Podcasts about Great Britain

When IRA bombs tear through two pubs in Birmingham and kill 21 innocent people, Detective Superintendent George Reade knows he has to act fast to find the perpetrators. But for Paddy Hill and five friends - on their way to Ireland for a funeral - this is the start of a torturous nightmare that will become the biggest miscarriage of justice in British history.Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at britishscandal@wondery.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal Reserve announces an interest rate cut of a quarter percentage point, lowering borrowing costs for the first time since December. Newest Fed Governor Stephen Miran, who has taken a leave of absence from his job as chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, votes for a bigger cut of 0.5%; U.S. House begins work on the federal government funding extension to prevent a shutdown at the end of the month, debating and voting a resolution to set the rules for House floor debate on the funding measure itself; Former Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Susan Monarez tells the Senate Health Committee that she was fired by Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for refusing to provide "blanket approval" for changes to vaccine recommendation not supported by science. She says, "Even under pressure, I could not replace evidence with ideology"; President Donald Trump & First Lady Melania Trump are welcomed for their state visit to Great Britain by the King & Queen with a carriage ride on the grounds of Windsor Castle, a military parade, RAF flyover, a chapel choir, and a lavish banquet; FBI Director Kash Patel testifies before the House Judiciary Committee about the Epstein files and politically-inspired violence; Former President Barack Obama discusses the current political climate after the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PREVIEW: UK King's Powers Explored Amidst Starmer Government's Weakness GUEST AND TITLE: Gregory Copley, Defense and Foreign Affairs, author of The Noble State: On Constitutional Monarchy SUMMARY: Gregory Copley discusses the extreme weakness of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government in Great Britain. Copley outlines the King's potential actions, including proroguing (suspending) or completely ending Parliament and calling new elections, especially if the government breaks convention or the constitution. The King could also call party leaders for discussions if the country falls into disarray. The UK Supreme Court has chastised the prime minister for reprehensible political and private behavior. 1901

FBI Director Kash Patel testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee about accusations the agency is being politicized, whether all the Epstein files will be released and his handling of the investigation into the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk; Utah County's Attorney General says the suspect in the Kirk shooting is being charged with aggravated murder, with an aggravating factor that Kirk was targeted for his political beliefs, and the state will pursue the death penalty; Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), who was targeted for his views, calls on all political violence to be condemned; U.S. House to vote on an additional $30 million for additional security for members of Congress and $28 million for Supreme Court Justices; House Republicans present a 7-week temporary federal government spending bill to prevent a shutdown at the end of the month, but Democrats are opposing it because it does not make changes they are seeking to healthcare programs; House takes up a bill to allow 14 year old defendants in Washington, DC charged with violent crimes to be tried as adults; President Donald Trump flies to Great Britain for a state visit; reaction to Israel's ground assault on Gaza City; actor and activist Robert Redford has died. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a bumper episode, the legend that is Raymond Blanc joins Olivia Potts and Lara Prendergast. The self-taught chef heads up the double Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, has trained chefs from Heston Blumenthal to Marco Pierre White, and received an honorary OBE in 2008. His new book Simply Raymond Kitchen Garden is out now.The chef tells Liv and Lara about his earliest memories of food – from eating worms to easter eggs, how his love of food is connected to the garden and why he owes his existence to General de Gaulle. He explains how he ended up becoming ‘exiled' to Great Britain, how he fell in love with Le Manoir and why he would have to choose an English chef to cook his dream meal. Plus: Lara's daughter makes a guest appearance.Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello Youtube Members, Patreons and Pacific War week by week listeners. Yes this was intended to be an exclusive episode to join the 29 others over on my Youtube Membership and Patreon, but since we are drawing to the end of the Pacific War week by week series, I felt compelled to make some special episodes to answer some of the bigger questions. Why did Japan, or better said, why did Emperor Hirohito decide to finally surrender? It seems obvious on the face of it, but there is actually a lot more to it than bombs or Soviet invasions. I guess you can call this episode a teaser or a shameless plug for going over to my Youtube Membership or Patreon. There's honestly a lot of interesting subjects such as ‘why was the japanese army so brutal”, “Hirohito's war time responsibility”, “the 4 part Kanji Ishiwara series”. Thus if you liked this one please show some love and check out my other stuff on my Youtube Membership or over at www.patreon.com/pacificwarchannel.   Stating all of that lets just jump right into it.   We first need to start off briefly looking at Emperor Hirohito.    Upon taking the throne, Emperor Hirohito in 1926 Hirohito inherited a financial crisis and a military that was increasingly seizing control of governmental policies. From the beginning, despite what many of you older audience members may have been told, Hirohito intensely followed all military decisions. Hirohito chose when to act and when not to. When the Kwantung Army assassinated Zhang Zuolin, he indulged their insubordination. This emboldened them to invade Manchuria in 1931, whereupon Hirohito was furious and demanded they be reigned in. Attempts were made, but they were heavily undermined by radicals. Hirohito could have put his foot down, but he chose not to. On September 22nd, at 4:20pm Hirohito said to the IJA Chief of General staff, Kanaya Hanzo “although this time it couldn't be helped, the army had to be more careful in the future”. Thus Hirohito again acquiesced to the military, despite wanting them to stop or at least localize the conflict. The military had disregarded his wishes, they should have been severely punished. Why did Hirohito not take a firmer stance?    Again for older audience members you may have heard, “hirohito was a hostage at the whim of his own military”. This narrative made it seem he was some sort of hostage emperor, but this is not the case at all. In fact Hirohito was instrumental in many military decisions from 1931-1945. The reason this, I will call it “myth” , went on was because after Japan's surrender, the US basically rewrote the Japanese constitution and covered up the Emperor's involvement in all the nasty stuff, to maintain control over Japan. Yeah it sounds a bit conspiracy esque, but I assure you it was indeed the case. This narrative held firm all the way until Hirohito's death, when finally meeting notes and personal accounts from those close to him came out, illuminating a lot. Though to this day, many records are still red -tapped.   The reason Hirohito did not stamp his foot down has to do with the Kokutai.    The Kokutai   So before I carry on, I have to explain what exactly is the Kokutai.    The Kokutai, loosely translated as "national essence," refers to the qualities that distinguish the Japanese identity. However, this concept is remarkably vague and poorly defined; even Japanese historians acknowledge this ambiguity. In contrast to Kokutai is seitai, or "form of government." While the Kokutai embodies the eternal and immutable aspects of Japanese polity—rooted in history, traditions, and customs centered around the Emperor—Japan's seitai has evolved significantly throughout its extensive history. For instance, shoguns governed for over 700 years until 1868, when the Meiji Restoration reinstated direct imperial rule.   Nevertheless, Emperor Meiji's direct authority came to an end with the adoption of the Meiji Constitution in 1889, which established a constitutional monarchy, introducing significant complexities into the governance system.   Article 4 of the constitution declares: “The Emperor is the head of the Empire, combining in Himself the rights of sovereignty, uniting the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, although subject to the consent of the Imperial Diet.” Under this framework, the Emperor alone possessed the power to appoint or dismiss ministers of state, declare war, negotiate peace, conclude treaties, direct national administration, and command the army and navy.   A glaring flaw in this arrangement is the inherent ambiguity of the Meiji Constitution. While it established a democratic parliament, it simultaneously afforded the Emperor absolute authority to usurp it. The document failed to clearly define the relationships between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, and its language was intentionally vague. Most critically, the military—the army and navy—were not directly accountable to the civilian government.    So with the kokutai, the Emperor is a divine figure who embodies the state's sovereignty. It was not necessarily the Emperor's job to surrender on behalf of the official government of Japan, but he most certainly could do so, given the Japanese people still remained faithful to the kokutai.    Now Hirohito did not live an ordinary life. According to the imperial custom, Japanese royals were raised apart from their parents, at the age of 3 he was placed in the care of the Kwamura family who vowed to raise him to be unselfish, persevering in the face of difficulties, respectful of the views of others and immune to fear. One thing that was absolutely indoctrinated into him was to defend the kokutai. It became his top mission as a monarch, it was the only mission in many ways. At the very core of how he saw the world and how he acted, it was always to protect the kokutai.    So when the Japanese military began these insubordinate acts, Hirohito's primary concern was to the kokutai, ie: anything that threatened his imperial authority and the imperial institution itself. Although the military usurped his authority, the operations had been successful. Hirohito was not at all opposed to seeing his empire expand. He understood the value of manchuria, he was fully onboard with the military plans to eventually seize control over it, but these radicals were accelerating things to quickly for everyone's liking. He turned a blind eye, dished light punishments and carried on. However the local conflict escalated. It traveled to Shanghai by 1932 and here Hirohito took action. He understood Shanghai was full of western powers. Nations like Britain and America could place economic sanctions on Japan if things were allowed to get out of hand here. So he ordered General Yoshinori Shirakawa to bring the Shanghai expedition to a close.    During this period, two factions emerged within the Japanese military: the Kodoha, or “Imperial Way,” and the Toseiha, or “Control” faction. The Kodoha was founded by General Sadao Araki and his protégé, Jinzaburo Masaki. Their primary objective was a Shōwa Restoration aimed at purging Japan of corrupt politicians and businessmen, especially those associated with the zaibatsu. Composed mainly of young army officers, the Kodoha espoused a romanticized and radical interpretation of Bushido, idealizing pre-industrial Japan, which Araki believed had been tainted by Western influences. To achieve their goals, they resorted to assassinations and planned a coup d'état.   In response, the Toseiha faction was formed, initially led by Lt. General Tetsuzan Nagata and later by Hideki Tojo. Like the Kodoha, the Toseiha sought a Shōwa Restoration but adopted a more moderate and conservative approach. They recognized the importance of preserving traditional values while integrating Western ideals, advocating for a balanced perspective. The Toseiha promoted pragmatic military strategies to navigate the complexities of modern warfare. Although they acknowledged the existence of corrupt politicians and zaibatsu, they preferred to work within the existing political system, anticipating that future total wars would necessitate a strengthened industrial and military capacity. Their ranks primarily included promising graduates from the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) Academy, Army Staff College, and select naval members. The most significant distinction between the two factions was that the Toseiha explicitly rejected the use of a coup d'état in pursuit of their goals.   Between 1932-1936 radical officers, mostly of the Kodoha faction assassinated politicians and military leaders trying to usher in a showa restoration. You might be led to believe this was in the interest of Hirohito, you would be mistaken. Hirohito did not want a military dictatorship at the whim of the cult of the emperor. Ironic to say, given how WW2 turns out mind you. This really would have been a hostage situation. Hirohito wanted to maintain the exact ambiguous situation that was Showa Era Japan pre 1945. He saw this as the most ideal structure to defend the kokutai, because blame could not be placed solely upon his shoulders. He always maintained a get out of jail free card one could say.    The February 26 incident of 1936, was the climax of the Kodoha faction. They performed a mutiny trying to usher in a SHowa restoration. They assumed when their messenger came to the emperor he would join them and take direct rule. Instead Hirohito was furious. His first thought was the mutineers were trying to enlist his brother Chichibu to overthrow him. He dragged his brother who was a fraternizer amongst the kodoha members mind you, into a meeting, demanding he never associate with them again nor attempt to challenge him. Then Hirohito furious demanded the mutineers be dealt with. At one point he even threatened to lead the imperial guards to put them down. The coup failed, the kodoha faction was destroyed. Ironically the toseiha faction were the ones to do it and thus they became the defacto ruling clique.    The military, especially the kwantung army did not stop with their insubordination.    On July 8th of 1937 the Kwangtung army performed the Marco Polo Bridge incident, ushering in the second sino-japanese war. This was one of many false flag operations they had pulled off over the years. Upon being told about this Hirohito's first response was whether the USSR would invade Manchukuo over the matter. This is what he said to Prime Minister Konoe and army minister Sugiyama “What will you do if the Soviets attack us from the rear?” he asked the prince. Kan'in answered, “I believe the army will rise to the occasion.” The emperor repeated his question: “That's no more than army dogma. What will you actually do in the unlikely event that Soviet [forces] attack?” The prince said only, “We will have no choice.” His Majesty seemed very dissatisfied. Hirohito furious demanded to know what contingency plans existed and his advisors told him before he gave his red seal of approval to invade northern china.   Henceforth he micromanaged a lot of the military decisions going forward and he oversaw the forming and dissolving of numerous cabinets and positions when things went his way or did not in the military and political scene.  Emperor Hirohito was presented with several opportunities to cause cease-fires or peace settlements during the war years. One of the best possible moments to end it all came during the attack on Nanking when Chiang Kai-sheks military were in disarray. On July 11 of 1938, the commander of the 19th division fought a border clash with the USSR known to us in the west as the battle of Lake Khasan. It was a costly defeat for Japan and in the diary of Harada Kumao he noted Hirohito scolded Army minister Itagaki “Hereafter not a single soldier is to be moved without my permission.” When it looked like the USSR would not press for a counter attack across the border, Hirohito gave the order for offensives in China to recommence, again an example of him deciding when to lay down the hammer.   By 1939 the US began threatening sanctions for what Japan was doing in China. Hirohito complained to his chief aide de camp Hata Shunroku on August 5th “It could be a great blow to scrap metal and oil”. Hirohito was livid and scolded many of his top officials and forced the appointment of General Abe to prime minister and demanded of him “to cooperate with the US and Britain and preserve internal order”.   Fast forward a bit, with war raging in Europe Hirohito, on June 19th of 1940 Hirohito asked if chief of staff Prince Kan'in and Army Minister Hata “At a time when peace will soon come in the European situation, will there be a deployment of troops to the Netherlands Indies and French Indochina?” This question highlighted Hirohito's belief at that time that Germany was close to achieving victory, which led him to gradually consider deploying troops to French Indochina and the Dutch East Indies since neither of those parent nations was in a position to protect their territories and vital resources. Regarding the war in China, the Japanese aimed to stop the flow of materials entering China from places like Hong Kong. Hirohito received reports indicating that Britain would not agree to block the shipment of materials into China via Hong Kong. The military recognized that an invasion of Hong Kong might be necessary, which would mean declaring war on Britain. When this was communicated to him, Hirohito responded, “If that occurs, I'm sure America will enforce an embargo, don't you think?” In response, Kido, the lord of the privy seal, reassured him by stating, “The nation must be fully prepared to resist, proceeding with caution and avoiding being drawn into events instigated by foreign interests.”   Hirohito went through countless meetings, but eventually signed order number 458 authorizing the invasion of French Indochina, knowing full well the consequences. The US,UK and Netherlands began embargoes of oil, rubber and iron. In the words of Admiral Takagai “As time passes and this situation continues, our empire will either be totally defeated or forced to fight a hopeless war. Therefore we should pursue war and diplomacy together. If there is no prospect of securing our final line of national survival by diplomatic negotiations, we must be resolved to fight.” Hirohito understood the predicament full well, that each day Japan was wasting its oil reserves, if they were to strike it had to be quickly.   On October 13th Hirohito told his closest advisor Koichi Kido “In the present situation there seems to be little hope for the Japan–U.S. negotiations. If hostilities erupt this time, I think I may have to issue a declaration of war.”   The reason I am bringing up all this stuff is to solidify, Hirohito had agency, he was micromanaging and forming decisions. After the war broke out with the west, Hirohito did have the ability to stamp his foot down. Of course there could have been wild repercussions, his military could have usurped him with Chichibu, it was definitely possible. But you need to keep this mind set, as far as why Hirohito acts or doesn't, its always to protect the Kokutai. Thus one of the levers for peace, solely rested on Hirohito's perception if the kokutai could be retained or not.    From the outset of the Pacific War, Hirohito believed Germany was going to defeat the USSR. In line with his military leaders, they all believed Japan had to seize everything they could in the asia-pacific and thwart off the US until a negotiated peace could be met. Hirohito committed himself to overseeing the war, determined to achieve victory at any cost. He was a very cautious leader, he meticulously analyzed each campaign, anticipating potential setbacks and crafting worst-case scenario predictions. He maintained a skeptical view of the reports from his senior officials and was often harshly critical of high commanders.   While he did not frequently visit the front lines like other commanders in chief, Hirohito wielded significant influence over theater operations, shaping both planning and execution whenever he deemed necessary. Similar to his approach during the war in China, he issued the highest military orders from the Imperial Headquarters, conducted audited conferences, and made decisions communicated under his name. He regularly welcomed generals and admirals to the imperial palace for detailed briefings on the battlefront and visited various military bases, battleships, and army and naval headquarters. His inspections encompassed military schools and other significant military institutions, adding to his comprehensive involvement in the war effort.   Now the war went extremely well for Japan until the battle of Midway. This was as major setback, but Japan retained the initiative. Then the Guadalcanal campaign saw Japan lose the initiative to the Americans. Upon receiving the initial report of the Ichiki detachment's destruction, Hirohito remarked, “I am sure it [Guadalcanal] can be held.” Despite the numerous reports detailing the devastating effects of tropical diseases and starvation on his troops, he persistently demanded greater efforts from them. Hirohito exerted continuous pressure on his naval and land commanders to retake the island. On September 15th, November 5th, and November 11th, he requested additional Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) troops and aircraft to be allocated to the cause.   General Sugiyama expressed concerns about dispatching more IJA pilots due to their inexperience in transoceanic combat, preferring to reinforce the North China Army for an attack on Chongqing instead. Hirohito pressed the issue again, but Sugiyama responded that the IJA had diverted its air resources to New Guinea and Rabaul. Undeterred by the objections from senior commanders, Hirohito persisted in his demands. By late November, it became evident that Guadalcanal was a lost cause.   At an Imperial Headquarters conference on December 31st, 1942, the chiefs of staff proposed canceling the attempts to recapture Guadalcanal. Hirohito sanctioned this decision but stated, “It is unacceptable to just give up on capturing Guadalcanal. We must launch an offensive elsewhere.” He insisted on this point, leading to the selection of new strategic targets in the Solomons, north of New Georgia, and in the Stanley Range on New Guinea. Hirohito even threatened to withhold authorization for withdrawing troops from Guadalcanal until a new plan was established. He later opposed the withdrawal from Munda Airfield, as it contradicted the newly defined defensive line.   As the defensive perimeter in the central and northern Solomons began to crumble, Hirohito continued to insist that the navy engage in decisive battles to regain the initiative, allowing for the transport of supplies to the many soldiers trapped on various islands. When he learned of the navy's failure to reinforce Lae on March 3rd, he asked, “Then why didn't you change plans immediately and land at Madan? This is a failure, but it can teach us a good lesson and become a source of future success. Do this for me so I can have peace of mind for a while.” The phrase “Do this for me” would come to be his signature rallying cry.   After Guadal canal, it was loss after loss for Japan. By February of 1944, Hirohito forced Sugiyama to resign so Hideki Tojo could take his position as chief of the general staff, note Tojo was prime minister and army minister at this point. Hirohito worked alongside Tojo to plan some last ditch efforts to change the war situation. The most significant one was Operation Ichi-Go. As much damage as they did to China with that, Chiang Kai-Shek's government survived. Hirohito watched as island by island fell to the Americans. When the Americans were poised to take Saipan he warned Tojo “If we ever lose Saipan, repeated air attacks on Tokyo will follow. No matter what it takes, we have to hold there.” Saipan fell, so Hirohito stopped supporting Tojo and allowed his rivals to take down his cabinet by june 18th of 1944.    Hirohito remained resolute in his determination to wrest victory from the Allies. On October 18th, the Imperial Headquarters ordered a decisive naval engagement, leading to the Battle of Leyte Gulf. After the war, Hirohito publicly stated, "Contrary to the views of the Army and Navy General Staffs, I consented to the showdown battle at Leyte, believing that if we launched an attack and America hesitated, we might find an opportunity to negotiate." Leyte Gulf didnt work. The military began the kamikaze program. On new years day of 1945 Hirohito inspected the special last meal rations given to departing kamikaze units. Iwo Jima fell. Okinawa remained, and Hirohito lashed out “Is it because we failed to sink enemy transports that we've let the enemy get ashore? Isn't there any way to defend Okinawa from the landing enemy forces?” On the second day of Okinawa's invasion Hirohito ordered a counter landing by the 32nd army and urged the navy to counterattack in every way possible. It was a horrible failure, it cost the lives of up to 120,000 Japanese combatants, 170,000 noncombatants. The Americans lost 12,500 killed and 33,000 wounded. An absolute bloodbath.    The Surrender time   Now we come to the time period where Japan seriously began looking for ways to surrender. In Europe Germany was heading to its defeat and Japan knew this. As for Japan, their army in Burma had been annihilated. Their forces in China were faring better after Operation Ichi-go, having opened up a land corridor along the main railway from Beiping to Wuhan and from throughout Guangdong but still stuck in a deadlock stalemate, facing a guerrilla war that was costing them 64% of their military expenditures. They deeply feared once the Soviets finished up with Germany, they would undoubtedly turn east against Manchuria. With the Soviets attacking from the north, the US would attack from the south, perhaps landing in Shanghai and the home islands. The Kamikaze tactics were proving formidable, but not nearly enough. By 1945, 43% of the IJA were now stationed in Japan, Korea and Formosa, bracing for the final stand. Former prime minister Reijiro Wakatsuki came out of retirement in may of 1945, having heard Germany collapsed, to urge Hirohito and the Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki to open negotiations with the US as soon as possible. However he also said “the enemy must first be made to see the disadvantages of continuing the war”. To this Hirohito's chief counselor Makino Nobuaki said that “the ultimate priority is to develop an advantageous war situation.” Advisor admiral Kesiuke Okada said Japan should wait for “a moment favorable for us,” then make peace. Advisors Kiichiro Hiranuma and Koki Hirota advised the emperor to fight on until the end.   Now I want to bring in a key player to the surrender decision, that of Prince Konoe. Konoe was very close to Hirohito and understood the emperors mentality, especially how he viewed things in relation to the kokutai.    The senior statesman Prince Konoe had been consulting with Hirohito for over 18 months at this point trying to convey the message that if the war continued it would threaten the kokutai. Many months prior, he confided in the emperor's brother, Prince Takamatsu, that the army was suffering from “a cancer” in the form of the Toseiha faction. However, he noted that “Kido and others” did not share his perspective, while “his Majesty is relatively unconcerned with ideological issues.” For the past four years, he continued, the emperor had been advised and still believed that “the true extremists are the Kodoha faction.” In reality, the greater threat to the kokutai arose from the Toseiha faction. Konoe further asserted that if the war escalated, they would attempt to alter the kokutai.   Konoe speculated that whether the threat originated from communists within the nation, primarily referring to left-wing radicals in the Toseiha faction, or from the “Anglo-American enemy,” both would seek to preserve the emperor while pushing towards the country's communization.In his written report to the emperor on February 14, which Kido listened to attentively, Konoe elaborated on his conspiracy theory. He asserted that the Soviet Union regarded Japan as its primary threat in East Asia. The Soviets had allied with the Chinese Communists, the largest and most formidable Communist party in Asia, and were collaborating with the United States and Britain to drive Japan out of China. He warned that they would enter the war when the opportunity arose.   Defeat, he cautioned the emperor, was inevitable if the conflict persisted. However, he emphasized that a far greater fear was the potential destruction of the kokutai. The ongoing war was eroding the domestic status quo, unleashing forces that threatened Japan and its imperial institution from within as much as from external adversaries. The real danger lay in the emperor's and Kido's trust in the generals of the Toseiha faction, who were unintentionally facilitating the communization of Japan. Konoe implored for a swift peace settlement before a Communist revolution emerged, making the preservation of the kokutai impossible. Hirohito agreed with Konoe but stated “ To end the war would be “very difficult unless we make one more military gain.” Konoe allegedly replied, “Is that possible? It must happen soon. If we have to wait much longer, . . . [a mere battle victory] will mean nothing.” Hirohito replied “If we hold out long enough in this war, we may be able to win, but what worries me is whether the nation will be able to endure it until then.”   On February 15th of 1945, Hirohito's intelligence warned the Soviet Union would likely abrogate its Neutrality Pact with Japan. Even Tojo conceded there was a 50/50 chance the USSR would invade Manchuria. In March, the US began B-29 incendiary bombing raids over Tokyo, turning 40% of the capital into ash. On March 18th, Hirohito with some aides drove around the capital to witness the devastation. The civilians looked exhausted and bewildered to Hirohito. Factory production was collapsing, absenteeism was rising, instances of lese majeste were running rampant. For the next 5 months imperial family members and senior statesmen all began speaking to Hirohito about the “crises of the kokutai”. The threat Konoe had warned about for months was becoming the main talking point. It seemed like the Japanese people within the countryside and urban areas remained steadfast in the resolve to obey their leaders, work and sacrifice for their nation, but for how long would they feel so?    It was only after the battle for Okinawa was lost and 60 Japanese cities had been leveled by American incendiary bombs that Hirohito openly indicated he wanted to negotiate a surrender.   Kido's diary reveals the first clear indication that the emperor might be urged to consider an early peace on June 8, 1945, when Kido drafted his “Draft Plan for Controlling the Crisis Situation.” This marked a pivotal moment. It followed the unintentional bombing of the Imperial Palace, the complete loss of hope for saving Okinawa, and coincided with the day the Supreme War Leadership Council adopted the “Basic Policy for the Future Direction of the War.” With the fighting in Europe concluded, Japan found itself entirely isolated. Kido's plan, although vague, proposed seeking the Soviet Union's assistance as an intermediary to help Japan gain leverage in negotiations with its adversaries. By drafting this plan, Kido signaled the end of his long alliance with the military hard-liners. Hirohito's acceptance of it indicated his readiness for an early peace.   Hirohito was moved to an underground bunker in the mountains of Matsushiro in Nagano prefecture where upon those around him noted he fell into a deep depression. On June 22nd  Hirohito informed the Supreme War Leadership Council he wanted them to open diplomatic maneuvers to end the war. In early July Soviet Ambassador Jacob Malik broke off inconclusive talks with Hirota. Hirohito stepped in immediately and ordered a new special envoy be sent to Moscow. However Hirohito nor the Suzuki government had concrete plans on how to mediate a surrender through the Soviets. The only things they did prioritize was a guarantee of the emperors political position and retainment of the imperial system, ie the kokutai. This was taken into consideration rather than ending the war as quickly as possible to save the lives of millions.    From April 8, 1945, until Japan's capitulation, the Suzuki government's chief war policy was “Ketsugo,” an advanced iteration of the “Shosango” (Victory Number 3) plan for defending the homeland. The hallmark of this strategy was a heavy reliance on suicide tactics, including deploying a massive number of kamikaze “special attack” planes, human torpedoes launched from submarines, dynamite-stuffed “crash boats” powered by truck engines, human rocket bombs carried by aircraft, and suicide assaults by specially trained ground units.   While preparations for Operation Ketsu progressed, the Imperial Diet convened on June 9 to pass a Wartime Emergency Measures Law, along with five additional measures aimed at mobilizing the entire nation for this final battle. On the same day, the emperor, who had yet to initiate efforts to end the war, issued another imperial rescript in conjunction with the Diet's convocation, instructing the nation to “smash the inordinate ambitions of the enemy nations” and “achieve the goals of the war.” Concurrently, the controlled press launched a daily die-for-the-emperor campaign to foster gratitude for the imperial benevolence and, from around mid-July onward, initiated a campaign to “protect the kokutai.”   The Americans countered with their own propaganda aimed at breaking Japan's will to fight. B-29 bombers dropped millions of leaflets written in Japanese, announcing the next scheduled targets for bombing raids and urging surrender, while using the emperor to challenge the militarists. Leaflets bearing the chrysanthemum crest criticized the “military cliques” for “forcing the entire nation to commit suicide” and called on “everyone” to “exercise their constitutional right to make direct appeals [for peace] to the Emperor.” They asserted that “even the powerful military cliques cannot stop the mighty march for peace of the Emperor and the people.” One notable batch of seven million leaflets conveyed the terms of the “joint declaration” issued by the United States, Great Britain, and China. “Today we come not to bomb you,” they stated. “We are dropping this leaflet to inform you of the response from the United States government to your government's request for conditions of surrender.... Whether the war stops immediately depends on your government. You will understand how to end the war if you read these two official notifications.”   Amid pressures from imperial edicts to continue preparations for a final battle and focus solely on victory, the Japanese people were also subjected to an intense American psychological warfare campaign in addition to aerial bombardment. During late July and August, prefectural governors, police chiefs, and officers of the “special higher police” submitted reports to the Home Ministry detailing the rapidly deteriorating national morale.    Now on the other side, Roosevelt made it known back in January of 1943 at the Casablanca conference, the allies would only accept unconditional surrender. By 1945, the allies understood the predicament this left Japan with. On May 8th of 1945, Truman added “Japan's surrender would not mean the extermination or enslavement of the Japanese people” trying to indicate a non vindictive spirit. However the Kokutai question always remained ambiguous. State Department Joseph Grew, the former ambassador to Japan, began arguing to Truman they needed to make public a clear definition of the terms to persuade Japan to surrender. As he argued to Truman: Emperor Hirohito was seen as the key figure in Japan's surrender, likened to a "queen bee in a hive... surrounded by the attentions of the hive." Throughout the war, he was characterized in various ways—as a “puppet” of the militarists, a constitutional monarch, and a pacifist. Grew had immense faith in the influence exerted by what he referred to as the “moderates” surrounding the Japanese throne.    However many of Grew's colleagues argued the future existence of the monarchy was intolerable as it was akin to fascism. Many wanted to punish the emperor. Truman was in a tug of war. The Potsdam declaration issued on July 26th of 1945 came in the form of a ultimatum aiming to quicken japans surrender. Truman clarified the terms for the unconditional surrender at the end of its terms: "We call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces, and to provide proper and adequate assurances of their good faith in such action. The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction." Zero mention of the emperor. Grew had argued to add “this may include a constitutional monarchy under the present dynasty.” But it was deleted from the article. The status of the emperor was not guaranteed, the kokutai was thus up in the air.    The next day, the Suzuki cabinet rejected the terms. The Japanese leadership and Hirohito were still banking and awaiting Soviet replies to their terms.    Lets talk about the Soviet talks now   Back on July 12th ambassador Naotake Satō sent this message to the Soviets: “His Majesty the Emperor, mindful of the fact that the present war daily brings greater evil and sacrifice upon the peoples of all the belligerent powers, desires from his heart that it may be quickly terminated. But so long as England and the United States insist upon unconditional surrender, the Japanese Empire has no alternative but to fight on with all its strength for the honor and existence of the Motherland”.  However the Soviets had made commitments to their allies, promising in fact to invade Japan to aid them.    As for the Soviets their primary objective was to ensure unrestricted access to the Pacific Ocean. The year-round ice-free areas of the Soviet Pacific coastline, particularly Vladivostok, could be blockaded by air and sea from Sakhalin Island and the Kurile Islands. Securing these territories to guarantee free access to the Soya Strait was their main goal. Secondary objectives included acquiring leases for the Chinese Eastern Railway, the Southern Manchuria Railway, as well as gaining control over Dairen and Port Arthur.   To achieve these aims, Stalin and Molotov prolonged negotiations with the Japanese, creating a false sense of hope for a Soviet-mediated peace. Simultaneously, in their discussions with the United States and Britain, the Soviets insisted on strict adherence to the Cairo Declaration, which had been reaffirmed at the Yalta Conference. This declaration stipulated that the Allies would not accept a separate or conditional peace with Japan; thus, the Japanese would need to surrender unconditionally to all the Allies. The Soviets aimed to prolong the war by opposing any efforts to dilute this requirement. This approach would provide the Soviets with the necessary time to complete the transfer of their troops from the Western Front to the Far East and to conquer Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, northern Korea, South Sakhalin, the Kuriles, and potentially Hokkaidō, starting with an assault on Rumoi. AUGUST 1945   Thus we come to at last the critical point, August of 1945.    The Americans prepared for the deployment of atomic bombs and for an invasion of southern Kyushu, known as Operation Olympic, scheduled to commence on November 1. At 8:15 A.M. on August 6, a single B-29 bomber, the Enola Gay dropped little boy, devastating much of the undefended city of Hiroshima, instantly killing an estimated 100,000 to 140,000 people and leading to the deaths of possibly another 100,000 over the next five years. At the epicenter of the explosion, “a light appeared 3,000 times brighter than the sun,” creating a fireball that emitted thermal radiation capable of “instantly scorching humans, trees, and houses.” As the air heated and rushed upward, cold air surged in to ignite a firestorm. Hours later, a whirlwind escalated the flames to their peak until more than eight square miles were virtually reduced to cinders. Subsequently, black, muddy rain filled with radioactive fallout began to fall. Two days later, using Japan's rejection of the Potsdam Declaration as a pretext, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan. Then on August 9, the United States dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, resulting in the immediate deaths of approximately 35,000 to 40,000 people and injuring more than 60,000.   Meanwhile, in Tokyo, during the critical period between the Potsdam Declaration and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Emperor Hirohito remained silent about accepting the Potsdam terms. However, on July 25 and 31, he explicitly conveyed to Kido that the imperial regalia must be defended at all costs. The three sacred objects—a mirror, a curved jewel, and a sword—symbolized the legitimacy of his rule through the northern court and were integral to his identity as the divine sovereign. Hirohito's focus was on protecting these symbols of office, as he insisted on having them brought to the palace. This fixation on maintaining his symbols occurred during a pivotal moment when the pressing issue was whether to accept immediate capitulation. Reflecting on this, he was unprepared to seize the opportunity to end the war himself.   Prime Minister Suzuki, following his initial rejection of the Potsdam ultimatum, also saw no need for further action. His Cabinet Advisory Council, which included the president of Asano Cement, the founder of the Nissan consortium, the vice president of the Bank of Japan, and other representatives from the nation's leading business interests that had profited significantly from the war, convened on the morning of August 3. They recommended accepting the Potsdam terms, arguing that the United States would permit Japan to retain its non-military industries and continue participating in world trade.    Here are some reactions to the two bombs and invasion of Manchuria.    Yonai Mitsumasa said to admiral Takagi Sokichi, on August 12, that “I think the term is perhaps inappropriate, but the atomic bombs and the Soviet entry into the war are, in a sense, gifts from the gods [tenyu, also “heaven-sent blessings”]. This way we don't have to say that we quit the war because of domestic circumstances. I've long been advocating control of our crisis, but neither from fear of an enemy attack nor because of the atomic bombs and the Soviet entry into the war. The main reason is my anxiety over the domestic situation. So, it is rather fortunate that we can now control matters without revealing the domestic situation”.    Konoe's characterized the Soviet involvement in the war as “a godsend for controlling the army,”. Kido viewed of both the atomic bombings and the Soviet entry into the conflict as “useful” elements for ensuring a smooth transition. A nascent power struggle was unfolding, rendering the potential death toll—whether one hundred thousand or two hundred thousand—immaterial to those involved, as long as their desired outcome was achieved: an end to the war that would leave the monarchy intact and capable of managing the discontent that defeat would inevitably provoke. Throughout the final acts of this wartime drama, the Japanese “moderates” found it easier to capitulate to external pressures than to take decisive action on their own to conclude the war.   Another illuminating looks at Japan's elite's perspective on surrender terms was the document titled “Essentials of Peace Negotiations” (wahei kosho no yoryo). Drafted by Konoe and his adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Sakai Koji, after Konoe had reluctantly accepted a mission to Moscow, this document, stipulated the preservation of the emperor system, along with most of the imperial prerogatives, as the absolute minimum condition for peace. It defined the “original” or “essential homeland” as including the southern half of the Kurile Islands but showed a willingness to concede all overseas territories to the enemy, including Okinawa and the American-occupied Bonin Islands, as well as the southern half of Sakhalin. The “Essentials” also accepted complete disarmament for an unspecified period, thereby compromising on the issues of demobilizing and disarming the armed forces. More significantly, an “explanation” attached to the “Essentials” emphasized that “the main aim is to secure the imperial line and maintain the political role of the emperor.”    Why Japan surrendered   We come to it atleast after a long podcast. Why did Japan ultimately surrender?   The twin psychological shocks of the first atomic bomb and the Soviet entry into the war, combined with Kido's and the emperor's concern over escalating public criticism of the throne and its occupant, fueled an almost paranoid fear that, sooner or later, the populace would react violently against their leaders if the war persisted much longer. These factors ultimately led Hirohito to accept, in principle, the terms of the Potsdam Declaration.   At the first meeting of the six member constituents of the Supreme War Leadership Council, held from 10:30 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. on August 9, Army Minister Anami Korechika, Chiefs of Staff Umezu Yoshijiro, representing the army, and Yonai, representing the navy, along with Tōgō, from the Foreign Ministry, were expected to discuss the acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration. Instead, the conversation revolved around whether to attempt a conditional surrender—specifically, should they insist on one condition, the preservation of the kokutai, or four?   After Suzuki addressed the assembly regarding the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and the Soviet attack, Yonai, as recounted by Navy Chief of Staff Toyoda, was the first to speak, framing the issue in terms of four conditions. “Let's start to talk, Do we accept the Potsdam Declaration with no conditions? If not, and we wish to insist on attaching hopes and conditions, we may do so this way. First, preservation of the kokutai; then for the rest, the main items in the Potsdam Declaration: treatment of war criminals, method of disarmament, and the matter of sending in an army of occupation.” Thus, the participants identified what they perceived to be the ambiguous points within the Potsdam Declaration and used them as the foundation for their discussions.   The army insisted on four conditions: First, the preservation of the kokutai, which they considered distinct from the Potsdam Declaration itself. The other conditions proposed were, second, that the Imperial Headquarters assume responsibility for disarmament and demobilization; third, a prohibition on occupation; and fourth, the delegation of the punishment of war criminals to the Japanese government. The army equated the kokutai with the emperor's right of supreme command. Their self-serving desire for autonomous war crimes trials was based on the belief that the Allies would use such trials to politically indict the military. Consequently, army leaders aimed to preempt the activities of any international tribunal by conducting their own trials—similar to the approach taken by the uninvaded and unrepentant Germans after World War I.   Supporting the military's views during cabinet meetings that day were three civilian members of the Suzuki cabinet: Justice Minister Matsuzaka Hiromasa, Home Minister Yasui Toji, and Minister of Health Okada Tadahiko. At the imperial conference that night, which extended into the early hours of the tenth, Foreign Minister Tōgō's interpretation of the “preservation of the kokutai” referred solely to the safeguarding of the Imperial House or dynasty, rather than the continuation of Hirohito's reign.   Hiranuma, another advocate for the single condition, interpreted the kokutai as the “emperor's sovereign right to rule the state [not] deriving from national law. Even if the entire nation is sacrificed to the war, we must preserve both the kokutai and the security of the imperial house.” This discrepancy illustrated that there was no completely unified understanding of what the kokutai entailed; the debate over one condition versus four represented conflicting visions for the future of the Japanese state and masked the competition for political power that was already unfolding.   It remains doubtful whether the emperor and Kido initially sided with Tōgō against the four conditions proposed by the senior military leaders. A more likely inference is that both men retained sympathies for the hardliners, both military and civilian, who preferred to continue the futile war rather than surrender immediately and unconditionally. This may explain why, on August 9, Konoe had Hosokawa Morisada approach Navy General Headquarters to urge the emperor's brother, Prince Takamatsu, to pressure Hirohito (through Kido) to accept the Potsdam terms. Later that afternoon, Konoe enlisted the help of diplomat Shigemitsu Mamoru to persuade Kido to reconsider his stance on the four conditions. Ultimately, at the urging of Takamatsu and Shigemitsu, Kido did shift to support Tōgō's position.   At the end of the war, as at its beginning and throughout every stage of its progression, Emperor Hirohito played a highly active role in supporting the actions carried out in his name. From the very beginning of the Asia-Pacific war, the emperor played a significant role in the unfolding events around him. Prior to the Battle of Okinawa, he consistently advocated for a decisive victory. Afterward, he acknowledged the necessity of pursuing an early peace, although he did not favor an immediate cessation of hostilities. Instead, he wavered, steering Japan toward ongoing warfare rather than direct negotiations with the Allies. When the final crisis fully unfolded, the only option left was unconditional surrender. Even then, he continued to procrastinate until the atomic bomb was dropped and the Soviets launched their attack. The wartime emperor ideology that once sustained morale made it exceedingly difficult for Japan's leaders to accept the act of surrender. Aware of their objective defeat, yet indifferent to the suffering the war inflicted on their own people—as well as on the populations of Asia, the Pacific, and the West whose lives they had disrupted—the emperor and his military leaders sought a means to lose without appearing to lose. They aimed to mitigate domestic criticism following surrender while preserving their power structure.   Blinded by their fixation on the fate of the imperial house and committed to an overly optimistic diplomacy toward the Soviet Union, Japan's leaders missed several opportunities to end their lost war. Would Japan's leaders have surrendered more promptly if the Truman administration had “clarified” the status of the emperor before the cataclysmic double shocks of the atomic bomb and the Soviet entry into the war? Probably not. However, it is likely they would have surrendered to prevent the kokutai from being destroyed from within. The evidence suggests that the first atomic bomb and the Soviet declaration of war led Hirohito, Kido, and other members of the court to believe that continuing the war would inevitably result in that destruction. They recognized that the populace was war-weary and despondent, with rising hostility toward the military and the government, accompanied by increasing criticism of the emperor himself. More specifically, Kido and Hirohito were privy to Home Ministry reports, which contained information from governors and police chiefs nationwide. These reports indicated that citizens were beginning to label the emperor as an incompetent leader responsible for the deteriorating war situation.   This is the third variable, never spoken about. Many first look at the atomic bombs. Bigger brain people turn to the Soviet Invasion of Manchuria. But hardly anyone reads about how the collapse of Japan's social fabric, scared the shit out of the Emperor and his closest advisors. You can't have a kokutai, without a populace that worshiped you.    When the emperor expressed in February, “What worries me is whether the nation [could] endure” long enough to achieve victory, he was not merely voicing concern for the suffering of his subjects; rather, he feared that such suffering could lead to social upheaval—in short, revolution. At that time, he referred to the ordinary, war-related hardships of food shortages, air raids, devastated cities, destruction of homes, and the omnipresent grief from the loss of loved ones. The atomic bomb escalated death, pain, and suffering to unimaginably higher levels, intensifying the threat from within. After the bombings of Japan and two atomic bombs, Hirohito was in a dark way, given a golden get out of jail free card. Hirohito could now save his suffering people from further anguish by surrendering, allowing him to deflect responsibility for leading them into misery while adopting an air of benevolence and care. Indeed, Hirohito did care—though not primarily for the Japanese people, but rather for the survival of his own imperial house and throne.   After the bombing of Hiroshima, Hirohito delayed for a full two days before instructing Kido, shortly before 10 A.M. on August 9, to “quickly control the situation” because “the Soviet [Union]” had declared war. Kido immediately communicated with Prime Minister Suzuki, who began arrangements for an Imperial Conference scheduled for later that night. Following the seidan of August 10, Chief Cabinet Secretary Sakomizu took charge of drafting the “Imperial Rescript Ending the War” based on Hirohito's directives. Assisted by two scholars of the Chinese classics, Kawada Mizuho and Yasuoka Masahiro, Sakomizu worked tirelessly for over three days before submitting a version of the rescript to the Suzuki cabinet. After six hours of contentious discussion on the night of August 14, the cabinet modified and approved the document. Hirohito promptly signed it, and Shimomura and Kido persuaded him to record a suitably opaque final version for broadcast to the nation.   On the night of August 14, the Suzuki government notified the United States and other Allied nations that it had accepted both the Potsdam Declaration and the Byrnes letter of August 11. Accelerating the emperor's actions during this climactic moment of the unconditional surrender drama was the American psychological warfare campaign. When a leaflet dropped from B-29 bombers came into Kido's possession on the night of August 13 or the morning of the fourteenth, he conferred with the emperor and explained the gravity of the situation. The latest enemy leaflets were informing the Japanese people of the government's notification of surrender under one condition, along with the full text of Byrnes's response. If this continued, it would undermine the imperial government's reliance on secrecy to obscure the true nature of the lost war and the reasons for the prolonged surrender delay.   Given Kido's and the emperor's concerns about rising signs of defeatism, including criticism of the throne, immediate action was necessary to prevent the populace from acting on their own initiative. Thus, the second seidan was convened. At noon on August 15, the Japanese people gathered around their radio receivers and heard, for the first time, the high-pitched voice of their emperor telling them:    “After pondering deeply the general trends of the world and the actual conditions obtaining in Our Empire today, We have decided to effect a settlement of the present situation by resorting to an extraordinary measure. We have ordered Our Government to communicate to the Governments of the United States, Great Britain, China and the Soviet Union that Our Empire accepts the provisions of their Joint Declaration. To strive for the common prosperity and happiness of all nations as well as the security and well-being of Our subjects is the solemn obligation which has been handed down by Our Imperial Ancestors and which lies close to Our heart. Indeed, We declared war on America and Britain out of Our sincere desire to ensure Japan's self-preservation and the stabilization of East Asia, it being far from Our thought either to infringe upon the sovereignty of other nations or to embark upon territorial aggrandizement. But now the war has lasted for nearly four years. Despite the best that has been done by everyone—the gallant fighting of the military and naval forces, the diligence and assiduity of Our servants of the State, and the devoted service of Our one hundred million people—the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan's advantage, while the general trends of the world have all turned against her interest. Moreover, the enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb, the power of which to do damage is, indeed, incalculable, taking the toll of many innocent lives. Should we continue to fight, not only would it result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization. Such being the case, how are We to save the millions of Our subjects, or to atone Ourselves before the hallowed spirits of Our Imperial Ancestors? This is the reason why We have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the Joint Declaration of the Powers... The hardships and sufferings to which Our nation is to be subjected hereafter will be certainly great. We are keenly aware of the inmost feelings of all of you, Our subjects. However, it is according to the dictates of time and fate that We have resolved to pave the way for a grand peace for all the generations to come by enduring the unendurable and suffering what is unsufferable”.   Clearly Hirohito sought to justify his decision to surrender by citing the dropping of the atomic bombs. He wanted to become the saviour of the Japanese people. Hirohito wanted to obfuscate the issue of accountability, to prevent expressions of strife and anger and to strengthen domestic unity around himself, to protect and raise the kokutai.  Interestingly, the surrender declaration to the civilian population was not the same one sent to the military. On August 17th Hirohito issued a second “rescript to soldiers and sailors” throughout the asia-pacific.   “ Now that the Soviet Union has entered the war against us, to continue . . . under the present conditions at home and abroad would only recklessly incur even more damage to ourselves and result in endangering the very foundation of the empire's existence. Therefore, even though enormous fighting spirit still exists in the Imperial Navy and Army, I am going to make peace with the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union, as well as with Chungking, in order to maintain our glorious national polity”.   The lesser-known August 17 rescript to the army and navy specified Soviet participation as the sole reason for surrender, while maintaining the kokutai as the primary aim. Dissembling until the end—and even beyond—it was noted that the emperor presented two different justifications for his delayed surrender. Both statements were likely true.   Months later Hirohito's said this about his decision to surrender “The main motive behind my decision at that time was that if we . . . did not act, the Japanese race would perish and I would be unable to protect my loyal subjects [sekishi—literally, “children”]. Second, Kido agreed with me on the matter of defending the kokutai. If the enemy landed near Ise Bay, both Ise and Atsuta Shrines would immediately come under their control. There would be no time to transfer the sacred treasures [regalia] of the imperial family and no hope of protecting them. Under these circumstances, protection of the kokutai would be difficult. For these reasons, I thought at the time that I must make peace even at the sacrifice of myself.”    There exists this sort of childish argument today whether it was the atomic bombs or the Soviet Invasion that caused Japan to surrender. However, this overlooks as I think I've explained in 9000 words jeez, the influence of the kokutai. Defending the kokutai was Hirohito's number one priority. The Soviets threatened it. Communism threatened it. What Japan perceived to be “democracy” threatened it. American victory threatened it. And the destruction of Japan's social fabric threatened it. I love this one piece of history, that I have only come across in one book, that being the main one I am using here.   On August 12th, Hirohito came to the imperial family to tell them he had made the decision to surrender. His uncle Prince Yasuhiko Asaka asked him whether the war would be continued if the kokutai could not be preserved. Hirohito replied “of course”.

George Bellshaw and James Gray answer your questions from the Instagram mailbag, before being joined by Calvin Betton from Chengdu to look back at a dramatic week of Davis Cup play-offs in Poland, Spain and beyond. Great Britain are back in the elite of the Davis Cup for next year, but can they actually win it? How many "hairs" does Holger Rune REALLY have on his chest? The USA are out, but was that much of a shock? Belgium have been doing a madness in Australia... ...while Australia captain Lleyton Hewitt has been doing a madness in Malaga And loads more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Catherine, David and Matt were live on the eve of the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup Finals to preview the event and look back on a weekend of thrilling Davis Cup action. Part one - BJK Cup Finals Preview. We discuss the new format and new venue in China, the slew of big name withdrawals in the last week, and all four of the quarter-final clashes. Are Italy the favourites? Can USA live up to their potential? Who will play for Great Britain without Emma Raducanu? And where might Spain vs Ukraine be decided? Part two - Davis Cup Review (43m25s). We discuss the extraordinary success of the away teams in last weekend's Qualifiers, the European feel to the final eight, and how Spain came back from 0-2 down to beat Denmark without Carlos Alcaraz. Part three - Tour results and schedule (63m). There's chat about titles for two teenagers on the WTA Tour - Iva Jovic and Sarah Rakotomanga - as well as a look ahead to a week which includes WTA Seoul 500 and Laver Cup. Tickets are now on General Sale for The Tennis Podcast - Live in Wrexham on Wednesday October 22nd! Buy ⁠here⁠.Become a ⁠Friend of The Tennis Podcast⁠Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠new merch shop⁠⁠⁠⁠! Talk tennis with Friends on ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Barge! ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our free ⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt's Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I'll tell you how I got the opportunity to appear on television in Great Britain and Australia, in a travel show starring Griff Rhys Jones. His new series "Griff's Great American South," was filmed across the American South, and he wanted me to join him to make photographs of abandoned buildings in the Mississippi Delta.Listen to find out how it went, and how you can see the episode.Transcripts are available at my blog: ⁠https://icatchshadows.com⁠See my photographs at: ⁠https://keithdotson.com⁠Check out my books and downloads at: ⁠https://keithdotson.com/collections/books⁠Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/keithdotson⁠YouTube channel: ⁠Keith Dotson Photography

In 2018, Dominick Cunningham became the third male British artistic gymnast to win the European floor exercise title at the European gymnastics championships in Glasgow. Dominick was a consistent member of the British team throughout the Tokyo Olympic cycle qualifying for six individual major championships apparatus finals in the process and winning a European team silver medal. At the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia Dominick and team England dominated the competition winning the team gold medal in the Gold Coast. Dom trained at the Earls gymnastics club alongside London 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Kristian Thomas in the early chapters of his career. Over the past decade he has been part of the Birmingham gymnastics club who have had incredible amounts of success in Great Britain wining the historic Adam's shield on multiple occasions. In 2022 Dominick switched Nationalities and now represents team Ireland with hopes of competing at the LA 2028 Olympic Games. And this is his story. 

Join us for daily coverage of the Vuelta a España recorded on the road as the race makes its way from Turin to Madrid. Our daily coverage features race analysis, interviews and daily postcards from  Spain. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

 The end is almost in sight — this is our 20th daily podcast from the Vuelta a España 2025, recorded on the road as the race heads towards Madrid. Each episode brings race analysis, rider interviews, and daily postcards from Spain.  OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. EPISODE SPONSOR NordVPN Get NordVPN two-year plan + four months extra ➼ https://nordvpn.com/tcp It's risk-free with Nord's 30-day money-back guarantee.  Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

David Roussève is a Guggenheim Fellow, magna cum laude Princeton graduate, and Distinguished Professor of Choreography at UCLA, whose work has travelled across the US, Europe, South America, and Great Britain, including major commissions by BAM's Next Wave Festival and Jacob's Pillow. He's received top honors such as the "Bessie" Award, Creative Capital and Herb Alpert Awards, three Horton Awards, and many NEA Fellowships. In this episode, David Roussève joins us to unveil his first full-length solo piece in over 20 years—Becoming Daddy AF Becoming Daddy AF  intricately weaves personal and cultural narratives—revisiting 600 years of ancestry, a decades-long journey with HIV, and the profound loss of a partner—while interrogating identity, resilience, and the layers of selfhood as a queer African American artist. Roussève's perspective on legacy, mortality, and reimagining virtuosity at 64. Listen now to hear this exciting conversation on David's work as he creates dialogue around the nature of love, and the meaning of existence. Becoming Daddy AF  will be running September 26-27 at Kelly Strayhorn Theater in Pittsburgh and October 17-18 at The Nimoy, UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance in Los Angeles.Visit David's Website HERE to learn more!

The Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials were based on the London Agreement, signed on August 8, 1945, which was an accord between the United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union to establish an International Military Tribunal to prosecute the major war criminals of the European Axis. It provided a legal framework that codified crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, laying the foundation for the Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials. Beginning on November 20, 1945, 22 Nazi officials were brought to trial in the city of Nuremberg in Germany. And on May 3, 1946, 28 Japanese Military and Civil Leaders were brought to trial in Tokyo.  

Join us for daily coverage of the Vuelta a España recorded on the road as the race makes its way from Turin to Madrid. Our daily coverage features race analysis, interviews and daily postcards from  Spain. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. EPISODE SPONSOR Saily If you are travelling abroad and want to reduce or even eliminate roaming charges you need an eSim from Saily, brought to you by the creators of NordVPN. ⛵Download the SAILY app and use our code cycling at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase. Or go to saily.com/cycling for full details Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Join us for daily coverage of the Vuelta a España recorded on the road as the race makes its way from Turin to Madrid. Our daily coverage features race analysis, interviews and daily postcards from  Spain. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. EPISODE SPONSOR Babbel Learn a language the fun, easy way with intuitive 15-minute lessons you can do when you want. Choose from 14 languages including Spanish, French, Italian and German. Listeners can get up to 60% off for a limited time only at babbel.com/cycle Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Want the latest news, analysis, and price indices from power markets around the globe - delivered to your inbox, every week?Sign up for the Weekly Dispatch - Modo Energy's unmissable newsletterDelivering a decarbonised power system isn't just about building more renewables and storage, it's also about regulation. The rules that shape investment, protect consumers, and manage risk are critical to whether the UK can hit net zero on time.But regulation comes with trade-offs. How do you keep bills affordable while ensuring enough capital flows into clean infrastructure? How do you encourage innovation without compromising reliability? And how can Ofgem strike the right balance between investor certainty and consumer protection in a period of huge change?In this conversation, Ed speaks with Georgina Mills, Director of Energy Systems Management & Security at Ofgem about the regulator's role in the UK's energy transition. They discuss the frameworks that shape investment in networks, the need for agility in a fast-changing market, and what regulatory innovation might look like as we build a net zero system.Key topics covered include:Why regulation is central to delivering net zero on time.The trade-offs between consumer protection and investor certainty.How Ofgem is adapting frameworks to enable flexibility and innovation.The role of regulatory signals in unlocking clean energy investment.What the future of energy regulation could look like in a net zero world.About our guest Georgina Mills is Director of Energy Systems Management & Security at Ofgem, where she leads reform of network charging and facilitates low-carbon investment across Great Britain's electricity system. With experience spanning regulatory roles in both the UK and New Zealand, Georgina oversees initiatives that balance consumer protection with system resilienceAbout Modo EnergyModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.All of our interviews are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, conversations, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.

Want the latest news, analysis, and price indices from power markets around the globe - delivered to your inbox, every week?Sign up for the Weekly Dispatch - Modo Energy's unmissable newsletterDelivering a decarbonised power system isn't just about building more renewables and storage, it's also about regulation. The rules that shape investment, protect consumers, and manage risk are critical to whether the UK can hit net zero on time.But regulation comes with trade-offs. How do you keep bills affordable while ensuring enough capital flows into clean infrastructure? How do you encourage innovation without compromising reliability? And how can Ofgem strike the right balance between investor certainty and consumer protection in a period of huge change?In this conversation, Ed speaks with Georgina Mills, Director of Energy Systems Management & Security at Ofgem about the regulator's role in the UK's energy transition. They discuss the frameworks that shape investment in networks, the need for agility in a fast-changing market, and what regulatory innovation might look like as we build a net zero system.Key topics covered include:Why regulation is central to delivering net zero on time.The trade-offs between consumer protection and investor certainty.How Ofgem is adapting frameworks to enable flexibility and innovation.The role of regulatory signals in unlocking clean energy investment.What the future of energy regulation could look like in a net zero world.About our guest Georgina Mills is Director of Energy Systems Management & Security at Ofgem, where she leads reform of network charging and facilitates low-carbon investment across Great Britain's electricity system. With experience spanning regulatory roles in both the UK and New Zealand, Georgina oversees initiatives that balance consumer protection with system resilienceAbout Modo EnergyModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.All of our interviews are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, conversations, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.

April's wasn't the only trans rights case to come to court in the late 1960s. But the other - concerning a trans man and the inheritance of a baronetcy - was hushed up and hidden, and those involved sworn to secrecy. Alice and Matt meet Zoe Playdon, the academic who uncovered the case, to learn how its suppression might have sealed April's legal fate.Please vote for us in the British Podcast Awards: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingDo you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at britishscandal@wondery.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us for daily coverage of the Vuelta a España recorded on the road as the race makes its way from Turin to Madrid. Our daily coverage features race analysis, interviews and daily postcards from  Spain. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Ben Proud sent shockwaves through the swimming community on Wednesday morning with his announcement that he's joining the Enhanced Games, essentially ending his competitive career on the international stage representing Great Britain. Although it's not yet confirmed if Proud plans to be put on the Enhanced Games doping protocol, or race in the Games clean, World Aquatics has enacted a new bylaw barring anyone who participates in the Games from competing in one of their events (this could change with the $800 million lawsuit the Games filed last month). Following the bombshell news drop on Wednesday, SwimSwam's Braden Keith and James Sutherland reacted to the news, outlining what they believed Proud is capable of doing at the Enhanced Games, what his motivation to join the Games might have been, and if this move will lead to more swimmers joining the Games.

What exactly is autopathy and how can we benefit from it? In this episode, Jiri will discuss the autopathic principle that demonstrates its ability to remove or markedly improve chronic or recurring problems. He also discusses the device he developed for dependable autopathic dilution preparation at home. Jiri Cehovsky, M.A. has been practicing homeopathy since 1980 in Prague. He discovered autopathy and started using it systematically in 2002. He was the first to describe it in his articles and books published in English, German, and Czech. Some elements of his method were nonetheless used earlier. Jiri Cehovsky had found some mentions of them in old Indian Upanishads, in the history of yoga and Buddhism, and mainly in homeopathy; however, in 2002 he introduced autopathy as a comprehensive system of healing. He designed the Autopathy Bottle, an instrument for reliable preparation of the autopathic dilution at home. His widely known books are Autopathy – a Homeopathic Journey to Harmony was published also in  Germany, USA and Great Britain. His recent books are Get Well with Autopathy and The Autopathy Handbook. He published many articles in Czech and international journals. He is co-author of the Czech homeopathic diagnostic software KENT and HOMEO. He teaches Autopathy and homeopathy at the Prague Homeopathic Academy and lectures in courses on autopathy. He founded the Czech Homeopathic Society and served for many years as its chairperson. In 2022, he received the Award of Excellence; Pioneer in Homeopathy. Check out these episode highlights: 02:27 - Jiri's journey to autopathy 09:18 - How did Jiri first discovered homeopathy 13:05 - What is autopathy and how does it work 16:07 - How can the potency be determined 20:40 - Different kinds of preparation for different diseases 23:45 - Why not just use natural saliva instead of boiling it 27:06 - What more bodily components can be used in autopathy Know more about Jiri https://www.autopathy.com/ If you would like to support the Homeopathy Hangout Podcast, please consider making a donation by visiting www.EugenieKruger.com and click the DONATE button at the top of the site. Every donation about $10 will receive a shout-out on a future episode.   Join my Homeopathy Hangout Podcast Facebook community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HelloHomies   Here is the link to my free 30-minute Homeopathy@Home online course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqBUpxO4pZQ&t=438s   Upon completion of the course - and if you live in Australia - you can join my Facebook group for free acute advice (you'll need to answer a couple of questions about the course upon request to join): www.facebook.com/groups/eughom

-Newsmax Hotline Guest: Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer joins to break down Israel's precision strike in Qatar targeting senior Hamas leaders, and to analyze the political collapse in France and unrest in Great Britain over radical Islam and immigration. Today's podcast is sponsored by : BIRCH GOLD - Protect and grow your retirement savings with gold. Text ROB to 98 98 98 for your FREE information kit! To call in and speak with Rob Carson live on the show, dial 1-800-922-6680 between the hours of 12 Noon and 3:00 pm Eastern Time Monday through Friday…E-mail Rob Carson at : RobCarsonShow@gmail.com Musical parodies provided by Jim Gossett (www.patreon.com/JimGossettComedy) Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at http://Newsmax.com/Listen Make the switch to NEWSMAX today! Get your 15 day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at http://NewsmaxPlus.com Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : http://nws.mx/shop Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media:  -Facebook: http://nws.mx/FB  -X/Twitter: http://nws.mx/twitter -Instagram: http://nws.mx/IG -YouTube: https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV -Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/NewsmaxTV -TRUTH Social: https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX -GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/newsmax -Threads: http://threads.net/@NEWSMAX  -Telegram: http://t.me/newsmax  -BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/newsmax.com -Parler: http://app.parler.com/newsmax Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for daily coverage of the Vuelta a España recorded on the road as the race makes its way from Turin to Madrid. Our daily coverage features race analysis, interviews and daily postcards from  Spain. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. EPISODE SPONSOR Calm Calm is the number one app for sleep and meditation, giving you the power to calm your mind and change your life for the better. Relaxing sleep stories, sleep meditations and calming music can help you drift off to sleep quickly and naturally. Go to calm.com/cycle to get 40 per cent off unlimited access to Calm's entire library. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Steve Forbes calls out the ugly crackdown on speech in Great Britain, pointing out the shocking arrests and convictions of people based on what they say online, and urges the U.K. to reverse course and take some inspiration from the U.S.'s First Amendment.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Boomerang! An example in Fort Worth as to why “hate crime” laws, the entire concept of such, are a ridiculous and dangerous affront to basic liberty. Plus an example of Texas conservatives making the same mistake as Leftists on free speech and expression. Free speech and expression is always under attack from all sides! The Alex Jones case is as bad as any of the horrible cases we've recently seen out of Great Britain.The answer to speech we don't like is always: More speech.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Abbott's THC mess drags on. This is a great opinion piece on the very real problem we face that Abbott has messed up: Smoke shop labels are deceptive. Texas should stop them.Lefty A&M president reverses course. An update on the latest Texas A&M DEI/homosexual agenda promotion controversy.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The longest ever episode of TCF - not a fact of which we are proud, so we strongly suggest that you think of it as two episodes squashed together and treat it as such, being happy just to have the extra content. The reason is that there is plenty to talk about: Rory's dramatic win at the Irish Open and the fan reactions - both good and bad - which it inspired. The beautiful, yet one-sided Walker Cup and musings on whether Great Britain and Ireland needs a bit of help. And Eddie's psychological state on his return to the Hotel Planner Tour this week in Portugal. But most of all, the pod is long because we spend quite some time waiting for the appearance of a guest who might not even turn up...Visit: www.petermillar.co.ukCheck out:www.ping.comEmail:tcf@thechippingforecast.co.ukInstagram: @chippingforecast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a bumper episode, the legend that is Raymond Blanc joins Olivia Potts and Lara Prendergast. The self-taught chef heads up the double Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, has trained chefs from Heston Blumenthal to Marco Pierre White, and received an honorary OBE in 2008. His new book Simply Raymond Kitchen Garden is out now.The chef tells Liv and Lara about his earliest memories of food – from eating worms to easter eggs, how his love of food is connected to the garden and why he owes his existence to General de Gaulle. He explains how he ended up becoming 'exiled' to Great Britain, how he fell in love with Le Manoir and why he would have to choose an English chef to cook his dream meal. Plus: Lara's daughter makes a guest appearance.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1972, Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair opened SARM Studios the first 24-track recording studio in Europe where Queen mixed “Bohemian Rhapsody”. His music publishing company, Druidcrest Music published the music for The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1973) and as a record producer, he co-produced the quadruple-platinum debut album by American band “Foreigner” (1976). American Top ten singles from this album included, “Feels Like The First Time”, “Cold as Ice” and “Long, Long Way from Home”. Other production work included “The Enid – In the Region of the Summer Stars”, “The Curves”, and “Nutz” as well as singles based on The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy with Douglas Adams and Richard O'Brien. Other artists who used SARM included: ABC, Alison Moyet, Art of Noise, Brian May, The Buggles, The Clash, Dina Carroll, Dollar, Flintlock, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Grace Jones, It Bites, Malcolm McLaren, Nik Kershaw, Propaganda, Rush, Rik Mayall, Stephen Duffy, and Yes. In 1987, he settled in Jerusalem to immerse himself in the study of Torah. His two Torah books The Color of Heaven, on the weekly Torah portion, and Seasons of the Moon met with great critical acclaim. Seasons of the Moon, a unique fine-art black-and-white photography book combining poetry and Torah essays, has now sold out and is much sought as a collector's item fetching up to $250 for a mint copy. He is much in demand as an inspirational speaker both in Israel, Great Britain and the United States. He was Plenary Keynote Speaker at the Agudas Yisrael Convention, and Keynote Speaker at Project Inspire in 2018. Rabbi Sinclair lectures in Talmud and Jewish Philosophy at Ohr Somayach/Tannenbaum College of Judaic studies in Jerusalem and is a senior staff writer of the Torah internet publications Ohrnet and Torah Weekly. His articles have been published in The Jewish Observer, American Jewish Spirit, AJOP Newsletter, Zurich's Die Jüdische Zeitung, South African Jewish Report and many others. Rabbi Sinclair was born in London, and lives with his family in Jerusalem. He was educated at St. Anthony's Preparatory School in Hampstead, Clifton College, and Bristol University. A Project Of Ohr.Edu Questions? Comments? We'd Love To Hear From You At: Podcasts@Ohr.Edu https://podcasts.ohr.edu/

In this episode I was joined by 2x Ladies European Tour winner & 2x Solheim Cup participant Becky Brewerton who kindly came on for a great chat about her established career and what things are like at the minute having transitioned into a pro caddy since stopping playing in 2023. Becky is from St Asaph in Northern Wales and turned pro in 2004 after a brilliant Junior & Amateur career which included representing Great Britain & Ireland at 2000 Curtis Cup and 2002 Espirito Santo Trophy. Becky represented Wales 3 times at European Ladies' Amateur Team Championships, she is also a 2x Welsh Girls' Amateur Champion, 2x Welsh Ladies' Amateur Champion & Ladies' European Amateur Champion. In 2003 Becky held the lead until the 17th hole on Sunday at Tenerife Women's Open as an amateur. Becky turned pro in 2004 after finishing 13th at LET Final Q School and would make an instant impact on LET becoming a consistent figure on the tour. In 2007 she would win her maiden LET title at Chart Hills for Ladies English Open defeating Linda Wessberg, Kirsty Taylor & Karen Stupples by 3 shots before winning a 2nd title in 2009 at Panoramica Club for Open de Espana Femenino. Becky would get picked for 2007 Solheim Cup at Halmstad Golfklubb in Sweden joining the likes of legendary Annika Sorenstam, Dame Laura Davies, Trish Johnson, Suzann Petterssen & Catriona Matthew which was won by USA 16-12 before getting a second bite at the cheery 2 years later in 2009 at Rich Harvest Farms in Illinois which would feature a young upcoming Anna Nordqvist the first of her 9 Solheim Cups. Becky since stopping in 2023 has been caddying on LET for players such as Virginia Elena Carta & Meghan MacLaren and was good to chat about her different outlook in comparison to some of the players on the bag for. Want to thank Becky for taking time to come on the podcast it was great to speak with someone of her calibre with the longevity she showed in her glittering career. I hope you enjoy! Be sure to listen, download, like & subscribe via Podbean, Apple Podcasts & Spotify & be sure to leave a 5 star review it helps the show massively, thanks!

Join Graham Willgoss and Lionel Birnie for daily coverage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain for the first time. The race begins with two stages in Suffolk before it heads west via Buckinghamshire and Warwickshire to Cardiff, where it will mark the final chapter in the glorious career of Geraint Thomas. Our coverage features race analysis, interviews and more from the UK's home tour, with on-the-ground coverage from Stage 3 through to the finish. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log into your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Today we are joined by fan favorite Ondine Achampong, a World and European medalist for Great Britain who was a favorite to make the Paris Olympic team before an ACL injury took her out of contention just three months before the Games. Ondine shocked the gymnastics world last season when she worked her way into Cal's beam lineup around 10 months after tearing her ACL—an injury that takes most gymnasts at least a year to recover from. Now, heading into her sophomore season, she's ready to take on an even bigger role for a young and relatively inexperienced Cal team.In this episode, Ondine shares more about her recovery journey, how she handled the uncertainty of the offseason with so many changes, what led her to stay at Cal, and whether a return to elite gymnastics might be in her future.Thank you to our monthly Patreon supporters: Lee B, Cookiemaster, Christa, Happy Girl, Erica S, Semflam, Amy C, Maria L, Becca S, Cathleen R, Faith, Kerry M, M, Derek H, Martin, Sharon B, Randee B, MSU, Kimberly G, Robert H, Lela M, Mara L, Jenna A, Alex M, Mama T, Kelsey, Lidia, Maria P, Alicia O, Cristina K, Bethany J, Diane J, Kentiemac, Marni S, Betny T, Emily C, Cathy D, Lisa T, Libby C, Thiago, Taryn M, Dana B, Jamie S, Chuck C, Je_GL, Kaitlin, Susan P, Katertot, Mallory D, LFC_Hokie, Ella, Debbie, Megan F, Kay, Diane J, Julie B,, Austin K, Jane, Sarah, Amy, Stephen S, Johanna T, Alison S, Kristina T, Abigail W, Becky, Ola S, Jennifer K, Kate M, Claudia, Erin L, Sarah A, Kennedy B, Thomas B, Kihika N, Beth C, Amy, Renee PM, Ryan V, Brandon H, Tyler, Hayley B, Ben S, Kate & Landon, Danielle, ALittleUnderRotated, Dana C, Grace, Pat G , Lexi G, Laura N, Kathy, Katie A, Ruby B,, Róisín, Becca, Megan J, Emily D, Britton, Ry Shep, Reyna G, William A, MB, MJ L, Jackson G, Brittany A, Stella, Ulo F, Noah C, Melissa H, Alexis, William M, Trish, Susie, Leslie G, Catherine B, Karlin, Laura L, Katy S, J'nia G, Kathy M, Kathy S, Okcaro, Caroline P, JD B, Cookiecutter, Ailish D, Wil D, Caroline M, kcmojojojo, Sammy S, Fabio B, & Kerry H! 

Emmet Kennedy is joined by Adam Mills (Total Performance Data), Jamie Wrenn, and on-course bookmaker Michael Cannon to review a pivotal weekend in Europe's racing calendar. The Arc trials at Paris Longchamp reshaped the betting market, while shocks at Kempton and in the Moulin raised serious questions.

Send us a textIn our first ever live podcast, we spend some time looking back on the good, the bad, and the Weghorst of FC 25.  We also have a chance to hear about Bully's experience representing England (well, Great Britain) in Paris at the weekend and get the chat's take on the best and the most disappointing cards from FC 25.Support the show

One of the things that intrigued me when I became Torah-observant was that I met frum people who were fascinated to know what some of the so-called stars that I had met were like. In 1972, Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair opened SARM Studios the first 24-track recording studio in Europe where Queen mixed “Bohemian Rhapsody”. His music publishing company, Druidcrest Music published the music for The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1973) and as a record producer, he co-produced the quadruple-platinum debut album by American band “Foreigner” (1976). American Top ten singles from this album included, “Feels Like The First Time”, “Cold as Ice” and “Long, Long Way from Home”. Other production work included “The Enid – In the Region of the Summer Stars”, “The Curves”, and “Nutz” as well as singles based on The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy with Douglas Adams and Richard O'Brien. Other artists who used SARM included: ABC, Alison Moyet, Art of Noise, Brian May, The Buggles, The Clash, Dina Carroll, Dollar, Flintlock, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Grace Jones, It Bites, Malcolm McLaren, Nik Kershaw, Propaganda, Rush, Rik Mayall, Stephen Duffy, and Yes. In 1987, he settled in Jerusalem to immerse himself in the study of Torah. His two Torah books The Color of Heaven, on the weekly Torah portion, and Seasons of the Moon met with great critical acclaim. Seasons of the Moon, a unique fine-art black-and-white photography book combining poetry and Torah essays, has now sold out and is much sought as a collector's item fetching up to $250 for a mint copy. He is much in demand as an inspirational speaker both in Israel, Great Britain and the United States. He was Plenary Keynote Speaker at the Agudas Yisrael Convention, and Keynote Speaker at Project Inspire in 2018. Rabbi Sinclair lectures in Talmud and Jewish Philosophy at Ohr Somayach/Tannenbaum College of Judaic studies in Jerusalem and is a senior staff writer of the Torah internet publications Ohrnet and Torah Weekly. His articles have been published in The Jewish Observer, American Jewish Spirit, AJOP Newsletter, Zurich's Die Jüdische Zeitung, South African Jewish Report and many others. Rabbi Sinclair was born in London, and lives with his family in Jerusalem. He was educated at St. Anthony's Preparatory School in Hampstead, Clifton College, and Bristol University. A Project Of Ohr.Edu Questions? Comments? We'd Love To Hear From You At: Podcasts@Ohr.Edu https://podcasts.ohr.edu/

Join Graham Willgoss and Lionel Birnie for daily coverage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain for the first time. The race begins with two stages in Suffolk before it heads west via Buckinghamshire and Warwickshire to Cardiff, where it will mark the final chapter in the glorious career of Geraint Thomas. Our coverage features race analysis, interviews and more from the UK's home tour, with on-the-ground coverage from Stage 3 through to the finish. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log into your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Join us for daily coverage of the Vuelta a España recorded on the road as the race makes its way from Turin to Madrid. Our daily coverage features race analysis, interviews and daily postcards from  Spain. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Join Graham Willgoss and Lionel Birnie for daily coverage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain for the first time. The race begins with two stages in Suffolk before it heads west via Buckinghamshire and Warwickshire to Cardiff, where it will mark the final chapter in the glorious career of Geraint Thomas. Our coverage features race analysis, interviews and more from the UK's home tour, with on-the-ground coverage from Stage 3 through to the finish. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Daily coverage of the Vuelta a España continues, with Daniel Friebe joined by Brian Nygaard for episodes recorded on the road in Spain as the race makes its way from Turin to Madrid. Each episode features in-depth race analysis, exclusive interviews, and daily postcards from Spain, capturing the atmosphere and stories from along the route.  OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. EPISODE SPONSORS  Indeed If you are looking to hire someone for your company, maybe the best way isn't to search for a candidate but to match with Indeed. Go to indeed.com/cycle now to get a £100 sponsored job credit and get matched with the perfect candidate fast.  Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Join Graham Willgoss and Lionel Birnie for daily coverage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain for the first time. The race begins with two stages in Suffolk before it heads west via Buckinghamshire and Warwickshire to Cardiff, where it will mark the final chapter in the glorious career of Geraint Thomas. Our coverage features race analysis, interviews and more from the UK's home tour, with on-the-ground coverage from Stage 3 through to the finish. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Join us for daily coverage of the Vuelta a España recorded on the road as the race makes its way from Turin to Madrid. Our daily coverage features race analysis, interviews and daily postcards from  Spain. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. EPISODE SPONSORS NordVPN Get NordVPN two-year plan + four months extra ➼ https://nordvpn.com/tcp It's risk-free with Nord's 30-day money-back guarantee. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Darrell Castle talks about the deterioration of freedom and the imposition of top-down control of speech and thought in the mother country that once believed in the concept of freedom. Transcription / Notes FREE SPEECH OR INCITEMENT TO VIOLENCE Hello, this is Darrell Castle with today's Castle Report. This is Friday the 5th day of September in the year of our Lord 2025. I will be talking about the deterioration of freedom and the imposition of top-down control of speech and thought in the mother country that once believed in the concept of freedom. From at least the year 1215 when the Great Charter the Magna Charta was imposed on King John by the British nobles English people have had the proud belief that they were free. King John did not resist but accepted the concept in writing that the law applies equally to all Englishmen, King and commoner alike. When the American colonies rebelled it was at least in part because they wanted the rights of ordinary Englishmen which they believed they were. In a system that is euphemistically referred to as democracy, people are supposed to choose their own leaders so the government is the people. That is the belief that we accept as true even when we know it no longer is true if it ever was. I am talking about Great Britain right now rather than the United States because things are happening in Britain that would not be tolerated here or at least I hope it would not be. By way of disclaimer, I haven't been to England in many years to see firsthand for myself what is happening, but I read and follow the stories continually reported by others. Great Britain seems to be in the middle of a crises involving immigration and the rights of immigrants versus the rights of Englishmen. The English government and recently the courts have clearly taken the position that immigrant rights are preeminent and that has led to a crises that many believe is the precursor to civil war. Why would a government of the people choose to prosecute its own people for just talking about immigrants in a negative way. Unbelievable, yet we accept it as true because it is happening right now in Great Britain. For example, consider the case of British comedian Graham Linehan. I admit that I was completely unfamiliar with the man until I, like the rest of the world, read his words and followed his story. His story is all the more disturbing because it is not at all unusual in England today. Mr. Linehan was in America doing some type of project in Arizona. When he attempted to board his flight to London he was singled out and subjected to extra screening, etc. He chalked it up to the joys of air travel today but when he arrived in London he found it was a lot more than just inconvenience. “The moment I stepped off the plane at Heathrow, five armed police officers were waiting. Not one, not two—five. They escorted me to a private area and told me I was under arrest for three tweets. In a country where pedophiles escape sentencing, where knife crime is out of control, where women are assaulted and harassed every time they gather to speak, the state had mobilized five armed officers to arrest a comedy writer for this tweet (and no, I promise you, I am not making this up).” OK, here is the tweet, or printed statement, or expressed thought, however you want to say it that got him arrested. “If a trans-identified male is in a female-only space, he is committing a violent, abusive act. Make a scene, call the cops and if all else fails, punch him in the balls.” There were three tweets in total as the officers told him but I won't quote the others because there is profanity in them. This case is significant and we hear of it because the victim is a prominent man who apparently has a popular presence on British television. They confiscated his belt, carry- on bag, and electronic devices and put him in a holding cell. This case is common and is happening all the time but we know of this one for the reaso...

Join Graham Willgoss, Lionel Birnie and Tom Southam for daily coverage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain for the first time. The race begins with two stages in Suffolk before it heads west via Buckinghamshire and Warwickshire to Cardiff, where it will mark the final chapter in the glorious career of Geraint Thomas. Our coverage features race analysis, interviews and more from the UK's home tour, with on-the-ground coverage from Stage 3 through to the finish. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Join us for daily coverage of the Vuelta a España recorded on the road as the race makes its way from Turin to Madrid. Our daily coverage features race analysis, interviews and daily postcards from  Spain. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. EPISODE SPONSORS NordVPN Get NordVPN two-year plan + four months extra ➼ https://nordvpn.com/tcp It's risk-free with Nord's 30-day money-back guarantee. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

The couple must meet again in court, as their divorce case becomes a landmark battle over what defines a woman. As the pressure mounts, who will crack first: April, or Arthur?Please vote for us in the British Podcast Awards: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingDo you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at britishscandal@wondery.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us for daily coverage of the Vuelta a España recorded on the road as the race makes its way from Turin to Madrid. Our daily coverage features race analysis, interviews and daily postcards from Spain. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Join Graham Willgoss, Lionel Birnie and Tom Southam for daily coverage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain for the first time. The race begins with two stages in Suffolk before it heads west via Buckinghamshire and Warwickshire to Cardiff, where it will mark the final chapter in the glorious career of Geraint Thomas. Our coverage features race analysis, interviews and more from the UK's home tour, with on-the-ground coverage from Stage 3 through to the finish. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Preview: American Revolution: Author Molly Beer, "Angelica: For Love and Country in a Time of Revolution," reports on Angelica in London after the war enjoying the company of the most educated women in Great Britain. More later.

Join us for daily coverage of the Vuelta a España recorded on the road as the race makes its way from Turin to Madrid. Our daily coverage features race analysis, interviews and daily postcards from  Spain. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.