Podcasts about Western Europe

Find us at www.crisisinvesting.com Read Dr. Danger Zone by Kolja Spöri at https://www.amazon.com/dp/3903713023 Doug and Matt interview elite traveler Kolja Spöri about his new book, Dr. Danger Zone, a collection of 25 highlight stories from a lifetime of travel to remote and dangerous places, paired with his on-the-ground conclusions that often contradict mainstream narratives. Kolja recounts driving Russia's northern ice roads in extreme cold, visiting conflict zones and politically sensitive regions, and seeking out famous "watering hole" hotels, including Haiti's Hotel Oloffson. The conversation shifts to his views on Turkey's development under Erdoğan, increasing surveillance and political repression in Western Europe—especially Germany—and his belief that Europe is being pushed toward a wider war with Russia while migration is used as a weapon against European civilization. They also discuss his Libya trip during the Arab Spring, his connections that enabled access to places like Chechnya, the FARC, and Mindanao, a rap song made about his life, and his Formula 1 sponsorship career. 00:00 Meet Kolja Spöri 01:09 Inside Dr Danger Zone 04:33 Languages and Turkey 07:48 Europe Turning Point 10:24 War With Russia Fears 15:10 Migration and Culture Clash 21:32 Ice Road Adventure 25:17 Haiti Hotel Legends 27:41 Goma Danger Factors 30:22 Entering Libya During Spring 32:11 Armed Kids Reality 32:51 Planning Warzone Access 33:36 Libya Benghazi Insights 35:16 Borders And Breakups 36:40 Chechnya To FARC 39:00 Mindanao And Militants 41:20 Rap Tribute Breakdown 45:31 Karabakh And Azerbaijan 47:15 Formula One Backstory 49:05 Next Chapter Reflections 50:13 Book Plug And Farewell

We will be republishing some of our most-watched episodes over the next few weeks. We hope you find that they are still more than relevant.Paul Jay says while the Russian invasion of Ukraine is illegal, brutal, and unnecessary for Russian national security, it takes place within the context of U.S. aims to suppress the growth of potential regional powers like Iran and Russia. Russia was not incorporated into Western Europe after the fall of the Soviet Union because it could have challenged U.S. dominance in the region.

We will be republishing some of our most-watched episodes over the next few weeks. We hope you find that they are still more than relevant.Paul Jay says while the Russian invasion of Ukraine is illegal, brutal, and unnecessary for Russian national security, it takes place within the context of U.S. aims to suppress the growth of potential regional powers like Iran and Russia. Russia was not incorporated into Western Europe after the fall of the Soviet Union because it could have challenged U.S. dominance in the region.

There is deep support in Ireland for the Palestinian cause. But why? And is Ireland truly an outlier in its attitudes to Palestine and Israel? Academics Miceal Canavan and Liam Kneafsey surveyed over 1,500 people to gauge attitudes, investigate the origins of this support and ask whether anti-Semitism plays a role. Their findings include that Irish people have the highest pro-Palestinian sympathy in Western Europe and that we assign unusually high importance to the conflict despite no direct ethnic, economic or military link. They test explanations for this, including ideology, party support and perceptions of Irish historical oppression as a heuristic and emotional framework. Anti-Semitism is also examined. It exists, but does not explain our outlier sympathies, their data suggest. They talk to Hugh Linehan about their paper and how they interpret what they've discovered. Miceal Canavan is a lecturer in Politics & International Studies at Ulster University. Liam Kneafsey is an assistant professor in Political Science at Trinity College Dublin.Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

European cities are scrambling to reinvent urban life as summers get hotter and deadlier. Eric Klinenberg, professor of sociology at New York University and the author of Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago (University of Chicago Press, 2015) and 2020: One City, Seven People, and the Year Everything Changed (Knopf, 2024), shares his reporting on what cities are doing to adapt to climate change during Western Europe's hottest summer on record--and maybe the coolest yet to come. Photo: A man walks past a thermometer reading 40 degrees Celsius on June 21, 2026 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Marcelo del Pozo/Getty Images). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and all of our episodes. Danny and Derek bring you the headlines against their better judgment. In this week's news: Western Europe and the U.S. set new temperature records (2:05); in Iran, the Islamic Republic demands reparations and sanctions relief before reopening the Strait of Hormuz (4:22), Trump declares that the U.S. will keep control of the Strait (8:20), and Iran makes a wave of hardline appointments (10:25); in Yemen, Houthi forces strike a cargo ship in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait (13:02); Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey form a new defense alliance (15:00); Netanyahu rejects Hamas's disarmament plan as the Board of Peace agreement collapses (18:11), plus Israeli settlers besiege a Palestinian American family's home in a West Bank village (19:48); a Syrian court sentences Bashar al-Assad to death (in absentia) for war crimes (22:19); a new UN report finds that violence against civilians rises in Myanmar (23:43); in Darfur, the Sudanese military and allied militias make key territorial gains against the RSF (25:49); Ukraine bombs the Russian port of Novorossiysk as tensions in the Black Sea push global food prices higher (28:23); Abelardo de la Espriella takes office as Colombia's new far-right president and joins the U.S.-backed Shield of the Americas (31:58); Trump secretly flees Turkey on a decoy aircraft amid reports of an Iranian assassination plot (34:06); and the Pentagon claims its Yemen strikes caused the only U.S.-inflicted civilian casualties of 2025 (37:31). Watch yesterday's livestream here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny and Derek bring you the headlines against their better judgment. In this week's news: Western Europe and the U.S. set new temperature records (2:05); in Iran, the Islamic Republic demands reparations and sanctions relief before reopening the Strait of Hormuz (4:22), Trump declares that the U.S. will keep control of the Strait (8:20), and Iran makes a wave of hardline appointments (10:25); in Yemen, Houthi forces strike a cargo ship in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait (13:02); Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey form a new defense alliance (15:00); Netanyahu rejects Hamas's disarmament plan as the Board of Peace agreement collapses (18:11), plus Israeli settlers besiege a Palestinian American family's home in a West Bank village (19:48); a Syrian court sentences Bashar al-Assad to death (in absentia) for war crimes (22:19); a new UN report finds that violence against civilians rises in Myanmar (23:43); in Darfur, the Sudanese military and allied militias make key territorial gains against the RSF (25:49); Ukraine bombs the Russian port of Novorossiysk as tensions in the Black Sea push global food prices higher (28:23); Abelardo de la Espriella takes office as Colombia's new far-right president and joins the U.S.-backed Shield of the Americas (31:58); Trump secretly flees Turkey on a decoy aircraft amid reports of an Iranian assassination plot (34:06); and the Pentagon claims its Yemen strikes caused the only U.S.-inflicted civilian casualties of 2025 (37:31).Watch yesterday's livestream here.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Misha Glenny delves in to the In Our Time archive to select ten episodes for listeners to revisit. His second choice, first released in December 2019, is the history and social impact of coffee. From its origins in Ethiopia, coffea arabica spread through the Ottoman Empire before reaching Western Europe where, in the 17th century, coffee houses were becoming established. There, caffeinated customers stayed awake for longer and were more animated, and this helped to spread ideas and influence culture. Coffee became a colonial product, grown by slaves or indentured labour, with coffea robusta replacing arabica where disease had struck, and was traded extensively by the Dutch and French empires; by the 19th century, Brazil had developed into a major coffee producer, meeting demand in the USA that had grown on the waggon trails.WithJudith Hawley Professor of 18th Century Literature at Royal Holloway, University of LondonMarkman Ellis Professor of 18th Century Studies at Queen Mary University of LondonAndJonathan Morris Professor in Modern History at the University of HertfordshireProducer: Simon TillotsonReading list:Brian Cowan, The Social Life of Coffee: The Emergence of the British Coffeehouse (Yale University Press, 2005)Benoit Daviron and Stefano Ponte, The Coffee Paradox: Global Markets, Commodity Trade and the Elusive Promise of Development (Zed Books, 2005)Markman Ellis, The Coffee House: A Cultural History (Orion, 2004)Ralph Hattox, Coffee and Coffeehouses: The Origins of a Social Beverage in the Medieval Near East (University of Washington Press, 1985)Jonathan Morris, Coffee: A Global History (Reaktion, 2018)Mark Prendergast Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed our World (Basic Books, 2010)Claudia Roden, Coffee (Faber, 1977)William Clarence Smith and Steven Topik (eds.), The Global Coffee Economy in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, 1500-1989 (Cambridge University Press, 2003)William H. Ukers, All About Coffee (first published 1935; Martino Fine Books, 2011)Anthony Wild, Black Gold: The Dark History of Coffee (Harper Perennial, 2010)In Our Time is a BBC Studios productionSpanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Misha Glenny and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.

AP correspondent Karen Chammas reports heatwaves strike France and England for a fifth time this summer.

The August 12, 2026, broadcast of the Closing Market Report, hosted by Todd Gleason, provides a comprehensive overview of the latest USDA crop production numbers and global agricultural weather. Greg Johnson of Total Grain Marketing joins the program to analyze the market's reaction to the USDA data, noting that unexpected increases in corn and soybean planted acres were offset by lowered yield estimates, resulting in tighter ending stocks and a boost to prices. Following this market breakdown, meteorologist Drew Lerner from World Weather Inc. outlines the weather landscape, detailing recent severe storm impacts in the Midwest, ongoing dryness in parts of the U.S. and Western Europe, and generally favorable crop conditions across the Black Sea region and China.01:11 USDA Report Numbers in Review03:36 Ag Markets with Greg Johnson, Total Grain Marketing13:56 Edge of Field Conservation Practices Field Day in Cisco Tomorrow14:39 Ag Weather with Drew Lerner, World Weather Inc. ★ Support this podcast ★

For Monday 10th August 2026, Carl Munson's Good Morning Portugal! news reports that IPMA forecasts favourable clear weather for good visibility of the total solar eclipse on 12th August across the country. Other headlines include around 30 municipalities in the North, Centre and Algarve interiors remaining at maximum wildfire danger, Western Europe hitting record temperatures amid prolonged heatwaves, a minor earthquake registered in Odemira (felt in Ourique, Almodôvar and Santiago do Cacém), fuel prices dropping less than expected due to the ISP tax, and EDP abandoning its €169 million floating solar project in Alcácer.Keep up with the news. weather & currency at www.portugaltalkradio.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-good-morning-portugal-podcast-with-carl-munson--2903992/support.Get help moving to and living in Portugal

The August 6, 2026, broadcast of the Closing Market Report provides an overview of daily commodity markets, agricultural economic developments, fall soil fertility strategies, and global weather patterns. Market analyst Jim McCormick highlights recent technical defense of corn and soybean positions, noting short-term downside risks ahead of the upcoming USDA crop production report alongside long-term bullish factors tied to El Niño and geopolitical trade issues. The broadcast also features economic analysis indicating that stabilized U.S. trade tariffs are beginning to show subtle inflationary effects on consumer prices. Additionally, soil fertility specialist John Jones advises producers to base fall nitrogen and phosphorus applications on recent field soil testing to ensure profitable, rather than strictly yield-chasing, fertilizer investments. Concluding the program, meteorologist Mike Tannura forecasts a favorable pattern of rain and cool fronts across the U.S. corn belt, while warning that severe, crop-damaging heat and drought conditions persist across Western Europe.02:00 Ag Markets with Jim McCormick, AgMarket.net07:46 WILLAg News Update10:59 What to do about Fall Fertilizers16:56 Ag Weather with Mike Tannura, Tstorm.net ★ Support this podcast ★

Die Fibonacci-Folge zählt zu den bekanntesten mathematischen Zahlenreihen. Benannt ist sie nach dem italienischen Rechenmeister Leonardo da Pisa, der sie allerdings gar nicht erfunden hat. In seinem Lehrbuch ist sie auch eigentlich nur eine kleine Randnotiz. Dafür war er der erste, der den europäischen Kaufleuten die indisch-arabischen Ziffern näherbrachte. Der erwähnte und von Richard erstellte Zeitstrahl mit Karte, ATLAS, ist zu finden unter: https://atlas.geschichte.fm/ // Erwähnte Folgen - GAG148: Das Ende der Welt – Friedenskaiser und falsche Friedriche – https://gadg.fm/148 - GAG539: Der Mongolensturm und das Jahrzehnt der Witwen – https://gadg.fm/539 - GAG451: Eine kleine Geschichte der verlorenen Bücher – https://gadg.fm/451 // Literatur - Raffaele Danna: The Craft of Indo-Arabic Numerals: How Practical Arithmetic Shaped Commerce and Mathematics in Western Europe, 1200-1600, 2026. - Keith J. Devlin: The man of numbers: Fibonacci's arithmetic revolution, 2011. Unser neues Buch „Mehr Geschichten aus der Geschichte“ erscheint am 4. September. Es kann hier signiert vorbestellt werden: https://shop.autorenwelt.de/products/mehr-geschichten-aus-der-geschichte-von-richard-hemmer-und-daniel-messner //Aus unserer Werbung Du möchtest mehr über unsere Werbepartner erfahren? Hier findest du alle Infos & Rabatte: https://linktr.ee/GeschichtenausderGeschichte //Geschichten aus der Geschichte jetzt auch als Brettspiel! Werkelt mit uns am Flickerlteppich! Gibt es dort, wo es auch Becher, T-Shirts oder Hoodies zu kaufen gibt: https://geschichte.shop // Wir sind jetzt auch bei CampfireFM! Wer direkt in Folgen kommentieren will, Zusatzmaterial und Blicke hinter die Kulissen sehen will: einfach die App installieren und unserer Community beitreten: https://www.joincampfire.fm/podcasts/22 //Wir haben auch ein Buch geschrieben: Wer es erwerben will, es ist überall im Handel, aber auch direkt über den Verlag zu erwerben: https://www.piper.de/buecher/geschichten-aus-der-geschichte-isbn-978-3-492-06363-0 Wer unsere Folgen lieber ohne Werbung anhören will, kann das über eine kleine Unterstützung auf Steady oder ein Abo des GeschichteFM-Plus Kanals auf Apple Podcasts tun. Wir freuen uns, wenn ihr den Podcast bei Apple Podcasts oder wo auch immer dies möglich ist rezensiert oder bewertet. Wir freuen uns auch immer, wenn ihr euren Freundinnen und Freunden, Kolleginnen und Kollegen oder sogar Nachbarinnen und Nachbarn von uns erzählt! Du möchtest Werbung in diesem Podcast schalten? Dann erfahre hier mehr über die Werbemöglichkeiten bei Seven.One Audio: https://www.seven.one/portfolio/sevenone-audio

Victor Penev, Founder and CEO of Edamam LLC, is on a mission to help people make healthier food choices by organizing the world’s food knowledge, while building a Zero-Spend Marketing Engine that fuels sustainable growth through a proprietary semantic food database. By combining food science, nutrition expertise, and AI-powered technology, Victor has built Edamam into a trusted food intelligence platform that enables businesses to develop innovative health, wellness, and nutrition applications while making reliable food data accessible at scale. In this conversation, Victor introduces The Democratic Decisions Framework—No Pre-Judgement, Freedom to Speak Up, Intellectual Environment, Robust Discussion, and Work Towards Consensus. He explains why removing preconceived opinions encourages better ideas, how open dialogue and diverse perspectives lead to stronger decisions, and why working toward consensus builds lasting commitment across teams. Victor also shares how partnerships, referrals, and search authority fueled Edamam’s sustainable growth, and why proprietary data and continuous human refinement remain the company’s competitive advantage in the age of AI. — Zero-Spend Marketing Engine with Victor Penev  Good day, dear listeners. Steve Preda here with the Management Blueprint Podcast. Today, my guest is Victor Penev, the Founder and CEO of Edamam LLC. Edamam is helping people eat better by making daily food choices simple and easy, eventually organizing all the food knowledge in the world. To that end, the company has built a proprietary semantic food knowledge base and is creating, on top of it, a range of consumer and business applications to solve real-world, everyday problems. Wow. Victor, welcome to the show.  Thank you. Good to be here. I’m very excited.  So I was shocked to learn that you’ve got 900,000 foods in the system and 2.3 million recipes. I mean, I don’t know who is even able to create so many recipes. So how did that whole thing come about? How did you come up with this idea? Are you a foodie?  I am a foodie. Yeah, that’s kind of the origin story. I’m a serial entrepreneur. I’ve done a few startups. I had a successful exit about 15 years ago. A friend of mine and I built Bulgaria’s largest internet company. Then I started looking for what to do next. I was actually going to start a news organization, but then I realized one day, on a beach in Thailand, that I think about food five hours a day, and I cook every day.  So I might as well do something around food that helps people. I married my passion for food with my passion for technology and built a company.Share on X The problem we set out to solve back then is still a very valid problem. People need the right information, just in time, to make the right food choices. The data is always inconsistent, incomplete, and lacking. So we set out to organize the world’s food knowledge so we can help people make the right food choices.  Wow, this is fascinating. So what is your personal ‘Why’ that you’re manifesting in this business?  So, in terms of philosophy—and my philosophy changes. Everybody’s personal philosophy changes over time. But where I am right now, I think there are a couple of things that really matter if you want to live what one would call the good life—a meaningful life. One is to be really present in the moment. You know, be here now. The other is to help people. I think my business falls into…Share on X For us, the measure of success is not revenue or profit.  It’s how many people we ultimately reach through our data. It’s worth noting that we’re a business-to-business company, so we don’t reach people directly. But we have partnerships with companies like Nestlé, Microsoft, Amazon, and Food Network. Through those partnerships, we think we reach at least a billion people. For us, that’s the real measure of success.  Helping everybody eat better and live longer, healthier lives. My vision is that everybody can live to 120 without chronic illness or mental conditions. A big part of that is food. So we're trying to help people. That's my 'Why'.Share on X  Yeah, I love it. Obviously, eating healthy is a big thing. You know, garbage in, garbage out. This is fascinating. Do you find that certain cultures have better eating habits than others? And what drives it?  I think history and geography, to some extent. Everybody knows about the Mediterranean diet. And it’s not only the countries around the Mediterranean. Vietnamese and Japanese cuisine are Mediterranean in the composition of the food. A lot of it comes from being close to water, living in a certain climate, and having a huge variety of fruits, vegetables, and fish. But I think the biggest change over the last hundred years hasn’t been culture. It’s been technology—quote-unquote—and the processing of food so it’s shelf-stable, can be shipped, and sold at a lower price.  I think that’s the biggest problem. It’s changing eating habits everywhere in the world. It’s very well known in the United States and, to some extent, in Western Europe. But even places like Japan are starting to eat a lot more processed food. Mexico is starting to eat a lot more processed food. This is more technology-driven than anything else. If I had to say one thing that would help people, it would be this: Go back to your roots. Get food directly from the soil. Cook it at home. It's a question of time and effort, but if you value your health, that's one of the best investments you…Share on X  Yeah, as we’re getting busier and busier, the opportunity cost of cooking our own meals is becoming higher. And that’s the real problem.  It is a problem. I mean, it’s a question of priority. I cook every day. I’m very busy, but for me, it’s an important enough thing. Food, apart from nourishment and nutrition, is also a very social thing. People connect through food and spend time together, and that’s another thing that correlates very well with longevity and a well-lived life. So there’s a lot more to be said about having good food.  Yeah, I think Woody Allen said in one of his movies that eating together is the second sexiest thing to do, or something like that.  Yeah, there you go. I’m not going to ask what the first one is.  Yeah. That’s awesome. So let’s talk about frameworks. This podcast is all about frameworks. What’s a framework that you’ve discovered along the way that helps you think about your business, create outcomes in your business, help other people be productive, or whatever it is that’s driving results in your business?  A couple of things come to mind. I’ll start with the non-obvious one. Some people speak about it, but I’ve practiced it, and I think going slow gets you further. You know, the hare and the tortoise. I am definitely against growth for growth’s sake. That drives a lot of decisions: who you raise money from, how you run your business, and so on. Over the years—and I’ve been an entrepreneur for probably close to 40 years—I’ve discovered that every successful product has its timing and its soul.  You just have to let it come to fruition. Sometimes that means slowing down instead of rushing forward. For me, being deliberate about the end goal without having time constraints is a framework that’s always helped me. It’s not for everyone. Definitely not for the modern world, where VC money is trying to get you to grow very fast, and everybody competes based on how fast their revenue or customer base has grown.  But I find that this does not lead to lasting results in terms of impacting humanity and having a meaningful life—both for yourself and for everybody in the company. So that’s one framework. The other, which is also very simple, though not too many people execute it, is just: treat people like people. This means there’s no hierarchy in my company. I’m super proud to say that in my last company, I never had an employee leave. And that was over 15 years.  It’s because I treat people as people. Going back to the Latin origin of the word companion, companio, which means “to break bread together.” We are a band of people breaking bread together on a journey. That’s how it works. That means doing things that are not intuitive in business. For example, having no advance notice requirement for vacations. If you want to take a vacation, take it now. Giving responsibility to people and treating them well. Those are the two frameworks that I think have helped me. In addition, making decisions democratically, which is a very contentious thing in business. Okay.  So how do you do that?  There is always, ultimately, an arbiter, which is oftentimes me or some kind of board. But that means having a robust discussion around a topic without preconceived notions of what the end decision or result should be. Creating a culture where everybody can speak up, argue, and tell you they disagree with you. Having that freedom creates an intellectual environment where people really debate.Share on X  At the end, more often than not, the obvious decision emerges. It takes a long time, but the reality is that once a decision is made, everybody has bought into it, and it’s usually the right decision. So I don’t make wrong turns. Now, there are times when it’s a coin flip. There are two equally good—or equally bad—options, and somebody has to make the call. Then it falls to me. But for the most part, it’s democratic decision-making.  So how do you cultivate that? How do you foster it? How do you make sure people contribute to it?  I’ve had the luxury of starting a company from scratch. It’s a lot easier to do when you start from scratch because you establish the culture with the first hire. It’s a lot harder to change a culture and instill new values. For me, it's been a very deliberate choice about what I want the company to be. People working together toward a common goal. People who don't get overworked. People who always have something exciting to do and an amazing group of people to work…Share on X  So it’s about hiring people who are reliable, self-sufficient, and want to move things forward. Then really showing that any conversation and any intellectual argument is absolutely allowed. There is no hierarchy where you can say something and I’ll just shut you down because I’m the boss. You have to demonstrate that in practice. You have to actively solicit everything a person has to say. After the first couple of hires, it becomes easier with the next ones because they see what’s going on. That’s how you do it. It’s a deliberate choice to build the culture through day-to-day interactions. There’s no easier way, unfortunately.  So how scalable is this flat, democratic culture? Does it impact scalability in any way?  It is scalable. My current company is small, but my previous company had about 150 people. Even when we sold the company and had to find a replacement CEO, the candidates had about 50 interviews each. At the end, the whole company voted on who the CEO would be. It is scalable. It slows down the decision-making process, but it speeds up the progress of the company.  An individual, even the smartest individual, is more likely to make mistakes than the crowd. Now, there are exceptions. I’m pretty sure Steve Jobs would have done it differently. But for the most part, I think people make fewer errors through a democratic process than by making decisions on their own. So yes, I think it’s scalable. It’s really a matter of deciding which decisions belong at which level. You don’t have the entire company of, say, 10,000 people voting on one thing. For a particular problem, there might be 10 people who are the relevant decision-makers. They get together and sort it out, and everybody else accepts what those people decide.  So it’s more of an approach to tapping into the minds of the people who can potentially bring diverse opinions.  Yeah. Diversity of opinion. They all have a different angle from which to look at the issue that needs to be resolved. So different angles. Because they’re all impacted, everybody can contribute. There’s respect in listening to everybody else. It’s not that one person establishes the ground truth and everybody else has to agree. There is actual debate.  Yeah. Interesting. By the way, I just want to comment on this bootstrapping aspect. I saw your post on bootstrapping. You spoke at a recent conference on it. So what are your thoughts on bootstrapping? What are the critical ingredients there?  So bootstrapping is the way business has been run for a very long time. It’s only recently—in historical terms—that the venture capital industry emerged and allowed businesses the luxury of building without thinking too much about the bottom line. But I think the disciplining effect of constantly thinking about the bottom line is super important. To some extent, it takes a certain kind of individual to do it, which I call the true entrepreneur. Those are the people who are risk-takers and can live with a very high degree of ambiguity.  When you don’t have money in the bank to cover next month’s expenses, you have to be comfortable with that. To me, that’s the right entrepreneur. It has become too easy for people to become “entrepreneurs” by raising tens of millions of dollars. That’s not to say they might not be brilliant people who execute very well and create amazing companies. I think those are probably one in a thousand. The majority get the money, spend it in two years, and they’re gone. So for me, bootstrapping is the proof in the pudding. If you do it day in and day out and keep moving forward, you're actually building something that's valuable.Share on X  Yeah, I agree. Some people say it’s akin to being an employee when you raise money and just have to get to the next fundraising round, and then the next fundraising round. It’s almost like executing the business plan your board has given you.  Exactly.  Worst case, you go take a job somewhere else if things don’t work out. But you’re not losing your livelihood, and your family isn’t going to starve, right?  It is a certain type of personality, and I don’t think it’s for everyone. But my personal belief is that if you’re going to build a business, you’re better off building it with a little bit of hunger. Not always having enough. Having just enough so you can keep moving forward.  Yeah. Necessity is the mother of invention, right? If you don’t have too many resources, that’s a constraint you can push against and come up with better ideas. It’s a forcing function.  Correct.  There you go. So, Victor, what drives growth in your business?  Like I said, I’m not pro-growth per se. This was also a deliberate choice for the company. Just as a parenthesis, the last business I ran before this was a media business. We sold advertising. I personally don’t believe that spending money on advertising is a good idea. So I built a business with the explicit desire not to spend any money on marketing. That meant I had to build mechanisms for referrals, inbound traffic, and so on.  A lot of our early customers—including companies like The New York Times and Food Network—received very high discounts, but with the requirement to display “Powered by Edamam,” linking back to us. Search engines like that. It builds authority and so on. Over the years, we’ve built enough authority that most of our traffic now comes from search engines and chatbots. That’s what’s driving our growth.  The other thing is that we try to stay nimble. We build technological assets and products, but the market changes. Who needs the data? For what use cases? It’s important to stay aware of the market and adjust to wherever the opportunity is. That’s how I’ve built the business. I’ve built it to generate lots of inbound traffic and then adjust very quickly if the market changes. The rest is we’re almost like a spider waiting for the flies to come in.  So you say you’re not pro-growth. Do you mean you don’t want to make this a bigger company?  No. I’m not for growth just for the sake of growth. Let’s grow 300% this year in top-line revenue. For me, as I said, what drives the business is how many people we reach with our data. That’s the metric I’d like to grow as much as possible. If possible, I’d like to reach every person on the planet. That’s the aspiration. When I say I’m not for growth, I mean that  sometimes growth becomes its own incentive. You grow without asking, “What’s the ultimate goal here?” Why do you have to grow?  Oftentimes, the answer is because you want to sell the company at a big profit. That’s why VCs put money into your company. You’re feeding the VC business model. But if you’re not feeding the VC business model, why do you have to grow the company? What’s the point? You may have investors, but you have patient capital, and they’re aligned with you. Eventually they’ll get their money back, but it doesn’t have to come at the expense of the company’s mission. When I talk about growth, I mean the pressure to constantly grow top-line revenue, which has become very popular over the last couple of decades.  So when you say you eventually want to organize all the food knowledge in the world, it sounds a little like Google organizing the world’s information—just for food. Isn’t that a big vision that requires growth?  No. Again, I don’t think growth is necessary to execute that vision. I think you can organize the world’s food knowledge, and we’re already well along the way. There’s always more to do. Even with very limited resources, we’ve been able to do it. I think that having more customers and more revenue would probably help, but only on the margin. It’s not a prerequisite.  The prerequisite is having the right technology and the right setup to constantly ingest new information about food, pass it through our pipeline, clean it, verify it’s accurate, structure it, organize it, and link it to other data. Food is a relatively limited universe. You started by asking whether people really create 2.3 million recipes. There are only so many ways to combine food items into something people eat. So it’s a limited universe. What’s exciting is the depth of food.  There are macronutrients, micronutrients, allergies, diets—we all know about those. But there’s much more. There are many more molecules in food. Eventually, even the soil it was grown in and the amount of sun exposure could become valuable data. There’s always more work to do, but we focus on what’s actually doable right now.  So do you envisage that the growth of technology, especially AI, means you can keep the company the same size as it is and accomplish your ultimate mission?  I think so. Similar size. To some extent, AI is helping us because it’s bringing a lot more customers. People are building all kinds of applications with large language models and agents, and they need accurate, deep data, so they come to us. We are also using AI to build tools and meet the demand, so our engineers are becoming more effective. So, to some extent, that helps keep the team small.  That being said, in terms of the speed with which AI moves, it’d be nice to have a few extra people. That doesn’t mean doubling the size of the company. I think it’s probably having 20 to 30% more people would be sufficient to actually leverage the technology—which is AI—to the best effect. So that’s kind of my view now. Ask me in two months, I may have a different view.  So what is one thing that you’re actively trying to figure out in this business right now?  Well, AI is throwing a wrench into everything, so it is a very fast-moving environment. Our clients are constantly changing their demands. The profile of our clients is changing. There’s a lot more new health, wellness, prevention, and weight-loss companies that are showing up and starting because they can now build with AI. So all of that makes for a very choppy sea. We can’t figure out exactly where the wind is blowing from and where we should head.  So for me, it’s kind of like having the North Star of, “Okay, we are a data company. We leverage our data asset, and we just keep doing that. Then we’ll innovate on the technologies that we need to offer, but stay there, as opposed to trying to change what the company does.” That’s kind of what’s keeping me steady. But again, it’s a very choppy sea, so I don’t know what’s going to happen. One big worry is whether Anthropic or OpenAI are eventually going to replicate everything that we’ve done. I don’t know. I don’t think so. But artificial superintelligence is something that nobody knows about.  Yeah. So the technology evolves very fast. So how do you avoid being commoditized by AI? I think the data—our moat is the data, right? It’s taken us so much time to actually clean, organize, and structure the data, and that’s not a process you can do easily just by throwing people or AI at it. We’ve used what used to be called AI since the beginning of the company: machine learning, natural language processing, and so on. Now we use generative AI. But we’ve used that, plus super-smart engineers, food experts, nutritionists, and week in, week out, we’ve been improving the data, improving the algorithms, refining it, and so on. That is not something you can just throw resources at.  It requires that constant iteration between humans and technology in order to get there. So for us, I think that’s an important moat because if somebody wants to build it and commoditize us, they’ll have to replicate that. I think the more likely scenario is they may end up buying us. Like I said, artificial superintelligence could be a completely different ballgame. But with the technology that exists right now, with large language models, I don’t think that’s replicable. We know it because enough people have tried.  Yeah. Would you be okay with someone buying you? Is this your…  Sure.  Yeah?  Yeah. The way I think of companies is the following. They’re like children. At some point, children become 18-year-olds. They can earn their own bread. They can walk on their own two feet. You kind of have to let them go. I think this company has gotten to that stage. It’s a teenager that can walk on its own. It doesn’t need me. And I have ideas for 10 more businesses. Who knows? If I’m healthy, I think I could probably build another four or five businesses in the next 40 or 50 years. Why not?  Yeah. I love it. So who do you want to connect with you, go on your website, check things out, and what’s the best way to engage with what Edamam is doing?  Two categories of people or entities. One is companies that are building something around diet management, nutrition, health, or food. I think they’ll find that we have valuable resources that can speed up whatever they’re developing. So that’s one category. The other is like-minded individuals. They could be investors, but they could also just be people who really care about healthy eating and the prosperity of humanity.  Those are the types of people I’d like to talk to because aligned minds often come up with new ideas. It’s kind of the Y Combinator thing—lateral thinking. If we have an aligned goal and we come from different fields, we may come up with something new.  Okay. So that’s a way for you to find people worth brainstorming with, I guess, who have the same ideas: healthy eating, helping people live longer—to 120 years. And other companies that could be using the data you’re processing and organizing. So if you’re out there and you’re in the food business or the healthy living business, then definitely pay attention.  Check out Edamam LLC‘s website. Talk to Victor Penev on LinkedIn. So, Victor, thank you for coming on the show and sharing your wisdom. And if you enjoyed this conversation, stay tuned because we have wonderful entrepreneurs like Victor every week. Anything else, Victor, you want to share? Any famous last words?  Yeah. I just want to say thank you. I appreciate the opportunity. Keep up the good work. I really enjoyed the conversation.  Thank you, Victor. And thanks for listening. Important Links: Victor's LinkedIn Victor's  website

Some people are injecting a fraction of the standard dose of weight loss drugs and hoping to still receive the benefits, but many are doing so without any medical oversight and there could be risks. Makers of the drugs say they don't condone people modifying how they use their products. Health journalist Katie Silver speaks to Claudia Hammond about why some people are choosing to microdose these weight loss drugs. With wildfires spreading across Western Europe, North Africa and Canada, Claudia is joined by BBC Health Reporter Laura Foster to discuss recent studies into the impacts wildfires can have on our health. Claudia and Laura also talk about new research into fertility and pregnancy loss as well as asking, are we consuming too much protein? And it is increasingly clear that multiple sclerosis (MS) is linked to Epstein-Barr virus infections, but can we use that knowledge to stop the progression of MS? Claudia speaks with Michael Levy, associate professor at Harvard Medical School and neuroimmunologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital, to understand if viral treatments could halt this disease and why this common virus can cause such severe immune responses in a few individuals. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producers: Jonathan Blackwell & Georgia Christie(Photo:- Hand on belly on gray background - stock photo- Credit: seb_ra via Getty Images)

It's Tuesday, August 4, 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 Kevin Swanson, Timothy Reed and Adam McManus Amnesty Int'l apologized for smearing Christians and pro-lifers Some good news on the Christian persecution front today.   Amnesty International has officially apologized for publishing a report that accused 117 Christian and pro-life groups in the UK as “anti-rights.”   In the apology, Amnesty admitted the report “should never have been published” and fell “significantly short” of its standards for research. The report had attacked the Evangelical Alliance, Christian Concern, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, The Christian Institute, The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association UK as well as crisis pregnancy centers. Oil is slowing through Strait of Hormuz and the Bab-al-Mandab strait Transporting oil and other goods out of the Middle East has become a real problem. Now the problem has reached its highest crisis point since the wars in the region fired up in the spring.  BBC reports the situation is far worse now, with Iranian pressure at the Strait of Hormuz, and Yemen Houthi pressure put on the Bab-al-Mandab Strait into the Red Sea. Only 10-15 ships a day pass through the Strait of Hormuz. That's about one-eighth the normal shipping flow. And the Bab-Al-Mandab Strait is only getting about 25-30 ships a day. That's about half the normal flow.  Saudi Arabia and Iran's economies both took a hit Saudi Arabia's economy took a 4.8% hit in the 2nd Quarter of this year. Iran is looking at a 5.4% decline for the year, according to International Monetary Fund numbers. Iran is also dealing with 68% inflation this year. Drought and fires impacting Europe God's hand has fallen hard on Western Europe. The United Kingdom experienced its driest July in nearly 200 years. Much of the nation is in drought. France recently battled its largest recorded wildfire, following months of drought and extreme heat. Parts of the Danube River have dropped to the lowest levels in 30 years. Italy's River Po has also registered a historic low. And Germany's Rhine River is at its lowest level since 2018. And fires in Spain and France took down over a million acres, resulting in the destruction of about 300 structures. Syrians & Haitians, here temporarily, were supposed to self deport Monday Here in the United States, 356,000 U.S. immigrants on Temporary Protected Status were ordered to leave by August 3rd. Presently this affects Syrians and Haitians, but may eventually impact another 1,000,000 immigrants from other countries.   This comes after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling issued last month backed the Trump administration's policy to end Temporary Protected Status. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security website is encouraging self-deportation, offering free travel, and a $2,600 bonus to get them out. New York is pushing assisted suicide and the nuns are pushing back The state of New York is pushing medically-assisted suicide, and a group of Catholic nuns are protesting. The Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm and the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne have been granted a reprieve by a federal district court. They will not have to counsel terminally ill patients or assist them with medically assisted suicide, at least for now, according to the Beckett Fund for Religious Liberty. Christian physician assistant vindicated for opposing transgender insanity A Christian physician's assistant won her court case in Michigan.  Valerie Kloosterman, a University of Michigan Health-West health worker, was fired five years ago, because of her stance against transgenderism and her affirmation of biblical principles. The health system agreed to pay $410,000 to Kloosterman and her attorneys, while also pledging to “create a religious accommodation policy in accordance with the law, notify and train all its employees, [and] grant reasonable religious accommodations without retaliation.”   Armed citizens stopped mass murderer at Idaho In-N-Out  Burgers Two armed citizens stopped a mass murderer at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho over the weekend. Police Chief Matthew Hicks recognized the two heroes for their courageous actions taken when they returned fire on the assailant. HICKS: “We can confirm that there was an off-duty state trooper and a citizen who actively engaged the suspect by returning gunfire towards him. We want to take a moment and commend the actions of the off-duty officer and the citizen and their heroic action to stop this incident. We believe their actions helped drive the suspect away from the scene, preventing further casualties.” Three died and seven more were wounded in the rampage. The suspect, who used an AR-style rifle, now identified as Chad Williams, died as a result of self-inflicted gunshot wounds. The New York Post reported that Terry Dudley, a taxi driver in Twin Falls, was among those hit by bullets, according to a GoFundMe account to raise money for his medical expenses.  Dudley, a widower and father-of-four, was shot twice in the back as he charged his Tesla. Massachusetts considers birthday abortions without exceptions The state of Massachusetts is on the verge of allowing abortions up until birth without any exceptions.  Dr. Christina Francis with the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, commented on the measure. She said, “It is never medically necessary to purposely end the life of a pre-born child in order to save her mother. Under certain circumstances where a pregnancy complication threatens a mother's life, a physician must separate mom from baby, sometimes when the baby is too young to survive outside the womb.”  Both houses have approved the bill — now awaiting the governor's signature. Maura Healey is Massachusetts's first lesbian governor.   Call Governor Healy at (617) 725-4005 or (413) 784-1200 and urge her not to sign this law that allows abortionists to kill babies on their birthdays. You can also email her through a special link in our transcript today at www.TheWorldview.com. Americans elected three homosexual governors Americans have elected three homosexual governors: Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, and Colorado Governor Jared Polis. The Wisdom book of Proverbs reminds us that “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan.” (Proverbs 29:2.) Support for homosexual faux marriage is collapsing Support for homosexual faux marriage is collapsing in the states. The latest YouGov Economist poll finds only 54% of Americans now in favor of legalizing the practice, while 32% oppose. The percentage of those who approved of the legalization of homosexual faux marriage peaked in the United States about three years ago at 70%. Washington state fires burned 6,000 acres Those fires in Washington state have burned down about 6,000 acres, including 700 structures. Over 60,000 people have been evacuated from the Spokane area. Christian singer booted from Alaska Airlines flight over “preaching” Christian singer Whitney Lynn's website describes her as an internationally-recognized evangelist, singer, songwriter, and deliverance minister with millions of Instagram views. Last week, before an Alaska Airlines flight took off because of some delay, Whitney stood up and boldly shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a relevant and pithy manner to the captive audience on the plane. Listen to what she said as she filmed herself. LYNN: “Hello, everybody. Good morning. I know we're all waiting. It's kind of frustrating, right? This wait? But I want to tell you that God's timing is perfect, and God knows everything. Maybe He's sparing us from danger today. “So, I want you to rest and know that Jesus Christ loves you so much that He died on the cross for your sins. He rose again in three days. He's alive and He's the one true God. But the wages of our sin is death. Hell forever. “Apart from Jesus, we won't make it to Heaven. But He loves you so much. Make him Lord. Repent of your sins. He is coming back very soon. I pray protection over this flight, in the name of Jesus. Amen.” Oddly enough, the airline staff said they felt “unsafe” and proceeded to escort her off the plane. As she was making her way down the aisle to get off the plane, Whitney dialogued with a male Alaska Airlines flight attendant on video. FLIGHT ATTENDANT: “The crews don't feel safe with you.” LYNN: “They don't feel safe? FLIGHT ATTENDANT: “Yeah.” LYNN: “Oh my gosh! I didn't know the message of Jesus Christ was unsafe. Wow! Do I have any guns or anything like that? No, I don't. “So, freedom of speech is not safe. I tell you what this is. It's called spiritual warfare. Is it a crime? Is it against the law? Can you tell me that? I'm just asking you a question. FLIGHT ATTENDANT: “I'm not going to answer any more questions.” LYNN: “I'm getting my stuff as I'm talking. So, can you answer the question? Is it against the law? To preach the gospel? FLIGHT ATTENDANT:  “I don't need to answer any questions.” LYNN:  “You can. You sure can. Last days. People can't talk about Jesus anymore. That's how you know there's power in that name. Makes people feel unsafe. That's sad, very sad. “Well, God bless everybody. If you know Jesus today, make Him Lord of your life and continue to spread the Gospel. Persecuted to be a Christian, it's coming. We're gonna go to jail.” Whitney Lynn has now been banned for future travel on Alaskan Airlines as well as a few other carriers. Proverbs 28:1 notes that, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” You can write Shane Tackett, the president of Alaska Airlines to object to their decision to ban Christian singer Whitney Lynn. His address is 19300 International Blvd, SeaTac, WA 98188.  Or call: 1 (800) 252-7522. TN listener calls newscast the hub, challenges listeners to evangelize Here at The Worldview in 5 Minutes newscast, Jeff Thompson in Sevierville, Tennessee emailed me and said, “Adam, I want to make two points. First, I see your ministry like a large wagon wheel with many spokes going out in all directions. Your newscast is at the hub, goes out and reaches all points on the compass. You will never know, this side of Heaven, the effect your ministry has had on the lives of the people and what they did with the information you shared. “You are doing a work that the Lord gave you to do. So, He will move the hearts of His people to provide the means to complete the work. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us, ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.' “Second, I would challenge The Worldview listeners to be like the sons of Issachar. In 1 Chronicles 12:32, it explains that the men ‘understood the times and knew what Israel should do.'  Be intentional in your walk with Christ. Remember to obey our Lord and take the Gospel into all the world. Show the love of Jesus to everyone in your sphere of influence. If we obey this command and love those around us, I can promise that you will have a full and exciting life.” 26 Worldview listeners gave $12,870.83 And finally, by Monday night at 10:30pm Central, 26 Worldview listeners stepped up to the plate and invested their treasure to fund the 6-member team behind The Worldview for another year. Our thanks to Tony and Jennie in Palmdale, California who gave $20.83, Brent in Madison, Alabama and Margaret in Raleigh, North Carolina – both of whom gave $25, Cara in Mebane, North Carolina, Hannah in Leo, Indiana, and Mark in Goodyear, Arizona – each of whom gave $30 as well as Julie in Victoria, Texas and Kevin in Scottdale, Pennsylvania – both of whom gave $50. We appreciate Aiden in Robert, Missouri and Richard and LeAnn in Zeeland, North Dakota – both of whom gave $100 as well as Christa in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Canada who gave $150. We're grateful to God for Kirsten in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Bob in Atascadero, California, and Dan in Frostproof, Florida – each of whom gave $200 as well as Griffin in Kila, Montana who pledged $25/month for 12 months for a gift of $300. We were touched by the generosity of Sean in Winona, Minnesota who gave $500, Frances in Beacon, New York who gave $500, Mitch who gave $500, and Cathy in Fate, Texas who pledged $41.67/month for 12 months for a gift of $500. And we were blown away by Chuck who will continue his $50/month pledge for a gift of $600, David in Northumberland, Pennsylvania who will continue his $50 monthly pledge for another year for a gift of $600, Michael and Jacci in Valley Center, California who will continue their $80 monthly pledge for a gift of $960, Charles in Hollywood, Maryland who gave $1,000, Charcie in Castle Rock, Colorado who gave $1,000, Jack and Genita in Bradstone, Kentucky who gave $1,200, and Jeanne in Columbia, South Carolina who gave $4,000. Wow! Those 26 gifts add up to $12,870.83. Ready for our new grand total? Drum roll please. (drum roll sound effect) $122,550  (sound effect of people cheering) I can finally see the finish line from here. In order to hit our final goal of $123,500 on this second spillover day – Tuesday, August 3rd -- God needs to prompt folks to give the FINAL $950 in order for the 6-member Worldview newscast team to be fully funded for another year. If one person gives $50 and another 3 people pledge $25/month for 12 months, we will get there.  We are so close! Just go to TheWorldview.com, click on Give, select the dollar amount, and make sure to click on the “recurring” button if that's your wish.  And remember this: If you want to continue your monthly pledge to The Worldview that you started prior to July 1, 2026, please email us so we can count your generous ongoing gift toward our total. Help us get across the finish line. Go to TheWorldview.com and click on Give. Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, August 4th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ. Extra Print Benjamin Netanyahu and Volodymyr Zelensky met Trump at White House Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with President Trump at the White House in Washington D.C. last week, reports the Guardian. For Netanyahu, it was his first time back at the White House since hostilities commenced with Iran in late February. The meeting also comes as domestic support for Israel continues to slip, while the Iran war is driving up oil prices before the midterms. In his meeting with Zelensky, President Trump discussed ongoing support for the Ukrainian war effort against Russia. Zelensky stated, “We also spoke about diplomacy. It's important that the diplomatic process be reinvigorated. Our teams will arrange the details of their further communication. I am grateful to the United States for its firm support.” 

Heat waves don’t get as much attention as blizzards, floods, and hurricanes, but extreme heat is one of the deadliest weather events on average. Research: National Weather Service. “Weather Related Fatality and Injury Statistics.” https://www.weather.gov/hazstat Last, John. “This Summer’s Drought Is Europe’s Worst in 500 Years. What Happened Last Time?” Smithsonian Magazine. 9/8/2022. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/this-summers-drought-is-europes-worst-in-500-years-what-happened-last-time-180980711/ Wetter, Oliver; Seneviratne, Sonia I. et al. “The year-long unprecedented European heat and drought of 1540 - a worst case.” Climatic Change 125(3-4), https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-014-1184-2 Orth, Rene et al. “Did European temperatures in 1540 exceed present-day records?” Environmental Research Letters. 11 (2016) 114021 doi:10.1088/1748-9326/11/11/114021. United Nations Environment Programme. “Impacts of summer 2003 heat wave in Europe.” Environmental Alert Bulletin. https://www.unisdr.org/files/1145_ewheatwave.en.pdf Pfister, Christian. “The ‘Black Swan’ of 1540: Aspects of a European Megadrought.” From Climate Change and Cultural Transition in Europe. Brill. 1/1/2018. doi:10.1163/9789004356825_007 Grodzinsky, Ewa, and Märta Sund Levander. “History of the Thermometer.” Understanding Fever and Body Temperature: A Cross-disciplinary Approach to Clinical Practice 23–35. 23 Aug. 2019, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-21886-7_3 John Huxham, Dr. Watson. “Remarks upon the Heat of the Air in July 1757. in an Extract of a Letter from John Huxham, M. D. F. R. S. to William Watson, M. D. F. R S. Dated at Plymouth 19th of That Month. With Additional Remarks by Dr. Watson.” Philosophical Transactions (1683-1775), Vol. 50 (1757 - 1758), pp. 428-430 (3 pages). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/105279. Huxham, John. “An Account of the Extraordinary Heat of the Weather in July 1757, and of the Effects of It. In a Letter from John Huxham, M. D. F. R. S. to Wm. Watson, M. D. F. R. S..” Philosophical Transactions (1683-1775), Vol. 50 (1757 - 1758). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/105292 Smeaton, John. “Remarks on the Different Temperature of the Air at Edystone, from That Observed at Plymouth, between the 7th and 14th of July 1757. By Mr. John Smeaton, F. R. S.” Philosophical Transactions (1683-1775), Vol. 50 (1757 - 1758). https://www.jstor.org/stable/105286 Sunderland, Helen. “The Great British Summer? A Historical Heatwave.” Doing History In Public. 8/12/2025. https://doinghistoryinpublic.org/2025/08/12/the-great-british-summer-a-historical-heatwave/ Scott, John. “Four elegies, descriptive and moral.” London J. Buckland. 1760. The Western Flying Post; or, Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury. Page 3. 8/15/1757. Lind, James. “An essay on the most effectual means of preserving the health of seamen in the Royal Navy.” 1774. Walpole, Horace. “The letters of Horace Walpole, fourth earl of Orford.” Vol. 3: 1750-1756. Oxford. 1903. Zwierlein, Cornel. "Chapter 3 The Danger between Nature and Culture: The Quotidian Threat of Urban Fires in the Premodern Era". Prometheus Tamed. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004431225_004 Web. Luterbacher, Jürg et al. “European Seasonal and Annual Temperature Variability, Trends and Extremes since 1500.” Science 303, 1499 (2004). DOI: 10.1126/science.1093877 Beniston, Martin. “The 2003 heat wave as an example of summers in a greenhouse climate? Observations and climate model simulations for Basel, Switzerland.” Global and Planetary Change. Volume 44, Issues 1–4, December 2004. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921818104000980 Franck, Marcy. “Heat waves and annual death rates in older adults in the United States.” Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 3/16/2026. https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/heat-waves-and-annual-death-rates-in-older-adults-in-the-united-states/ Poitras, Colin. “Warming U.S. climate linked to rising deaths from heat.” Yale School of Public Health. 11/7/2025. https://ysph.yale.edu/news-article/warming-us-climate-linked-to-rising-deaths-from-heat/ World Meteorological Association. “Western Europe has hottest June on record.” 7/9/2026. https://wmo.int/media/news/western-europe-has-hottest-june-record Cole, Deborah. “Germany records nearly 100 drowning deaths, many of them young men, in June heatwave.” The Guardian. 6/12/2026. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/12/germany-drowning-deaths-heatwave-paris-france-spain PBS News. “Europe swelters under an early heat wave as France records 40 drowning deaths.” 6/23/2026. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/europe-swelters-under-an-early-heat-wave-as-france-records-40-drowning-deaths See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The August 3, 2026, episode of the Closing Market Report, hosted by Todd Gleason, provides a comprehensive overview of agricultural commodity markets, biofuel industry developments, and global weather forecasts. Market analyst Jerry Gulke discusses the recent uptrend in corn and soybean prices, advising producers on risk management and hedging strategies to navigate changing market fundamentals. In agricultural news, a report by Stephanie Hoff highlights how the EPA's increased renewable volume obligations are successfully boosting biodiesel production and creating jobs. Driven by this biofuel policy, ADM also announced investments to expand its North American oilseed crush capacity across several states. Finally, meteorologist Mark Russo provides a weather update, noting beneficial widespread rains and moderate temperatures across the U.S. Midwest. However, he warns of a severe crop-damaging drought in Western Europe, expanding dryness in Southeast Asia, and the potential for a wet U.S. fall harvest fueled by a rapidly strengthening super El Niño.00:58 Ag Markets with Jerry Gulke, Gulke Group09:20 Higher Renewable Volume Obligations Fuel Industry Growth14:19 ADM Investing in Crush Capacity15:45 Ag Weather with Mark Russo, EverStream Analytics ★ Support this podcast ★

The Byzantine Empire didn't have to fall—history simply chose differently.The fall of Constantinople in 1453 is often presented as the inevitable end of a decaying empire—but what if that narrative is completely wrong? In this episode of History Rage, historian and author Laura Bolick dismantles one of history's most persistent myths: that the Byzantine Empire was doomed long before the Ottoman cannons fired.Drawing on her book Saving Byzantium: The Struggle to Salvage an Empire, Laura reveals a world full of missed opportunities, fragile alliances, political infighting, and last-minute efforts that nearly changed history. Rather than a slow collapse caused by decadence, the Byzantine story is one of diplomacy, survival, and desperate attempts to rally Western support that very nearly worked.At the heart of this story are two remarkable figures—Cardinal Johannes Bessarion and Isidore of Kiev—who risked everything to secure military aid from Western Europe. Their mission to unite the Orthodox and Catholic Churches was intended to bring the crusading forces that might have saved Constantinople. Incredibly, Ottoman commanders themselves nearly abandoned the siege before a final breakthrough changed the course of history forever.This episode explores the deeper causes behind the fall of Byzantium, including Western complacency, internal European conflicts, and the dangerous assumption that great cities could never truly fall. It's a powerful reminder that history isn't predetermined—it's shaped by decisions, timing, and human choices.In This Episode, We Discuss:Why the fall of Constantinople was not historically inevitableHow Western Europe failed to support Byzantium when it mattered mostThe political and religious tensions between Orthodox and Catholic ChurchesThe role of crusades in late medieval diplomacyHow the Ottomans engineered one of history's most remarkable siegesWhat Byzantium's fall teaches us about modern geopolitical complacencyAbout the GuestLaura Bolick is an art historian and researcher specialising in late medieval Byzantium and Renaissance intellectual culture. Her work focuses on the cultural survival of Byzantium and the figures who fought to preserve its legacy.Book: Saving Byzantium: The Struggle to Salvage an EmpireBuy from the History Rage Bookshop:https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781398122192(Using this link supports independent bookshops and the podcast.)Follow Laura BolickCheck your preferred bookseller for Saving Byzantium: The Struggle to Salvage an EmpireLook out for talks, articles, and appearances connected to Byzantine and Renaissance historyFollow & Support History RageLove bold historical debate and myth-busting scholarship? Here's how to stay connected:Website: https://historyrage.comTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/historyrageFacebook: https://facebook.com/historyrageInstagram: https://instagram.com/historyrageSupport the PodcastSubscribe on Apple PodcastsListen ad-free for £3/month via Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/historyrageShare this episode with fellow history enthusiastsYour support helps keep historical myths under siege.Why This Episode MattersHistory often looks inevitable in hindsight—but as this episode reveals, the fall of Byzantium was anything but certain. From near-abandoned sieges to failed crusades and shifting alliances, the fate of Constantinople hung on fragile moments and human decisions. Understanding those moments doesn't just reshape medieval history—it challenges how we think about the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greg Fuzesi and Allan Monks discuss the solid 2Q26 GDP reports and the (relative) clarity of central bank speak in Western Europe.  This podcast was recorded on 30 July 2026. This communication is provided for information purposes only.  © 2026 JPMorgan Chase & Co. All rights reserved. This material or any portion hereof may not be reprinted, sold or redistributed without the written consent of J.P. Morgan. It is strictly prohibited to use or share without prior written consent from J.P. Morgan any research material received from J.P. Morgan or an authorized third-party (“J.P. Morgan Data”) in any third-party artificial intelligence (“AI”) systems or models when such J.P. Morgan Data is accessible by a third-party.

Pretty much everyone has heard about Marco Polo and his thirteenth-century journey from Italy to China. But just as the Polos were making their way east, two other intrepid travellers were making the journey in reverse. This week, Danièle speaks with Thomas A. Carlson about two Eastern Christian monks who made their way from China all the way to Western Europe, and this unique account of what medieval Europe and its kings looked like from the outside.This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

Every website and app I've worked on has eventually developed the same problem. It accumulates content, features, navigation options, and stakeholder requests until everything is apparently important. Of course, when everything is important, nothing is. You end up with a homepage trying to please 14 departments, navigation labels negotiated by committee, and an interface that gives the refund policy the same prominence as whatever users came to do in the first place. Which is a slightly peculiar way to design something for humans. This is why I've relied on top task analysis for years. Find the few things that deserve attention Top task analysis identifies the tasks, questions, and features your audience values most. Rather than asking people whether they like a particular idea, it forces them to prioritize what matters. That distinction is useful because people can want many things in theory. But when they have to choose, a much smaller set usually rises to the top. Those top tasks give you an evidence-based foundation for decisions such as: What should appear prominently on a landing page Which features deserve attention in an app How a website's information architecture should be organized What information belongs in a dashboard Which stakeholder requests can safely sit further down the list It won't make the political conversations completely disappear, sadly. But “our users ranked this above that” is a considerably stronger position than “I feel this button should be bigger.” Why a normal survey isn't enough A traditional survey can collect what people say they want, but the result is often another long list. You've discovered 47 things your audience cares about and somehow made the original problem worse. Well done, everyone. Top task analysis adds prioritization. Participants choose the 5 tasks that matter most to them and then rank those choices. That gives you a clearer picture of relative importance rather than a pile of individually reasonable requests. The approach can work for all sorts of digital products. On an ecommerce site, tasks might include checking delivery charges, tracking an order, or arranging a return. On a marketing site, they might be understanding pricing, comparing options, or finding evidence that a product works. In an application, they might be the handful of features people use every day. Once you know what sits at the top, you can design around those priorities and fit the smaller tasks around them. I've built a free app to make this easier Although top task analysis is valuable, running one has traditionally involved a slightly awkward collection of survey tools, spreadsheets, and manual cleanup. I've spent enough of my life staring at those spreadsheets, so I built a dedicated Top Task Analysis app instead. It is 100% free, and I intend to keep it that way. You can create a survey, add a few sample tasks, and share it with your audience. Participants select their 5 most important tasks, add missing options for others to choose, and then prioritize their selections. The admin area shows which tasks matter most, and you can compare the priorities of different audience groups. You can also rename, merge, or remove responses as you clean up the results, rather than performing spreadsheet surgery and hoping you haven't accidentally deleted Western Europe. If you'd like to understand the process before creating a survey, I've also written a step-by-step guide to running a top task analysis. It covers gathering tasks, recruiting participants, analyzing the results, and using what you learn. The difficult bit remains reassuringly human The app will collect and organize the evidence, but it won't decide what your interface should become. You still need to interpret the results, balance competing needs, and make sensible design choices. That is a good thing. We already have enough tools claiming to replace judgment while producing dashboards nobody reads. But top task analysis gives that judgment somewhere solid to start. It replaces a surprising amount of guesswork with direct evidence about what your audience came to do, and it makes prioritization conversations much easier to have.Try the free Top Task Analysis app A small Product Hunt-shaped favor I'm also launching the app on Product Hunt today, complete with a short video showing how it works. If you have a moment, please take a look at the launch and let me know what you think there. View the app on Product Hunt I'd genuinely value your first impressions, so if you have a moment, please leave a comment on Product Hunt. In particular, I'd love to know: Whether you can see a situation where you'd use it How you'd like to use it Whether there are any features you think are missing And once you've had a chance to try it properly, ongoing feedback is equally welcome. If you run a survey and discover something confusing, missing, or mildly irritating, please let me know. I built this to make a useful research approach easier to adopt, so real-world grumbling is far more useful than polite applause.

Dr. Anthony Fauci was subpoenaed to testify on Capitol Hill to answer questions about the Covid-19 pandemic — but he's keeping quiet. As President Donald Trump promises to retaliate against Iran, questions remain about US weapons stockpiles. Meanwhile, a new CNN poll is full of warning signs for Trump and his priorities. Wildfires continue to scorch Western Europe, and more countries could be in the danger zone. And we'll explain why the US is banning certain foreign-made humanoid robots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links —Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.

For the first time, Spain has issued a state of emergency and tens of thousands of people have been evacuated in France as wildfires rage across western Europe. Also, Britain's National Crime Agency says one of the country's biggest cybersecurity threats is the rise of teenage hackers. And, a look at former Nepalese aid workers who have had to turn to sex work amid the fallout from US aid cuts. Plus, we take a listen to the music of young Algerian guitarist Fati Tiniri Tam. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

DO POLITICIANS NOT WANT TO SOLVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION!  #JonGaunt #JonGauntTV #IllegalImmigration #UKPolitics #IslamistExtremism #NigelFarage #AndyBurnham #ElonMusk  How many more warnings does Western Europe need before its politicians finally wake up?  Berlin has just witnessed a deadly Islamist extremist attack targeting people gathered near its Pride celebrations. A van was driven into the crowd before further violence erupted, leaving one person dead and many more injured.  Now, today in Paris, three women have been stabbed in broad daylight. The arrested suspect reportedly claimed that Allah had commanded him to carry out the attack, although the precise motive remains under investigation.  How many times are we expected to watch scenes like these before mainstream politicians admit that Europe has a serious problem with Islamist extremism?  They lecture ordinary people about diversity. They warn us about our language. They appear terrified of being accused of racism or Islamophobia. But where is their courage when women are being stabbed in the street or gay people are apparently targeted at Pride celebrations? It increasingly feels as though terrorist atrocities and extremist violence are being treated as acceptable collateral damage in the political establishment's pursuit of uncontrolled migration and multiculturalism at any cost. Let me make the distinction absolutely clear: A Muslim is a follower of a religion. An Islamist is a political extremist who wants religious ideology imposed upon society. Millions of peaceful, law-abiding Muslims reject terrorism and want to live freely in modern Western democracies. They must never be confused with radical Islamists who despise our freedoms, intimidate women, persecute gay people and seek to undermine liberal democracy. But refusing to make that distinction—and refusing to confront Islamist fascism—is not tolerance. It is cowardice.  There is growing anger throughout Western Europe. Ordinary people can see what is happening, yet mainstream politicians continue to avoid the issue. They promise to control illegal immigration, defend our borders and protect the public—but nothing fundamentally changes. Why? Is it incompetence, cowardice—or do they simply lack the political will to solve it? And where is Andy Burnham? Why has a man who apparently wants to lead Britain had so little to say about illegal immigration, integration and the threat of Islamist extremism?  When elected politicians refuse even to discuss the public's legitimate fears, they create a dangerous political vacuum. That vacuum will eventually be filled by extremists. Elon Musk is warning that Britain and Europe could be heading towards civil conflict. Is that prediction alarmist—or is it what happens when public anger is ignored for too long? Jon Gaunt asks: Have mainstream politicians abandoned their most basic responsibility—to protect their own citizens? This is not about attacking Muslims. It is about defending Muslims, Christians, Jews, atheists, women, gay people and every law-abiding citizen from a fascistic extremist ideology that has no place in a modern liberal democracy. The politicians must stop hiding. The public are demanding action—and they will not remain silent forever.  Join Jon Gaunt LIVE AT SIX. Like, comment, subscribe and tell me exactly what you think.  #JonGaunt #JonGauntTV #Live #IllegalImmigration #UKPolitics #BorderSecurity #IslamistExtremism #CounterTerrorism #NigelFarage #AndyBurnham #ElonMusk #Migration #FreeSpeech #BrokenBritain #Europe #Politics #CurrentAffairs #Debate  Jon Gaunt, Jon Gaunt TV, Live, Illegal Immigration, UK Politics, Border Security, Islamist Extremism, Counter Terrorism, Nigel Farage, Andy Burnham, Elon Musk, Migration, Free Speech, Broken Britain, Europe, Politics, Current Affairs,  This is political blogging and hard-hitting social commentary from Triple Sony Gold Award-winning talk radio legend, Jon Gaunt — former host on BBC, Talk Radio, and Sky News. On Jon Gaunt TV, we cut through the noise and say what others won't. No political correctness. No censorship. Just real conversations that matter.

Central and Eastern Europe are undergoing major demographic decline. We're talking low birth rates, aging populations, and decades of youth emigration to Western Europe. So, what does this all mean?Join the Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/PeterZeihanFull Newsletter: https://bit.ly/4bRUF8y

SCHEDUKE JBS 7-21-26Elizabeth Peek joins John Batchelor to discuss how rising gasoline prices act as a talisman for consumer sentiment and presidential approval. Despite low unemployment and rising real wages, the public remains fixated on energy costs. Peek criticizes Republican messaging and highlights the massive AI-driven investment boom currently occurring. (1)Elizabeth Peek discusses New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's inability to define the "working class." She argues the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) primarily represent white, college-educated liberals rather than manual laborers. They also discuss Kevin Warsh as a potential Fed chairman and the independence of interest rate decisions. (2)Peter Berkowitz examines Vice President JD Vance's views on restoring Christianity in America. Berkowitz highlights the ambiguity in Vance's stance regarding government involvement in religion. They contrast Vance's rhetoric with James Madison's historical opposition to state-funded religion, emphasizing the constitutional separation of church and state. (3)Ahmad Sharawi reports on Syria's interception of sophisticated Iranian weapons—including cruise missile components—destined for Hezbollah. The weapons were concealed in Iraqi oil tankers. This move is seen as Al-Shara's attempt to gain international trust and investment by demonstrating a commitment to containing Hezbollah's rearmament. (4)Mary Kissel discusses the ongoing conflict with Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. She argues there is no diplomatic overlap because Iran views nuclear weapons as essential for survival. Kissel notes the lack of a broad international coalition and warns that regional allies might seek accommodation with Tehran. (5)Mary Kissel turns to NATO's lack of unity regarding the Ukraine war. Kissel argues that while Eastern Europeannations feel the threat, Western Europe focuses on domestic politics. She highlights the emergence of a "new alliance" of Russia, Iran, and China, which poses a significant hybrid threat. (6)Joseph Sternberg analyzes China's struggling economy, noting that official growth targets are likely overstated. Facing a real estate crater and demographic decline, China is reverting to an export-heavy model. Unlike Japan's past recovery, China's adversarial stance makes trading partners less willing to absorb its gluts. (7)Joseph Sternberg discusses the transition to Prime Minister Andy Burnham in the UK. Burnham, who took office without an election mandate, faces a heavily taxed economy and bond market skepticism. Sternberg critiques Burnham's big-government agenda and resistance to market reforms, suggesting it may drive away wealth. (8)Gregory Copley evaluates Prime Minister Andy Burnham's new cabinet, specifically John Healey as Chancellor and Wes Streeting as Defense Secretary. While the government aims to boost defense spending and support Ukraine, Copley questions its legitimacy without a fresh mandate and notes a lack of long-term global strategic planning. (9)Gregory Copley covers the alienation of Canada under the Trump administration. Copley explains how Canada is diversifying its defense procurement—buying Swedish aircraft and Australian radar—rather than relying on the US. This shift threatens the NORAD partnership and results in billions of dollars lost for US aerospace industries. (10)Gregory Copley explores the "balance of ignorance," where declining literacy and social media lead to a loss of national identity. He argues that governments make poor strategic decisions because they no longer understand their own history or adversaries, citing the current US conflict with Iran as a primary example. (11)Gregory Copley explains King Charles III's role in forming Andy Burnham's government. The King's "blessing" provides constitutional legitimacy to the transition. Copley notes Burnham is the first practicing Roman Catholic Prime Minister and highlights the King's departure to Glasgow to open the Commonwealth Games. (12)Former Congressman Thaddeus McCotter discusses how rising gas prices and inflation hurt Republicans in swing states. They also examine the Trump administration's use of the Smoot-Hawley Act to threaten tariffs on Canada. McCotter views these as punitive measures that weaken the broader argument for necessary trade protections. (13)Thaddeus McCotter comments on a recent presidential address regarding the 2020 election. He argues that claiming the system is "rigged" is counterproductive for Republican turnout. McCotter suggests that voters care far more about the "price of gas" and groceries than relitigating past elections that the party lost. (14)John Batchelor and Peter Huessy review classic nuclear war films like Godzilla, On the Beach, and Dr. Strangelove. Huessy argues that while these films highlight the horrors of nuclear use, real-world focus has evolved toward deterrence and sophisticated safety systems designed to prevent accidental or unauthorized missile launches. (15)Peter Huessy continues the discussion of nuclear films like Fail Safe and The Day After. Huessy disputes claims that The Day After motivated Ronald Reagan's arms control efforts, noting Reagan was a committed advocate for nuclear reductions long before the movie's massive 1983 television broadcast. (16)Corrections applied silently: Ahmad Sharawi (4) and Thaddeus McCotter (13, 14) per the log.

Brilliance of the Seas transatlantic cruise review. Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas takes center stage this week as John shares his 23-night back-to-back cruise from Barcelona to Boston. The cruise combined an eight-night Western Europe sailing with a 15-night transatlantic cruise featuring Iceland, Greenland, Scotland, Portugal, Spain, and Atlantic Canadian maritimes. He discusses the ship's classic Radiance-class design, oceanview cabin, dining, entertainment, rough seas, and why Brilliance remains a favorite despite being more than 20 years old. Plus, hear what it's like to visit the Blue Lagoon, chase the Northern Lights, explore Greenland's remote villages, and whether a transatlantic cruise is worth adding to your bucket list. Share your thoughts: doug@cruiseradio.net  Sponsor Cruise line protection is designed to help if you can't take your cruise. Third-party travel insurance helps protect you during the trip. Including medical care, delays, and unexpected issues. Compare plans and save up to 30% at TripInsurance.com. About Cruise Radio: Cruise Radio has been delivering cruise news, ship reviews, and money-saving tips weekly since 2009.

In an historic step that follows decades of divisiveness and years of negotiations, Gibraltar joins Europe’s border-free Schengen community. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It can be hard to get a clear picture, so our episode today is here to help: "How much do things cost in Morocco?"As much as there's the standard answer, "It depends," we go a little deeper than that and try to frame costs around certain standards and levels of service. Whether that means different types of accommodation, the cost of meals at sit-down restaurants, do desert camps vary greatly in price, how much are activities such as a Hot Air Balloon ride, and lots more.There are a couple of possible yet unrelated preconceptions about Morocco that we should address. For one, folks might think that Morocco is a budget travel destination akin to Thailand or El Salvador, where your dollar goes very far, decent accommodation is well under $100/night, and an amazing meal costs $5.Well, that's not the case in Morocco, our costs aren't quite that low! Secondly, costs in Morocco might simply seem unknown, with no real frame of reference. Maybe it's expensive, maybe it's not, how can you know, and what can you relate it to? And when you see the cost of something, are you getting the appropriate value for that cost?Morocco generally speaking fits in somewhere between the costs of Western Europe and Eastern Europe. Not quite as expensive as France or the UK, but not as inexpensive as maybe Albania or Poland. Similar prices to what we often see in North America, but also very good, and certainly unique value, whether it's in our distinct accommodation (riads) or our one-of-a-kind cuisine.So our goal here today is to help give you a frame of reference and ease the sticker shock that might come otherwise. And to therefore help you plan better, know what questions to ask and make an educated decision on budgeting for your trip!You can also watch the video version of this episode on our YouTube channel here: "Typical Travel Costs in Morocco" Join me for an 8-Day Boutique Moroccan Experience!https://trips.destinationsmorocco.com/Morocco-2026Step inside the hidden Morocco on this first-of-its-kind, 12-spot journey, hosted personally by Azdean.November 8-15, 2026, $1995 USD Per PersonBook Your Spot Today! Learn more about Azdean and Destination Morocco.

The July 15, 2026, edition of the Closing Market Report highlights the current agricultural commodity markets and upcoming weather patterns influencing crop production. Host Todd Gleason discusses a recent surge in wheat futures driven by supply fears following Russian military attacks on Ukrainian ports, particularly Odesa, shifting the focus away from traditional weather factors. In the ag market segment, Greg Johnson notes that Central Illinois crops are generally performing well, prompting farmers to hold out for stronger prices, though fund activity remains neutral to long. Additionally, the program details upcoming regional agricultural events, including University of Illinois Extension field days and webinars focused on soybean breeding and agricultural AI applications.The second half of the program transitions to regional and international ag weather with Drew Lerner from World Weather Inc.. Lerner breaks down the stressful but manageable heat impacts across the northern Corn Belt, noting that while the upper Missouri River Basin faces high temperatures and dryness, areas like the Red River Valley are insulated by recent heavy rainfall. The international segment details a severe and expanding drought in Western Europe, where central France and the UK face massive precipitation deficits threatening summer crops like sugar beets. Conversely, weather conditions remain favorable for crop maturation in the Black Sea region, making the current market volatility strictly a reflection of regional war developments rather than climate failures.01:21 Ag Markets with Greg Johnson, Total Grain Marketing 11:59 Ag Weather with Drew Lerner, World Weather Inc. ★ Support this podcast ★

The Israeli art restorer and spy Gabriel Allon is as real as George Smiley or Hercule Poirot. He even has his own Wikipedia page. The CNN special correspondent Jamie Gangel describes herself on X as a friend of Gabriel Allon before she gets around to mentioning her husband, the best-selling thriller writer Daniel Silva who, of course, is the creator of Allon. As with all successful literary inventions, of course, Silva is as much Allon as Allon is Silva. Silva-Allon. Amongst the most lucrative partnerships in contemporary fiction. Unsurprisingly, Silva still hasn't managed to kill off Allon. Twenty-six books into the series, the retired Mossad legend turned Venice art restorer is the truest fake spy in the business — a character so real that Silva, who seems to revel in his insularity, has to lock himself away from imagining how readers receive him. Or perhaps he's locking himself away from Allon. In Ransom, out today, a billionaire real estate baron asks Allon to find his vanished wife, the dazzling socialite Alice Winter — who has, of course, a darker life. Behind Silva's latest summer best-seller looms Russia's shadow war on Europe. That's the post-cold war cold war politics of Ransom. Unit 29155, the GRU's sabotage specialists, are hitting pipelines and flying drones over Copenhagen, an MI6 officer describes the Russians as feral animals, and Ransom's climax unfolds at an emergency Downing Street summit with Zelensky without the United States in the room. It's a terrifying narrative as real as Gabriel Allon. Five Takeaways •       An Art Restorer Who Used to Be a Spy. Gabriel Allon was invented for one book — a 1999 novel inspired by the Camp David peace process, written like a demon in a cottage near Land's End — and was never meant to continue. Twenty-six books later, Silva has flipped the character's formula: once an operative whose cover was art restoration, Allon is now an art restorer who used to be a spy, formally retired and living in Venice. As for his age, Silva freezes time the way Christie froze Poirot: Allon is aging in reverse, quite intentionally, and Silva will write him for as long as people want to read him. •       Russia's Shadow War on Europe. The serious spine of Ransom is the campaign of sabotage and subversion that Russia is waging against all of Western Europe — the GRU's Unit 29155 hitting pipelines, running hacking operations, and flying the drones that shut down Copenhagen Airport and pushed Denmark toward its highest state of alert. One MI6 officer tells Silva the Russians are acting like feral animals, and the worse the battlefield goes, the more aggressive the sabotage becomes. Silva has been here before: Moscow Rules put him ahead of the curve on Putin in 2008, and Allon's personal war with Putinism enters its latest round. •       Writing an Israeli Hero After October 7. Allon is the old Israeli liberal establishment made flesh — secular, social-democratic, the Ashkenazi security elite whose surviving members now oppose the conduct of the war. Silva, an avowed two-stater, saw the change coming years before October 7: quoting his friend Richard Haass, this is not your parents' or grandparents' Israel. Allon, he insists, would never serve in a cabinet alongside far-right extremists like Ben-Gvir and Smotrich — and they wouldn't have him. What happened on October 7 was barbaric, Silva says, but this war has gone on far too long. •       The Super Rich, With a Judgmental Eye. It's fun to write about the rich — the jets, the expensive toys, the glamour of Venice, Knightsbridge, and Ibiza — but Silva does it for a specific reason: to draw the contrast between how they live and how the rest of us live. A new global super elite is checking out from everyone else, he argues — unwilling to pay taxes, to educate the young, or to care for the sick — so Ransom balances the socialite's world against an encampment of homeless seasonal workers on Ibiza. Britain itself gets the same treatment: austerity, seven prime ministers in a decade, and shires where nobody is doing very well. •       Pencils on the Floor. Silva calls himself a literary novelist masquerading as a thriller writer, and his working methods match the self-description: he lies on the floor and writes with pencils, keeping technology as far from the work as possible. AI appears in Ransom only because the plot demanded it — a proof-of-life photograph that has to be checked for deepfakery, in a world where even presidents fake pictures. The thought of asking AI to write for him prompts a simple question: what would be the point? A book a year since 1997, and book 27 began the day after this one was finished. About the Guest Daniel Silva is the award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-six Gabriel Allon novels, including The Kill Artist, Moscow Rules, Portrait of an Unknown Woman, A Death in Cornwall, and An Inside Job. His books are published in more than thirty countries. He lives in Florida with his wife, CNN special correspondent Jamie Gangel — who describes herself on X as a friend of Gabriel Allon before mentioning her husband. His new novel is Ransom (HarperCollins, July 14, 2026). References: •       Ransom by Daniel Silva (HarperCollins, July 14, 2026) — book 26 of the Gabriel Allon series. James Patterson: “Silva can really write, the bastard.” •       Moscow Rules (2008) — the novel Silva is proudest of, which put him ahead of the curve on Putin and began Allon's personal war with the Russian secret services. •       The Kill Artist (2001) — Allon's first appearance, inspired by the Camp David peace process and written in a rented cottage near Land's End. •       Unit 29155 — the real GRU sabotage unit behind the pipeline attacks, hacking operations, and drone incursions that drive the novel's plot, including the 2025 shutdown of Copenhagen Airport. •       John le Carré — whose George Smiley, Silva concedes, needs no advice from Gabriel Allon, though the two would have got on had they met on Bywater Street. •       Richard Haass — the foreign policy analyst and friend of Silva's whose line frames the Israel discussion: this is not your parents' or your grandparents' Israel any longer. About Keen On America Nobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States — hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 3,000 episodes since the show launched on...

This week on Mouse Chat, Sharpie takes us to Europe for a father-son high-school graduation trip through Spain and Portugal — a destination his oldest son picked as he heads off to study architecture. From Gaudí's Sagrada Família to a flamenco tablao, high-speed trains, beach towns, and Lisbon's tile shops, here's an honest trip report with real tips you can use to plan your own visit. What we cover this week: The route: flying Aer Lingus out of Pittsburgh with a 12-hour Dublin layover each way, then Barcelona (3 nights) → high-speed train to Madrid → train to Seville → local train to Cádiz → back to Seville → a flight to Lisbon, plus a day trip to Cascais. Barcelona: an 8-hour guided tour, an hour inside Sagrada Família (and why the light, the facades, and the windows are unlike any cathedral you've seen), the Gothic Quarter, a Picasso mural, Park Güell, the harbor cable car, neighborhood markets, and a breathtaking live flamenco show. Riding the rails: what first class on Spain's high-speed trains is really like (lounge, meal service, roomy seats) and the fields of sunflowers "as far as the eye can see" between Madrid and Seville. Madrid: a tuk-tuk tour on a 104°F record-heat day — including the AI-translation guide snafu — and how to roll with it when a tour doesn't go to plan. Cádiz: a relaxing beach-town break, a spa hotel with a full thermal suite and 75-minute massages for about $100 each, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe. Lisbon & Cascais: the cleanest city of the trip, the designer-lined Avenida da Liberdade, a rooftop-pool hotel, hunting down handmade Portuguese pottery and antique tiles, and cliff divers at a beautiful beach town 40 minutes away. Real-world tips: Spain's excellent public transit, the current euro exchange rate (about $1.15 to €1), walking 75 miles over nine days, and Sharpie's planning method — book the big-ticket sights, then fill the gaps with finds along the way. Thinking about a trip like this? Sharpie plans Europe travel for Mouse Chat's travel agency, Pixie Vacations — free planning, no booking fees. Get a free, no-fee quote at https://pixievacations.com/get-a-quick-vacation-quote/ or call 678-815-1584. Prefer to see Spain and Portugal by ship? You can browse and book Mediterranean and Atlantic cruises through our online booking engine at https://cruise.pixievacations.com. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mousechat-net-family-travel-podcast-disney-universal/id395503030 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1ujpZQKOnCuKcgArpnBQKQ. Questions or comments? Email comments@mousechat.net.

Did you know that Spain just dropped a massive ban on energy drinks, and it should raise concern for any U.S. brand prioritizing geographical expansion across Europe? If you're in Spain (and under the age of 16), you can no longer purchase energy drinks. While Lithuania started the trend in 2014, Spain became the first Western European country to enact age-of-sale laws on all energy drinks. Moreover, Spain also age-restricted any energy drink containing more than 32 milligrams of caffeine per 100 milliliters to those over 18 years-old. And although that concentration of caffeine is the industry standard for most energy drinks globally, some pundits fear Spain including an age restriction could spark copycat regulatory actions across Western Europe. But what do you think: is this a win for public health or government overstepping?

In this sixth episode of The Cunning Farmer, Todd Elliott and I tromp-on through Chapter 6 (Agrarian Weather Magik) of his pivotal book, The Cunning Farmer: Agrarian Magical Practices, Mythology, and Folklore, discussing language and the rite of prayer to participate in the weather of Earth....Learn more about our other podcast: The Language of Irish Mythology Podcast.Join the Unshod Substack (for free) and commune with us! Purchase The Cunning Farmer HERE.Learn more about Daniel's work HERE.The Cunning FarmerA guide to restoring the ancient relationship between farming and magicExplores how to reconnect with nature and use practical, nature-based magic for gardening and farming, fertility, and abundanceExamines Moon work, plant magic, forest deities, Earth energies, weather magic, the cosmology of ritual, and how to work with land spiritsDiscusses folk magic traditions of North America and Western Europe, including the grimoire tradition, Western esotericism, alchemy, Kabbalah, and shamanism as well as Taoist principles and ReikiMagic and farming, in the minds of ancient people, were not separate realms of life, but both were woven inextricably into the way people lived. Through libations, prayers, hymns, dances, sacrifices, and rituals, ancient farmers connected to the sacred forces, the gods, nature spirits, and ancestors to make the crops grow, keep the herds healthy, the weather favorable, and release energies of fertility. These rural farmer priests and priestesses of the ancient past are the spiritual ancestors of today's cunning farmers.This book explores folk magic traditions of North America and Western Europe, including the grimoire tradition and the practices of witches and cunning folk for increased fertility. Todd draws on Western esotericism, Taoist principles, alchemy, Kabbalah, Reiki, and shamanism to show how to use practical, nature-based magic, just like our ancestors, for more abundant gardening and farming. He shows how to work with land spirits, including meeting the place spirit of your land—the genius loci. He also explores working with Earth and Moon energies, plant magic and forest deities, and ritual. Learn how to deepen your connection to elemental and celestial forces and explore the idea of rewilding the imagination to enhance your relationship with nature and the spirits that call it home.

The work of Rod Dreher has a consistent theme: doom. He believes the collapse of Christianity has ushered civilizational decline in Europe, that we've traded our humanity for comfort, and he worries that totalitarianism is around the corner for the United States. “I'm worried about Weimar America,” he tells me. “It may not be Hitler 2.0, it may not be Stalin 2.0. It might be something all American, but it's not going to be what we're used to.” It's best not to dismiss him; he's been right before. We discuss how we got here and the dangers that still lie ahead when we grant godlike powers to our technology. 0:00 - Intro 1:41 - The role of Christianity in Western society 12:26 - Free speech in Western Europe 17:40 - Immigration and de-Christianization 23:55 - Viktor Orbán's Hungary 34:50 - "Weimar America" and the coming crisis 46:45 - Dreher's personal journey 55:12 - Dark re-enchantment and A.I. as a "vector for the demonic" (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Green Bank, West Virginia is home to the world's largest fully steerable radio telescope. It's also the only town in the U.S. where cell phones and Wi-Fi are banned, so the telescope can listen for faint signals from across the Universe undisturbed. This week, we bring you a special conversation recorded after The Planetary Society's virtual screening of Small Town Universe, the documentary that follows the people whose lives are shaped by that place. Mat Kaplan, Planetary Society senior communications advisor, talks with filmmaker Katie Dellamaggiore and physicist Ellie White about making the film, the beauty and stakes of life at Green Bank, and the ongoing fight to keep the observatory funded. Before that, Kate Howells, public communications specialist, previews the total solar eclipse crossing parts of the Northern Hemisphere on August 12th, the first visible from Western Europe since 1999. And Bruce Betts, chief scientist, joins for What's Up, breaking down Hayabusa2's July 5th flyby of asteroid Torifune. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-small-town-universeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why did the potato blight begin in Belgium before it reached Ireland — and why has the Flemish famine of 1845, which killed tens of thousands and stunted a generation, been almost entirely forgotten while the Irish catastrophe became the defining tragedy of a nation? What destroyed the linen industry of Flanders before the blight even arrived, and how did that earlier catastrophe turn a regional food crisis into something far worse? And what does DNA sequencing of museum specimens from 1845 reveal about where the most consequential agricultural disaster in European history actually began?Join John and Patrick as they tell the story of Belgium and the last great peacetime famine in Western Europe — the linen crisis, the Arm Vlaanderen, and the tragedy that Belgium forgot...----------In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business-----------Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community.Support us!Share this episode with your friendsGive a 5-star ratingWrite a review-----------Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here for extra stories related to recent episodes, book recommendations, a sneak peek of upcoming episodes and more.-----------Instagram, TikTok, Threads:@historyoffreshproduceEmail: historyoffreshproduce@gmail.com

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

Savage argues that America and Western Europe face an existential "invasion" enabled by a complicit media and "internationalist" leadership, claiming mass immigration threatens national identity defined by his three themes: borders, language, and culture. He condemns multiculturalism, multilingual ballots, and cultural decay. He returns to his 2002 bestseller  "The Savage Nation: Saving America from the Liberal Assault on Our Borders, Language, and Culture" that warned of chaos leading to tyranny and called for massive deportations. As we mark America's 250th Declaration of Independence, Savage urges listeners to be "soldiers" rather than "slaves."

This week we talk about air conditioners, pressure systems, and heat stress.We also discuss weather memes, climate change, and dirty grids.Recommended Book: Battle of the Linguist Mages by Scotto MooreTranscriptAn air conditioner, or AC, or maybe air con if you're in the UK, is a device that moves heat from one location to another. In doing so, it usually dehumidifies the air, as well, so it can rapidly cool a room or entire building by shifting both heat and humidity from that room or building, elsewhere—usually outside.This is basically the same technology used in refrigerators, a process called vapor compression allowing the device to circulate a substance called refrigerant using a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and an expansion valve, which—and this is a very superficial explanation of what's happening—but these components take advantage of forced circulation and a phase-change between gas and liquid to transfer heat from the room you want to cool, or the inside of the refrigerator, and move that heat outside your building, or to the back and/or bottom of the fridge.This is a far more active mode of air conditioning, of cooling and dehumidifying the air, than has been used throughout history. Most early methods relied on passive approaches, including but not limited to architectural elements, the use of plants and optimization of air flow, or creating basement areas for things that needed to stay cool.Researchers have dabbled with more active methods of conditioning air for centuries, though, and several 19th century inventions served as precursors for the first iteration of modern ACs, some of which were used to create ice, which was useful unto itself, but could also be used to cool a room, if far less effectively and efficiently than an actual, holistic AC unit.In 1894, industrial-grade ammonia compressors, powered by electricity, made this category of device suitable for urban environments; previously they just were far too bulky and difficult to power for city use. By 1896, the Hungarian engineer who came up with this new riff on the theme, István Röck, was manufacturing what he called dry air cooling apparatuses for hospitals, theaters, and other large spaces.Just five years later, in 1901, an American inventor named Willis H Carrier developed what's widely considered to be the first modern electrical AC unit, selling the first one to a lithography company in New York, before patenting the term air conditioning in 1906. The first residential version of this device was installed in 1914, and in 1915 the Carrier Air Conditioning Company of America was formed—a business that still exists today.The impact of air conditioning, and this general technology category, as again, it's also used in modern refrigeration units, cannot be overstated. This tech didn't become widespread in the US, which is where it initially took off, in large part due to Carrier and other AC businesses' presence in the States, until the mid-20th century, and before that, before the 1950s, the state of Florida was technically occupied, but only just barely because of its extreme heat and humidity and abundance of mosquitos. The population of Florida in 1950 was about 2.7 million, and today it's about 23.5 million—that influx of people began after AC units became standard in buildings across the state, and the country. We've seen similar migrations as a result of too-hot places sudden becoming a lot more pleasant.Similarly, refrigeration enabled a boggling amount of change within the food and beverage industry, the chemicals and industrial materials industries, and the healthcare and life science industries, because before the advent of the cold chain—the system of refrigerated spaces, including boxes and trucks and planes and ships that allowed medicines and foods and other substances to stay cold from their origin to their end-consumer—it simply wasn't possible to sell or create or work with many of these products and materials.The distribution of this technology is not universal or equal, however, and in some cases that inequality, that lack of access to this technology in some spaces, is the result of choice, not inaccessibility. And that's what I'd like to talk about today: the spread, or lack thereof, of AC technologies and products, and how a recent heat wave in Europe may lead to more installations of this type of product across the continent.—Beginning in late-May of 2026, a series of severe heatwaves engulfed Europe, and especially Western Europe, breaking all sorts of temperature records and leading to a bunch of heat-related deaths.A recent meme gives a good sense of just how bad this heat wave has been.Back in 2014, as part of a campaign by the World Meteorological Organization, dozens of weather presenters from around the world were invited to record fictionalized weather reports from 2050, with the intention of giving people a sense of how global climate change might impact daily life even as soon as just 36 years in the future.One of these presenters, from France, gave a report of an imagined scenario in which a heat wave descended upon Europe, showing temperatures of 40 degrees celsius, which is about 104 degrees Fahrenheit, with some areas seeing temperatures as high as 43 C or 109.4 degrees F.This was generally considered to be a baffling, maybe even sci-fi sort of prediction at the time. But this clip has resurfaced and widely shared, as, just 12 years later, not 36, this recent heat wave has not just met, but in some cases surpassed that imagined, too-crazy-to-be-real European heat wave scenario.Across much of Western Europe, those temperatures milestones were hit, and in a few locations they were beat by as much as 20 degrees F.For a few days in France, temperatures were higher than in Las Vegas, Nevada and Phoenix, Arizona, coming within 2 degrees F of temperatures in famously too-hot Death Valley, California.All-time high temperature records were broken in Germany, and a handful of other countries are waiting to see if provisionally recorded high-temperatures they experienced hold up, to see if their own records will be broken. The UK recorded a temperature of 37.1 C (98.78 F), the Netherlands saw a top temperature of 39.4 C (nearly 103 F), Belgium hit 40 C (104 F), and Germany recorded 41.3 C (106.3 F)—all temperatures that are 5-12 C above seasonable averages, and this has led to all manner of infrastructural issues, as well.A nuclear power plant in Switzerland had to take both reactors off the grid because the temperature of the river that cools it got too hot, a Eurostar train broke down east of Brussels with about 400 people on board, and 3 people had to be taken to the hospital. A bunch of big public events were cancelled, hospitals were filled to the point of having to triage visitors, and, if these on-the-ground issues weren't enough, researchers in Switzerland have warned that almost all of the winter reserves built up on their glaciers are gone, which suggests the glaciers themselves will begin melting soon—something that usually doesn't start happening until August.This heat wave was the result of a potent heat dome, which is a pocket of high pressure that developed as a result of jet stream fluctuations that pulled hot air north, out of warmer portions of Africa. This type of high pressure pocket can then cause the heat it gathers to just sit there, unmoving, whereas typically it would be pushed around, causing it to disperse, and to thus not have such a significant impact on people and other life on the ground.Unfortunately, these sorts of disruptions to the previous climatic norm are becoming more common as the climate shifts, due to the accumulation of CO2 and other heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere. The regulating systems we've evolved with are changing because there's more overall energy, more heat, powering these systems across the planet, and that means we're no longer able to predict them as accurately, but also that some of these systems could fundamentally change or disappear, possibly in the near future.Events like this, which are currently rare, then, could soon become common. And meteorologists in Europe have warned, during this major heat wave, that this sort of event could be a regular thing, and soon, and could even last a lot longer; not a matter of days or weeks, but possibly spanning months at a time, without reprieve.That's not great news for a continent that, until now, has generally been pretty okay with its existing heat and weather infrastructure. Unlike the US and other countries that have some incredibly hot regions, leading to the widespread installation of AC units, only about 20% of homes across Europe have AC installed. As a result, as this heat wave descended on the area, trapping heat inside buildings that were constructed with cooler weather in mind, people have been unable to remain indoors, to work, to sleep; it's been miserable. And in some cases, deadly; the combination of heat and humidity making it more difficult for peoples' bodies to regulate heat via sweat, and that's led to an increase in heat stress on their bodies—which is just a miserable thing to deal with, but it also means a lot of people, including but not limited to the very young and very old, are more likely to die, their bodies simply incapable of handling that level of persistent temperature strain.Back in the summer of 2022, during another, less intense heat wave, more than 60,000 people died across Europe due to heat stress and related ailments. The numbers are still out on this more recent heat wave, but the stats are expected to be pretty grim, as in addition to the individual strain people in these afflicted areas are suffering, infrastructure tends to collapse in unprepared areas, hospitals not functioning or not functioning well, their machines and IT systems failing due to the heat, and the medical professionals working in these places suffering alongside everyone else, their bodies under constant heat stress, not getting enough sleep, and so on. There have already been a lot of reports of children dying of heat stress after being left in cars for short periods, and people drowning in large numbers, trying to cool off un-moderated bodies of water.The conversation that tends to bubble up in the wake of such incidents is representative of the larger conversation around climate change and its impacts.Air conditioning, and lower-powered, but just as effective heating and cooling options like heat pumps, which are basically ACs that work in both directions, but which tend to consume less energy than conventional AC units, these devices are amazing short-term solutions and help people survive and thrive in even the hottest, most humid and unwelcoming environments and climates.They also require, especially in the case of conventional ACs, a whole lot of power. And across much of the world right now, that means burning fossil fuels.The sad irony is that in powering these devices that are more necessary because of climate change impacts, people and institutions are contributing more to that large-scale problem, worsening the impacts of climate change, which then necessitates more artificial, power-hungry cooling.Experts continue to remind lawmakers and others in the position to make big-picture decisions on these sorts of matters that there are a lot of opportunities to reduce ground-level temperatures in passive, non-energy-hungry ways.Painting large surfaces brighter colors so more heat is reflected rather than absorbed, planting more trees and other greenery, installing solar panels, using passive building materials and architectural techniques to improve insulation and air flow; there's a lot of low-hanging fruit for areas that are becoming warmer, and which would otherwise require a lot more energy and fossil fuel burning just to keep life tolerable and survivable.Unfortunately, many of these options aren't widespread or even well-known, and the short-term solutions, like conventional AC units, are quick and effective, and a lot easier, currently at least, to install than superior options, like heat pumps.There's a good chance, then, than the most impacted areas will become even bigger contributors to the problems they're trying to solve; until larger-scale incentives, subsidies, and policies change that status quo, at least.Show Noteshttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/24/climate/europe-fastest-warming-continent.htmlhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/jun/24/europe-heatwave-live-news-updates-uk-record-breaking-temperatures-italy-red-alerthttps://arstechnica.com/science/2026/06/the-sad-inevitability-of-europes-heat-wave/https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/27/climate/europe-heat-wave-nuclear-trains-infrastructure.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/26/weather/europe-heat-wave-temperatures.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/26/world/europe/europe-heat-climate-change-politics.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/26/world/europe/france-heat-alcohol-paris-ban.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/26/climate/europe-heat-wave-climate-change.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/25/world/europe/france-children-heat-cars-deaths.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/25/world/europe/heat-wave.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/25/arts/europe-museums-heat.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/25/weather/belgium-heat-wave-brussels.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/25/world/europe/paris-canal-swimming-heatwave-france.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/24/climate/europe-fastest-warming-continent.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_European_heatwaveshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_Kingdom_heatwaveshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2026/06/25/french-tv-presenter-once-imagined-2050-heat-wave-did-france-reach-those-levels-this-week/https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/26/climate/european-heat-wave-impossible-global-warminghttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/europe-air-conditioning-deadly-heat-waves-more-common/https://www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/06/europe-air-conditioning/687711/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_conditioninghttps://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jun/25/hospitals-nhs-england-critical-incidents-machines-it-fail-extreme-heat This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

A wave of antisemitic terror swept across Western Europe this spring — and one man appears to have been behind it all. This week, Yonit and Jonathan hear the full, remarkable story as they sit down with Jason Burke, The Guardian's international security correspondent and terrorism expert. He describes how a single Iraqi-Iranian dual national is accused of leveraging both social media and teenage criminals to orchestrate what looked like a series of scattered attacks but was, in fact, a coordinated proxy campaign. And they discuss the broader questions: has the long arm of Iranian terror been constrained at all by US-Israeli military action? Did October 7th represent a strategic break from Iran's usual playbook — or was it a tactical aberration? And as the 50th anniversary of the raid on Entebbe approaches, was that operation a turning point in the long history of global terrorism - and what can be done now to beat back the menace of terror?   00:00 Introduction to Jason Burke and His Work 02:23 Profile of Mohammed Bakr Saad, Al-Sadi 05:13 Al-Sadi's Operations and Recruitment Methods 07:50 The Arrest of Al-Sadi and His Plans in the US 12:42 Impact of Al-Sadi's Arrest on Terror Operations 15:26 October 7th: An Evolution or Aberration in Terrorism? 19:06 The Role of Qatar in Terror Financing 22:55 Countering Terrorism: Challenges and Strategies 26:05 The Significance of the Entebbe Raid 30:03 Convergence of Leftist and Islamist Terrorism 33:01 The Evolution of Terrorism and Its Future  

The war in Ukraine is very close to exploding into Europe, including the cities where your kids are taking a semester abroad. No one in the West seems to be paying any attention at all. A warning from Viktor Bout in Moscow. (00:00) The Escalation in Ukraine (15:27) What Is the Motive for a War With Russia? (26:05) Is This a Religious Conflict? Why Are Civilians Sent to the Frontlines? (31:27) Why Does Zelensky Not Want an Election? (50:08) How Many Have Died in This War? Viktor Bout is a Russian entrepreneur and public figure. He was born on January 13, 1967, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, which was then part of the USSR. After serving in the Soviet Army, he trained as a military interpreter specializing in Portuguese. He worked in his field in Mozambique, Southern Africa. Since 1992, he has been engaged in business activities related to intercontinental air transportation. In 2008, he was arrested and extradited to the United States, where he was held until 2022. With the assistance of the Russian diplomatic mission, he was returned to his homeland. He later became involved in public service and was elected as a deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Ulyanovsk Region. He is married and has a daughter. Paid partnerships with: Ethos: Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/TUCKER American Financing: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.327% for well qualified borrowers. Call 800-685-5696 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/Tucker. Defend: Enter code "Tucker" for 20% off your purchase at https://defendcellcam.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Context of White Supremacy hosts the Counter-Racist Weekly Review 06/27/26. This broadcast examines current events from across the globe to learn what's happening in all areas of people activity. We cultivate Counter-Racist Media Literacy by scrutinizing journalists' word choices and using logic to deconstruct what is reported as "news." We'll use these sessions to hone our use of terms as tools to reveal truth and neutralize Racists/White people. #ANTIBLACKNESS This week, we analyze the global enforcement of state policy, legal degradation, and targeted systemic terror: 1. The Supreme Court Strip of Immigrant Protections: We dissect the high court's decision to strip protections for Haitian and Syrian immigrants. We apply counter-racist logic to look past judicial jargon and reveal the deliberate legal vulnerability manufactured for non-white populations seeking refuge. 2. The Global Enforcement of Biological and Climate Control: We examine the corporate health risks of Roundup alongside the environmental toll of record-breaking heatwaves spanning Western Europe to Los Angeles's East Side. We deconstruct how the system concentrates toxic exposure and environmental degradation inside non-white sectors while corporate networks manage the fallout. 3. Legalized Injustice & State Abuse: We break down the Supreme Court blocking a Rastafari man's right to sue a Louisiana prison, a New Jersey music festival canceled over white supremacy ties, and the local devastation of a California library shooting. We decode the media's framing to reveal how the state shields its agents while suppressing non-white autonomy. #KohenWiley #NoHaitians #TheCOWS17Years Call: 720.716.7300 Code: 564943#

A guide to restoring the ancient relationship between farming and magic• Explores how to reconnect with nature and use practical, nature-based magic for gardening and farming, fertility, and abundance• Examines Moon work, plant magic, forest deities, Earth energies, weather magic, the cosmology of ritual, and how to work with land spirits• Discusses folk magic traditions of North America and Western Europe, including the grimoire tradition, Western esotericism, alchemy, Kabbalah, and shamanism as well as Taoist principles and ReikiMagic and farming, in the minds of ancient people, were not separate realms of life, but both were woven inextricably into the way people lived. Through libations, prayers, hymns, dances, sacrifices, and rituals, ancient farmers connected to the sacred forces, the gods, nature spirits, and ancestors to make the crops grow, keep the herds healthy, the weather favorable, and release energies of fertility. These rural farmer priests and priestesses of the ancient past are the spiritual ancestors of today's cunning farmers.This book explores folk magic traditions of North America and Western Europe, including the grimoire tradition and the practices of witches and cunning folk for increased fertility. Todd draws on Western esotericism, Taoist principles, alchemy, Kabbalah, Reiki, and shamanism to show how to use practical, nature-based magic, just like our ancestors, for more abundant gardening and farming. He shows how to work with land spirits, including meeting the place spirit of your land—the genius loci. He also explores working with Earth and Moon energies, plant magic and forest deities, and ritual. Learn how to deepen your connection to elemental and celestial forces and explore the idea of rewilding the imagination to enhance your relationship with nature and the spirits that call it home.This book is not just a guide to farming, but to forging a relationship with the living land. It shows that we are surrounded by spiritual powers and, with their help, we can re-enchant and reconnect with the land that gives us life.Todd Elliott is a farmer, earth worker, Reiki master, Druid, and was certified as an Astrological Magician by Renaissance Astrology. A lifelong student of mythology, religion, spirituality, folklore, and esoterica, he lives, works, writes, and studies on a small ridgetop farm in north central Kentucky, where he and his family ethically raise vegetables, fruits, and livestock.https://substack.com/@thecunningfarmerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/earth-ancients--2790919/support.

Ukraine has been intensifying attacks across Crimea as it attempts to cut off the peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. The authorities have been forced to suspend fuel sales to the public.Also on the programme: hundreds of schools in the UK are closed as temperatures in Western Europe hit new highs; and why sperm whales use different dialects depending on where they swim in the Mediterranean Sea.(Photo: A satellite image shows burning oil storage tanks and smoke rising from the Crimea Bridge amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict Credit: Vantor/Reuters)

As a record-breaking heatwave continues in western Europe, the United Nations has warned that fossil fuels are driving a climate crisis. France has endured its hottest night in more than eighty years and temperatures are expected to climb above 41C. Spain, Italy, Germany and the UK are also sweltering. Also: the European Union issues single-day visas to a Taliban delegation to attend a migration meeting in Brussels, despite not recognising the government in Afghanistan; the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio heads to the Gulf for high-stakes talks with Arab allies; a major ransomware attack in Romania forces a hundred hospitals offline; Sri Lanka battles its worst dengue outbreak in years; a new study suggests people may be biologically ageing faster than previous generations, raising questions about a rise in early-onset cancers; and we look at the economic impact of Cape Verde's remarkable run at the mens football World Cup, as the tiny Atlantic island nation enjoys global attention.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.ukPhoto: People cool off in the Trocadero Fountain next to the Eiffel Tower as temperatures rise during a heatwave affecting a large part of the country, in Paris, France, June 22, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Abdul Saboor

Western Europe is in the midst of a severe heat wave, with the temperature in Paris hovering close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. An estimated 45 people have already died in France as a result, many from drowning while trying to cool off. Also, a look at how Brexit continues to shape British politics a decade later. And, US funding cuts to South Africa could risk an HIV/AIDS rebound. Plus, a new type of shoe that keeps your feet cool and comfortable.Time is running out and we need your help to reach our goal before our 2:1 match ends! Give now. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Savage warns that we are living through a more militant form of Islam today than we have seen in over 150 years. He examines the past to expose how a sect of Islam has emerged that is intolerant and into total subjugation and conquest. What can America learn from the fall of England, France, and Belgium to radical Muslim conquest? He argues that New York City Mayor Mamdani is the tip of the spear to the Muslim Brotherhood and he should not be dismissed as a friendly, benevolent character. Savage still holds onto hope that the more peaceful coalition of Muslims will prevail, but warns that Western Europe may serve as a warning signal to the United States.