Podcasts about Beijing

On this episode of Impact Theory, host Tom Bilyeu sits down with Prof Jiang for a riveting deep dive into the shifting dynamics of global power, the realities behind rising tensions between the US and China, and the future of the world order. Prof Jiang brings a unique perspective shaped by his own cross-continental journey—from childhood in China, to elite education in the West, and back to teaching in Beijing—offering insider insights into how both sides really view the ongoing geopolitical chess match. Together, they unravel the oft-cited “Thucydides Trap,” explore whether China truly seeks global dominance, and challenge common assumptions about the motivations of world leaders, including Trump's moves in Iran and Venezuela. The conversation doesn't stop at geopolitics; Tom Bilyeu and Prof Jiang also break down the cultural realities shaping policy, the role of eschatology and religious extremism in international relations, and what the coming fragmentation of global systems could mean for everyday people. Whether you're curious about economic theory, fascinated by history's lessons, or trying to make sense of today's headlines, this discussion delivers sharp analysis and thought-provoking debate from two of the most insightful minds working at the intersection of East and West. Prof Jiang's journey has been marked by unexpected turns and intense moments. After a major accomplishment (“we demolished it”), Prof Jiang faced confusion as news emerged about sending boats to Iran, prompting questions about the purpose and direction of these actions. As uprisings increased and more ships were dispatched to help, Prof Jiang grappled with uncertainty—especially when decisive action failed to materialize amidst tragic civilian losses. Amid rising tensions and talk of nuclear weapons, Prof Jiang's story is one of critical questioning and navigating complex geopolitical events, always seeking clarity and accountability in turbulent times. Quince: Free shipping and 365-day returns at https://quince.com/impactpodDuck.Ai: Protect your privacy at https://duck.ai/impactShopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/impactBlinkist: Start your free trial at https://blinkist.com/impactPlaud: Get 10% off with code TOM10 at https://plaud.ai/tomBlocktrust IRA: get up to $2,500 funding bonus to kickstart your account at https://tomcryptoira.comCape: 33% off your first 6 months with code IMPACT at https://cape.co/impactNetsuite: Right now, get our free business guide, Demystifying AI, at https://NetSuite.com/TheoryKetone IQ: Visit https://ketone.com/IMPACT for 30% OFF your subscription orderQuo: Try for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months at https://quo.com/impactPique: 20% off at https://piquelife.com/impactMonetary Metals: Future-proof your wealth at https://monetary-metals.com/impact What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here: If you want my help... STARTING a business: join me here at ZERO TO FOUNDER:  https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder?utm_campaign=Podcast%20Offer&utm_source=podca[%E2%80%A6]d%20end%20of%20show&utm_content=podcast%20ad%20end%20of%20show SCALING a business: see if you qualify here.:  https://tombilyeu.com/call Get my battle-tested strategies and insights delivered weekly to your inbox: sign up here.: https://tombilyeu.com/ ********************************************************************** If you're serious about leveling up your life, I urge you to check out my new podcast, Tom Bilyeu's Mindset Playbook —a goldmine of my most impactful episodes on mindset, business, and health. Trust me, your future self will thank you. ********************************************************************** FOLLOW TOM: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tombilyeu/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tombilyeu?lang=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/tombilyeu YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TomBilyeu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The PDB Situation Report: First up — the war with Iran enters a dangerous new phase, as both sides begin targeting critical energy infrastructure, raising the risk to global supply. We're joined by Janatan Sayeh from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies to break down what this shift means and where the conflict could head next. Later in the show — China finds itself deeply exposed as the war threatens its energy lifeline, with Beijing relying on Iran for the vast majority of its oil imports. Casey Fleming joins us to explain what's at stake—and how China could respond. 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 American Financing: Call American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. NMLS 182334, 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 Ava: See how millions are boosting their credit with Ava—download the Ava app and use code BAKER for 20% off your first year. CBDistillery: Visit https://CBDistillery.comand use promo code VIP for 50% off your entire order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored by L3Harris, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, Cavas Ships podcast co-host Chris Servello, 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 the US-Israel war on Iran as the conflict enters its third week as energy markets are shaken by strikes on Gulf energy infrastructure and a backup of ships unwilling to brave the Strait of Hormuz; administration prepares to ask Congress for a $200 billion supplemental to cover war costs as it also plans to request $1.5 trillion in 2027 spending; rift between Washington and Jerusalem after President Trump said Israel was responsible for the attack on Iran's energy facilities prompting Tehran to strike Gulf plans including Qatar's massive Ras Laffan facility that's lost 17 percent of its production capacity, driving a spike in gas prices; Israeli jets strike Iran reportedly from Azerbaijan; administration starts multistep process to escort tankers through the Strait as Europe, Japan and other allies consider participation in a mission to restore traffic; a week after Washington lifted sanctions on Russian oil, European leaders say it's time to resume energy trade with Moscow; how rising energy prices and lifted sanctions will replenishing Moscow's coffers as the rate of US and Israeli weapons use has raised concerns in Kyiv and across the alliance; Israel's Lebanon campaign against Hezbollah that's displaced 1 million; Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takeuchi's White House visit and US intelligence testimony on Iran, China and Taiwan; and the Iran war prompts Trump to postponed his planned meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing in April.

SHOW SCHEDULE 3-18-261900 OTTAWA1. Guests Gordon Chang and Steve Yates discuss the postponed Trump-Xi summit during the Iran war. They analyze Chinese negotiation tactics that favor theater over substance and Xi's belief in the inevitable decline of the West.,,, (2)2. Guest Captain James Fanell analyzes China's AR2000 shipborne drone, describing it as a propaganda signaling tool. He notes the PLA Navy currently lacks the carrier experience and volume necessary to sustain major bombing campaigns.,,, (3)3. Guest Charles Burton critiques Canada's import of Chinese electric vehicles as a dangerous economic concession. He warns of "maple washing," security risks, and "elite capture" by Beijing, which threatens Canadian sovereignty and human rights.,, (4)4. Guests Gordon Chang and Charles Burton express skepticism about U.S.-China trade truces, noting Beijing's history of non-compliance. They advocate for North American collaboration on critical mineral processing to reduce dependence on Chinese state-controlled monopolies.,,, (5)5. Guest Simon Constable reports on surging energy prices and diesel shortages in France caused by the Iran war. He addresses global inflation driven by rising shipping costs and the UK's struggle to provide naval support.,,, (6)6. Guest Simon Constable examines the political unpopularity of Prime Minister Starmer and the debate over King Charles's U.S. visit. Constable argues the monarch must proceed to maintain essential diplomatic ties despite ongoing regional wartime tensions.,, (7)7. Guests Mariam Wahba and Natalie Ecanow discuss the International Union of Muslim Scholars, identifying it as a Muslim Brotherhood-aligned group in Doha. They describe the organization's strategy of hedging between Iran and Arab states.,,, (8)8. Guests Natalie Ecanow and Mariam Wahba address the IMEC project to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. They emphasize the need for U.S. energy dominance and strategic infrastructure to reduce Iran's ability to leverage global trade routes.,, (9)9. Guest Michael Bernstam details how Russia benefits from the Iran war, earning $150 million extra daily as oil prices soar. He explains that lifting sanctions on the shadow fleet significantly strengthens Putin's wartime budget.,, (10)10. Guest Michael Bernstam analyzes the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a narrow choke point currently controlled by Iran. He warns of a massive shipping traffic jam that will cause prolonged high energy prices.,, (11)11. Guest Sinan Ciddi explains Turkey's deployment of NATO Patriot systems after Iranian missile provocations. Turkey seeks to stay out of the war, preferring a weakened but stable Iranian regime to prevent regional Kurdish uprisings.,,, (12)12. Guest Cliff May defines Iranian interference in the Strait of Hormuz as an act of international piracy. He urges U.S. action to guarantee freedom of navigation, comparing the threat to historical North African pirate states.,,, (13)13. Guest Peter Berkowitz discusses the book "Mobilize," which advocates for rebooting the American industrial base. He critiques central planning and argues the U.S. must leverage private-sector entrepreneurial innovation to counter the Chinese Communist Party.,, (14)14. Guest Peter Berkowitz outlines reforms for the Department of Defense, including cutting bureaucratic red tape and encouraging technological competition. He stresses the importance of higher education in teaching the free-market principles necessary for national security.,, (15)15. Guest Bob Zimmerman reports on the private space industry, highlighting SpaceX's flight records and plans for orbital AI data centers. He also discusses startups in South Korea and Germany facing technical challenges during their launches.,,, (16)16. Guest Bob Zimmerman explores archival space data on Uranus's moons and the upcoming Apophis asteroid mission. He highlights the "Mothra" telescope in Chile as a prime example of private enterprise funding successful scientific exploration projects.,, (17)SHOW SCHEDULE 3-18

STREAMING THE MAKING OF THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW WITH GORDON CHANG, STEVE YATES, JIM FANELL AND CHARLES BURTON.1920 BRECKENRIDGE TEXASThe provided transcript from The John Batchelor Show explores the geopolitical complexities surrounding President Trump's postponed trip to Beijing amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East. Gordon Chang and Steve Yatesdiscuss how China leverages diplomatic ambiguity to project power, noting that the Chinese government never officially confirmed the summit dates. The dialogue shifts to maritime security, where Captain James Fanell evaluates the People's Liberation Army Navy's use of new drone technology as a propaganda tool in the South China Sea. Additionally, Charles Burton analyzes Canada's controversial shift toward Chinese electric vehicles, describing it as "maple washing" to bypass North American trade policies. The participants collectively argue that Western nations remain vulnerable to Chinese influence operations and unreliable trade commitments. Through these various lenses, the source highlights a global landscape defined by strategic uncertainty and the fraying of traditional alliances.

It's Thursday, March 19th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Chine Communists continue to harass the church China's National People's Congress passed the innocuously named “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress” last week.  The new law requires the enforcement of a strong sense of Chinese identity across society. This would continue China's suppression of religious and ethnic minorities. It would also affect social organizations and churches.  International Christian Concern noted, “Christian home churches are an attempt to escape government scrutiny, but even they are often raided and their members arrested on charges of working against the interests of the state.” China is ranked 17th on the Open Doors' World Watch List of the most oppressive countries to be a Christian.  Trump postpones trip to meet with Chinese President China will have to reschedule a meeting with the United States as the war in Iran continues. U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will postpone his trip to Beijing. The trip was scheduled for the end of the month. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping plan to discuss trade tariffs. The trade war between the two countries has been on pause since last October.  Commenting on the postponement, President Trump said, “Because of the [Iran] war, I want to be here. I have to be here.” Israel killed Iran's top security official on Monday Israel killed Iran's top security official, Ali Larijani, in a strike on Monday. Larijani was likely running the country since U.S. and Israeli strikes killed Iran's supreme leader last month. The recent war has lasted nearly three weeks so far. President Trump told reporters yesterday that America's involvement in the war may be ending soon.  Listen. TRUMP: “We're not ready to leave yet, but we'll be leaving in the near future. We'll be leaving in pretty much the very near future. But, right now, they've been decimated from every standpoint. We've had great support from countries in the Middle East. Great support. But we've had essentially no support from NATO.” Paul Ehrlich, father of population control, died Paul Ehrlich, known as the father of population control, died last Friday at the age of 93. The biology professor and population scientist wrote the 1968 book, The Population Bomb. Ehrlich falsely claimed population growth would cause widespread starvation. He promoted the murder of unborn babies and mass sterilization to stem the alleged tide of overpopulation.  His work inspired governments and organizations to push contraception, abortion, and sterilization on the world.  Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” Scotland Parliament votes against legalized assisted suicide Scotland's Parliament voted Tuesday against a bill to legalize assisted suicide. The vote ends two years of national debate on the issue. Alisdair Hungerford-Morgan, Chief Executive of Right To Life UK, said, “This is a great victory for the most vulnerable in our society. They deserve protection and care, not a pathway to suicide. If this legislation had passed, countless vulnerable people would have been pressured or coerced into ending their lives.”  Moody Bible victorious in religious liberty case In the United States, a Christian college won its religious freedom case against the Chicago Board of Education. Previously, the city's public schools blocked The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago from participating in its student-teaching program. The college could only participate if it compromised its Christian hiring practices. The public schools backed down after the lawsuit.  Jeremiah Galus with Alliance Defending Freedom commented, “We're hopeful other public officials will take note that they can't inject themselves illegally and unconstitutionally into a religious non-profit's hiring practices.” YouVersion: No AI chatbots to answer theological questions And finally, a leading digital Bible platform is not implementing artificial intelligence chatbots for answering theological questions. The YouVersion Bible platform has over one billion downloads around the world.  YouVersion CEO Bobby Gruenewald told Christian Daily International that AI models are inaccurate. He said, “The best model with the best performance, with the most popular versions of the Bible that are most indexed, misquotes Scripture at least 15% of the time. Some of them as much as 60% of the time.” Unlike chatbots, God's Word is always accurate. Psalm 12:6 says, “The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of Earth, purified seven times.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, March 19th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

3. Guest Charles Burton critiques Canada's decision to import Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for tariff reductions. He warns of Chinese influence operations, security risks, and Canada's misguided shift toward economic dependence on Beijing. (4)1920 TEXAS

4. Guests Gordon Chang and Charles Burton discuss potential U.S.-China trade truces. Burton expresses skepticism regarding China's reliability in fulfilling commitments and highlights the "elite capture" of Canadian leadership by Beijing. (5)1920 TEXAS

Preview for later today. Steve Yates discusses the postponement of President Trump's summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing. Security concerns and military operations in the Middle East have delayed the meeting until later this year. (4)1903

President Trump was scheduled to go to China for a summit in Beijing at the end of the month, but he has postponed the trip to focus on the Middle East. Professor David Lampton explains China's interests in the conflict and the significance of a U.S.-China meeting.Then, Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned on Tuesday in protest of the war in Iran, saying the country posed “no imminent threat to the U.S.” Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey explains the significance of the departure.And, the Wall Street Journal reports Amazon plans to cut back on how many packages it sends through the U.S. Postal Service. Roben Farzad of the Full Disclosure podcast explains what this could mean for the Postal Service's already fragile financial situation.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Author & Geopolitics Expert Gordon Chang joins Sid to discuss the Iran conflict and rising oil prices are financially benefiting Russia and could tilt the Russia-Ukraine war of attrition in Moscow's favor, despite Chang saying Ukraine currently has battlefield initiative. Chang argues the U.S. should seize Russian “dark ships” and stop Iranian oil transits through the Strait of Hormuz to cut funding for Russia and Iran. He says the conflicts are interconnected in a broader global struggle against Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, and claims China is aiding Iran with intelligence and weapons, making it inappropriate for President Trump to visit Beijing, a trip Trump postponed. Chang supports Trump's actions against Iran, citing Iran's enriched uranium and missile capabilities, and disputes outgoing counterterrorism director Joe Kent's claim of no imminent threat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Making It To Milan, co-host Dani Aravich speaks with Polina Rozkova, a Latvian Paralympian who competes in wheelchair fencing and wheelchair curling for Latvia. Polina Rozkova traces her athletic roots back to swimming at age three and shares how she discovered fencing during rehabilitation after her 2009 injury. She reflects on representing Latvia at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and returning to the stage for Beijing 2022, detailing the pressure and pride of competing for her country. Polina also speaks candidly about accessibility barriers in Latvia, financial strain, and training without professional funding. Looking ahead, she explains the debut of mixed doubles wheelchair curling in Milano Cortina and the possibility of making history. Throughout her journey, she credits her late mother, her friend Diana, and her rescue cat Archibald for keeping her grounded.

As the war with Iran escalates, the United States is shifting military assets back to the Middle East — raising new questions about whether Washington can stay focused on the Indo-Pacific and China. Alice Han and James Kynge speak with Gulf Research Center chief economist Dr. John Sfakianakis about how the conflict could reshape global power dynamics and whether Beijing may gain strategic breathing room while U.S. attention is divided. Then, a new set of university rankings is fueling debate over the future of global research. Chinese universities are climbing rapidly, backed by massive state investment and a surge in scientific output. Finally, China's electric vehicle giant BYD is reportedly exploring a dramatic new move to boost its global brand: entering Formula One. We look at what it would mean for the sport — and for China's ambitions in the global auto industry. Subscribe on Substack for ad-free episodes and much more! chinadecode.profgmedia.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SHOW SCHEDULE 3-16-261902 ROME1. Bill Roggio and Hussein Haqqani (SEG 1): Haqqani discusses global resistance to President Trump's Strait of Hormuz mission and the economic impact of Iran's strategy. Roggio analyzes the administration's goal of regime change and notes they underestimated Iranian resilience. (2)2. Hussein Haqqani and Bill Roggio (SEG 2): Haqqani notes European and Arab reluctance to join the U.S. coalition due to past diplomatic friction. Roggio discusses the lack of a viable Iranian resistance and the failure of air-only military strategies. (3)3. David Daoud (SEG 3): Daoud analyzes the IDF's difficulty in permanently eliminating Hezbollah and its shift toward creating a security buffer zone. He argues that regime change in Iran would weaken but not destroy the group. (4)4. David Daoud (SEG 4): Daoud reports on Hezbollah's continued use of drone swarms and short-range rockets to harass Israel. He notes that while their command structure is degraded, IRGC officers are filling leadership gaps in Beirut. (5)5. Malcolm Hoenlein (SEG 5): Hoenlein details the chaos surrounding Iranian succession, including reports that Mojtaba Khamenei is wounded. He describes regional economic devastation from the Strait of Hormuz closure and the use of destructive cluster munitions. (6)6. Malcolm Hoenlein (SEG 6): Hoenlein reports on IDF operations in Lebanon, noting Hezbollah defections and command-and-control breakdowns. He critiques European nations for "waffling" and refusing to provide escort vessels for tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. (7)7. Edmund Fitton-Brown (SEG 7): Fitton-Brown explains the international "digging in of heels" against Trump's Hormuz mission, with allies fearing Iranian retaliation. He notes that the U.S. failed to foresee Iran's predictable move to shut the waterway. (8)8. Edmund Fitton-Brown (SEG 8): Fitton-Brown discusses the global economy being held hostage by Iran and potential strategies like seizing Kharg Island. He analyzes Houthi restraint and the potential for a dangerous "fourth front" in Yemen. (9)9. John Hardy (SEG 9): Hardie details how the Iran war benefits Russia through increased oil revenue and the depletion of Western munitions needed by Kyiv. He reports that the U.S.-led peace process in Ukraine is fizzling. (10)10. Joe Truzman (SEG 10): Truzman describes the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" as a front for Iran-backed militias launching information warfare. He discusses Houthi readiness to join the conflict and Iranian proxies attacking Jewish institutions across Europe. (11)11. Ernesto Araújo (SEG 11): Araújo discusses the Iran war's economic ripple effects in Latin America, including rising gas prices. He reports on potential democratic transitions in Cuba and Venezuela as Russian and Chinese regional influence diminishes. (12)12. Ernesto Araújo (SEG 12): Araújo reports on the deteriorating health of imprisoned former President Jair Bolsonaro and political suppression in Brazil. He highlights a diplomatic rift caused by visa denials for a U.S. special envoy. (13)13. Ahmed Sharawi (SEG 13): Sharawi tracks Iranian drone and missile strikes against the UAE and Saudi Arabia intended to pressure Washington. He notes Iran's strategy of attacking NATO sites in Turkey to create regional chaos. (14)14. Greg Scarlatoiu (SEG 14): Scarlatoiu explains Romania's decision to host U.S. military equipment despite threats from Tehran. He emphasizes that Romania views the Iran and Ukraine conflicts as existential threats to its own national security. (15)15. Rick Fischer (SEG 15): Fischer provides evidence of direct Chinese assistance to Iran's drone and missile programs, including guidance systems and satellite surveillance. He notes that these attacks would be impossible without Beijing's support. (16)16. Greg Scarlatoiu (SEG 16): Scarlatoiu analyzes the public appearance of Kim Jong-un's daughter, Kim Ju-ae, and speculation regarding her being groomed for succession. He discusses the ruthless political environment within the Kim family dynasty. (17)

15. Rick Fischer (SEG 15): Fischer provides evidence of direct Chineseassistance to Iran's drone and missile programs, including guidance systems and satellite surveillance. He notes that these attacks would be impossible without Beijing's support. (16)SEPTEMBER 1955

The U.S. military action against Iran continues and the question is how soon American forces can open up the Strait of Hormuz. On this episode of Potomac Watch, Kate Odell talks with war scholar John Spencer about the next phases of the conflict and how the war is testing Beijing's strategic bet on Iran.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Previously dismissed as a niche academic concept and a talking point for Central Asia specialists, the Middle Corridor has re-emerged as one of the most discussed trade routes in Eurasia amid war, sanctions, and growing instability across the world's maritime chokepoints. Running from western China through Central Asia, across the Caspian, through the Caucasus and on toward Europe, the corridor promises a route that bypasses Russia, avoids Iran, and reduces dependence on vulnerable sea lanes through Hormuz, Suez, and the Red Sea. Yet behind the hype lies a much messier reality. The route is fragmented, expensive, capacity-constrained, and still plagued by border delays, port bottlenecks, gauge breaks, and political risk stretching from Kazakhstan to Georgia. But as China searches for strategic redundancy, Europe looks for alternatives to the Russian route, and Central Asia seeks deeper regional integration and greater leverage between Moscow and Beijing, the question remains: is the Middle Corridor a viable new artery of Eurasian trade, or merely an overpriced hedge for a more dangerous world? Our panel of experts examines the economics, the geopolitics, and the hard limits of the route in 2026. - S. Frederick Starr (Central Asia -Caucasus Institute) - Bruce Pannier (Foreign Policy Research Institute) - Peter Leonard (CAPS Unlock)  - Eric Rudenshiold (Caspian Policy Center) Intro - 00:00 PART I - 03:20 PART II - 23:08 PART III - 50:12 PART IV - 1:03:39 Outro - 1:23:54 Follow the show on https://x.com/TheRedLinePod Follow Michael on https://x.com/MikeHilliardAus Support the show at: https://www.patreon.com/theredlinepodcast Submit Questions and Join the Red Line Discord Server at: https://www.theredlinepodcast.com/discord For more info, please visit: https://www.theredlinepodcast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Oil and natural gas prices are rising today. And President Trump has asked China to delay a summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing originally scheduled for this month. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The escalation in the Middle East is continuing to drive up energy prices, with the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, effectively closed. We bring you the latest on oil prices and how wider stock markets are responding.Despite higher prices, US oil production is not accelerating as some might expect. The number of active rigs remains below last year's levels, and investment in new drilling is expected to stay modest into 2026.At the same time, political tensions are adding another layer of uncertainty. US President Donald Trump says he is considering delaying a planned summit with China's President Xi Jinping, citing both the ongoing conflict with Iran and efforts to reopen key shipping routes. So how is this being viewed from Beijing?And as energy costs climb, businesses around the world are already feeling the pressure. In Kolkata, makers of one of India's most famous dishes, biryani, say gas shortages and rising costs are hitting their livelihoods, as we hear from restaurant owners struggling to keep up with demand.

In Washington, D.C., Larry Chin grapples with retirement, but back in Beijing, a new CIA agent is about to set the FBI's spy hunters on China's super-spook.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, JP Rindfleisch, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about Amazon categories, Spotify, and Simon & Schuster's new CEO. Then, stick around for a chat with J.R. Thornton! J.R. Thornton is a writer and the author of two novels, Beautiful Country, and Lucien. Born in London, UK, J. R. graduated from Harvard College in 2014, where he studied history, English, and Chinese. An internationally ranked junior tennis player, he later competed for Harvard and on the men's professional circuit. Shortly after graduating from Harvard, J. R. published his first novel, Beautiful Country, loosely inspired by experiences he had living in Beijing as a teenager. The novel became a best-seller in China, and the film rights were subsequently purchased by WME/IMG. J. R. returned to China in 2016 as a member of the inaugural class of Schwarzman Scholars, earning an M.A. from Tsinghua University. He speaks Chinese and Italian, and lives in Milan, where he works for AC Milan. Lucien is his second novel. 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 The President's Daily Brief: First up — the United States is sending more firepower to the Middle East, with a Marine Expeditionary Unit now heading to the region. I'll explain what capabilities that powerful rapid-response force brings to the fight and why the Pentagon believes it may soon be needed. Later in the show — protests erupt in Cuba as demonstrators attack a Communist Party office amid growing frustration over widespread blackouts and deteriorating living conditions on the island. Plus — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversees a live-fire exercise featuring tactical nuclear rocket launchers capable of striking targets across the region. And in today's Back of the Brief — Chinese military aircraft return to the skies around Taiwan after an unusual two-week absence that had raised new questions about Beijing's intentions. 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 CBDistillery: Visit https://CBDistillery.com and use promo code VIP for 50% off your entire order! DeleteMe: Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/PDB and use promocode PDB at checkout. Mars Men: For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://Mengotomars.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We look at what China's latest “Two Sessions” reveal about the direction of the world's second-largest economy. With Beijing setting its lowest GDP growth target since 1991, the focus appears to be shifting from rapid expansion to stability in an increasingly uncertain global economy. We explore what that means for businesses, investors and young people trying to find work in China today.If you'd like to get in touch with the team, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: David CannBusiness Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, why bond markets are so powerful, China's property bubble, and Gen Z's experience of the current job market.We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Canva, Melanie Perkins.(Picture: Chinese President Xi Jinping, centre right, and Premier Li Qiang, centre left, arrive at the closing session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People on the 12th of March 2026 in Beijing, China. Credit: Getty Images)

AP's Lisa Dwyer reports that President Trump is upping the pressure on China.

US President Trump said he ordered a strike that wiped out every military target on Kharg Island, where Iran exports nearly all of its oil, but left the oil infrastructure intact; Crude holds around USD 100/bbl.US President Trump's administration plans as soon as this week to announce a coalition to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, although they are still discussing if such operations would begin before or after hostilities have ended, WSJ reported.Trump also said he was expecting China to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz before he travels to Beijing, while he stated that he may delay the trip but didn't say for how long, according to FT.European equities mixed, CBK GY gains following UCG IM takeover bid; US equity futures rebound.DXY subdued, G10s tilt higher, Antipodeans outperform ahead of expected RBA hike.Fixed income muted ahead of a busy week of central bank announcements. Looking ahead, highlights include Canadian CPI (Feb), US Industrial/Manufacturing Output (Feb), and comments from NVIDIA (NVDA) CEO Huang.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

US President Trump said he ordered a strike that wiped out every military target on Kharg Island, which is where Iran exports nearly all of its oil from, but left the oil infrastructure intact. US President Trump warned that NATO faces a very bad future if US allies fail to assist in opening up the Strait of Hormuz.Trump also said he was expecting China to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz before he travels to Beijing, while he stated that he may delay the trip but didn't say for how long, according to FT.US President Trump's administration plans as soon as this week to announce a coalition to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, although they are still discussing if such operations would begin before or after hostilities have ended, WSJ reported.APAC stocks mostly declined amid cautiousness at the start of a busy week of central bank activity and following the continued conflict; European equity futures indicate a positive cash market open with Euro Stoxx 50 futures up 0.5%.Looking ahead, highlights include Canadian CPI (Feb), US Industrial/Manufacturing Output (Feb), Comments from NVIDIA (NVDA) CEO Huang.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss more Wall Street turbulence as the US-Israel war on Iran drives up energy prices and a weaker than expected US employment figures and fourth quarter 2025 economic growth; oil prices edge higher despite releasing 400 million barrels from reserve stocks and US decision to life Russia energy sanctions for 30 days; impact of higher oil prices on air travel and commercial carriers; how more Russia energy revenue will impact Moscow's war on Ukraine; Kyiv and European allies scramble for more air and missile defenses in midst of Iran war demands; Trump administration calls on allies to help to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz; White House's so-called section 301 investigations into some 60 countries including China, the EU, Britain, Brazil, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, and Vietnam as the administration seeks new ways to impose tariffs after Supreme Court's ruling last month; economic news to expect from Trump's trip to Beijing next month; Canada's plan to invest $24 billion in Arctic security to bolster the country's northern bases; US Army's unprecedented $20 billion multi-year award to Anduril for hardware, software, infrastructure, and services in lump sumps without smaller contracts in the name of accelerating acquisition and reducing bureaucracy; India's interest in replacing its 105 Antonov-32 transport planes; takeaways from Howmet's investor day and the International Society of Transport Air Traders conference; and and a look at the surging Asia-Pacific defense market.

To understand the significance of the sweeping military purges in China and how Beijing is reacting to America's war with Iran, I'm sitting down with eminent China scholar Robert Suettinger, a former CIA and State Department intelligence analyst, a senior advisor at The Stimson Center, and author of “The Conscience of the Party: Hu Yaobang, China's Communist Reformer.”“There's no question of the fact that Xi Jinping is now less of a dominant leader than he was six or eight months ago,” Suettinger says.Earlier this year, Xi purged two top generals from the CCP's military brass, on the heels of earlier purges last year. Now, only two of the originally seven members of the Central Military Commission remain. One of them is Xi himself; the other one, General Zhang Shengmin, is a political commander and has, like Xi, no combat experience.After the January purges, Xi issued an order to the military demanding that everyone acknowledge him as the head of the military commission. “The silence from all those military commands has been deafening and has been noticed by everybody,” Suettinger says.In the Chinese Communist Party itself, Xi is also facing trouble.The CCP is not a monolithic party, he told me, but a complex entity with many competing factions: “There's a Shanghai group, there's a Shandong group, there's a Shaanxi group, and they all don't like each other,” Suettinger says.Suettinger believes that Xi's many purges have unified opposition against him not only in the military but also within the Communist Party. “Xi is hated by almost everybody in China,” he said.Another reason the cracks in the system, as he put it, are beginning to be more evident, is that the Chinese economy hasn't been doing well in many years: “The Chinese people are very unhappy that their wealth opportunities are disappearing. Graduates coming out of colleges are not able to find good jobs. People who have good jobs are losing them. People who are operating in the gig economy are losing their jobs. The farmers don't have anything to do when they go back home.”People outside of China don't usually know how poor vast numbers of Chinese citizens still are, Suettinger told me. China's Premier Li Keqiang himself stated in May 2020 during a press conference that 600 million people live below the poverty line and don't even earn enough to rent a room in mid-sized Chinese cities.Where is China's totalitarian system headed? The system, Suettinger argued, is way more fragile than it looks. “It is brittle, and when it breaks, it tends to break hard, and it tends to melt in ways that are not predictable,” he said.Notably, the CCP has not come out to meaningfully support its longtime ally, Iran. The CCP has long utilized Iran to distract America and keep its focus on the Middle East, Suettinger says, but now, to Beijing's chagrin, America is effectively neutralizing this longtime CCP proxy.Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

00:00 Intro01:18 Taiwan Parliament Approves $9B U.S. Arms Deal03:21 Could the U.S. Hack China's Surveillance Cameras?05:11 Senate Hearing: ‘Malign Foreign Influence in Higher Education'07:49 Lawmakers Press Military on CCP Threats, U.S. Readiness11:36 Bill to Protect Victims of Forced Organ Harvesting13:01 China's Forced Organ Harvesting on Falun Gong14:17 Sun: Bipartisan Outcry Over Persecution of Falun Gong15:25 Beijing's Repression of Faith Reaches U.S. Soil16:39 Sun: Over 300 Cases of Transnational Repression17:38 Falun Gong Protection Act Targets Organ Harvesting

David Shedd served as acting director of the Defense Intelligence Agency; Andrew Badger is a former DIA case officer now teaching state-sponsored espionage at Oxford. Together they've written The Great Heist: China's Epic Campaign to Steal America's Secrets. Matt talks with them about how the Ministry of State Security evolved from a backwater service into what they argue is the world's most powerful intelligence agency; how Beijing replaced Cold War recruitment tradecraft with guanxi-based social obligation and what the authors call "crowd-sourced espionage"; how Made in China 2025 functioned as a national collection priority list driving theft across defense, tech, and critical infrastructure; and why Volt and Salt Typhoon represent not an espionage story but pre-positioning for war—with kill switches already embedded in America's power grid and telecommunications backbone.Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs.Order The Great Heist: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-great-heist-david-r-sheddandrew-badgerConnect with David and Andrew on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-shedd-00a32bb5https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewbadger1Please share this episode using these linksAudio: https://pod.fo/e/3a9846YouTube: https://youtu.be/3jCFWGhI7_wSupport Secrets and SpiesBecome a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpiesBuy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspiesSubscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dgFor more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.comConnect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.socialInstagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspiesFacebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspiesSpoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpiesFollow Chris and Matt on Bluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.netSecrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/Music by Andrew R. BirdPhoto by ShutterstockSecrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

Trade tensions between the U.S. and China are rising ahead of a high-stakes summit in Beijing now less than three weeks away. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer discusses the administration's new trade investigations, the state of relations with China, the impact of the Iran war, and President Trump's tariff agenda. Then, with TSA workers set to miss their first paycheck of the shutdown, former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson explains what the Senate's funding fight could mean for airport staffing and air travel. Plus, CNBC's Robert Frank on Democrats' plan to raise taxes on the rich, and CNBC's Dan Murphy on the drone strike that hit Dubai's financial district Friday morning.   Jamieson Greer -13:18 Robert Frank - 24:13 Jeh Johnson - 30:24   In this episode: Robert Frank, @robtfrank Jamieson Greer, @jamiesongreer Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Zach Vallese, @ZachVallese Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For decades, the United States was the dominant provider of aid and humanitarian assistance to African countries. That changed last year with the closure of USAID. Washington now says it wants to prioritize trade over aid and is pursuing a more transactional approach to development assistance, linking support to mining access and data-sharing agreements. China, by contrast, has never been a major aid provider by traditional standards. Beijing argues that its support for African countries comes primarily through concessional financing and infrastructure development. Like the United States, China is frequently accused of using assistance as a tool to advance broader geopolitical interests. Obert Hodzi, a senior lecturer at the University of Liverpool and a leading China–Africa scholar, and Santino Regilme, a lecturer at Leiden University, recently published a new book comparing U.S. and Chinese aid strategies in Africa. They join Eric and Cobus to discuss why the two approaches may appear similar at first glance but remain fundamentally different.

US equity futures are lower. Asian markets were mostly weaker overnight and European futures are also pointing lower. The central theme is escalating Middle East tensions and their inflation spillover. Oil has surged as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, with Iranian leadership vowing to maintain the blockade and President Trump stating regime change is a bigger priority than energy prices. Despite temporary measures such as a Jones Act waiver and approval of Russian oil cargoes already at sea, energy inflation fears are pushing yields higher and flattening the Fed rate-cut path, with futures now pricing less than 20 basis points of easing through year-end. Private credit remains another overhang after additional redemption limits and reduced lending activity, while new Section 301 trade investigations have revived tariff concerns ahead of Trump's upcoming Beijing visit.Companies Mentioned: NVIDIA, SpaceX, Meta Platforms

In this episode of The Narrative, Aaron and Mike celebrate the success of the most recent Prayer at the Statehouse, which saw its largest turnout ever as hundreds gathered to fill the Ohio Statehouse with worship and prayer. The guys also discuss the importance of Christian engagement in all areas of life, from protecting the family to advocating for fair property tax policies that ensure the elderly are not forced out of their homes. After the news, Aaron and Mike are joined by Dr. Fenggang Yang, a professor of sociology and director of the Center on Religion and the Global East at Purdue University. Yang provides a fascinating look at the "Triple Market" of religion in China. In a world dominated by a Communist regime that enforces "scientific atheism" and bans baptism for minors, Yang reveals how the underground "Grey Market" of Christianity is exploding. Discover how the Holy Spirit is outmaneuvering the Deep State of Beijing and why China is on a trajectory to become the largest Christian nation on the planet in our lifetime. More about Dr. Fenggang Yang Dr. Fenggang Yang is a Professor of Sociology and the Director of the Center on Religion and the Global East at Purdue University. He also holds the appointments of Courtesy Professor of Political Science and faculty affiliate with the Purdue Policy Research Institute, Asian Studies, and Religious Studies. Dr. Yang has served as President of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. As a renowned expert in the sociology of religion, immigration, Asian Americans, and East Asian societies, Dr. Yang has delivered numerous invited lectures at prestigious universities and keynote speeches at professional associations across the US, Asia, and Europe. His insights have been featured in major media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Economist, NPR, CNN, BBC, and ABC. Dr. Yang earned his B.A. in politics and education in 1982 and his M.A. in philosophy in 1987 in China before moving to the United States in 1989. He completed his Ph.D. in sociology at The Catholic University of America in 1997. He is the author of several influential books, including Chinese Christians in America: Conversion, Assimilation, and Adhesive Identities(Penn State 1999), Religion in China: Survival and Revival under Communist Rule (Oxford 2012), and Atlas of Religion in China: Social and Geographical Contexts (Brill 2018). Additionally, he has co-edited over a dozen scholarly books. Two of his numerous articles have received distinguished article awards from professional associations. Want to Go Deeper? On Saturday, April 11, Center for Christian Virtue will host our 2026 Columbus Celebration Gala. We're excited to welcome our keynote speaker, Scott Jennings, who is CNN's senior conservative voice and one of the sharpest commentators in the national spotlight. He's known for his clarity, conviction, and humor, and Scott brings decades of experience at the crossroads of politics and media, including serving in the George W. Bush White House and key roles in multiple presidential and Senate campaigns. It's going to be an elegant evening where you'll enjoy an incredible dinner followed by visionary keynotes exploring the path forward for the future of Ohio and America. Get your tickets or secure your table today at CCV.org/ColumbusGala.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored by L3Harris, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, Cavas Ships podcast co-host Chris Servello, 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 prospects for a supplemental and reconciliation 2.0 spending packages as the US-Israel war on Iran spans into its third week; confusion about the nature of the mission after conflicting statements from senior administration officials; as energy prices soar in the wake of the war despite the release of an unprecedented 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves, Washington lifts sanction on Russian energy for 30-days; implications of lifting sanctions on Moscow as Russia continues its war on Ukraine; what it will take to ensure to normalize traffic through the Strait of Hormuz; France's naval deployment to the Middle East where 400,000 of its citizens live; US shifts air and missile defenses from Australia and South Korea to the Gulf; new alignment between European nations and China over energy concerns; China's 15th five-year plan as Xi Jinping prepares to meet with Trump in Beijing; Israel has steps up strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon with more than 700,000 evacuating after being warned to leave their homes.

Hi there! Feel free to drop us a text if you enjoy the episode.In this episode of the New England Endurance Podcast, Art Trapotsis sits down with Susan Dunklee — three-time Olympian, former World Championship medalist, and now Director of Biathlon and Head Junior Biathlon Coach at Craftsbury Outdoor Center in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. Susan shares her journey from growing up in a Vermont ski family to discovering biathlon after college and eventually competing on the world stage in Sochi, PyeongChang, and Beijing.The conversation dives into what makes biathlon such a unique and demanding endurance sport, from managing effort and breathing under pressure to handling the mental challenge of shooting with a redlined heart rate. Susan also reflects on lessons from elite sport, the value of not specializing too early, and what young endurance athletes should focus on instead.Just as importantly, Susan gives listeners an inside look at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center — its mission, its deep ties to Concept2, its role as a nonprofit hub for rowing, running, skiing, and biathlon, and the way it brings together elite athletes, juniors, and everyday endurance enthusiasts. From sculling camps and ski weekends to junior programs and novice biathlon events, this episode is a great introduction to one of New England's most special endurance communities.This podcast embarks on a journey to showcase and celebrate the endurance sports community in New England.

On 12 March 2026, China approved its 15th Five-Year Plan, setting the country's economic and strategic direction through 2030.  In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Yuyun Zhan and Alicia García-Herrero sit down with Bert Hofman for a first assessment of the plan. They discuss its key priorities — from industrial policy and export-led technology growth to social policy and redistribution — and examine what Beijing's new blueprint means for the European economy. This episode is part of the ZhōngHuá Mundus series of The Sound of Economics. ZhōngHuá Mundus is a newsletter by Bruegel, bringing you monthly analysis of China in the world, as seen from Europe. Sign up now to receive it in your mailbox!

EPISODE 686 - Richard Walter - DEADPAN is a funny novel about an unfunny subject - Hate speech and bigotryRichard Walter is an author of best-selling fiction and nonfiction, celebrated storytelling educator, screenwriter, script consultant, lecturer and retired professor who led the screenwriting program in the film school at UCLA for several decades. He has written scripts for the major studios and television networks; lectured on screenwriting and storytelling and conducted master classes throughout North America as well as London, Paris, Jerusalem, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Beijing, Shanghai, Sydney and Hong Kong.DEADPAN is a funny novel about an unfunny subject—hate speech and bigotry—that takes readers on an extraordinary ride of unlimited imagination, providing gobs of entertainment and delivering a comedic body blow to prejudice. https://www.richardwalterbooks.com/Support the show___https://livingthenextchapter.com/podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

SHOW SCHEDULE 3-11-20261906 SF ON FIRE AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE.1. SEG 1: Gordon Chang and Peter Huessy discuss China's petroleum reserves and rising fuel prices. They analyze the potential for nuclear escalation and Iran's efforts to disrupt global trade through the Strait of Hormuz. (1)2. SEG 2: Rebecca Grant and Gordon Chang analyze the US Navy's carrier shortage. The USS Nimitz remains active for Latin American exercises while the USS Gerald R. Ford faces a prolonged 11-month combat deployment. (2)3. SEG 3: Alan Tonelson and Gordon Chang discuss China's failure to stop fentanyl precursor exports. They evaluate tariffs as non-military tools to pressure nations while addressing war-related shortages in fertilizer and electronics components. (3)4. SEG 4: Bill Roggio details the tragic US missile strike on an Iranian girl's school. He argues that while air strikes destroy military assets, air power alone cannot achieve regime change or ensure final victory. (4)5. SEG 5: Jack Burnham analyzes China's "lukewarm" support for Iran and its focus on energy security. Beijing is learning lessons from Western precision strikes while continuing internal repression of ethnic minorities through forced labor. (5)6. SEG 6: Jack Burnham reports on the DOJ dropping charges against Chinese scientists accused of smuggling biological samples. This reversal, involving the Chinese consulate, may be linked to upcoming trade negotiations or prosecutorial challenges. (6)7. SEG 7: Kevin Fraser warns that state legislatures are rushing to regulate AI with potentially unconstitutional laws. He advocates for market-driven transparency and allowing consumers to choose models based on their specific needs and preferences. (7)8. SEG 8: Kevin Fraser explores distinctions between AI models like Grok and Claude. He highlights regulatory "sandboxes" in states like Utah and Montana that foster innovation while monitoring for potential technological harms and ensuring transparency. (8)9. SEG 9: Michael Bernstam explains how the American shale revolution mitigates global energy shocks. He warns central banks against fueling inflation and emphasizes that while global supply chains are vulnerable, US production provides a critical buffer. (9)10. SEG 10: Michael Bernstam discusses how rising oil prices bolster Russia's budget. However, the Russian economy faces contraction and "military Keynesianism," while the United States remains a resilient net energy exporter despite global supply chain disruptions. (10)11. SEG 11: Ivana Stradner examines the Kremlin's information warfare campaign to keep Viktor Orbán in power. Orbán, formerly an anti-Soviet activist, now aligns with Putin to ensure political survival and counter Western democratic decision-making processes. (11)12. SEG 12: Ivana Stradner outlines strategies to counter Russian influence in Hungary, including exposing Orbán's corruption and ties to China. She argues that information is a potent, invisible weapon used to polarize and weaken the West. (12)13. SEG 13: Simon Constable reports on skyrocketing European energy prices due to Middle East conflict. Shortages in sulfur and bromine threaten global semiconductor manufacturing and food security as fertilizer costs nearly double for struggling farmers. (13)14. SEG 14: Simon Constable critiques Prime Minister Keir Starmer's hesitant leadership. He notes the Royal Navy has been "hollowed out" over three decades, leaving Britain with fewer warships than France and a tiny, underfunded standing army. (14)15. SEG 15: Bob Zimmerman discusses the Senate's shift toward private space exploration, potentially ending the SLS program. NASA is increasingly contracting commercial entities for lunar habitats, reusable rockets, and specialized satellite launch capabilities to reduce costs. (15)16. SEG 16: Bob Zimmerman reviews the DART mission's success in altering an asteroid's orbit. He also reports that the European Space Agency lost contact with a solar probe after its batteries drained due to misaligned solar panels. (16)

This week on Sinica, I speak with Daniela Stockmann and Ting Luo, co-authors of Governing Digital China, a new book that examines how an authoritarian state governs a digital ecosystem it doesn't fully own, can never fully control, and yet fundamentally depends on. Danie — a professor of digital governance at the Hertie School in Berlin and a returning Sinica guest, having joined us way back in 2014 to discuss her earlier book on media commercialization and authoritarian rule — and Ting, associate professor in government and artificial intelligence at the University of Birmingham, together offer a richly empirical account of the triangular relationship between the Chinese state, major platform companies, and ordinary internet users. Rather than treating firms as mere instruments of party control or citizens as passive subjects of surveillance, they develop a framework they call "popular corporatism," which captures how bargaining, incentives, and user preferences shape what is and isn't permissible in China's digital spaces — including the endlessly misunderstood social credit system.4:32 — The digital dilemma: how digital platforms simultaneously empower economic development and create political risk for the party-state — a tension that isn't unique to authoritarian regimes7:45 — Why the command-and-control model falls short: platforms require technical expertise and user engagement the state lacks, and firms like Tencent and Sina have real leverage as a result11:41 — Popular corporatism explained: why users — including the "silent majority" of lurkers — must be foregrounded in any account of China's digital governance, and how firms become state "consultants" and "insiders"21:09 — The survey: GPS-based nationally representative sampling, how to desensitize politically sensitive questions, and why this kind of research can no longer be conducted in China27:22 — Lurkers vs. discussants: the 90-9-1 rule and the counterintuitive finding that users who perceive more openness on platforms like WeChat and Weibo report higher political trust in the central government35:40 — Functional liberalization: why partial openness should be understood as governance strategy, not mere concession — and what the fandom-community doxing wars illustrate about that39:23 — The social credit system: what it actually is, what it is not, and why the Black Mirror version is a myth42:38 — Two subsystems, one misunderstood system: the financial/commercial credit infrastructure, the local-government behavioral programs, and how Sesame Credit and court blacklists actually fit together46:20 — The privacy paradox and political trust: why convenience routinely overrides stated privacy preferences — and why where Alipay is most embedded, residents trust the state most52:42 — Stability, exportability, and the Orwell-versus-Huxley question: what preconditions popular corporatism requires, which other developmental states it might apply to, and why China's digital governance is better understood as a coercion-cooption balancing actPaying It ForwardTing Luo recommends Ning Leng, assistant professor at Georgetown University and author of Politicizing Business: How Firms Are Made to Serve the Party State in China.Daniela Stockmann recommends Felix Garten, postdoctoral researcher at the Hertie School, whose work examines how Chinese tech companies behave when operating in regulatory environments outside China — including the EU, Malaysia, and Singapore.RecommendationsDaniela: The Legend of the Female General 《锦月如歌》, a Chinese historical drama available on YouTube with English subtitles, especially for anyone interested in internal martial arts and martial heroines in Chinese popular culture.Ting Luo：Bordeaux, France — specifically, just going there and drinking excellent wine.Kaiser: Two Substack newsletters for following China's relationship with the Middle East, especially as the American-Israeli war against Iran continues to unfold: Jonathan Fulton's China-MENA Newsletter and Jesse Marks's Coffee in the Desert See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

China is more affected than any country outside the Gulf by the US-Israel war due to its energy reliance on Iran. But as the war reshapes global trade and alliances, it also stands to benefit. As Donald Trump prepares for a rare visit to Beijing, could this crisis reshape the balance of power? In this episode: Katrina Yu (@Katmyu), Al Jazeera Correspondent Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders, Sarí el-Khalili and Chloe K. Li, with Spencer Cline, Tuleen Barakat and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Alexandra Locke. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhemm. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Tankers burn and Iran says the world should be prepared for oil prices to soar, as major economies release barrels from their strategic reserves. Investigators think the U.S. military may have been responsible for a strike on a girls' school on the first day of the war. Around 800,000 people in Lebanon have left their homes as the Israeli campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah widens. Plus, a train from Pyongyang to Beijing sets off for the first time in six years. Listen to the Morning Bid podcast ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Sign up for the Reuters Econ World newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.  Listen to the Reuters Econ World podcast ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices.  You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt out of targeted advertising. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, tree planting and forestry have been pivotal to Chinese environmentalism. During the Mao era, while forests were razed to fuel rapid increases in industrial production, the “Greening the Motherland” campaign promoted conservationist tree-planting nationwide. Contested Environmentalisms explores the seemingly contradictory rhetoric and desires of Chinese conservation from the early twentieth century through to the present. Drawing on literary, cinematic, scientific, archival, and digital media sources, Cheng Li investigates the emergence, evolution, and devolution of Chinese conservationist ideas. Combining literary, historical, and environmental studies approaches, he shows that these ideas acquired their value and assumed their power precisely because of their malleability and adaptability. Li historicizes authoritarian environmentalism and probes the global-local dynamics underlying conservationist ideas that energize environmental impulses in China. Examining ethnic borderlands, the Beijing political center, and China's growth on the world stage, this book demonstrates the strength of Chinese environmentalism to adapt and survive through tumultuous change lies in what seems to be a weakness: its inconsistency and contestation. Cheng Li is an Assistant Professor of Chinese Studies at Carnegie Mellon University, specializing in modern Chinese environmental literature, film, science fiction, and history. He is a literary scholar and a cultural historian. His research focuses on cultural history, ecocriticism, and infrastructure. Yadong Li is an anthropologist-in-training. He is a PhD candidate of Socio-cultural Anthropology at Tulane University. More details about his scholarship and research interests can be found here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Iran's leadership may survive the current war, but the balance of power inside Tehran could be shifting. We take a closer look at how the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may be using this moment to tighten its grip on the regime—potentially accelerating a long-running evolution toward an IRGC-dominated state. French President Emmanuel Macron orders a major naval deployment to the Middle East, sending ten warships to the region to reinforce France's presence and potentially escort commercial shipping through the increasingly tense Strait of Hormuz. China unexpectedly suspends its daily military flights near Taiwan, leaving the skies around the island strangely quiet and raising new questions about what Beijing may be planning next. In today's Back of the Brief — investigators uncover new evidence in the attempted bombing during a New York City protest, as the FBI searches a Pennsylvania storage unit tied to what authorities say was an ISIS-inspired plot. 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 HomeServe: Protect your home systems from costly repairs with HomeServe—plans start at $4.99/month at https://HomeServe.com.  Cardiff: Get fast business funding without bank delays—apply in minutes with Cardiff and access up to $500,000 in same‑day funding at https://Cardiff.co/PDB  StopBox: Get firearm security redesigned and save 10% off @StopBoxUSA with code PDB10 at https://stopboxusa.com/PDB10#stopboxpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After oil prices climbed to nearly $120 a barrel yesterday, Donald Trump signalled a possible abrupt end to the conflict in Iran. Markets calmed, but the course of the war remains unclear. Why China's government has said little about Iran. And how a hippy grocery store became America's swankiest supermarket.Guests and host:Edward Carr, deputy editor of “The Economist”Simon Rabinovitch, Beijing bureau chiefAvantika Chilkoti, global business correspondent Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Iran, Donald Trump, Brent Crude, financial markets, Asia, oil shockChinese foreign policy, Wang YiErewhon, food prices, supermarketsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

C1. Guests: Bill Roggio and Ambassador Husain Haqqani Headline: Global Markets Shudder as Oil Surges Past $100 Summary: War in the Middle East has triggered a damaging global economic surge, with oil exceeding $100 per barrel. Panelists discuss Iran's resilient regime and the appointment of late leader's son, Mojtaba Khamenei. (2)2. Guests: Bill Roggio and Husain Haqqani Headline: The Myth of Winning Through Air Power Alone Summary: Experts warn that air power cannot achieve lasting regime change and dismiss "boots on the ground" as politically impossible. They emphasize that Iran has historically resisted Western invaders for 2,000 years. (3)3. Guests: Ernesto Araújo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa Headline: A "New Dawn" as Cuba Negotiates with the White House Summary: Shifting dynamics in Latin America see Cuba entering direct negotiations with the Trump administration as Venezuelan oil subsidies end. The region's turn toward right-wing governments signals a major geopolitical transformation. (4)4. Guests: Ernesto Araújo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa Headline: Brazil's Election and the "Shield of the Americas" Summary: The panel analyzes Brazil's upcoming election where Flavio Bolsonaro is gaining ground against President Lula. They discuss how regional anti-crime initiatives and the war in Iran are influencing South American politics. (5)5. Guest: Malcolm Hoenlein Headline: Iran Launches Cluster Bombs Against Israeli Civilians Summary: Malcolm Hoenlein reports on Iran's use of cluster-bomb warheads against Israeli cities like Haifa. Despite the attacks and financial burdens, 93% of Israelis support the effort to end regional threats permanently. (6)6. Guest: Malcolm Hoenlein Headline: Regional Escalation and the Targeting of Energy Infrastructure Summary: Israel expands operations into Lebanon while Iran targets Azerbaijan's critical energy pipelines. China watches closely as its Middle Eastern oil supplies are threatened by the closing of the Strait of Hormuz. (7)7. Guests: Bill Roggio and David Daoud Headline: Hezbollah's Strategy to Protect the Iranian Regime Summary: David Daoud examines how Hezbollah's attacks aim to divert U.S. and Israeli focus from Tehran. The IDF responds by dismantling Hezbollah's financial institutions and propaganda networks to break their control over Lebanon. (8)8. Guests: Bill Roggio and David Daoud Headline: Psychological Warfare and the Threat of Drone Swarms Summary: Discussion centers on Hezbollah's use of inexpensive drone swarms and "pin pricks" to destabilize the Israeli psyche. Daoud explains these tactics aim to exhaust Israel's economy by making defense financially unsustainable. (9)9. Guests: Bill Roggio and Jonathan Sayeh Headline: Internal Resistance and the Mindset of Young Iranians Summary: Jonathan Sayeh provides insight into young Iranians who view the conflict as liberation from a 50-year occupation. However, he warns that destroying critical infrastructure risks alienating the population and damaging nationalism. (10)10. Guests: Bill Roggio and Jonathan Sayeh Headline: Monitoring the Fog of War in Tehran Summary: Analysts examine Tehran's internal state, noting that foot soldiers are becoming increasingly alienated. They monitor the Basij and regular military for signs of defection while the regime anticipates a ground invasion. (11)11. Guests: Bill Roggio and Edmund Fitton-Brown Headline: Iran's "Nihilistic" Attacks on Neutral Neighbors Summary: Iran has launched self-destructive missile attacks against neutral neighbors like Qatar, Oman, and Turkey. The panel critiques British indecisiveness and the lack of clearly articulated American war objectives. (12)12. Guests: Bill Roggio and Edmund Fitton-Brown Headline: The Question of Regime Change and "Boots on the Ground" Summary: Experts debate if the Trump administration seeks permanent regime change. They discuss the risks of mission creep and the extreme difficulty of empowering internal Iranian insurgencies without a clear roadmap. (13)13. Guests: Bill Roggio and John Hardy Headline: Zelensky Offers Drone Expertise to Counter Iran Summary: President Zelensky offers Ukrainian assistance to counter Iranian drones using battle-tested technology. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin pledges unwavering support for Iran's new leadership as the conflict increasingly impacts the global stage. (14)14. Guest: Jessica Winkle Headline: Bias and Conflict of Interest in Climate Science Manuals Summary: Professor Jessica Winkle details controversy surrounding the federal judicial manual's climate chapter. She highlights significant conflicts of interest and the use of biased, non-neutral rhetoric intended for judges. (15)15. Guest: Gregory Copley Headline: Assessing the Air War and Global Oil Panic Summary: Gregory Copley evaluates the U.S.-Israeli air campaign against Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure. He notes the potential for the Iranian monarchy's return to rally opposition against the clerical regime. (16)16. Guest: Gregory Copley Headline: Russia and China's Strategic Stakes in the Iran Conflict Summary: The conversation examines how the war impacts Russia's trade corridors and China's primary oil supplies. Copley argues that U.S. air dominance serves as a profound warning to the leadership in Beijing. (17)

After oil prices climbed to nearly $120 a barrel yesterday, Donald Trump signalled a possible abrupt end to the conflict in Iran. Markets calmed, but the course of the war remains unclear. Why China's government has said little about Iran. And how a hippy grocery store became America's swankiest supermarket.Guests and host:Edward Carr, deputy editor of “The Economist”Simon Rabinovitch, Beijing bureau chiefAvantika Chilkoti, global business correspondent Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Iran, Donald Trump, Brent Crude, financial markets, Asia, oil shockChinese foreign policy, Wang YiErewhon, food prices, supermarketsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

16. Guest: Gregory Copley Headline:Russia and China's Strategic Stakes in the Iran Conflict Summary: The conversation examines how the war impacts Russia's trade corridors and China's primary oil supplies. Copley argues that U.S. air dominance serves as a profound warning to the leadership in Beijing. (17)1963 MOHAMMED REZA PAHLEVI SHAH

Iranians are fleeing as Israel and the U.S. keep striking Iran, the fighting continues in Lebanon, and the war's spillover is rattling Gulf countries.President Trump is offering shifting explanations for why the U.S. struck Iran, as the White House tries to line up its message and Americans remain wary about what the war is meant to achieve.And China says it will send a special envoy to the Middle East as Beijing's annual “Two Sessions” get underway, with leaders warning the world is getting more volatile even as growth slows at home.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 Hannah Bloch, Miguel Macias, James Hider, Tina Kraja, Mohamad ElBardicy and Alice Woelfle.It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Ben Abrams.Our director is Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.And our Deputy Executive Producer is Kelley Dickens.(0:00) Introduction(02:10) Iran War Expanding(06:13) Khamenei Successor(09:49) China Mediates Middle East WarTo manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy