Podcasts about held hostage

This week on Virgo Season, we're knee-deep in nonsense—both figuratively and… well, you'll see.Joyhdae's fur baby survives surgery (barely forgiving her), and Ryan's health spiral leads to a surprisingly wholesome doctor visit—until his therapist ghosts him. From there, things get murky. A very messy Reddit post has us wondering if love really is blind… and nose-blind. Let's just say someone's husband is doing way too much… or not enough… in the bathroom department.Meanwhile, influencer Gabby Fe reveals she made an “emergency deposit” at Trinidad Carnival—and let's just say it wasn't at the bank. The internet reacted accordingly, and we break down what happens when TMI meets sacred ground.Also this episode: • Trump's team accidentally leaks war plans in a Signal group chat because apparently, national security is just vibes now. • Marvin Sapp shuts the church doors and demands donations like it's a sanctified stick-up. • Yolanda Saldívar is staying right where   she is—and we talk about why that's probably for the best. • Ashton Hall's 6-hour morning routine has Saratoga Spring's water sales booming, but did he secure a bag or just lose his apartment?We also dig into influencer culture, social media money moves, and the true cost of being chronically online. Oh—and a long time listener has words for Ryan about “This or That,” and she did not hold back.#VirgoSeasonPodcast ----We want to hear from you:Would you leave your partner over poor hygiene? Is Marvin outta pocket or just doing what pastors do? And what's the actual worst place to handle your business in public?    Sound off in the comments!  LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & JOIN THE VIRGO SEASON COMMUNITY!Subscribe for more pop culture insights, celebrity news, and hilarious takes!Hit the bell to never miss an episode!Share this episode with a friend who loves juicy trending topics. CONNECT WITH US:Instagram: @VirgoSeasonShowFacebook: Virgo Season PodcastWebsite: VirgoSeasonShow.com STREAM US EVERYWHERE:Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and more!----00:00 Theme Music00:05 Intro01:06 Vibe Check02:07 Early Dad Joke02:37 Vibe Check (Continued...)04:10 AITA11:13 They Sendin' Classified & Confidential Signals21:12 Held Hostage at Church...24:26 You Better Off In Jail, Girl...27:15 Using Cemetery As A Restroom...31:36 We Must Fight!34:21 Black Men Ruined By Black Mothers...?35:15 Lizzo Has A New Role36:24 Keep The Money In-House!36:47 Ashton Hall's Morning Routine48:56 The Framily Has A Bone To Pick With Ryan!50:15 Dad vs Auntie Jokes52:05 Joyhdae Has Some Words for ICE53:00 Dad vs Auntie Jokes (Continued...)55:55 Find Us On All The Things!56:21 One More For The Road...56:51 Outro

Following the Trump administration's decision to revoke $400 million in federal funding over Columbia University's failure to protect Jewish students, the university announced sweeping policy changes. Meanwhile, the U.S. moved to deport former Columbia student and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, accusing him of concealing his ties to UNRWA and participating in antisemitic campus protests. Dr. Laura Shaw Frank, Director of AJC's Center for Education Advocacy, joins People of the Pod to discuss the delicate balance between combating antisemitism, safeguarding free speech, and ensuring campuses remain safe for all students. ___ Resources: Leaders for Tomorrow: AJC's Flagship Leadership Development Initiative for High School Students AJC Supports Action on Antisemitism, Warns Against Overly Broad Funding Cuts Guidance and Programs for Higher Education Spaces The State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report  AJC Statement on ICE Proceeding Against Mahmoud Khalil Listen – AJC Podcasts: -The Forgotten Exodus: with Hen Mazzig, Einat Admony, and more. -People of the Pod:  Spat On and Silenced: 2 Jewish Students on Fighting Campus Hate Meet the MIT Scientists Fighting Academic Boycotts of Israel Will Ireland Finally Stop Paying Lip Service When it Comes to Combating Antisemitism? Held Hostage in Gaza: A Mother's Fight for Freedom and Justice Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. __ Transcript of Conversation with Laura Shaw Frank: Aaron Bregman: Hi, this is Aaron Bregman, AJC's Director of High School Affairs. If you're the parent of a Jewish high school student, you've probably asked yourself, "How can I help my teen feel proud and prepared to lead in today's world?" Well, that's exactly what AJC's Leaders for Tomorrow program, or LFT, is all about. LFT gives Jewish teens the tools to navigate challenging conversations and advocAte about antisemitism and Israel—whether in the classroom, online, or in their community spaces. Our monthly deep-dive sessions into the issues faced by Jews - both historically and today - become the place where LFT students find community, build confidence, and strengthen their Jewish identity. If your teen is ready to expand their understanding of what it means to be a Jewish leader — have them visit AJC.org/LFT to learn more. Let's give them the tools they need to step up, speak out, and lead with pride. Again, that's AJC.org/LFT.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Three federal agencies said this week that they welcomed the policy changes that Columbia University announced Friday, following the Trump administration's revocation of $400 million in federal funding. The government recalled the funding in response to the university's failure to enforce its own rules to protect Jewish students after the terror attacks of October 7, 2023. Masked protesters of the Israel Hamas War spewed antisemitic rhetoric, built encampments that blocked students from attending classes and, in some cases, took over classes.  Also this week, the government announced new charges against Mahmoud Khalil, an Algerian citizen and green card holder here in the United States, and a former Columbia University graduate student who was detained due to his activism on campus. International students on other campuses also have been detained in the weeks since. As a community that values academic freedom, as well as freedom of expression, and democracy, how do we balance those values with the importance of fighting antisemitism and making sure our campuses are safe for Jewish students?  With me to discuss this balancing act is Laura Shaw Frank, director of the AJC Center for Education Advocacy and director of AJC's Department of Contemporary Jewish Life. Laura, welcome to People of the Pod.  Laura Shaw Frank:   Thanks, Manya. Good to be with you.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   So let's start with the issue of Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student. He was detained due to his activism on campus. And we're learning from government this week that he reportedly did not disclose that he was a member of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNWRA) as a political officer.  And he was also part of Colombia's Apartheid Divest movement when he applied to become a permanent resident in 2024. He was taken into custody, though, in a very troubling way. And frankly, he was one of the few who didn't conceal his identity during the protests and encampments. He negotiated with the University. What is AJC's stance on this? Laura Shaw Frank:   Great question Manya, and it deserves a very, very careful and nuanced answer. So I want to start by saying that AJC, as it has always done, is striving enormously to remain the very nuanced and careful voice that we always have about every issue, and particularly about the issues that we're talking about here, which are so so fraught in a moment that is so so fraught. AJC issued a statement that we published on X and on our website that talked about the fact that we deplore so many of Mahmoud Khalil's views and actions. And at the same time, it is critically important that the government follow all rules of due process and protections of free expression that we have in our country. And I wanted to emphasize, while I am an attorney, my law degree is incredibly rusty, and I'm not going to pretend to know all the legal ins and outs here, but I do know this, that free speech does attach, even for non-citizens in this country. So we're trying to express a very careful position here. It is possible that Khalil needs to be deported. It is very possible. What has to happen, though, is a trial with due process that is open, transparent and legal. And once those factual findings are determined, if it is the case that Khalil has violated United States law, and has provided material support for terror, and I know the government is actually no longer relying on that particular statute, or has endangered US interests, I don't remember exactly the language that the statute has, but endangered US interests, then he can be deported.  But we want to make sure that even as we deplore so much of what he has stood for--he's been the spokesperson for Columbia University Apartheid Divest, which is sort of an umbrella organization for many, many other student organizations at Columbia, including Students for Justice in Palestine, which was banned from campus, and some other groups which have espoused terribly antisemitic and anti-Israel views and actions on campus. They have engaged in protest activity that has been at times violent and exclusionary of Jewish students.  There's a lot to be horrified by there. And even as we abhor all of that, we love America, we love due process, we love democracy, and we feel very fiercely that those norms have to be upheld, and we hope that the government will uphold them. We expressed that concern because of the circumstances of his detention, and we're watching the case closely. Manya Brachear Pashman:   We also have the government threatening to cancel about $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia. This is a separate matter, but those cuts could include funding for scholarship and research and law. Education and health care. You know, a number of students and scholars alike are very afraid that this could backfire, if indeed, this is done at other universities across the country, in the name of protecting Jewish students. That the backlash could actually hurt the Jewish community.  Do you think that there is some credence to that? And if so, how do we prevent that? Laura Shaw Frank:   It's a great question, so I want to stop for a second before I answer the question, and talk a little bit about the position AJC has taken with respect to the $400 million. We issued a statement, a letter to the government, to the task force, about the $400 million. Where we, again, expressed our enormous gratitude to the administration for shining a light on antisemitism and for taking it seriously. Which it needs to be taken incredibly seriously in this moment. And we fear that it has not been taken seriously enough until this moment, so we're very grateful that the administration is taking it seriously.  And at the same time, we expressed our concern about the $400 million dollars being withheld because of what that $400 million will fund. That $400 million is largely funding for research, scientific and medical research, and we know that in this moment, there is a great deal of research money that is being withheld in various places in this country from universities that is funding really critical research. Pediatric brain cancer, Parkinson's disease, COVID. Whatever it is, that research is incredibly important.  So we want to make sure that even as the government is doing the good work of shining a light on antisemitism and ensuring that our higher education institutions are not harboring and fostering atmospheres of antisemitism. We want to make sure that they are simultaneously not using a hatchet rather than a scalpel in order to attack the problem.  We are keenly aware that much of the most antisemitic discourse that occurs on campus among faculty is discourse that comes out of humanities departments and not generally out of science, research, medicine departments. And it feels wrong to perhaps be withholding the funds from those who are not the problem. Generally, humanities departments don't get hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from the federal government. The research that they do is of a different scale. It's less expensive. Frankly, they don't have to run labs, so the funding is really mostly in that medical and science realm.  So I wanted to just start by saying that, and would definitely encourage folks to take a look at the letter that AJC sent to the task force. With respect to your question about whether this is going to backfire against the Jewish community. It is definitely a concern that we've thought about at AJC. There have been many moments in Jewish history where Jews have become scapegoats for policies of governments, or policies in a society, or failures of a society. I'm thinking of two in this particular moment that are just popping into my head.  One of them was the Khmelnytsky massacres in 1648 and 49. I know that sounds like a long time ago, but feels kind of relevant. When Jews, who were representing the nobles in exchanges with peasants, collecting taxes, things of that nature, were attacked and murdered in tens of thousands. And Jews were really, you know, was there antisemitism involved? Absolutely. Were Jews being scapegoated for rage against nobles? Also, absolutely. So I'm thinking about that.  I'm also thinking about the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany in the 1920s and 30s, where this myth of the German population being stabbed in the back by the Jews who quote, unquote, made them lose World War I–which is, of course, obscene and ridiculous–led the way for Nazi ideology finding a foothold in German society. So I'm thinking of those moments when Jews became a scapegoat. And I'm keenly aware of how much our universities rely on research dollars to do their work, and also the anger that so many who are working in that space must be feeling in this moment. It does make me fearful to think that those who are working in the research and those who need the research, you know, people who are struggling with health issues, people who are relying on cutting edge research to help them, could say, No, this is all the Jews' fault. It's all because of them. They're causing the government to do this and that. You know, it feeds into that antisemitism trope of control. I do worry about the Jews becoming the target.  What should we do about that? I think it's very important for us to have the open lines of communication that we're grateful to have with government officials, with elected officials and appointed officials in the Administration and across the aisle in Congress, with Democratic and Republican elected officials. I think it's important for them to understand, at least, you know, from AJC's perspective, that we hope that as they continue to shine that very important spotlight on antisemitism, and continue to ensure that we hold our institutions of higher education to the standard which they must be held to, taking antisemitism very seriously and combating it with all of their power and strength. That at the same time, we want to make sure that the strategies that the government is using to address this issue are strategies that will truly address the problem. And we hope that our statements, our transparency about our stance, will help this country see the views of the Jewish community in this moment. That there are diverse views in the Jewish community, that we do care deeply about the success of higher education, about the success and the importance of research dollars, and that we also care deeply that the administration is taking antisemitism seriously. So really trying to hold that very special AJC nuance. Manya Brachear Pashman:   I know AJC offers an entire package of strategies to combat antisemitism in many different arenas, including university campuses. And I want to take a look at some of the changes that Columbia announced in response to the government's threats to cut funds, to restore those funds. They said that they would make it easier to report harassment and enable the provost to deal with disciplinary action against students who are involved in protests. These seem to reflect some of the strategies that AJC has shared, Yes? Laura Shaw Frank:   Yes, for sure. I want to say, before I respond, that there seems to be a bit of murkiness right now, as we are recording, regarding sort of where some of the some of the agreement stands. So I'm just going to just note that, that it could be that by the time we air this episode, things will be different. But AJC's strategy for higher education administrators, which could be found on our website, and you can probably link to that in the show notes too, calls for very clear codes of conduct. Calls for enforcement, clear enforcement of those codes of conduct.  We don't specifically say where discipline should be situated, because every university has a different kind of plan for how, how that should be situated. And I know that's an issue that appears to be ongoingly unclear between the government and Columbia right now, so I'm not going to say where that's landing. It's not clear to me where it's landing, yet.  But there's no question that the kinds of asks that the federal government or demands, really that the federal government has made of Columbia, are demands that are rooted in the same issues that we have highlighted on campus. So there's this issue of discipline. Not just codes of conduct, but also the enforcement of codes of conduct. We've seen very often, including at Columbia, that there are rules that are on the books, but they're not actually enforced in reality. And they're useless if they're not enforced in reality. So that's one thing that we have been very clear about in our plan.  We also have encouraged universities to think about faculty, to think about the role that faculty plays on a campus, and that's also been a part of the Columbia agreement with the federal government. Again, this is a little bit murky, still, but the federal government had asked for the Middle East and African Studies Department, maybe Asian Studies. I'm not sure exactly what the title of the department is to be put in receivership. That is a very extreme thing that can be done. Universities do it if a department is completely failing in whatever way. They could put it in receivership, give it over to somebody else to head.  And it seems, at least as of this moment, that what Columbia has done is appoint a new Vice President who is going to oversee studies in the Middle East and Jewish studies, but it's not really exactly receivership. So I'm not going to opine on what they've done, but what I will opine on is what AJC is asking campuses to do in this moment. We've alluded to it in our campus plan that we have up on the website, but we are going to shortly be issuing updated guidance specifically about how we think universities should be addressing the issue of faculty members who are creating an atmosphere that's making Jews feel harassed, or that they're advancing antisemitism. Our State of Antisemitism Report that was released about a month and a half ago showed that, I think it's 32% of students felt that their faculty members were advancing an antisemitic atmosphere or an atmosphere that was harassing of them.  And I want to be clear that obviously this is a question of feel, right? We ask the students, do you feel that way? And we know that feelings are not empirical data. Every person has their own set of feelings. And what some students might feel is antisemitic. Other students might say, no, no, that's not antisemitic. That's simply a different viewpoint. That's a perfectly legitimate viewpoint.  So with that caveat, I want to say that we're very concerned about that statistic, and we do think that it reflects a reality on campus, specifically on campuses like Columbia. And what we are asking universities to do at this moment is to think really carefully about how they're talking to faculty. How are they professionalizing their faculty?  Our Director of Academic Affairs, Dr. Sara Coodin, has been working a great deal on coming up with a plan of what we would like to ask universities to work on in this moment, to work on the summer when they have some downtime. How are they going to talk to their faculty, especially emerging faculty, TA's,graduate students and young, untenured faculty about what their responsibilities are. What are their responsibilities to have classrooms with multiple viewpoints?  What are their responsibilities to not treat their classrooms as activist spaces for their own political ideologies? What are their responsibilities to not require students to take actions that are political in nature. Such as, we're going to hold class in the encampment today, or I'm canceling class in order for students to go to protest. Those are not appropriate. They are not responsible actions on the part of faculty. They do not fall under the category of academic freedom, they're not responsible.  So academic freedom is a very wide ranging notion, and it's really important. I do want to emphasize very important. We do want faculty members to have academic freedom. They have to be able to pursue the research, the thinking that they do pursue without being curtailed, without being censored. And at the same time, faculty has that privilege, and they also do have responsibilities. And by the way, we're not the only ones who think that. There are national organizations, academic organizations, that have outlined the responsibilities of faculty.  So as we kind of look at this issue with Columbia, the issue of those departments that are the government has asked for receivership, and Columbia has appointed this vice president, the issue that we would like to sort of home in on is this issue of: what are we doing to ensure that we are creating campuses where faculty understand their role in pedagogy, their role in teaching, their role in upholding University spaces that are places of vibrant dialog and discourse–and not activism for the professor's particular viewpoints. Manya Brachear Pashman:   I'm curious, there's been a lot of talk about Columbia failing its Jewish students, and these measures, these threats from the government are really the government's way of trying to repair that. Trying to motivate Columbia to to fix that and serve its Jewish students. But I'm curious if it's not just the Jewish students that Columbia is failing by not protecting Jewish students. In what ways are–and not just Columbia, but–universities in general failing students in this moment, maybe even students including Mahmoud Khalil? Laura Shaw Frank:   I'm so glad you asked that question. I think it's such an important question. We look at universities, at the Center for Education Advocacy, and I think that so many Americans look at universities this way, as places where we are growing the next generation of citizens. Not even the next, they are citizens, many of them, some of them are foreign students and green card holders, et cetera. But we're raising the next generation of Americans, American leadership in our university and college spaces.  And we believe so firmly and so strongly that the ways that antisemitism plays out on campus are so intertwined with general notions of anti-democracy and anti-civics. And that solving antisemitism actually involves solving for these anti-democratic tendencies on certain campuses. And so we do firmly believe that the universities are failing all students in this moment.  What we need as a society, as we become more and more polarized and more and more siloed, what we need universities to do is help us come together, is: help us think about, what are the facts that we can discuss together, debate together, even as we have different interpretations of those facts. Even if we have different opinions about where those facts should lead us. How do we discuss the issues that are so problematic in our society? How will we be able to solve them?  And that, for antisemitism, plays out in a way about, you know, Jewish students are a tiny minority, right, even on campuses where there's a large Jewish population. What does large look like? 10, 15%? On some campuses it's more than that, but it's still quite small. And Jews are two and a half percent of American society. So Jews are a minority. It's very important for us to be in spaces where different views will be included, where different opinions are on the table.  Additionally, of course, discourse about Israel is so important to Jews, and we know from the Pew study and from our AJC studies that four in five Jews, over 80% of Jews, see Israel as important to their Jewish identity. So discourse on campus about Israel that ends up being so one-sided, so ignoring of facts and realities, and so demonizing of Israel and of Zionists and of the Jewish people, that's not healthy for Jews and fosters enormous antisemitism, and it simultaneously is so detrimental, and dangerous for all of us.  It's not solely discourse about Israel that is at issue. It is any time that a university is sending faculty members into the classroom who are all of the same mindset, who all have the same attitude, who are all teaching the same views and not preparing young people with the ability to debate and come up with their own views. Fact-based views, not imaginary views, fact-based views. That's incredibly, incredibly important.  One other piece that I want to mention, that I think when campuses fail to enforce their rules, why they're damaging not just Jewish students, but all students. When you think about a campus that has their library taken over by protesters, or their classrooms taken over by protesters, or the dining hall being blocked by protesters. That's not just preventing Jewish students from accessing those university facilities. It's preventing all students.  Students are on campus to learn, whether they're in a community college, a state university, a small liberal arts college, a private university, whatever it is, they are there to learn. They are paying tuition, in many cases, tens of thousands of dollars, close to $100,000 in tuition in some places, to learn and for these students to have the ability to take away other students' ability to learn is a way that the university is failing all of its students. That has to be stopped. Manya Brachear Pashman:   You talked about using classroom space, using library space, as you know, co-opting it for protest purposes or to express particular points of view. But what about the quad? What about the open space on campus? You know, there appears to be, again, it's still murky, but there appears to be an outright ban now on protests on Columbia's campus. Is that a reasonable approach or should campuses have some sort of vehicle for demonstration and expression, somewhere on its property? Laura Shaw Frank:   Absolutely, campuses should allow for protest. Protest is a right in America. Now, private campuses do not have to give students the right to protest, because that's private space. The government isn't allowed to infringe on protests, so public universities would not be able to do that. But most private campuses have adopted the First Amendment and hold by it on their campuses, including Columbia.  It is critically important that students, faculty members, anyone in American society, be permitted to peacefully protest. What can be done in order to keep campuses functional, and what many campuses have done, is employ time, place, and manner restrictions. That's a phrase that probably a lot of our listeners have heard before.  You're not allowed to curtail speech–which, protest is, of course, a form of speech–you're not allowed to curtail speech based on a particular viewpoint. You can't say, these people are allowed to talk, but those people, because we don't like their opinion, they're not allowed to talk. But what you can do is have something that is viewpoint-neutral. So time, place and manner restrictions are viewpoint neutral. What does that mean?  It means that you can say, on a campus, you're allowed to protest, but it's only between 12 and 1pm on the south quad with no megaphones, right? That's time, place, manner. I believe, and I think we all at AJC believe, that protests should be allowed to happen, and that good, solid time, place, and manner restrictions should be put into place to ensure that those protests are not going to prevent, as we just talked about, students from accessing the resources on campus they need to access, from learning in classrooms. There was a protest at Columbia that took place in a classroom, which was horrifying. I have to tell you that even the most left wing anti-Israel professors tweeted, posted on X against what those students did.  So campuses can create those time, place and manner restrictions and enforce them. And that way, they're permitting free speech. And this is what the Supreme Court has held again and again. And at the same time, prevented protesters from kind of destroying campus, from tearing it all down. And I think that that's really the way to go. Some campuses, by the way, have created spaces, special spaces for protest, like, if you're going to protest, you have to do it in the protest quarter, whatever it is, and I think that's a really good idea.  I'm an alum of Columbia, so I know how small Columbia's campus is. That might not work on Columbia's campus, but certainly time, place, and manner restrictions are critical, critical to campus safety and peace in this moment, and critical to protect the rights of all students, including Jewish students. Manya Brachear Pashman:   And on the topic of protests, as I was reading up on the latest developments, I saw a student quoted, she was quoted saying, ‘It's essentially going to ban any protest that it thinks is antisemitic slash pro-Palestine. I guess we're mixing up those words now.'  And I cringed, and I thought, No, we're not. And what are universities doing to educate their students on that difference? Or is that still missing from the equation? Laura Shaw Frank:   So I actually want to start, if I may, not in universities, but in K-12 schools. The Center for Education Advocacy works with people across the education spectrum, starting in kindergarten and going all the way through graduate school. And I think that's so important, because one of the things we hear from the many university presidents that we are working with in this moment is: we can't fix it.  We are asking our K-12 schools to engage in responsible education about the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and we have particular curricular providers that we recommend for them to use in this moment, I want to say that they are terrified to do that, and I understand why they're terrified to do that. Everyone is worried that the minute they open their mouth, they're going to be attacked by some person or another, some group or another.  And I get that. And I also believe, as do the presidents of these universities believe, that we cannot send students to campus when this issue is such a front burner issue. We cannot send students to campus with no ability to deal with it, with no framework of understanding, with no understanding of the way social media is playing with all of us. That education has to take place in K-12 spaces. So I wanted to say that first.  And now I'll talk about campus. Universities are not yet there at all, at all, at all, with talking about these issues in a nuanced and careful and intelligent way. We can never be in a position where we are conflating antisemitism and pro-Palestinian. That is simply ridiculous. One can be a very proud Zionist and be pro-Palestinian, in the sense of wanting Palestinians to have self determination, wanting them to be free, to have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  AJC has long, long been on the books supporting a two-state solution, which I believe is pro-Palestinian in nature. Even as we have very few people who are also in the Middle East who are pro two-state solution in this moment. And I understand that.  Education of students to be able to think and act and speak responsibly in this moment means helping students understand what the differences are between being pro-Palestinian and being antisemitic. I'm thinking about phrases like ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,' which lands on Jewish ears, as we know from research that's been done at the University of Chicago, lands on the majority of Jewish ears as genocidal in nature.  I'm thinking about phrases like 'globalize the Intifada,' which also lands on Jewish ears in a very particular way is targeting them, us, and education needs to take place to help students understand the way certain phrases the way certain language lands with Jews and why it lands that way, and how antisemitism plays out in society, and at the same time, education has to take place so students understand the conflict that's going on in the Middle East.  They might think about having debates between different professors, faculty members, students, that are open to the public, open to all, students that present this nuanced and careful view, that help people think through this issue in a careful and educated way. I also think that universities should probably engage in perhaps requiring a class. And I know some universities have started to do this. Stanford University has started to do this, and others as well, requiring a class about responsible speech.  And what I mean by that is: free speech is a right. You don't have to be responsible about it. You can be irresponsible. It's a right. What does it mean to understand the impact of your words?  How do we use speech to bring people together? How do we use speech to build bridges instead of tear people apart? So I think those are two ways that universities could look at this moment in terms of education. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Anything I haven't asked you, Laura, that you think needs to be addressed in this murky moment? Laura Shaw Frank:   I hope that our listeners and everyone who's following the stories on campus right now can take a breath and think carefully and in a nuanced way about what's going on and how they're going to speak about what's going on. I hope that people can see that we can hold two truths, that the government is shining a necessary light on antisemitism, at the same time as universities are very concerned, as are we about some of the ways that light is being shined, or some of the particular strategies the government is using.  It is so important in this moment where polarization is the root of so many of our problems, for us not to further polarize the conversation, but instead to think about the ways to speak productively, to speak in a forward thinking way, to speak in a way that's going to bring people together toward the solution for our universities and not further tear us all apart. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Thank you so much for this conversation, Laura, it is one that I have been wanting to have for a while, and I think that you are exactly the right person to have it with. So thank you for just really breaking it down for us.  Laura Shaw Frank:   Thank you so much, Manya.

“He told me: ‘We are the same. We are the same.' Meaning, me and the terrorists who penetrated the kibbutz are the same. They received the mission to murder and to burn, and I received the mission to hold you as bargaining chips for the release of the Palestinian prisoners. And this was a very cruel sentence, because while we were in captivity . . . they could do anything to us.” Former Israeli hostage Shoshan Haran, abducted during the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023, shares her harrowing story of survival and resilience. Shoshan was abducted from her home in Kibbutz Be'eri alongside her family, including her son-in-law Tal Shoham, her daughter, and her young grandchildren. While she and the other women and children were released after 50 days in November 2023, Tal remained in Gaza for 505 days and was released in February 2025. Now, as she welcomes Tal home, Shoshan opens up about the unbearable anguish of captivity, the emotional toll of waiting, and the devastating losses her family has endured. She sheds light on the humanity that persisted even in the darkest moments and issues a powerful call for continued global action to free the 59 hostages who are still being held. Resources: Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: with Hen Mazzig, Einat Admony, and more. People of the Pod:  U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Gaza Reconstruction, Israeli Security, and the Future of Middle East Diplomacy Why Germany's Antisemitic Far-Right Party is Thriving Instead of Disappearing Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. __ Transcript of Conversation with Shoshan Haran: Manya Brachear Pashman:   After 505 days as a hostage in Gaza, Tal Shoham returned to Israel to his wife and two young children and to an extended family whose lives have been on hold since the Hamas terror attacks on October 7, 2023. Tal had been taken hostage from his home in Kibbutz Be'eri with his wife, his children, his wife's aunt, his 12-year-old niece, and his mother in law, Shoshan Haran. Shoshan returned home with the other women and children on November 26, 2023. She is with us now to talk about welcoming Tal home, the tremendous loss she and her family have suffered, and the endless fight to get the rest of the hostages home.  Shoshan, welcome to People of the Pod.  Shoshan Haran:   Thank you. Nice being here.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Well, I'm glad that you are here to at least partially celebrate the return of your loved ones. It has been more than 500 days since that awful day in October. Can you take our listeners back a few days before the 7th, to October 4th: what were you doing that day? Shoshan Haran:   On October 4, we had a very big event of Women Making Peace in the Dead Sea, together with a sister movement, Women of the Sun. It's a Palestinian movement. Both women-led movements working for peace on both sides. And I went there with my sister Lilach and with the founder of this movement, Vivian Silver, who was my neighbor in Kibbutz Be'eri. And it was such an optimistic event, and heartwarming, we were there with thousands of women, some men also, and we were talking about the power of women to bring peace and how we should stop the bloodshed and how we should find a new way to live together in peace. That was on October 4.  Two days later, on October 6, we are getting ready for Simchat Torah, to celebrate with our family. We had the sukkah already since a week ago, and we invited my daughter, Adi, and her husband Tal and the little kids, Naveh, who was then eight years old, and Yahel (Yula), three years old, to join us for Simchat Torah. So we were cooking, getting ready for the holidays. It was a shabbat dinner, so cooking. And then we got a call from Avshal, Avshalom, he's my husband, his nickname is Avshal, and we got a call from his sister, Sharon, that wanted to join us for that evening with her daughter, Noam who was then 12 years old. And we celebrated together in the sukkah, having fun. The kids were playing all over. And then we went to sleep. We had kind of a loft above our house for hosting our guests, and that's where Tal and Adi and the kids stayed overnight. Sharon and her daughter stayed with us on the ground level, and we went to sleep. And then at 6:29am, we heard the red . . . color red is the code for attack. And we thought it is, I shouldn't say it, but the usual missile attack on us. So we went to the safe room. And then after a few minutes, we went out. My husband went up to the second floor to get Adi, Tal, and the kids down to be with us, and I started making hot chocolate for the grandkids. And then we got the warning on our–we have a community WhatsApp for alarms. And they told us that they suspect that some terrorists penetrated the kibbutz, and then we should go into the safe room. And a few minutes later, they confirmed that a terrorist attack was launched on the kibbutz. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Who was in that safe room with you? Shoshan Haran:   We were in the safe room, seven people. Tal, Adi, my daughter, the kids–my [2] grandkids, Sharon and Noam. Avshal stayed outside with a knife ready to protect his family, and also looking through the windows to understand what was going on. And then we started hearing shooting and grenades, and they got closer and closer to us. My cell phone was the only one that had reception inside the safe room. And after one hour and a half of terror, Tal texted my husband to join us in the safe room, because he understood that a knife is not gonna protect us, so there was no way. And so Avshal joined us, and Tal and him–we had a very large dinner table when we have guests, and the extensions were in the safe room, so very heavy pieces of wood. And they used it to protect the handle of the safe room door because there was no lock, but they were just pushing it against the safe room door. I heard them breaking into my neighbor's home. I heard a lot of glass and a lot of shooting and grenades. I didn't know what was happening there. And then they left.  And then they penetrated our house. They just broke into it. It's easy. It was full of windows that you could easily break into. And they started shouting at us: open the door, open the door. We did not. And then they had steel penetrating bullets that went through the safe room's iron door. And I even saw one bullet passing very close to my head. The movement of the bullet was a little bit slowed, so I could see it. And my husband shouted at me, just lie down, you know, because my head was a little bit upwards, looking at the cell phone and trying to call for help.  They couldn't break in the safe room door, and then they left, and we thought that maybe we were saved. But then after a few minutes, they brought a bulldozer, and they just cracked the safe room window. And the safe room window is composed of two steel parts that should be connected. But with the bulldozer, they were able to dismantle the window and create a crack.  And then we had a few seconds to decide to surrender or not. And then my husband and Tal decided to surrender. We were under the bed, so we didn't see much, but they understood that the crack will allow the terrorists to throw grenades into the room. So they decided to surrender.  And then the terrorist opened the window so we stopped resisting. They opened the window, and then my husband and Tal went out first, and that was the last glance that I had of my husband. And it took us a while, because we were under the bed, and we were three women and three little kids. So we went out of the room. They grabbed us through the window. And when my daughter was out, she saw her kids. They took her kids separately. And she just shouted at them, mother, kid, mother, kids. And she, she just kidnapped. She grabbed them from the terrorist. She's a real hero, my daughter.  And then they pushed us with a gun pointed at us. And when we were out of the safe room, which I saw already, six or seven members of the kibbutz were already murdered and were lying near our home, and they were pushing us towards the fence around the kibbutz, which they already destroyed.  And one of them that looks really lunatic, he handcuffed me with my hands behind my back, and they just pushed us into the car that they brought from Gaza and drove towards the Gaza Strip. We didn't see any IDF soldiers. The border was completely abolished. There was no border. We didn't see any Air Force. We saw nothing. It was just driving through the open fields into the Gaza Strip.  We were sitting in the back seat of the car. I had Naveh, my grandson, on my lap. Adi was holding Yula, and Sharon was holding her daughter, Noam. And the two terrorists were sitting in front. And when we crossed the border into Gaza–the theoretical border, there was nothing there–one of the terrorists told us, welcome to Gaza. And I said, thank you. And then we just entered into Gaza.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   You said that was your last glance of Avshal when he climbed out the window. Shoshan Haran:   So we were in captivity for 50 days, and during these horrible days, I was almost sure that both Tal and Avshal were hostages in Gaza, because they were kidnapped a few minutes before us, and I understood that the goal of the terrorists was to have hostages. And so I was very confident, I should say, that both of them are hostages in Gaza. And I knew, I knew by intuition, that Israel will demand to release women and children first. I just knew it.  And I told Adi and Sharon all the time. I said, we need to survive. Every day that we survive will get us closer to our release, because I knew that the terrorists see us as bargain chips to get their prisoners released. So I said our mission is just to survive. I need to keep my family. I need to survive.  And I thought that Tal and Avshal are also hostages, and I learned about the fact that they murdered my husband on October 7, only after I was released and I met my daughter and my son, and they had to tell me the horrible truth that he was murdered, but not only him. My sister was murdered, my little sister, my younger sister. Her husband, his caregiver.  102 people from my kibbutz, from the little community that we know, every one were murdered on October 7. Manya Brachear Pashman:   This was your sister, Lilach, who had been at the event on October 4 with you. Yes?  Shoshan Haran:   Yes, yes. Manya Brachear Pashman:   I am so sorry. May all of those memories be a blessing, every one of them in the kibbutz.  Did you stay with your daughter and grandchildren in Gaza the entire time? Or were you separated?  Shoshan Haran:   No, we were together, luckily. We were handed over by the kidnappers to what I used to term as guards in Gaza. And I use the term guards because we wanted the children to live in the belief that these people are guarding us, so we didn't call them terrorists, not even between ourselves. We call them guards.  We were moved from one house to another. So we were not in the tunnels. We were in top Hamas leaders' houses. What they did in all of these houses, they created a separate room for us, where we did not see the family of the Hamas leader, but we heard the voices. We heard the voices of the commander. We heard the voices of his wife and the children. So it was like a provisoric arrangement. And the guards were always in between us and the family. I mean, we didn't see the family, but we heard them. And the guards were the ones who brought us food and they were kind of in between.  We had an event in the second house that we stayed. We had an event of knock on the roof. Knock on the roof is a term that the IDF is using when the Air Force is aiming to hit a specific house without harming the people who live inside the house.  One time it was supposed to be two blocks away from us, so the terrorists, they know exactly the address, and they told us to get away, just to stay away from the window. So if the window is, if the glass is breaking, we will not be wounded. The second time, it was very close to where we stayed, maybe even the place we stayed, specifically so they evacuated us and the family of the Hamas terrorist who was holding us. We were evacuated to the street, and then we were taken to another house. And eventually we were taken to a fourth house, where we stayed 43 days. And in that house, the Hamas person who joined us knew English. So I started to talk. Before that the guards or the captors, didn't speak any English. They knew some very basic words, like bomb, far, go, come. You know, simple words. But in the fourth house that we stayed 43 days, the Hamas terrorist knew quite good English.  Manya Brachear Pashman: Did you seize on that and try to have conversations with your captors? We had lots of conversations and talks. I'm a very passionate reader, so I read a lot of books, including Holocaust survivors' books. I used a lot of the wisdom on how to survive when I was in Gaza. So the first thing I knew: that I should not show any weakness. I looked in their eyes, I talked straight forward, I didn't show any panic or hysterical or crying or stuff like that.  The other thing is, I knew I had to keep hope and be determined that we will be released. So that was very important, and that gave us strength. And also I counted the days. I knew the day of the week. And I knew the date. And to eat when you can. To sleep when you can. So to be very determined and very focused on the present. You don't have the capacity to think about the past or the future, you just focus on survival every second, every minute, every hour, how to protect your family and how to create some kind of a relationship with your captors. So they will get to know us, and this will give some some layer of protection. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Did you feel like you successfully fostered a relationship?   Shoshan Haran:   Yeah, it's a very tricky situation. So on one hand, I used to thank–his mother was cooking, was providing the food. We never saw her, but we heard her voice. We heard the babies on the other side of the apartment, but there was no eye contact. But when I knew that she was the one who is preparing food for us and for the captors and for her family. So every time that this guy, her son, brought us the food, I said, I want you to thank your mother. And I mentioned a few times that I appreciate the fact that they are guarding us and they are providing us the food, although it was very minimal, but still. And after a few days, we started to talk about life. I know about their salaries. I know their problems. I know how they get married or why they're not married yet.  I know about their mission. Their mission is very clear. They want to destroy Israel. It's a jihadistic mission. It's very clear. They talk about it very openly. And actually, they tried to convince us to leave Israel. He was saying, why don't you go back to Europe or go to Florida. I don't know for some reason, Florida is like, simple for them, for the Jewish community in the US. And he said, next time we're going to come harder on Israel, and I'm not sure that you'll have such a nice team to take care of you, so I advise you go, leave Israel.  And at a certain point he said, he asked me, if you go back to Israel, will you go back to the kibbutz? So said to him, I don't want to hear the word if. When we go back to Israel. And regarding the kibbutz, I said, it's a very good question, but I never gave him an answer. I knew what he wanted to hear. They were in a state of mind that, on one hand, you do create human interactions. And they played with the children. The children were so sweet, and they started to play. His family had the same age kids at the other side of the house, so there were human interactions, but it was very clear that their mission is to keep us as bargaining chips. And at one point after I felt more, I don't know, relaxed with the interaction with him, because all my talks were with this specific guy, because he was the only one who talked English. I said, you know, I am very, I don't know which expression I said, but I'm very angry about the people I saw who penetrated the kibbutz and murdered my my friends. And I saw the house of my sister was on fire. It was already bombed. You know, with, I don't know what, with whatever. Actually, I gave her and her husband like, 1% chances to be alive. What I saw in the house was, it would require a miracle for them to survive. So I told him that I'm angry at the people who penetrated the kibbutz and did these horrible things, but I do thank him and the guards and his family, to protect us and to feed us. Manya Brachear Pashman: Did you get any glimmer of remorse or compassion or empathy from them at that point? Shoshan Haran: He told me: We are the same. We are the same, meaning me and the terrorists who penetrated the kibbutz are the same. They received the mission to murder and to burn, and I received the mission to hold you as bargaining chips for the release of the Palestinian prisoners. And this was a very cruel sentence, because while we were in captivity, we were fully dependent on every expression of their faces, they could do anything to us.  So my mind couldn't handle this sentence, and I kind of buried it, I just put it aside. I didn't want to think about it, because it was so cruel. But I was sure that if anybody tried to rescue us, they will murder us. I was sure, I was not confused in that sense. I knew that they use us as assets. They see us as assets. And if they will feel that somebody is trying to rescue us by force, then they will kill us. And going to the situation now, you know that Tal, my son in law, Tal Shoham, was released two weeks ago. And actually it's the first time I started to breathe after a year and some months of fighting for his life, and, you know, taking care of helping my daughter and the grandkids and everybody, but we need To remember there are 59 more hostages in Gaza. And when we must keep on the fight. We must not give up. Manya Brachear Pashman:   A religion reporting colleague of mine, Dave Schechter in Atlanta, is a cousin of yours. When Tal was released, he wrote about how the extended family all around the world fought for and celebrated his release. Were you able to feel that love or sense that family energy? Shoshan Haran:   When I was a hostage in Gaza, I knew that my family and friends in Israel will not stay quiet, just because I know them. But as I said before, most of the time you don't think of anything else besides what's going on in your cell. Actually, I I looked at our situation as if we are astronauts in a hostile world, but unfortunately with terrorists pointing guns at our heads inside the satellite.  So when I was in Gaza, I thought about the fact that my family and friends will not stay quiet and will fight, but only on the way to Gaza. Once I was there, the focus is survival, focus. You just don't have any capacity to think of the past or the future or on anything that is beyond here and now. After I returned, first of all, Yuval, my son, told me that he organized a march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem with 50,000 people when we were in captivity. And Shaked, my daughter, she was then nine months pregnant, and she flew to the US with AJC, by the way. Without insurance. She was nine months pregnant, no insurance company would cover her flight, but she still went, and she was all over. And when they told me, I suddenly felt the connection.  And of course, I mean, I got, while I was there, I got millions of emails and, well, WhatsApp I didn't have, because my phone was stolen, but emails from all over the world, including from Africa, the places that my my NGO is working with smaller farmers, Fair Planet, we call it. Now I think it's a bit naive name, but still.  Manya Brachear Pashman: And really the Jewish people as a collective have come together at this moment in history. Were you able to feel that sense of community in your circumstance? Or if not, can you feel it now that Tal is home and you can, as you just said, breathe? Shoshan Haran:   10 days after I was released on 26 of November, 50 days after we were taken, I came to the US and AJC people helped us get meetings with congressmen and Senate members. They took us all over. I was just in the meetings. But, you know, in the corridors of the Senate, at the corridors of the Congress and in and out with meetings. And I really, really, really appreciate not only this help, but this was my personal feeling. I mean, we just landed. I was still half in Gaza and half in my freedom. And here I am in the US, talking to decision makers and influencers, and this was done with the help of you guys, so I think it's a nice opportunity to thank you. Thank you for all the help that you are doing since then. I know it started very early on.  Actually, my daughter, my younger daughter, Shaked, came to the US to meet you guys and to meet Congressmen a few days after I was kidnapped. So, when I was in Gaza, actually.  So I think, the way I see it, I always knew the importance of the Jewish people all over the world, and of course, the importance of Israel being an independent Jewish democratic country, the importance of Israel to the Jews in the world, and the importance of the Jews in the world for Israel. I knew it, but the strength of these connections was much more evident after this horrific October 7 attack. So I felt that the Jewish world is is not only with us, but on a very practical level with us, and using all the network and all the professionals in Washington, in New York, I was invited to synagogues a few times, to big synagogues in Manhattan, what I felt is that a lot of Jewish people abroad that were not so much active in their connection to Israel understood the importance of Israel to them. And the urgency to work together on this crisis. And I think this will not go away. That's my feeling.  But now we need to focus on the 59 hostages. I know the feeling I had until two weeks ago. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't smile. I mean, it's your you look at the news and you get heart attacks every single news piece, and you just cannot breathe, and the families of these 59 hostages are still in this situation, we are not allowed to forget and let go. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Thank you for expressing your gratitude. And I must echo that gratitude to you for sharing that story and reliving all of that trauma. I'm sorry that you had to remember some of those horrible moments, though I do think that they are illuminating for those who just simply can't grasp what your family went through.  You did not see Tal again until he returned to Israel. Is that correct?  Shoshan Haran:   Yes. Well, about my husband, I heard only when I returned. But there were evidence from October 7 that Tal was taken alive. People saw him in Gaza. So we knew that he was taken. We were just hoping and praying that none of the horrible things that could happen while you are in captivity will not happen to him. He had a horrible time, but it was released, and my daughter, Adi, his wife, told me it's either zero or one. Either you get your husband, your loved ones back alive, and you can rebuild your future and unite your family, or it's a zero.  And for the 59 hostages who are still in Gaza, we need to do anything that we can keep keep the pressure, keep the energy, keep the fight. If you care about the civilian Palestinians in Gaza, like I do–that all my life, I was working for peace–the only thing you need to focus on is releasing the hostages. Because the hostages, the fact that the Hamas terrorists are still keeping them there, is a devastating fact for the Palestinians, because the Hamas, they don't care about their own people.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Is it too soon to ask, once all the hostages return and they will, what comes next? Is there a movement already afoot to make sure Israel and others never forget what happened on October 7? Or is it too soon to ask that question?  Shoshan Haran:   I think once all the hostages are back, there will be as we will need, and also the Jewish people in the world will need to cheshbon nefesh (accounting of the soul). I don't know how to say it in English. To rethink and reconsider our views and our actions looking forward. I think we cannot be naive anymore and say to ourselves, you know that just saying that they want to kill us all, but they don't really mean it, and they will not be, they will not dare to do it and so and so forth. I think now we need to look at the facts as they are and recalculate our stance, our thoughts.  I think, first of all, we need to follow the money. Because one thing I can tell you, without funding, Hamas would never get to this stage, and neither Iran or the Houthis or Hezbollah, there are forces in the world who are supporting financially, the organizations or the countries who declare that they want to destroy and abolish Israel. We need to follow the money. We need to be smart. That's one. The other, and that's a big question. I'm just putting it on the table, but it's a big question how to do it, but this, we must do it. And the other thing is, the key for mutual existence is education. And what I learned recently, for example, is that the Palestinian Authority, or the people in Gaza, they do not teach about the Holocaust. They do not know about the Holocaust. The people that my captors, they were 24, 25, and 31 and then the commander was 40. Looking at the dates of the decision not to teach about the Holocaust, I'm sure they had no understanding why we are here. They think that we just came here like a colonialist or, you know, and then, if they will give us enough trouble, we will go away.  But we're not going to go away. We are staying, and until they change their mission to destroy us. We need to be stronger and smarter than them. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Shoshan, thank you so much for being with us, for sharing your story, and for giving us hope, sharing your hope, and then giving us hope that the hostages are all coming home, and that there is a future for Israel. Shoshan Haran:   There is a future for Israel. This, I'm sure, yes, but we need the Jewish people with us, and we need to work together. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Thank you so much. Shoshan Haran:   Thank you. Thank you. And regards to my friends at AJC. Manya Brachear Pashman:   If you missed last week's episode, be sure to tune in for my conversation with two scientists at MIT who have created a foundation to ensure Israeli scholars and their American colleagues can collaborate freely, and foster research and innovation that benefits all of humanity.

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Les, Kurt, and Jason are joined by friend of the pod Jason Dubray of The Shelf Shedding Movie Show podcast (@the_shelf_shedding_movie_show), and the guys all have OPINIONS about The Academy Awards (but somehow neglected to talk about the fantastic June Squibb bit). Blac Chyna has been sober for 900 days, and that leads to a discussion about apps for tracking ones sobriety. Les saw a public proposal (gasp) at The Eagle (double gasp) in front of a crowd that was there to watch RuPaul's Drag Race (triple gasp). Then it's time to go down the rabbit (K) hole that is Held Hostage in My House, a 2024 movie that aired on Lifetime in Canada starring Amy Smart, Billy Zane, Ne-Yo, Greer Grammer, and a bunch of ants. So many ants. The main takeaway from the movie: there's a kids version of Uber. Don't forget to drop your hobo dinner recipes into the comments.    Bluesky: lifetimeofhallmark Facebook : lifetimeofhallmark Instagram : lifetimeofhallmarkpodcast Threads: lifetimeofhallmarkpodcast TikTok: lifetimeofhallmarkpod Theme song generously donated by purple-planet.com  

Edith Blais was kidnapped by armed militants and held captive in the Sahara for 450 days.As a young French-Canadian who had overcome her teenage agoraphobia, Edith took several years to work up the courage to go travelling – but once she did it, she got the bug. In 2018 she backpacked to West Africa with her good friend Luca Tacchetto. When they got to Benin they were kidnapped by armed militants and taken to the desert in a lawless area of Mali, where groups linked to al-Qaeda were known to operate.The couple pretended to be husband and wife so they could stay together but Edith soon found herself held captive alone, kept in isolation for long periods of time. As well as suffering physically with dehydration and starvation, she had to find different techniques to keep her mind strong and stay sane. A borrowed pen enabled her to write poetry, and she sang songs to remind herself of her own voice.After agreeing to convert to Islam she was eventually reunited with Luca. By this time they had been held for 14 months, and they knew they had to break free. But with their captors never more than a few feet away from them, how would they do it? Edith spoke to Jo Fidgen in 2021 about how forces of nature aided their staggering escape. Edith's book about her time in captivity is called The Weight of Sand.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Katy TakatsukiPicture: Edith Blais Credit: Sara Mauve RavenelleGet in touch: liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784

Andrey Kozlov was taken hostage on October 7th and held in Gaza for 8 months. He was rescued by the IDF in a daring operation deep in enemy territory on June 8th 2024.   ► Colel Chabad Pushka App - The easiest way to give Tzedaka   https://pushka.cc/meaningful __________________________________________________   ► PZ Deals - Download the app and never pay full price again!   https://app.pz.deals/install/mpp __________________________________________________   ► Rothenberg Law Firm - Personal Injury Law Firm For 50+ years! Reach out today for a free case evaluation   https://shorturl.at/TsoU6 __________________________________________________   ► Town Appliance - Visit the website or message them on WhatsApp   https://www.townappliance.com   https://bit.ly/Townappliance_whatsapp __________________________________________________ ►Project Inspire Weekend   Register for the Project Inspire Convention Today!   March 7th - March 9th 2025   https://www.projectinspire.com/convention/ __________________________________________________   ► ILS - Ordering title should not be a surprise   https://ilstitle.com/ __________________________________________________   ► Growtha - We get you more leads.   https://growtha.com/meaningful __________________________________________________   ► Lalechet -    We're a team of kosher travel experts, here to carry you off to your dream destination swiftly, safely, and seamlessly in an experience you will forever cherish.   https://www.lalechet.com/website   __________________________________________________ ►Dream Raffle   Win a $1,000,000 Home in Yerushalayim!*

Have you ever wondered what happened to the besties that turned them radical?! Today we learn more about their upbringing.... Watch previous episodes of Besties Here! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfqALSnBomuNp9CGCJ4c9Trj40n63ZmG_&si=X8UNfPDwsALjXEGi Subscribe to Sazon Studios Here! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaOM8_-AonEk7z7kNNTSjKQ Stand Up To Cancer https://standuptocancer.org/?utm_source=IG&utm_medium=LinkTree&utm_campaign=homepage Get 10% OFF on TasteSalud Products with code IEBESTIES at tastesalud.com/discount/iebesties Follow us! https://linktr.ee/ieinbesties Stephanie Ramierez Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stephsgotmilk/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@stephsgotmilk?_t=ZT-8rwGP5cPRpm&_r=1 Isis Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theisisnohelia/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@theisisnohelia?_t=ZT-8rwGK48WrYU&_r=1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"My niece Roni was awakened with a gun pointed at her face attwo and a half years old...and then around 1:30 p.m., Omri was handcuffed and taken hostage."   It's been 499 days since Omri Miran, his wife Lishay, and their two young daughters Roni and Alma woke up to a nightmare on October 7th, 2023 -- when their family was held captive by Hamas militants, and Omri was taken hostage. Since that day, Omri's family has dedicated their lives to advocating for his release.   While crucial progress is being made between Israel and Hamas, as they prepare to enter phase two of a hostage deal that will hopefully lead to the release of 33 Israeli hostages, Omri's brother-in-law Moshe Lavi says advocacy and fighting to bring the innocent home must never stop. Moshe details how his family has been working since October 8th to raise awareness and call for Omri's release and why he believes caution is crucial when dealing with a terrorist organization like Hamas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Wittenberg, a U.S. citizen, shares his harrowing experience of serving nearly two years in a Dominican Republic prison. Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @shop.mando and get $5 off off your Starter Pack (that's over 40% off) with promo code COX at https://Mandopodcast.com/COX #mandopodGet 50% sitewide for a limited time. Just visit https://GhostBed.com/cox and use code COX at checkout.Connect with Michael Wittenberg:Website: http://www.michaelscottwittenberg.comPhone #: 516-834-3790 Email: michaelscottwittenberg@gmail.comX: @msw070981TikTok: @msw0709IG: @msw07091981Facebook: Michael Wittenberg (Facebook.com/msw0709)Do you want to be a guest? Fill out the form https://forms.gle/5H7FnhvMHKtUnq7k7Send me an email here: insidetruecrime@gmail.comDo you extra clips and behind the scenes content?Subscribe to my Patreon: https://patreon.com/InsideTrueCrime

Don't have time to listen to the full show? We got you covered on the Nathan, Nat & Shaun Quickie, all the best bits from Wednesday, 5th of February’s episode!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

THERE ARE STILL J6ERS BEING HELD HOSTAGE IN FEDERAL PRISIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS YOUR CALL TO ACTION AND HELP REUNITE THESE POLITICAL PRISIONERS WITH THEIR FAMILIES.

As Keith Siegel, 65, returns home after 484 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza—having been abducted from his home on October 7th—Yonit speaks with his wife, Aviva, who was also held hostage and released after 51 days.The episode includes depictions of abuse and violence.  ---- You can find our social links here: https://linktr.ee/unholypodJoin our Patreon community as a Friend of the Pod, Family Member, or just get access to specific bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/unholypod

Minnesota is being held HOSTAGE?! The House Democrats still refuse to show up for work, grinding the work of the entire government to a HALT. Bill Walsh joins Grace and Kathryn to go over all the updates in the House and Senate, including Senator Mitchell voting to keep herself in the Senate. Later Grace and Kathryn read some of your comments from Episode 57. After that John Hinderaker interviews energy experts Debra Struhsacker and Sarah Montalbano on the recent Trump executive orders and their impact on American (and Minnesotan) energy policy!QUESTION OF THE WEEK: What do YOU think all the Democrats are doing with their extra time since they aren't showing up to work?? (Wrong answers only...)00:00 - Intro00:38 - Bill Walsh29:19 - Reading Your Comments32:00 - John Hinderaker with Debra and Sarah

Israelis watched the video on October 7, 2023 in shock. A teenage girl, bloodied and terrified, was being pulled by her long hair from the trunk of a jeep by a heavily armed Hamas terrorist. Naama Levy, a newly conscripted IDF soldier, had been brutalized, and the short clip of her went viral globally. When they first saw it even her parents did not recognize their daughter. In a dramatic few weeks leading up to last Saturday, the fate of Na'ama—as well as four other female IDF soldiers also kidnapped on that dark day by Hamas—hung by a thread. Negotiations were so tense. So much was and is at stake. And Israel is forced to negotiate with one of the most barbaric terror groups in the world. Hamas is ISIS is al-Qaeda. Qatar, a backward country that supports Islamist terror financially and diplomatically, is the “neutral” mediator. It's all like a bad hallucination, but true. Until the last moment on Saturday morning, there were so many snags that arose. Miraculously, they were overcome, and four of the five girls are home. Still to be saved are 90 hostages remaining in Hamas hell. Some are alive; many are not. We will get into the minefield that lies ahead in due course, but today we focus on the joy of the return of Naama, Daniela, Karina, and Liri. And what the return of all the hostages means for the people and state of Israel. It's always enriching and interesting speaking with Yossi Klein Halevi, our fabulous guest today.State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

An American humanitarian worker falls prey to a ruthless gang. In April 2023, Jeff Frazier is running a relief programme in Haiti - a beautiful Caribbean nation which has, in recent years, struggled terribly with extreme poverty and crime. One day, during his work, Jeff is suddenly taken hostage. From a heavily fortified compound, he will embark on a terrifying ordeal; negotiating with his captors and praying every day he will eventually make it home to his family… A Noiser production, written by Joe Viner. For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you're on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you'd like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite President Trumps Blanket pardon of nearly all patriots persecuted over January 6th by a weaponized Dept. of Justice, some of those prisoners still remain in the D.C. jail. It is believed Judge Carl Nichols is responsible for the hold up. It is an outrage that prisoners held across the country can be released, travel to D.C. in support of those being held in what's been dubbed "The D.C. Gulag," and arrive by for the hostages in D.C. have been released. We talk to the J6ers just released and explain what needs to happen to get the others out. Also, more proof Washington is a woke mess. A left wing Episcopal Bishop lectures President Trump at a national prayer service over gays, lesbians and illegals. Dr. Ben Carson responds to the needless attack insisting Rev. Mariann Budde, "missed an opportunity for unity." Plus the defense of Elon Musk and the ridiculous claim that he offered a salute to Hitler. If that's true, Obama, Clinton, Kamala and AOC are guilty of this too. I have proof!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a ceasefire agreement set to be approved today, family members of the hostages are pleading with Netanyahu to push forward. Moshe Emilio Lavi is urging for all hostages to be released as his brother in law Omri Marin, who was captured by Hamas on the October 7th , has not been released.

Sharone Liftschitz's 84-year-old father Oded remains held as a hostage in Gaza and she joins the programme as a ceasefire deal looks more and more likely.

In 1986, a small Wyoming town was shaken by a deranged man's plot to hold an elementary school hostage. Even in the darkness of this depraved attack, a young girl's profound spiritual experience gave her and her classmates the courage to survive. In part 1 of our series on the Cokeville bombings, Miracle Files hosts Holly and Emily take you inside the classroom with inspiring interviews from survivors Amy Williams and Nanette Nelson. Stay tuned for part 2 later this month!

The US journalist Austin Tice is America's longest-held hostage, having been held captive in Syria since 2012. The Times' US Correspondent Josie Ensor, who covered the Middle East and Syria for years, discusses the ongoing efforts to find him - including her conversation with a Syrian undercover journalist who believes he was in the same prison at the same time as Austin.The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. Watch more: www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio Read more: www.thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All guests join us on the Farm Bureau Insurance guest line, and we are LIVE from the BankPlus Studio! Out of Bounds is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/BOUNDS today to get 10% off your first month! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sydney resident Zack Shachar's spoke to SBS Hebrew about his cousin Naama Levy one of scores of people still being held as hostages in Gaza more than 400 days after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. Regarding Mr Shachar's comments on Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong's trip to Israel, Minister Wong reiterated that she in fact met with the families of hostages.

According to the United Nations website, World Children's Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children's Day. It is celebrated on the 20th of November each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare.This important conversation is about Ariel and Kfir Bibas, the only children currently in captivity. They have been hostages in Gaza for more than one year, for over 400 days. Now is the time for you to find your humanity. To rescue these children. To save Ariel and Kfir.The full Some Future Day podcast conversation with Ofri Bibas Levy and Yifat Zailer will be published in the coming weeks.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:17 Describing Ariel and Kfir03:40 Hostage Conditions Affecting Child Development09:13 An Emotional Plea to Political LeadersEpisode Links:Bring Bibas Back on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bring.bibas.back/To join the conversation follow Marc here:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbeckman/Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarcBeckmanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcbeckman/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marcbeckmanMarc Beckman is a Senior Fellow of Emerging Technologies at NYU, the CEO of DMA United, and is on the New York State Bar Association's Taskforce for Cryptocurrency and Digital Assets.Preorder Marc's new book, "Some Future Day: How AI Is Going to Change Everything": https://shorturl.at/GVTBXSign up for the Some Future Day Newsletter here: https://marcbeckman.substack.com/DMA United: https://dmaunited.com/Some Future Day is produced and edited by Make More Media: https://makemore.media/

In the time-space continuum Martin and Gordon, the Clown and the Wolfman have not had a good old catch up for a while so sit back and listen to tales of overreaching massively, Halloween, Martin's new Christmas Ad and more. Make sure you subscribe and leave a 5 star review! If you'd like to share the times you've been a resourceful rascal, or want to get in touch, send an email to Hello@RestlessNativesPodcast.comPlease review Global's Privacy Policy: https://global.com/legal/privacy-policy

It's the last weekend of the White House campaign. A Harlem woman tells her story of being held hostage. Bed bugs take over a dorm a local university. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Pivot with Purpose, we're getting into the Halloween spirit! I'm joined by two of my favorite people, Dexty and Ariel B, to relive the thrills of my recent Halloween bash. From spooky stories to a few terrifyingly hilarious fashion throwbacks, this episode promises all the laughs and chills you need. Tune in for a hilariously spooky time you won't forget!   Watch Full Episode and Subscribe on YouTube Thank you to our Sponsors: McDonalds BetterHelp - Get 10% off your First Month www.betterhelp.com/pwp Idea to Launch Podcast - Get $100 Off our signature course using code 'PIVOT' - LAUNCH YOUR PODCAST IN 30 DAYS ____________________     Follow Carla Wilmaris on social media: Instagram @carlawilmaris Twitter @carlawilmaris TikTok @carlawilmaris ‌ Email the show to get advice and questions answered Ask@carlawilmaris.com

On October 7th last year, Tom Hand's daughter was taken hostage by Hamas. After a 50-day nightmare, in which he initially believed his daughter had been killed, Tom was reunited with Emily on November 25th. Tom spoke to Newstalk Breakfast about that day and how Emily is doing, a year on from being taken hostage.

Vassy Kapelos, CTV News Chief Political Correspondent; Yasir Naqvi, Health Parliamentary Secretary; Judy Trinh, CTV News; The Front Bench with: Sabrina Grover, Melanie Paradis, Gurratan Singh & Rachel Aiello

Phil Rosen, the Co-Founder of Opening Bell Daily, and and Anthony Pompliano, Author of ‘How To Live An Extraordinary Life' and CEO of Professional Capital Management, discuss interest rates, port strike, reactions to the VP debate, bitcoin, asset performances, and future outlook.   ======================= Buy book: https://www.amazon.com/Live-Extraordinary-Life-Anthony-Pompliano/dp/0857199927/ ======================= CrossFi is the Apple Pay for Crypto. For the first time in history, anyone with a web 3 wallet like Metamask can spend crypto through a physical or virtual visa cards anywhere in the world where Visa is accepted. Be one of the first to get your hands on a CrossFi card and a prize pool of $3 Million Dollars by joining and participating in their testnet today: ⁠⁠https://xfi.foundation/users⁠⁠ ======================= View 10k+ open startup jobs: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dreamstartupjob.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Enroll in my Crypto Academy: https://www.thecryptoacademy.io/

Democrats have created an incredibly powerful leviathan and unleashed it against their political opponents. Progressives know they've crossed a line they can't walk back from and fear that conservatives would be just as ruthless if given the chance. Follow on: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-auron-macintyre-show/id1657770114 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3S6z4LBs8Fi7COupy7YYuM?si=4d9662cb34d148af Substack: https://auronmacintyre.substack.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuronMacintyre Gab: https://gab.com/AuronMacIntyre YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/AuronMacIntyre Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-390155 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@AuronMacIntyre:f Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auronmacintyre/ Today's sponsors:  Visit https://isi.org/ to learn more about internships, fellowships, and resources to help conservative students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fat Bear Week delayed after a large bear kills a rival bear. Graves could be reused under proposals to tackle lack of space for the dead. Held Hostage Overseas? The IRS Wants Your Back Taxes. // SUPPORT by joining the Weird AF News Patreon http://patreon.com/weirdafnews  - OR buy Jonesy a coffee at http://buymeacoffee.com/funnyjones Buy MERCH: https://weirdafnews.merchmake.com/ - Check out the official website https://WeirdAFnews.com and FOLLOW host Jonesy at http://instagram.com/funnyjones

Sam and Sierra answer a letter from someone who is hung up on a boy-child who held her heart hostage. Join us on Patreon for an extra weekly episode, exclusive livestreams, and more! SUBMIT: justbreakuppod.com FACEBOOK: /justbreakuppod INSTAGRAM: @justbreakuppod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Syria was one of the last countries left on Sam Goodwin's list. He was young and on a mission to join a small group of people alive today who have visited every country in the world.  By 2019, Goodwin had already traveled to 180 countries, including those with hostile regimes in Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela.  “I had always traveled, because it was fun and I enjoyed it, but most importantly, I learned from it,” Goodwin says. “Travel was always the best education I'd ever had.” With fewer than 20 U.N.-recognized sovereign states left to visit at the time, Goodwin—then 30—arrived in Syria on May 25, 2019. He had been in the country only for a couple hours when, while walking to meet his guide, “this black pickup truck abruptly pulled up next to me, two armed men jumped out of the back seat, and instructed me to get inside,” he said in an interview on “The Daily Signal Podcast.” Goodwin would spend the next 27 days in solitary confinement in a prison cell with no windows.  “Everything had been taken from me, my material possessions, my communication, my freedom,” he said. “But no matter what, I knew that my faith was absolute, and I would have been in a completely different situation without it. What I learned most significantly in that cell is that we're never less alone than when we're totally alone with God.”  After those first 27 days, Goodwin was transferred to a cell with other prisoners, where he spent an additional 35 days. While in prison and accused of espionage, Goodwin had no idea the efforts that his family was making to rescue him, and the unlikely friend God would use to help set him free.  In his new book, “Saving Sam: The True Story of an American's Disappearance in Syria and His Family's Extraordinary Fight to Bring Him Home,” Goodwin details his travels across the globe and how his faith gave him the strength to endure 63 days of captivity in the Middle East.  Enjoy the show!

Syria was one of the last countries left on Sam Goodwin's list. He was young and on a mission to join a small group of people alive today who have visited every country in the world. By 2019, Goodwin had already traveled to 180 countries, including those with hostile regimes in Iran, North Korea, and […]

Send us a textIn the summer of 2023, Sappir Cohen, a young woman from Ramat Gan, felt an overwhelming sense of foreboding. Despite countless visits to doctors, she found no explanation for her anxiety. In desperation, she turned to prayer, reciting Psalm 27 daily. Months later, she was abducted by terrorists during the October 7th attacks in Israel. Miraculously, her prayer became her source of strength and resilience throughout her 55-day captivity in Gaza. Her experience serves as a reminder of the power of trust in G-d, especially during times of fear and uncertainty. The Psalm she recited isn't just for her—it is for all of us, as we too are hostages, seeking to break free from the shackles of our material world and reconnect with the Divine.Takeaways:Power of Prayer: Psalm 27 gave Sappir the courage and hope she needed in unimaginable circumstances. Our prayers can uplift us in our darkest moments.Unity and Strength: Even in the midst of her captivity, Sappir's story demonstrates how the unity of the Jewish people is a source of strength, as recognized by her captors.Spiritual Hostages: We are all, in a way, hostages in this material world. Our soul's yearning for G-d is fulfilled through mitzvot and spiritual growth.Overcoming the Yetzer Hara: The battle against our inner enemies—the distractions of material life—is constant. Trust in G-d and spiritual resilience can help us overcome it.Hope in G-d: The message of Psalm 27 encourages us to maintain unwavering faith, knowing that G-d will guide and protect us in times of need.Support the showGot your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.comSingle? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone.Donate and support Rabbi Bernath's work http://www.jewishndg.com/donateFollow Rabbi Bernath's YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernathAccess Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

When her cousin Omer was abducted by Hamas terrorists on Oct 7, Yasmin and her family's life was thrown into unimaginable turmoil. Yasmin opens up about the personal and emotional toll of fighting to bring Omar home, the impact of international activism, and the painful backlash she has faced. From her dreams of his return to her tireless advocacy on campuses and around the world, Yasmin's story is a powerful reminder of hope and resilience. Join us as we explore the complexities of hostage negotiations and the human impact of the ongoing struggle.Please watch, share, and support the fight to free the hostages.Co-Creator and Host - Eylon LevyCo-Creator and Creative Director - Guy RossExecutive Producer - Asher Westropp-EvansDirector - Lotem SegevGraphics/Assistant Director - Thomas GirschAssistant Director - Benny Goldman00:00  Coming Up01:05  Monologue02:58  Main Titles03:12  Introduction: The Abduction of Omer.09:18  Yasmin and the Familiy's Struggles After the Abduction11:10  Activism and Raising Awareness for Omer16:37  The Antisemitic Backlash26:15  The Role of Omer's U.S. Citizenship, and the U.S.'s Role on the World Stage30:13  Women and children first34:27  Negotiating with evil36:54  Emotional Toll of Watching the Abduction Videos41:37  Yasmin's Hope for Omer's ReturnStay up to date at:https://www.stateofanationpodcast.com/X: https://twitter.com/stateofapodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofapod/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/state-of-a-nation

While on a mission to visit all 193 countries, Sam Goodwin's journey took a sharp turn when he was abducted by the Syrian army in 2019. For 27 days, Sam was held in solitary confinement — being questioned repetitively by the Syrian regime who threatened to have ISIS behead him if he didn't confess to being a spy. Through faith and his family's unrelenting efforts to get Sam home, he survived.   Sam joins Ben to discuss how he remained resilient while in solitary confinement — never knowing when, or if, he would be released or killed. He also shares how his family worked tirelessly behind the scenes to secure his release and why he refused to let this experience stop him from visiting all 193 countries, a goal he has now completed. Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, Dan Smotz & Dave Casey watch the world burn, while laughing their way thru all the most important articles in the news… and a whole lot of unimportant ones as well. On the Docket:* The return of Q-Anon???* Robert F Kennedy Jr FORCED to Run* #ImNotWithHer* Kamala's Big Girl Interview* Abortions for Everyone* & moreQuestion everything. Stay uncomfortable.Lets get weird.Guest & Sponsor Links:Dave: https://twitter.com/davevsgoliath1Lone Star Injury Attorneys: https://lonestarinjuryattorneys.com WVW / Jack Casey Books: Https://jackcaseybooks.comBrave Botanicals (Kratom / Delta 8 THC) :https://mybravebotanicals.comPromo Code: TSIDBecome a Producer:Https://patreon.com/thesystemisdown Contact:dan@tsidpod.comJoin:For the extended bonus episode and all of our weekly bonus content, please check out and join The Downers Club.Follow: The System is Down: http://tsidpod.comThe Downers Club: http://patreon.com/thesystemisdown Buy Some SWAG: http://tsidpod.com/shopRumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-593937 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@thesystemisdown:d?r=7uBq4D3e3qS3h97oEh8sW5jmd1dsnezJ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/679892132686869Twitter: http://twitter.com/tsidpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tsidpod/ Youtube: http://youtube.com/thesystemisdownSupport the Show.

Louisa Hope was held hostage for 16 hours during the Lindt Cafe Siege. She was used as a human shield by Man Haron Monis, was forced beside the terrorist when he executed Tori Johnson and suffered from shrapnel wounds. Three times that day, Louisa thought she was going to die - and she nearly did.   Can't get enough of I Catch Killers? Stay up to date on all the latest crime news at The Daily Telegraph. Get episodes of I Catch Killers a week early and ad-free, as well as bonus content, by subscribing to Crime X+ today. Like the show? Get more at icatchkillers.com.au Advertising enquiries: newspodcastssold@news.com.au  Questions for Gary: icatchkillers@news.com.au  Get in touch with the show by joining our Facebook group, and visiting us on Instagram or Tiktok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All about r/TIFU on this episode... Original Posts TIFU by getting held hostage TIFU by turning my wife rabid. TIFU by trusting the dog to watch the house while I enjoyed mother's day TIFU by sending a YouTube link to a customer as a case resolution. TIFU by turning my wife rabid. Learn more about Evergreen Podcasts and Wessler Media. Visit TheRRShow.com Check out our Subreddit Follow us on socials: TikTok Instagram YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up on today's Problematic Women – There are 5 U.S. citizens still being held hostage in Gaza. Will they be freed soon? We share what is known. Plus, Texas is trying to outlaw porn use for minors but is facing opposition from - you guessed it - the porn websites. We discuss. And what are the biggest health trends right now that might actually be worth hopping on the bandwagon for? We tell you our favorites. And as always, we'll be crowning our Problematic Woman of the Week!Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up on today's Problematic Women – There are 5 U.S. citizens still being held hostage in Gaza. Will they be freed soon? We share what is known. Plus, Texas is trying to outlaw porn use for minors but is facing opposition from – you guessed it – the porn websites. We discuss. And what are […]

In this episode, Dinesh explains how Hamas is using the hostages to hold Israel itself hostage, and how Israel can break the deadlock.  Dinesh recaps the Candace Owens-Daily Wire controversy to make the case that free speech isn't as free as we like to believe. Journalist Megan Basham joins Dinesh to discuss the Left's efforts to demonize “Christian Nationalism.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thousands have been arrested in response to the riots at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Even today, authorities continue to make arrests nationwide. Still, many Americans are too afraid to discuss these prisoners or speculate on the mysteries surrounding January 6th. Ed Martin, J6 Attorney and president of the Phyllis Schlafly Eagles, joins Savage to uncover the political showdown taking place in federal courts. Savage and Martin discuss how President Biden and Democrats are committed to making an example of J6 defendants with Biden staking his re-election on the issue. Is there any hope for America or are we too far gone? How have Democrats and the media influenced the jury pool and the American people with nonstop exaggerated coverage of the event? Learn why we must protect the sacred nature of due process and why it's now at risk. Why are lawyers being targeted and are afraid to speak out? Where is the outcry from the Left, especially the ACLU? How is the law being manipulated for political persecution? And why self-censorship may be the greatest threat to the future of America. Attorney Martin explains what you need to know about the DOJ's inappropriate use of the law 1512(C)(2) in order to charge J6 detainees with felonies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices