Podcasts about Beijing

Events are moving rapidly in the Middle East, so we wanted to provide our loyal podcast listeners with some context to help digest everything that's happened so far. We hope to provide a longer view of the what, where, who, how and why and offer some perspective on this military action's broader historical, political, and legal implications.Ted Postol is Professor of Science, Technology and National Security Policy Emeritus in the Program in Science, Technology, and Society at MIT. His expertise is in nuclear weapon systems, including submarine warfare, applications of nuclear weapons, ballistic missile defense, and ballistic missiles more generally. He previously worked as an analyst at the Office of Technology Assessment and as a science and policy adviser to the chief of naval operations. In 2016, he received the Garwin Prize from the Federation of American Scientists for his work in assessing and critiquing the government's claims about missile defenses.Ambassador Chas Freeman is a retired career diplomat who has negotiated on behalf of the United States with over 100 foreign governments in East and South Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and both Western and Eastern Europe. Ambassador Freeman was previously a Senior Fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense, U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d'Affaires in the American embassies at both Bangkok and Beijing. He was Director for Chinese Affairs at the U.S. Department of State from 1979-1981. He was the principal American interpreter during the late President Nixon's historic visit to China in 1972. In addition to Chinese, Ambassador Freeman speaks French and Spanish at the professional level and can converse in Arabic and several other languages.Bruce Fein is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on international law. Mr. Fein was Associate Deputy Attorney General under Ronald Reagan and he is the author of Constitutional Peril: The Life and Death Struggle for Our Constitution and Democracy, and American Empire: Before the Fall.Ralph Nader Radio Hour is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Thanks for reading Ralph Nader Radio Hour! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

With Captain Jonah Goldberg three sheets to the wind and capsized upon the Caribbean sands, inveterate scallywag Kevin Williamson has seized the helm of HMS Remnant and plotted a course for the far east. Kevin is joined in his journey by Andrew Collier, a Senior Fellow at Harvard's Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government, wherein they discuss China's bizarre real-estate situation, Xi Jinping's economic mindset, Beijing's 2020 crackdown on its tech firms, and what it's like doing business in the People's Republic. Show Notes:—Andrew Collier's bio—China's Technology War: Why Beijing Took Down Its Tech Giants—Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology The Remnant is a production of ⁠The Dispatch⁠, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—⁠click here⁠. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member ⁠by clicking here⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: First up — just days into Operation Epic Fury, Israel says it now controls Iran's airspace and is operating directly over Tehran after dismantling key air defense systems and missile infrastructure. We break down what aerial supremacy means strategically — and why Iran, though wounded, remains dangerous. Later in the show — the world reacts. From the United Nations to Brussels, from Moscow to Beijing, global leaders weigh in as the conflict reshapes diplomatic alignments and raises fears of broader escalation. Plus — while the war rages abroad, the FBI shifts into a heightened defensive posture at home. Director Kash Patel orders counterterrorism teams onto high alert as intelligence officials monitor for potential asymmetric blowback inside the United States. And in today's Back of the Brief — a mass shooting in Austin leaves three dead and more than a dozen injured. We bring you the latest details as authorities investigate the motive and whether terrorism may be a factor. 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 Ethos Life Insurance: Protect your family's future with fast, online life insurance from Ethos—get your free quote in minutes at https://Ethos.com/PDB  American Financing: Call American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. NMLS 182334, http://nmlsconsumeraccess.org -. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1881 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/PDB DeleteMe: Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/PDB and use promocode PDB at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The United States is now in open conflict with Iran after a joint U.S.–Israeli operation killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the opening hours of what the White House has dubbed Operation Epic Fury. The geopolitical aftershocks are already reshaping the Middle East, and could upend the fate of the midterms come November.Over the weekend, American and Israeli forces launched a coordinated campaign targeting Iranian military infrastructure and senior leadership. The United States focused on equipment and strategic assets. Israel targeted personnel. Among the dead: Ali Khamenei, former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and multiple layers of senior command.What we saw was the clearest expression yet of what I would describe as Trump's second-term regime change playbook. First, engage in extended negotiations, regardless of whether the other side is stalling. Second, quietly position overwhelming military force within striking distance. Third, execute a rapid, highly choreographed strike that immediately removes the head of state.Politics Politics Politics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.It is ruthlessly efficient. It is high risk. And unlike Iraq in 2003, the primary target was eliminated in the opening salvo. There will be no years of grainy bunker videos from Tehran. The symbolic center of power is gone.But speed does not guarantee stability. The immediate question is not whether the operation succeeded militarily. It did. The question is what comes next.Regional Realignment and the Oil ChessboardOne of the most striking developments has been the reaction across the region. Missiles were fired from Iran into the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Both countries then moved rhetorically closer to the American position. Even the Palestinian Authority condemned the Iranian strikes.If Saudi Arabia was quietly supportive of regime change, as some reporting suggests, then the long arc of the Abraham Accords may be bending toward a new regional bloc: Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar acting as economic and security anchors. Iran, long positioned as the ideological counterweight, now faces a vacuum.Then there's China. Iran exports roughly 90 percent of its oil to Beijing at discounted rates. If a post-Khamenei Iran stabilizes and reenters broader markets, China's leverage shrinks. Add to that Venezuela's instability and potential changes to Russian oil flows, and Beijing's energy calculus becomes far more complicated.Energy is not just economics. It's military capacity. Constrain oil, and you constrain strategic freedom of movement. That dynamic remains very much in play.Washington DividesDomestically, the political fallout is already taking shape. Republicans argue the strike was legal and necessary, pointing to congressional briefings and framing the action as a decisive blow against a long-standing adversary. Democrats are coalescing around a familiar and potent message: anti-war restraint. Senators like Chris Murphy and Chris Coons have questioned both the legality and the long-term strategy, warning of destabilization and regional blowback.This is where the midterm implications become real. The MAGA coalition includes a significant anti-war faction shaped by Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of those voters supported Trump precisely because he promised to avoid prolonged Middle Eastern entanglements. A swift strike is one thing. A sustained conflict is another.Three American service members are already confirmed dead, with five seriously wounded. That fact alone changes the tone. Nothing shifts public opinion faster than a body count.Democrats are often most effective when opposing war. Republicans, meanwhile, are betting that decisive action will project strength. But without an appetite for prolonged conflict in the Middle East, any success in November for Trump very much remains up in the air.The Off-Ramp QuestionThe key variable to when this all wraps up is time. If the United States transitions operational control to regional partners quickly and avoids prolonged occupation, Trump can argue this was a targeted regime decapitation, not a nation-building project. If American forces remain engaged beyond a short window, the political calculus shifts dramatically.Iran is not Venezuela. There was no extraction of a leader for prosecution. There was a killing. What fills the vacuum matters enormously.I have said before that a regime collapse in Iran would be the most consequential geopolitical event since the fall of the Soviet Union. We may now be living through that moment. Whether it becomes a strategic triumph or a prolonged quagmire will depend on decisions made in the coming days, not the strikes already executed.For now, the clock is ticking. And both the Middle East and American voters are watching.Chapters00:00 - Intro02:26 - Justin's Thought on Iran14:52 - What's Happened So Far19:14 - Republican Response30:03 - Democrat Response35:59: Abandoned Diplomacy46:53: What Happens Next?53:45: 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

This week we begin by looking at who imports the most from China (5:17), why Chinese spend so much money on food (13:30), and Dictator Xi’s next CCP purge (18:38). Then, we take a deep dive (23:00) into the breaking story of the former US Air Force pilot who was arrested in February after returning from 2+ years of sharing military secrets with the Communist regime in Beijing. Lastly, we look at this week’s diverse list of Chinese cities to be praying for (42:36)! Welcome to China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast network! I'm your China travel guide in exile, Missionary Ben. Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I share a new Chinese city or county to pray for every single day. Feel free to write anytime: chinacompass@privacyport.com. All my books, substack, patreon, and everything else can be easily found at PrayGiveGo.us! Book Recommendation: “I'm currently reading [The Millionaire Missionary] and am really enjoying it. What a powerful story of radical obedience and sacrifice. I'm planning to recommend it to the young men I'm currently mobilizing for the 10/40 Window—I think Borden's example will be incredibly inspiring for them as they consider their own call to the unreached.” The Autobiography of John G. Paton (JohnGPaton.com) Borden of Yale: The Millionaire Missionary (BordenofYale.com) Unbeaten: Arrested, Interrogated, and Deported from China (Unbeaten.vip) How Dependent is Each Country on Chinese Imports? https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-countries-most-dependent-china-imports/ Why Chinese People Spend So Much On Food (Paywall) https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/02/26/why-chinese-people-spend-so-much-on-food Xi’s Next Purge Immanent (Paywall) https://asia.nikkei.com/editor-s-picks/china-up-close/analysis-rumors-abound-over-xi-s-next-purge-target-ahead-of-npc Former US Airforce Pilot Arrested for Training Chinese Military Pilots https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-us-air-force-pilot-arrested-providing-defense-services-chinese-military Here's a look at this coming week's Pray for China (PrayforChina.us) cities… https://chinacall.substack.com/p/pray-for-china-mar-1-7-2026 Thank you for listening! Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! There’s also a Paypal link at PrayforChina.us if you’d like to give to our China ministry. Last but not least, for (almost) everything else we’re doing visit PrayGiveGo.us. Luke 10, vs 2: the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, therefore ask the Lord for more. Talk again soon!

In this episode of The Winston Marshall Show, I sit down with journalist and former government adviser Ben Judah to dissect the Chagos Islands deal, Diego Garcia, and the geopolitical battle shaping Britain's future.We examine why the UK agreed to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, the role of the International Court of Justice, and how UN decolonisation rulings placed mounting legal and diplomatic pressure on Britain. Judah explains the strategic importance of Diego Garcia, the sensitive US military capabilities based there, and why American officials quietly pushed London towards a settlement.The conversation explores China's growing influence in the Indian Ocean, the risk of Mauritius pivoting towards Beijing, and why British officials feared losing access to critical US military infrastructure. We debate sovereignty, international law, national security, and whether Britain was defending its interests or surrendering territory under diplomatic pressure.We also discuss the future of Britain's Overseas Territories, proposals to integrate them more fully into the United Kingdom, and whether the Chagos deal reflects strategic realism or managed decline.A serious and wide-ranging conversation about geopolitics, American power, China's rise, and whether Britain still knows how to protect its global position.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To see more exclusive content and interviews consider subscribing to my substack here: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Substack: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/X: https://twitter.com/mrwinmarshallInsta: https://www.instagram.com/winstonmarshallLinktree: https://linktr.ee/winstonmarshall----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapters 00:00 Introduction01:20 The Strategic Importance of Diego Garcia06:32 The Secret US–UK Deal and “Super Capacities”09:35 UN Rulings, ICJ Pressure & China's Role12:09 Why Washington Forced Britain's Hand14:47 Legal vs Military Defence: The China Risk18:52 Could Mauritius Win a Binding Judgment?21:17 Why the Americans Might Move the Base23:10 The Real Prize: UK Access to US Capabilities28:54 “Everything Changes So Nothing Changes” – Inside the Deal30:00 Can Mauritius Invite China In?32:31 Why Rubio, Vance & the Pentagon Backed It35:29 Trump's Flip-Flop and the Iran Question40:31 What If Mauritius Breaks the Agreement?42:31 Why Britain Is Paying 0.2% of Its Defence Budget44:33 This Isn't About Land — It's About Power45:30 Legal, Diplomatic & Hard Power Layers of Defence51:52 Overseas Territories: From Colonies to “Overseas Kingdoms” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we begin by looking at who imports the most from China (5:17), why Chinese spend so much money on food (13:30), and Dictator Xi’s next CCP purge (18:38). Then, we take a deep dive (23:00) into the breaking story of the former US Air Force pilot who was arrested in February after returning from 2+ years of sharing military secrets with the Communist regime in Beijing. Lastly, we look at this week’s diverse list of Chinese cities to be praying for (42:36)! Welcome to China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast network! I'm your China travel guide in exile, Missionary Ben. Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I share a new Chinese city or county to pray for every single day. Feel free to write anytime: chinacompass@privacyport.com. All my books, substack, patreon, and everything else can be easily found at PrayGiveGo.us! Book Recommendation: “I'm currently reading [The Millionaire Missionary] and am really enjoying it. What a powerful story of radical obedience and sacrifice. I'm planning to recommend it to the young men I'm currently mobilizing for the 10/40 Window—I think Borden's example will be incredibly inspiring for them as they consider their own call to the unreached.” The Autobiography of John G. Paton (JohnGPaton.com) Borden of Yale: The Millionaire Missionary (BordenofYale.com) Unbeaten: Arrested, Interrogated, and Deported from China (Unbeaten.vip) How Dependent is Each Country on Chinese Imports? https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-countries-most-dependent-china-imports/ Why Chinese People Spend So Much On Food (Paywall) https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/02/26/why-chinese-people-spend-so-much-on-food Xi’s Next Purge Immanent (Paywall) https://asia.nikkei.com/editor-s-picks/china-up-close/analysis-rumors-abound-over-xi-s-next-purge-target-ahead-of-npc Former US Airforce Pilot Arrested for Training Chinese Military Pilots https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-us-air-force-pilot-arrested-providing-defense-services-chinese-military Here's a look at this coming week's Pray for China (PrayforChina.us) cities… https://chinacall.substack.com/p/pray-for-china-mar-1-7-2026 Thank you for listening! Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! There’s also a Paypal link at PrayforChina.us if you’d like to give to our China ministry. Last but not least, for (almost) everything else we’re doing visit PrayGiveGo.us. Luke 10, vs 2: the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, therefore ask the Lord for more. Talk again soon!

Panama's Supreme Court just scrapped a decades-long port deal with CK Hutchison, stripping Chinese-linked control near the Panama Canal and triggering immediate backlash from Beijing. The panel breaks down what this means for U.S. national security, global trade, the Monroe Doctrine, BlackRock's failed acquisition attempt, and whether this was a coordinated geopolitical move backed by Washington.

The National Security Hour with Major Fred Galvin – What would a post-theocracy Iran look like — reformist state, military junta, or hardened IRGC stronghold? And while America shifts naval and air power toward the Middle East… What are China's trigger lines for military aggression? Does extended U.S. engagement in Iran create a strategic opportunity for Beijing in the Pacific?

On this episode of the podcast, National Security and China Expert Steve Yates joins Amanda Head to break down why NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) — at over $4B per launch — is unsustainable and plagued by costly delays. Yates explains why America must pivot toward a competitive, private-sector-driven model, highlighting SpaceX's reusable rocket success as the blueprint for lower cost, higher cadence, and greater capacity in space.The conversation expands to greater U.S.–China relations, as Yates outlines Beijing's rapid technological and military advancements and why Washington must take a clear-eyed, balanced approach. With President Trump preparing to meet with Xi Jinping at the end of March, the discussion turns to trade leverage, fentanyl trafficking, and broader security concerns. In a deeply personal moment, Yates reflects on the tragic loss of his daughter Christina to fentanyl and why stopping the flow of the drug into America is not just good policy — it gets very personal for loving families like his. You can follow this podcast, Amanda Head, and Steve Yates on X (formerly Twitter) by searching for the respective handles: @FurthermorePod, @AmandaHead, @SteveYates.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The US Supreme Court has struck down the Trump administration's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs. This is a big deal!  In this episode, Darren argues that the decision is not primarily a story about tariffs — important as they are — but about power. The Court has drawn a clear line around the President's ability to declare an “emergency” and unilaterally impose across-the-board tariffs. While other tariff authorities remain in place, the removal of IEEPA as a rapid escalation tool represents a concrete institutional constraint on executive authority. What does that mean for Trump's negotiating leverage? How does it change the international landscape — particularly ahead of a planned visit to Beijing? Why does this matter for Australia's vision of regional order? Darren cannot avoid the bad news: heightened uncertainty, likely litigation, and the longer-term drift toward protectionism that this ruling will not reverse. But ultimately, this episode asks a bigger question: what actually constrains presidential power in the United States? And does this moment represent a small but meaningful crack in the aura of inevitability surrounding the current administration? 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.

In December 2025, a four-ship People's Liberation Army Navy task group - including an amphibious assault ship capable of carrying 1,000 Marines and 30 helicopters - tracked southeast through the Western Pacific, passing through waters near Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. Australia scrambled surveillance aircraft. Pacific Island leaders said almost nothing publicly. Most of the world barely noticed.Our guest noticed - because she was there. Ambassador Laura Stone just retired as the US Ambassador to the Republic of the Marshall Islands, capping a distinguished Foreign Service career that included multiple tours in Beijing and serving as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for China. She joins hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso to explain why this naval activity matters far more than the headlines suggest.In this episode: What is China's “second island cloud” strategy, and why does the Marshall Islands sit at its center? What is the Compact of Free Association, and why does it make the Marshall Islands far more than just a remote atoll? What is Kwajalein Atoll, and why should you Google it right now? How is China using economic influence, bribery, and Belt and Road investment to gain a foothold in the Pacific - and what's working (and not working) in the US response? What does the gutting of USAID mean for the Pacific Islands? And what does the nuclear legacy of US atomic testing still mean for Marshallese people today?Ambassador Stone also paints a frank picture of the Marshall Islands' future - a country losing 3–5% of its population per year to outward migration, sitting just six feet above sea level, facing an existential climate threat that Washington is no longer prioritizing.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss President Trump's new tariffs after the Supreme Court's ruling last week and Republican efforts to adopt new tariff legislation; takeaways from the president's longest ever state of the union address; efforts to restore full Department of Homeland Security funding and update on Reconciliation 2.0; whether the president will get the $1.5 trillion defense budget he wants for 2027 as consensus settles on a more modest boost of around $1.1 trillion to $1.2 trillion; US-Iran talks continue in Geneva as Washington masses more forces in the region and prepares to evacuate US personnel from Israel to press Tehran into a nuclear deal; tensions between the president and military leadership as Trump says his chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, thinks a war with Iran would be easy as news reports indicate military leaders are concerned about the impact of a protracted and unpredictable conflict on weapons stocks, equipment and personnel; Ukraine's allies shape another 106 billion euro aid package that Hungary has threatened to derail; as former US Army Europe chief retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges tells reporters his train was attacked, one of five suspected Russian attacks on Europe that day; the Pentagon's threat to seize Anthropic's Claude AI model and blacklist the company unless it allows its technology to be used for autonomous weapons and mass surveillance; after two months as Joint Staff Director Vice Adm. Fred Kacher will leave his job and return to the Navy; Beijing again cuts rare earth shipments to Japan; Kim Jong Un teases a summit with Trump amid US-Korea strategy strains; an escalating conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan; Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel; and Washington's decision to open a pop-up consulate for Israeli settlers in the West Bank town of Efrat.

00:00 IntroChina Targets Dissidents Globally With ChatGPTFormer US Treasury Secretary to Resign From HarvardEx-Air Force Pilot Arrested for Training Chinese MilitaryHow Should the US Deal With Aiding China's Military?Rubio: US, China Reached “Strategic Stability”China's Military Purge Puts Taiwan Invasion in QuestionHong Kong Tycoon Jimmy Lai Wins Fraud Conviction AppealGoogle Disrupts China-Linked HackersGermany's Merz in Beijing, Hails China RelationsThird Round of US-Iran Talks Conclude in GenevaNorth Korea Vows More Nuclear WeaponsUS Seizes 3rd Oil Tanker in Indian Ocean

"He lied more than I thought he did—and I thought he lied a lot." — Tom Wells on Henry KissingerIn our Epstein age, everyone seems to have access to everyone else's dirtiest secrets. But half a century ago, in the Watergate era, it was harder to get one's hands on the secret files, phone calls and other private data. But historian Tom Wells has done exactly that with the private phone calls of Henry Kissinger. Wells' new book, The Kissinger Tapes, is based on transcripts of Kissinger's secretly recorded phone conversations—recordings he made primarily for his memoirs and to keep track of what he told to whom.Wells came to the project as a Kissinger critic but found himself respecting certain things about him: particularly his stamina, the work ethic and political skills. What Wells didn't expect was to discover that Kissinger lied even more than most of us assume. Especially about Vietnam and Cambodia. The most damning revelation is his callousness. Kissinger reveled in body counts, Wells reports. He even supported American planes indiscriminately bombing Vietnam so as to hit something. Anything. Anyone.So was Kissinger evil? Or was he, to borrow from Arendt's account of the Adolf Eichmann trial, banal? Whereas Eichmann might have been following orders, Henry Kissinger was following his own career. One was an efficient bureaucrat, the other a supreme networker. Neither had any sensitivity to human suffering. Five Takeaways●      He Lied More Than Expected: Wells came to the project already critical of Kissinger. But going through the transcripts, he discovered Kissinger lied even more than he'd assumed. About the secret wiretaps of government officials and journalists. About the false reporting system for the Cambodia bombing. He kept saying he didn't know anything, had nothing to do with it. He did.●      The Callousness Is Stunning: Nixon and Kissinger reveled in body counts. Nixon said, "I don't care about the civilian casualties." During the Laos invasion, he said he didn't even care if they lost 10,000 South Vietnamese troops. Kissinger remarked that if American planes just dropped bombs out the door without aiming, they'd have to hit something. This wasn't indifference. It was gratification.●      Morality Was Not Part of the Calculation: Kissinger saw most conflicts through the lens of U.S.-Soviet rivalry. The balance of power mattered. The human cost didn't. They secretly armed the Pakistani military during the Bangladesh genocide—between 300,000 and 3 million dead—because they needed Pakistan as a channel to China. The opening to Beijing was more important than the slaughter.●      He Was Supremely Two-Faced: Kissinger was always deferential to Nixon's face, always addressed him as "Mr. President." Behind his back, he said nasty things. He trashed Secretary of State William Rogers constantly. He and Defense Secretary Melvin Laird were rivals, both master leakers, both devious. They came to respect each other for it.●      Evil or Banal?: Hannah Arendt wrote about the banality of evil after covering the Eichmann trial. Some apply that framework to Kissinger. But there's a difference. Eichmann was following orders. Kissinger was following his career. One was an efficient bureaucrat. The other a supreme networker. Neither had any sensitivity to human suffering. About the GuestTom Wells is a historian and the author of The War Within: America's Battle Over Vietnam. He is based in New Mexico.ReferencesBooks mentioned:●      The Kissinger Tapes: Inside His Secretly Recorded Phone Conversations by Tom Wells — his new book based on transcripts of Kissinger's phone recordings.●      Zbig: The Man Who Cracked the Kremlin by Edward Luce — biography of Zbigniew Brzezinski, Kissinger's rival.People mentioned:●      Hannah Arendt wrote about "the banality of evil" while covering the Eichmann trial—a framework some apply to Kissinger.●      Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers; his son's book Truth and Consequences is discussed next week on the show.About Keen On AmericaNobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States—hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,800 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On America is the most prolific intellectual interview show in the history of podcasting.WebsiteSubstackYouTubeApple PodcastsSpotify Chapters:(00:00) - Introduction: The age of Epstein vs. the age of Kissinger (01:31) - Why did Kissinger secretly record his calls? (02:54) - Did you come to this as a Kissinger hater? (05:43) - He lied more than I thought he did (06:08) - Breaking news: The callousness (07:47) - Realpolitik vs. indifference to human suffering (09:47) - Did Kissinger recognize moral critics? (11:06) - What kind of man was Kissinger? (14:18) - His relationship with Nixon (15:15) - Who did Kissinger trust? (16:40) - His private life and playboy reputation (19:00) - What the tapes reveal about Vietnam (20:56) - Did he care about American casualties? (22:19) - The monstrous quality (24:20) - Hannah Arendt and the banality of evil (25:52) - What the Kissinger tapes tell us about Trump (27:31) - What would Kissinger make of Ukraine and Gaza?

The National Security Hour with Major Fred Galvin – What would a post-theocracy Iran look like — reformist state, military junta, or hardened IRGC stronghold? And while America shifts naval and air power toward the Middle East… What are China's trigger lines for military aggression? Does extended U.S. engagement in Iran create a strategic opportunity for Beijing in the Pacific?

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has just concluded his first official visit to China since taking office in May 2025. In Beijing, he expressed his commitment to deepening Germany's comprehensive strategic partnership with China. At the same time, Chinese President Xi Jinping outlined three key areas for strengthening ties. This visit is about more than bilateral relations. It comes amid rising uncertainty over the U.S. trade and economic policies. So what are the real takeaways from Merz's trip? What signals does it send for China and Germany? And how might it reshape Europe and the wider international landscape?

At the heart of Beijing sits the Forbidden City, one of the greatest architectural achievements in human history. It's the largest palace complex on Earth. Constructed in the early 15th century as the hidden heart of imperial power, it was a city within a city — sealed off from the world, governed by rigid ritual, political intrigue, and absolute authority.How did a daring coup bring this colossal complex into existence? What was daily life really like behind its towering walls? And, how did it endure revolution, the rise and fall of dynasties, and catastrophe to become a symbol of China itself? Dan travels to the heart of Beijing to reveal its extraordinary story. You can learn more in Dan's History Hit TV documentary 'Beijing Central Axis: China's Medieval Wonder'. Sign up to watch at:  https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal PatmoreYou can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1900 BAKUGordon Chang and Steve Yates discuss Japan deploying missiles near Taiwan and concerns regarding a potential Chinese biological weapons facility discovered in Las Vegas. 1.Rebecca Grant and Gordon Chang detail the US Navy's massive deployment around Iran to counter Chinese-supported missile threats and prepare for possible sustained offensive strike options. 2.Charles Burton and Gordon Chang analyze Mark Carney's shift toward Beijing, seeking trade concessions like visa-free access while Canadians harbor resentment over Trump's proposed tariffs and economic policies. 3.Charles Burton and Gordon Chang debate the dangers of Canada's "strategic partnership" with China, focusing on espionage operations, the potential expulsion from Five Eyes, and theft of aerospace technology. 4.Simon Constable reports on skyrocketing copper and silver prices alongside the arrest of Lord Mandelson for allegedly passing privileged state information to Jeffrey Epstein. 5.Simon Constable reports that the UK government faces investigations for allegedly threatening media personalities and smearing critics as pro-Russian, while struggling with housing shortages and high taxes. 6.Jonathan Adler explains the Supreme Court ruling that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not grant the president unilateral power to impose taxes or tariffs. 7.Jonathan Adler reports that following the tariff decision, the administration must now use specific statutes with procedural strings, limiting the president's ability to adjust trade penalties on a whim. 8.Andrea Stricker discusses reports that the Iranian regime used illicit chemicals and pharmaceutical-based agents to debilitate protesters during recent, highly lethal national unrest. 9.Michael Bernstam describes Europe's liberation from Russian energy, replaced by cheap American and Qatari LNG, leaving Russia with abandoned gas fields and flaring wells. 10.Bob Zimmerman details a helium flow problem that cancelled the Artemis March launch, while SpaceX continues breaking records for booster reuse and commercial efficiency. 11.Bob Zimmerman reports that astronomers are using infrared capabilities to identify a supernova's origin and detect the first heliosphere around a distant star, advancing our understanding of stellar deaths. 12.Craig Unger explores how Trump's licensing model in Panama and elsewhere allowed the Russian mob to wash hundreds of millions through luxury real estate. 13.Craig Unger reports that the Trump brand served as a status symbol for Russian oligarchs, facilitating money laundering in failed developments while FBI counterintelligence efforts reportedly failed to intervene. 14.Craig Unger reports that the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow served as a platform for Trump to court Putin and oligarchs, marking a turning point as Russia transitioned into a mafia state. 15.Craig Unger traces Trump's political ascent back to his 1987 Moscow trip, suggesting Russian connections and talking points have influenced his foreign policy for forty years. 16.

Charles Burton and Gordon Chang analyze Mark Carney's shift toward Beijing, seeking trade concessions like visa-free access while Canadians harbor resentment over Trump's proposed tariffs and economic policies. 3.

On this episode of OneHaas, learn about the incredible, globe-spanning career journey of alumna Ann Hsu, Founder and Head of School at Bert Hsu Academy. From high tech to yogurt to revolutionizing the approach to public education, this double bear's story is not one to miss!Born and raised in Beijing, China, Ann moved to the U.S. with her family at age 11 but has always maintained a strong cultural connection to China. After getting her Master's degree in electrical engineering from UC Berkeley, she moved back to China and launched into a successful career in high tech. When the need arose to add more business acumen to her skillset, she knew Berkeley Haas was her best option for an MBA. Ann's latest career pivot has been into education, where she's opened the first American-Chinese bicultural school in the U.S., named in honor of her father, Bert Hsu. Ann joins host Sean Li to discuss the exciting ways they are reimagining education at the Bert Hsu Academy, how her Berkeley degrees have supported her career journey, and her advice for current MBA students and young alumni. She also shares her memories of moving to the U.S. as a young girl in 1978, her family's history in China, and how her own bicultural experience has shaped her career and worldview. *OneHaas Alumni Podcast is a production of Haas School of Business and is produced by University FM.*Episode Quotes:On her assimilation to American culture“ I remember a discussion in class and they were talking about china, the bowls and plates. Well, I thought they were talking about the country of China. And I raised my hand, I said, ‘I'm from China.' Yes, I knew the word, but I didn't know that we were talking about plates and bowls china and not the country of China. That's what I mean by cultural assimilation or Americanization. It took me four years.”On where the idea for a Chinese-American bicultural school came from“ I thought back to my own experience of going to school in China and the U.S. and then watching my sons go to school in China …and about what's good about the Chinese education approach, what's good about the American ones, what's bad about each. And I thought, I want to combine the Chinese education philosophy, approach and practices with the American ones because both have pros and cons. And if I'm going to design [a school] from scratch, I'll just pick the good ones. The pros!”On her decision to name the school after her father“...It came to me that the person who embodies the bicultural and bilingual Chinese American experience, whom I have the utmost respect for, is my father. And he was bicultural, in addition to being bilingual. He not only survived, but thrived in both China and in the United States because he understood [the culture] and could really thrive in both cultures. And I thought, that should be the goal. I want all of our students to be able to do that.”Her advice to current MBA students“ MBA students, they fret about,what should I do [after MBA]? Which job should I take? What career should I pursue? what I tell them is that you only have so much information. You're never going to get complete information, and you're never going know whether that decision you made is the right decision. So what you do is you take all the information you have, make a decision, and then make that the right decision.”Show Links:LinkedIn ProfileBert Hsu Academy Website Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/onehaas/donations

John talks to Lee Moore about his 2025 book China's Backstory: The History Beijing Doesn't Want You to Read, which focuses on four important China-related stories that often make headlines: Taiwan, Xinjiang, the Chinese economy, and Hong Kong. In this conversation, Lee and John focus on Taiwan before 1800. Who were the earliest Chinese arrivals in Taiwan? Which ruler's fondness for older women would impact the island's future? And were there Indigenous cowboys (as in horses and lassos)? Lee takes an unusual "pop-scholarship" approach to history in this book. For example, he uses colloquial translations of Chinese texts and names (meet Mr. Success Zheng), and employs...um..."colorful language." His controversial style will likely generate a mix of head-shaking and nodding approval, but almost everyone will learn something new from this episode and enjoy a few laughs.  

The latest from Asia, including the German chancellor's visit to Beijing ahead of a US diplomatic trip next month, low fertility rates in South Korea and what it means for the region, and why the world has gone bananas for an emotional support toy monkey called Punch who lives at the at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan.

Dan Solo Show, I hope you like pipelines   Producers for MMO #208   Fiat Fun Coupon Producers Eli the Coffee Guy Trashman Tom in WY Naillord of Gaylord Praetor Wiirdo of the not so flat lands   Booster Producers ericpp        | 3,333 | BAG DADDY BOOSTER! boolysteedfountain.fm | 2,222 fairvoltyfountain.fm | 208 NostrGangfountain.fm | 111 NostrGangfountain.fm | 111   Creative Producers: Episode Artwork Grok and Nam   Follow Us: X/Twitter MMO Show John Dan Youtube (while it lasts) MMO Show Livestream Rumble MMO Show Livestream Twitch MMO Show Livestream   Shownotes: Dan's Sources Rob Jetten claims 'historic' win in Dutch election after exit poll shows slight lead Germany's Merz hails China ties as he seeks reset with Beijing | REUTERS DRUZHBA UNDER FIRE: Kyiv Targets Key Russia's Druzhba Oil Hub, EU Energy War Explodes | World News What next for Mexico after killing of notorious cartel leader 'El Mencho'? Iranian students renew anti-government protests in Tehran amid a US military buildup EU accuses Hungary of disloyalty for vetoing €90 billion loan to Ukraine Hungary vows to block EU cash for Ukraine, Russia sanctions • FRANCE 24 English “Ukraine Is Harming Slovakia’s Interests” – PM Fico Orders Halt to Emergency Power for Ukraine |AC1N El Mencho killed: US tourists take shelter as Mexico erupts in chaos Rob Jetten claims 'historic' win in Dutch election after exit poll shows slight lead Germany's Merz hails China ties as he seeks reset with Beijing | REUTERS   John's Shownotes   Iran            Iran Latest CBS            Limited or Large Scale? ---            Gerald Ford Toilets            Problems   Israel            >Carlson & Huckabee *Huckabee supports ethnic zionism; says if neighbors “lose right to exist under international law” he would support expansion of the state of Israel to Biblically proscribed borders   Article: Israeli Opposition Supports Expansion   “Huckabee was asked by interviewer Tucker Carlson to clarify his stance on the iblical promise of the land spanning between the Euphrates River in Iraq and the Nile River in Egypt to the descendants of Abraham, and if the modern Israeli state has the right to claim that lineage.                          “It would be fine if they took it all,” Huckabee responded. Such                      territory would encompass modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan,          and parts of Saudi Arabia. Wider Balochistan            Pakistan Strikes Afghanistan            Saudis Mediate Paki Soldier Release from Afghanis   Mexico            ABC Cartel War Report            2nd in Command Killed?   Colonel Claude Anthropic refuses to remove restrictions on targeting and surveillance; Hegseth threatens Defense Production Act which would designate Anthropic a supply chain risk – same as Huawei   France            Activist Killed, Diplo Spat        

Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.On today's podcast:1) Cuba says a boat with 10 people near its coast early Wednesday was carrying weapons, and its occupants — Cubans living in the US — were intent on entering the country to fight against the government. Cuban forces killed four people who had opened fire from a speedboat with Florida tags, an incident with the potential to escalate an already tense standoff with the US. The vessel approached within one nautical mile off the coast of Villa Clara early Wednesday, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said in a statement. Six others on the speedboat were wounded and are being provided with medical care. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Wednesday afternoon that the Department of Homeland Security and Coast Guard would be looking into the incident.2) The US and Iran started a third round of nuclear talks on Thursday with days to go until President Trump’s deadline for a deal. The two parties have been locked in a tense, months-long standoff over the Islamic Republic’s atomic activities and are negotiating through mediator Oman at its embassy in Geneva, the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency reported. Trump had given Iran a deadline of March 1-6 to strike a deal and has threatened military action if it fails to do so, sparking fears of a new Middle East war that could embroil Israel and Gulf Arab oil producers.3) The US vowed to maintain high tariffs on China hours after Beijing warned against any future hikes, as President Trump’s sweeping levies return to the spotlight before his meeting with Xi Jinping. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Wednesday that Trump wants to keep tariffs on China steady at a range of 35% to 50%, while repeating earlier statements that the Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate broad emergency tariffs wouldn’t affect most levies. Earlier the same day, China threatened to take “all necessary measures” if the US imposed fresh tariffs, after Washington signaled a probe into their 2020 trade deal would continue. Beijing reiterated it wants to use the existing consultation mechanism to build consensus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday marks the 12th anniversary of the coordinated development strategy for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

1896 PERSIAElizabeth Peak, columnist for The Hill and Fox News, discusses Wall Street's AI "doom" narrative, the disruption of white-collar professions, and market anxieties regarding potential conflict with Iran and new trade tariffs. 1.Elizabeth Peak, columnist for The Hill and Fox News, criticizes Mayor Mamdani's inexperienced handling of a deadly NYC blizzard, specifically his initial refusal to compel homeless individuals to enter shelters during extreme cold. 2.Judy Dempsey of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Thaddius McCotter of American Greatnessexamine the Ukraine war's stalemate, debating European unity, Putin's untrustworthiness, and the difficult search for a viable diplomatic peace offramp. 3.Judy Dempsey of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Thaddius McCotter of American Greatnessdiscuss the upcoming State of the Union, critiquing Trump's economic messaging while highlighting concerns over AI-driven job losses and the growing divide regarding national prosperity. 4.Mary Kissel, Executive Vice President at Stevens Incorporated, analyzes the US naval buildup near Iran, exploring potential regime change and the interconnected nature of global authoritarian threats from Russia to Beijing. 5.Mary Kissel, Executive Vice President at Stevens Incorporated, explains how unpredictable tariff policies create business uncertainty, hindering capital investment despite potential strategic benefits in managing trade relations with aggressive regimes like Beijing. 6.Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, discusses the massive USarmada near Iran and whether military pressure or internal protests can force the regime to negotiate on missiles and proxies. 7.Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, analyzes Hezbollah's remaining missile arsenal, Israeli deterrence strategies, and the security vacuum in Syria following the escape of ISISrelatives from detention camps. 8.David Livingston of The Space Show and Kishalay De of Columbia University discuss a star collapsing into a black hole without a supernova, challenging established theories about the minimum mass required for such cosmic events. 9.David Livingston of The Space Show and Kishalay De of Columbia University outline future astronomical surveys using advanced telescopes to identify more "disappearing" stars, aiming to create a comprehensive population road map for black hole formation. 10.Michael Toth, Research Director of the Civitas Institute, compares the thriving US equity markets with Europe's "eurosclerosis," attributing American growth to deregulation and dynamism while critiquing Europe's failure to produce new unicorns. 11.Michael Toth, Research Director of the Civitas Institute, defends financialization against critics, arguing that expanded market participation through 401ks and deregulation drives median income growth and American productivity compared to Europe. 12.Gregory Copley reports that amid a military buildup and failing talks, President Trump is considering kinetic action against Iran's clerical leadership, while the Iranian people remain largely anti-regime. 13.Gregory Copley reports that Prime Minister Starmer is blocking US use of British bases in Cyprus and Diego Garciafor Iran strikes, causing a terminal rift with President Donald Trump. 14.Gregory Copley reports that President Zelensky warns Putin is untrustworthy as the war reaches four years, while Copley suggests the conflict persists primarily because of continued external Western funding and arms. 15.Gregory Copley reports that King Charles is navigating a crisis involving Prince Andrew's arrest and Prime Minister Starmer's appointment of Ambassador Mendelson, both linked to the widening Jeffrey Epstein scandal. 16.

This week on Sinica, I speak with Yi-Ling Liu, journalist, former China editor at Rest of World, and author of the new book The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet. Yi-Ling's book traces the arc of Chinese online life through five protagonists — a rapper, a gay rights entrepreneur, a feminist activist, a science fiction writer, and an internet censor — each navigating the creative and constrictive forces of the Chinese internet in their own way. The result is a deeply reported, novelistic account of what it felt like to live, create, and push back in one of the most surveilled and dynamic digital environments on earth. We discuss the book's central metaphor of "dancing in shackles," the early utopian glow of Chinese netizen culture, the parallel fates of hip hop and science fiction under the state's alternating embrace and constraint, and the eerie convergence between the Chinese internet and our own.0:06 — "Wall dancers" as a metaphor: what it captures that "dissident" or "netizen" doesn't0:09 — Why 网民 (wǎngmín) took root in China as a concept of digital citizenship0:13 — The early Chinese internet: more open than we remember, but not as free as the myth suggests0:15 — Ma Baoli: closeted cop to CEO of China's largest gay dating app, and the Gay Talese reporting strategy0:20 — Lan Yu, Beijing Story, and the film that became a coming-out moment for a generation of queer men0:22 — Pragmatism at the heart of the dance: how individuals and the state negotiated the internet together0:28 — Lu Pin and Feminist Voices: from "playing boundary ball" to sudden exile0:35 — Stanley Chen Qiufan and the state's attempt to co-opt science fiction for nationalist ends0:43 — The generational split in Chinese sci-fi: Liu Cixin's cosmic scale vs. the near-future unease of Chen Qiufan and Hao Jingfang0:46 — Hip hop's arc: from underground scenes in Chengdu and Beijing to The Rap of China and sudden constraint0:51 — Eric Liu, the Weibo censor: humanizing the firewall from the inside0:55 — Common prosperity, Wang Huning, and the moral panic behind the crackdown on "effeminate" culture0:59 — Techno-utopianism in retrospect: was the emancipatory internet always a fantasy?1:03 — The convergence of the Chinese and American internets: Weibo and Twitter, TikTok and Oracle1:07 — What it means to be free: how the book expanded Yi-Ling's sense of what freedoms people actually wantPaying it forward: Zeyi Yang, technology reporter at WIRED, and co-author (with Louise Matsakis) of the excellent tech x China newsletter Made in ChinaRecommendations:Yi-Ling: The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai; Machine Decision is Not Final, an anthology of essays on Chinese AI compiled by scholars affiliated with NYU Shanghai.Kaiser: The Coming Storm: Power, Conflict and Warnings from History by Odd Arne Westad (forthcoming); Essays from Pallavi Aiyar's Substack The Global Jigsaw, particularly "How Has China Succeeded in Making People Mind their Manners" and "Why I Would Rather Be Born Chinese than Indian Today."See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Decarbonisation is triggering a new great-power race. As demand for green technologies and sustainable power sources grows, Washington and Beijing are battling for control of cobalt, lithium, copper, and nickel - the critical metals that will determine who lands on top of the global energy transition. In this episode, Nicolas Niarchos joins host Atossa Araxia Abrahamian to discuss The Elements of Power, a sweeping investigation into the war for the global supply of battery metals. From the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Indonesia and beyond, Niarchos uncovers a world shaped by rapacious colonial legacies, Cold War maneuvering, corporate rivalry, and dazzling technological innovation.  Niarchos argues that as wealthy nations push to electrify their economies, the human and environmental costs are pushed out of sight - onto miners working by hand, polluted communities, and territories still treated as expendable. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, says there is a 'great opportunity' to develop a relationship with China, following a meeting with its leader Xi Jinping, in Beijing.Merz is currently on his first visit to China, which is Germany's biggest trading partner, since becoming leader 10 months ago.Plus a dispute is brewing between Washington and an AI company over military use of its technology.Presenter: Bisi Adebayo Producer: Matt Lines Editor: Justin Bones

From creatures to avoid in the woods to superstitions about numbers, folklore not only gives us inspiration for stories, but also stories for the characters in your world to tell. So where do folktales come from, and how can we use them in our worldbuilding? Amélie Wen Zhao joins us to investigate the roots of folkloric monsters and their narrative potential! We talk about the sometimes blurry lines between folklore, mythology, fables, and legends. Sometimes, that distinction is about the scale of the story: are we talking about the creation of the world, or are we talking about the little creature that lives in your oven to keep your bread warm? Folklore is often more personal as well as more localized, and thus the stories are often very culturally-specific -- and that means they can communicate a lot about your characters' beliefs and values, representative of the world they've grown up in! You also get to decide... are these creatures only stories within your world, or are they really real there? [Transcript for Episode 175] Our Guest: Amélie Wen Zhao was born in Paris and grew up in Beijing, where she spent her days reenacting tales of legendary heroes, ancient kingdoms, and lost magic at her grandmother's courtyard house. She attended college in the United States and now resides in New York City, working as a finance professional by day and fantasy author by night. In her spare time, she loves to travel with her family in China, where she's determined to walk the rivers and lakes of old just like the practitioners in her novels do.

What can Merz’s visit to Beijing really achieve? Then: Warnings that the Horn of Africa is on the brink of war, Trump’s State of the Union address and how Canada is stepping up to help Cuba. Plus: Why Etihad is flying high.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

German chancellor Friedrich Merz lands in Beijing as the latest western leader looking to improve trade relations with China. Plus: why Kyoto’s mayor has announced plans for Japan’s first citizen discount on bus fares.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As part of our official DealFlow Discovery Conference Interview Series, produced by Mission Matters, along with our partner DealFlow Events, we showcased the innovative companies that presented at the DealFlow Discovery Conference (last January 28–29 at the Borgata in Atlantic City) and the executives behind them. In this episode, Adam Torres interviews Roger Parodi, Head of Strategy at 51Talk Online Education Group, on the company's post-2021 pivot to international markets, its AI-native approach to language education for children, and 51Talk's growth strategy across Southeast Asia and the Middle East. This interview is part of our effort to help investors discover compelling companies ahead of the event — and to help CEOs introduce their story to the 1500+ conference attendees. Learn more about the event and presenting companies:https://dealflowdiscoveryconference.com/ About Roger Perodi Roger is leading active investments in Asian listed equities for TR Capital. He was previously Managing Partner at Silverhorn Principal Investors, actively investing in Asian small cap companies. Prior to this, Roger held various management roles at UBS in Zurich, Hong Kong and Singapore. In Asia since 2004 and based in Hong Kong, he has spent more than 10 years in Beijing and is fluent in written and spoken Chinese. Roger holds a Master's degree from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, and an EMBA (in Chinese) from Tsinghua University in Beijing. About 51Talk Online Education Group 51Talk Online Education Group (NYSE: COE) is a global online education platform with core expertise in online English education. 51Talk, the name's meaning comes from its mission to unite 5 continents into 1 mission, i.e. to talk effectively with each other through a common language.  The Company's online  education platform enable students to take live, fun and interactive online English lessons anytime and anywhere. The Company connects its students with a large pool of highly trained and qualified teachers that it assembled using a shared economy approach, and uses student and teacher feedback as well as data analytics to deliver a personalized learning experience to its students. Follow Adam on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/askadamtorres/ for up to date information on book releases and tour schedule. Apply to be a guest on our podcast: https://missionmatters.lpages.co/podcastguest/ Visit our website: https://missionmatters.com/ More FREE content from Mission Matters here: https://linktr.ee/missionmattersmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A security scare at the Prime Minister's Canberra home - the Lodge - thrusts a controversial Chinese spiritual group into the spotlight - what is Falun Gong and why does Beijing not like it?

In this special episode of The Negotiation, WPIC CEO Jacob Cooke steps in as host to interview Bijan Ahmadi, Executive Director & COO at the Canada China Business Council—one of the leading organizations supporting Canadian businesses in China and strengthening bilateral commercial ties.This episode offers a unique perspective: Jacob was in Beijing during Prime Minister Mark Carney's recent visit to China—the first by a Canadian leader in years—giving him firsthand insight into the trip's significance. Together, Jacob and Bijan unpack what the visit means for Canadian business and Canada-China relations, with Bijan's deep expertise in trade policy, market access, and bilateral economic engagement complementing Jacob's on-the-ground observations.This conversation comes at a critical moment: as the U.S. administration raises questions about Canada's engagement with China, this episode cuts through the noise to focus on the facts—what was actually agreed, what it means for jobs and GDP, and why China remains a vital market for Canadian exporters and businesses.Discussion Points·       The historical context and significance of Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to China·       Whether the visit achieved a meaningful reset in Canada-China relations·       Specific outcomes and agreements from the trip—sector-by-sector wins for the Canadian economy·       CCBC's role during the visit and how members have reacted·       How Canadian businesses are reassessing their perceptions of China post-visit·       Next challenges CCBC will work to solve for Canadian business·       Clarifying misconceptions around a potential "deal" with China and U.S. political concerns·       The strategic importance of China to Canada's economy—jobs, GDP, and export opportunities

A security scare at the Prime Minister's Canberra home - the Lodge - thrusts a controversial Chinese spiritual group into the spotlight - what is Falun Gong and why does Beijing not like it?

【欢迎订阅】每天早上5:30，准时更新。【阅读原文】标题：China's humanoids are dazzling the world. Who will buy them? The market for robot dancers, alas, is limited 正文：The Spring Festival Gala is a showcase both of China's cultural riches and its technological might. The four-hour state television programme,staged in Beijing on the eve of each Lunar New Year, often features goose-stepping phalanxes of singing soldiers. On February 16th the centrepiece was a troupe of sword-brandishing humanoid robots performing an elaborate martial-arts routine. It was one of four humanoid-embellished acts that wowed viewers around the world. 知识点：centrepiece n. /ˈsen.trə.piːs/the main or most important object or feature in a place or event 核心；中心物；最重要的部分• The statue became the centrepiece of the town square.那座雕像成了城镇广场的核心。• The dining table had flowers as its centrepiece during the wedding banquet.婚宴上，餐桌中央摆放的鲜花成了视觉焦点。获取外刊的完整原文以及精讲笔记，请关注微信公众号「早安英文」，回复“外刊”即可。更多有意思的英语干货等着你！【节目介绍】《早安英文-每日外刊精读》，带你精读最新外刊，了解国际最热事件：分析语法结构，拆解长难句，最接地气的翻译，还有重点词汇讲解。所有选题均来自于《经济学人》《纽约时报》《华尔街日报》《华盛顿邮报》《大西洋月刊》《科学杂志》《国家地理》等国际一线外刊。【适合谁听】1、关注时事热点新闻，想要学习最新最潮流英文表达的英文学习者2、任何想通过地道英文提高听、说、读、写能力的英文学习者3、想快速掌握表达，有出国学习和旅游计划的英语爱好者4、参加各类英语考试的应试者（如大学英语四六级、托福雅思、考研等）【你将获得】1、超过1000篇外刊精读课程，拓展丰富语言表达和文化背景2、逐词、逐句精确讲解，系统掌握英语词汇、听力、阅读和语法3、每期内附学习笔记，包含全文注释、长难句解析、疑难语法点等，帮助扫除阅读障碍。

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has begun his official visit to China, arriving in Beijing on Wednesday morning. The two-day visit is Merz's first trip to China since taking office.

In this episode of China Decode, Alice Han and James Kynge unpack the International Monetary Fund's blunt warning that China's export-led growth model is nearing its limits — just as the Supreme Court of the United States rolls back sweeping Trump-era emergency tariffs, reshaping the trade war at a pivotal moment. Then, China's hospitals are going viral. From Beijing to Hainan, foreign patients are seeking faster, cheaper treatment as part of Beijing's “Healthy China 2030” push to turn healthcare into a new growth engine — but could that spark domestic backlash? And finally, Seedance 2.0, the powerful new AI video model from ByteDance, is generating hyper-realistic celebrity deepfakes and rattling Hollywood. Is this the future of filmmaking — or the start of a new AI arms race? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mary Kissel, Executive Vice President at Stevens Incorporated, analyzes the US naval buildup near Iran, exploring potential regime change and the interconnected nature of global authoritarian threats from Russia to Beijing. 5.1919  BRITAIN AND PERSIA

Mary Kissel, Executive Vice President at Stevens Incorporated, explains how unpredictable tariff policies create business uncertainty, hindering capital investment despite potential strategic benefits in managing trade relations with aggressive regimes like Beijing. 6.1919 BRITAIN AND PERSIA

Katrina Leung, code name Parlor Maid, received nearly two million dollars from the FBI for being their top China informant. But little did the Bureau know… she was a double agent, collecting intelligence for China's Ministry of State Security. Not only that, she was also sleeping with her FBI handler, James J. Smith (J.J.). For nearly two decades, J.J. covered up reports that raised red flags about her. That's where retired FBI agent Steven Conley comes in. He worked for J.J. in the LA field office and then became Katrina's new handler, and soon realized she wasn't exactly providing useful information. Ultimately, he helped extract two painful confessions in a case that damaged the FBI's reputation for years.  Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories: https://sashaingber.substack.com/ For more information about the International Spy Museum, visit:  https://www.spymuseum.org/ And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic,  you can reach us by email at spycast@spymuseum.org. This show is brought to you by N2K Networks, Goat Rodeo, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. This episode was produced by Flora Warshaw and the team at Goat Rodeo. At the International Spy Museum, Mike Mincey and Memphis Vaughan III are our video editors. Emily Rens is our graphic designer. Joshua Troemel runs our SPY social media. Amanda Ohlke is our Director of Adult Education and Mira Cohen is the Vice President of Programs. 

Can you help me make more podcasts? Consider supporting me on Patreon as the service is 100% funded by you: https://EVne.ws/patreon You can read all the latest news on the blog here: https://EVne.ws/blog Subscribe for free and listen to the podcast on audio platforms:➤ Apple: https://EVne.ws/apple➤ YouTube Music: https://EVne.ws/youtubemusic➤ Spotify: https://EVne.ws/spotify➤ TuneIn: https://EVne.ws/tunein➤ iHeart: https://EVne.ws/iheart GEELY TOPS CHINA JANUARY SALES AS BYD SLUMPS https://evne.ws/4tXskFy BEIJING ADDS 80,000 BEV QUOTAS FOR 2026 https://evne.ws/4kW9zOD BEIJING ADDS 80,000 EV QUOTAS FOR 2026 https://evne.ws/4s18mI2 BYD RECALLS 87,762 QIN PLUS DM-I IN CHINA https://evne.ws/4aTr8dB HYUNDAI TO EXPORT CHINA-BUILT ELEXIO TO AUSTRALIA https://evne.ws/4tXsr3W MG PHEV SUV TEST MULE SPOTTED NEAR HALOL https://evne.ws/4aLWC5g XIAOMI LISTS ELECTRIC SCOOTER 6 ULTRA GLOBALLY https://evne.ws/4qVz7gb XPENG'S ARIDGE READIES £220,000 ROAD-TO-AIRCRAFT HYBRID https://evne.ws/3OvLiTq FARLEY WARNS CHINA EV PRICES FORCE FORD CUTS https://evne.ws/3MEqV5Z TOFU BRINE BATTERY TARGETS GRID STORAGE, NOT EVS https://evne.ws/4aTo3KF

The sudden ousting of two of China's top military leaders has sparked intense speculation about what it says about Xi Jinping's grip on power. From Mao to today, the Chinese Communist Party has repeatedly removed senior figures accused of corruption, incompetence, or simply becoming inconvenient. What's going on this time? Today on The Bunker, Gavin Esler is joined by Daria Impiombato, Senior Analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies, joins us to unpack it all. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Artwork by James Parrett. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses and Dr. Eugene Rumer, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss an assessment of Russia's war Ukraine as the conflict enters its fifth year; update on the fighting and impact of SpaceX's decision to suspend Russian access to StarLink data; whether Vladimir Putin as more vulnerable as the war takes its toll on Russia's finances and economy; what will convince Moscow to back off its maximalist demands; key transformations in warfighting over the past four years as both sides have struggled to gain advantage; prospect an economic deal with Moscow that would see US industry rebuild Russia would convince Russian leaders to turn away from Beijing; whether it's reasonable to expect Ukraine to hold elections in May as demanded by President Trump; and what to expect in year five of the conflict.

President Trump says he's raising global tariffs to 15% under a different authority after the Supreme Court blocked his emergency tariff power, forcing Congress to decide how closely they want to own the policy in a midterm election year.China is weighing what the court ruling actually changes on the ground for exporters and how it could reshape Trump's leverage ahead of his trip to Beijing in a few weeks.And a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds most Americans say the state of the union is not strong, as President Trump heads into Tuesday night's address facing deep divides over the country's direction.Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Krishnadev Calamur, Vincent Ni, Dana Farrington, Mohamad ElBardicy, and HJ Mai.It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Nia Dumas.Our director is Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.(0:00) Introduction(02:13) Trump's New Tariffs(05:55) China Reacts To Tariff Ruling(09:37) State Of The Union PollLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In Episode 464 of Hidden Forces, Demetri Kofinas speaks with economist, investor, and sovereign wealth and pension fund advisor Sony Kapoor about the case for a great rebalancing of capital from developed into emerging markets, generational investment opportunities in India, how the breakdown of the unipolar order creates both challenges and opportunities for EM investors, and whether AI can revive developed economies weighed down by public debt, unfunded liabilities, and faltering demographics. The first hour covers the structural forces behind the outsized concentration of global portfolios in American assets, why the Trump administration's erratic policymaking has made that overexposure impossible to ignore, and a deep dive into India—its evolving relationship with the US, how its elites and citizens perceive America under Trump, what it has drawn from Beijing's development model, and the remarkable optimism pervading Indian society in contrast to Western declinism. The second hour examines the broader EM investment case—why risk across currency, political, fiscal, and institutional dimensions is converging between developed and developing economies, why growth and demographic tailwinds favor dramatic portfolio reallocation toward emerging markets, and whether AI can sustain America's virtuous capital reinvestment cycle or whether rapid global adoption will erode that edge. They also discuss geopolitical complexities shaping these considerations, from India's deep military dependence on Russia to the fraying US-led international order and its implications for strategic autonomy across the developing world. Subscribe to our premium content—including our premium feed, episode transcripts, and Intelligence Reports—by visiting HiddenForces.io/subscribe. If you'd like to join the conversation and become a member of the Hidden Forces Genius community—with benefits like Q&A calls with guests, exclusive research and analysis, in-person events, and dinners—you can also sign up on our subscriber page at HiddenForces.io/subscribe. If you enjoyed today's episode of Hidden Forces, please support the show by: Subscribing on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, SoundCloud, CastBox, or via our RSS Feed Writing us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Join our mailing list at https://hiddenforces.io/newsletter/ Producer & Host: Demetri Kofinas Editor & Engineer: Stylianos Nicolaou Subscribe and support the podcast at https://hiddenforces.io. Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @hiddenforcespod Follow Demetri on Twitter at @Kofinas Episode Recorded on 02/16/2026

Britain carries the Opium War to Beijing's unready doorstep with steam and iron, moving the crisis from the border frontiers to the heart of the imperial court itself. As imperial defenses strain and diplomacy replaces defiance, the two empires probe each other's resolve – and discover that both of their understandings of the other have been built on little more than smoke. Time Period Covered:July 1840 – March 1841 Major Historical Figures:The Qing Empire:The Daoguang Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Minning) [r. 1820–1850]Lin Zexu, Imperial Commissioner [1785–1850]Qishan, Imperial Commissioner and Governor-General of Zhili [d. 1854]Yiliang, Governor-General of Liangguang [fl. 1840s]The British Empire:Queen Victoria [r. 1837–1901]Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, Foreign Secretary [1784–1865]Charles Elliot, Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China [1801–1875]Sir Henry Pottinger, Plenipotentiary to China [1789–1856]Sir James Bremer, Royal Navy commander [1786–1850] Major Sources Cited:Platt, Stephen R. Imperial Twilight: The Opium War and the End of China's Last Golden Age.Lovell, Julia. The Opium War: Drugs, Dreams and the Making of China.Wakeman, Frederic Jr. Strangers at the Gate: Social Disorder in South China, 1839–1861.Fairbank, John K. Trade and Diplomacy on the China Coast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices