Podcasts about Gulf states

EDITORIAL: Fissures in US' alliance with Gulf states | Aug. 21, 2026Check out our Streaming Channel: https://streaming.manilatimes.net/Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribeVisit our website at https://www.manilatimes.netFollow us:Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebookInstagram - https://tmt.ph/instagramTwitter - https://tmt.ph/twitterDailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotionSubscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digitalCheck out our Podcasts:Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotifyApple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcastsAmazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusicDeezer: https://tmt.ph/deezerStitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcherTune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein#TheManilaTimes#VoiceOfTheTimes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

War Room Gulf States Accept New Normal in Hormuz: Tehran in Control… PLUS, Former NFL MVP Confirms Coaches, Executives, and Players Bought Fake Vaxx Cards to Dodge Covid Mandates 

Once again, Darrell Castle discusses war but with a little diplomacy and an historical reminder that technology constantly changes but human nature never changes. Transcription / Notes THE HUMILIATION FACTOR Hello, this is Darrell Castle with today's Castle Report. This is Friday the 7th day of August in the year of our Lord 2026. I'm afraid my beat is war once again but with a little diplomacy and an historical reminder that technology constantly changes but human nature never changes. For the history lesson I have to go back to December 7th, 1941, and perhaps even a few days before that. This story is important because of the title to this report but also because yesterday, August 6 was the 81st anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima Japan. The United States was engaged in diplomacy with Japan regarding Japan's invasion of China and Roosevelt's refusal to sell them more oil until they left China. The Japanese had to import virtually all their raw materials and they got oil primarily from the U.S. The Japanese had behaved so horribly in China that Roosevelt tried to persuade the Europeans to join him in a conditional boycott but they refused so he decided to do it himself. If you want to know more about how the Japanese behaved in China I recommend Iris Chang's book “The Rape of Nanchang, The Forgotten Holocaust of World War ll. Well, at least the two sides were talking to each other through diplomats around a conference table in Washington D.C. The Japanese knew that if the U.S. continued to refuse to sell them oil they would have to get it by conquering the oil and rubber rich nations of the South Pacific so they made plans to do just that. Those nations could not be conquered with the U.S. Navy at large in the Pacific so Japan's plan included that Navy's destruction in an attack we know as Pearl Harbor. Admiral Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese Fleet, had given orders that a war warning had to given to the American diplomats about one hour before the attack but delays of various kinds caused the warning to be delivered one hour after battleship row was burning. The Japanese believed that when the decadent, luxury loving, American people were confronted with this debacle they would demand that their leaders negotiate a way out of it. There were an awful lot of American members of Congress and the Senate who were in office because they were opposed to fighting European wars. There was an America first contingent which measured about 140 members. How could any nation so divided muster the will to fight a long bloody war, but the Japanese were catastrophically wrong in their assessment. Immediately after the attack the America first group voted to disband. Charles Linberg, the most outspoken and most famous antiwar advocate tried to join the Army Air Corps. Men lined up around the block in every city in America. School boys lied about their age to enlist. Keep in mind that in Japan every radio receiver in every military unit was tuned to American broadcasts in order to discern the mood of the people. Military transcriptionists took down every word of every broadcast and on December 8th at 12:30 PM they were turned in for FDR's speech. He spoke for only 6 minutes and none of it was a call for patience or negotiation but instead he called it a day that will live in infamy. The American people and the President were fueled to righteous anger by the deceptive nature of it. The term sneak attack was on everyone's lips and worse because it happened while the two sides were negotiating. That's a long history report, folks, but there is a reason for it. The reason is that another sneak attack, conducted while the two sides were negotiating has now happened. The anger, the determination to fight on no matter how long it took that fueled American resolve is now being felt by citizens of The Islamic Republic of Iran. Yes American diplomats were negotiating with Iranian diplomats when the U.S, and Israeli bombers struck. The attack didn't just destroy Iranian military targets, but it killed their supreme leader and almost his whole family including his 14-month-old granddaughter. The next day American bombs struck a girls school and around 160 little girls were killed but just to make sure it was hit again. How are these people supposed to feel about negotiating with America to end this war. How can they be expected to ever trust an American's word again. The problem continues almost daily as U.S. negotiators, if there are any besides the president, continue to go back on their word which is diplomat speak for lying. For example, the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding the president announced the other day called for Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz. The next day the president reneged on that point. I read someone the other day and I can't remember who said it, but he said President Trump should get the Nobel Peace Prize because he has ended the Iran War 7 times and number 8 is coming soon. Think about the mindset that the U.S. sneak attack must have created in the minds of the Iranian people. Before it happened there did seem to be a lot of unrest and a lot of division. People were in the streets protesting the harsh measures of the regime and that regime proceeded to kill thousands of them. I imagine the President was told that his sneak attack would have the same effect on the Iranian people that the Japanese thought Pearl Harbor would have on the American people. Both those assumptions were catastrophically wrong. Instead of causing the Iranian people to riot and overthrow their government it brought them together. The hated Mullahs were once again respected leaders. Thousands attended the Ayatollah's funeral. I think it was Mark Twain who said history doesn't repeat itself but it rhymes. Now the situation is so much worse for the U.S. and of course for Israel which was, apparently, the reason for the sneak attack. The Strait is at least a very dangerous place and ships can't sail without extreme danger. The entire world's economy teeters on the brink of depression. Oil and other needed mineral resources are soaring in price since about 20% of them have to pass through that chokehold. Meanwhile the President has announced a new deal being brokered by his Board of Peace involving peace in Gaza. The lynch pin would require Hamas, a terrorist group financed by Iran, to give up its arms and identify all its tunnels etc. In other words, Hamas would cease to exist and Israel would leave Gaza so that the U.S. and the Middle East members of the Board such as the Saudis and the Gulf States could rebuild it and everyone would prosper. The moment the deal was announced Netanyahu said the President sent it to him and he didn't like it. He said Israel would not leave Gaza until Hamas completely disarmed and Hamas Says it will not disarm until Israel leaves. Qatar is apparently kicking Hamas out of its country and rumors have it moving its operations to Turkey which is apparently the President's hope for the role of ensuring Middle East peace. My point in all this is that it is humiliating and embarrassing, or it should be. This country is supposed to be trusted because we have laws and rules, and we are supposed to stand for something. There are things we simply will never do and financing another country's crimes is one of those things. The first law of the land of course is the Constitution because it says it is the supreme law of the land. It restricts the power of leaders and they all take an oath to it but for most that means nothing. The standard of completely disarmed is virtually impossible to know or measure and that leaves the door open for this conflict to continue indefinitely. In the meantime, Reuters reports that the U.S. has expended more than 80% of its antimissile defense missiles. The Iranians are very smart people and they have been for a long time. They just keep putting missiles into U.S. bases and into Israel knowing that only a few will get through but it requires the U.S. to expend its supply and what then. The President announces what turns out to be a temporary halt to bombing, I guess. The U.S. position with regard to Israel and the Middle East is indefensible and I guess that's why they no longer try to defend it. The attitude seems to be the old one made famous by Baghdad Bob. You are not seeing this so just move on because everything is fine. I chose humiliation as the title of this Report because it is humiliating for a great nation to force people to pay for their own destruction. A foreign nation somehow persuades the U.S. to give it money so it can use that money to buy U.S. politicians who will then vote to fund its expansionist wars. I'll close this report on our humiliation with a few words from old friend and economist Bill Bonner. “No matter how cynical you are, its probably not enough. Perhaps Donald Trump is playing a different game altogether. He marshalls DOGE to cut spending but does not actually cut a dime out of the swollen federal budget. He makes grand theater out of tariffs but trade deficits continue unmolested. No more foreign wars, he pledges and then attacks Iran.” Finally, folks, the way out of this seems very difficult to bear but wouldn't it be better to quit now so we can manage the withdrawal rather than wait until we are forced out. The Iran War was a mistake we should admit and we are sorry we made it. We are especially sorry for those Iranian school girls and we will pay compensation to their families. It's the same decision made by the French after Dein Bin Phu when we decided to take up their war. At least that's the way I see it, Until next time folks, This is Darrell Castle, Thanks for listening.

In this segment Jimmy argues that the United States has lost leverage in its conflict with Iran, claiming President Trump backed away from additional military strikes because of military, economic, and strategic constraints — including pleas from Gulf State allies that Iran is poised to wipe them out. He cites a recent interview with former CIA analyst Larry Johnson, who contends Iran has greater negotiating leverage, that U.S. missile stockpiles are limited, and that Iran is negotiating shipping arrangements with Oman rather than directly with the United States.  The discussion criticizes statements by Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alleging the U.S. has repeatedly broken agreements while portraying Iran as the party violating deals. Jimmy also speculates about broader geopolitical consequences, including potential impacts on the Strait of Hormuz, global energy markets, and U.S. foreign policy toward Iran. Plus segments on Alan Dershowitz ripping into New York Jews for voting for Zohran Mamdani, evidence proving Fauci knew the mRNA shots were harmful to pregnant women and fetuses and Trump administration officials declaring war on anyone they decide to label "leftist terrorists." Also featuring Stef Zamorano, Garland Nixon and Kit Cabello!

The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint in the Middle East, with the US expressing hope that a deal to reopen the vital shipping lane is close, despite Iran denying direct negotiations. Africa Melane speaks to Zeenat Adam, Deputy Executive Director at the Afro Middle East Centre, about the latest developments. Early Breakfast with Africa Melane is 702’s and CapeTalk’s early morning talk show. Experienced broadcaster Africa Melane brings you the early morning news, sports, business, and interviews politicians and analysts to help make sense of the world. He also enjoys chatting to guests in the lifestyle sphere and the Arts. All the interviews are podcasted for you to catch-up and listen.Thank you for listening to this podcast from Early Breakfast with Africa Melane For more about the show click https://buff.ly/XHry7eQ and find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/XJ10LBUListen live on weekdays between 04:00 and 06:00 (SA Time) to the Early Breakfast with Africa Melane broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3NSubscribe to the 702 and CapeTalk daily and weekly newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetcFollow us on social media:702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalkCapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalkCapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalkCapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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In this edition of The World According to Irina Tsukerman, the bi-weekly geopolitical series on The KAJ Masterclass LIVE, host Khudania Ajay (KAJ) examines the dramatic escalation of the Iran-US conflict as Gulf states directly enter the war with Irina Tsukerman, a US-based national security and human rights lawyer, renowned geopolitical analyst, and Editor-in-Chief of The Washington Outsider. Together, they explore Bahrain and Kuwait's first-ever strikes on Iranian territory, Saudi Arabia's new front against Houthi forces in the Red Sea threatening the Bab al-Mandab chokepoint, the continued US-Iran exchanges, and the broader implications for global energy security—including UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband's strategic visit to Doha, Romania's shootdown of Russian drones over the Black Sea, and the ongoing Israel-Lebanon talks in Rome.

In this episode, David looks at the ongoing blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, new threats to shipping in the Red Sea, a new Omani proposal for joint Gulf State oversight of Hormuz transit and the supply crisis facing the diesel market.  

The conversation widens to the global picture: why Iran and Ukraine have shown that larger militaries can be fought to a standstill, what that means for China and Taiwan, and how Gulf allies feel exposed. They connect the war's cost, officially put at 37.5 billion but estimated far higher, to defense and oil interests, and to a Congress they argue has stopped representing constituents. The back half turns to elections. Both stress that the president has no power over elections run by states, walk through the window between Election Day and January that concerns them most, and cite the prosecutions of Tina Peters and others as deterrents. Angry Male Vet closes with his voting rights march across the South and a message about not being scared into silence. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Today's Episode is one of those interviews that give you a warm feeling of anticipation when you get it in the diary, then when you're researching and preparing the questions, you're really looking forward to it, and finally the recording itself session happens and it goes even better than you hoped. Now a couple of weeks later I have just listened back and I'm still smiling because this is something quite special and very different from the everyday. Richard Brindle and Clive Washbourn are two of the most celebrated underwriters of their generation and have each been on the podcast more than once in their own right. For the last five years Richard and Clive have been underwriting under the same group organisational roof in The Fidelis Partnership and Navium respectively. Richard even cited Clive's new-found joie de vivre at Navium as the inspiration for the bifurcation of Fidelis into the Fidelis Partnership and Pelagos. This podcast is only briefly about the grand issues of the day. My interviewees very quickly deal with these and then we start examining much more timeless and valuable questions. The core of this meeting is really a long discussion about what makes a good underwriter and then what makes a good underwriter a great one. We examine all of this in the context of the AI revolution and how to apply it to the business of outperforming in insurance underwriting. This is a masterclass that will teach you an awful lot. Along the way you'll also spend quality time with two of the market's strongest and most charismatic personalities. The result is an instant classic that provides a valuable listen for any insurance professional at any stage in their career. NOTES: At time of recording Fidelis Insurance Group had only just rebranded to Pelagos Insurance Capital, so if there is the odd slip of the tongue, be clear that we should have referred to Pelagos, and will definitely be doing so from now onwards. Richard mentions the Sharpe Ratio, which is an investment metric used to measure the relative volatility of the returns of a company. Events in Iran, the Gulf States and the Straits of Hormuz are incredibly volatile and have already changed fundamentally, even in the short time between recording this interview and its release date. Please keep yourself best informed by using up-to-the-minute news and intelligence sources. Finally Richard mentions that there are two charities. The Fidelis Foundation is The Fidelis Partnership's charity, and Richard's personal charity is called The Muriel Jones Foundation. LINKS: We thank our naming sponsor AdvantageGo, now part of Sapiens: https://www.advantagego.com

While Iran and the US continued to trade attacks for an eighth consecutive night, Gulf states have had to defend themselves from Iranian drones and missiles in recent days. Also, views from Spain and Argentina as Spain celebrates its second World Cup championship title. And, protests continue in the Indian capital as the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party marches on Parliament to demand the education minister's resignation. Plus, the new “Freedom Needs a Soundtrack” podcast tells the story of how the Tibetan Freedom Concerts began, what they achieved and what their legacy is. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Trump reignites war against Iran. Has Trump recognized the flaws in his Iran strategy? Kareem from Cairo joins Tony with analysis of what American allies in The Middle East really think about Trump's Iran strategy. Kamran from Iran tells Tony that Iran plans ground invasions of Gulf States. Margot in Israel tells Tony that Israel did not participate in last week's bombings, but anticipates an Iran strike.

AP correspondent Haya Panjwani reports on ongoing US-Iran strikes.

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports U.S. bombing of Iran is expanding as another American troop is killed and Tehran retaliates.

More than 900 wildfires are burning across Canada. One in five of those fires are burning across northwest Ontario alone. As communities are forced out of their homes - the province faces scrutiny of its handling of the emergency. But Ontario Premier Doug Ford is strongly defending his government's response.Also: Two American troops stationed in Jordan are dead - after Iran targetted U.S. bases in allied Gulf States. They are the first Americans killed in since March, as the U.S and Iran continue to trade air strikes on one another. And: Since 1960, Thousands of Toronto's elementary school students have visited the Toronto islands to learn about science and nature on overnight trips. But after sweeping school board cuts -- that program is ending. You'll hear about what's being lost, and how communities are reacting.Plus: How wildfire smoke affects people with respiratory illnesses, Women and girls lose access to humanitarian aid, Disability exhibit in Prague, and more.

Darrell Castle discusses war once again because it seems that the more we are told a political solution has been reached, the more missiles and drones are fired at more targets. Then retaliation has to come so, no solution. Transcription / Notes: THE ENEMY GETS A VOTE Hello, this is Darrell Castle with today's Castle Report. This is Friday the 17th day of July in the year of our Lord 2026. My beat today is war once again because it seems that the more we are told a political solution has been reached more missiles and drones are fired at more targets and then retaliation has to come so no solution. The president is in a difficult position but it is apparently of his own making. He is not an Eisenhower with many years of experience commanding vast armies in some of the biggest campaigns in human history. He instead is forced to rely on his team of advisors and so they tell him where he should go and what the consequences will be. They must have told him that Iran was ripe for the taking and would fall just like Venezuela but Iran is different and any experienced military person should have been able to see that. Power unhinges people and people who seek it are often unhinged to start with. That is part of the reason Mr. Jefferson told us that every 20 years or so we should have a revolution to reset things such as personal liberty. He reminded us that government agents are not saints or angels but they are instead ordinary humans with all the vices and weaknesses of other ordinary humans. President Trump started rearranging his group of military advisors as soon as he was elected because having no real military experience himself I suppose he wanted people around him who would put the best spin on what he wanted to do. Do you think I can force Iran, a real and very large country, to surrender and concede its own desires using only naval and air forces. Oh yes, Mr. President, Iran will crumble when attacked and the people will rise up and overthrow the government and that will be it except that you will be an international conquering hero. To get the team of advisors who would tell him that certain changes had to be made. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs who is supposed to be his top military advisor announced his retirement one month after the inauguration. The Secretary of Defense was changed which is normal for the new president but then the Department of Defense became the Department of War. I admit that is a more honest name and cuts out some hypocrisy but it sends a very bellingerite message. So, this war, this attack against a country that was apparently no threat to the United States was supposed to resolve problems standing in the way of the Greater Israel Project but it had the opposite effect. Israel is much weaker and in a more tenuous position and Iran is much stronger and in a more commanding position because of the war. When I say Israel is weaker I mean that it literally has no friends except the United States and is for the most part hated around the world. A nation that has sponsored terrorism through proxies across the Middle East is now seen as the heroic barrier to Israel's genocide. The United States has suffered a humiliating defeat or at least it is unable to keep the Strait of Hormuz open with its navy. U.S. bases across the Middle East have been repeatedly attacked by Iranian missiles and drones as have U.S. allies in the region. Just the other day Jordan which has tried very hard to stay out of the struggle and says it has no foreign bases had 10 or 12 missiles fired at its bases and suffered considerable damage. The bottom line for U.S, interests is that Iran has proven to the world, the U.S,. Israel and other allies that the promises of protection cannot be met. If one of the Gulf States, for example, responds to an Iranian attack it is swarmed by Iranian missiles and drones and much of their military bases have been severely damaged already. The bottom line for Israel, well let's look at it. Israel has no political way out of this that I can see. Israel's goal from the beginning has been the destruction of Iran which would leave Israel in complete domination of the Middle East south of Turkey. Israel simply cannot accomplish its goals without the U.S. but its leadership acts as if it doesn't care what the U.S. president wants. I can tell you what he wants with a fair degree of certainty. He wants out of this debacle before it creates a worldwide depression. Bibi apparently cares nothing for the United States and its people or its survival. For example, last week reports are that Bibi and the president had a lengthy phone conversation and President Trump asked him to leave southern Lebanon so he could meet one of the Iranian demands before peace. Bibi has still not complied with that request and perhaps has no intention to comply and if so Trump has no way out. Israel is not interested in peace right now, only war. Israel has not let go of its original goal and that was the complete destruction of Iran. Bibi said when it started that he had been waiting for this war for 40 years. So, let's get this straight. The United States started bombing Iran because Israel wanted and demanded it. The bombing only hurts the U.S. and makes it weaker and it is now threatening the world economy with depression. Israel will not do the basics that would allow the U.S. to escape and so Trump feels trapped, blames it all on the Iranians and restarts the bombing on an even more massive scale. Why would Donald Trump, an obviously proud and even vain man, put up with such shabby and embarrassing treatment by this ally of 9 million people which could not continue to exist without the U.S. That is the question of the day isn't it. Could it be revelations from the Epstein files. Possibly, but I don't think so because the Democrats had those files before his election and they didn't use them. Could it be money. I'm sure there's money involved but I don't think its pure greed for Trump because he is already a multi billionaire. Could it be something as simple as nuclear blackmail. That's pretty horrible to contemplate but I suppose it's possible. How would that work, who knows for sure, but maybe something like this. If you don't help me destroy Iran I will do it myself with nuclear weapons. Or maybe we have planted dirty bombs all over Washington just in case. Let me be clear folks that I have no information at all to suggest that has happened I'm just wondering where the control comes from. When Trump was campaigning in both 2016 and 2024 he ran on an antiwar promise. He said he would be remembered for the wars he didn't start and that was a very appealing message to me. All I know for sure is that after the assassination attempt in Butler Pennsylvania he emerged a completely different man. First he ordered a halt to the investigation which raises all kinds of red flags. Why would you order the FBI and Secret Service to stop investigating an attempted assassination. He became close friends with super war hawks like Lindsey Graham and many others. Trump is apparently trying to get a little distance from Bibi by using Turkey and putting the Turks forward as the next rising power which could replace Iran and hopefully control Syria and Lebanon which of course includes Hezbollah. Years ago, Turkey, although a NATO member agreed to buy S-400 air defense systems from Russia. NATO was outraged because that would give Russia inside knowledge of NATO aircraft, radars, etc. The U.S, congress sanctioned Turkey and delisted it from the F-35 program. Now trump says despite the congressional ban he will sell the F-35 to Turkey as well as selling them or allowing their purchase of Taal engines for the new stealth fighter they are trying to build so if they have those engines they can make their own 5th generation fighter. The U.S. congress is not the only group outraged by the deal. Can you imagine what Israel thinks about it. I'm pretty sure Bibi would want the U.S. to destroy Turkey after it destroys Iran but I'm just guessing folks. This is not how diplomacy has been conducted in the past folks. One party never releases partial information about any deals until the paper is signed. In other words, there should be no release of information that we have a deal, the Iranians called me begging me to stop bombing, but that is what he has been doing. There is indeed something really weird about this war and the negotiations. I've lived awhile and I've been a student of history during most of that and I can't remember the U.S. attacking a country for no obvious reason, not even a bogus one that could be used as cover, so it's quite a departure from the American way. Or maybe we were born from war. We fought wars of expansion and a war that freed enslaved people, wars to help out friends in Europe and now wars apparently to maintain military control over the earth so maybe it's not such a departure. In conclusion, since the enemy gets a vote as the generals like to say, and the enemy votes to continue the war one side can't just make it all go away by proclaiming that it has. Ther is no political solution but there are a few military solutions one of which makes sense. Number one the U.S. and or Israel could destroy Iran with nuclear weapons. That would be the most catastrophic disaster in the history of man's time on earth. Number two the U.S. could invade, conquer and occupy Iran with ground troops. That solution would be very bloody and costly in terms of human destruction but also would severely damage the world economy and would probably provoke a worldwide depression. The only solution that makes any sense is the simplest one and that is to disengage. Not only from Iran but from the Middle East itself. Just come home from there and announce that the Project for a New American Century has been flushed. Announce that the U.S. will feed its own people, rebuild its own infrastructure, and bandage its internal wounds for a while. Finally, folks, I see the Castle Report not as reporting the news which you have probably heard but just giving you my take on it. Ron Psul has been doing that for 30 years. At least that's the way I see it, Until next time folks, This is Darrell Castle, Thanks for Listening.

The conversation delves into the complex geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East, focusing on the shifting relationships between the U.S., Iran, and Gulf States. It highlights the perceived weakness of the U.S. in negotiations with Iran, the growing influence of Iran in the region, and the implications for Israel and its security. The discussion also touches on the nuclear ambitions of Iran and the responses of Arab nations, as well as the potential future actions of Israel in light of these developments. We want to hear from YOU! If you would like to submit a question or comment for further discussion, please email us at: questions@abideministries.com.

SpaceX  – Price almost $135 – full retracement. Earnings season in on –  here we go! Inflation – choppy. War back on! Straits Open? Or? New Diet? CYCLOSPORIASIS PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? PayPal.Donation.Button({ env:'production', hosted_button_id:'JJJHP2GDEJC7J', image: { src:'https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif', alt:'Donate with PayPal button', title:'PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!', } }).render('#donate-button'); Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Warm-Up - CTP for SpaceX  - Price almost hit $135 yesterday - Earnings season 0 here we go! - Inflation - choppy - War back on! Straits Open? Or? New Diet? CYCLOSPORIASIS Markets - Inflation - Some Relief - IBM's Pre-Annnouncment - What does this say? - Bank earnings and an earnings cheat sheet - Some interesting chart data Health Update: Meniscus Repair next Thursday.... Today IBM stood for 'I Be Melting' as Big Blue turned into Big Blew Up... IBM: It's Been Murdered IBM: I Bought Misery IBM: Investment Board Malfunction Big Blue looked more like Deep Red today The only cloud around IBM today was hanging over the stock chart IBM investors got a free software update: Version 2.0 of disappointment. IBM'S AI FACE-PLANT - IBM shares plunged as much as 25%, putting the stock on pace for its worst session on record. - Preliminary revenue was $17.2 billion versus expectations near $17.9 billion. - Adjusted earnings were projected at $2.93 per share versus roughly $3.01 expected. - Management said customers redirected spending toward AI servers, memory and hardware while delaying software purchases. - The drop removed roughly 375 points from the price-weighted DJIA. - JCD and AH were both right and wrong for the weekly stock picks TRUTH? - President Trump says U.S. blockade will apply only to ships from Iranian ports; says Strait of Hormuz is open to all traffic except for Iran; says "Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% United States reimbursement fee with trade and investment deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States" - Can never be proven - no real numbers here.... Clearly needed to walk back the 20% item - Hormuz still hobbled - best estimates are that the ships passing are 20% of pre-war levels INFLATION RELIEF - FOR NOW - June CPI rose 3.5% year over year, down from 4.2% in May and below the 3.8% consensus. - Core CPI held at 2.6%. - Falling gasoline and energy prices drove much of the improvement. - Traders sharply reduced expectations for a July Fed rate increase. - Treasury yields fell and the Nasdaq advanced. WALL STREET BANKS PRINT MONEY - JPMorgan posted $21.2 billion in net income, helped by special items. - Markets revenue rose 35% to $12.1 billion, including an 86% jump in equities revenue. - Bank of America earned $9.1 billion as equities trading revenue increased 70%. - Goldman Sachs reported earnings of $20.98 per share and a 23.5% annualized return on common equity. - Jamie Dimon described conditions as close to "as good as it gets." THE $26.5 BILLION AI-MEMORY IPO - $ GRAB - SK Hynix raised $26.5 billion through a Nasdaq ADR listing. - The offering priced at $149 and finished approximately 13% higher the day of the offering, but sunk the next. - Demand reportedly exceeded the available shares by more than seven times. - SK Hynix supplies high-bandwidth memory used in Nvidia-powered AI systems. - The listing gives U.S. investors direct access to one of the largest beneficiaries of AI infrastructure spending. - - Samsung is on tap to do the same thing... Some Interesting Charts Best Quarters Plus One Equal vs Cap-Weight OIL'S CEASEFIRE WHIPLASH - Brent crude jumped 5.2% to $78.02 a barrel after the U.S.-Iran ceasefire broke down. - WTI rose 4.4% to $73.52. - Markets repriced the risk of interrupted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. - Energy stocks gained while airlines and the broader market weakened. - Rising oil prices could quickly reverse the energy-related improvement seen in the June inflation report. APPLE SUES OPENAI - AI PARTNERS TURN RIVALS - Apple sued OpenAI and two former Apple employees on July 10, alleging coordinated theft of hardware trade secrets. - The defendants include OpenAI hardware chief Tang Tan and technical employee Chang Liu, both former Apple employees. - Apple claims confidential product designs and manufacturing information were taken to accelerate OpenAI's consumer-device program. - More than 400 former Apple employees reportedly now work at OpenAI, highlighting the scale of the talent migration between the companies. IPO AND MEGADEAL FEVER RETURNS - Global deals valued above $10 billion reached record levels during the first half of 2026. - Mega-deals represented approximately 43% of newly announced M&A volume. - Investment-banking revenue surged across JPMorgan, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs. - Large offerings from SpaceX and SK Hynix added momentum to underwriting activity. - The boom depends on high equity valuations, strong AI demand and large transactions continuing. BANKS BANKS BANKS JPMORGAN CHASE - RECORD PROFIT - Profit reached a record $16.9 billion, or $6.14 per share, versus $5.59 expected. - Managed revenue totaled $58 billion, with every major business reporting record revenue. - Markets revenue rose 35%, led by an 86% surge in equities trading. - Investment-banking revenue increased 30% to its highest level since 2021. - Jamie Dimon warned that geopolitical tensions, sticky inflation, fiscal deficits and elevated asset prices remain major risks. BANK OF AMERICA - TRADING RECORD - Net income rose 27% to $9.1 billion, or $1.21 per share, versus $1.13 expected. - Revenue increased 15% to $31.6 billion. - Sales and trading revenue jumped 33% to a record $7.1 billion; equities revenue rose 70%. - Investment-banking fees increased 50% to $2.1 billion. - Full-year net-interest-income growth is now expected near the upper end of the previous 6% to 8% range. GOLDMAN SACHS - DEAL BOOM - Profit reached $6.63 billion, or $20.98 per share, versus $14.48 expected. - Revenue totaled $20.3 billion. - Equities revenue surged 72% to a record $7.42 billion. - Fixed-income, currency and commodities revenue increased 32% to $4.59 billion. - Investment-banking fees jumped 55%, helping send Goldman shares to a record high. CITIGROUP - DECADE-HIGH REVENUE - Net income jumped 45% to $5.8 billion, or $3.15 per share, versus roughly $2.74 expected. - Revenue rose 14% to $24.8 billion, the bank's highest quarterly revenue in a decade. - Investment-banking revenue increased 44% to $1.55 billion. - Equities trading revenue rose 45%, while fixed-income trading increased 7%. - Return on tangible common equity reached 13%, matching the upper end of management's target range. WELLS FARGO - BACK ON OFFENSE - Net income rose 22% to $6.4 billion, or $2.00 per share. - Revenue reached $22.6 billion and topped expectations. - Investment-banking revenue increased 20%. - Markets revenue rose 24% as volatility boosted client activity. - Management said the removal of regulatory growth restrictions is allowing the bank to deploy capital and expand its balance sheet. Bank Returns Post Earnings (July 14, 2026) Bank Stocks Earnings Cheat Sheet - JULY 15 - ASML: Expected EPS around $7.92 on $10.25 billion revenue; bookings, EUV demand and updated AI-chip equipment guidance will matter most. - JULY 15 - JOHNSON & JOHNSON: Expected EPS around $2.86 on $25.02 billion revenue; watch pharmaceutical growth, medical-device demand and full-year guidance. - JULY 15 - MORGAN STANLEY: Expected EPS around $2.89 on $19.38 billion revenue; trading, investment banking and wealth-management inflows are the key numbers. - JULY 15 - BLACKROCK: Expected EPS around $12.59 on $6.80 billion revenue; assets under management, ETF flows and private-market fundraising will be in focus. - JULY 16 - TSMC: Expected EPS around $3.76-$3.77 on roughly $40 billion revenue; AI demand, gross margin and any increase to capital-spending guidance are critical. - JULY 16 - UNITEDHEALTH: Expected EPS around $4.84 on $110.8 billion revenue; medical-cost trends and the durability of full-year guidance are the main issues. - JULY 16 - GE AEROSPACE: Expected EPS around $1.85 on $11.8 billion revenue; engine deliveries, service revenue and supply-chain constraints will drive the reaction. - JULY 16 - NETFLIX: Expected EPS around $0.79 on $12.58 billion revenue; advertising growth, engagement and operating-margin guidance will matter more than subscribers. - JULY 17 - TRAVELERS: Expected EPS around $5.33 on roughly $11 billion revenue; catastrophe losses, insurance pricing and reserve development are the key swing factors. - JULY 17 - FIFTH THIRD: Expected EPS around $0.98 on $3.25 billion revenue; net-interest income, deposit costs and credit quality will be closely watched. WAYFAIR GOES PHYSICAL - Wayfair opened its second large-format store in Atlanta on March 31, following the 2024 debut of its 150,000-square-foot Wilmette, Illinois flagship. - The company is building a national store network, with Denver expected later in 2026 and Yonkers, Cincinnati and Princeton locations planned for 2027. - The stores combine furniture, decor, appliances and home-improvement products, giving customers a chance to test large purchases before ordering. - The strategy is a major reversal for an online-first retailer and is designed to increase brand awareness, reduce dependence on digital advertising and capture shoppers returning to physical stores. AI SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND - PUBLIC OWNERSHIP DEBATE - Bernie Sanders introduced legislation requiring the largest AI companies to transfer 50% of their equity into a U.S. sovereign wealth fund. - The fund is projected by supporters to hold roughly $7 trillion and could finance annual public dividends and government services. - OpenAI has separately floated a much smaller proposal in which major AI companies would voluntarily contribute about 5% of their equity. - Supporters call it a way to share AI-created wealth; critics warn government ownership could discourage investment, distort regulation and reduce innovation. PSA  - That's what we do....CYCLOSPORIASIS OUTBREAK - CASES SURGE - Cyclosporiasis cases are rising across more than 30 states, with Michigan, Ohio and New York reporting particularly large increases. - The CDC reported at least 843 confirmed cases and 86 hospitalizations by July 9, but state totals and reporting delays suggest the real count is substantially higher. - Lettuce, salad greens and other fresh produce are being investigated, although officials have not identified a specific product, supplier or national recall. - The parasite causes prolonged or recurring watery diarrhea; washing produce may reduce risk, and persistent symptoms should prompt medical testing and treatment. HOW TO REDUCE CYCLOSPORIASIS RISK (FWIW) - Wash hands with soap before preparing food and after using the bathroom. - Rinse fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs thoroughly under running water; scrubbing helps but cannot guarantee removal. - Keep raw produce separate from unwashed items, dirty utensils and preparation surfaces. - When traveling in tropical or subtropical areas, use safe water and avoid raw produce you cannot peel yourself; routine chemical sanitizers may not kill Cyclospora. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? PayPal.Donation.Button({ env: 'production', hosted_button_id: 'JJJHP2GDEJC7J', image: { src: 'https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif', alt: 'Donate with PayPal button', title: 'PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!' } }).render('#donate-button-2'); THE CLOSEST TO THE PIN for SpaceX (SPCX) Winners will be getting great stuff like the new "OFFICIAL" DHUnplugged Shirt!     FED AND CRYPTO LIMERICKS   See this week's stock picks HERE Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter

The military stand-off between the US and Iran has escalated again after Donald Trump ordered a seven-hour bombing campaign targeting Iranian missile barracks, coastal radar sites, and naval bases. The inevitable Iranian response targeting its Gulf neighbours was met with rare daytime strikes by American forces. On today's episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant sits down with Tim Mak and Jacqueline Cole from the Iran War Dispatches Substack to discuss the significance of what each side is hitting and how the Pentagon is adapting its tactics against asymmetric Iranian warfare. They also discuss whether Trump's brutal threat to destroy Iran's power plants and bridges will bring Tehran to the negotiating table.Plus, worrying signs that Iran is becoming more militarised and why Jackie and Tim went to Armenia to find out what ordinary Iranians think of the war. HighlightsUS strikes Iran twice in 24 hours after Shahed attacks hit Gulf statesTrump's ultimatum to Iran: ‘Negotiate or we destroy your infrastructure'CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantTim Mak, founder Iran War Dispatches @timkmakJacqueline Cole, journalist Iran War Dispatches @jacmcoleWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump's three options to solve his Iran problemhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/09/trump-three-options-return-warTrump U-turns on Hormuz toll after one dayhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/14/trump-hormuz-toll-uturn-one-day/Even Iran's children's authors are losing hopehttps://www.iranwar.news/p/even-irans-childrens-authors-areIran War Dispatches: https://www.iranwar.news/The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Peter ShevlinVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump walks back his previous demand of 20 percent of the value of all cargo through the Strait of Hormuz as payment for the U.S. patrolling the Strait and instead says Gulf nations will be making major economic investments in the U.S.; Senate Democrats block the Senate from taking up the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), citing resumption of the war with Iran and failure of Republican and Democratic negotiators to reach agreement on spending levels, defense and non-defense, for the next fiscal year; Labor Department's Consumer Price Index inflation report for June was 3.5% year over year, less than expected; Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh testifies before a House committee, promising the Fed will tackle inflation and make its decisions without regard to politics; Senate swears-in its newest member, Darline Graham, appointed to serve out the term of her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC); Russia sanctions bill championed by Sen. Lindsey Graham before he died gets bipartisan support on Capitol Hill and in the White House; Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan testify before Congress on the Supreme Court's budget request, which includes more money for security in light of increase threats; CDC update on the cyclosporiasis outbreak across the country; House passes the Sunshine Protection Act, to make daylight saving time permanent nationwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your daily news in under three minutes.For more on these stories, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com And connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

The AP-NonZero collaboration continues! Subscribe now to AP to get a discounted membership to NonZero! 0:00 Sneak peek: Danny finds flaw in Bob's AI book 1:18 Is the Iran war fully back on? 5:59 What the war means for the future of US power 18:52 The problem with blaming Bibi 23:09 The push to intertwine the US and Israeli militaries 35:09 What's Israel's endgame for the Palestinians? 39:27 The Gulf States' new reality 45:20 Iran's plans for the Strait of Hormuz 51:54 Bob's pitch to Derek—and his other pitch to listeners ⁠Watch it on YouTube⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sneak peek: Danny finds flaw in Bob's AI book ... Is the Iran war fully back on? ... What the war means for the future of US power ... The problem with blaming Bibi ... The push to intertwine the US and Israeli militaries ... What's Israel's endgame for the Palestinians? ... The Gulf States' new reality ... Iran's plans for the Strait of Hormuz ... Bob's pitch to Derek—and his other pitch to listeners ...

Russia's Energy Chokepoint and the Shifting Global Oil Map. Michael Bernstam. Ukrainian drone strikes on major Russian refineries have triggered a severe fuel crisis, forcing export bans on diesel and gasoline. Meanwhile, Gulf states are building massive pipelines to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. These developments are neutralizing Iran's "golden weapon" and shifting global oil transit maps away from traditional naval chokepoints. (9)

A professor in Doha tells us what the latest escalation between Iran and the US means for him and other civilians in the region -- where American military bases, and the communities that surround them, are under fire again. Two weeks after earthquakes did catastrophic damage to Venezuela, thousands are still unaccounted for. Our guest says he's doing his best to support survivors through a heartbreaking situation.Donald Trump backtracks on his threat to cut off trade with Spain over its NATO contributions -- but a Spanish politician says people there are still feeling a little defensive. At the NATO summit, Prime Minister Mark Carney gets a surprising gift from Turkey's president -- and he's afraid it overshadows his offering of maple syrup. Rocker Suzi Quatro remembers her late friend Bonnie Tyler – a larger-than-life performer who eclipsed many of her contemporaries.United Airlines argues that just because you've paid for a window seat doesn't mean you'll have a seat by the window -- but that doesn't sit well with a judge. As It Happens, the Thursday Edition. Radio that assures you: having no window is actually quite paneless.

Your daily news in under three minutes.For more on these stories, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com And connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

On today's show, former A Public Affair host, Zoltán Grossman, is back behind the mic in conversation with political anthropologist, David Vine. They talk about the on-again-off-again war between the US and Iran, the proliferation of US military bases around the world, and the scale of the US military budget. Vine's scholarship shows how US military bases are the linchpin of the expansion of the US empire, creating the conditions for perpetual war. Gulf States have hosted US bases for decades, making them targets in the US war with Iran. US bases encircle the globe and more are planned for construction in the Philippines. Contrary to the claims that these bases protect US democracy, in reality, they ramp up geopolitical tensions and harm the local communities they impose on. With an erratic and dangerous president at home, Vine says that we need to start closing down these bases because they continue to operate as launch pads for unjust wars. Close the bases, bring the troops home, and build up diplomacy, says Vine. With the $100 billion the US spends on these bases, Vine says we could be funding universal healthcare and free college education.  David Vine is a political anthropologist and author of a trilogy of books about war and peace, including The United States of War: A Global History of America's Endless Conflicts, from Columbus to the Islamic State, Base Nation: How U.S. Military Bases Abroad Harm America and the World, and Island of Shame: The Secret History of the U.S. Military Base on Diego Garcia. Vine was a professor of anthropology at American University in Washington, DC from 2006 to 2024. He recently co-authored the Project On Government Oversight report The True Total U.S. Military Budget.  Featured image of a map of US military bases in the Middle East via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post The Network of US Military Bases Provoke Endless Wars appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

After the US-Israel-Iran war — and the strikes that followed the cease-fire — the Gulf states find themselves dangerously exposed. Host Alistair Taylor is joined by MEI Associate Fellow Gregory Gause to discuss the war's impact on the Gulf, their partnership with the United States, and whether the turmoil of recent months will push Gulf leaders to reassess their alliances and international engagement.   Recorded on July 1, 2026.

Peace through strength isn't just a slogan, it's exactly what's playing out in the Middle East right now. Former U.S. Senator Jim Talent joins the show to explain how American military action has shattered Iran's regional power, leaving it with little more than the threat capability of a group like the Houthis, while oil prices drop and shipping lanes stay open despite Iran's attempts to reassert leverage. Talent calls it a clear victory for the United States and credits a new coalition of allies, from the Gulf States to Israel to a disarming Iraq, for reshaping the region's future. He also weighs in on this week's Supreme Court rulings, siding with Justice Thomas's read on birthright citizenship and questioning whether the 14th Amendment was ever meant to hand automatic citizenship to children of transient foreign visitors. Strength abroad, the Constitution as written, that's the common sense conservative case Talent makes heading into America's 250th birthday. Stick around for more on the Marc Cox Morning Show. Hashtags: #MarcCoxMorningShow #JimTalent #IranPolicy #PeaceThroughStrength #MiddleEastVictory #SupremeCourt #BirthrightCitizenship #ClarenceThomas #ConstitutionalConservatism #America250 #TrumpAdministration #CommonSenseConservative #FamilyFaithFreedom #STLTalkRadio #971FMTalk

STREAMING MAKING OF THE JBS, 6-30-20261903The provided transcript features a dialogue between John Batchelor and Thaddeus McCotter regarding the geopolitical and domestic landscape in mid-2026. Their discussion highlights a shift in global power, noting how the Gulf States and Iran increasingly act independently of American influence. Domestically, the conversation centers on the Republican party's strategies and internal divisions ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. The narrative then shifts to an interview with Anne Stevenson-Yang, who describes the surreal reality of China's "ghost cities" and the economic failures of its housing boom. She provides vivid anecdotes about abandoned developments being repurposed as isolated residences for mistresses and students. Ultimately, the sources illustrate a world defined by persistent international conflict and the unintended consequences of ambitious state-led engineering.

Jeffrey Epstein's connections in the Gulf appear to have been broader and more deliberate than the older public narrative suggested. Newly released DOJ documents and later reporting show that Epstein was not merely name-dropping Arab royalty or chasing prestige from afar; he was trying to build a network across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and the wider Middle East, inserting himself into conversations about Saudi investment, the Aramco IPO, the Qatar blockade, and access to ruling-family circles. CBS reported that documents show Epstein had contacts with members of the Saudi royal family and traveled to Saudi Arabia in the final years of his life, while Reuters reported that the files show Epstein attempting to cultivate powerful political and business figures across the region.That matters because Epstein's Gulf relationships fit the same pattern seen elsewhere in his life: he sought proximity to money, state power, intelligence-adjacent figures, sovereign wealth, and elite gatekeepers, then used those associations to inflate his importance and preserve access after his 2008 conviction. The most dramatic fallout has involved Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the Dubai ports titan and longtime DP World chief, who resigned after DOJ files and reporting exposed years of communications and scrutiny over his Epstein relationship; Reuters and The Guardian both reported that the controversy triggered pressure from major investors and forced a leadership shakeup at DP World. None of that proves every Gulf figure in Epstein's orbit participated in his crimes, but it does show that his Middle East network was not some minor footnote. It was part of the same global access machine that allowed Epstein to keep moving through elite circles long after he should have been radioactiveto contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

Jeffrey Epstein's connections in the Gulf appear to have been broader and more deliberate than the older public narrative suggested. Newly released DOJ documents and later reporting show that Epstein was not merely name-dropping Arab royalty or chasing prestige from afar; he was trying to build a network across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and the wider Middle East, inserting himself into conversations about Saudi investment, the Aramco IPO, the Qatar blockade, and access to ruling-family circles. CBS reported that documents show Epstein had contacts with members of the Saudi royal family and traveled to Saudi Arabia in the final years of his life, while Reuters reported that the files show Epstein attempting to cultivate powerful political and business figures across the region.That matters because Epstein's Gulf relationships fit the same pattern seen elsewhere in his life: he sought proximity to money, state power, intelligence-adjacent figures, sovereign wealth, and elite gatekeepers, then used those associations to inflate his importance and preserve access after his 2008 conviction. The most dramatic fallout has involved Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the Dubai ports titan and longtime DP World chief, who resigned after DOJ files and reporting exposed years of communications and scrutiny over his Epstein relationship; Reuters and The Guardian both reported that the controversy triggered pressure from major investors and forced a leadership shakeup at DP World. None of that proves every Gulf figure in Epstein's orbit participated in his crimes, but it does show that his Middle East network was not some minor footnote. It was part of the same global access machine that allowed Epstein to keep moving through elite circles long after he should have been radioactiveto contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

Jeffrey Epstein's connections in the Gulf appear to have been broader and more deliberate than the older public narrative suggested. Newly released DOJ documents and later reporting show that Epstein was not merely name-dropping Arab royalty or chasing prestige from afar; he was trying to build a network across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and the wider Middle East, inserting himself into conversations about Saudi investment, the Aramco IPO, the Qatar blockade, and access to ruling-family circles. CBS reported that documents show Epstein had contacts with members of the Saudi royal family and traveled to Saudi Arabia in the final years of his life, while Reuters reported that the files show Epstein attempting to cultivate powerful political and business figures across the region.That matters because Epstein's Gulf relationships fit the same pattern seen elsewhere in his life: he sought proximity to money, state power, intelligence-adjacent figures, sovereign wealth, and elite gatekeepers, then used those associations to inflate his importance and preserve access after his 2008 conviction. The most dramatic fallout has involved Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the Dubai ports titan and longtime DP World chief, who resigned after DOJ files and reporting exposed years of communications and scrutiny over his Epstein relationship; Reuters and The Guardian both reported that the controversy triggered pressure from major investors and forced a leadership shakeup at DP World. None of that proves every Gulf figure in Epstein's orbit participated in his crimes, but it does show that his Middle East network was not some minor footnote. It was part of the same global access machine that allowed Epstein to keep moving through elite circles long after he should have been radioactiveto contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Trump lost more than the war with Iran. U.S. media tends to look at things through a bilateral or ethnocentric lens of winners and losers. The bigger story is how Trump singlehandedly altered the calculus for multiple nation states, and fundamentally shifted historic alliances. Israel stands to lose the most and is increasingly isolated now that Iran and its proxies are triumphant. But this also has enormous implications for the Gulf States who have to renegotiate their relationship with Tehran. Whether there are any actual payouts in this agreement is icing on Iran’s liquidity cake as entry to market oil prices and flows alone will amount to a huge windfall. In three short months Trump weakened the position of U.S. allies and strengthened Iran and its allies. Resources CNBC: Pres. Trump: MOU is not final, if I don’t like agreement we will go back to dropping bombs AL-MONITOR: Analysis-Gulf recalibrates as Iran emerges intact from war Al Jazeera: Will a US-Iran deal unlock $300bn in investment fund for Tehran? Middle East Eye: US-Iran deal leaves Israel isolated and Netanyahu exposed Brookings: The end of the American way of war? Media Bias Fact Check: Shafaq News – Bias and Credibility Shafaq News: Two powers, one grid: The geopolitical siege of Iraq’s economy Frontline: Qassem Soleimani’s Complex Legacy in Iraq Alcon Intel: Iran Proxy Network Post-War: Reconstitution & Threat U.S. EIA: Country Analysis Brief: Iran Tehran Dispatch: Iran Quietly Expands Oil Sales to Asia, Bypassing Western Sanctions UNFTR Resources Video: Trump Weakened U.S. Allies While Strengthening Iran. Essay: We Lost More Than This War. -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The other administration keeps the teenager grounded until the report card improves.And here's the part that really makes Leftists uncomfortable.The officials involved openly credited not just Trump's current term but his first term as well.Remember all those sanctions Democrats hated?Remember all those pressure campaigns they called reckless?Remember all the experts who assured us maximum pressure wouldn't work?Funny thing about pressure.Sometimes it works.Especially when the alternative is allowing a regime to keep funding terrorism while pretending they're interested in peaceful coexistence.The briefing described the negotiations as fruitful because of the degradation of Iran's economy and the scattering of its government.Read that again.The very conditions Democrats criticized were the conditions that produced the leverage.It's the geopolitical equivalent of complaining that a diet isn't working while standing on a scale showing you've lost fifty pounds.One official even joked that the nuclear portion was easier than expected because Iran now needs American technical expertise to clean up the mess.That may be my favorite sentence in the entire briefing.For decades Iran's leadership chanted "Death to America."Now they're apparently calling customer support."Hello, yes, we'd like help with the radioactive dust."That is not exactly the image of a conquering superpower.And perhaps the funniest part is watching the same people who spent years insisting Trump was a reckless warmonger now complain that he negotiated from a position of strength.Which one is it?If he's incompetent, why did Iran sign?If he's reckless, why is there a deal?If he had no leverage, why are the Gulf States celebrating?The administration says regional partners largely support the agreement because they viewed previous arrangements as empowering Iran to be a bad actor.Translation:The people who actually live near Iran preferred pressure to appeasement.Shocking.Apparently geography still matters.And while all this is happening, Democrats are left holding the world's most expensive collection of bad predictions.They predicted Trump would start World War III.They predicted economic catastrophe.They predicted diplomatic isolation.Instead, Iran is signing agreements that basically amount to:"We promise to behave."The same regime that spent nearly half a century telling the world it would never bend is now sitting at a negotiating table asking what it must do to regain access to markets.That's not victory.That's surrender with paperwork.And that's why the Left is struggling so hard to explain what just happened.Their entire narrative required Trump to fail.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The MOU's opening term demands an immediate end to all military operations including in Lebanon, a war Israel is fighting against Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy. Israel was not part of the negotiations, is not a signatory, and is not named. That first sentence effectively legitimizes Hezbollah. Iran retains joint control of the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. The U.S. commits to lifting every category of sanctions: UN Security Council resolutions, IAEA Board of Governors resolutions, and all unilateral U.S. primary and secondary sanctions. Iran receives $100 billion in unfrozen assets with no spending restrictions and a $300 billion reconstruction fund guaranteed by the United States, also with no restrictions. Nothing in the text prevents Iran from directing that money to Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, or ballistic missile development. On the nuclear question, Hawk notes that no intelligence agency on the planet assessed Iran as close to a nuclear weapon before this war, and Tulsi Gabbard testified before Congress that Iran had not rebuilt the infrastructure destroyed last June. The two concessions Iran actually makes, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and a pledge not to pursue nuclear weapons, describe conditions that already existed before the war started. The contrast with Obama's JCPOA is direct. Obama froze all sanctions, secured a ten-year framework, fired no missiles, lost no American lives, and released $1.7 billion that was already Iranian money owed from a 1977 arms deal. Trump spent $100 billion on the war, got 14 to 15 Americans killed, sent gas and grocery prices surging, nearly triggered a global recession, and is handing Iran $400 billion with no conditions. Iran proved its regime can survive a full U.S. and Israeli military assault. Gulf states now know the U.S. cannot protect them. Israel is more isolated than at any point in modern history. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

With Eric on vacation, Eliot welcomes Kenneth Pollack, VP for Policy at the Middle East Institute, to the show. Ken outlines MEI's mission before providing analysis on the current state of the Iran war. They discuss the difficulty of ending a conflict when both sides believe they are winning, and whether we are on the cusp of significant concessions or escalation. They explore whether the war was a good idea badly executed or a bad idea badly executed. The pair also speculate about what a successfully prosecuted war effort would have looked like before turning to the likely trajectory of the Iranian regime in the future. Ken explains the broader implications of the war for the Gulf States, Israel, China, Russia, and Turkey before closing with a conversation about why the United States cares about the region and why it presents such an enduring challenge.Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Washington Post columnist and Fox News contributor Marc Thiessen joins Brian Kilmeade to break down why a potential weekend ceasefire deal with Iran could be a disastrous lifeline for the regime. Thiessen sounds the alarm on Trump's "deal addiction," arguing that stopping the conflict now leaves the Iranian military on the 20-yard line with a $300 billion reconstruction fund to rebuild their forces. Instead of giving in to panic from the Gulf States, Thiessen details why the U.S. must finish the job and completely crush the regime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AP correspondent Ben Thomas reports the U.S. and Iran began a new round of strikes on Thursday.

AP correspondent Karen Chammas reports on a second day of U.S. strikes on Iran.

AP correspondent Ben Thomas reports President Trump is claiming the U.S. has been sneaking oil out through the Strait of Hormuz.

The wars unleashed by October 7th have left the Middle East deeply fractured—Iran battered and defiant, Gaza destroyed, Israel militarized, the Gulf insecure and divided. And an even bigger disruption lies just ahead: the oil revenues that built the modern Arab world will halve by 2050, forcing countries to redesign themselves.  Marwan Muasher—a former foreign minister of Jordan and now a VP at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace—joins The World Unpacked to make sense of a region in flux. He explains why Washington should get tougher on Israel, Gulf countries may already have peaked in power, and the end of oil could be a good thing.  Like and subscribe to our channel: https://bit.ly/38sljlH  Find the episode transcript and streaming audio, and get the show direct to your inbox, here: https://carnegieendowment.org/podcasts/the-world-unpacked/in-the-new-middle-east-no-one-is-in-charge  Host: Follow Jon on X: https://x.com/JonKBateman  Guest: Marwan Muasher: https://x.com/MarwanMuasher

The Gulf countries are spending “enormous amounts of money to try to mask the economic consequences of the Iran war from their population,” Gregg Carlstrom, The Economist’s Middle East correspondent, said on the Haaretz Podcast. Carlstrom, speaking from Dubai, explained that with the Strait of Hormuz blocked by Iran, Gulf states are flying in consumer goods, food and medicine normally imported by ship “at a huge expense” so their citizens don’t experience shortages or empty shelves in stores. However, he warned, by the end of the summer, if the security situation remains precarious and the Strait remains blocked – and especially if active warfare with Iran is renewed – the economic toll will be impossible to avoid, and these countries will worry about their many expat residents packing up and leaving. In a conversation with Haaretz Podcast host Allison Kaplan Sommer, Carlstrom described a “roller coaster” of changing attitudes in the Gulf States regarding the ongoing U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict. Initially, in March, he said, when the fighting was at its peak, leaders of most of the Gulf countries were “quietly urging the Trump administration to keep fighting until the Iranian regime was overthrown or severely weakened.” By now, he said, the U.S. president “really has lost the support he had in the Gulf,” as leaders unanimously tell Trump that “this needs to end.” The same leaders, he said, are harboring “anger at Israel” for what they see as its “major role in pushing America into this war.” As a result, he said, he is skeptical of an expansion of the Abraham Accords, as promised by Trump, in the near future. On the podcast, Carlstrom also discusses the expanding confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the failed negotiations to end it due to what he sees as the “poor job” Lebanon is doing managing its relationship with the United States. Read more: Israeli Plans for Beirut Strike Place Strain on U.S.-Iran Diplomacy How Israel's Adventures in Lebanon Are Giving Iran a Second Chance Report: Satellite Images Show Iran Clearing Entrances to Missile Facilities Buried in Strikes A 'Stupid, Futile Waste of Lives': The Empty Triumph of Israel's Latest Conquest in Lebanon Report: UAE Carried Out Dozens of Strikes on Iran in Coordination With Israel and U.S.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Journalist and author Chris Hedges joins Jimmy to argue that the US and Israel have suffered a "humiliating defeat" in the Iran war, with Iran now the dominant power in the Middle East, exerting a stranglehold on 20% of seaborne oil and natural gas, and that the war has accelerated the terminal decline of the American empire. He notes that Trump launched the war against the advice of his own intelligence chiefs and military advisers, based on a fantasy sold to him by Netanyahu that regime change would be quick and easy—and that the Gulf States were not consulted, their air defenses were stripped to prioritize Israel, and they now realize US bases are "magnets" for attack rather than protection.  Hedges warns that the key issue is the dollar: if China, Russia, and Iran succeed in breaking the dollar's hegemony as the world's reserve currency, the US will be unable to sell Treasury bonds, leading to an instant contraction and the collapse of the empire. He concludes that Trump is little more than a figurehead surrounded by sycophants who are eviscerating the administrative state, and that unlike previous Republican presidents who were reined in by establishment figures, Trump's second-term team is deliberately accelerating the implosion. Plus segments on Trump's latest threat to bomb a longtime Middle East ally and AI proving more costly for corporations than using human employees. Also featuring Garland Nixon and Stef Zamorano!

Subscribe to Inside Call me Back. ____ Subscribe to Ark News Daily ____ If Trump signs an interim deal with Iran, what leverage is left to dismantle Iran's nuclear program? As reports swirl around a possible U.S.-Iran agreement, Dan  sits down with Nadav Eyal and Mark Dubowitz to sort through what's actually on the table — and what could unravel next. The conversation centers around the core dilemmas facing Washington, Jerusalem, and the Gulf: whether this moment represents strategic containment of Iran or the beginning of a slow retreat from the leverage created by the war. They debate the risks of a “Hormuz for Hormuz” deal, the future of Iran's nuclear stockpile, the limits of economic pressure, and whether the military gains can survive a prolonged diplomatic pause. Hovering over the entire conversation is a deeper question: after months of escalation, what would victory look like now? In this episode: - What's Actually in the Emerging U.S.-Iran Deal - The “Hormuz for Hormuz” Tradeoff - Iran's Uranium Stockpile - Could Trump Sustain Military and Economic Pressure? - The Gulf States' Interests - Hezbollah, Lebanon, and the Axis of Resistance - What Israelis Think of The Deal - Will This Be Remembered as a Turning Point — or the Moment the West Blinked? More Ark Media: Want to join Ark Media? Check out our careers page for new openings. Explore Israel Votes Listen to For Heaven's Sake Listen to What's Your Number? Watch Call me Back on YouTube Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal Instagram | Ark Media | Dan X | Dan Dan Senor & Saul Singer's book, The Genius of Israel Get in touch Credits: Ilan Benatar, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo

Are the mainstream media and left-wing politicians weaponizing legal terms against Israel? In this segment, Brian Kilmeade sits down with U.S. District Court Judge Roy K. Altman, author of Israel on Trial. Judge Altman breaks down the strict legal definitions of "genocide" and "apartheid," pointing to high-level military reports that thoroughly debunk these accusations. He also exposes how Israel's advanced defense technology benefits the U.S. military and details a massive, historic shift in public opinion taking place within Lebanon and the Gulf States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As negotiations falter, again, between Iran and the US, and the Gulf States express wariness about renewing war, Magid discusses the two sides' current positions on terms to permanently end the war. Among other demands, Iran is seeking guarantees that hostilities will not resume and, in return, would reopen the Strait of Hormuz. It also continues to seek deferring negotiations over its rogue nuclear program — a stance President Donald Trump has thus far rejected. In the meantime, Magid reports, the Board of Peace is getting nowhere regarding Hamas's disarmament. The terror group feels emboldened by Iran's ability to withstand US demands, says Magid, and is tightening its grip in the Gaza Strip. Initial results from last weekend's elections for Fatah’s Central Committee show that PA President Mahmoud Abbas was elected to the panel, reports Magid, as well as his son, millionaire Yasser Abbas. Supporters of exiled prominent Palestinian Mohammed Dahlan were not permitted to participate in the elections, throwing the entire process into question. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Trump says US attack on Iran called off after Gulf assurances that deal now possible US-Iran talks stalled after Tehran tried skirting up-front nuke concessions — officials US thought Iran war would hasten Gaza’s demilitarization. Instead, Hamas is emboldened Board of Peace envoy: Hamas tightening its grip on Gaza, taxing those with nothing left US mulls asking Israel to provide PA tax funds for Trump’s Gaza plan — sources Early results in Fatah leadership vote show Abbas’s son, intelligence chief elected Backers of Abbas rival excluded from Fatah confab, despite Egypt’s push for inclusivity Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht. IMAGE: US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's Daily Briefing (ToI)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Colonel Douglas Macgregor joins the show to tell Jimmy that a new phase of the Iran war is "definitely going to happen" within days, as Iran has "instructed everybody to go below ground and hide out" and the US is bombing empty buildings — to which Iran would respond asymmetrically by destroying Gulf States' power grids and desalination plants, causing mass migration and a global depression.  He notes that after Trump's "Project Freedom" failed when Iran attacked a French-owned cargo ship attempting the US-designated route, Trump suspended the operation and is now threatening a "much higher level and intensity" of bombing if Iran doesn't agree to terms. Meanwhile, Jimmy points out that Marco Rubio's statement that the goal is to get the strait "back to the way it was" means the US had to start a war so we could go back to the way things were before we started the war. Macgregor argues that Trump's advisers are too afraid to tell him the truth because "he blows up" and "doesn't like facts that get in the way of his preferences," and that the Navy has already been forced to retreat 300-400 miles offshore because Iran's hypersonic missiles make close-in naval power impossible. He concludes that even if a deal is signed, US credibility is destroyed and "we're not going to recover from this very quickly," with a recession already underway that could turn into a decade-long depression if bombing resumes. Plus segments on mass layoffs at Ben Shapiro's Daily Wire, Putin making a major move to crush the Petrodollar and Marco Rubio begging the Chinese to save the global economy. Also featuring Stef Zamorano, Kurt Metzger and Neil Oliver!

We're joined by former U.S. diplomat Josef Burton to examine modern Pahlavism: an online, diaspora-driven movement built around nostalgia for Iran's deposed Pahlavi dynasty and the imagined restoration of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi. What was once a marginal exile politics of royalist uncles, former regime officials, and anti–Islamic Republic hawks has, in the past decade, been transformed into a bizarre right-populist scene. It's part monarchist revival, part regime-change lobby, part “Make Iran Great Again” fandom. Josef traces how this movement emerged from the trauma and politics of the Iranian diaspora, then accelerated through Persian-language satellite TV, social media influencers, think tanks, bot campaigns, and the broader ecosystem of neoconservative, Israeli, Gulf State, and MAGA-aligned regime-change politics. Pahlavism presents itself as the authentic voice of Iranians, but often functions more like an astroturfed culture-war identity: anti-regime, pro-Western intervention, aggressively nostalgic for a whitewashed “Iran before the revolution,” and hostile toward Iranian dissidents who favor diplomacy, pluralism, or any future not centered on the Pahlavi name. The movement has started to resemble a QAnon-style political subculture: very online, retribution-focused, conspiratorial, obsessed with hidden agents and imminent deliverance, and convinced that posting, doxxing, street theater, and displays of loyalty are forms of revolutionary action. But unlike QAnon, modern Pahlavism's fantasy of “the storm” has been tied to real intelligence networks, real lobbying money, and real military escalation. When the long-promised war finally arrived and failed to produce a restored monarchy, the movement was left to cope with betrayal, humiliation, factional infighting, and increasingly bizarre displays of royalist devotion. Josef Burton on Twitter https://x.com/pinstripebungle “Shah's infamous Savak deputy chief participates in LA protest” by MEE correspondent in Tehran https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iran-shah-infamous-savak-deputy-us-protest-press-review “The Problem of Iran Expertise in Washington” by Negar Razavi https://www.jadaliyya.com/Details/39946 “The Iranian Diaspora Is Fracturing Over Trump's War” by Keyvan Golsorkhi https://www.thenation.com/article/world/iran-diaspora-war-trump-israel/ “I'll Burn You Alive” by Daniel Bock https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/04/22/iran-diaspora-harassment-00092598 “How Iranian monarchist networks built ties to Europe's far-right” by Nima Ghadakpour https://www.theamargi.com/posts/how-iranian-monarchist-networks-built-ties-to-europes-far-right “Waiting for Day Zero” by Will Alden https://archive.is/20260427011144/https://www.nybooks.com/online/2026/04/22/waiting-for-day-zero-los-angeles-iranians/ Subscribe for $5 a month to get all the premium episodes: www.patreon.com/qaa Check out our new podcast series network Cursed Media! All episodes of Spectral Voyager Season 2 are now streaming! Binge the entirety of Truly Tradly Deeply by Annie Kelly and Megan Kelly as well as Science in Transition by Liv Agar and Spencer Barrows: cursedmedia.net Produced by Liv Agar & Corey Klotz. Theme by Nick Sena. Additional music by Pontus Berghe. Theme Vocals by THEY/LIVE (instagram.com/theyylivve / sptfy.com/QrDm). Cover Art by Pedro Correa: (pedrocorrea.com) qaapodcast.com QAA was known as the QAnon Anonymous podcast.