Podcasts about Gulf states

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.

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.

David Hunter returns to keep us updated on international news and affairs!1) President Trump signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with  Iran's leadership. The MOU included Iran promising to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for commercial shipping.  Then last week,  Iran fired missiles on a commercial ship transiting the Strait.  Wasn't that a gross violation of the MOU? 2) Iran today is again claiming it's sovereignty over the Strait and is blocking passage of commercial ships. Isn't this holding the world hostage by Iran's blockade of free shipping in an international waterway? 3) Trump is attacking Iranian shore radar and missiles in response to Iran's attacking ships in the Strait it claims are not following it's orders. Iran is counterattacking US military bases in Gulf states. The Gulf States claim Iran by counterattacking  is acting in a hostile manner on 'innocent Gulf States'.   4) Vice Pres. JD Vance has accused Israel of mounting a foreign influence campaign to defeat the US-Iran MOU and get US to continue fighting Iran.   Vance also claims Israel is funding a US smear campaign on Vance as Trump's appointed champion of getting the MOU across the finish line.Support the show

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

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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.

In today's episode of Trending Middle East, UN-backed efforts to evacuate stranded seafarers through the Strait of Hormuz are suspended after an attack on a vessel in the Gulf of Oman. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warns that ships must use routes designated by Tehran as efforts continue to restore safe navigation through the vital waterway. We also look at why Gulf states are not expected to begin reconciliation talks with Iran any time soon. Diplomats tell The National that rebuilding trust after the conflict will take time, despite US efforts to reassure regional allies. Lebanon and Israel extend their latest round of US-mediated negotiations, but significant disagreements remain over Israeli troop withdrawals, proposed pilot zones and future security arrangements in southern Lebanon. In the UAE, officials unveil Dar Al Funoon Abu Dhabi, a Frank Gehry-designed performing arts centre scheduled to open on Saadiyat Island in 2030 as part of the emirate's long-term cultural strategy. And the Emirates expands its visa-on-arrival programme to six more countries, a move aimed at boosting tourism, strengthening economic ties and making travel to the country easier. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

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

Dean Mikkelsen, a Canadian living abroad and founder of the website Power & Corridors, joins The Hub from Abu Dhabi to unpack the tentative U.S.-Iran agreement and what it could mean for the future of the Strait of Hormuz. While markets have welcomed signs of de-escalation, he argues the real story is how Arabian Gulf countries are rapidly building alternative pipelines, rail networks, ports, and trade corridors to reduce their dependence on a single energy chokepoint. Mikkelsen also explains why disruptions to LNG, fertilizer, and shipping insurance markets could have longer-lasting impacts on global trade and food prices than on oil itself. The Hub is Canada's fastest-growing independent digital news outlet.Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get our latest videos: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanadaSubscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get our best content when you are on the go:https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Want more Hub? Get a FREE 3-month trial membership on us: https://thehub.ca/free-trial/Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en CREDITS:Falice Chin - Host, Producer, and Editor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

Recorded at the Battle of Ideas festival 2025 on Saturday 18 October at Church House and the Abbey Centre, Westminster. ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION The past year has seen a flurry of announcements about military investment in Western countries. Following Trump's re-election, and his blunt demand that European countries invest more in their militaries, the EU announced €800 million of funds for defence in a package called ReArm Europe (later renamed Readiness 2030 after backlash that the package sounded too militaristic). NATO members then agreed to bump defence spending to five per cent of GDP – although some, like Spain, secured opt-outs, and members will be able to count certain infrastructure spending towards the target. Aside from Trump, the calalyst has been Russia's invasion of Ukraine and a more uncertain and dangerous geopolitical situation around the world. From clashes between India and Pakistan to continuing war in Gaza, threats from China about Taiwan, instability in the Balkans and rising tensions in South America – few deny the world is a more unstable place than it was a decade ago. The question is how Western countries should respond. Many suggest that the new period of rearmament is a necessary corrective to a longstanding vacation from geopolitical realities. In recent decades, weapons stockpiles have shrunk, armed forces have been reduced and industrial capacity has declined – to the point where few Western countries except America or Poland could sustain a serious conflict, or even a minor one. While Western states have let military spending fall down the list of priorities, newly emboldened countries like China, Turkey, the Gulf States and India have grown their armed forces. But others worry this new talk of militarism risks fanning the embers it is supposed to contain. Some joke that it could be dangerous for Germany, which has spent the postwar years being told to constrain its military, to now be encouraged to spend hundreds of billions of euros on its armed forces. Newly furnished militaries could be like Chekov's Gun – just waiting to go off. Others point to the loss of progress on arms-reduction treaties, or the dangerous rhetoric of civilisational competition. Burgeoning social-welfare commitments, skyrocketing energy prices, decades of infrastructure decay, and a lack of critical raw materials make rearmament more difficult than simply declaring a new target. But perhaps the most biting criticism is the gap between these new military ambitions and the reality at home. Western countries cannot defend their borders against illegal migration, let alone foreign adversaries. Young people profess less and less desire to identify with their country, let alone fight for it. And whatever the talk of strategic adversaries, Western countries are still dependent on Russia, China and other competitors for basic and crucial goods, from oil to batteries. Should the new talk of military rearmament be welcomed, feared or perhaps even ridiculed? When the countries comprising the West seems to be in constant tension over Ukraine, free speech or attitudes to Chinese investment, is there even a West to speak of? Is it high time to get serious about the military and prepare for war? Or do we need to cool off? SPEAKERS Dr Tim Black books and essays editor, spiked Mary Dejevsky former foreign correspondent in Moscow, Paris and Washington; special correspondent in China; writer and broadcaster Virginie Joron French member of the European Parliament, Patriots for Europe Group Tim Scott executive director, The Freedom Association Charlie Winstanley author, Bricking it: The UK Housing Crisis and the Failure of Policy; public affairs & social policy development professional CHAIR Jacob Reynolds head of policy, MCC Brussels; associate fellow, Academy of Ideas

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 President Trump is claiming the U.S. has been sneaking oil out through the Strait of Hormuz.

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.

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!

Throughout this week, President Trump repeatedly called for 6 Arab States to join the Abraham Accords, stating it was mandatory. The US administration repeatedly insisted Iran will not get a nuclear weapon to destroy Israel with, which is in keeping with Bible Prophecy. The US is pushing to have the Gulf Nations join Israel in creating an unprecedented age of peace and prosperity in the region.  This is what the Bible indicates will ultimately be achieved:  Iran will survive to fight again, the Gulf States will form an alliance with the Merchant Powers of Tarshish, and peace will come to the region with the associated prosperity.  

With Ayatollah Khamenei's demise occurring hours into the war, the West anticipated a collapse of the Iranian regime and a popular uprising that never came to be. Is a ‘memorandum of understanding' the only thing preventing total escalation in the region? In this episode of One Decision, former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove and co-host journalist Kate McCann sit down with John Raine, Senior Adviser for Geopolitical Due Diligence for the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), to analyze the ripple effects of the war in Iran and what it will take to stabilize the Middle East. What is keeping a comprehensive peace deal off the table? How did Western intelligence miscalculate the IRGC's resilience? And where does this leave the rest of the Middle East? We also break down China's pledge to support Cuba's sovereignty, the 75th anniversary of the Cambridge Five espionage scandal, and the latest in the war in Ukraine, including China's role in training Russian soldiers and the opening of a museum in North Korea that memorializes the North Korean losses in the war.   In this episode: 1:07 – Iran, Israel & Trump: The Middle East Crisis Explained 2:52 – Cuba, China, and US Spheres of Influence 6:23 – Cambridge Five: Cold War Spy Scandal Revisited 9:51 – Russia, North Korea, and Ukraine War Shifting 13:26 – Iran War: MOU vs. Formal Peace Deal Explained 16:55 – Why a Comprehensive Iran Deal Remains Out of Reach 22:41 – IRGC Resilience: How Iran's Regime Survived 29:08 – Who Has Influence Over Iran's IRGC? 33:51 – Israel's Military Objectives and Netanyahu's Agenda 39:36 – Gulf States' Vulnerability and Abraham Accords Future 45:26 – How Does the Iran Conflict End? Three Scenarios 49:47 – Sir Richard and Kate Discussion Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and journalist Kate McCann (Political Editor at Times Radio). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

We discuss new diplomatic efforts to resolve the US-Iran war and Pakistan’s attempts at mediation. Plus: political turmoil in Turkey, a flick through the international papers and highlights from the 79th Cannes Film Festival.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

Your daily news in under three minutes. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes! Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Iran now controls the Strait of Hormuz. They have access to 30 of their 33 missile launching sites along the Persian Gulf coastline. They have tens of thousands of drones, mobile missile launchers moved inland, and have already struck a Qatari natural gas facility that will take years to repair. The American military umbrella that once protected Gulf State energy infrastructure has been exposed as ineffective. Hawk walks through Kagan's full argument, including what a post-American world order looks like when China and Russia emerge stronger, when Gulf States and European nations begin normalizing relations with Iran, and when America's weapons stockpiles are critically depleted after six weeks of nonstop bombing with no clear strategic objective from the start. Fox News analyst and retired Army General Jack Keane says the U.S. is preparing to return to full-scale combat operations. Trump has reportedly asked the intelligence community to assess what it would look like to simply declare victory and leave. The U.S. has also just rejected Iran's latest peace deal. The nuclear question is real. Israel has the Samson Option. Trump is backed into a corner. Neither Trump nor Netanyahu has shown restraint when losing. 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

As Trump Desperately Tries to Make a Deal With Iran, Will Israel Be the Spoiler? | Pressure on Trump From the Saudis and Gulf States to Make a Deal With Iran | Russia's Descent Into Madness and Murder Under Putin backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social linktr.ee/backgroundbriefing

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.

PREVIEW FOR LATER: Ahmad Sharawi details Iranian attacks in the Gulf targeting energy and civilian infrastructure, particularly in the UAE. Gulf states are rapidly bolstering defenses using Ukrainian air defense systems and knowledge. Despite these efforts, Iran is expected to maintain its strategy of targeting critical infrastructure in future conflict phases.1909 ARABIA