when idle. Samsung calls it a pilot to “strengthen value,” but users blasted the move as another step in the company's “screens everywhere” strategy.

This week Erik and Aidan discuss the two ATP 500s in the asian swing which happen in the buildup to the Masters 1000 event in Shanghai. These two events, one in Tokyo and one in Beijing, split up the top two players, meaning we would not be seeing a Sinner-Alcaraz matchup this week. However, this also meant in order to win one of these tournaments, you would likely have to beat one of these two players. That proved to be a tall order. While the tournaments did provide some excitement, with early upsets and shocking runs from players like Learner Tien, in the end Sinner and Alcaraz proved they are still a step above the competition.Contents: Intro 0:00Upsets 1:53Tokyo Recap 11:25Beijing Recap 15:10Alcaraz-Sinner H2H 18:57Race to Turin Update 22:09What's New 26:35Bet of the Week 29:55Match of the Week 31:51

Preview: Rick Fisher discusses Victor Gao, a Chinese national, Yale Law graduate, and "agitprop" likened to Tokyo Rose, who delivers deniable threats for Beijing. Referred to as a "Han envoy," Gao recently claimed on Chinese state television that China now possesses the world's most powerful military. 1959

Catherine, David and Matt discuss titles for Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as well as the opening stages of the WTA 1000 in Beijing. Part one - Men's results. We start by reacting to Alcaraz's triumph in Tokyo, despite an injury scare. Is this the best tennis of Alcaraz's career? We also discuss Alcaraz's decision to withdraw from Shanghai and the over-saturation of two week Masters 1000 events as the injuries and retirements pile up. Over in Beijing, Sinner experimented with his game en route to the title and Lorenzo Musetti got booed and was forced to apologise after a rant about Chinese fans. Part two - Women's results (54m). With the quarter-finals taking shape in Beijing, we cover Amanda Anisimova's comeback victory over Karolina Muchova, the impressive Eva Lys and Sonny Kartal, and some aggro in the match between Belinda Bencic and Coco Gauff. Part three - News (72m30s). There's chat about Gael Monfils announcing his farewell tour in 2026 before looking ahead to ATP Shanghai. Tickets are now on General Sale for The Tennis Podcast - Live in Wrexham on Wednesday October 22nd! Buy ⁠here⁠.Become a ⁠Friend of The Tennis Podcast⁠Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠new merch shop⁠⁠⁠⁠! Talk tennis with Friends on ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Barge! ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our free ⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt's Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I spoke with Dan Wang, author of “Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future”, shortlisted for the FT & Schroders Business Book of the Year.Dan is one of the most astute observers of China's technological and industrial development, and his annual letters from Beijing have long been required reading for those seeking to understand the country's evolving role in the world.We unpacked a bold thesis: China is not merely a competitor in AI and tech, but is re-imagining its entire state apparatus as an engineering state - in contrast to the more “lawyerly” institutions of the US and UK.If you're interested in AI, energy or geopolitics, this conversation is for you.We covered: (00:47) Why China is an engineering state(03:40) China's pro-engineering disposition(06:08) The role of market competition in China(08:07) Living through Zero COVID(11:35) What political science terms get wrong(12:58) Characteristics of a lawyerly society(15:23) What Americans misunderstand about China(21:54) Has China produced essential tech?(23:50) The AI divide: China vs. US(27:45) Differences in energy production(32:07) The inherent value of process knowledge(38:34) Is the US developing pro-engineering policies?(44:23) What does it take for countries to compete?Where to find me:Substack: https://www.exponentialview.co/Website: https://www.azeemazhar.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/azharTwitter/X: https://x.com/azeemWhere to find Dan:Website: https://danwang.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danwang15/Twitter/X: https://x.com/danwwangProduction by supermix.io and EPIIPLUS1 Ltd, including Chantal Smith, Marija Gavrilov, Nathan Warren and Hannah Petrovic. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

China's trade surplus with the US remains stubbornly large, but its appetite for Treasuries is fading. So where are the dollars going, and what does that say about the country's evolving financial strategy? Kevin Coldiron welcomes back Dr. Zoe Liu for a nuanced look at how Beijing is managing external pressure, internal control, and the creeping disruption of dollar-backed stablecoins. Behind the headlines is a deeper story about surveillance, capital flight, and the boundaries of monetary sovereignty. As China builds shadow reserves and experiments with programmable money, the question isn't just what it fears it's what kind of system it's trying to build instead.-----50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HERE-----Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.IT's TRUE ? – most CIO's read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.comAnd please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.Follow Kevin on SubStack & read his Book.Follow Zoe on Twitter and read her book.Episode TimeStamps: 02:11 - Introduction to Zoe Liu04:15 - How U.S tariffs impact shipping costs and the deficit with China17:27 - What is China actually doing with their earned dollars?27:52 - Are FX entrusted loans reinforcing the dollar based trading system?36:07 - What are stable coins and why are China worried about them?42:31 - The second level of...

Ben sits down with author Giri Nathan for this episode, to go deep into his new book, Changeover, and the Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry at its focus.  This episode was recorded during the U.S. Open, but these two players remain the overwhelmingly obvious story in men's tennis, including this week as Sinner won Beijing while Alcaraz won Tokyo.  We discuss the process of writing this book--which hopefully is particularly interesting to media folks--and also the ways in which Sinner and Alcaraz's dominance might be taking suspense out of the sport right now. Slightly condensed versions of this interview are also up on Bounces. Thank you for listening! Our Patreon is back up and running to ensure NCR keeps going and stays ad-free, and we hope you can join in supporting NCR! And we especially thank our GOAT backers: Pam Shriver and J. O'D. And please check out Ben's new writing home, Bounces! And buy Giri's book!!

In the weeks since Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the new Global Governance Initiative (GGI) during a speech at the SCO summit in Tianjin, Beijing's propaganda apparatus has been working overtime to build support for the new plan, particularly in Africa, Latin America, and other developing regions. The GGI is the latest in a series of Chinese global initiatives that also focus on development, human rights, and security, which it's using to stake a larger claim for international leadership at a time when the U.S.-led system is collapsing. Brian Wong, an assistant professor at Hong Kong University and a leading scholar on Chinese global governance, joins Eric to discuss what Beijing is hoping to accomplish with the GGI and its other governance initiatives. SHOW NOTES: Routledge: Moral Debt: Defending a New Account of Reparative Justice by Brian Wong Hong Kong University Press: Towards a Future for BRICS+ edited by Heiwai Tang and Brian Wong JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social FOLLOW CGSP IN FRENCH: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

World No. 2 Jannik Sinner faced ATP Final debutant Learner Tien to conclude the Beijing 500 2025. Gill Gross breakdown and analysis... IG: https://www.instagram.com/gillgross_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gill.gross24/7 Tennis Community on Discord: https://discord.gg/wW3WPqFTFJTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/Gill_GrossThe Draw newsletter, your one-stop-shop for the best tennis content on the internet every week: https://www.thedraw.tennis/subscribeBecome a member to support the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvERpLl9dXH09fuNdbyiLQQ/joinEvans Brothers Coffee Roasters, the Official Coffee Of Monday Match Analysis... use code GILLGROSS25 for 25% off your first order: https://evansbrotherscoffee.com/collections/coffeeAUDIO PODCAST FEEDSSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5c3VXnLDVVgLfZuGk3yxIF?si=AQy9oRlZTACoGr5XS3s_ygItunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/monday-match-analysis/id1432259450?mt=2 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cracked Racquets Editor-in-Chief Alex Gruskin breaks down Wednesday's action across the Pro Tennis World. He offers his take on Sinner's run to the Beijing title, analyzes a dramatic day of Women's upsets in Beijing, plus SO much more!! Don't forget to give a 5 star review on your favorite podcast app! In addition, add your twitter/instagram handle to the review for a chance to win some FREE CR gear!! Episode Bookmarks: ATP Beijing - 6:25 WTA Beijing - 21:50 ATP Shanghai - 38:43 WTA 125Ks + ITF Events - 40:28 ATP Challengers - 44:13 Laurel Springs Ranked among the best online private schools in the United States, Laurel Springs stands out when it comes to support, personalization, community, and college prep. They give their K-12 students the resources, guidance, and learning opportunities they need at each grade level to reach their full potential. Find Cracked Racquets Website: https://www.crackedracquets.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/crackedracquets Twitter: https://twitter.com/crackedracquets Facebook: https://Facebook.com/crackedracquets YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/crackedracquets Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

BNSF Railway claims Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern combination will severely hurt competition and service. BNSF's position paper argues that the $85 billion deal will force UP to drive up rates and favor high-density lanes, prompting the railway to urge shippers to contact the Surface Transportation Board with their concerns. Trade tensions are mounting in the trans-Pacific maritime sector as Beijing prepares a regulatory volley in response to U.S. charges on Chinese ships. China amended regulations to allow "necessary countermeasures," potentially including fees on vessels or prohibiting U.S.-service ships from entering or leaving Chinese ports, in retaliation for costly U.S. port fees. Finally, we look at the logistics impact of new U.S. duties on construction and home goods materials. The proclamation introduces a 10% tariff on imported softwood lumber and timber, and a 25% duty on imported kitchen cabinets, vanities, and upholstered wood furniture, all effective starting October 14. Critics caution that these tariffs, which the administration states are aimed at protecting the U.S. wood industry, will inevitably lead to higher costs for American consumers and builders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Asian swing is in full flight, and Tennis Weekly has all the latest headlines, results, and talking points from Tokyo, Beijing, and Shanghai. Carlos Alcaraz struck back with swift Laver Cup revenge over Taylor Fritz to capture his eighth title of the season in Tokyo, while Jannik Sinner bounced back in style to secure a second crown in Beijing. We also reflect on Gael Monfils' emotional announcement that he will retire at the end of 2026, celebrating the career of one of the sport's most electrifying entertainers.On the WTA side, the China Open is serving up shocks: Emma Navarro stunned world No. 1 Iga Świątek—dishing out a bagel along the way—while fellow Americans Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, and Amanda Anisimova also powered into the quarterfinals. Britain's Sonay Kartal has mounted a surprise run, but there was heartbreak for Emma Raducanu, who bowed out after another dramatic match filled with missed chances. Plus, Roger Federer has sparked debate with his comments on court speeds—are tournaments really slowing surfaces to favor Alcaraz and Sinner? And finally, we look ahead to Shanghai, where Sinner defends his title and Novak Djokovic makes his long-awaited return.BABOLAT Pure Strike OfferGo to babolat.com and use code: TENNISWEEKLY15 for an EXCLUSIVE 15% off their new Pure Strike Range(Offer valid until 7th October)SOCIALSFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.MERCHPurchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!REVIEWS***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben reacts to Jannik Sinner defeating Learner Tien to win the title at the Beijing Open 2025. He also previews the quarter finals of the WTA 1000 event. Iga Swiatek is defeated by Emma Navarro who now faces Pegula in the QF. Also, Sonay Kartal vs Linda Noskova. Anisimova vs Paolini. Gauff vs Lys. Tell us your predictions in the comments ❤️ SUBSCRIBE TO GTL: https://bit.ly/35JyOhz ▶️ JOIN YOUTUBE MEMBERSHIP: https://bit.ly/3Fk9rSr

Wednesday marks the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Crowds have gathered in Tian'anmen Square in Beijing for the flag-raising ceremony.

Temas:-Alcaraz gana el ATP 500 de Tokio-Estadísticas de locura con Carlos Alcaraz-Porque Alcaraz es el mejor jugador hoy en día.-Jannik Sinner con la posibilidad de ganar su título 21 en Beijing-Polémica con Daniil Medvdev, después que le dieran warning por calambres-Análisis Draw Masters 1000 Shanghai-Picks-Análisis Draw WTA 1000 Beijing

In this episode of China Decode, Scott Galloway joins Alice Han and James Kynge to  break down how China's new buzzword “involution” is shaking its economy. Then , Alice and James discuss why Beijing is courting global talent as Trump tightens U.S. visas and what it means that hip hop stars from Kanye to Travis Scott are now being welcomed onto China's biggest stages. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he dives into today's top stories shaping America and the world. In this episode of The Wright Report, we cover Trump's proposed Gaza peace plan, a mysterious U.S. tanker deployment to Europe, the Pentagon's scramble for missiles and drones in a possible China war, and Russia and China's unraveling fortunes in Africa. From a potential breakthrough in the Middle East to covert battles in Africa's deserts, today's brief explores the fights shaping America's security.   Trump's Gaza Peace Plan Gains Arab Backing: For the first time since the October 7 attacks, Israel, Trump, and key Arab nations have united behind a deal. Hamas must release hostages, disarm, or go into exile while Gaza governance shifts to a Peace Board overseen by Trump and regional leaders. “This is basically the final offer to Hamas: accept it or death,” Bryan explains. Even Arab allies like Qatar and Saudi Arabia have signed on, leaving Iran isolated.   U.S. Tankers Deploy to Europe, Iran or Russia in the Crosshairs: Twelve U.S. refueling tankers flew to Britain, echoing prelude movements before Trump's strike on Iran earlier this year. Possibilities include targeting Iran's Pick-Axe Mountain nuclear site, sending a warning to Putin after drones crossed NATO skies, or simply NATO's Cobra Warrior exercise. Bryan notes, “Intel officers always ask, is the juice worth the squeeze?”   Pentagon Short on Missiles and Drones for China: The U.S. has burned through a quarter of its missile interceptors and lags years behind on drone programs. Chinese subcontractors are even supplying critical parts for American weapons. Trump is pushing a mineral war strategy to rebuild U.S. supply chains. Bryan warns, “We don't have the cards for a quick victory in Taiwan,” and Zelenskyy is offering U.S. training in exchange for Tomahawk missiles Washington can barely spare.   Russia and China Struggle in Africa's Sahel: Islamist rebels are killing Russian contractors and Chinese workers across Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. Moscow's Africa Corps has failed to protect regimes after Wagner's collapse, while Beijing's mines and projects are under attack. Elon Musk's Starlink is fueling rebel communications, and some suspect CIA or Ukrainian forces may be quietly aiding the insurgents. Bryan admits, “I can absolutely envision a scenario where a CIA officer recruits an al Qaeda scumbag to kill Russians and Chinese for us.”   "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32     Keywords: Trump Gaza peace plan Hamas exile, Israel Arab nations Gaza board, Hamas hostages prisoner swap, U.S. refueling tankers Britain Iran strike, Pick-Axe Mountain nuclear site, NATO Cobra Warrior exercise, Pentagon missile shortage drones, Chinese subcontractors U.S. weapons, Trump mineral wars tungsten antimony, Zelenskyy drone deal Tomahawk missiles, Russia Africa Corps failure Wagner, China mines rebels Mali Niger Burkina Faso, Elon Musk Starlink jihadist comms, CIA recruit al Qaeda assets Africa

NK News Correspondent Joon Ha Park joins the podcast to discuss President Lee Jae-myung's first speech to the U.N. General Assembly and his debut of a new acronym for his peace road map — “E.N.D.,” short for exchange, normalization and denuclearization. He also talks about Seoul's unification minister's controversial “two states” remarks, Lee's calls for greater military self-reliance and North Korea's latest diplomatic outreach to China, with Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui meeting her counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

Cracked Racquets Editor-in-Chief Alex Gruskin breaks down a surprisingly active Tuesday in the Pro Tennis World. He offers his thoughts on another Alcaraz title run in Tokyo, shares his thoughts as the business end of action in Beijing approaches, previews the week ahead, plus SO much more!! Don't forget to give a 5 star review on your favorite podcast app! In addition, add your twitter/instagram handle to the review for a chance to win some FREE CR gear!! Episode Bookmarks: ATP Tokyo - 5:42 ATP Beijing - 16:48 WTA Beijing - 29:46 Week Ahead - 41:04 ATP Shanghai - 41:20 WTA 125Ks + ITF Events - 47:28 ATP Challengers - 53:00 Laurel Springs Ranked among the best online private schools in the United States, Laurel Springs stands out when it comes to support, personalization, community, and college prep. They give their K-12 students the resources, guidance, and learning opportunities they need at each grade level to reach their full potential. Find Cracked Racquets Website: https://www.crackedracquets.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/crackedracquets Twitter: https://twitter.com/crackedracquets Facebook: https://Facebook.com/crackedracquets YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/crackedracquets Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu provides a summary of Xi Jinping's recent trip to Xinjiang to commemorate the seventieth anniversary of the region's founding, and the significance of this visit in contrast to Beijing's ongoing persecution of the Uyghur people. Next, Miles unpacks the latest developments within the CCP's influence operations and misinformation campaigns against Taiwan that aim to provoke instability and conflict between the DPP led executive and KMT controlled Legislative Yuan. Finally, Miles reviews President Trump's recent statements at the UN General Assembly regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and what this could mean for China and their perceived role in the conflict.     China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future.

Former Victorian Premier Dan Andrews made headlines when he was snapped in a picture with Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, amongst others, at China's recent military parade. While Andrews' activities were puzzling, they also raise bigger questions around both the opportunities and the limits of Australia's bilateral relationship with China. Will Glasgow, The Australian newspaper's North Asia Correspondent, based in Beijing, joins Darren for this episode. Will is winner of the Keith McDonald Award for Business Journalist of the Year and previously worked at The Australian Financial Review. The conversation begins with Will's own story in his current role, beginning in Beijing in early 2020, then leaving China and reporting from Taipei, before returning to Beijing in 2024. The main focus however is the bilateral relationship, both from the perspective of Canberra and Beijing, but also from Australian states, especially Victoria, where Dan Andrews was Premier, and Western Australia. Australia in the World is written, hosted, and produced by Darren Lim, with research and editing this episode by Hannah Nelson and theme music composed by Rory Stenning. Relevant links Will Glasgow (bio): https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/will-glasgow Will Glasgow, “China's warning to Australian delegation over ‘two-faced' policy”, The Australian, 20 Sep 2025: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/beijings-warning-to-canberra-delegation-over-twofaced-policy/news-story/327ce23188ec4ed7e607e2f066ab010e Will Glasgow, “Australia wined, dined and hectored on Xi's diplomatic conveyor belt”, The Australian, 13 Sep 2025: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/wined-dined-and-hectored-on-xis-diplomatic-conveyor-belt/news-story/84d5771d3b9c925797850baf29c1627b Will Glasgow, “Should Australian correspondents be based in Xi's China?”, The Australian, 22 Jul 2025: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/should-australian-correspondents-be-based-in-xis-china/news-story/7b2375eb1343726f0d1a3cc5ea698e74 Geremie Barmé, “In a retro mood: The ethical dilemmas of cutting a deal with Xi Jinping's China”, The China Project, 15 Sep 2023: https://thechinaproject.com/2023/09/15/in-a-retro-mood-the-ethical-dilemmas-of-cutting-a-deal-with-xi-jinpings-china/ Foreign Policy Live (podcast), “Adam Tooze on the End of Development”, 19 Sep 2025: https://foreignpolicy.com/podcasts/foreign-policy-live/adam-tooze-on-the-end-of-development/ Josh Rogin, Chaos Under Heaven: Trump, Xi, and the Battle for the Twenty-First Century, Harper Collins (2021): https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780358449348/chaos-under-heaven/ Tanner Greer, “Bullets and Ballots: The Legacy of Charlie Kirk”, The Scholar's Stage, 14 Sep 2025: https://scholars-stage.org/bullets-and-ballots-the-legacy-of-charlie-kirk/ Fuschia Dunlop, Invitation to a Banquet: The Story of Chinese Food, Penguin (2024): https://www.penguin.com.au/books/invitation-to-a-banquet-9780141997216 Qiu Xiaolong, The Inspector Chen Series: https://www.qiuxiaolong.com/books_inspectorChen.php The Chinese Mayor (documentary): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w_LSNrpKPc

Hey guys, what you are about to listen to is an extremely graphic episode that will contain many scenes of gore, rape, human experimentation, honestly it will run the gambit. If you got a weak stomach, this episode might not be for you. You have been warned.  I just want to take a chance to say a big thanks to all of you guys who decided to join the patreon, you guys are awesome! Please leave a comment on this episode to let me know what more you want to hear about in the future. With all of that said and done lets jump right into it.   Where to begin with this one? Let start off with one of the major figures of Unit 731, Shiro Ishii. Born June 25th, 1892 in the village of Chiyoda Mura in Kamo District of Chiba Prefecture, Ishii was the product of his era. He came from a landowning class, had a very privileged childhood. His primary and secondary schoolmates described him to be brash, abrasive and arrogant. He was a teacher's pet, extremely intelligent, known to have excellent memory. He grew up during Japans ultra militarism/nationalism age, thus like any of his schoolmates was drawn towards the military. Less than a month after graduating from the Medical department of Kyoto Imperial University at the age of 28, he began military training as a probation officer in the 3rd regiment of the Imperial Guards division. Within 6 months he became a surgeon 1st Lt. During his postgraduate studies at Kyoto Imperial university he networked successfully to climb the career ladder. As a researcher he was sent out to help cure an epidemic that broke out in Japan. It was then he invented a water filter that could be carried alongside the troops.   He eventually came across a report of the Geneva Protocol and conference reports of Harada Toyoji as well as other military doctors. He became impressed with the potential of chemical and biological warfare. During WW1 chemical warfare had been highly explored, leading 44 nations to pass the Geneva Protocol or more specifically  “Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare”. Representatives from Japan were present at this conference and were involving in the drafting and signing of the Geneva Protocol, but it was not ratified in Japan at the time. Ishii's university mentor, Kiyano Kenji suggested he travel western countries and he did so for 2 years. Many nations were secretive about their research, but some places such as MIT were quite open. After his visit Ishii came to believe Japan was far behind everyone else in biological warfare research. After returning to Japan Ishii became an instructor at the Imperial Japanese Army Medical School. Japan of course lacked significant natural resources, thus it was a perfect nation to pursue biological weapons research. Ishii began lobbying the IJA, proposing to establish a military agency to develop biological weapons. One of his most compelling arguments was “that biological warfare must possess distinct possibilities, otherwise, it would not have been outlawed by the League of Nations.”   Ishii networked his way into good favor with the Minister of Health, Koizumi Chikahiko who lended his support in August of 1932 to allow Ishii to head an Epidemic Prevention Laboratory. Ishii secured a 1795 square meter complex at the Army Medical College. Yet this did not satisfy Ishii, it simply was not the type of work he wanted to do. The location of Tokyo allowed too many eyes on his work, he could not perform human experimentation. For what he wanted to do, he had to leave Japan, and in the 1930's Japan had a few colonies or sphere's of influence, the most appetizing one being Manchuria. In 1932 alongside his childhood friend Masuda Tomosada, Ishii took a tour of Harbin and he fell in love with the location.   During the 1930's Harbin was quite a cosmopolitan city, it was a major trading port and diverse in ethnicities and religions. Here there were Mongols, Russians, Chinese, Japanese, various other western groups in lesser numbers. Just about every religion was represented, it was a researcher's paradise for subjects. Ishii sought human experimentation and needed to find somewhere covert with maximum secrecy. He chose a place in the Nan Gang District of Beiyinhe village, roughly 70 kms southeast of Harbin. It was here and then he began human experimentation. One day in 1932, Ishii and the IJA entered the village and evacuated an entire block where Xuan Hua and Wu Miao intersected. They began occupying a multi-use structure that had been supporting 100 Chinese vendors who sold clothes and food to the locals. They then began drafting Chinese laborers to construct the Zhong Ma complex to house the “Togo Unit” named after the legendary admiral, Togo Heihachiro. The Chinese laborers were underpaid and under constant watch from Japanese guards, limiting their movement and preventing them from understanding what they were building, or what was occurring within the complex. The complex was built in under a year, it held 100 rooms, 3 meter high brick walls and had an electric fence surrounding the perimeter. One thousand captives at any given time could be imprisoned within the complex. To ensure absolute secrecy, security guards patrolled the complex 24/7. Saburo Endo, director of Operations for the Kwantung Army once inspected the Togo Unit and described it in his book “The Fifteen Years' Sino-Japanese War and Me”, as such:   [It was] converted from a rather large soy sauce workshop, surrounded by high rammed earth wall. All the attending military doctors had pseudonyms, and they were strictly regulated and were not allowed to communicate with the outsiders. The name of the unit was “Tōgō Unit.” One by one, the subjects of the experiments were imprisoned in a sturdy iron lattice and inoculated with various pathogenic bacteria to observe changes in their conditions. They used prisoners on death row in the prisons of Harbin for these experiments. It was said that it was for national defense purposes, but the experiments were performed with appalling brutality.The dead were burned in high-voltage electric furnaces, leaving no trace.    A local from the region added this about the complex “We heard rumors of people having blood drawn in there but we never went near the place. We were too afraid. When the construction started, there were about forty houses in our village, and a lot of people were driven out. About one person from each home was taken to work on the construction. People were gathered from villages from all around here, maybe about a thousand people in all. The only things we worked on were the surrounding wall and the earthen walls. The Chinese that worked on the buildings were brought in from somewhere, but we didn't know where. After everything was finished, those people were killed.”    Despite all the secrecy, it was soon discovered prisoners were being taken, primarily from the CCP and bandits who were being subjected to tests. One such test was to gradually drain a victim of blood to see at what point they would die. The unit drew 500 cc of blood from each prisoner every 3-5 days. As their bodies drew weaker, they were dissected for further research, the average prisoner lasted a maximum of a month. Due to the climate of Manchuria, it was soon established that finding methods to treat frostbite would benefit the Kwantung army. Ishii's team gathered human subjects and began freezing and unfreezing them. Sometimes these experiments included observing test subjects whose limbs had been frozen and severed. The Togo team reported to General Okamura Yasuji, the deputy commander in chief of the Kwantung army from 1933-1934 that the best way to treat frostbite was to soak a limb in 37 degree water. According to the testimony of a witness named Furuichi at trial done in Khabarovsk , “Experiments in freezing human beings were performed every year in the detachment, in the coldest months of the year—November, December, January and February. The experimental technique was as follows: the test subjects were taken out into the frost at about 11 o'clock at night, compelled to dip their hands into a barrel of cold water and forced to stand with wet hands in the frost for a long time. Alternatively, some were taken out dressed, but with bare feet and compelled to stand at night in the frost during the coldest period of the year. When frostbite had developed, the subjects were taken to a room and forced to put their feet in water of 5 degrees Celsius, after which the temperature was gradually increased.”   Sergeant Major Kurakazu who was with Unit 731 later on in 1940 and taken prisoner by the Soviets in 1945 stated during the Khabarovsk trial , “I saw experiments performed on living people for the first time in December 1940. I was shown these experiments by researcher Yoshimura, a member of the 1st Division. These experiments were performed in the prison laboratory. When I walked into the prison laboratory, ve Chinese experimentees were sitting there; two of these Chinese had no fingers at all, their hands were black; in those of three others the bones were visible. They had fingers, but they were only bones. Yoshimura told me that this was the result of freezing experiments.”   According to Major Karasawa during the same trial Ishii became curious about using plague as a weapon of war and captured plague infected mice to test on subjects in the Zhong Ma Complex “Ishii told me that he had experimented with cholera and plague on the mounted bandits of Manchuria during 1933-1934 and discovered that the plague was effective.”   According to Lt General Endo Saburo's diary entry on November 16th of 1933, at the Zhong Ma complex “The second squad which was responsible for poison gas, liquid poison; and the First Squad which was responsible for electrical experiments. Two bandits were used by each squad for the experiments.  Phosgene gas—5-minute injection of gas into a brick-lined room; the subject was still alive one day aer inhalation of gas; critically ill with pneumonia.  Potassium cyanide—the subject was injected with 15 mg.; subject lost consciousness approximately 20 minutes later.  20,000 volts—several jolts were not enough to kill the subject; injection of poison required to kill the subject.  5000 volts—several jolts were not enough; aer several minutes of continuous current, subject was burned to death.”    The Togo Unit established a strict security system to keep its research highly confidential. Yet in 1934, 16 Chinese prisoners escaped, compromising the Zhong Ma location. One of the guards had gotten drunk and a prisoner named Li smashed a bottle over his head and stole his keys. He freed 15 other prisoners and of them 4 died of cold, hunger and other ailments incurred by the Togo unit. 12 managed to flee to the 3rd route army of the Northeast Anti Japanese united Army. Upon hearing the horrifying report, the 3rd route army attacked the Togo unit at Beiyinhe and within a year, the Zhong Ma complex was exploded.    After the destruction of the Zhong Ma complex, Ishii needed a better structure. The Togo unit had impressed their superior and received a large budget. Then on May 30th of 1936 Emperor Hirohito authorized the creation of Unit 731. Thus Ishii and his colleagues were no longer part of the Epidemic Prevention Institute of the Army Medical School, now they were officially under the Kwantung Army as the Central Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department. Their new HQ was located in Pingfan, closer to Harbin. Their initial budget was 3 million yen for the personnel, 200-300 thousand yen per autonomous unit and 6 million yen for experimentation and research. Thus their new annual budget was over 10 million yen.    Pingfan was evacuated by the Kwantung army. Hundreds of families were forced to move out and sell their land at cheap prices. To increase security this time, people required a special pass to enter Pingfan. Then the airspace over the area became off-limits, excluding IJA aircraft, all violators would be shot down. The new Pingfan complex was within a walled city with more than 70 buildings over a 6 km tract of land. The complex's huge size drew some international attention, and when asked what the structure was, the scientists replied it was a lumber mill. Rather grotesquely, prisoners would be referred to as “maruta” or “logs” to keep up the charade. Suzuki, a Japanese construction company back then, worked day and night to construct the complex.    Now many of you probably know a bit about Unit 731, but did you know it's one of countless units?  The Army's Noborito Laboratory was established (1937) The Central Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department of the North China Army/ Unit 1855 was established (1938)  The Central Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department of Central China/ Unit 1644 (1939)  Thee Guangzhou Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department of South China Army/ Unit 8604 (1942)  The Central Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department of the Southern Expeditionary Army/ Unit 9620 (1942).    There were countless others, detachments included Unit 1855 in Beijing, Unit Ei 1644 in Nanjing, Unit 8604 in Guangzhou, and later Unit 9420 in Singapore. All of these units comprised Ishii's network, which, at its height in 1939, oversaw over 10,000 personnel.   Victims were normally brought to Pingfan during the dead of night within crammed freight cars with number logs on top. They were brought into the building via a secret tunnel. According to a witness named Fang Shen Yu, technicians in white lab coats handled the victims who were tied in bags. The victims included anyone charge with a crime, could be anti-japanese activity, opium smoking, espionage, being a communist, homelessness, being mentally handicap, etc. Victims included chinese, Mongolians, Koreans, White Russians, Harbin's jewish population and any Europeans accused of espionage. During the Khabarovsk trial, Major Iijima Yoshia admitted to personally subjecting 40 Soviet citizens to human experimentation. Harbin's diversity provided great research data. Each prisoner was assigned a number starting with 101 and ending at 1500. Onec 1500 was reached, they began again at 101, making it nearly impossible to estimate the total number of victims. Since the complex had been labeled a lumber mill to the locals, most did not worry about it or were too afraid to do so. The prison's warden was Ishii's brother Mitsuo who made sure to keep it all a secret.    Ethics did not exist within Ishii's network of horrors. Everything was done efficiently in the name of science. Pingfang was equipped for disposing the evidence of their work in 3 large incinerators. As a former member who worked with the incinerators recalled “the bodies always burned up fast because all the organ were gone; the bodies were empty”. Human experimentation allowed the researchers their first chance to actually examine the organs of a living person at will to see the progress of a disease. Yeah you heard me right, living person, a lot of the vivisections were done on live people. As one former researcher explained "the results of the effects of infection cannot be obtained accurately once the person dies because putrefactive bacteria set in. Putrefactive bacteria are stronger than plague germs. So, for obtaining accurate results, it is important whether the subject is alive or not." Another former researcher said this “"As soon as the symptoms were observed, the prisoner was taken from his cell and into the dissection room. He was stripped and placed on the table, screaming, trying to fight back. He was strapped down, still screaming frightfully. One of the doctors stuffed a towel into his mouth, then with one quick slice of the scalpel he was opened up." Witnesses of some of these vivisections reported that victims usually let out a horrible scream when the initial cuts were made, but that the voice stops soon after. The researchers often removed the organ of interest, leaving others in the body and the victims usually died of blood loss or because of the removed organ. There are accounts of experiments benign carried out on mothers and children, because yes children were in fact born in the facilities. Many human specimens were placed in jars to be viewed by Tokyo's army medical college. Sometimes these jars were filled with limbs or organs but some giant ones had entire bodies.   Vivisection was conducted on human beings to observe how disease affected each organ once a human dies. According to testimony given by a technician named Ogawa Fukumatsu “I participated in vivisections. I did them every day. I cannot remember the amount of people dissected. At first, I refused to do it. But then, they would not allow me to eat because it was an order; gradually I changed.” Another technician Masakuni Kuri testified  “I did vivisection at the time. Experiments were conducted on a Chinese woman with syphilis. Because she was alive, the blood poured out like water from a tap.”   A report done by Shozo Kondo studied the effects of bubonic plague on humans. The number of subjects was 57 with age ranging from toddlers to 80 years old with mixed gender. The study used fleas carrying plague that were dispersed upon the local population in June of 1940 at Changchun. 7 plague victims were Japanese residents. The report stated the plague spread because of lack of immunity by the townspeople. Subjects' survival time ranged from 2-5 days, with only 3 surviving 12, 18 and 21 days. The subjects were infected with Glandular, Cutaneous or Septicemic plague, but most had the Glandular variety.     In addition to the central units of Pingfang were others set up in Beijing, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Singapore. The total number of personnel was 20,000. These satellite facilities all had their own unique horror stories. One was located in Anda, 100km from Pingfang where outdoor tests for plague, cholera and other pathogens were down. They would expose human subjects to biological bombs, typically by putting 10-40 people in the path of a biological bomb. A lot of the research was done to see the effective radius of the bombs, so victims were placed at different distances. At Xinjing was Unit 100 and its research was done against domesticated animals, horses particularly. Unit 100 was a bacteria factory producing glanders, anthrax and other pathogens. They often ran tests by mixing poisons with food and studied its effects on animals, but they also researched chemical warfare against crops. At Guangzhou was unit 8604 with its HQ at Zhongshan medical university. It is believed starvation tests ran there, such as the water test I mentioned. They also performed typhoid tests and bred rats to spread plague. Witness testimony from a Chinese volunteer states they often dissolved the bodies of victims in acid. In Beijing was Unit 1855 which was a combination of a prison and experiment center. They ran plague, cholera and typhus tests. Prisoners were forced to ingest mixtures of germs and some were vaccinated against the ailments. In Singapore after its capture in February of 1942 there was a secret laboratory. One Mr. Othman Wok gave testimony in the 1990s that when he was 17 years old he was employed to work at this secret lab. He states 7 Chinese, Indian and Malay boys worked in the lab, picking fleas from rats and placing them in containers. Some 40 rat catchers, would haul rats to the lab for the boys to do their work. The containers with fleas went to Japanese researchers and Othman says he saw rats being injected with plague pathogens. The fleas were transferred to kerosene cans which contained dried horse blood and an unidentified chemical left to breed for weeks. Once they had plague infected fleas in large quantity Othman said "A driver who drove the trucks which transported the fleas to the railway station said that these bottles of fleas were sent off to Thailand." If this is true, it gives evidence to claims Unit 731 had a branch in Thailand as well. Othman stated he never understood or knew what was really going on at the lab, but when he read in 1944 about biological attacks on Chongqing using fleas, he decided to leave the lab. Othman states the unit was called Unit 9240.  As you can imagine rats and insects played a large role in all of this. They harvested Manchuria rat population and enlisted schoolchildren to raise them. In the 1990s the Asahi Broadcasting company made a documentary titled “the mystery of the rats that went to the continent”. It involved a small group of high school children in Saitama prefecture asked local farmers if they knew anything about rat farming during the war years. Many stated everybody back then was raising rats, it was a major source of income. One family said they had rat cages piled up in a shed, each cage built to carry 6 rat, but they had no idea what the rats were being used for. Now hear this, after the war, the US military kept these same families in business. The US army unit 406 which was established in Tokyo to research viruses wink wink, would often drive out to these farms in their american jeeps collecting rats.  Getting fleas was a much tricker task. One method was taking older Chinese prisoners and quarantining them with clothes carrying flea or flea eggs and allowing them to live in isolated rooms to cultivate more fleas. These poor guys had to live in filth and not shave for weeks to produce around 100 fleas a day. Now Unit 731 dealt with numerous diseases such as Cholera.  Some experiments used dogs to spread cholera to villages. They would steal dogs from villages, feed them pork laced with cholera germs and return them to the villages. When the disease finished incubating the dogs would vomit and other dogs would come and eat the vomit spread it more and more. The dogs were also stricken with diarrhea and the feces spread it to other dogs as well. 20% of the people in villages hit by this died of the disease. Former army captain Kojima Takeo was a unit member involved in a Cholera campaign and added this testimony "We were told that we were going out on a cholera campaign, and we were all given inoculations against cholera ten days before starting out. Our objective was to infect all the people in the area. The disease had already developed before we got there, and as we moved into the village everyone scattered. The only ones left were those who were too sick to move. The number of people coming down with the disease kept increasing. Cholera produces a face like a skeleton, vomiting, and diarrhea. And the vomiting and defecating of the people lying sick brought flies swarming around. One after the other, people died." I've mentioned it a lot, Plague was a staple of Unit 731. The IJA wanted a disease that was fast and fatal, Cholera for instance took about 20 days, plague on the other hand starts killing in 3 days. Plague also has a very long history of use going back to the medieval times. It was one of the very first diseases Ishii focused on. In october of 1940 a plague attack was conducted against the Kaimingjie area in the port city of Ningbo. This was a joint operation with Unit 731 and the Nanjing based Unit 1644. During this operation plague germs were mixed with wheat, corn, cloth scraps and cotton and dropped from the air. More than 100 people died within a few days of the attack and the affected area was sealed off from the public until the 1960s.  Another horrifying test was the frostbite experiments. Army Engineer Hisato Yoshimura conducted these types of experiments by taking prisoners outside, dipping various appendages into water of varying temperatures and allowing the limbs to freeze. Once frozen, Yoshimura would strike their affected limbs with a short stick and in his words “they would emit a sound resembling that which a board gives when it is struck”. Ice was then chipping away with the affected area being subjected to various treatments, such as being doused in water, exposed to heat and so on. I have to mentioned here, that to my shock there is film of these specific frostbite experiments and one of our animators at Kings and Generals found it, I have seen a lot of things in my day, but seeing this was absolute nightmare fuel. If you have seen the movie or series Snowpiercer, they pretty much nail what it looked like.  Members of Unit 731 referred to Yoshimura as a “scientific devil” and a “cold blooded animal” because he would conduct his work with strictness. Naoji Uezono another member of Unit 731, described in a 1980s interview a disgusting scene where Yoshimura had "two naked men put in an area 40–50 degrees below zero and researchers filmed the whole process until [the subjects] died. [The subjects] suffered such agony they were digging their nails into each other's flesh". Yoshimuras lack of any remorse was evident in an article he wrote for the Journal of Japanese Physiology in 1950 where he admitted to using 20 children and 3 day old infant in experiments which exposed them to zero degree celsius ice and salt water. The article drew criticism and no shit, but Yoshimura denied any guilt when contacted by a reporter from the Mainichi Shimbun. Yoshimura developed a “resistance index of frostbite” based on the mean temperature of 5 - 30 minutes after immersion in freezing water, the temperature of the first rise after immersion and the time until the temperature first rises after immersion. In a number of separate experiments he determined how these parameters depended on the time of day a victim's body part was immersed in freezing water, the surrounding temperature and humidity during immersion, how the victim had been treated before the immersion ("after keeping awake for a night", "after hunger for 24 hours", "after hunger for 48 hours", "immediately after heavy meal", "immediately after hot meal", "immediately after muscular exercise", "immediately after cold bath", "immediately after hot bath"), what type of food the victim had been fed over the five days preceding the immersions with regard to dietary nutrient intake ("high protein (of animal nature)", "high protein (of vegetable nature)", "low protein intake", and "standard diet"), and salt intake. Members of Unit 731 also worked with Syphilis, where they orchestrated forced sex acts between infected and noninfected prisoners to transmit the disease. One testimony given by a prisoner guard was as follows “Infection of venereal disease by injection was abandoned, and the researchers started forcing the prisoners into sexual acts with each other. Four or five unit members, dressed in white laboratory clothing completely covering the body with only eyes and mouth visible, rest covered, handled the tests. A male and female, one infected with syphilis, would be brought together in a cell and forced into sex with each other. It was made clear that anyone resisting would be shot.” After victims were infected, they would be vivisected at differing stages of infection so that the internal and external organs could be observed as the disease progressed. Testimony from multiple guards blamed the female victims as being hosts of the diseases, even as they were forcibly infected. Genitals of female prisoners were infected with syphilis and the guards would call them “jam filled buns”. Even some children were born or grew up in the walls of Unit 731, infected with syphilis. One researcher recalled “one was a Chinese women holding an infant, one was a white russian woman with a daughter of 4 or 5 years of age, and the last was a white russian women with a boy of about 6 or 7”. The children of these women were tested in ways similar to the adults.  There was also of course rape and forced pregnancies as you could guess. Female prisoners were forced to become pregnant for use in experiments. The hypothetical possibility of transmission from mother to child of diseases, particularly syphilis was the rationale for the experiments. Fetal survival and damage to the womans reproductive organs were objects of interest. A large number of babies were born in captivity and there had been no accounts of any survivor of Unit 731, children included. It is suspected that the children of the female prisoners were killed after birth or aborted. One guard gave a testimony “One of the former researchers I located told me that one day he had a human experiment scheduled, but there was still time to kill. So he and another unit member took the keys to the cells and opened one that housed a Chinese woman. One of the unit members raped her; the other member took the keys and opened another cell. There was a Chinese woman in there who had been used in a frostbite experiment. She had several fingers missing and her bones were black, with gangrene set in. He was about to rape her anyway, then he saw that her sex organ was festering, with pus oozing to the surface. He gave up the idea, left and locked the door, then later went on to his experimental work.” In a testimony given on December 28 by witness Furuichi during the Khabarovsk Trial, he described how “a Russian woman was infected with syphilis to allow the scientists to and out how to prevent the spread of the disease.  Many babies were born to women who had been captured and become experimental subjects. Some women were kidnapped while pregnant; others became pregnant aer forced sex acts in the prisons, enabling researchers to study the transmission of venereal disease   Initially Unit 731 and Unit 100 were going to support Japan's Kantokuen plan. The Kantokuen plan an operation plan to be carried out by the Kwantung army to invade the USSR far east, capitalizing on the success of operation barbarossa. Unit 731 and 100 were to prepare bacteriological weapons to help the invasion. The plan was created by the IJA general staff and approved by Emperor Hirohito. It would have involved three-steps to isolate and destroy the Soviet Army and occupy the eastern soviet cities over the course of 6 months. It would have involved heavy use of chemical and biological weapons. The Japanese planned to spread disease using three methods; direct spraying from aircraft, bacteria bombs and saboteurs on the ground. This would have included plague, cholera, typhus and other diseases against troops, civilian populations, livestocks, crops and water supplies. The main targets were Blagoveshchensk, Khabarovsk, Voroshilov, and Chita. If successful the Soviet Far East would be incorporated into Japan's greater east asia co-prosperity sphere. Within Kantokuen documents, Emperor Hirohtio instructed Ishii to increase production rate at the units, for those not convinced Hirohito was deeply involved in some of the worst actions of the war. Yet in the end both Emperor Hirohito and Hideki Tojo pulled their support for the invasion of the USSR and opted for the Nanshin-ron strategy instead.    On August 9th of 1945 the Soviet Union declared war on Japan and invaded Manchuria. In response, the Japanese government ordered all research facilities in Manchuria to be destroyed and to erase all incriminating materials. A skeleton crew began the liquidation of unit 731 on August 9th or 10th, while the rest of the unit evacuated. All test subjects were killed and cremated so no remains would be found. The design of the facilities however, made them hard to destroy via bombing, several parts of the buildings left standing when the Soviets arrived. While most of the unit's staff managed to escape, including Ishii, some were captured by the soviets. Some of these prisoners told the Soviets about the atrocities committed at Pingfang and Changchun. At first the claims seemed so outrageous, the Soviets sent their own Biological Weapons specialists to examine the ruins of Ping Fang. After a thorough investigation, the Soviet experts confirmed the experiments had been done there. The real soviet investigation into the secrets of Unit 731 and 100 began in early 1946, thus information was not readily available during the Tokyo Tribunal. Both the Americans and SOviets had collected evidence during the war that indicated the Japanese were in possession of bacteriological weapons though. Amongst the 600,000 Japanese prisoners of war in the USSR, Major General Kiyoshi Kawashima and Major Tomoio Karasawa would become essential to uncovering the Japanese bacteriological warfare secrets and opening the path to hold the Khabarovsk trial. The Soviets and Americans spent quite a few years performing investigations, many of which led to no arrests. The major reason for this was similar to Operation Paperclip. For those unaware, paperclip was a American secret intelligence program where 1600 German scientists were taken after the war and employed, many of whom were nazi party officials. The most famous of course was Wernher von Braun. When the Americans looked into the Japanese bacteriological work, they were surprised to find the Japanese were ahead of them in some specific areas, notably ones involving human experimentation. General Charles Willoughby of G-2 american intelligence called to attention that all the data extracted from live human testing was out of the reach of the USA. By the end of 1947, with the CCP looking like they might defeat Chiang Kai-Shek and the Soviet Union proving to be their new enemy, the US sought to form an alliance with Japan, and this included their Bacteriological specialists. From October to December, Drs Edwin Hill and Joseph Victor from Camp Detrick were sent to Tokyo to gather information from Ishii and his colleagues. Their final conclusion laid out the importance of continuing to learn from the Japanese teams, and grant them immunity. The British were also receiving some reports from the Americans about the Japanese Bacteriological research and human experimentation. The British agreed with the Americans that the information was invaluable due to the live human beings used in the tests. The UK and US formed some arrangements to retain the information and keep it secret. By late 1948 the Tokyo War Crimes Trial was coming to an end as the cold war tension was heating up in Korea, pushing the US more and more to want to retain the information and keep it all under wraps.  With formal acceptance, final steps were undertaken, much of which was overseen by General Douglas MacArthur. On May 6, 1947, Douglas MacArthur wrote to Washington that "additional data, possibly some statements from Ishii probably can be obtained by informing Japanese involved that information will be retained in intelligence channels and will not be employed as 'War Crimes' evidence.” Ishii and his colleagues received full immunity from the Tokyo War Crimes Trial. Ishii was hired by the US government to lecture American officers at Fort Detrick on bioweapons and the findings made by Unit 731. During the Korean War Ishii reportedly traveled to Korea to take part in alleged American biological warfare activities. On February 22nd of 1952, Ishiiwas explicitly named in a statement made by the North Korean FOreign Minister, claiming he along with other "Japanese bacteriological war criminals had been involved in systematically spreading large quantities of bacteria-carrying insects by aircraft in order to disseminate contagious diseases over our frontline positions and our rear". Ishii would eventually return to Japan, where he opened a clinic, performing examinations and treatments for free. He would die from laryngeal cancer in 1959 and according to his daughter became a Roman Catholic shortly before his death.  According to an investigation by The Guardian, after the war, former members of Unit 731 conducted human experiments on Japanese prisoners, babies, and mental patients under the guise of vaccine development, with covert funding from the U.S. government. Masami Kitaoka, a graduate of Unit 1644, continued performing experiments on unwilling Japanese subjects from 1947 to 1956 while working at Japan's National Institute of Health Sciences. He infected prisoners with rickettsia and mentally ill patients with typhus. Shiro Ishii, the chief of the unit, was granted immunity from prosecution for war crimes by American occupation authorities in exchange for providing them with human experimentation research materials. From 1948 to 1958, less than five percent of these documents were transferred to microfilm and stored in the U.S. National Archives before being shipped back to Japan.

We Interview influencer and technology analyst Orikron on the rise of China. Orikron has just lived in China for one month, but amazingly he can speak fluent Chinese. He tells stories of urbanism, technology, and how the future is arriving in Beijing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: A new report reveals that Russia is quietly training and equipping Chinese forces for an airborne assault on Taiwan. We'll break down how Moscow's Ukraine playbook could be adapted to help Beijing seize the island. Plus—the latest on the tragic attack on a Mormon church in Michigan. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com.  Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.  YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief TriTails Premium Beef: Reclaim dinner from the jaws of school-year chaos Visit https://trybeef.com/PDB. Birch Gold: Text PDB to 989898 and get your free info kit on gold Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he dives into today's top stories shaping America and the world. In this Monday Headline Brief of The Wright Report, we cover the tragic LDS church attack in Michigan, Trump's budget showdown in Washington, new federal action against Antifa, updates on James Comey and John Brennan, immigration battles over Guatemalan children, China's deepening grip on the Pacific, and promising medical research out of California. Quick hits to launch your week with the facts shaping America and the world.   Michigan LDS Church Attack: A man drove his car into an LDS church, set it ablaze, and killed members at gunpoint. At least 11 were shot and three are confirmed dead. Early reports suggest the killer's mother was a church member. Bryan calls it “a very hard morning in Michigan” and urges prayers for the families.   Trump's Budget Showdown and Supreme Court Ruling: With a government shutdown looming, Trump meets lawmakers knowing he holds the stronger hand. “Trump wins in either case,” the Washington Post observed, since a shutdown gives him unilateral power to cut programs and staff. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court ruled he can withhold $4 billion in foreign aid, pushing executive power back to Jeffersonian levels.   Antifa Declared Terror Group and Troops Sent to Portland: Days after Trump designated Antifa as domestic terrorists, he ordered 2,000 National Guardsmen to Portland. “I am authorizing Full Force, if necessary,” Trump posted, after repeated ICE attacks. AG Pam Bondi said, “We're witnessing a new era of political violence,” vowing to use Joint Terrorism Task Forces to dismantle leftist extremists.   Comey Indictment and Brennan Warnings: James Comey's indictment centers on whether he lied under oath about leaking FBI documents. His own lawyer admitted to helping him “get information out” to the press. Trump says “there will be others” prosecuted, with Brennan admitting he may be next but insisting his actions were “consistent with the law.”   Guatemalan Parents Reject Their Children: Tens of thousands of kids trafficked north under Biden remain in U.S. custody after Guatemalan parents refused to take them back. Bryan asks if taxpayers should now become “the world's orphanage.”   China Expands Grip in the Pacific: Trump considers shifting U.S. policy to “oppose” Taiwanese independence, aligning closer with Xi. Beijing secured a policing deal in Vanuatu and continues buying influence in the Solomons. Reuters reports China is even training villagers to spy on neighbors, reviving Mao-era tactics.   Medical News from California: UC Irvine and UC San Diego researchers reversed vision loss in mice using polyunsaturated fatty acid injections, opening potential therapies for age-related macular degeneration. Bryan jokes, “If you're the first to ditch reader glasses, I demand you tell me about it.”   "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32     Keywords: Michigan LDS church shooting fire, Trump government shutdown budget fight, Supreme Court foreign aid ruling, Antifa domestic terror Portland National Guard, AG Pam Bondi political violence JTTF, James Comey indictment leaks oath, John Brennan CIA Russia ICA testimony, Guatemalan migrant children deportation refusal, Trump Taiwan independence oppose policy, China policing deal Vanuatu Solomon Islands influence, UC Irvine UC San Diego macular degeneration fatty acids

This week on Sinica, I chat with Peking University's Professor Wang Dong (王栋), an international relations scholar at the School of International Studies at Peking University, where he also serves as Deputy Director and Executive Director of the Office for Humanities and Social Sciences and the Institute for Global Cooperation and Understanding. Professor Wang's scholarship and public commentary focus on U.S.–China relations, Cold War history, and the uses of historical memory in diplomacy. He has been an especially thoughtful voice in connecting the Flying Tigers legacy with today's efforts to stabilize and strengthen the people-to-people ties between our two countries.Check back in a day or two for the full podcast page and the transcript!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.