Podcasts about International Center

On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with James Sherr, an honorary fellow at the International Center for Defense and Security; and Serhiy Kudelia, a professor of political science at Baylor University and author of the recently published book, "Seize the City, Undo the State: The Inception of Russia's War on Ukraine."

Jessica Dimmock's work focusses on humanistic and intimate storytelling. She is the recipient of numerous international awards for her photography and video work, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, three World Press Photo Awards for short films, The Inge Morath Award from Magnum, the F Award for Concerned Photography from Forma and Fabrica, The Infinity Award for Photojournalist of the Year from the International Center of Photography, and The Kodak Award for Best Cinematography at the Hamptons International Film Festival. She is a Sundance Edit and Story Lab Fellow, and her first feature film The Pearl was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the Dallas International Film Festival and was executive produced by Impact Partners. Her clients include HBO, The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Microsoft, The UNFPA, Aperture, Showtime and PBS. She is the co-director of the Netflix series Flint Town as and directed on the reboot of Unsolved Mysteries and AppleTV's Home. In 2007 Jessica produced a photobook entitled The Ninth Floor (Contrasto).  Her most recent film, co-directed with her partner Zackery Canepari, is Thoughts & Prayers: How to Survive an Active Shooter in America, focussing on the USA's $3 billion active shooter preparadness industry and its effects on teachers and students, released in 2025. In episode 277, Jessica Discusses, among other things: Current projects Her attraction to dark subject matter Her TV mini series Captive Audience Forming close relationships with her subject The random coffee shop interaction that changed her direction forever The chance encounter that led to her first big photography project and subsequent book, The Ninth Floor How the musician Moby played a part in her journey Serendipity and her project The Pearl The challenge of landing lucrative commercial work The Netflix series she co-directed, Flint Town Her most recent film Thoughts & Prayers: How to Survive an Active Shooter in America Website | Instagram Become a A Small Voice podcast member here to access exclusive additional subscriber-only content and the full archive of 200+ previous episodes for £5 per month. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here for everything A Small Voice related and much more besides. Follow me on Instagram here. Need a new website? I will build you one with Squarespace. Details here.

Stephen Shames – A Legendary Documentary Photographer (Part 2)

In a world that constantly pulls at our attention, opinions, and energy, reclaiming sovereignty is a spiritual act. In this conversation, Reiki teachers Colleen and Robyn Benelli join Pam Allen-LeBlanc to explore what sovereignty and inner authority truly mean in Reiki practice and everyday life.Together, they unpack how Reiki supports self-trust, discernment, and ethical clarity—especially for sensitive, empathic practitioners. You'll hear how sovereignty manifests in healing sessions, teaching, boundaries, leadership, and decision-making, and why inner authority is not about control but about alignment.The episode closes with a deeply calming guided Reiki meditation to help you come home to yourself, release external influence, and rest in the quiet confidence of your own inner knowing.______Pam Allen-LeBlanc is a scientist, businesswoman, and Licensed Reiki Master Teacher (LRMT) with the International Center for Reiki Training.Get in Touch with Pam:pam@reikifromthefarm.comwww.reikifromthefarm.com______Colleen & Robyn's Information:Website:  www.Reikilifestyle.comEmail: colleen@reikilifestyle.com, robyn@reikilifestyle.com___A special thanks goes out to Music from Pixabay for the intro music and to Nate Miller for the meditation music. Register for our newsletter! Instagram Facebook Youtube pam@reikifromthefarm.com

Rune Lykkeberg har i denne uge talt med den amerikanske demokratiforkæmper, forfatter og forsker Hardy Merriman om modstanden mod Trump i et stadig mere autoritært USA. --- Ugens gæst i Langsomme samtaler er den amerikanske demokratiforkæmper, forfatter, forsker og modstandsmand, Hardy Merriman. Hardy Merriman udgør en sjælden kombination af akademisk dannelse, intellektuel nysgerrighed og aktivistiske forbindelser. Har har i 25 år arbejdet med bevægelser, som modarbejder undertrykkelse og opbygger beredskab til at regere selv. Længe var han præsident for International Center on Nonviolent Conflict i Washington, der står for udbredelse af ikkevoldelige modstandsteknikker til frihedskæmpere og modstandsbevægelser over hele verden. Han arbejdede i samme periode også som rådgiver for det store udviklingsprogram under den amerikanske regering, der hedder USAID, og som Trump har lukket meget store dele af.  Hardy Merriman er desuden elev af en anden stor helt her på Langsomme samtaler-redaktionen, nemlig Gene Sharp, som har skrevet den måske vigtigste aktivistbog overhovedet i anden halvdel af det 20. århundrede: From Dictatorship to Democracy (1993).  Det er Gene Sharps dybe indsigt, som udgør princippet for hele Hardy Merrimans arbejde. Budskabet er her, at enhver diktator regerer på sine undertrykte borgeres nåde. Og hvis vi kan organisere os, så kan vi altid tage magten tilbage. Men hvis vi bruger voldelige midler til at slås, så taber vi til gengæld til autokraten.  I løbet af sin samtale med Rune Lykkeberg gør Hardy Merriman status på demokratiet og retssamfundets tilstand i USA med Trump 2.0 i Det Hvide Hus. Vi får hans analyse af, hvad der foregår, hvor modstanden er, og hvad vi kan gøre for at være med. 

As Abraham's visitors begin to leave, the LORD deliberates about revealing to Abraham what is about to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah. The LORD shows His patience as He decides to go down and see the greatness of the outcry of the wickedness of these two cities. As the two angels turn toward Sodom, Abraham remains before the LORD to intercede on behalf of the righteous in the two wicked cities. He implores the LORD based on the LORD's justice, asking Him to spare the city for the sake of His own people there. The LORD responds in His grace, promising that He will not destroy the cities for the sake of ten righteous ones.  Rev. Sean Daenzer, director of worship for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and chaplain at the International Center in St. Louis, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Genesis 18:16-33.  “In the Beginning” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies Genesis. The first book of Moses sets the stage for God's entire story of salvation. As we learn the beginning of the story, God prepares us to receive the fulfillment of the story: Jesus Christ, the Offspring of the woman who has crushed our enemy's head.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

In this beautiful episode of Reiki from the Farm™, we explore the connection between Reiki and Hinduism through the lived experience of a student who walks with both traditions every day. Rather than approaching the topic academically, we enter it the way Reiki enters our lives—gently, honestly, and through the doorway of personal truth.Together, we talk about how Hindu philosophy, deities, and devotional practices inform her healing journey, and how Reiki has become a supportive thread woven through it all. We look at where the two paths naturally harmonize, how they differ, and how they can coexist in a way that is both respectful and deeply nourishing.We also touch on some of the common questions and misunderstandings people have about integrating different spiritual traditions. And through it all, you'll hear a theme that runs through everything I teach: that Source—whatever name you use—is bigger than any one system, and that when we listen with our hearts—and with Reiki—we're always guided toward what strengthens, uplifts, and heals.If you've ever wondered how Reiki can align with religious or devotional practices… or if you simply enjoy hearing the many beautiful ways people walk their spiritual path, this conversation will open your heart and expand your understanding.______Pam Allen-LeBlanc is a scientist, businesswoman, and Licensed Reiki Master Teacher (LRMT) with the International Center for Reiki Training.Get in Touch with Pam:pam@reikifromthefarm.comwww.reikifromthefarm.com______Get in Touch with Ankitha:Instagram: @healingwithankitha Email: healingwithankitha@gmail.com Website www.healingwithankitha.com Register for our newsletter! Instagram Facebook Youtube pam@reikifromthefarm.com

It's Tuesday, February 10th, 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 Hong Kong man critical of Chinese Communists sentenced to 20 years In a Hong Kong court, religious freedom and free speech advocate Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to twenty years in prison for publishing articles against the communist Chinese government. Lai is a British Citizen and an adherent of the Catholic Church. World journalists are marking the case as a worldwide setback for freedom of speech and freedom of the press. The United Kingdom home office has responded to the news. The Hong Kong Free Press reports that “British national status holders will be able to immigrate into the U.K. with their children. The office estimates that 26,000 people will arrive in the U.K. over the next five years.” Thousands of Tanzanians murdered Political upheaval, tyranny, and blood in the streets is the order of the day in Tanzania over the last few months.  Some reports have revealed the government of President Samia Suluhu Hassan killed thousands of Tanzanians. Hassan is a Muslim who was re-elected in a landslide victory last October, marred by accusations of massive fraud.  That's when the African country was plunged into chaos and rioting.  The bloodshed and terror has gone on for months, reports The Washington Stand. In an effort to conceal the atrocities taking place there, the government has reportedly shut down the internet. Tanzania is at least nominally Christian with a 57 percent Christian population and a 37 percent Muslim population, as the Muslim creep hits south Saharan Africa. Christian martyrdom grows with Muslim population in Nigeria Islamic influence is growing in Nigeria as well — a nation where 56 percent of the population is Muslim and 43 percent is Christian. This has resulted in the martyrdom of 50,000 Christians and the displacement of millions of Christians from their homeland.   Pray for our Christian brothers and sisters and the people of Tanzania, Nigeria, and Uganda.  Civilian killings continue in Nigeria Last Tuesday, almost 200 Nigerians were killed by gunmen in the communities of Woro and Katsina, reports the International Center for Transitional Justice. Woro is located in the western Nigerian state of Kwara, while Katsina is in the northern region of the country. Psalm 35:1 says, “Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.” War Department will no longer work with Harvard War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the War Department will no longer send military officers to Harvard. He slammed the university for what he called its support of terrorism and the Chinese Communist Party.   Hegseth said, “Too many of our officers came back looking too much like Harvard — heads full of globalist and radical ideologies that do not improve our fighting ranks.” The War Department is set to re-evaluate all Ivy League school partnerships.  Virginia Democrats unveil gerrymandered congressional map Democrat lawmakers in Virginia put forward a new congressional map heading into the midterm elections this November. The Old Dominion state map heavily favors Democrats, giving them four extra seats, while the Republicans would lose four seats. This comes after the Supreme Court ruled that the new congressional map for California was valid, giving Democrats five additional seats. Virginia Democrats swept the last election, winning races for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General.  All told, gerrymandering in Virginia, California, and a few other states should yield the Democrats an additional 5 to 9 seats in Congress in 2026. And gerrymandering in Texas, North Carolina, and Missouri could yield the Republicans an additional 6 to 10 seats in the upcoming election. Connecticut works to expand abortion access Connecticut is launching a billboard campaign to promote abortion and death, reports LifeSiteNews. The campaign, sponsored by the Reproductive Equity Now Foundation, is advertising the state's commitment to make the killing of unborn children more accessible. Billboards will announce a state-provided pro-abortion hotline.  Connecticut Democrat Attorney General William Tong talked about his state's culture of death. He said, “Abortion is safe, legal and accessible here in Connecticut, and that's the way it's going to stay.”  But Proverbs 31:9 instructs us to “Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” GOP Rep chastises NBC & NFL for Bad Bunny's foul lyrics And finally, Sunday's Super Bowl half-time show turned into one big leftist political statement with Benito Ocasio, known as Bad Bunny, and a few other characters, who openly opposed President Trump's “America First” policies.   To his shame, the Puerto Rican singer sang a bunch of foul-mouthed, sexually-explicit lyrics in Spanish. Republican Congressman Randy Fine of Florida did not pull any punches in his X post. He wrote, “You can't say the f-word on live TV. Bad Bunny's disgusting halftime show was illegal. Had he said these lyrics -- and all of the other disgusting and pornographic filth -- in English on live TV, the broadcast would have been pulled down and the fines would have been enormous. “We are sending FCC Chairman Brendan Carr a letter calling for dramatic action, including fines and broadcast license reviews, against the NFL, NBC, and Bad Bunny. Lock them up.” You can send a short 2-4 sentence letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, urging him to levy these fines.  The address is Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554. Kid Rock, on Turning Point USA's half-time show, pointed to Christ Meanwhile, Turning Point USA, founded by the late Charlie Kirk, simulcast their alternative “All-American Halftime Show” featuring Robert Ritchie known as Kid Rock. Some 20 to 30 million Americans tuned in, reports Fox News. Kid Rock threw in another verse to the hit song “Til You Can't.” Check out the lyrics. KID ROCK: “There's a book a'sitting in your house somewhere that could use some dusting off . . . There's a man who died for all our sins a'hanging from the cross. You can give your life to Jesus and He'll give you a second chance, till you can't.”  Other performers included Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett.  War Secretary Pete Hegseth and House Speaker Mike Johnson both praised the Turning Point event, reports Politico. Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, February 10th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ. Extra stories Trump administration provides lower costs on prescription drugs President Donald Trump unveiled Trump Rx, a plan that brings down medicine costs for American citizens. Trump Rx negotiates lower rates with drug companies, passing the savings directly to the consumer. The plan specifically helps those who pay for medications out of pocket. The president is calling on lawmakers to pass healthcare reform through Congress to further codify his agenda.   Senator launches caucus against Sharia Law Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama launched the new Sharia-Free America Caucus in the U.S. Congress, and has introduced a bill to ban Sharia Law in the United States. Tuberville said, “The strength of our country comes from one law applied equally to all. We cannot allow competing systems of governance to weaken that foundation.”

Edward Burtynsky is one of the preeminent photographers working today. For decades, his work has examined the human impact on the environment. By turns troubling and awe-inspiring, his large-scale images reveal a world in rapid transition. An illuminating and deeply engaging discussion.Links:Edward Burtynsky websiteBurtynsky at the International Center of PhotographyEdward Burtynsky Instagram

What if your Reiki business already exists — would you like to meet it?In this podcast & Reiki share, Pam Allen-LeBlanc and her daughter Kathleen sit down for an honest, reflective conversation about Reiki, business, and growth. Together, they explore the idea that your Reiki business has its own spirit, timing, and intelligence — and that many of the challenges practitioners face arise when we stop listening.Pam brings her MBA along with decades of experience as an internationally known Licensed Reiki Master Teacher, author of The Reiki Business Book, and business owner, while Kathleen brings her MBA and offers her perspective as a Reiki Master, yoga teacher, and management consultant with a background in copywriting and business strategy. Their conversation weaves lived experience, practical insight, and generational perspective, offering listeners a glimpse into how they work together.The podcast touches on the different phases of a Reiki business — starting and growing — and why each phase requires different kinds of support. Rather than offering formulas or quick fixes, Pam invites listeners into a guided experiential practice drawn from The Reiki Business Book: an opportunity to meet the spirit of your Reiki business and listen for what it may be asking of you now.We invite you to slow down, reconnect, and relate to your Reiki business as a living partnership — one rooted in integrity, clarity, and trust.______Pam Allen-LeBlanc is a scientist, businesswoman, and Licensed Reiki Master Teacher (LRMT) with the International Center for Reiki Training.Get in Touch with Pam:pam@reikifromthefarm.comwww.reikifromthefarm.comRegister for our newsletter! Instagram Facebook Youtube pam@reikifromthefarm.com

Welcome to Dive Into Reiki, an interview series hosted by Nathalie Jaspar that explores the journeys of high-profile Reiki teachers and practitioners.You can support the mission of spreading Reiki education through my Patreon for less than the cost of a cup of coffee or for free by rating this podcast on your app!EPISODE 70: DIVE INTO REIKI WITH FRANS STIENEFrans Stiene is based in Haarlem, Netherlands, he is one of the most renowned Reiki teachers in the world. His practical understanding of the Japanese influences on the system of Reiki has allowed students worldwide to connect deeply with this practice.Frans is the main teacher of the International House of Reiki which focuses solely on the system of Reiki as a spiritual healing practice. He is the author of critically acclaimed books The Inner Heart of Reiki—Rediscovering Your True Self, Reiki Insights, and The Way of Reiki—The Inner Teachings of Mikao Usui. His books are in English, Dutch, German, French and hopefully soon more languages. Additionally, he co-authored The Reiki Sourcebook, The Japanese Art of Reiki, A-Z of Reiki Pocketbook, and Your Reiki Treatment.Since 2012 Frans has been training with Takeda Hakusai Ajari, a priest based in Japan, to deepen his understanding of the System of Reiki and other Japanese spiritual practices. Takeda Hakusai Ajarai himself is a student of the famous marathon monk Sakai Dai Ajari. Frans has also studied with Reverend Yamabushi Priest Kûban from France and many other teachers, he believes that learning and training never stops.Here is the link to his website: https://ihreiki.com/Nathalie Jaspar, the founder of Dive Into Reiki,  is a Reiki master with over a decade of experience. She's a graduate teacher from the International House of Reiki, led by world-renowned Reiki master Frans Stiene. She also trained with the Center for True Health and the International Center for Reiki. To gain an even deeper understanding of Reiki practice, Nathalie went to Japan to practice Zen Buddhism at the Chokai-san International Zendo. She is the author of Reiki as a Spiritual Practice: an Illustrated Guide, Reiki Healing Handbook (Rockridge Press), and Infinite Light: Conversation with 21 Reiki masters and practitioners.Support the show

Künstliche Intelligenz verändert den Journalismus fundamental – doch wie nimmt man eine ganze Redaktion und die kaufmännischen Abteilungen auf diese Reise mit? In der aktuellen Folge des FAZ Digitalwirtschaft Podcasts blicken wir hinter die Kulissen der Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung und sprechen über ein zentrales Element der digitalen Transformation: den internen KI-Tag. Zu Gast ist Sina Solveig Söhren, Deputy Head Team AI bei der FAZ, die diesen Tag maßgeblich mitgestaltet hat. Im Gespräch erläutert Söhren, warum es für ein modernes Medienhaus nicht ausreicht, Lizenzen für Software zu verteilen, sondern warum es Formate braucht, die Begegnung und Ausprobieren ermöglichen. Sie beschreibt die Strategie hinter dem Event, das gezielt unterschiedliche Wissensstände adressiert: Von Praxis-Werkstätten für Einsteiger, die ihre ersten Berührunsgpunkte mit KI haben, bis hin zu Deep Dives für Fortgeschrittene, die bereits komplexe Workflows automatisieren wollen. Neben der reinen Anwendungskompetenz spielen dabei auch Diskussionsformate eine wesentliche Rolle, um ethische Fragen und die kulturellen Auswirkungen des Technologiewandels offen im Haus zu debattieren. Ein inhaltliches Highlight des Tages war der Impuls von Nikita Roy. Die kanadische Medieninnovatorin und Datenwissenschaftlerin gilt als eine der führenden Stimmen an der Schnittstelle von Journalismus und künstlicher Intelligenz. Bekannt wurde sie unter anderem als Host des Podcasts „Newsroom Robots“ und durch ihre Arbeit am „International Center for Journalists“ (ICFJ), wo sie Newsrooms in Fragen der KI-Integration berät. In ihrem Vortrag differenzierte sie scharf zwischen „AI in Media“ – also der Nutzung von Tools zur Effizienzsteigerung – und „Media in AI“, womit sie die essenzielle Rolle von Qualitätsjournalismus als Vertrauensanker und Datenbasis im neuen KI-Ökosystem beschreibt. Diese Episode bietet spannende Einblicke, wie Tradition und technologische Avantgarde in der Praxis zusammenfinden.

To kick off our Winter Mini-season for 2026, Geoff Dyer (recipient of a 2015 Windham-Campbell Prize for Nonfiction) joins Prize Director Michael Kelleher for a conversation about Xiaolu Guo's riotous and moving A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers. Geoff Dyer is the author, most recently, of Homework: A Memoir as well as four novels and many other non-fiction works. Dyer has won the Somerset Maugham Prize, the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction, a Lannan Literary Award, the International Center of Photography's 2006 Infinity Award for writing on photography and the American Academy of Arts and Letters' E.M. Forster Award. In 2009 he was named GQ's Writer of the Year. He won a National Book Critics Circle Award in 2012 and was a finalist in 1998. In 2015 he received a Windham Campbell Prize for non-fiction. His books have been translated into twenty-four languages. He currently lives in Los Angeles where he is Writer in Residence at the University of Southern California.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, Amy Vu and Dr. Jamie Ellis are joined by Dr. Beatrice Nganso, a Research Scientist in commercial insects at the International Center of Insect Physiology & Ecology in Nairobi, Kenya to discuss her research on honey bee colony losses in Sub-Saharan Africa. This episode ends with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: www.ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today's episode.  

In this episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, author Cleyvis Natera and author/photographer/translator Erika Morillo discuss writing in English and Spanish and the process of translation from one to the other. Cleyvis Natera is the author of Neruda on the Park and The Grand Paloma Resort. She was born in the Dominican Republic, migrated to the United States at ten years old, and grew up in New York City. She holds a BA from Skidmore College and a MFA from New York University. Her writing has won awards and fellowships from the International Latino Book Awards, PEN America, the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, The Kenyon Review's Writers Workshops, the Vermont Studio Center, the Hermitage Artist Retreat, Rowland Writers Retreat, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She is currently a Fulbright Specialist. She lives with her husband and two young children in Montclair, NJ.Erika Morillo is a writer, photographer, and translator born and raised in the Dominican Republic and based in Jersey City. Her work focuses on family narratives, identity, and the possibilities of image-text publications. Her photographs have been published and exhibited nationally and internationally, and her books are in the collections at the Whitney Museum of American Art Library, MoMA Archives and Library, The Met Library, and The International Center of Photography Library, among others. She has taught workshops at the Center for Book Arts, International Center of Photography, Columbia University, CHAVÓN School of Design, and Dominican Writers Association. She holds an MA in sociology from The New School for Social Research and an MFA from Image Text Ithaca (now Image Text M.F.A. at Cornell University). Books:A full list of the books and authors mentioned in this episode is available here. Register for Upcoming Events.The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup and is recorded at Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thanks to all the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room! If you liked our episode please like, follow, and share! Stay in touch!Email: wbpodcast@watchungbooksellers.comSocial: @watchungbooksellersSign up for our newsletter to get the latest on our shows, events, and book recommendations!

In this episode, I speak with Pauline Vermare, curator of Photography at the Brooklyn Museum in New York. Pauline is a photography historian, curator, and writer who previously worked at MoMA, the International Center of Photography (ICP), and as Curatorial Director at Magnum Photos. She shares how her path through these institutions shaped her vision, and what it means to work with photography inside a large encyclopedic museum like the Brooklyn Museum.The conversation moves beyond career highlights into deeper territory: photography as a tool for representation, memory, conflict, and healing. Pauline reflects on her upbringing between France, Japan, and Hong Kong, the influence of her father, her long-standing connection to Japan, and her profound admiration for photographers such as Saul Leiter. She also speaks about museums as places of joy, agency, and responsibility, especially in times of political and social uncertainty.This episode is an intimate and thoughtful exploration of lineage, curiosity, and a central question that runs through Pauline's work: what can photography do; for individuals, for communities, and for the world at large?Want to learn directly from international photographers? Each month, I host a live online masterclass with an international photographer who dives deep into a subject they have truly mastered. These sessions include space for personal questions and honest conversations about both the highs and lows of a photographic career. You can explore upcoming masterclasses and book your ticket ⁠here.⁠

Inside the Front‑Line of Resistance: Photojournalist Stephanie Keith on Visual Anthropology, ICE Protests & the Power of Community Observers

AI is moving fast in global health and development, but good intentions alone don't guarantee good outcomes. In this episode of High-Impact Growth, we sit down with Genevieve Smith, Founding Director of the Responsible AI Initiative at UC Berkeley's AI Research Lab, to unpack what it really means to build and deploy AI responsibly in contexts that matter most.Drawing on a decade of experience in international development and cutting-edge research on AI bias, Genevieve explains why labeling a project “AI for good” isn't enough. She introduces five critical lenses –  fairness, privacy, security, transparency, and accountability – that program managers and product leaders must apply to avoid reinforcing existing inequalities or creating new risks.The conversation explores real-world examples, from AI-driven credit assessments that unintentionally disadvantage women, to the challenges of deploying generative AI in low-resource and multilingual settings. Genevieve also shares emerging alternatives, like data cooperatives, that give communities governance over how their data is used, shifting power toward trust, agency, and long-term impact.This episode offers practical insights for anyone navigating the hype, pressure, and promise of AI in development, and looking to get it right.Responsible AI Initiative – UC Berkeley AI Research Lab – A multidisciplinary initiative advancing research and practice around responsible, trustworthy AI.Mitigating Bias in Artificial Intelligence - A playbook for business leaders who build & use AI to unlock value responsibly & equitablyUC Berkeley AI Research (BAIR) – A leading AI research lab focused on advancing the science and real-world impact of artificial intelligence.Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAccT) Conference – A major interdisciplinary conference on ethical and responsible AI systems.UN Women – An organization referenced in Genevieve's background, focused on gender equality and women's empowerment globally.International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) – A research organization mentioned in the episode, specializing in gender, equity, and inclusive development.Sign up to our newsletter⁠, and stay informed of Dimagi's workWe are on social media - follow us for the latest from Dimagi: ⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, ⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠If you enjoy this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review and share your favorite episodes with friends. Hosts: ⁠Jonathan Jackson⁠ and ⁠Amie Vaccaro

What is a prelude, and why does it happen (or not happen) before a church service? Dr. Mark Bender (retired Minister of Music from St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Des Peres, MO), Phillip Magness (Cantor at Village Lutheran Church in Ladue, MO) and Cheryl Magness (Managing Editor of Reporter with LCMS Communications and International Center chapel musician) join Andy and Sarah to talk about what a prelude is and why we have it, how a person in the pew can make good use of the prelude, the thought and preparation that goes into picking and playing the prelude, whether there are times when it is more suitable to not have a prelude, and helpful ways to appreciate this musical offering. This episode is a rebroadcast from April 29, 2025. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

In this episode of Reiki from the Farm™, I sit down with the wonderful Walter Lübeck for a conversation that surprised even me with its depth and clarity. Together, we explore what it means to work with Artificial Intelligence consciously—not as something to fear or resist, but as a tool that can genuinely support our lives, our spiritual paths, and the healing work we're here to do.We talk about the moment each of us realized that AI could become a collaborator rather than a threat, and how this new technology can actually help us access deeper intuition, creativity, and alignment when used with intention. Walter brings his unique blend of wisdom, humour, and honesty to the discussion, and we explore everything from ethics and discernment to the role Reiki plays in guiding our relationship with AI.What I love about this conversation is how grounded and human it is. We don't romanticize technology, and we don't give it power it doesn't have. Instead, we talk about how to stay sovereign… how to stay conscious… and how to make choices that truly support our wellbeing, our businesses, and the greater good.If you're curious about AI, or if you've felt unsure about how it fits into your life or spiritual practice, this episode offers clarity, reassurance, and a beautiful reminder that we always get to choose how we engage with the world around us.And as always, Reiki holds the conversation—inviting us into a future where intuition and technology work together to uplift, heal, and inspire.  And Walter shares a beautiful meditation with us at the end - you're going to love it!______Pam Allen-LeBlanc is a scientist, businesswoman, and Licensed Reiki Master Teacher (LRMT) with the International Center for Reiki Training.Get in Touch with Pam:pam@reikifromthefarm.comwww.reikifromthefarm.comRegister for our newsletter!InstagramFacebookYoutubepam@reikifromthefarm.com______Walter Lübeckinfo@walterluebeck.comHomepageSuper-podcast channel https://walterluebeckreikiandmore.supercast.com/Register for our newsletter! Instagram Facebook Youtube pam@reikifromthefarm.com

Welcome to Dive Into Reiki, an interview series hosted by Nathalie Jaspar that explores the journeys of high-profile Reiki teachers and practitioners.You can support the mission of spreading Reiki education through my Patreon for less than the cost of a cup of coffee or for free by rating this podcast on your app!EPISODE 69: SHIKOKU PILGRIMAGE PART 3 - COMMUNITY AND JOYIn this  episode, we visit a few mre sacred temples on Japan's legendary 88-temple route: the Shikoku Pilgrimage. Guided by the spirit of Kōbō Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism, pilgrims walk through misty mountains, quiet villages, and visit temples to cleanse and reconnect to their inner light. Here is a link to a pdf with the images of the temples.I am hoping to take you there and experience some of what I lived in my ten days visiting temples and attending rituals. Nathalie Jaspar, the founder of Dive Into Reiki,  is a Reiki master with over a decade of experience. She's a graduate teacher from the International House of Reiki, led by world-renowned Reiki master Frans Stiene. She also trained with the Center for True Health and the International Center for Reiki. To gain an even deeper understanding of Reiki practice, Nathalie went to Japan to practice Zen Buddhism at the Chokai-san International Zendo. She is the author of Reiki as a Spiritual Practice: an Illustrated Guide, Reiki Healing Handbook (Rockridge Press), and Infinite Light: Conversation with 21 Reiki masters and practitioners.Support the show

Dr. Yolanda Cintron is President of the International Center for Dental Excellence in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She has been a dentist for nearly 40 years and a biological dentist for nearly 30 years. Dr. Cintron is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in biological and holistic dentistry. Dr. Cintron is known for integrating advanced restorative, cosmetic, and implant dentistry with a comprehensive, whole-body approach to oral health. Patients travel from across the United States and around the world to seek her expertise in complex, health-focused dental care.Dr. Yolanda Cintron's practice is centered on the identification and removal of oral toxic loads and the restoration and rebuilding of not only the oral cavity, but all systems connected to the mouth. Dr. Cintron's clinical philosophy is grounded in the understanding that oral health and systemic health are inseparable, and that true healing requires addressing the body as an integrated whole. Through precision diagnostics, biocompatible materials, and evidence-based protocols, she also places strong emphasis on patient education in whole-body wellness—recognizing that when one part of the body is compromised, the entire system is affected.On this podcast, I found out that Dr. Cintron is bold in her faith. She prays for her patients and gives the glory to God.RESOURCES:Visit this episode's blog page:https://drhaley.com/holistic-dentistry/Visit Dr. Yolanda Cintron – International Center for Dental Excellence https://fortlauderdaledentistry.com/Documentary: *Root Cause* (available on Tubi) https://tubitv.com/movies/507721/root-cause00:00 – Introduction: How Dental Health Affects the Whole Body01:18 – What Is Biological & Holistic Dentistry?03:45 – Why Root Canals Are Always Infected06:30 – How Dr. Cintron Became a Biological Dentist09:10 – Mercury Fillings and Neurological Toxicity12:05 – Why Biological Dentistry Is Controversial14:40 – Oral Infections and Chronic Disease18:20 – The Mouth–Body Connection Explained22:05 – Teeth, Meridians, and Organ Health26:10 – Dental Infections and Heart Health29:45 – Advanced Diagnostics in Biological Dentistry33:20 – Bone Cavitations and Jawbone Infections37:15 – Safe Removal of Root Canals and Mercury41:30 – Zirconia Implants vs. Metal Implants45:10 – Preventive Care and Daily Oral Habits48:25 – Clenching, Grinding, and Modern Stress51:40 – Sedation Dentistry and Patient Comfort54:35 – Faith, Prayer, and Whole-Body Healing57:20 – Final Advice for Patients Seeking Healing59:10 – Where to Learn More & Closing Thoughts

Welcome to Dive Into Reiki, an interview series hosted by Nathalie Jaspar that explores the journeys of high-profile Reiki teachers and practitioners.You can support the mission of spreading Reiki education through my Patreon for less than the cost of a cup of coffee or for free by rating this podcast on your app!EPISODE 68: SHIKOKU PILGRIMAGE PART 2In this  episode, we visit 3 sacred temples on Japan's legendary 88-temple route: the Shikoku Pilgrimage. Guided by the spirit of Kōbō Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism, pilgrims walk through misty mountains, quiet villages, and visit temples to cleanse and reconnect to their inner light. Here is a link to a slide show with the images of the temples.I am hoping to take you there and experience some of what I lived in my ten days visiting temples and attending rituals. Nathalie Jaspar, the founder of Dive Into Reiki,  is a Reiki master with over a decade of experience. She's a graduate teacher from the International House of Reiki, led by world-renowned Reiki master Frans Stiene. She also trained with the Center for True Health and the International Center for Reiki. To gain an even deeper understanding of Reiki practice, Nathalie went to Japan to practice Zen Buddhism at the Chokai-san International Zendo. She is the author of Reiki as a Spiritual Practice: an Illustrated Guide, Reiki Healing Handbook (Rockridge Press), and Infinite Light: Conversation with 21 Reiki masters and practitioners.Support the show

In this episode, I sit down with David Campany — curator, writer, editor, educator, and Creative Director of the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York. We talk about how he brings all these roles together within one institution, and what it means to run a physical space with a simultaneously local and global audience.David explains why photography, in his view, is a true moving target: it shifts culturally, technologically, and even emotionally as makers and viewers change over time. Photography therefore seems to be “always in crisis.” And that, he argues, is exactly where its vitality comes from without friction, the medium would lose its urgency, its relevance, and its energy.We explore what a curator can add alongside a strong photographic voice: not to override the work, but to help it become better — as a sounding board, editor, and someone who can think in terms of space, rhythm, and experience. David shares how exhibitions are shaped through seemingly small decisions about light, wall color, sequencing, and especially scale — the difference between simply seeing a photograph and truly approaching it.He also reflects on two unforgettable collaborations: one with Jeff Wall, where experience and precision become almost physical, and another that began with an unexpected Instagram message from a Polish photographer and resulted in a book David considers his strongest editorial work.We end with a quietly unsettling conversation about portraiture and selfies: what does it really mean when someone appears to “look back” at us from a photograph, while in fact they were staring into the lens of a machine? A wide-ranging, thoughtful conversation about images, attention, and why photography keeps reinventing itself.If you want to continue growing as a photographer, we host a live online masterclass every month with international photographers. Each session runs for an hour and dives deep into a topic they have truly mastered — with time for your personal questions.Click here to see the upcoming sessions and get your ticket. For €25 (or the equivalent in your currency), you'll gain practical insights, honest experiences, and lessons you can apply immediately.Links to David Campany and the International Center of Photography

Learn more at TheCityLife.org

We welcome you into a New Year's Reiki Share filled with grounded insight, collective intention-setting, and a deep dive into the spiritual energy of 2026.Astrologically, 2026 is a turning point — a year ruled by freedom, courage, authenticity, and movement. In the Chinese zodiac, it is the Year of the Horse, a symbol of independence, adventure, and the inner power to reclaim your path. Together, we explore what these energies mean for your life, your healing, your soul purpose, and your relationships.We talked about:✨ What 2026 means astrologically ✨ The energetic themes of the Year of the Horse ✨ Where humanity — and each of us individually — are headed this year ✨ How to set intentions that actually stick ✨ The importance of showing up for ourselves ✨ Creating boundaries that serve our highest good ✨ Claiming our time and our lives backI share about how I spent months putting my life on hold to get a house ready — and the powerful lessons that came from recognizing how often we put other people's priorities ahead of our own.Then, a beautiful Reiki meditation helps you step fully into 2026 with clarity, strength, and commitment to your own path.______Pam Allen-LeBlanc is a scientist, businesswoman, and Licensed Reiki Master Teacher (LRMT) with the International Center for Reiki Training.Get in Touch with Pam:pam@reikifromthefarm.comwww.reikifromthefarm.comRegister for our newsletter! Instagram Facebook Youtube pam@reikifromthefarm.com

Dr. Joel Levey, along with his wife Michelle, are pioneers in the global “mindfulness revolution." Through the International Center for Corporate Culture and Organizational Health, they have been introducing mindfulness into workplace as a “vital organizational operating system” for enhancing the quality of every aspect and encounter of life and work within an organization. They are the authors of Manual for the Awakening Warrior.   Here Joel and Dawson explore: Joel's background Consciousness research in the 70s at Washington University Understanding human potential movement Exercise: Feeling each of your fingers individually Integrating high level nutrition, aikido, biofeedback and neurofeedback Dissolving tension, regulate emotions, calm minds, contemplative mindfulness The word for being unable to describe your feelings: Alexithymia Exercise: Wiggle fingers, feel toes Vipassana techniques Releasing traumas that are encoded in the deep matrix of the body Allowing the field of our love reach out to touch everyone   Learn more about Dr. Joel Levey at: https://www.wisdomatwork.com/   Find host Dr. Dawson Church at: http://dawsongift.com/   To purchase Dawson's latest book, Spiritual Intelligence:  https://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Intelligence-Activating-Circuits-Awakened/dp/160415294X/   #mindtomatter #blissbrain #spiritualintelligence #eft #meditation #highenergyhealth #sq #wisdomatwork #awakeningwarrior     

Learn more at TheCityLife.org

Learn more at TheCityLife.org

On this special Winter Solstice episode of Reiki from the Farm™, recorded live on the morning of December 21, Pam Allen-LeBlanc invites you into a sacred pause at the turning of the year.Together, we honour the longest night and the quiet stillness that lives beneath the busyness of December. We look honestly at the year that's ending—what blossomed, what broke, what grew us—and we let Reiki hold everything we're ready to release.We'll explore:What the Winter Solstice represents energeticallyHow nature models rest, stillness, and trustHow to gently close 2025 and prepare our hearts for 2026Simple Solstice rituals you can weave into your own lifeHow to allow the light to return within you, not just around youPam will guide you in reflection, journaling, and a powerful Reiki meditation to help you release old patterns, call your energy home, and consciously turn toward the new light that is already on its way.Whether you're listening live on Solstice morning or later in the year, this episode is a doorway: a chance to stop, breathe, and realign with who you truly are.______Pam Allen-LeBlanc is a scientist, businesswoman, and Licensed Reiki Master Teacher (LRMT) with the International Center for Reiki Training.Get in Touch with Pam:pam@reikifromthefarm.comwww.reikifromthefarm.comRegister for our newsletter! Instagram Facebook Youtube pam@reikifromthefarm.com

This week on Sinica, I speak with Mark Sidel, the Doyle Bascom Professor of Law and Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a senior fellow at the International Center for Not for Profit Law. Mark has written extensively on law and philanthropy in China and across Asia, including widely cited analyses of how the Chinese security state came to play a central role in managing foreign civil society organizations. Since the Law on the Management of Domestic Activities of Overseas NGOs took effect on January 1, 2017, China has introduced a remarkably comprehensive, vertically integrated system of oversight for foreign NGOs, foundations, and nonprofits.We discuss how this system combines securitization and political risk management with selective accommodation of service provision and technical expertise, Mark's typology of organizational responses (survivors, hibernators, regionalizers, work-arounders, and leavers), the requirement that foreign NGOs secure professional supervisory units, the impact on China's domestic nonprofit ecosystem, and what this tells us about the party-state's long-term vision for controlled engagement with the outside world.4:43 – The landscape of non-state organizations before the 2016 law 7:06 – What changed: color revolutions, Arab Spring, and domestic anxieties 9:08 – Public security intellectuals and their influence on the law 11:51 – How registration and temporary activity filing systems work in practice 13:48 – Why the Ministry of Public Security, not Civil Affairs, was put in charge 19:31 – The professional supervisory unit requirement and dependency relationships22:48 – How the state shifted foreign NGO work away from advocacy without banning it26:17 – Mark's typology: survivors, hibernators, regionalizers, work-arounders, and leavers 35:19 – What correlates with success for those who have survived 40:41 – Impact on China's domestic nonprofit ecosystem and professional intermediaries 45:54 – What makes China's system distinctive compared to India, Egypt, Russia, and Vietnam 50:19 – The Article 53 problem and university partnerships 55:32 – Advice for mid-sized foundations or NGOs considering work in China todayPaying it Forward: Neysun Mahboubi and the Penn Project on the Future of U.S.-China RelationsRecommendations:Mark: Everyday Democracy: Civil Society, Youth, and the Struggle Against Authoritarian Culture in China by Anthony SpiresKaiser: The music of Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, The Dregs, Steve Morse Band)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rachel Elizabeth Seed is a Brooklyn and Los Angeles-based nonfiction storyteller working in film, photography, and writing.In 2025, she won the Truer Than Fiction Spirit Award for her debut feature film, A Photographic Memory, which is also a New York Times Critics Pick.Rachel's work has received support from the Sundance Institute, Chicken + Egg Films, the Jewish Film Institute, the California Film Institute, Jewish Story Partners, NYFA, Field of Vision, the Jerome Foundation, NYSCA, the Maine Media Workshops, the Roy W. Dean grant, the National Arts Club, IFP, and many others. Formerly a photo editor at New York Magazine, her photography has been exhibited worldwide, including at the International Center of Photography, and she was a cameraperson on several award-winning feature documentaries. Rachel's writing has been published by No Film School, the Sundance Institute, and Talkhouse and she is Executive Director / Co-founder of the Brooklyn Documentary Club, a NYC-based filmmaker collective with 250+ members.In episode 271, Rachel discusses, among other things:A summary of her mum's characternature vs. nurtureHer mum's Images of Man interviews for ICP/ScholasticWhat inspired her to make a filmHow her own story became interwined with her mum'sDiscovering a family archive of super 8 footageHow she recreated the interviews using actorsThe importance of working with good editorsThe challenge of funding and financingKey advice for anyone wanting to make a personal documentaryThe fine balance between collaboration and having the courage of your convitions as directorWriting for narration as opposed to for readingSharing her personal stories as the film evolved over a ten year period - How to balance life and art‘Selling the film' and what that means in practiceThe Brooklyn Documentary ClubMoving to L.A.Projects she has in developmentWebsite | Instagram Become a A Small Voice podcast member here to access exclusive additional subscriber-only content and the full archive of 200+ previous episodes for £5 per month.Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here for everything A Small Voice related and much more besides.Follow me on Instagram here.Build Yourself a Squarespace Website video course here.

Have you ever wondered how the Akashic Records—the energetic library of your soul's journey—connect with Reiki? In this week's episode of Reiki from the Farm™, I welcome my dear friend and trusted guide, Kathy Milanowski. Kathy is my go-to person when I need clarity, direction, or a reminder of who I truly am. Together, we'll explore how Reiki practitioners can use the Akashic Records for healing, insight, and empowerment—and you'll even be guided through a Reiki-infused meditation to connect with your own soul's wisdom.______Pam Allen-LeBlanc is a scientist, businesswoman, and Licensed Reiki Master Teacher (LRMT) with the International Center for Reiki Training.Get in Touch with Pam:pam@reikifromthefarm.comwww.reikifromthefarm.com______Kathy Milanowski, ICRT Senior Licensed Reiki Master Teacher, mentor &founder of the Wisconsin Reiki Center, Healing Arts & Wellness is known for her heart-full approach to healing and teaching. She specializes in Usui Holy Fire® III Reiki, Karuna Reiki®, ICRT Animal Reiki, Psychic Studies, and Akashic Record Reading. She offers in-person and online Reiki training, healing sessions, and transformational wellness retreats.She is also trained in  Crystal Gridworks, Holographic Sound, Animal Communication, Heart Intelligence, and teaches Sekhem/All Love. Her mentors include William Rand, Frank Linda Howe, Patrick Zieglar, and other leading spiritual teachers. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, sons, and cats.Get in Touch with Kathy:Website: https://wisconsinreiki.com/Email: beautyofcompassion@gmail.comPhone: (425) 220-6283FacebookInstagramYouTubeCheck out her book, Heart Intelligence, available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4j2fWgHRegister for our newsletter! Instagram Facebook Youtube pam@reikifromthefarm.com

Vann Thomas Powell, Lisa Beard, and Micah McCoy remotely joined Michael Chovan-Dalton and Dani Paglione at the JKC Gallery at Mercer County College to talk about their newly formed photography collective, Disparate Projects. We will also discuss the process of publishing their first book, Fractured by Christiaan Lopez-Miro.Vann Thomas Powell is a photographer, curator, and researcher. Vann received his MFA in Experimental and Documentary Art at Duke University (2023) and has been featured in solo exhibitions, books, and periodicals in the United States and abroad including The Independent (UK), Glitterati Editions (New York, NY). His books and works can be found in private and public collections including the Rubenstein Rare Books and Manuscripts Library (Duke University) and the Museum of Fine Art Special Collections (Tufts University). Vann is a Photolucida Critical Mass 2023 Top 200 Finalist.Lisa Beard is a photo-based artist, writer, teacher, and curator. Featured in national and international exhibitions, her work has appeared in group and solo shows, recently as a featured exhibitor for Head On Photo Festival in Sydney, AU. She has also been included in publications for The International Center of Photography, The Hand Magazine, Float Magazine, and Broad Magazine. She is a 2024 Klompching Fresh Finalist and Photolucida Critical Mass 2024 Top 200 Finalist. Lisa received her MFA in Media Arts from Maine Media College (2022).Micah McCoy is a photographer, curator, and poet based in Northwest Arkansas. He received his MFA in Photography from Columbia College Chicago (2022) and has exhibited work in solo and group exhibitions both in the United States and abroad. His work explores issues of religiosity, anxiety, and social detachment. Micah's editorial photography has been featured in publications including NBC News, The New York Post, and others. https://disparateprojects.comDisparate Projects is an evolving collective and platform dedicated to the exploration of contemporary photography. Founded by Lisa Beard, Micah McCoy, and Vann Thomas Powell, we are committed to thoughtful photographic curation, engaging critical discussions in photographic theory, and nurturing collaborations with photographers of disparate approaches.This podcast is sponsored by the Charcoal Book ClubBegin Building your dream photobook library today athttps://charcoalbookclub.comThe Real Photo Show is hosted and produced by Michael Chovan-DaltonThe JKC Gallery Artist Talks are hosted and produced by: Real Photo Show/Michael Chovan-Dalton, Julia Colonna, and Dani Paglione.

Has Big Tech become too powerful? Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Meta, and Microsoft shape how we shop, communicate, and consume information. But has their dominance gone too far? Advocates argue these firms are monopolies that harm competition, exploit consumer data, and wield disproportionate influence over public discourse. Structural reforms would restore fairness and innovation. But critics warn that breakups could damage user experience, slow innovation, and disrupt integrated ecosystems people rely on. Now we debate: Should the U.S. Government Break Up Big Tech? Arguing Yes:   Bharat Ramamurti, Founder of The Bully Pulpit; Former Deputy Director of the National Economic Council   Matt Stoller, Director of Research at the American Economic Liberties Project     Arguing No:   Geoffrey A. Manne, President and Founder of the International Center for Law & Economics  Jennifer Huddleston, Senior Fellow in Technology Policy at the Cato Institute    Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates    Visit OpentoDebate.org to watch more insightful debates.   Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed on our curated weekly debates, dynamic live events, and educational initiatives.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sometimes life says “no” or “not now.”The deal falls through. The election is lost. The project stalls. And disappointment creeps in — along with exhaustion, doubt, and the question — why?I've experienced several recent disappointments — from not renting our Campobello home to election results to political decisions that prioritize short-term profit over long-term care for our planet.We will explore how Reiki helps us release resistance, shift perspective, and find the hidden gifts in every “no.” Disappointment isn't a dead end — it's a sacred redirection.Together, we'll reflect on how to pivot with grace, how to listen for the soul's guidance in the midst of chaos, and how to trust that life is always leading us — even when the road bends unexpectedly.______Pam Allen-LeBlanc is a scientist, businesswoman, and Licensed Reiki Master Teacher (LRMT) with the International Center for Reiki Training.Get in Touch with Pam:pam@reikifromthefarm.comwww.reikifromthefarm.comRegister for our newsletter! Instagram Facebook Youtube pam@reikifromthefarm.com

Today's episode features Part 2 of our October 30, 2025 webinar, "AI in Financial Services: Understanding the White House Action Plan – and What It Leaves Out." In this installment, our panel dives deeper into the evolving intersection of artificial intelligence, regulation, and innovation in financial services. Moderated by Alan Kaplinsky, Senior Counsel, founder and former longtime leader of Ballard Spahr's Consumer Financial Services Group, and Greg Szewczyk, chair of the firm's Privacy and Data Security Group, the discussion cuts through hype and uncertainty to provide clear, practical insights. Alan and Greg lead a lively discussion exploring the practical and policy-driven challenges posed by AI, particularly how existing legal frameworks often struggle to keep pace with rapid technological advancement. Our panel includes: Charley Brown, leader of Ballard Spahr's technology and patents teams, who explains how institutions can protect and capitalize on AI-enabled technologies; Dean Ball, former White House senior advisor and one of the architects of the White House AI Action Plan, who provides a rare inside look at the policy landscape; Kristian Stout, Director of Innovation Policy at the International Center for Law and Economics, who examines the intersections of AI, regulation, and competition; and Charlie Bullock, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Law and AI, who outlines practical frameworks for responsible, compliant AI governance. Throughout the episode, the panel addresses crucial topics including privacy challenges, explainability requirements for AI-driven decisions, and the potential for AI to level the playing field for smaller institutions. Whether you're in the C-suite, a compliance officer, or simply interested in how Washington's decisions shape the future of finance, this episode delivers a clear-eyed look at what the White House action plan covers and what crucial issues still need attention. Consumer Finance Monitor is hosted by Alan Kaplinsky, Senior Counsel at Ballard Spahr and founder of the firm's Consumer Financial Services Group. We encourage listeners to subscribe on their preferred podcast platform for weekly insights into the consumer finance industry.

In recent months, the threats facing nonprofit organizations have continued to develop at a furious pace. In the face of challenges like funding reductions and congressional investigations, nonprofits are taking the time to shore up their defenses and prepare for what's to come. On this episode, we'll discuss several recent events that have the sector talking so that your nonprofit can take the steps necessary to ensure your continued ability to boldly advocate on behalf of your communities.   Attorneys for this episode ·      Brittany Hacker Leonard ·      Tim Mooney ·      Natalie Ossenfort   Shownotes ·      In recent months: o   Federal Executive Orders & Memos: §  March 7: EO entitled "Restoring Public Service Loan Forgiveness", which makes employees of organizations with a "substantial illegal purpose" ineligible for public service loan forgiveness benefits. ·      "Targets orgs supporting terrorism and aiding an dabetting illegal immigration" §  August 28: EO entitled "Use of Appropriated Funds for Illegal Lobbying and Partisan Political Activity by Federal Grantees", where the President directs the Attorney General to investigate whether federal grant funds are being used to support lobbying initiatives. §  September 25: National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM-7)+ Sept 22 EO designating Antifa as domestic terrorist org: designating domestic groups as terrorist orgs. o   Congressional Oversight (Letters and Hearings): §  October 6: Ways and Means Committee Letter to IRS requesting investigation of specific nonprofits and revocation of their tax-exempt status §  October 28: Letter sent to three 501(c)(3) foundations regarding their compliance with nonprofit tax law §  November 5: Letter sent to the Environmental Protection Agency regarding its funding of "far-left" organizations via the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund §  Check out the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law's congressional investigations tracker for additional examples. o   State-Level Actions: §  Texas: November 18 Executive Order designating certain organizations "foreign terrorist organizations", barring them from purchasing property in the state.   ·      Stay alert: o   Be on the lookout for new state laws related to foreign contributions to ballot measures. At least 19 states have enacted bans on contributions from foreign nationals to ballot question efforts, nine during the 2025 legislative session alone. o   Expect a possible uptick in I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) Enforcement. Employers are required to timely and properly complete and retain Form I-9 for each employee they hire.   ·      What you can do: o   Don't fall for the sternly worded "Letters to Santa" by Members of Congress. o   Conduct a compliance self-assessment with AFJ Bolder Advocacy's "Advocacy Check-Up" tool. o   Take advantage of the Nonprofit Legal Defense Network (created in partnership with We The Action). o   Brush up on federal and state election season advocacy rules in advance of the 2026 Midterms, and adopt an election season advocacy policy for signature by staff, board members, and volunteers. o   Lobby against legislation that would create new barriers to your nonprofit's advocacy. Just remember to stay within your public charity lobbying limits. o   Go on the offense. o   Reach out to AFJ's Bolder Advocacy team for free technical assistance. Resources ·      Break in Case of Panic! hub ·      Preparing for Politically Motivated Attacks on-demand webinar ·      How Nonprofits Can Fight Back Against Trump's Harmful Executive Orders blog ·      Advocacy Check-Up: compliance self-assessment tool for 501(c)(3) public charities ·      Nonprofit Legal Defense Network  

Today's episode features Part 1 of our October 30, 2025 webinar, "AI in Financial Services: Understanding the White House Action Plan – and What It Leaves Out." In this installment, a panel of leading experts breaks down the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in financial services—from foundational concepts to the latest regulatory developments. Moderated by Alan Kaplinsky, Senior Counsel,  founder and former longtime leader of Ballard Spahr's Consumer Financial Services Group, and Greg Szewczyk, chair of the firm's Privacy and Data Security Group, the discussion cuts through hype and uncertainty to provide clear, practical insights. Alan and Greg guide an energetic conversation about how AI has become a strategic priority for banks, credit unions, payments companies, and fintechs. Our panel includes: Charley Brown, leader of Ballard Spahr's technology and patents teams, who explains how institutions can protect and capitalize on AI-enabled technologies; Dean Ball, former White House senior advisor and one of the architects of the White House AI Action Plan, who provides a rare inside look at the policy landscape; Kristian Stout, Director of Innovation Policy at the International Center for Law and Economics, who examines the intersections of AI, regulation, and competition; and Charlie Bullock, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Law and AI, who outlines practical frameworks for responsible, compliant AI governance. Together, they unpack the complex patchwork of state, federal, and international rules now shaping AI deployment in financial services. The discussion highlights how automated decision-making laws, privacy requirements, and emerging definitions of "artificial intelligence" are forcing institutions to rethink compliance programs, manage risk differently, and anticipate new regulatory expectations. You'll also hear real-world examples of how organizations are grappling with these challenges in practice. This episode provides an essential foundation for understanding where AI and financial services intersect, and where the regulatory environment is headed. Be sure to tune in next Thursday for Part 2, where our experts delve even deeper into the future of AI, innovation, and legal risk in the financial sector. Consumer Finance Monitor is hosted by Alan Kaplinsky, Senior Counsel at Ballard Spahr and founder of the firm's Consumer Financial Services Group. We encourage listeners to subscribe on their preferred podcast platform for weekly insights into the consumer finance industry.

In a world where division feels louder than ever, our share explores how we're not as different as we think — and how showing up authentically can be a powerful antidote to polarization. We'll dig into how our culture of sameness, algorithms, and chatbots shape conversations, and hidden fears of being unseen all keep us in boxes. Then we'll go deeper: what does authentic self-expression really look like — for individuals, communities, and society at large?We'll blend story, science, and meditation and reflect on how we fall into “us vs them”, how technology (including bots and chat AI) amplifies voices and distorts consensus, and how each of us can help build space for connection, nuance, and genuine voice.Let's lean into who we are, together.Here's a link to the Mel Robbins podcast that inspired this episode:  https://www.melrobbins.com/episode/episode-329/______Pam Allen-LeBlanc is a scientist, businesswoman, and Licensed Reiki Master Teacher (LRMT) with the International Center for Reiki Training.Get in Touch with Pam:pam@reikifromthefarm.comwww.reikifromthefarm.comRegister for our newsletter! Instagram Facebook Youtube pam@reikifromthefarm.com

Five years after the signing of the Abraham Accords, the Middle East looks very different—defined by both extraordinary cooperation and unprecedented challenges. In this episode, we unpack how Israel's defensive war on seven fronts affected regional partnerships, why Abraham Accords nations have stood by the Jewish state, and what expanded normalization could look like as countries like Saudi Arabia and others weigh making such monumental decisions.   We also explore the growing importance of humanitarian coordination, people-to-people diplomacy, and the critical role AJC is playing in supporting deeper regional collaboration. From shifting narratives to new economic and security opportunities, we chart what the next five years could mean for peace, stability, and integration across the region. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC. This episode is up-to-date as of November 25, 2025. Read the transcript: Building What's Next | Architects of Peace - Episode 6 | AJC Resources: AJC.org/ArchitectsofPeace - Tune in weekly for new episodes. The Abraham Accords, Explained AJC.org/CNME - Find more from AJC's Center for a New Middle East Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus  People of the Pod Follow Architects of Peace on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/ArchitectsofPeace You can reach us at: podcasts@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript: ANNE DREAZEN: One thing that I have learned from my many years at the Department of Defense is that military instruments of power are not sufficient to really build longlasting peace and stability.  The importance of trade, of economic development, of people-to-people ties, is so essential to what we think of as an enduring or a lasting peace. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: In September 2020, the world saw what had been years–decades–in the making. Landmark peace agreements dubbed the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations between Israel and two Arabian Gulf States, the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Bahrain.  Later, in December, they were joined by the Kingdom of Morocco. Five years later, AJC is pulling back the curtain to meet key individuals who built the trust that led to these breakthroughs and build bonds that would last. Introducing: the Architects of Peace. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: It has been five years since Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain signed the Abraham Accords on the South Lawn of the White House. In those five years, Russia invaded Ukraine, sparking a massive refugee crisis. The U.S. elected one president then re-elected his predecessor who had ushered in the Abraham Accords in the first place.  And amid news that Saudi Arabia might be next to join the Accords, the Hamas terror group breached the border between Israel and Gaza, murdered more than 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 more. Israel suddenly found itself fighting an existential war against Iran and its terror proxies on multiple fronts – Gaza, Lebanon, the West Bank, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Iran itself. At the same time, Israel also fought a worldwide war of public opinion – as Hamas elevated the death toll in Gaza by using Palestinian civilians as human shields and activists waged a war of disinformation on social media that turned international public perception against the Jewish state. Through it all, the Abraham Accords held. ALI RASHID AL NUAIMI: There are those who work hard to undermine what we are doing. And this is where many question: 'How come the UAE is still part of the Abraham Accords?'  MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi is a leading parliamentarian and educator in the United Arab Emirates. He has served as the Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University and the Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge. He currently serves as the Chairman of the International Steering Board of Hedayah, The International Center of Excellence for Countering Extremism and Violent Extremism. The center is based in Abu Dhabi.  He was one of the first to go on Israeli and Arab media to talk to the general public about the Abraham Accords and was known for correcting news anchors and other interview subjects, that the UAE had not simply agreed to live in peace with the Jewish state. It had agreed to actively engage with the Israeli people. ALI RASHID AL NUAIMI: We saw the importance of engaging with both sides. We saw the importance of talking to the Israeli general public. We saw the importance of dialogue with the government in Israel, the Knesset, the NGO, the academician, businessman. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: That engagement started almost immediately with flights back and forth, musical collaborations, culinary exchanges, academic partnerships, business arrangements–much of which came to a halt on October 7, 2023. But that simply meant the nature of the engagement changed. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas War, the UAE has provided extensive humanitarian aid to Gaza, delivering more than 100,000 tons of food, medical supplies, tents, and clothing, by land, air and sea—about 46% of the total assistance that entered Gaza. It established six desalination plants with a combined capacity of two million gallons per day.  And, in addition to operating field and floating hospitals that treated 73,000 patients, the UAE also provided five ambulances, facilitated a polio vaccination campaign, and evacuated 2,785 patients for treatment in the UAE. From Dr. Al-Nuami's point of view, the Abraham Accords made all of that humanitarian aid possible. ALI RASHID AL NUAIMI: This is why we were able to have these hospitals in Gaza, we were able to do these water solutions for the Palestinians, and we did so many things because there is a trust between us and the Israelis. That they allowed us to go and save the Palestinian people in Gaza.  So there were so many challenges, but because we have the right leadership, who have the courage to make the right decision, who believe in the Abraham Accords principles, the vision, and who's working hard to transform the region. Where every everyone will enjoy security, stability, and prosperity without, you know, excluding anyone. Why the UAE didn't pull out of the Abraham Accords? My answer is this. It's not with the government, our engagement. The government will be there for two, three, four years, and they will change.  Our Abraham Accords is with Israel as a nation, with the people, who will stay. Who are, we believe their root is here, and there is a history and there is a future that we have to share together. And this is where we have to work on what I call people to people diplomacy. This is sustainable peace. This is where you really build the bridges of trust, respect, partnership, and a shared responsibility about the whole region. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: On October 9, two years and two days after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, the White House announced a ceasefire would take effect, the first step in a 20-point peace plan proposed for the region. Four days later, President Donald Trump joined the presidents of Egypt and Turkey, and the Emir of Qatar to announce a multilateral agreement to work toward a comprehensive and durable peace in Gaza. Since then, all but the remains of three hostages have been returned home, including Lt. Hadar Goldin, whose remains had been held since 2014, ending the longest hostage ordeal in Israel's history. Finally, the prospect of peace and progress seems to be re-emerging. But what is next for the Abraham Accords? Will they continue to hold and once again offer the possibilities that were promised on the White House Lawn in September 2020? Will they expand? And which countries will be next to sign on to the historic pact, setting aside decades of rejection to finally formalize full diplomatic relations with the Jewish state? The opportunities seem endless, just as they did in September 2020 when the Abraham Accords expanded the scope of what was suddenly possible in government, trade, and so much more.  ANNE DREAZEN: The Abraham Accords really opened up lots of opportunities for us in the Department of Defense to really expand cooperation between Israel and its partners in the security sphere.  MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN:  Anne Dreazen spent the last 18 years as a civil servant in the U.S. Department of Defense. For most of that time, she worked on Middle East national security and defense policy, focusing on Iran, Iraq and Lebanon. And most recently serving as the principal director for Middle East policy, the senior civil service job overseeing the entire Middle East office. She was working at the Pentagon when the Abraham Accords were signed under the first Trump administration and immediately saw a shift in the region. ANNE DREAZEN: So, one thing that we saw at the very end of the first Trump administration, and it was made possible in part because of the success of the Abraham Accords, was the decision to move Israel from U.S. European Command into U.S. Central Command. And for many decades, it had been thought that that wouldn't be feasible because you wouldn't have any Middle East countries in CENTCOM that would really be willing to engage with Israel, even in very discreet minimal channels.  But after the Abraham Accords, I think that led us policymakers and military leaders to sort of rethink that proposition, and it became very clear that, it would be better to increase cooperation between Israel and the other Gulf partners, because in many cases, they have similar security interests, specifically concerns about Iran and Iranian proxies and Iranian malign activity throughout the region. And so I think the Abraham Accords was one item that sort of laid the groundwork and really enabled and encouraged us to think creatively about ways through which we could, in the security and defense sphere, improve cooperation between Israel and other partners in the region. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: But sustaining peace in the region is more than a matter of maintaining security. Making sure young people can fulfill their dreams, make a contribution, build relationships and friendships across borders, and transcend religion and ideologies – even those in the security sphere know those are the necessary ingredients for peace and prosperity across the region.  Despite the efforts of Hamas and other Iran-backed terror proxies to derail the Abraham Accords, the U.S., Arab, and Israeli leaders had continued to pursue plans for an Israeli-Saudi peace agreement and to explore a new security architecture to fight common threats. This spirit of optimism and determination led AJC to launch the Center for a New Middle East in June 2024. In October, Anne joined AJC to lead that initiative. ANNE DREAZEN: One thing that I have learned from my many years at the Department of Defense is that military instruments of power are not sufficient to really build long lasting peace and stability. The importance of trade, of economic development, of people-to-people ties is so essential to what we think of as an enduring or a lasting peace.  And so at AJC, we're actually focused on those aspects of trying to advance normalization. Really trying to put more meat on the bones, in the case of where we already have agreements in place. So for example, with Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, the UAE and Morocco, trying to really build out what more can be done in terms of building economic ties, building people-to-people ties, and advancing those agreements. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: Of course, that work had already begun prior to Anne's arrival. Just two years after the Abraham Accords, Retired Ambassador to Oman Marc Sievers became director of AJC Abu Dhabi: The Sidney Lerner Center for Arab-Jewish Understanding, the first and only Jewish agency office in an Arab and Islamic country.  After more than 30 years as a U.S. diplomat serving across the Middle East and North Africa, Marc has witnessed a number of false starts between Arab nations and Israel. While the Abraham Accords introduced an unprecedented approach, they didn't suddenly stabilize the region.  Marc's four years in Abu Dhabi have been fraught. In January 2022, Houthis in north Yemen launched a drone and missile attack on Abu Dhabi, killing three civilians and injuring six others. In 2023, the October 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel, Israel's retaliation, and Israel's war on seven fronts dimmed Emiratis' public perception of Jews. As recently as this past August, the U.S. Mission to the UAE issued a dire warning to Israeli diplomats and Jewish institutions in Abu Dhabi – a threat that was taken seriously given the kidnapping and murder of a Chabad rabbi in 2024.  But just as the UAE stood by its commitment to Israel, Marc and AJC stood by their commitment to the UAE and Arab neighbors, working to advance Arab-Jewish and Muslim-Jewish dialogue; combat regional antisemitism and extremism; and invigorate Jewish life across the region. From Marc's vantage point, the Abraham Accords revolutionized the concept of normalization, inspiring a level of loyalty he's never before seen.  It's worth noting the precursor to the Abraham Accords: the Peace to Prosperity Summit. For decades, diplomats had frowned on the idea of an economic peace preceding a two-state solution.  MARC SIEVERS: That idea's been out there for a long time. …It was just never embraced by those who thought, you know, first you have a two-state solution. You have a Palestinian state, and then other things will follow. This approach is kind of the opposite. You create an environment in which people feel they have an incentive, they have something to gain from cooperation, and that then can lead to a different political environment. I happen to think that's quite an interesting approach, because the other approach was tried for years and years, and it didn't succeed. Rather than a confrontational approach, this is a constructive approach that everyone benefits from. The Prosperity to Peace Conference was a very important step in that direction. It was harshly criticized by a lot of people, but I think it actually was a very kind of visionary approach to changing how things are done. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: The conference Marc is referring to took place in June 2019 –  a two-day workshop in Bahrain's capital city of Manama, where the Trump administration began rolling out the economic portion of its peace plan, titled "Peace to Prosperity."  The workshop's host Bahrain, as well as Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the Emirates participated, to varying degrees.  The plan called for large scale investment, mostly by other countries in the Gulf and Europe, to advance the Palestinian economy, to integrate the Palestinian and Israelis' economies and establish a small but functional Palestinian state.  Angered by Trump's recognition of Jerusalem, Palestinian leadership rejected the plan before ever seeing its details. But as former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman pointed out in an earlier episode of this series, that was expected. The plan enabled Israel to demonstrate that it was open to cooperation. It enabled the Trump administration to illustrate the opportunities missed if countries in the region continued to let Palestinian leadership call the shots. It was economic diplomacy at its finest. And it worked.  MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN:  Benjamin Rogers, AJC's Director for Middle East and North Africa Initiatives, who also serves as Deputy Director of the Center for a New Middle East, said the Center has focused heavily on expanding private sector engagement. Israelis and Arab entrepreneurs have quietly traveled to the U.S. as part of the Center's budding business collectives.  BENJAMIN ROGERS: So people who are focused on med tech, people who are focused on agri tech, people who are focused on tourism. And what we do is we say, 'Hey, we want to talk about the Middle East. No, we do not want to talk about violence. No, we don't want to talk about death and destruction. Not because these issues are not important, but because we're here today to talk about innovation, and we're here to talk about the next generation, and what can we do?' And when you say, like, food security for example, how can Israelis and Arabs work together in a way that helps provide more food for the entire world? That's powerful. How can the Israelis and Arabs working together with the United States help combat cancer, help find solutions to new diseases?  If you really want to get at the essence of the Abraham Accords – the ability to do better and work together, to your average person on the street, that's meaningful. And so one of the initiatives is, hey, let's bring together these innovators, these business leaders, private sector, and let's showcase to Arabs, Israelis, non-Jewish community, what the Middle East can be about. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: People-to-people connections. That's what AJC has done for decades, traveling to the region since 1950 to build bridges and relationships. But providing a platform to help facilitate business ventures? That's a new strategy, which is why AJC partnered with Blue Laurel Advisors. The firm has offices in Tel Aviv, Dubai, and Washington, D.C.. It specializes in helping companies navigate the geopolitics of doing business in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, and Israel.  At AJC Global Forum in April, founder and Managing Director Tally Zingher told an audience that the Abraham Accords, which effectively lifted the UAE's ban on business with Israel, brought already existing deals above the radar. TALLY ZINGHER: We've been wowed by what the Center for a New Middle East has been able to do and put forth in the very short time that it's been incubated and Blue Laurel Advisors are really delighted to be part of this project and we're really aligned with its mission and its vision. It's quite simple in the region because the region is really driven by national agendas. I think it's no surprise that the appendix to the Abraham Accords was a direct parallel to the Abu Dhabi national vision. It's the key areas of growth in UAE and Saudi Arabia that are now really well aligned with Israeli strength.  We're talking about the diversification efforts of the UAE and of Saudi Arabia. At Blue Laurel, we're quite focused on Saudi Arabia because of the real growth story underway there created by the diversification efforts. But they're focused on water, energy, renewable energy, healthy cyber security, tourism. Ten years ago when you were doing this work, 15 years ago there wasn't as much complementarity between Israel and the start-up innovation ecosystem and what was going on. The region is really ready and ripe to have Israeli innovation be a part of its growth trajectory. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: Benjy said there's another advantage to building bridges in the business world – continuity. BENJAMIN ROGERS:Out of the three sectors that we're focused on – diplomatic, business, and civil society – business relations are the most resistant to political conflict. There's this element of self interest in it, which I'm not saying is a bad thing, but when you tie the relationship to your own worth and your own value, you're much more likely to go through kind of the ebbs and flows of the political.  Whereas, if you're a civil society, you're really at the mercy of populations. And if the timing is not right, it's not impossible to work together, but it's so much more difficult. Business is even more resistant than political engagement, because if political engagement is bad, the business relationship can still be good, because there's an element of self interest, and that element of we have to work together for the betterment of each other. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: The economic diplomacy complements AJC's partnership with civil society groups, other non-profits that work to bring people together to experience and embody each other's realities in the Middle East. The Center also has continued AJC's trademark traditional diplomacy to expand the circle of peace. Though Marc prefers to call it the circle of productivity.  MARC SIEVERS: I think it achieved new relations for Israel that were perhaps different from what had happened with Egypt and Jordan, where we have long standing peace agreements, but very little contact between people, and very little engagement other than through very specific official channels. The Abraham Accords were different because there was a people-to-people element. The UAE in particular was flooded with Israeli tourists almost immediately after the Accords were signed, Bahrain less so, but there have been some. And not as many going the other way, but still, the human contacts were very much there.  I think it was also building on this idea that economic engagement, joint partnerships, investment, build a kind of circle of productive relations that gradually hopefully expand and include broader parts of the region or the world that have been either in conflict with Israel or have refused to recognize Israel as a sovereign Jewish state. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: It being all of those things explains why the potential for expansion is all over the map. So where will the Abraham Accords likely go next? The Trump administration recently announced the addition of Kazakhstan. But as the Central Asian country already had diplomatic relations with Israel, the move was more of an endorsement of the Accords rather than an expansion. In November 2025, all eyes were on the White House when Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman paid a visit. In addition to the customary Oval Office meeting, President Trump also hosted the Saudi royal at a black-tie dinner. ANNE DREAZEN: Right now, everyone is really talking about and thinking, of course, about Saudi Arabia, and certainly I think there's a lot of promise now with the ceasefire having been achieved. That sort of lays a better groundwork to be able to think about whether we can, whether the United States can play an important role in bringing Saudi Arabia and Israel to the table to move forward on normalization. Certainly from the Saudis have have made they've cautioned that one of their prerequisites is a viable path toward Palestinian statehood. And we've known that, that's in President Trump's 20-point plan. So I think it remains to be seen whether or not Israel and Saudi Arabia can come to a mutually agreed upon way of addressing that key concern for Saudi Arabia. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: But there are also countries who only a year ago never would have considered a relationship with Israel. With Hezbollah diminished and a moderate and forward-leaning Lebanese government in place, quiet conversations are taking place that could lead to a significant diplomatic achievement, even if not as ambitious as the Abraham Accords. The same in Syria, where Ahmed al-Sharaa is sending positive signals that he would at least be willing to consider security arrangements. ANNE DREAZEN: Even if you don't have a Syrian Embassy opening up in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv,  even if you don't have an Israeli embassy opening up in Damascus, there could be other arrangements made, short of a full diplomatic peace accord that would lay the groundwork for some understandings on security, on borders. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: Marc said it remains to be seen whether Oman, his final diplomatic post, will join the Accords. Two years before the signing of the Accords, while serving as ambassador, there was a glimmer of hope. Well, more than a glimmer really. MARC SIEVERS: In Oman, the late Sultan Qaboos, a good, almost two years before the Abraham Accords, invited Prime Minister Netanyahu to visit him in his royal palace in Muscat. Netanyahu came with his wife, Sarah, but also with a lot of the top senior leadership. Certainly his military secretary, the head of the Mossad, a few other people. As soon as Netanyahu landed in Israel, the Omanis put it all over the media, and there were some wonderful videos of the Sultan giving Netanyahu a tour of the palace and a choir of children who came and sang, and some other things that the Sultan liked to do when he had important guests.  And it was quite an interesting moment, and that was two years before. And that was not initiated by the United States. Unlike the Abraham Accords process, that was an Omani initiative, but again, other than the meeting itself, nothing really came of it. The Omanis took a lot of pride in what they had done, and then they backed away. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: Instead, Marc points to the country with the largest Muslim population in the world: Indonesia – especially following recent remarks to the United Nations General Assembly by Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto. PRABOWO SUBIANTO: We must have an independent Palestine, but we must also recognize, we must also respect, and we must also guarantee the safety and security of Israel. Only then can we have real peace. Real peace and no longer hate and no longer suspicion. The only solution is the two-state solution. The descendants of Abraham must live in reconciliation, peace, and harmony. Arabs, Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, all religions. We must live as one human family. Indonesia is committed to being part of making this vision a reality. MARC SIEVERS: We've heard that, you know, Indonesia needs some time to consider this, which makes a lot of sense. It's not something to be done lightly, and yet that would be a huge achievement. Obviously, Indonesia has never been a party to the conflict directly, but they also have never had relations with Israel, and they are the most populous Muslim country. Should that happen, it's a different kind of development than Saudi Arabia, but in some ways, it kind of internationalizes or broadens beyond the Middle East, the circle of peace. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: But in addition to adding signatories, Anne said AJC's Center for a New Middle East will work to strengthen the current relationships with countries that stayed committed during Israel's war against Hamas, despite public apprehensions. Anne recently traveled to Bahrain and the UAE with AJC's Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson, who has long led AJC's Middle East outreach. There, Anne discovered a significant slowdown in the momentum she witnessed when the Accords debuted. ANNE DREAZEN: I saw a real hesitancy during my travels in the region for politicians to publicly acknowledge and to publicly celebrate the Abraham Accords. They were much more likely to talk about peaceful coexistence and tolerance in what they characterize as a non-political way, meaning not tied to any sort of diplomatic agreements. So I saw that as a big impediment.  I do think that among the leadership of a lot of these countries, though, there is a sense that they have to be more pragmatic than ever before in trying to establish, in time to sustain the ceasefire, and establish a more enduring stability in the region. So there's a bit of a disconnect, I think, between where a lot of the publics lie on this issue.  But a lot of the political leaders recognize the importance of maintaining ties with Israel, and want to lay the groundwork for greater stability. We are very interested now in doing what we can as CNME, as the Center for New Middle East, to help rebuild those connections and help reinvigorate those relationships. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: This is especially the case in Bahrain, which has not seen the same economic dividends as the UAE. ANNE DREAZEN: Bahrain is a much smaller country than the UAE, and their key industries – they have less of a developed startup tech ecosystem than the UAE. And frankly, many of Bahrain's sectors don't overlap as neatly with some of Israel's emerging tech sectors, as is the case with the UAE. So, for example, Bahrain is very heavy on steel and aluminum manufacturing, on logistics. Manufacturing is a big part of the sector.  Israeli tech doesn't really, in general, provide that many jobs in that type of sector. Tourism is another area where Bahrain is trying to develop as a top priority. This obviously was really challenged during the Abraham Accords, especially when direct flights stopped over Gulf air. So tourism was not a natural one, especially after October 7.  Bahrain has really prioritized training their youth workforce to be able to take on jobs in IT and financial services, and this is one area we want to look into more and see what can be done. Bahrain is really prioritizing trying to build relationships in areas that can provide jobs to some of their youth. It is not as wealthy a country as the UAE, but it has a very educated young workforce. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: Again, fulfilling dreams, giving youth an opportunity to contribute. That's the necessary narrative to make the Abraham Accords a success.  ALI RASHID AL NUAIMI: It's very important to focus on the youth, and how to create a narrative that will gain the heart and the mind of all youth in the region, the Israeli, the Palestinian, the Arabs, the Muslims. And this is where it is very important to counter hate that comes from both sides. Unfortunately, we still see some hate narratives that come from those far-right extremists who serve the extremists on the Arab side, taking advantage of what they are saying, what they are doing. From the beginning, I convey this message to many Israelis: please don't put the Palestinian people in one basket with Hamas, because if you do so, you will be saving Hamas. Hamas will take advantage of that.  This is where it's very important to show the Palestinian people that we care about them. You know, we see them as human beings. We want a better future for them. We want to end their suffering. We want them to fulfill their dream within the region, that where everybody will feel safe, will feel respected, and that we all will live as neighbors, caring about each other's security and peace.  We have to engage, have a dialogue, show others that we care about them, you see, and try to empower all those who believe in peace who believe that Israeli and Palestinian have to live together in peace and harmony. And it will take time, yes, but we don't have other options. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: But Dr. Al Nuaimi emphasizes that it can't be just a dialogue. It must be a conversation that includes the American voice. The UAE has been clear with the Israeli public on two occasions that attempts by Israel to unilaterally annex the West Bank would be a red line for the relationship between their two countries. But even as the five-year anniversary of the Abraham Accords approached, a milestone that should've been a reminder of the countries' mutual commitments, it took U.S. intervention for Israel to heed that warning. Anne Dreazen agrees that the U.S. plays an important role. She said Israel must continue to defend itself against threats. But in order to create a safe space for Israel in the long term, the U.S., the American Jewish community in particular, can help bridge connections and overcome cultural differences. That will keep the Accords moving in the right direction. ALI RASHID AL NUAIMI: I believe many Arab and Muslim leaders are eager to join it, but you know, they have to do their internal calculation within their people. We have to help them, not only us, but the Israelis. They are looking for a way, a path, to have them as neighbors, and to have a solution that the Palestinian will fulfill their dreams, but the Israeli also will be secure. I think having such a narrative that will take us to the next level by bringing other Arab countries and Muslim country to join the Abraham Accords. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: Thank you for listening. Atara Lakritz is our producer. T.K. Broderick is our sound engineer. Special thanks to Jason Isaacson, Sean Savage, and the entire AJC team for making this series possible.  You can subscribe to Architects of Peace on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, and you can learn more at AJC.org/ArchitectsofPeace. The views and opinions of our guests don't necessarily reflect the positions of AJC. You can reach us at podcasts@ajc.org. If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to spread the word, and hop onto Apple Podcasts or Spotify to rate us and write a review to help more listeners find us. Music Credits: Middle East : ID: 279780040; Composer: Eric Sutherland Inspired Middle East: ID: 241884108; Composer: iCENTURY Mystical Middle East: ID: 212471911; Composer: Vicher

"The energy itself only has the higher frequencies of creation within it. It doesn't have any preference around your belief system—it takes you to your own inner truth." - Colleen BenelliEpisode DescriptionWhat if the most powerful healing technology isn't something you need to buy, but something you already possess? In this transformative episode, join mother-daughter Reiki masters Colleen and Robin Benelli as they share their extraordinary journeys into energy healing—from life-changing messages delivered by a horse to a near-death experience that cracked open new dimensions of consciousness.Discover how these pioneers are revolutionizing Reiki practice by integrating shamanic wisdom, intuitive development, and practical daily applications that work for everyone—even analytical, left-brain thinkers. Whether you're Reiki-curious or a seasoned practitioner, this conversation offers profound insights into making ancient healing practices relevant in our modern world.Colleen Benelli is a licensed Reiki Master Teacher with the International Center for Reiki Training and shamanic practitioner with over 20 years of experience. Her journey began when her horse, Dakota, delivered a telepathic message: "I went lame to deliver you to your power to heal." She's passionate about making Reiki mainstream healthcare.Robin Benelli came to Reiki after a near-death experience at age 30. With a background in business and finance, she proves analytical, left-brain thinkers can be deeply intuitive. She's partnered with her mother since 2016 to create global training programs making energy healing accessible to everyone.What You'll Learn:Reiki Journey Techniques & Daily Practice:Combining shamanic practices with energy healing"Reiki on the fly"—using energy during stress or conflict without ceremonyThe "Stay stable, be kind" mantra for moment-to-moment practiceIntegrating Reiki into everyday healthcare and wellnessBuilding supportive communities beyond divisionsWhy Reiki works with any belief systemTo learn more about Colleen and Robyn and all of their amazing trainings and offerings, please visit their website https://reikilifestyle.com/You will find information on all of their offerings and free resources including their podcast and You Tube videos on shamanic journeys.  CALLING ALL EMPRESSES! Ready to stop feeling invisible and start stepping into your power?

Welcome to Dive Into Reiki, an interview series hosted by Nathalie Jaspar that explores the journeys of high-profile Reiki teachers and practitioners.You can support the mission of spreading Reiki education through my Patreon for less than the cost of a cup of coffee or for free by rating this podcast on your app!EPISODE 67: SHIKOKU PILGRIMAGE PART 1In this opening episode, we set foot on Japan's legendary 88-temple route: the Shikoku Pilgrimage. Guided by the spirit of Kōbō Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism, pilgrims walk through misty mountains, quiet villages, and visit temples to cleanse and reconnect to their inner light. I am hoping to take you there and experience some of what I lived in my ten days visiting temples and attending rituals. Nathalie Jaspar, the founder of Dive Into Reiki,  is a Reiki master with over a decade of experience. She's a graduate teacher from the International House of Reiki, led by world-renowned Reiki master Frans Stiene. She also trained with the Center for True Health and the International Center for Reiki. To gain an even deeper understanding of Reiki practice, Nathalie went to Japan to practice Zen Buddhism at the Chokai-san International Zendo. She is the author of Reiki as a Spiritual Practice: an Illustrated Guide, Reiki Healing Handbook (Rockridge Press), and Infinite Light: Conversation with 21 Reiki masters and practitioners.Support the show

This Week's Guests: Yael Danieli, PhD - Founder and Executive Director, International Center for MultiGenerational Legacies of Trauma: www.icmglt.org - Director, Group Project for Holocaust Survivors and their Children Past-President, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Senior Representative to the United Nations, International Organization for Victim Assistance. Episode 367 "Rethink Production presents "Live From America Podcast" - a weekly show that combines political commentary with humor. Hosted by the comedy cellar owner Noam Dworman and producer Hatem Gabr, the show features expert guests discussing news, culture, and politics with a blend of knowledge and laughter. Follow Live From America YouTube @livefromamericapodcast twitter.com/AmericasPodcast www.LiveFromAmericaPodcast.com LiveFromAmericapodcast@gmail.com Follow Hatem Twitter.com/HatemNYC Instagram.com/hatemnyc/ Follow Noam Twitter.com/noam_dworman #YaelDanieli #InternationalCenterforMultiGenerationalLegaciesofTrauma #Islam

Send Bidemi a Text Message!In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde spoke with Derek Newton, an academic-integrity journalist, author, contributing writer, communications professional, and the founder of Verify My Writing (VMW). The conversation unpacked how AI-generated content is overwhelming editors, peer reviewers, and publishers—and how provenance-based verification can restore trust. They explore why detectors alone keep failing, practical disclosure norms for scientists and writers, and a playbook to protect credibility in the age of AI. Derek's work has appeared in The Atlantic, Forbes, NBC, USA Today, and many other outlets. Beyond writing, he's a leader in integrity and fraud: he delivered the keynote at the 2025 International Center for Academic Integrity conference and publishes The Cheat Sheet, a newsletter on cheating and authentic work that has released 400 issues and reaches roughly 5,000 subscribers. Support the show

This week, a former Ukrainian lawmaker and a Ukrainian military official join the podcast to discuss North Korea's support of Russian forces, and why this poses a threat to South Korea's security. Dr. Hanna Hopko, co-founder of the International Center of Ukrainian Victory, and Ukrainian National Guard Lt. Volodymyr Vernygora examine the evolving DPRK-Russia military partnership, which they say should be raising alarms throughout the international community, as well as Seoul's response. The two experts also stress that South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should boost bilateral engagements to counter these developments, while warning that North Korea's troops are obtaining something money can't always buy: battlefield experience. Hopko is a former member of Ukraine's parliament and the co-founder of the International Center of Ukrainian Victory, a nongovernmental organization seeking to mobilize international support for Kyiv's fight against Ukraine. Vernygora is a lieutenant and international cooperation officer in the 1st Corps Azov of the National Guard of Ukraine, with two decades of experience in international relations, academia, and strategic communications.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

by UFO History Buff & Author, Charles Lear In the late 1960s, Dr. J. Allen Hynek was a key figure in getting members of the scientific community to take flying saucers/UFOs seriously. He was a prominent astronomer who was involved in the mystery at the very beginning as a consultant for the Air Force's investigation, which operated for most of its existence as Project Blue Book until its termination in 1969. He was born in Chicago in 1910 and worked and lived in Ohio from 1935 until he became chair of the astronomy department at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, in 1960. In 1973, he founded the Center for UFO Studies, which was based in Chicago. Then, in 1984, after spending his entire life in the Midwest, he rather suddenly moved with his family from Chicago to Scottsdale, Arizona. In this blog, we'll explore what was going on behind the scenes. Read more →

Neil Chilson, Head of AI Policy at the Abundance Institute, and Gus Hurwitz, Senior Fellow and CTIC Academic Director at Penn Carey Law School and Director of Law & Economics Programs at the International Center for Law & Economics, join Kevin Frazier, AI Innovation and Law Fellow at the University of Texas School of Law and a Senior Editor at Lawfare, to explore how academics can overcome the silos and incentives that plague the Ivory Tower and positively contribute to the highly complex, evolving, and interdisciplinary work associated with AI governance.The trio recorded this podcast live at the Institute for Humane Studies's Technology, Liberalism, and Abundance Conference in Arlington, Virginia.Read about Kevin's thinking on the topic here: https://www.civitasinstitute.org/research/draining-the-ivory-towerLearn about the Conference: https://www.theihs.org/blog/curated-event/technology-abundance-and-liberalism/Find Scaling Laws on the Lawfare website, and subscribe to never miss an episode.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Political Scene's Washington Roundtable—the staff writers Jane Mayer, Susan Glasser, and Evan Osnos—discuss how, in the wake of the reinstatement of Jimmy Kimmel's show, public resistance has a chance to turn the tide against autocratic impulses in today's politics. They are joined by Hardy Merriman, an expert on the history and practice of civil resistance, to discuss what kinds of coördinated actions—protests, boycotts, “buycotts,” strikes, and other nonviolent approaches—are most effective in a fight against democratic backsliding. “Acts of non-coöperation are very powerful,” Merriman, the former president of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, says. “Non-coöperation is very much about numbers. You don't necessarily need people doing things that are high-risk. You just need large numbers of people doing them.”This segment originally aired on The Political Scene on September 26, 2025.

The Washington Roundtable discusses how, in the wake of the reinstatement of Jimmy Kimmel's show, public resistance has a chance to turn the tide against autocratic impulses in today's politics. They are joined by Hardy Merriman, an expert on the history and practice of civil resistance, to discuss what kinds of coördinated actions—protests, boycotts, “buycotts,” strikes, and other nonviolent approaches—are most effective in a fight against democratic backsliding. “Acts of non-coöperation are very powerful,” Merriman, the former president of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, says. “Non-coöperation is very much about numbers. You don't necessarily need people doing things that are high risk. You just need large numbers of people doing them.” This week's reading: “Donald Trump Keeps Finding New Ways to Shock the World,” by Susan B. Glasser “Is Trump's Attack on the Media Following Putin's Playbook?,” by Joshua Yaffa “Where Should the Democrats Go from Here?,” by Jon Allsop “Donald Trump's Firing of a Federal Prosecutor Crosses the Reddest of Lines,” by Ruth Marcus “Seeing Enemies Everywhere,” by Jonathan Blitzer “Can Progressive Mayors Redeem the Democratic Party?,” by Bill McKibben Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices