Podcasts about Myanmar

Washington Wednesday on first ladies and political influence, World Tour on the elections in Myanmar, and expressing faith through hospitality. Plus, Janie B. Cheaney on the “no contact” trend, crying is the new trend, and the Wednesday morning newsSupport The World and Everything in It today at wng.org/donateAdditional support comes from B&H Academic. Their new resource, God and Country, explores faith and national identity. 40% off ... Lifeway.com/GodAndCountryAmbassadors Impact Network brings together Christian entrepreneurs and angel investors who share a commitment to advancing the gospel through business. Entrepreneurs raising growth capital gain access to investors with operational experience who provide more than funding, including mentorship and prayer support. Know an investor seeking to deploy capital into Kingdom-building companies? Share AIN with them at ambassadorsimpact.comThe Free Lutheran Bible College (FLBC), Plymouth, MN, prepares students to live out their calling through the study of God's Word in authentic community since 1964. At FLBC, biblical truth isn't an elective course—it's the foundation of our academic study. Through the study of God's Word in authentic, Christ-centered community, you'll form a biblical worldview that gives you clarity and confidence for whatever comes next—college, career, family, or ministry. Learn more at flbc.edu/world

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's new show: The Work Ethic Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde traces four fast-moving global signals over the past week: the AI capital expenditure arms race led by Meta and Nvidia; the increasingly public rift between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates; a cross-border investment-scam takedown in South Africa involving Interpol; and Myanmar's deepening post-coup crisis flagged by the United Nations. What happens when tech spending starts to look like geopolitics? Can Gulf rivalry reshape conflicts far beyond the region? Are global scam-busting coalitions keeping pace with digital fraud? And what would real accountability look like in Myanmar's war-torn future?Email: bidemiologunde@gmail.comSupport the show

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu covers the increase of PLA naval and air patrols around Scarborough Shoal in response to US-Philippine joint military exercises, and what this development indicates about China's evolving maritime strategy in the Indo-Pacific. Second, Miles unpacks the decision by the Chinese Football Association to issue 73 lifetime bans to coaches and players for match fixing and details the larger network of corruption across professional sports in China. Finally, Miles reviews the executions of eleven Ming mafia family members related to scam centers based in Myanmar, and what this judicial process reveals about the current state of bilateral relations between China and Myanmar.China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future. 

It's Monday, February 2nd, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Federal judge upholds right of 4,000 Myanmar immigrants to stay A federal judge has ordered a temporary halt to the U.S. government's plan to terminate Temporary Protected Status for nationals of Myanmar living in the United States. That's a shift from the Trump administration's recent assessment that conditions in Myanmar have improved, reports International Christian Concern. The ruling interrupts a move that had signaled U.S. support for the junta's upcoming elections and marks a departure from the administration's controversial policy to end Temporary Protected Status for Burmese nationals.   On January 23, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly in Chicago ruled that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's decision to end Temporary Protected Status for Myanmar migrants lacked a legitimate basis and therefore cannot take effect while a legal challenge proceeds. The judge blocked the Trump administration from ending protections for roughly 4,000 Myanmar nationals and scheduled a hearing on February 6 on the merits of the case.  In his written opinion, Judge Kennelly concluded that there was no genuine review of the conditions in Myanmar that underpin the decision and that the termination appeared more likely motivated by the administration's broader objective of curbing immigration and eliminating Temporary Protected Status generally, rather than by any evidence that conditions back home have materially improved.  According to Open Doors, Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is the 14th most oppressive country worldwide for Christians. DOJ released 3 million pages, 180,000 images, 2,000 videos of Epstein files The Department of Justice announced the release of millions of new pages from the files of the late sexual predator and human trafficker Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, reports The Blaze. In a press conference, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche explained the details. BLANCHE: “Today, we are producing more than 3 million pages, including more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. Just a quick note about the videos and images. “The 2,000 videos and 180,000 images are not all videos and images taken by Mr. Epstein or someone around him. They include large quantities of commercial p*rnography and images that were seized from Epstein's devices, but which he did not take, or that someone around him did not take. We're releasing more than 3 million pages today, and not the 6 million pages that we collected. “I want to address what we didn't produce. The categories of documents withheld include those permitted under the Act to be withheld, files that contain personally identified information of victims or victims' personal and medical files and similar files, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Any depiction of child p*rnography was obviously excluded. Anything that would jeopardize an active federal investigation. And finally, anything that depicts or contain images of death, physical abuse or injury also was not produced. “To protect victims, we redacted every woman depicted in any image or video, with the exception of Ms. [Ghislaine] Maxwell. We did not redact images of any men.” Ecclesiastes 12:14 says, “God shall bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.” Deputy Attorney General Blanche also said that the White House had no involvement in the review of the latest documents. He added, "They had no oversight over this review. They did not tell this department how to do our review, what to look for, what to redact, or what to not redact." Dept. of Justice arrested former CNN anchor Don Lemon Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested by federal authorities and charged with federal civil rights crimes in connection with a protest at a Minnesota church service last month, reports NBC News. Demonstrators gathered at the service because one of its pastors, David Easterwood, allegedly works for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The protesters said Easterwood is the acting director of an ICE field office in St. Paul. In a Friday post on X, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Lemon, age 59, and three others — Trahern Crews, Georgia Fort and Jamael Lundy — were arrested "in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota." The Department of Homeland Security said that Lemon was charged with conspiracy and interfering with the First Amendment rights of worshipers. Cities Church Lead Pastor Jonathan Parnell said, “We are grateful that the Department of Justice acted swiftly to protect Cities Church so that we can continue to faithfully live out the church's mission to worship Jesus and make Him known.” Lemon's attorney, Abbe Lowell, said that Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy Awards. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the federal government has sent 3,000 federal immigration agents to the Twin Cities over the last two months and arrested more than 3,000 illegal immigrants. Trump selects new Federal Reserve Chairman On Friday, President Donald Trump unveiled his choice to succeed Jerome Powell as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. On Truth Social, the president wrote, “I am pleased to announce that I am nominating Kevin Warsh to be the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.”  He previously served on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors between 2006 and 2011. Appearing on CNBC, David Bahnsen, chief investment officer of The Bahnsen Group, said this. BAHNSEN: “He has the respect and credibility of the financial markets. I worked with him at Morgan Stanley. Thought very highly of him. Look, there was no person who was going to get this job who wasn't going to be cutting rates in the short term. However, I think longer term I believe he will be a credible candidate.” Bahnsen referred to Trump's desire to lower interest rates to spur further economic activity, which Powell has opposed. Disney+ expands R-rated movies by 2,200% The streaming platform Disney+ is expanding its so-called “mature” content library.  Concerned Women for America reported that parents can expect more than a 2,200% increase in R-rated movies and more than an 840% increase in TV-MA-rated shows available on the platform, reports The Christian Post. Disney's streaming platform is adding new shows and movies as part of an integration with Hulu, with the change scheduled for February.  Last Thursday, the conservative advocacy group Concerned Women for America reported that Disney+ will increase the number of R-rated movies available for streaming from 19 to over 439. And he number of shows with a TV-MA rating — meaning that the content is intended for allegedly “mature” audiences — on Disney+ will go from 45 to 425. Matthew 18:6 says, “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Florida church banned from worshipping And finally, Coastal Family Church in Flagler Beach, Florida, is pushing back against a Seventh Judicial Circuit Court judge's temporary injunction issued last Thursday, which bans it from holding worship services in a unit they purchased in a strip mall where property covenants prohibit large gatherings, reports The Christian Post. Circuit Judge Sandra Upchurch wrote that the church is “prohibited from allowing public assemblies put on by any entity to occur there.” Liberty Counsel, the Christian legal rights law firm representing the church, filed an appeal to the Fifth District Court of Appeals last Monday, arguing that the mall's ban on public gatherings “is an unconstitutional restriction on the First Amendment rights of speech, assembly, and religious exercise, and violates Florida law by preventing the church from using its own property to gather and worship.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Monday, February 2nd, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Kate Adie introduces stories from Iran, Myanmar, China, South Africa and Lithuania.The number of Iranian people killed by government forces in the crackdown on recent protests is now estimated to be at least 6000, with thousands more deaths being investigated by human rights groups. BBC Persian's Parham Ghobadi has been speaking to people in Tehran about their experience of the protests.The final round of elections took place in Myanmar last weekend, five years after a coup returned the military junta to power - though many observers regard the whole affair as a sham. Jonathan Head was given rare permission to report from within Myanmar - though found fear and surveillance at every turn.Sir Keir Starmer's trip to Beijing was the first by a UK Prime Minister since 2018 and has been seen as a critical moment in the British government's attempt to reboot its relationship with China. Laura Bicker reflects on what's in it for President Xi - and how he is looking to take advantage of Donald Trump's rocky relationship with the world.Over the last decade South Africa has made steady progress on bringing down the infection and mortality rates of Tuberculosis. However, that progress is now under threat as foreign aid cuts begin to bite. Sandra Kanthal reports from Cape Town.Lithuania's Jewish community numbers just a few thousand, though prior to World War Two the population was around 200,000 - the majority of whom were murdered in the Holocaust. Today Lithuania is home to several memorial sites remembering those who died and Max Eastermann recently visited to trace the homes - and graves - of his recently discovered ancestors.Producer: Serena Tarling Production coordinators: Katie Morrison and Sophie Hill Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

President Donald Trump's nomination of Kevin Warsh to head the Federal Reserve calmed markets, but the former member of the board of governors could also set the Fed on a new course. Also: today's stories, including how an electoral victory in Myanmar offers hope to some for the restoration of democratic norms; a theme of resistance from 1960s Mississippi to 2020s Minnesota civil rights protest history, as examined by our cultural commentator; and one essayist's take that winter has much more to offer than snow and slush. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

President Donald Trump's nomination of Kevin Warsh to head the Federal Reserve calmed markets, but the former member of the board of governors could also set the Fed on a new course. Also: today's stories, including how an electoral victory in Myanmar offers hope to some for the restoration of democratic norms; a theme of resistance from 1960s Mississippi to 2020s Minnesota civil rights protest history, as examined by our cultural commentator; and one essayist's take that winter has much more to offer than snow and slush. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

Subscribe now to skip the ads. While Danny looks after his gold assets, Always at War's Alex Jordan once again helps Derek bring you headlines from around the globe. This week: the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moves the Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds to midnight (0:54); the Trump administration renews threats against Iran while demanding a new deal that would eliminate uranium enrichment, missile programs, and regional proxies (3:47); Syria's government and the SDF agree to a ceasefire extension following more violence in the northeast (12:58); in Gaza, Israel recovers the remains of the final Israeli captive tied to Phase One of the ceasefire, partially reopens the Rafah crossing, and advances plans for large camps in Rafah (16:28); Myanmar's military completes a staged election delivering the expected victory for the junta-backed party (27:24); China faces fresh turbulence in its military leadership as a senior PLA figure is investigated (30:07); Sudan sees reported new fighting in Blue Nile and claimed gains in Kordofan (34:28); the government of South Sudan launches a campaign against rebels (38:04); there are reports of clashes between government and Tigrayan forces in Ethiopia (40:53); talks involving the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine fail to produce progress (44:02); the EU and India announce a major free trade agreement (47:00); Trump threatens sweeping tariffs against Canada over trade and China policy, amid diplomatic friction and reports of contacts with Alberta separatists (49:32); the U.S. moves toward reopening its embassy in Venezuela as reporting points to CIA interest in establishing a permanent presence (54:07); and a new U.S. National Defense Strategy emphasizes dominance in the Western Hemisphere while maintaining preparations for potential conflict with China (58:20). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Danny looks after his gold assets, Always at War's Alex Jordan once again helps Derek bring you headlines from around the globe. This week: the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moves the Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds to midnight (0:54); the Trump administration renews threats against Iran while demanding a new deal that would eliminate uranium enrichment, missile programs, and regional proxies (3:47); Syria's government and the SDF agree to a ceasefire extension following more violence in the northeast (12:58); in Gaza, Israel recovers the remains of the final Israeli captive tied to Phase One of the ceasefire, partially reopens the Rafah crossing, and advances plans for large camps in Rafah (16:28); Myanmar's military completes a staged election delivering the expected victory for the junta-backed party (27:24); China faces fresh turbulence in its military leadership as a senior PLA figure is investigated (30:07); Sudan sees reported new fighting in Blue Nile and claimed gains in Kordofan (34:28); the government of South Sudan launches a campaign against rebels (38:04); there are reports of clashes between government and Tigrayan forces in Ethiopia (40:53); talks involving the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine fail to produce progress (44:02); the EU and India announce a major free trade agreement (47:00); Trump threatens sweeping tariffs against Canada over trade and China policy, amid diplomatic friction and reports of contacts with Alberta separatists (49:32); the U.S. moves toward reopening its embassy in Venezuela as reporting points to CIA interest in establishing a permanent presence (54:07); and a new U.S. National Defense Strategy emphasizes dominance in the Western Hemisphere while maintaining preparations for potential conflict with China (58:20).Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Darfur's children living on a thin line between abandonment and hopeMyanmar: Türk says military-run elections have exacerbated violence, social divisionUNICEF steps up winter response to protect children and families amid Ukraine's harsh cold

Episode #477: “I found Myanmar a really interesting case study,” says Gerard McCarthy, a political sociologist and author of Outsourcing the Polity. His work explores how deeply divided,impoverished societies emerge from conflict and build political settlements. Drawn to Myanmar during its 2010 transition, McCarthy focuses his research on provincial regions like northern Bago and Karen States—areas largely ignored in existing scholarship, which tends to center on Yangon and Mandalay. McCarthy examines how Myanmar's military regime, following the collapse of socialism, strategically withdrew from welfare provision and encouraged businesspeople and religious institutions to fill the gap. This “social outsourcing,” he argues, gave rise to a form of “moral citizenship” in which the public relies on voluntary charity, not state entitlements. Buddhist ideas such as parahita were reinterpreted to support this system, laying the groundwork for broad civil society engagement—including the response to Cyclone Nargis in 2008. Post-coup resistance, including support for PDFs and displaced communities, builds on these same networks. But McCarthy warns against romanticizing civil society: non-state welfare is often uneven, unregulated, and unsustainable, he cautions. He notes that as a legacy of this “moral citizenship” dynamic, both elites and the general public now undervalue state-based social protections. To move forward, he suggests, Myanmar must learn from as well as build on the transparency and trust embedded in charitable systems. “The state might try to mimic the aspects of the non-state sector which people have faith in,” he argues. For him, voluntary generosity is not a substitute for nationwide systems of justice or systematic redistribution.

China and the UK have agreed a number of new deals during the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to Beijing. They include visa-free travel for UK citizens visiting the country for less than 30 days, and a partnership aimed at increasing trade in services between the two countries. The British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has also announced a $15bn investment in China. Keir Starmer says the relationship between the UK and China is in a "good, strong place" after talks with President Xi Jinping.Also: scientists plan to drill through the Thwaites glacier in Antarctica to understand how fast the ice is melting. China has executed 11 members of a notorious mafia family that ran scam centres in Myanmar along its border. India joins a growing number of countries considering restricting social media for children. Tesla reports its first drop in annual profits as it drives towards a brave new world of artificial intelligence and robotics. Hungary's long-serving Prime Minister Viktor Orbán faces his most serious challenge yet in the country's upcoming election - we hear about his main challenger Peter Magyar who is leading in the polls. And a film promising a rare glimpse into the life of the US First Lady Melania Trump is released in cinemas worldwide, but early ticket sales fall flat.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Google dismantles a huge residential proxy network. Did the FBI take down the notorious RAMP cybercrime forum? A long running North Korea backed cyber operation has splintered into three specialized threat groups. U.S. military cyber operators carried out a covert operation to disrupt Russian troll networks ahead of the 2024 elections. Phishing campaigns target journalists using the Signal app. SolarWinds patches vulnerabilities in its Web Help Desk product. Amazon found CSAM in its AI training data. Initial access brokers switch up their preferred bot. China executes scam center kingpins. Our guest is Tom Pace, CEO of NetRise, explaining how open-source vulnerabilities are opening doors for nation-states.  An unsecured webcam peers into Pyongyang.  Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Today, Tom Pace, former DOE cyber analyst and CEO of NetRise, joins the show to explain how open-source vulnerabilities are opening doors for nation-states and why visibility into who maintains code repositories matters. Selected Reading Google Disrupted World's Largest IPIDEA Residential Proxy Network (Cyber Security News) Notorious Russia-based RAMP cybercrime forum apparently seized by FBI (The Record) Long-running North Korea threat group splits into 3 distinct operations (CyberScoop) Secret US cyber operations shielded 2024 election from foreign trolls, but now the Trump admin has gutted protections (CNN Politics) Phishing attack: Numerous journalists targeted in attack via Signal Messenger (Netzpolitik.org) Signal president warns AI agents are making encryption irrelevant (Cyber Insider) SolarWinds Patches Critical Web Help Desk Vulnerabilities (SecurityWeek)  Amazon Found ‘High Volume' Of Child Sex Abuse Material in AI Training Data (Bloomberg) Initial access hackers switch to Tsundere Bot for ransomware attacks (Bleeping Computer) China Executes 11 People Linked to Cyberscam Centers in Myanmar   (Bloomberg) North Korean Hackers' Daily Life Leaked in Video (The Chosun) Share your feedback. What do you think about CyberWire Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show. Want to hear your company in the show? N2K CyberWire helps you reach the industry's most influential leaders and operators, while building visibility, authority, and connectivity across the cybersecurity community. Learn more at sponsor.thecyberwire.com. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss the Genocide case at the ICJ brought by Gambia against Myanmar on behalf of the Rohingya. If it's interesting, do like, subscribe and leave us a review. Want to find out more? Check out all the background information on our website including hundreds more podcasts on international justice covering all the angles: https://www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com/ Or you can sign up to our newsletter: https://www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com/newsletters/ Did you like what you heard? Tip us here: https://www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com/support-us/ Or want to support us long term? Check out our Patreon, where - for the price of a cup of coffee every month - you also become part of our War Criminals Bookclub and can make recommendations on what we should review next, here: https://www.patreon.com/c/AsymmetricalHaircuts Asymmetrical Haircuts is created, produced and presented by Janet Anderson and Stephanie van den Berg, together with a small team of producers, assistant producers, researchers and interns. Check out the team here: https://www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com/what-about-asymmetrical-haircuts/

Episode #476: Minnthonya, a deeply committed Burmese monk, recounts his remarkable journey from traditional monastic education to becoming a key figure in Myanmar's resistance movements. Initially drawn to the Buddhist path as a young boy, he studied under teachers who encouraged a deep engagement with both Buddhist scriptures and broader knowledge. It was this education that opened his eyes to the true political situation in his country, where the military regime had not only oppressed the people but also controlled religious institutions. As a teenager, Minnthonya's desire to change Myanmar grew, and he began organizing underground reading groups with fellow monks to discuss the country's dire political situation. Despite the regime's brutal repression, he and his peers covertly shared political writings and inspired others to question the status quo. His efforts culminated in his leadership role during the 2007 Saffron Revolution, where monks took to the streets, reciting the Metta Sutta, demanding freedom from military oppression. One of their key actions was the "Patta Nekku Sanna"—a symbolic boycott of the military's offerings, which united the monks in their defiance against the regime.Forced into exile after the regime's crackdown, Minnthonya continues his activism from Thailand, setting up libraries, education centers, and organizing resistance efforts among exiled Burmese communities. His commitment to the Dhamma has never wavered, as he believes that true Buddhist teachings must address the suffering of the people. For him, the fight for democracy and justice is inseparable from the spiritual path. He continues to advocate for both inner and outer peace, teaching that monks have a duty to stand up against oppression and that the path to freedom lies not only in meditation but also in courageous action against injustice.“We never believe in the military regime!” he exclaims. "For a very long time, [the military] has been destroying our Buddhism. They've killed many monks, sent countless others to jail, and destroyed monasteries—even now!”

Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya community are waiting for justice. A landmark genocide case at the International Court of Justice is a major step. In this episode, Noor Azizah, a survivor who heads a Rohingya civil society group, tells her family's story of being driven from their homeland. She explains why today's Rohingya trial paved the way for other atrocity crime cases, and discusses humanitarians' complex role delivering aid in Myanmar.   Guests:    Noor Azizah, co-executive director of the Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network   Got a question or feedback? Email podcast@thenewhumanitarian.org or post on social media using the hashtag #RethinkingHumanitarianism.   Show notes: The Rohingya: The exodus isn't over

President Trump feels the heat as ICE protests spread across the US, as Washington unveils real estate plans for Gaza - but are they based in reality? Plus, Myanmar's military presses ahead with widely dismissed elections, and China's panda diplomacy reaches an unbearable level.

Ab 2028 braucht die Schweiz laut dem Bundesrat rund 31 Milliarden Franken zur Stärkung der Sicherheit. Er will diese Mehrausgaben mit einer befristeten Mehrwertsteuer-Erhöhung um 0,8 Prozentpunkte decken, wie er am Mittwoch bekannt gab. Das letzte Wort hat das Stimmvolk. Alle Themen: (00:00) Intro und Schlagzeilen (01:24) Bundesrat will Mehrwertsteuer zugunsten der Armee erhöhen (09:03) Nachrichtenübersicht (13:05) Deutsche Bundesregierung senkt Konjunkturprognose (18:58) Verkehr 45: Lob und Kritik für Röstis neue Verkehrsplänen (23:05) Sanija Ameti zu bedingter Geldstrafe verurteilt (25:57) Starmer sucht auf Chinareise wirtschaftliche Impulse (33:01) Erste Anhörungen im Völkermord-Prozess gegen Myanmar (38:19) Die Quelle hinter verlässlichem Ausland-Journalismus

Episode #475: “So many peoples in Myanmar who are fighting for democracy and human rights... they don't get any title or any recognize, but they did what they believed in.” Wut Hmone Win carries a legacy of resistance that began long before her. Her father, a student leader in the 1974 uprising involving U Thant's funeral, was imprisoned for his defiance of Ne Win's regime, and her family lived under surveillance. “The whole life of me and my family is [being] watched by the military,” she says. That experience taught her that freedom always has a cost. Educated in economics in Yangon and Norway, she had once hoped to live an ordinary life, free from politics. But when the 2021 coup struck Myanmar, the safety and democracy she enjoyed in Norway became unbearable reminders of what her people had lost. “I am living in Norway. I feel democracy and freedom and safety here, and human rights,” she says, with the understanding that all of this was lost completely back home. Within days she began organizing protests, helping to found the CRPH Support Group, Norway—a coalition of over twenty-one ethnic and religious organizations fighting for Myanmar's democracy from exile. As General Secretary, she oversees its humanitarian aid programs and international advocacy. “I do need money to support people who are suffering in Myanmar,” she says. “That's my simple strategy… we do need to support human rights… we do need [to be] shouting out loudly effectively.” Wut Hmone Win is critical of diaspora groups that remain confined to their own circles. “They are [remaining] in their own group, and that is a limited amount,” she says, emphasizing the need to reach Norwegians who “don't know about Myanmar.” Traveling beyond Oslo, she holds cultural events in towns like Lillehammer to “show our culture, dancing and then what happened in Myanmar.” For her, crossing those boundaries is how the revolution's voice can truly be heard. “We are standing here like a diaspora group in Norway,” she says. “We do need support, and we do need [recognition] too.”

Wat kan Europa doen nu de Verenigde Staten zich steeds vijandiger opstellen? Hoogleraar Catherine de Vries buigt zich over de stroever wordende verhoudingen tussen Europa en Amerika. In Historische Woorden luisteren we naar Dawda Jallow, de minister van Justitie van Gambia. Zijn land diende bij het Internationaal Gerechtshof een zaak in tegen Myanmar. En Groene-medewerker en correspondent Diederik Baazil biedt een inkijkje in de ‘belangrijkste machine ter wereld’, gemaakt door de Nederlandse chipmachinefabrikant ASML. Diederik waarschuwt voor het telefoontje uit Washington waarin wordt gezegd dat deze geopolitiek voor Amerikaans belang moet worden ingezet. Productie: Gizelle Mijnlieff.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Un puissant séisme frappe la Birmanie, causant plus de 1 000 morts et des milliers de blessés, selon les autorités locales.​Traduction : A powerful earthquake strikes Myanmar, causing over 1,000 deaths and thousands of injuries, according to local authorities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode #474: Scott Aronson, a career humanitarian and conflict expert, describes his years in Myanmar between 2015 and the 2021 coup as “a really dynamic but also very challenging time to work in Myanmar.” He reflects on how his professional experience, field expertise, and moral convictions converged during a period of both democratic optimism and deepening crisis. Beginning his humanitarian career in the early 2000s, Aronson worked in Darfur and northern Uganda, where he learned the importance of coordination, adaptability, and respect for civilians in violent settings. Later, with USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, he managed disaster and conflict responses, including the 2015 Nepal earthquake. In 2016, he became USAID's senior conflict and governance advisor at the U.S. Embassy in Yangon, supporting Myanmar's transition from dictatorship to democracy. His work focused on strengthening civil society networks and promoting inclusion in a fragile peace process. The 2017 Rohingya crisis shifted his attention to Rakhine State, where he worked with both Rohingya and Rakhine partners to provide humanitarian aid and document abuses. He calls this a time of hope mixed with heartbreak, when Myanmar's potential for democratic unity collided with long-standing ethnic and religious divisions. When the 2021 coup struck, Aronson was in Yangon under COVID quarantine. He helped coordinate emergency communication and funding for local partners after banks and networks collapsed. He credits Burmese activists with sustaining resistance, describing how local groups organized safe houses, escape routes, and covert aid despite mortal danger. Aronson argues that supporting Myanmar's democracy serves both moral and strategic U.S. interests, rejects isolationist arguments, and acknowledges the personal toll of the crisis. He remainshopeful that unity among Myanmar's diverse movements will eventually rebuild the nation: “When that day comes, and it will come,” he says, “there's going to be so much growth and opportunity in the country.”

Today's program is the third part in a series that started with the April 2025 broadcast to spotlight the genocide of Rohingya people of Myanmar. In 2017, a violent military offensive forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee across the border to refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. More than 1.1 million people – 75% of them women and children – live there as of June 2025. There are also tens of thousands in refugee camps in Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. This past week, on January 22, 2026, International Court of Justice began hearings on the genocide case brought by Gambia against Myanmar, Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishmen of the Crime of Genocide (The Gambia v. Myanmar). Margo Okazawa-Rey interviews feminist advocates and activists Noor Azizah and Yasmin Ullah to gather updates for listeners about the court case and the current conditions in the refugee camps where thousands of people continue to suffer beyond our imaginations. The post The Gambia vs Myanmar: Feminist Analysis of Rohingya Genocide Case at the ICJ appeared first on KPFA.

Un puissant séisme frappe la Birmanie, causant plus de 1 000 morts et des milliers de blessés, selon les autorités locales.​Traduction : A powerful earthquake strikes Myanmar, causing over 1,000 deaths and thousands of injuries, according to local authorities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Masked ICE agents in Minneapolis have shot a US citizen dead -- the second such killing this month - sparking further protests in the city. The Department of Homeland Security says he was violent and armed with a gun. Also, we report from Myanmar on the final stage of elections, with the dominant pro-military party on course for a landslide victory; Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has described the first three-way peace talks with Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi, as "constructive"; and an exhibition at Britain's National Archives of Love Letters across the generations. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.

Crowds gather in Minneapolis at the site where US federal immigration agents shot dead 37-year-old Alex Pretti. We'll hear from a friend and colleague. Also on the programme: the weirdness of election day in Myanmar from our correspondent there; and has Saudi Arabia's hugely ambitious mega city project run into the sand?(Photo: A woman chants 'peace' at a makeshift memorial for Alex Pretti in south Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, 25 January 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

There's been renewed protests and anger in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of a man by federal immigration agents; the second such incident in the US city in three weeks. Also on the programme, a third and final stage of voting is taking place in Myanmar in what are widely viewed as sham elections; and, a new record for sailing round the world.(Photo: A federal agent fires a munition toward demonstrators near the site where a man identified as Alex Pretti was fatally shot by federal agents trying to detain him, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 24, 2026.REUTERS/Tim Evans)

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

Heftige Proteste in Minneapolis nach Tötung eines Mannes durch ICE-Beamte, Wirtschaftsflügel der CDU will Recht auf Teilzeitarbeit deutlich einschränken, Dritte und letzte Runde der Parlamentswahl in Myanmar beendet, Entwaffnung der Hamas im Gazastsreifen stockt, Fast 180 Millionen Menschen in den USA von Schnee und Eisregen betroffen, Ergebnisse des 19. Spieltags der Fußball-Bundesliga, Schwere Ausschreitungen beim Fußballspiel Magdeburg gegen Dresden mit etwa 64 verletzten Polizisten, Deutschland besiegt Norwegen mit 30:28 bei Handball-Europameisterschaft, Unglücklich fliegende Skier bei Skiflug-Weltmeisterschaft in Oberstdorf, Das Wetter Hinweis: Die Beiträge zur Fußball-Bundesliga und zur Handball-Europameisterschaft dürfen aus rechtlichen Gründen nicht auf tagesschau.de gezeigt werden.

Most of Canada remains under extreme cold warnings today.Those storms are now causing widespread flight disruptions across Canada and the United States.Vigil held in Minneapolis for Alex Pretti who was killed by US immigrations agents.U.S. governors are weighing in as tensions grow between Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and the White House over federal enforcement.New Netflix hockey series bears close resemblance to the deadly Humboldt Broncos bush crash.Myanmar holds third and final phase of its contentious election.U.S. climber Alex Honnold has scaled a 101-storey skyscraper in Taipei without ropes or a safety net.

Heftige Proteste in Minneapolis nach Tötung eines Mannes durch ICE-Beamte, Wirtschaftsflügel der CDU will Recht auf Teilzeitarbeit deutlich einschränken, Dritte und letzte Runde der Parlamentswahl in Myanmar beendet, Entwaffnung der Hamas im Gazastsreifen stockt, Fast 180 Millionen Menschen in den USA von Schnee und Eisregen betroffen, Ergebnisse des 19. Spieltags der Fußball-Bundesliga, Schwere Ausschreitungen beim Fußballspiel Magdeburg gegen Dresden mit etwa 64 verletzten Polizisten, Deutschland besiegt Norwegen mit 30:28 bei Handball-Europameisterschaft, Unglücklich fliegende Skier bei Skiflug-Weltmeisterschaft in Oberstdorf, Das Wetter Hinweis: Die Beiträge zur Fußball-Bundesliga und zur Handball-Europameisterschaft dürfen aus rechtlichen Gründen nicht auf tagesschau.de gezeigt werden.

In the face of widespread protests, the Iranian government ‘switched off' the country's access to the internet on 8th January. In Uganda, prior to recent elections, the government of president Yoweri Museveni prevented its citizens from accessing the internet. Worldwide, Afghanistan, Myanmar, India and Bangladesh – to name only a few - have all taken the decision to severely restrict internet access at times of perceived political crisis or challenge. Yet it was only fifteen years ago, during the Arab Spring, that internet access and digital media were seen as game-changing communications tools for democratisation. Now, how vulnerable is protest and political opposition to being taken offline? This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Send us a textThe YardsA family crime drama set in New York City with a sick mother, ambivalently abusive father figure, and nudity along with a role for Domenick Lombardozzi (The Wire's Herc)? Get out your James Gray bingo cards, because Season 16 Gray Poop On (working title) persists with TGTPTU continuing in Episode 3 its temporal pincer movement covering the auteur's second film THE YARDS (2000).  Filmed on film in the spring and summer of 1998 but due to studio delays and reshoots not released until the fall of 2000, The Yards stars the still up-and-coming Mark Walburg as Leo Handler just out of jail and being led back into a life of crime by Joaquin Phoenix as Willie Gutierrez, the guy dating and soon betrothed to Leo's cousin and possible love interest Erica Soltz played by a pre-Monster Charlize Theron. This trio of rising stars is supported by a trio of 70s hall of famers (James Caan, Ellen Burstyn, and Faye Dunaway) in a story about NYC train maintenance, government corruption, family loyalties, and the need for proper bannisters.    Cowritten with Matt Reeves (opinions vary) and shot with multiple POV characters, Gray would find the story in the editing room (and subsequent reshoots) by winnowing it down to Walburg's singular perspective only to have that story mollified (or straight-up mauled from Gray's perspective) by a studio-noted happier ending.   This ep, you won't be getting Ken's half-hour discussion with Ryan about Theron's surprising nude scene, but Thomas will provide context for international and homeschool listeners in the U.S., Myanmar, and Liberia. Thank you for choo-choo-choosing to listen. THEME SONG BY: WEIRD A.I.Email: thegoodthepodandtheugly@gmail.comFacebook: https://m.facebook.com/TGTPTUInstagram: https://instagram.com/thegoodthepodandtheugly?igshid=um92md09kjg0Bluesky: @goodpodugly.bsky.socialYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6mI2plrgJu-TB95bbJCW-gLetterboxd (follow us!):Podcast: goodpoduglyKen: Ken KoralRyan: Ryan Tobias

Episode #473: “The military was pursuing an illiberal strategy to peace, and Norway became complicit, not necessarily by design, but by its effect, it became a de facto sponsor of a strategy for illiberal peace building by the military.” Kristian Stokke draws on decades of research across Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Indonesia, where Norway's peace efforts often reinforced state dominance rather than confronting inequality. He argues that Myanmar followed the same trajectory. “Norway became the envoy of the West that went in to test the waters,” he recalls, acting as a diplomatic go-between for Western powers eager to engage Myanmar's generals. “When we came to Myanmar, it was very clear that Norway's engagement was interest-based. It was no longer pretending to be just altruistic.” Norway's involvement, he continues, was driven as much by self-interest as by moral aspiration: “as a diplomat, as an aid donor and as an investor.” He goes on to describe that as a result, the so-called democratic opening of the 2010s was not a genuine transition: “This was not the negotiated transition of South Africa or Latin American countries in the 1980s,” Stokke explains. “It was an authoritarian-led transition to less closed dictatorship or electoral autocracy.” He believes Norway's peacebuilding “actually undermined the forces for power sharing and democracy,” focusing too much on the state and too little on democratic and ethnic movements. Reflecting on the years since the coup, Stokke laments Norway's caution: “At times, I find it surprising or unfortunate that they don't come out in support of those actors who are really at the forefront of the struggle for better democracy in Myanmar.”

Episode #472: “Where is my grandmother's vote?!” asks Thiri. Her core argument is that Myanmar's struggle today is not a failed revolution, but the evolution of a long, cyclical people's movement, whose legitimacy most recently derives from a valid election overturned by the military, and from the accumulated sacrifice and sustained moral agency of ordinary people. For Thiri, the most powerful form of resistance now is preserving dignity, voice, and mutual care amid prolonged uncertainty. She grounds this argument in lived experience. Her grandmother, eighty-two at the time, insisted on voting in person in the November 2020 general election despite being eligible for early voting at home. On election day morning, she woke before dawn and went to the polling station to cast her ballot for the National League for Democracy; a week later, she died. She never witnessed the coup that overturned the election results, sparing her the pain of seeing what she regarded as a sacred civic duty rendered meaningless. For Thiri, the legitimacy crisis begins there: millions of votes, like her grandmother's, were cast in good faith but never honored. From this starting point, Thiri argues that any new election organized by the same military lacks moral and political legitimacy. She describes it as an attempt to erase their unresolved theft. Democracy, she insists, cannot be reset without reckoning with the original violation. The election matters deeply to the military and to some international actors seeking closure, but not to people living with airstrikes, displacement, and fear. To the junta, it functions as an exit strategy that just sustains their oppressive rule in the guise civilian governance. To put the despair surrounding these times in Myanmar in context, Thiri turns to movement theory. She describes movements as cyclical, marked by peaks of hope followed by repression and exhaustion. The downturn now, she emphasizes, is but a natural phase, and to not get overly caught up in it. Thiri believes the present moment calls for reflection, role clarity, and recognition of small victories that preserve people power. Survival itself becomes a form of resistance. She frames emotional self-preservation as defiance, concluding, “I would rather choose to remember the kindness and the community and the resilience of people that are against any form of oppression.”

What is Buddhism? How could it help your daily life? Is it a religion? And what does the statue we always see really represent? Jack Kornfield, one of the leading Buddhist teachers in America, introduces the basic principles behind Buddhism, discusses the steps involved in mindful living and offers practical tips on how to grow your own spiritual practice. His teachings begin with the idea that people are born whole and good, and that later, they can choose to turn back to their innate goodness. Jack also shares his best advice on how to stay in the now, quiet your thoughts and lead a truly awakened life. Jack trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India and Burma (now Myanmar). He has taught meditation internationally for decades and is one of the key people to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. His best-selling books, including "The Wise Heart," "Living Dharma" and "No Time Like the Present," have been translated into 20 languages. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After five years of brutal civil war, Myanmar's ruling military is holding an election that many say is a sham.But it has a major backer: China. So why is Beijing suddenly interested in democracy in this conflict-stricken country?Venetia Rainey and Arthur Scott-Geddes speak to the Telegraph's Global Health Security correspondent Sarah Newey about her recent trip to Yangon and Joe Freeman, researcher for Amnesty International. Read Sarah's dispatch: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/terror-and-security/why-china-is-forcing-myanmars-junta-to-stage-an-election/Watch Sarah talking about scam centres in Laos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nRBG037FT0Producer: Sophie O'SullivanExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsStudio Operator: Meghan Searle► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditorContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk@venetiarainey@ascottgeddes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

အီရတ်က ဆက်ဒမ်ဟူစိန်ကနေ ဗင်နီဇွဲလားရဲ့ မာဒူရိုအထိ ကမ္ဘာ့အာဏာရှင်တွေ နည်းမျိုးစုံနဲ့ ဇာတ်သိမ်းခဲ့ပေမယ့် မြန်မာအာဏာရှင်တွေကတော့ ဘာကြောင့် အခုထိ "ကံကောင်း" ပြီး လွတ်မြောက်နေရသလဲဆိုတာနဲ့ ပတ်သက်ပြီး ဧရာ၀တီရဲ့ ဒီတပတ် Opinion Talk အစီအစဉ်မှာ အယ်ဒီတာ ကျော်စွာမိုး သုံးသပ်ထားတာကို နားဆင်နိုင်ပါပြီ။Podcast#မြန်မာ #အာဏာရှင် #ကဒါဖီ #ဆက်ဒမ်ဟူစိန် #မင်းအောင်လှိုင် #ခုံရုံး #စစ်ခေါင်းဆောင်  #Myanmar #junta #US #military #MinAungHlaing #dictator #ICC #ICJ #OpinionTalk #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar

Last time we spoke about the climax of the battle of Lake Khasan. In August, the Lake Khasan region became a tense theater of combat as Soviet and Japanese forces clashed around Changkufeng and Hill 52. The Soviets pushed a multi-front offensive, bolstered by artillery, tanks, and air power, yet the Japanese defenders held firm, aided by engineers, machine guns, and heavy guns. By the ninth and tenth, a stubborn Japanese resilience kept Hill 52 and Changkufeng in Japanese hands, though the price was steep and the field was littered with the costs of battle. Diplomatically, both sides aimed to confine the fighting and avoid a larger war. Negotiations trudged on, culminating in a tentative cease-fire draft for August eleventh: a halt to hostilities, positions to be held as of midnight on the tenth, and the creation of a border-demarcation commission. Moscow pressed for a neutral umpire; Tokyo resisted, accepting a Japanese participant but rejecting a neutral referee. The cease-fire was imperfect, with miscommunications and differing interpretations persisting.    #185 Operation Hainan Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. After what seemed like a lifetime over in the northern border between the USSR and Japan, today we are returning to the Second Sino-Japanese War. Now I thought it might be a bit jarring to dive into it, so let me do a brief summary of where we are at, in the year of 1939. As the calendar turned to 1939, the Second Sino-Japanese War, which had erupted in July 1937 with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident and escalated into full-scale conflict, had evolved into a protracted quagmire for the Empire of Japan. What began as a swift campaign to subjugate the Republic of China under Chiang Kai-shek had, by the close of 1938, transformed into a war of attrition. Japanese forces, under the command of generals like Shunroku Hata and Yasuji Okamura, had achieved stunning territorial gains: the fall of Shanghai in November 1937 after a brutal three-month battle that cost over 200,000 Chinese lives; the infamous capture of Nanjing in December 1937, marked by the Nanjing Massacre where an estimated 300,000 civilians and disarmed soldiers were killed in a six-week orgy of violence; and the sequential occupations of Xuzhou in May 1938, Wuhan in October 1938, and Guangzhou that same month.  These victories secured Japan's control over China's eastern seaboard, major riverine arteries like the Yangtze, and key industrial centers, effectively stripping the Nationalists of much of their economic base. Yet, despite these advances, China refused to capitulate. Chiang's government had retreated inland to the mountainous stronghold of Chongqing in Sichuan province, where it regrouped amid the fog-laden gorges, drawing on the vast human reserves of China's interior and the resilient spirit of its people. By late 1938, Japanese casualties had mounted to approximately 50,000 killed and 200,000 wounded annually, straining the Imperial Japanese Army's resources and exposing the vulnerabilities of overextended supply lines deep into hostile territory. In Tokyo, the corridors of the Imperial General Headquarters and the Army Ministry buzzed with urgent deliberations during the winter of 1938-1939. The initial doctrine of "quick victory" through decisive battles, epitomized by the massive offensives of 1937 and 1938, had proven illusory. Japan's military planners, influenced by the Kwantung Army's experiences in Manchuria and the ongoing stalemate, recognized that China's sheer size, with its 4 million square miles and over 400 million inhabitants, rendered total conquest unfeasible without unacceptable costs. Intelligence reports highlighted the persistence of Chinese guerrilla warfare, particularly in the north where Communist forces under Mao Zedong's Eighth Route Army conducted hit-and-run operations from bases in Shanxi and Shaanxi, sabotaging railways and ambushing convoys. The Japanese response included brutal pacification campaigns, such as the early iterations of what would later formalize as the "Three Alls Policy" (kill all, burn all, loot all), aimed at devastating rural economies and isolating resistance pockets. But these measures only fueled further defiance. By early 1939, a strategic pivot was formalized: away from direct annihilation of Chinese armies toward a policy of economic strangulation. This "blockade and interdiction" approach sought to sever China's lifelines to external aid, choking off the flow of weapons, fuel, and materiel that sustained the Nationalist war effort. As one Japanese staff officer noted in internal memos, the goal was to "starve the dragon in its lair," acknowledging the limits of Japanese manpower, total forces in China numbered around 1 million by 1939, against China's inexhaustible reserves. Central to this new strategy were the three primary overland supply corridors that had emerged as China's backdoors to the world, compensating for the Japanese naval blockade that had sealed off most coastal ports since late 1937. The first and most iconic was the Burma Road, a 717-mile engineering marvel hastily constructed between 1937 and 1938 by over 200,000 Chinese and Burmese laborers under the direction of engineers like Chih-Ping Chen. Stretching from the railhead at Lashio in British Burma (modern Myanmar) through treacherous mountain passes and dense jungles to Kunming in Yunnan province, the road navigated elevations up to 7,000 feet with hundreds of hairpin turns and precarious bridges. By early 1939, it was operational, albeit plagued by monsoonal mudslides, banditry, and mechanical breakdowns of the imported trucks, many Ford and Chevrolet models supplied via British Rangoon. Despite these challenges, it funneled an increasing volume of aid: in 1939 alone, estimates suggest up to 10,000 tons per month of munitions, gasoline, and aircraft parts from Allied sources, including early Lend-Lease precursors from the United States. The road's completion in 1938 had been a direct response to the loss of southern ports, and its vulnerability to aerial interdiction made it a prime target in Japanese planning documents. The second lifeline was the Indochina route, centered on the French-built Yunnan-Vietnam Railway (also known as the Hanoi-Kunming Railway), a 465-mile narrow-gauge line completed in 1910 that linked the port of Haiphong in French Indochina to Kunming via Hanoi and Lao Cai. This colonial artery, supplemented by parallel roads and river transport along the Red River, became China's most efficient supply conduit in 1938-1939, exploiting France's uneasy neutrality. French authorities, under Governor-General Pierre Pasquier and later Georges Catroux, turned a blind eye to transshipments, allowing an average of 15,000 to 20,000 tons monthly in early 1939, far surpassing the Burma Road's initial capacity. Cargoes included Soviet arms rerouted via Vladivostok and American oil, with French complicity driven by anti-Japanese sentiment and profitable tolls. However, Japanese reconnaissance flights from bases in Guangdong noted the vulnerability of bridges and rail yards, leading to initial bombing raids by mid-1939. Diplomatic pressure mounted, with Tokyo issuing protests to Paris, foreshadowing the 1940 closure under Vichy France after the fall of France in Europe. The route's proximity to the South China Sea made it a focal point for Japanese naval strategists, who viewed it as a "leak in the blockade." The third corridor, often overlooked but critical, was the Northwest Highway through Soviet Central Asia and Xinjiang province. This overland network, upgraded between 1937 and 1941 with Soviet assistance, connected the Turkestan-Siberian Railway at Almaty (then Alma-Ata) to Lanzhou in Gansu via Urumqi, utilizing a mix of trucks, camel caravans, and rudimentary roads across the Gobi Desert and Tian Shan mountains. Under the Sino-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact of August 1937 and subsequent aid agreements, Moscow supplied China with over 900 aircraft, 82 tanks, 1,300 artillery pieces, and vast quantities of ammunition and fuel between 1937 and 1941—much of it traversing this route. In 1938-1939, volumes peaked, with Soviet pilots and advisors even establishing air bases in Lanzhou. The highway's construction involved tens of thousands of Chinese laborers, facing harsh winters and logistical hurdles, but it delivered up to 2,000 tons monthly, including entire fighter squadrons like the Polikarpov I-16. Japanese intelligence, aware of this "Red lifeline," planned disruptions but were constrained by the ongoing Nomonhan Incident on the Manchurian-Soviet border in 1939, which diverted resources and highlighted the risks of provoking Moscow. These routes collectively sustained China's resistance, prompting Japan's high command to prioritize their severance. In March 1939, the South China Area Army was established under General Rikichi Andō (later succeeded by Field Marshal Hisaichi Terauchi), headquartered in Guangzhou, with explicit orders to disrupt southern communications. Aerial campaigns intensified, with Mitsubishi G3M "Nell" bombers from Wuhan and Guangzhou targeting Kunming's airfields and the Red River bridges, while diplomatic maneuvers pressured colonial powers: Britain faced demands during the June 1939 Tientsin Crisis to close the Burma Road, and France received ultimatums that culminated in the 1940 occupation of northern Indochina. Yet, direct assaults on Yunnan or Guangxi were deemed too arduous due to rugged terrain and disease risks. Instead, planners eyed peripheral objectives to encircle these arteries. This strategic calculus set the stage for the invasion of Hainan Island, a 13,000-square-mile landmass off Guangdong's southern coast, rich in iron and copper but strategically priceless for its position astride the Indochina route and proximity to Hong Kong. By February 1939, Japanese admirals like Nobutake Kondō of the 5th Fleet advocated seizure to establish air and naval bases, plugging blockade gaps and enabling raids on Haiphong and Kunming, a prelude to broader southern expansion that would echo into the Pacific War. Now after the fall campaign around Canton in autumn 1938, the Japanese 21st Army found itself embedded in a relentless effort to sever the enemy's lifelines. Its primary objective shifted from mere battlefield engagements to tightening the choke points of enemy supply, especially along the Canton–Hankou railway. Recognizing that war materiel continued to flow into the enemy's hands, the Imperial General Headquarters ordered the 21st Army to strike at every other supply route, one by one, until the arteries of logistics were stifled. The 21st Army undertook a series of decisive occupations to disrupt transport and provisioning from multiple directions. To sustain these difficult campaigns, Imperial General Headquarters reinforced the south China command, enabling greater operational depth and endurance. The 21st Army benefited from a series of reinforcements during 1939, which allowed a reorganization of assignments and missions: In late January, the Iida Detachment was reorganized into the Formosa Mixed Brigade and took part in the invasion of Hainan Island.  Hainan, just 15 miles across the Qiongzhou Strait from the mainland, represented a critical "loophole": it lay astride the Gulf of Tonkin, enabling smuggling of arms and materiel from Haiphong to Kunming, and offered potential airfields for bombing raids deep into Yunnan. Japanese interest in Hainan dated to the 1920s, driven by the Taiwan Governor-General's Office, which eyed the island's tropical resources (rubber, iron, copper) and naval potential at ports like Sanya (Samah). Prewar surveys by Japanese firms, such as those documented in Ide Kiwata's Minami Shina no Sangyō to Keizai (1939), highlighted mineral wealth and strategic harbors. The fall of Guangzhou in October 1938 provided the perfect launchpad, but direct invasion was delayed until early 1939 amid debates between the IJA (favoring mainland advances) and IJN (prioritizing naval encirclement). The operation would also heavily align with broader "southward advance" (Nanshin-ron) doctrine foreshadowing invasions of French Indochina (1940) and the Pacific War. On the Chinese side, Hainan was lightly defended as part of Guangdong's "peace preservation" under General Yu Hanmou. Two security regiments, six guard battalions, and a self-defense corps, totaling around 7,000–10,000 poorly equipped troops guarded the island, supplemented by roughly 300 Communist guerrillas under Feng Baiju, who operated independently in the interior. The indigenous Li (Hlai) people in the mountainous south, alienated by Nationalist taxes, provided uneven support but later allied with Communists. The Imperial General Headquarters ordered the 21st Army, in cooperation with the Navy, to occupy and hold strategic points on the island near Haikou-Shih. The 21st Army commander assigned the Formosa Mixed Brigade to carry out this mission. Planning began in late 1938 under the IJN's Fifth Fleet, with IJA support from the 21st Army. The objective: secure northern and southern landing sites to bisect the island, establish air/naval bases, and exploit resources. Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondō, commanding the fleet, emphasized surprise and air superiority. The invasion began under the cover of darkness on February 9, 1939, when Kondō's convoy entered Tsinghai Bay on the northern shore of Hainan and anchored at midnight. Japanese troops swiftly disembarked, encountering minimal initial resistance from the surprised Chinese defenders, and secured a beachhead in the northern zone. At 0300 hours on 10 February, the Formosa Mixed Brigade, operating in close cooperation with naval units, executed a surprise landing at the northeastern point of Tengmai Bay in north Hainan. By 04:30, the right flank reached the main road leading to Fengyingshih, while the left flank reached a position two kilometers south of Tienwei. By 07:00, the right flank unit had overcome light enemy resistance near Yehli and occupied Chiungshan. At that moment there were approximately 1,000 elements of the enemy's 5th Infantry Brigade (militia) at Chiungshan; about half of these troops were destroyed, and the remainder fled into the hills south of Tengmai in a state of disarray. Around 08:30 that same day, the left flank unit advanced to the vicinity of Shuchang and seized Hsiuying Heights. By 12:00, it occupied Haikou, the island's northern port city and administrative center, beginning around noon. Army and navy forces coordinated to mop up remaining pockets of resistance in the northern areas, overwhelming the scattered Chinese security units through superior firepower and organization. No large-scale battles are recorded in primary accounts; instead, the engagements were characterized by rapid advances and localized skirmishes, as the Chinese forces, lacking heavy artillery or air support, could not mount a sustained defense. By the end of the day, Japanese control over the north was consolidating, with Haikou falling under their occupation.Also on 10 February, the Brigade pushed forward to seize Cingang. Wenchang would be taken on the 22nd, followed by Chinglan Port on the 23rd. On February 11, the operation expanded southward when land combat units amphibiously assaulted Samah (now Sanya) at the island's southern tip. This landing allowed them to quickly seize key positions, including the port of Yulin (Yulinkang) and the town of Yai-Hsien (Yaxian, now part of Sanya). With these southern footholds secured, Japanese forces fanned out to subjugate the rest of the island, capturing inland areas and infrastructure with little organized opposition. Meanwhile, the landing party of the South China Navy Expeditionary Force, which had joined with the Army to secure Haikou, began landing on the island's southern shore at dawn on 14 February. They operated under the protection of naval and air units. By the same morning, the landing force had advanced to Sa-Riya and, by 12:00 hours, had captured Yulin Port. Chinese casualties were significant in the brief fighting; from January to May 1939, reports indicate the 11th security regiment alone suffered 8 officers and 162 soldiers killed, 3 officers and 16 wounded, and 5 officers and 68 missing, though figures for other units are unclear. Japanese losses were not publicly detailed but appear to have been light.  When crisis pressed upon them, Nationalist forces withdrew from coastal Haikou, shepherding the last civilians toward the sheltering embrace of the Wuzhi mountain range that bands the central spine of Hainan. From that high ground they sought to endure the storm, praying that the rugged hills might shield their families from the reach of war. Yet the Li country's mountains did not deliver a sanctuary free of conflict. Later in August of 1943, an uprising erupted among the Li,Wang Guoxing, a figure of local authority and stubborn resolve. His rebellion was swiftly crushed; in reprisal, the Nationalists executed a seizure of vengeance that extended far beyond the moment of defeat, claiming seven thousand members of Wang Guoxing's kin in his village. The episode was grim testimony to the brutal calculus of war, where retaliation and fear indelibly etched the landscape of family histories. Against this backdrop, the Communists under Feng Baiju and the native Li communities forged a vigorous guerrilla war against the occupiers. The struggle was not confined to partisan skirmishes alone; it unfolded as a broader contest of survival and resistance. The Japanese response was relentless and punitive, and it fell upon Li communities in western Hainan with particular ferocity, Sanya and Danzhou bore the brunt of violence, as did the many foreign laborers conscripted into service by the occupying power. The toll of these reprisals was stark: among hundreds of thousands of slave laborers pressed into service, tens of thousands perished. Of the 100,000 laborers drawn from Hong Kong, only about 20,000 survived the war's trials, a haunting reminder of the human cost embedded in the occupation. Strategically, the island of Hainan took on a new if coercive purpose. Portions of the island were designated as a naval administrative district, with the Hainan Guard District Headquarters established at Samah, signaling its role as a forward air base and as an operational flank for broader anti-Chiang Kai-shek efforts. In parallel, the island's rich iron and copper resources were exploited to sustain the war economy of the occupiers. The control of certain areas on Hainan provided a base of operations for incursions into Guangdong and French Indochina, while the airbases that dotted the island enabled long-range air raids that threaded routes from French Indochina and Burma into the heart of China. The island thus assumed a grim dual character: a frontier fortress for the occupiers and a ground for the prolonged suffering of its inhabitants. Hainan then served as a launchpad for later incursions into Guangdong and Indochina. Meanwhile after Wuhan's collapse, the Nationalist government's frontline strength remained formidable, even as attrition gnawed at its edges. By the winter of 1938–1939, the front line had swelled to 261 divisions of infantry and cavalry, complemented by 50 independent brigades. Yet the political and military fissures within the Kuomintang suggested fragility beneath the apparent depth of manpower. The most conspicuous rupture came with Wang Jingwei's defection, the vice president and chairman of the National Political Council, who fled to Hanoi on December 18, 1938, leading a procession of more than ten other KMT officials, including Chen Gongbo, Zhou Fohai, Chu Minqi, and Zeng Zhongming. In the harsh arithmetic of war, defections could not erase the country's common resolve to resist Japanese aggression, and the anti-Japanese national united front still served as a powerful instrument, rallying the Chinese populace to "face the national crisis together." Amid this political drama, Japan's strategy moved into a phase that sought to convert battlefield endurance into political consolidation. As early as January 11, 1938, Tokyo had convened an Imperial Conference and issued a framework for handling the China Incident that would shape the theater for years. The "Outline of Army Operations Guidance" and "Continental Order No. 241" designated the occupied territories as strategic assets to be held with minimal expansion beyond essential needs. The instruction mapped an operational zone that compressed action to a corridor between Anqing, Xinyang, Yuezhou, and Nanchang, while the broader line of occupation east of a line tracing West Sunit, Baotou, and the major river basins would be treated as pacified space. This was a doctrine of attrition, patience, and selective pressure—enough to hold ground, deny resources to the Chinese, and await a more opportune political rupture. Yet even as Japan sought political attrition, the war's tactical center of gravity drifted toward consolidation around Wuhan and the pathways that fed the Yangtze. In October 1938, after reducing Wuhan to a fortressed crescent of contested ground, the Japanese General Headquarters acknowledged the imperative to adapt to a protracted war. The new calculus prioritized political strategy alongside military operations: "We should attach importance to the offensive of political strategy, cultivate and strengthen the new regime, and make the National Government decline, which will be effective." If the National Government trembled under coercive pressure, it risked collapse, and if not immediately, then gradually through a staged series of operations. In practice, this meant reinforcing a centralized center while allowing peripheral fronts to be leveraged against Chongqing's grip on the war's moral economy. In the immediate post-Wuhan period, Japan divided its responsibilities and aimed at a standoff that would enable future offensives. The 11th Army Group, stationed in the Wuhan theater, became the spearhead of field attacks on China's interior, occupying a strategic triangle that included Hunan, Jiangxi, and Guangxi, and protecting the rear of southwest China's line of defense. The central objective was not merely to seize territory, but to deny Chinese forces the capacity to maneuver along the critical rail and river corridors that fed the Nanjing–Jiujiang line and the Zhejiang–Jiangxi Railway. Central to this plan was Wuhan's security and the ability to constrain Jiujiang's access to the Yangtze, preserving a corridor for air power and logistics. The pre-war arrangement in early 1939 was a tableau of layered defenses and multiple war zones, designed to anticipate and blunt Japanese maneuver. By February 1939, the Ninth War Zone under Xue Yue stood in a tense standoff with the Japanese 11th Army along the Jiangxi and Hubei front south of the Yangtze. The Ninth War Zone's order of battle, Luo Zhuoying's 19th Army Group defending the northern Nanchang front, Wang Lingji's 30th Army Group near Wuning, Fan Songfu's 8th and 73rd Armies along Henglu, Tang Enbo's 31st Army Group guarding southern Hubei and northern Hunan, and Lu Han's 1st Army Group in reserve near Changsha and Liuyang, was a carefully calibrated attempt to absorb, delay, and disrupt any Xiushui major Japanese thrust toward Nanchang, a city whose strategic significance stretched beyond its own bounds. In the spring of 1939, Nanchang was the one city in southern China that Tokyo could not leave in Chinese hands. It was not simply another provincial capital; it was the beating heart of whatever remained of China's war effort south of the Yangtze, and the Japanese knew it. High above the Gan River, on the flat plains west of Poyang Lake, lay three of the finest airfields China had ever built: Qingyunpu, Daxiaochang, and Xiangtang. Constructed only a few years earlier with Soviet engineers and American loans, they were long, hard-surfaced, and ringed with hangars and fuel dumps. Here the Chinese Air Force had pulled back after the fall of Wuhan, and here the red-starred fighters and bombers of the Soviet volunteer groups still flew. From Nanchang's runways a determined pilot could reach Japanese-held Wuhan in twenty minutes, Guangzhou in less than an hour, and even strike the docks at Hong Kong if he pushed his range. Every week Japanese reconnaissance planes returned with photographs of fresh craters patched, new aircraft parked wing-to-wing, and Soviet pilots sunning themselves beside their I-16s. As long as those fields remained Chinese, Japan could never claim the sky. The city was more than airfields. It sat exactly where the Zhejiang–Jiangxi Railway met the line running north to Jiujiang and the Yangtze, a knot that tied together three provinces. Barges crowded Poyang Lake's western shore, unloading crates of Soviet ammunition and aviation fuel that had come up the river from the Indochina railway. Warehouses along the tracks bulged with shells and rice. To the Japanese staff officers plotting in Wuhan and Guangzhou, Nanchang looked less like a city and more like a loaded spring: if Chiang Kai-shek ever found the strength for a counteroffensive to retake the middle Yangtze, this would be the place from which it would leap. And so, in the cold March of 1939, the Imperial General Headquarters marked Nanchang in red on every map and gave General Okamura the order he had been waiting for: take it, whatever the cost. Capturing the city would do three things at once. It would blind the Chinese Air Force in the south by seizing or destroying the only bases from which it could still seriously operate. It would tear a hole in the last east–west rail line still feeding Free China. And it would shove the Nationalist armies another two hundred kilometers farther into the interior, buying Japan precious time to digest its earlier conquests and tighten the blockade. Above all, Nanchang was the final piece in a great aerial ring Japan was closing around southern China. Hainan had fallen in February, giving the navy its southern airfields. Wuhan and Guangzhou already belonged to the army. Once Nanchang was taken, Japanese aircraft would sit on a continuous arc of bases from the tropical beaches of the South China Sea to the banks of the Yangtze, and nothing (neither the Burma Road convoys nor the French railway from Hanoi) would move without their permission. Chiang Kai-shek's decision to strike first in the Nanchang region in March 1939 reflected both urgency and a desire to seize initiative before Japanese modernization of the battlefield could fully consolidate. On March 8, Chiang directed Xue Yue to prepare a preemptive attack intended to seize the offensive by March 15, focusing the Ninth War Zone's efforts on preventing a river-crossing assault and pinning Japanese forces in place. The plan called for a sequence of coordinated actions: the 19th Army Group to hold the northern front of Nanchang; the Hunan-Hubei-Jiangxi Border Advance Army (the 8th and 73rd Armies) to strike the enemy's left flank from Wuning toward De'an and Ruichang; the 30th and 27th Army Groups to consolidate near Wuning; and the 1st Army Group to push toward Xiushui and Sandu, opening routes for subsequent operations. Yet even as Xue Yue pressed for action, the weather of logistics and training reminded observers that no victory could be taken for granted. By March 9–10, Xue Yue warned Chiang that troops were not adequately trained, supplies were scarce, and preparations were insufficient, requesting a postponement to March 24. Chiang's reply was resolute: the attack must commence no later than the 24th, for the aim was preemption and the desire to tether the enemy's forces before they could consolidate. When the moment of decision arrived, the Chinese army began to tense, and the Japanese, no strangers to rapid shifts in tempo—moved to exploit any hesitation or fog of mobilization. The Ninth War Zone's response crystallized into a defensive posture as the Japanese pressed forward, marking a transition from preemption to standoff as both sides tested the limits of resilience. The Japanese plan for what would become known as Operation Ren, aimed at severing the Zhejiang–Jiangxi Railway, breaking the enemy's line of communication, and isolating Nanchang, reflected a calculated synthesis of air power, armored mobility, and canalized ground offensives. On February 6, 1939, the Central China Expeditionary Army issued a set of precise directives: capture Nanchang to cut the Zhejiang–Jiangxi Railway and disrupt the southern reach of Anhui and Zhejiang provinces; seize Nanchang along the Nanchang–Xunyi axis to split enemy lines and "crush" Chinese resistance south of that zone; secure rear lines immediately after the city's fall; coordinate with naval air support to threaten Chinese logistics and airfields beyond the rear lines. The plan anticipated contingencies by pre-positioning heavy artillery and tanks in formations that could strike with speed and depth, a tactical evolution from previous frontal assaults. Okamura Yasuji, commander of the 11th Army, undertook a comprehensive program of reconnaissance, refining the assault plan with a renewed emphasis on speed and surprise. Aerial reconnaissance underlined the terrain, fortifications, and the disposition of Chinese forces, informing the selection of the Xiushui River crossing and the route of the main axis of attack. Okamura's decision to reorganize artillery and armor into concentrated tank groups, flanked by air support and advanced by long-range maneuver, marked a departure from the earlier method of distributing heavy weapons along the infantry front. Sumita Laishiro commanded the 6th Field Heavy Artillery Brigade, with more than 300 artillery pieces, while Hirokichi Ishii directed a force of 135 tanks and armored vehicles. This blended arms approach promised a breakthrough that would outpace the Chinese defenders and open routes for the main force. By mid-February 1939, Japanese preparations had taken on a high tempo. The 101st and 106th Divisions, along with attached artillery, assembled south of De'an, while tank contingents gathered north of De'an. The 6th Division began moving toward Ruoxi and Wuning, the Inoue Detachment took aim at the waterways of Poyang Lake, and the 16th and 9th Divisions conducted feints on the Han River's left bank. The orchestration of these movements—feints, riverine actions, and armored flanking, was designed to reduce the Chinese capacity to concentrate forces around Nanchang and to force the defenders into a less secure posture along the Nanchang–Jiujiang axis. Japan's southward strategy reframed the war: no longer a sprint to reduce Chinese forces in open fields, but a patient siege of lifelines, railways, and airbases. Hainan's seizure, the control of Nanchang's airfields, and the disruption of the Zhejiang–Jiangxi Railway exemplified a shift from large-scale battles to coercive pressure that sought to cripple Nationalist mobilization and erode Chongqing's capacity to sustain resistance. For China, the spring of 1939 underscored resilience amid mounting attrition. Chiang Kai-shek's insistence on offensive means to seize the initiative demonstrated strategic audacity, even as shortages and uneven training slowed tempo. The Ninth War Zone's defense, bolstered by makeshift airpower from Soviet and Allied lendings, kept open critical corridors and delayed Japan's consolidation. The war's human cost—massive casualties, forced labor, and the Li uprising on Hainan—illuminates the brutality that fueled both sides' resolve. In retrospect, the period around Canton, Wuhan, and Nanchang crystallizes a grim truth: the Sino-Japanese war was less a single crescendo of battles than a protracted contest of endurance, logistics, and political stamina. The early 1940s would widen these fault lines, but the groundwork laid in 1939, competition over supply routes, air control, and strategic rail nodes, would shape the war's pace and, ultimately, its outcome. The conflict's memory lies not only in the clashes' flash but in the stubborn persistence of a nation fighting to outlast a formidable adversary. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The Japanese invasion of Hainan and proceeding operations to stop logistical leaks into Nationalist China, showcased the complexity and scale of the growing Second Sino-Japanese War. It would not merely be a war of territorial conquest, Japan would have to strangle the colossus using every means necessary.  

Episode #471: Sebastian Copija's journey from being a Buddhist monk to embracing lay life is a story of deep introspection and balance. Monastic life had afforded him security and structure, but Sebastian felt detached from the broader world. So after ten years as a monk in Thailand and Myanmar, he disrobed, and returned to Europe to care for his parents.Lay life introduced him to new ways to apply his practice, including re-engaging in relationships. The challenges of navigating the strong and sometimes messy emotions that often accompany social and personal interactions has become an essential aspect of his practice, testing his ability to stay open-hearted amidst everyday struggles. He speaks of his present, romantic relationship as a spiritual partnership, focusing on mutual support and non-attachment.Sebastian emphasizes that the lay path is not a lesser one, requiring mindfulness and insight just as being a monastic does. He is now a lay Dhamma teacher in Poland, focusing on integrating mindfulness into daily life and creating supportive community environments where students openly share their challenges and growth. “When you disrobe, it's just gone! Ten years of your life is gone, and suddenly, the only thing you have is the clarity of the Dhamma you've developed. It's not the robes that define my practice but the application of Dhamma to every moment of life.”

Matthew Friedman joins Dr. Sandie Morgan as they explore how pig butchering scams work, why they're so effective, and how they're tied to forced labor and human trafficking, while explaining what prevention can look like from personal red flags to safeguards in financial systems.Matthew FriedmanMatthew Friedman is the Founder and CEO of The Mekong Club, a pioneering organization that mobilizes the private sector to fight modern slavery across Asia. A globally recognized expert on human trafficking, Friedman has spent over three decades working at the intersection of business, government, and humanitarian action to combat exploitation and promote ethical leadership. Before founding The Mekong Club, Friedman served as Regional Project Manager for the United Nations International Project on Human Trafficking (UNIAP/UNDP), overseeing a six-country initiative spanning China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand. He also served as Deputy Director for the USAID Office of Public Health (Asia Region), managing a $100 million annual portfolio. Friedman holds a Master's degree in Health Education from New York University and is a renowned keynote speaker who has delivered more than 900 presentations in 20 countries, inspiring individuals and organizations to take a stand in the fight against modern slavery.Key PointsPig butchering scams are sophisticated romance scams where criminals build trust over weeks before convincing victims to invest life savings in fake cryptocurrency schemes, with the metaphor referring to "fattening the pig before the slaughter."An estimated 300,000 to 400,000 young professionals have been trafficked into scam centers across Southeast Asia, where they are forced under extreme violence and coercion to run online scams targeting victims in wealthy nations.The Prince Group sanctions marked one of the most significant global crackdowns on forced-labor scam centers, with the UK freezing real estate assets and the US freezing $15 billion in cryptocurrency, signaling increased international cooperation.Financial institutions can help prevent pig butchering by monitoring unusual withdrawal patterns, such as when customers who haven't touched their accounts for 30 years suddenly liquidate everything, and by contacting clients before large transfers are completed.Victims in scam centers face brutal violence including being tasered, beaten, and in some cases tortured to death with videos sold as "hardcore" content, creating a level of violence unprecedented in modern slavery according to Friedman's 35 years of experience.Only 0.2% of the 50 million people in modern slavery receive assistance globally, not because counter-trafficking organizations don't care, but because the $236 billion generated by criminals vastly outweighs the $400 million available to fight it.Public education and awareness are critical for prevention, as people in North America remain largely unaware of pig butchering scams while Asian communities have become more informed through widespread media coverage and victim testimonies.The Mekong Club has developed multilingual e-learning tools including a three-and-a-half-minute video to help raise awareness about both human trafficking into scam centers and the scams themselves, emphasizing that prevention must be widespread.ResourcesThe Mekong ClubThe Mekong Club - Tools & ResourcesValid8 FinancialEnding Human Trafficking Podcast - Episode 269Matthew Friedman on LinkedInContact Matthew FriedmanEnding Human Trafficking Website

In Sudan, UN rights chief Türk highlights plight of people uprooted by warIn Yemen, children are dying and it's going to get worse, warns OCHAMyanmar rejects accusations of genocide at UN's top court 

Episode #470: This episode of Insight Myanmar continues our three-part series covering the Decolonizing Southeast Asian Studies Conference at Chiang Mai University, bringing together voices exploring how colonial legacies still shape knowledge, identity, and power in the region. Thai scholar-activist Thiti Jamkajornkeiat argues that true decolonization requires more than inclusion—it demands structural transformation. “The problem about Southeast Asian studies,” he explains, “is that it has a colonial baggage and is exterior—it's been developed outside of Southeast Asia.” He calls for scholarship that centers local thinkers as equal contributors and research that serves the needs and livelihoods of Southeast Asians. For Thiti, decolonization must confront global hierarchies of knowledge, funding systems, and academic validation that continue to privilege Western authority. His vision is both intellectual and emotional: a call for courage, tenderness, and solidarity in reclaiming the power to define one's own story. From Myanmar, Kyaw shares reflections rooted in his upbringing within the country's monastic education system. Growing up as a novice, he experienced how Buddhist and secular teachings intertwined, shaping his understanding of education as a moral as well as intellectual pursuit. Today, amid crisis and repression, he highlights the resilience of Myanmar's people. “Despite everything going in a negative way, the resilience of this community is huge,” he says. For Kyaw, endurance is an act of care—protecting the collective spirit and reimagining the nation's future together. Khaing expands on this, focusing on the importance of communication and advocacy in a time when truth itself is dangerous. Having long listened to Insight Myanmar, she describes it as a vital platform allowing citizens to speak and be heard despite censorship and internet blackouts. “Your podcast is more than useful,” she insists. “It's advocacy, and information awareness.”

Against the backdrop of Donald Trump's tariffs, America's closest ally, Canada, has struck a trade agreement with its rival, China. Speaking in Beijing, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the relationship with China had been "more predictable" than the one with the US. Is President Trump pushing his allies into Beijing's orbit? Also: Taiwan's tech firms will invest $250 billion in the US in exchange for lower tariffs. The government of Myanmar has begun its defence at the International Court of Justice against charges that it committed a genocide of the Rohingya people. South Korea's former president Yoon Suk Yeol is sentenced to prison for his 2024 attempt to impose martial law. And we take a look at the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament, as host nation Morocco prepares to face Senegal in the final. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Still largely viewed as a peaceful philosophy, across much of south-east Asia, the religion has been weaponised to serve nationalist goals By Sonia Faleiro. Read by Dinita Gohil. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

Wie immer beginnen wir unser Programm mit einer Diskussion über aktuelle Ereignisse. Seit Ende Dezember gibt es im Iran landesweit große Proteste. Nun hängt die Zukunft des Iran davon ab, wer länger durchhält: die Regierung oder das Volk. Mit dem Anwachsen der Proteste hat die iranische Regierung immer weniger Optionen. Danach sprechen wir über die Eröffnung von Anhörungen vor dem höchsten Gericht der Vereinten Nationen, wo darüber entschieden wird, ob Myanmar Völkermord an den Rohingya begangen hat. In diesem Fall wird argumentiert, dass die „Säuberungsaktionen" des Militärs von Myanmar im Jahr 2017 im Bundesstaat Rakhine gegen die Völkermordkonvention von 1948 verstoßen haben. Die Militärregierung von Myanmar weist die Vorwürfe zurück. In unserem Wissenschaftsteil diskutieren wir die Bedeutung einer vor Kurzem durchgeführten chemischen Analyse von Gesteinsproben unter dem grönländischen Eisschild. Die Analyse deutet darauf hin, dass die Region vor etwa 7.100 Jahren eisfrei war. Und zum Schluss sprechen wir über eine Flut von Memes auf Social Media, die auf Nicolás Maduros Trainingsanzug basieren. Der Rest des Programms ist der deutschen Sprache und Kultur gewidmet. Die heutige Grammatiklektion konzentriert sich auf Verbs with Prepositions (Part 2). Seit 2008 wird in Deutschland das „Instrument des Jahres" gewählt. Dies soll Musikinstrumente in den Mittelpunkt rücken, die zu wenig Aufmerksamkeit bekommen, obwohl sie aufgrund ihrer Vielseitigkeit viel populärer sein sollten. Das Instrument des Jahres 2026 ist das Akkordeon. In einem Interview im vergangenen Sommer mit der deutschen Fernsehanstalt ARD konnte – oder wollte – AfD-Politikerin Alice Weidel keine drei Dinge nennen, die in Deutschland richtig gut laufen. Vielleicht können wir beide ihr hier ein wenig aushelfen, Jana. Was ist denn alles in Butter in Deutschland? Genau das ist auch die Redewendung dieser Woche: Alles in Butter. Riesige Protestwelle im Iran bedroht das islamistische Regime UN-Gericht startet Völkermord-Prozess gegen Myanmar Beunruhigende Fakten über das Abschmelzen des Eises in Grönland Nicolás Maduros Trainingsanzug sorgt für Social-Media-Hype Akkordeon ist Instrument des Jahres 2026 Drei Dinge, die in Deutschland richtig gut laufen

It's Wednesday, January 14th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Most dangerous countries for Christians: The 2026 Red List Global Christian Relief released its 2026 Red List of the world's most dangerous countries to be a Christian.  The report verified nearly 2,000 Christians were killed between November 2023 and October 2025. The country with the most killings of Christians was Nigeria. The country with the most violence and intimidation against churches was Rwanda. China led with the most arrests and sentences of Christians. Mozambique saw the most displacement of believers. And Mexico had the most abductions of Christians.  Other dangerous countries for Christians included the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Russia, Ukraine, and Vietnam. Psalm 37:14-15 says, “The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to slay those who are of upright conduct. Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.” Trump threatens Nigeria with more military strikes Speaking of Nigeria, the country could see more military strikes from the United States if violence against Christians continues. On Christmas Day last month, the U.S. launched deadly strikes in Nigeria against militants linked with the Islamic State.   U.S. President Donald Trump told The New York Times last Thursday, “I'd love to make it a one-time strike. But if they continue to kill Christians it will be a many-time strike.” Listen to President Trump's warning last November. TRUMP: “I'm hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians.” Texas banned tax-funded abortion travel Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton claimed victory last Friday in a case against San Antonio's abortion travel fund. The city established its so-called “Reproductive Justice Fund” last year to support women traveling to other states to kill their unborn babies. However, Texas subsequently passed a law to ban such funding. Attorney General Paxton commented on the case. He said, “I will always do everything in my power to prevent radicals from manipulating the system to murder innocent babies. … San Antonio's unlawful attempt to cover the travel and other expenses for out-of-state abortions has now officially been defeated.” Trump wants to ban institutional investors in single-family homes President Donald Trump is calling for Congress to ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes. Such investors have acquired thousands of single-family homes since the 2008 financial crisis.  President Trump hopes his ban on institutional investors would make single-family homes more affordable. The median price for an existing home hit a record $435,300 last year. On Truth Social, he wrote, “People live in homes, not corporations.” More immigrants left America than entered in 2025 A report by the Brookings Institute estimates that more immigrants left the U.S. than entered it last year. The report suggests net migration fell by anywhere from 10,000 to 295,000 in 2025. It's the first time in at least 50 years that net migration was negative for America. 2026 is also expected to see negative net migration. Actor Timothy Busfield arrested on child sex abuse charges NewsNation has confirmed that Emmy-winning actor Timothy Busfield has surrendered to law enforcement after an arrest warrant was issued last week amid allegations of sexual abuse involving minors in New Mexico. According to a criminal complaint, two young actors allege that Busfield, age 68, touched them inappropriately while on set filming the Fox series “The Cleaning Lady” from 2022 to 2024, where Busfield was an Executive Producer. The court documents detail a pattern of grooming, where Busfield would allegedly shower the children with gifts and praise, while also kissing and fondling the boys in a bedroom on set. They were 7 and 8 years old at the time. Record high of U.S. independents A new Gallup survey found a record-high 45 percent of U.S. adults identified as political independents last year. The last time that Americans were evenly split between Republicans, Independents, and Democrats was 2005. Since then, identification with Republicans and Democrats has dwindled to 27 percent each.  The rise of political independents comes as younger generations are less likely to identify with a party. However, slightly more Americans still lean Democrat than Republican.  Christian homeless shelter allowed to hire like-minded staff And finally, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously in favor of Union Gospel Mission last Tuesday. The Christian homeless shelter in Washington state serves anyone but only hires employees who agree with their religious beliefs. A state anti-discrimination law would have required the mission to hire people who did not align with their beliefs. So, the mission challenged the law with the help of Alliance Defending Freedom. Jeremiah Galus, Senior Counsel with the Christian legal group, said, “Yakima Union Gospel Mission exists to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ through its homeless shelter, addiction-recovery programs, outreach efforts, meal services, and health clinics. The Ninth Circuit correctly ruled that the First Amendment protects the mission's freedom to hire fellow believers who share that calling.” Hebrews 13:16 says, “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, January 14th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

There's a difference between constitutionally protected free speech and acts of civil disobedience that could lead to arrests. Still, it's not clear that Renee Good in Minneapolis was interfering illegally with ICE operations. And civil disobedience isn't terrorism under traditional definitions. Also: today's stories, including how the Trump White House wants to make sure Smithsonian museum exhibits conform to its ideology; how efforts to diversify rare earth supply chains are bringing new attention to war-ravaged Myanmar; and how since the start of the war in Ukraine and Western sanctions, getting from Russia to the rest of Europe has become a frustration. Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

In episode 1988, Jack and Miles are joined by journalist, co-host of It Could Happen Here, and author of Against the State: Anarchists and Comrades at War in Spain, Myanmar, and Rojava, James Stout, to discuss… Continued Attempts At Controlling The Narrative, Turning Point Has SUCH A HUGE SURPRISE In Store For The Super Bowl…, At Least Zohran Is Getting Busy and more! WATCH: Kristi Noem Sputters After Tapper Rolls J6 Tape and Confronts Her On Whether Capitol Police Had Cause to Shoot Turning Point Has SUCH A HUGE SURPRISE In Store For The Super Bowl… LISTEN: Goblin Mode by Temporary BlessingsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saturday on PBS News Weekend, ICE shootings spark protests around the U.S. as the Trump administration deploys more Border Patrol agents to Minneapolis. Why critics say Myanmar's first elections since a military coup five years ago are a sham. Plus, a new book offers a glimpse into one of the most secretive and controversial companies in Silicon Valley. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy