Podcasts about Saudi Arabia

Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, discusses the unpublicized nuclear cooperative agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia. He warns host John Batchelor that keeping side agreements secret from the American public prevents Congressional oversight. Saudi Arabia refuses to sign the additional protocol for inspections, claiming it violates sovereignty. Sokolski also highlights Poland's conflicting stances on hosting nuclear weapons, Germany's interest in funding the United Kingdom's Trident submarine program, and how Russia uses precision-guided munitions to target civilians and demoralize Ukraine, moving nuclear weapons further into the background, concluding that this is the new reality. (7)

TONIGHT-CONTENTS-8-26-2026California Swells Weather And Nevada CasinosJeff Bliss discusses a massive southern ocean swell creating rare surfing conditions at Newport Harbor's channel. Driven by an intense tropical storm off Mexico, California is experiencing unprecedented humidity and a nearly five-degree Fahrenheit rise in ocean temperatures, prompting a surge in marine life including hammerhead and great white sharks. Turning to Nevada, Bliss describes the K-shaped economy, where Las Vegas strip casinos profit from wealthy international tourists, while local traffic declines. He details In-N-Out's slow, quality-controlled eastward expansion and concludes with Berkeley's controversial, permissive approach toward housing campus homeless encampments, noting they receive government-funded clean needles and glass pipes. (1)Separation Of Powers And Election FraudRichard Epstein discusses a federal ruling by Judge Indira Talwani blocking the Trump administration's postal mail-in voting regulations for the 2026 midterms. Epstein asserts the administration overstepped, as the Constitution explicitly delegates election regulation to Congress, not the executive. He criticizes Chief Justice John Roberts's defense of the unitary executive, calling his opinions a disgrace that allows executive power to swamp both the legislature and the judiciary. Lastly, Epstein references Paul Krugman's views on Trump's destructive physical and institutional teardown of Washington and laments how flawed standing doctrines prevent ordinary citizens from legally challenging executive overreach in federal court. (2)Veronique de Rugy of the Mercatus Center details the alarming surge of the United States gross national debt to record heights, exceeding forty trillion dollars. She argues that the country suffers from an out-of-control spending problem rather than a lack of tax revenue, citing massive unpaid pandemic spending. De Rugy blames both political parties for avoiding structural reforms and warns of the critical 2032 deadline when Social Security and Medicare funding will face automatic, severe cuts. She predicts that Congress will resort to further debt and inflation, which will heavily penalize the public, while indebted European nations face similar struggles. (3)Economic Boom In Idyllic Lancaster CountyJim McTague details the thriving post-pandemic economy of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Tourism remains robust, with attractions like the Renaissance Faire drawing two hundred thousand visitors annually. The local real estate market is red-hot, with retirees purchasing existing homes with cash and bid-ups creating million-dollar McMansions. McTague notes that rising inflation has packed Costco aisles with middle-class shoppers seeking the famous five-dollar loss-leader rotisserie chickens. He also discusses local commercial resistance to data centers, explaining how the impoverished borough of Columbia rejected a lucrative data center deal that would have solved its fiscal deficits, while baby boomers power local restaurants. (4)Small Business Growth And AI IntegrationGene Marks reports on his travels, conversing with host John Batchelor about a Quebec credit union conference where executives discussed loans, competitiveness, and adopting AI in front and back offices. Due to high mortgage rates, credit unions are shifting focus toward commercial loans. In Atlanta's thriving steel industry, tariffs have boosted competitiveness, and companies are deploying AI-powered robotic arms, gloves, and dogs to improve safety. Finally, a recent Pew Research survey indicates that Gen X is leading AI adoption because older, established professionals feel more secure than younger generations, though Marks calls the fear of job loss an urban legend. (5)French Resistance And World War ExileJane Rogoyska, author of Hotel Exile: Paris in the Shadow of War, Part Two: Rogoyska details how German anti-fascists and French Jews fled Paris for Marseilles and Spain in 1941. While Heinrich Mann escaped successfully, philosopher Walter Benjamin tragically committed suicide at the Spanish border. Rogoyska notes that Samuel Beckettjoined the resistance after Paul Léon's arrest. The Abwehr, aided by the treacherous priest Robert Alesch, infiltrated resistance networks, but was sidelined as the Gestapo's brutality worsened. Post-war, the Lutetia hotel became a repatriation center processing concentration camp survivors. Beckett survived and wrote literary masterpieces, while Alesch was executed. (6)Nuclear Politics And Precision Guided WarfareHenry Sokolski, executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, discusses the unpublicized nuclear cooperative agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia. He warns host John Batchelor that keeping side agreements secret from the American public prevents Congressional oversight. Saudi Arabia refuses to sign the additional protocol for inspections, claiming it violates sovereignty. Sokolski also highlights Poland's conflicting stances on hosting nuclear weapons, Germany's interest in funding the United Kingdom's Trident submarine program, and how Russia uses precision-guided munitions to target civilians and demoralize Ukraine, moving nuclear weapons further into the background, concluding that this is the new reality. (7)Debating Environmental Politics Of Data CentersKevin Frazier leads a roundtable with Jim McTague and Simon Constable discussing the political and environmental backlash against data centers. Frazier details how Lancaster City welcomed data centers to erase its school district's deficit, while the poorer borough of Columbia rejected a lucrative deal due to local protests. Frazier argues that data centers are vital national infrastructure, defending the construction jobs they create and noting that blocking them harms the digital economy. Finally, Constable shares trivia from his Wall Street Journal quiz, revealing that Virginia leads the United States in data centers, followed globally by the United Kingdom. (8)V

Ralph speaks with Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff for Colin Powell, about the fall of the American Empire and self-proclaimed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. Then we welcome the CEO and co-founder of the Canadian-based organization Corporate Knights, Toby Heap, to break down Trump's unprecedented trade war with our closest ally. Plus, Ralph has some choice words for Hakeem Jeffries and his meeting with Jared Kushner and for Hillary Clinton and her take on the war with Iran.Lawrence Wilkerson is a retired U.S. Army colonel. Over his 31 years of service, Colonel Wilkerson served as Secretary of State Colin Powell's Chief of Staff from 2002 to 2005, and Special Assistant to General Powell when he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1993. Colonel Wilkerson also served as Deputy Director and Director of the U.S. Marine Corps War College at Quantico, Virginia, and for fifteen years he was the Distinguished Visiting Professor of Government and Public Policy at the College of William and Mary. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Eisenhower Media Network, senior advisor to the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, and co-founder of the All-Volunteer Force Forum.Two-thirds of the world now thinks that we are an enemy of their state. Two-thirds of the world. And it happens to be the two-third that has the greatest amount of the GDP in the world.Colonel Lawrence WilkersonI've lived for 81 years, almost 82, and I've watched my country go to hell right in front of my face… And the billionaires who want all of this to happen, they do not want a democracy. A democracy is fallible. A democracy can't beat China. A democracy can't beat Russia. A democracy can't even beat Iran. They want a technocracy that is run by them, armed by them, technical revolution by them. They want all of this, and oh by the way they want to live to 150 while they're doing it too.Colonel Lawrence WilkersonEvery freaking hour they create a series of war crimes in Iran. Every freaking hour they perpetrate war crimes in the Persian Gulf. Every freaking hour they perpetrate war crimes in Lebanon with Israel. “What's new?,” I want to say. We are a criminal state. There is no other way to describe it. We are a criminal state. We pay no attention whatsoever to domestic or international law. Only when it benefits the person who is doing the deed do we pay any attention at all.Colonel Lawrence WilkersonToby Heaps is the CEO and co-founder of Corporate Knights, and Editor-in-Chief of Corporate Knights magazine. He spearheaded the first global ranking of the world's 100 most sustainable corporations in 2005, and in 2007 coined the term “clean capitalism.”What we're seeing is a sort of political physics—for every action is an equal and opposite reaction. Canada has in many ways benefited and rallied around our nationhood. We're often not the most boisterous or loudest type of folks. But this continued disrespect for our statehood and the continued attacks and the unreasonableness and the unfair play, our prime minister said something to the effect of: when the United States signs something, it's in pencil. It's really denigrating the United States' reputation globally and in Canadians' minds.Toby HeapsNews 8/28/26* This week, the left-wing insurgency in the Democratic Party scored several new victories. First, NBC reports that in Oklahoma, N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Markwayne Mullin, who Trump selected to lead the Department of Homeland Security following the resignation of Secretary Kristi Noem. Thomas will go up against Republican Congressman Kevin Hern in November. Unfortunately, Thomas stands little chance of winning the state, which has not elected a Democratic Senator since 1990. Thomas is a member of the Chickasaw Nation and identifies as a Democratic Socialist, but is “not yet” a member of DSA.* Next, in California, Democracy Now! reports progressive state lawmaker Aisha Wahab has prevailed in the special election to fill the seat vacated by disgraced former Congressman Eric Swalwell. This piece notes that Wahab “overcame a flood of attack ads from pro-Israel groups,” which sought to bolster her Democratic primary rival, Melissa Hernandez. In an interview, Wahab said that she “appreciates” voters in her district for “seeing through” the “lies that were spread by AIPAC.” Wahab will make history as the first Afghan American in Congress and has called for the United States to engage with the Taliban government and attempt to “[steer] them in the right direction” on human rights.* In Georgia, the Hill reports another progressive – Everton Blair – won the special election to fill the seat of Congressman David Scott, who passed away in April during his 12th term in the seat. Blair, the former chair of the Gwinnett County School Board, defeated Scott's daughter Marcye Scott. However, Blair will only represent this seat until the end of the year. Beginning in January, State Rep. Jasmine Clark, who won the May primary, will fill the seat for the 120th Congress.* Meanwhile, in the Cornhusker State, the Nebraska Examiner reports that the “Legal Marijuana NOW U.S. Senate candidate Mike Marvin announced he can't put more ‘energy' into the Senate race because of health issues and endorsed nonpartisan U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn.” Marvin will remain on the ballot, but is “urging all who supported [him] to now support…Osborn.” This piece notes that this announcement comes on heels of reporting by Flatwater Free Press showing that two staffers from Osborn's 2024 independent Senate campaign joined the Legal Marijuana NOW executive board and sought to dissolve the party from the inside. This, combined with the fact that former Democratic Senate nominee Cindy Burbank paid Mike Marvin's $1,740 candidate filing fee and dropped out of the race one day after the secretary of state verified Osborn's signatures to be on the fall ballot has fueled speculation that these were coordinated efforts to clear the field for Osborn. Marvin for his part disputes this and says he never planned to leave the race. Osborn is quoted saying “We hope to earn the support of the LMN voters and hope that we can represent their concerns well in the US Senate.”* In more third party news, Trump has launched new broadsides against the emerging ex-MAGA clique – consisting of Tucker Carlson, Congressman Thomas Massie, and former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. According to the Hill, Trump attacked the group, said to be exploring the possibility of founding a new right-wing party, calling Carlson “a loser,” Greene “a highly neurotic woman” and Massie a “real JERK” on Truth Social. The president added, “What a team this would be, THREE LOSERS, and a pocketful of change!...The only chance they have is to join the Radical Left Dumocrats, and try breaking into the Primary System. To all of them I say, PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!” The proximate cause of this latest flare-up between the camps is Trump's decision to allow in 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to be imported in the next 90 days, a move Massie called “worse than socialism.” Greene, who has been perhaps the most vocal defector from the MAGA camp, said “He attacks us with such vitriol because we actually are everything he claimed to be…he has proven as President that he is nothing more than a neocon puppet for Israel, corporations, big donors with special interests, and his dear friends in the Epstein class…We never changed, Trump did.”* Another story from this side of the aisle comes to us from NOTUS, which reports that an “unknown actor” has stolen over $16,000 from the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). This incident, alternatively characterized as a “theft” from a “foreign country” or simply a “fraud,” occurred in early July, when the NRCC “attempted to pay a bill from Ranger Wi-Fi Consulting, a Texas-based firm that specializes in helping clients ‘optimize their wireless networks while ensuring healthy security measures are in place.'” Seeking to assuage the fears of donors, NRCC spokesman Will Kiley told the press that “Protecting donor funds is a top priority for the NRCC,” and vowed that the committee is “working to recover the funds, and…taken steps to ensure it can't happen again.” Listeners might remember that in July, the DNC admitted that they had fallen prey to a scammer, losing almost $30,000 in the process. It would seem that these committees do not have functional safeguards against such schemes.* Our final stories this week all deal with the Middle East. First up, Axios reports that while AIPAC was gearing up for a major ad blitz in Michigan against Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed and on behalf of Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers, those plans have apparently been iced at the behest of the Rogers campaign. According to this story, Rogers believes that AIPAC spending in the Democratic primary – over $30 million on behalf of El-Syed's rival Haley Stevens – actually helped boost El-Sayed's candidacy, making his opposition to AIPAC a “centerpiece of his…campaign, using the group's spending against him to portray Democratic opponent Haley Stevens as beholden to the pro-Israel lobby.” Rogers fears the same fate, so he has sought to keep his distance from AIPAC while his allies are urging AIPAC to “get involved without putting the group's name front and center.” However, Rogers' attempts to put some daylight between his campaign and AIPAC has resulted in the latter turning cold towards the Republican candidate. Republicans now worry that AIPAC will “sit out the general election entirely.” As for the perception of AIPAC in Michigan, a recent poll found that “55% of Michigan voters oppose continued U.S. aid to Israel.”* On the other end of the Michigan political spectrum, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding that he “ensure the immediateand permanent release of U.S. citizen Sama Safi, a 20-year-old university student with a severe complex chronic health condition, who the Israeli military has arbitrarily and wrongfully detained since June 2nd.” This letter goes on to describe how “armed Israeli soldiers raided her family's home in the occupied West Bank in the middle of the night and tore her from her family,” and that since then, she has “suffered under appalling conditions in Israeli military detention including “frequent physical assault, shackling, and the throwing of gas and stun grenades into already overcrowded and poorly ventilated cells,” among other horrors. 40 more members of Congress signed this letter, including six senators, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey and Chris Van Hollen among them. 85 civic groups also signed onto this demand, ranging from faith-based groups to human rights organizations and beyond.* In the region itself, a broad coalition of Muslim states – including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and, perhaps most notably, the United Arab Emirates – have issued a categorical condemnation of Israel's new “E1” settlement plan. This plan relates to new settlement activities east of occupied East Jerusalem and the signatories decry the plan as constituting “a dangerous escalation that further advances settlement expansion and annexation and undermines the geographical contiguity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory…thereby threatening the viability and realization of an independent, contiguous Palestinian State based on the 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital.” The UAE was the most significant state in the region to sign onto the Trump-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020, which sought to normalize relations between Israel and its neighbors at the expense of the Palestinians. Saudi Arabia was said to be on the verge of signing the accords prior to October 7th and Israel's subsequent genocidal military campaign in Gaza. The UAE taking a new stand against Israel on behalf of the Palestinian cause is widely seen as the final death knell of the Abraham Accords and the beginning of a new era of relations in the Middle East.* Finally, the Economist reports that a group of seven top officials within the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is consolidating power in Iran. The man rumored to be leading this junta is Mohsen Rezaei, the new national-security adviser, former presidential candidate and the longest-serving chief of the IRGC, having led the corps though the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. Others include the head of the navy, currently overseeing Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the IRGC's commander-in-chief and founder of the Quds Force. Notably absent from this group is Mojtaba Khamenei, the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. This piece judiciously avoids making any definite predictions about whether this new clique will rule as hardliners or pragmatists, but emphasizes that the late Ali Khamenei expertly “balanced the competing interests of his realm” while these military men favor action.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

You can now watch the video edition of this episode on YouTube. Roqayah is off this week, so Kumars is joined from the top of the hour by returning guests Maryam Jamshidi and Adnan Husain to discuss sportsball and geopolitics. Maryam Jamshidi is associate professor of law at the University of Colorado Law School and a nonresident fellow at the Quincy Institute. Adnan Husain is associate professor of history at Queen's University in Ontario, medievalist scholar of religion in Europe and West Asia and host of The Adnan Husain Show on YouTube. Topics include the continuously unfolding corruption scandals surrounding FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the aftermath of the World Cup, the mutual defense pact between Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the campaign to ban Israel from soccer, Trump's "Board of Peace," the crumbling facade of neoliberal institutions in general, and the challenges of solidarity between global South nations. Follow Maryam on Twitter @MsJamshidi and Adnan @AdnanAHusain. 

Charlie doesn't want to be questioned by the bank over his money. JLR had a discussion with MEWL about going to Saudi Arabia. Mom climbs through the window of a school bus in California. Charlie got in trouble for mooning the bus driver.

GTA 6 trailer dropped. Is Snitz just a follower? Deshawn Watson. Krystle went to the Browns game. A parent has been banned after they intentionally tripped a player at a youth football game. Did JLR get a plea deal after being busted with a prostitute? Lake America. Former waitress explains what to do in order to get a good tip. Bill Gates is very concerned about how AI will impact society. Charlie doesn't want to be questioned by the bank over his money. JLR had a discussion with MEWL about going to Saudi Arabia. Mom climbs through the window of a school bus in California. Charlie got in trouble for mooning the bus driver. Buc-ee's forbids their employees from having visible tattoos. JLR is covered in paint. Naked Doordash delivery driver. Short ugly and well hung.

Iceland has long kept the EU at arm's length. But Russia's war in Ukraine and President Trump's threats to take control of Greenland have prompted a rethink, with growing calls for Iceland to move closer to the bloc. Also, it's been a tense week in Haiti after nearly 50 people were killed and over 50 more were kidnapped in a coordinated gang attack in a town outside the capital, Port-au-Prince. And, Gotham FC's openly gay star striker, Esther Gonzalez, has left the New York team and has now signed on to play for a Premier League team in Saudi Arabia, where her marriage is illegal. Plus, an update on Nepal victims and the continued search for the missing. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund has replaced the chief executive at one of the country's flagship real estate mega-projects, and global issuance of zero-interest convertible bonds is on track for a record year. Plus, the EU's closest economic partners are worried about Brussels' increasingly protectionist policies, and Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham sought to calm corporate nerves in an interview with the FT. Mentioned in this podcast:Saudi Arabia shakes up flagship real estate projectZero-interest convertible bonds set for record yearEU industrial push strains ties with Switzerland and NorwayAndy Burnham pledges to ‘take pressure off' business ahead of October BudgetListen to Political Fix on Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts or Spotify.Want to get in touch? Email us at podcasts@ft.comNote: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts The FT News Briefing is produced by Victoria Craig, Sonja Hutson, and Saffeya Ahmed. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Kelly Garry. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips is the FT's global head of audio. The show's theme music is by Metaphor Music.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we review the use of right axillary artery access for aortic valvuloplasty in infants. Why would this approach potentially offer advantages versus the more traditional femoral or even carotid approach? What are the particular dangers of this approach? How should the interventionist pick the approach when planning an aortic valvuloplasty in an infant with valvar aortic stenosis? We speak with Dr. Jameel Al-Ata of King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this week. DOI: 10.1007/s00246-025-03991-6

 With a weaker Iran, do Turkey's regional ambitions put it on a collision course with Israel? Dan and Nadav Eyal analyze the shifting dynamics in the Middle East, focusing on whether Turkey's President Erdogan aspires to become a regional superpower given the vacuum left by a weaker Iran. They discuss whether Turkey's military is trying to move further into Syria, crossing what Israel considers a “red line,” Israel's recent response, and the emerging Sunni axis between Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. —- Get your tickets to a live taping of Call me Back at the Streicker Center in NYC on October 22. —- Call Me Back is made possible by our subscribers. If these conversations are where you turn to understand Israel and the Jewish world, consider joining them. It's what keeps this show going. Become a Subscriber - Inside Call me Back This episode was sponsored by the Jewish Communal Fund. Learn more about JCF's donor advised funds at jcfny.org. ___ In this episode: -Israel-Turkey relations and recent military friction -President Erdogan's strategic ambitions and desire to revive the Ottoman Empire -Turkey's influence in Syria and the potential threat to Israel -Implications for NATO of the new Sunni axis led by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan -Syrian response to Israel's military strike on a Syrian airbase -How internal politics in both countries are amplifying the tensions between Turkey and Israel ___ More Ark Media: Want to join Ark Media? Check out our careers page for new openings. Explore Israel Votes Listen to Ark News Daily Listen to For Heaven's Sake Listen to What's Your Number? Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal Instagram | Ark Media | Dan X | Dan Dan Senor & Saul Singer's book, The Genius of Israel Get in touch Credits: Ilan Benatar, Beth Pearlman, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo

On this episode, Harry Symeou discusses the latest Arsenal-related transfer news. We discuss the latest on Julian Alvarez's future, Gabriel Martinelli's proposed move to Saudi Arabia, the latest on Bradley Barcola's future and the competition Arsenal face if they're to move for Iliman Ndiaye. All that and more covered. Ready to have an AI that can tackle real work? Try Claude Cowork today — Claude.ai/TCOAG To sign up as a Patreon, get additional episodes, ad-free episodes and become a part of our discord server, click the link below: https://patreon.com/thechroniclesofagooner?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Enter the discount code 'SUMMER' for 50% off your first month! Listen to 'The Rise of Pafos FC' on Apple podcasts or Spotify: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rise-of-pafos-fc-with-harry-symeou/id1334407316?i=1000746012823 #arsenal #premierleague #news

A.M. Edition for Aug. 26. President Trump sends his landmark nuclear accord with Saudi Arabia to Congress for review, kicking off what's likely to be months of debate among lawmakers. Oxford Analytica's Rawan Maayeh breaks down whether the kingdom is likely to normalize relations with Israel as a part of the deal, as Trump has insisted. Plus, Bill Gates issues a stark warning on AI's impact on jobs and humanity, saying big tech has “no plan”. And we look ahead to Nvidia's earnings, with sky-high investor expectations for the world's most valuable company. And Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

CONTENTS THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 8-25-2026COVER OF FANTASTIC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 1961Liz Peek, columnist for The Hill and Fox News, discusses the surprising resilience of the American economy, noting that small businesses are reporting strong hiring and profitability growth based on broad National Federation of Independent Business and Bank of America data. While consumer spending remains robust, recent data reveals a K-shaped economy, where higher-income homeowners spend extensively on renovations while lower-income consumers trade down at Walmart. Rising interest rates present a critical challenge, slamming the housing market and significantly increasing interest payments on the massive national debt. Lastly, the administration's tariff conflict with Canada is criticized as a major, highly unfortunate, and economically damaging political mistake. (1)Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, evaluates the Treasury's initial tranches of secondary sanctions targeting entities trading with Iran, including firms in China and the UAE. Although these measures stop short of targeting major Chinese banks, they provide President Trump with leverage ahead of his Washington summit with Xi Jinping. Within the Middle East, Schanzer warns that regional powers are hedging their bets. Saudi Arabia may be negotiating a separate peace with the Houthis and Iran, which could undermine US sanctions. Additionally, the US controversially rescinded Syria's state sponsor of terror status following the rapid rise of former al-Qaeda commander Ahmed al-Shara. (2)Mary Kissel, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and former Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State, analyzes Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran, asserting that its success relies on penalizing large Chinesefinancial institutions. However, Beijing holds significant economic and military leverage over the US, including export controls on critical minerals. Regarding North America, Kissel describes the escalating trade war with Canada as a "loser's game" driven by domestic politics. She stresses that the 50% tariffs on essential materials like Canadianaluminum and auto parts disrupt deeply integrated supply chains. Consequently, this trade conflict severely harms ordinary consumers and threatens Republican control of key Senate seats in critical border states of Maine and Michigan. (3)Colonel Jeff McCausland, US Army (Retired) and Visiting Professor at Dickinson College, warns that the US foreign policy process has collapsed under President Trump, who relies on personal loyalty over expert advice. This is illustrated by Trump's sudden decision to reduce joint US-South Korea military exercises without notifying allies. McCausland argues this undercuts South Korea while offering concessions to a nuclear-armed dictator, Kim Jong-un, who actively supplies weapons to Russia for the Ukraine war. Furthermore, he criticizes the "economic D-Day" against Iran as highly insincere given key delays in sanctioning China, and strongly condemns the trade war against Canada, a loyal ally with a rich military history. (4)Gregory Copley, editor of Defense & Foreign Affairs, argues that the US sanctions regime against Iran is strategic signaling that makes Washington look weak, as it ignores China's trade dominance and threatens relations with India. He also views the Canadian trade dispute as a strategic failure that weakens the NORAD treaty and forces Canada to act independently in the Arctic. This unpredictability has alienated European allies, who are now bypassing the US to negotiate directly on Ukraine. Additionally, Copley analyzes post-Petro Colombia, detailing how the energetic new president faces massive domestic security issues, narco-trafficking networks, and the grounding of critical disaster relief aircraft under sanctions. (5)Thaddeus McCotter, former US Representative from Michigan and columnist for American Greatness, details the severe political and economic fallout of Trump's trade war with Canada, noting that insulting rhetoric like the "51st state" remark has politically boosted Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. He explains that border states like Michigan and Maine share deep commercial integration, meaning 50% tariffs will directly harm their local economies. This unvetted policy blindsided senior Republican legislators, including Susan Collins, who openly opposed the tariffs and avoided a campaign rally with Vice President Vance. Ultimately, McCotter warns that these tariffs jeopardize critical Senate seats in highly contested swing states, giving rival Democrats a very major campaign advantage. (6)Judy Dempsey, Senior Scholar in Berlin for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, with co-host Thaddeus McCotter: Dempsey describes European Baltic and Nordic leaders flocking to Kyiv, yet warns that "moral outrage" lacks a cohesive strategic plan to negotiate an end to the war. She highlights the rising prominence of the pro-Russian, far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in state elections. Interestingly, an ideological rift has emerged as radical AfD factions in East Germany sour on MAGA due to Trump's policies on Iran. McCotter delivers a severe critique of the MAGA-AfD relationship, arguing MAGA should never have "played footsies" with neo-Nazis, and asserting the AfD is fundamentally aligned with Vladimir Putin rather than the United States—their temporary embrace of MAGA merely a superficial attraction. Although West Germans have abandoned historical sentiments toward Russiadue to the Ukraine invasion, East Germany remains deeply split, harboring lingering sentimental pro-Russian views and separate post-unification cultural dynamics. (7)Note: segment 7 came with a separate co-host block for McCotter, so I've folded his critique into the single paragraph after Dempsey's material — flag me if you'd rather run his commentary as its own standalone file.

Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, evaluates the Treasury's initial tranches of secondary sanctions targeting entities trading with Iran, including firms in China and the UAE. Although these measures stop short of targeting major Chinese banks, they provide President Trump with leverage ahead of his Washington summit with Xi Jinping. Within the Middle East, Schanzer warns that regional powers are hedging their bets. Saudi Arabia may be negotiating a separate peace with the Houthis and Iran, which could undermine US sanctions. Additionally, the US controversially rescinded Syria's state sponsor of terror status following the rapid rise of former al-Qaeda commander Ahmed al-Shara. (2)

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin: Iranian state television broadcasts a video discussing how Barron Trump could be killed, claiming the president's son is under surveillance and that a $10 million bounty has been offered for his murder. President Trump sends a civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress, potentially unlocking billions in reactor deals while raising concerns about nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Pendulum: Ditch the afternoon crashes and naturally curb your cravings with 48% off the doctor-recommended Pendulum Metabolic Daily at https://pendulumlife.com/PDB  Bubs Natural: Live Better Longer with BUBS Naturals. For A limited time get 20% Off your entire order with code PDB at https://Bubsnaturals.com Ethos: Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at: https://ethos.com/PDB  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Would JLR go to Saudi Arabia for WrestleMania? A trailer has been released for ‘Ali G: Who Iz I?' starring Sacha Baron Cohen. Video shows an Amazon delivery driver punching a 71-year-old man over a parking spot. Reporter for the NY Times investigates viral TikTok story about a family in Brooklyn who is upset by people blocking their driveway. 

Is Duji a hypocrite for shaming Snitz but not Ariana Grande? Is it harder to be a landscaper or work at Dollar General? Duji listens to Top Gun: Maverick while she drives. Saudi Arabia has partnered with France to build a $6 billion dollar Dragon Ball Z theme park.

Is Duji a hypocrite for shaming Snitz but not Ariana Grande? Is it harder to be a landscaper or work at Dollar General? Duji listens to Top Gun: Maverick while she drives. Saudi Arabia has partnered with France to build a $6 billion dollar Dragon Ball Z theme park. Would JLR go to Saudi Arabia for WrestleMania? A trailer has been released for ‘Ali G: Who Iz I?' starring Sacha Baron Cohen. Video shows an Amazon delivery driver punching a 71-year-old man over a parking spot. Reporter for the NY Times investigates viral TikTok story about a family in Brooklyn who is upset by people blocking their driveway. Duji has discovered TikTok live auctions. The Flintstones and The Jetsons. Waitress says gratuity doesn't count as a tip for your server. JLR gets mad about allegations over a Dunkin Donuts incident. Wearing school uniforms. Free AC unit.

This episode unpacks the current state of the U.S.-Iran conflict, broader dynamics in the Middle East, and the shifting U.S. role in the region.   Host: James M. Lindsay, Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy, CFR   Guest: Steven A. Cook, Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies, CFR   We Discuss: Who, if anyone, is winning the six-month war with Iran, and how freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's ability to menace its neighbors, and its incentives to pursue a nuclear weapon have all evolved. Why the extent of the damage to Iran's nuclear program remains unknown, and why Tehran now has every incentive to dash toward weaponization. How the war's decapitation strikes produced leadership change rather than genuine regime change, leading to a situation in which the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the hardest of Iran's hardliners now call the shots in Tehran. Whether the supposed split between Iranian "moderates" and "hardliners" is real or a Western construct that makes the regime more intelligible. What President Donald Trump's "economic D-Day" is meant to achieve, and why it remains uncertain that economic isolation will lead to regime collapse. Whether U.S. bluster carries real costs, and how doubts about U.S. credibility have pushed Gulf partners to look elsewhere for their security. What the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey actually signals, and whether it represents an alternative to an American-sponsored regional order rather than a true Article 5-style pact. Why the United Arab Emirates was left out of the Mecca agreement, and what the rift between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh reveals about fractures within the Gulf. Where the region is headed as the U.S.-led Middle East order comes to an end, and whether a diminished U.S. role and greater regional agency is a good thing.   Mentioned on the Episode:   Steven A. Cook, The End of Ambition: America's Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East, Oxford University Press   Steven A. Cook, “The U.S.-Led Middle East Order Is Over. The Mecca Agreement Proves It.,” Council on Foreign Relations   Steven A. Cook, “After Iran, It's Time for the United States to Leave the Middle East,” Foreign Policy   Marc Lynch, “The End of the American Middle East: Iran and the Last Gasp of a Failed Order,” Foreign Affairs   Robert Kagan, “Iran Unleashed,” The Atlantic   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President's Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/six-months-of-war-with-iran   Opinions expressed on The President's Inbox are solely those of the host or guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

Plus: President Trump's pick Darline Graham wins a GOP Senate runoff in South Carolina to fill the seat of late Sen. Lindsey Graham. And OpenAI loses another top executive. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Summer is winding down, the Jewish year is coming to a close, and apparently the news has decided to get even weirder. This week we take on out-of-control charity spam, skyrocketing meat prices, Mamdani's latest plans for New York, and Tucker Carlson's newest obsession with Israel — including a shocking discovery about Israeli school education. Also this week: Iran feels the squeeze, Saudi Arabia manages to blow $50 BILLION and Palestinians literally wearing their money to weddings.   ________ ** Now's the time to get your brand new gorgeous Sukkah from SukkahOutlet.com!! ** National Sukkah Outlet has been building sukkahs since R' Ezriel Munk started out in his Passaic garage 36 years ago. Panels, fabric, travel, bamboo and schach under Badatz — and honestly, the customer service is off the charts. First sukkah or an upgrade, they've got you. Locations in Brooklyn, Monsey, the Five Towns, Queens, and Lakewood. Visit: https://sukkahoutlet.com Call: 800-778-5624 WhatsApp them directly: wa.me/8483827990 ________ ** Medical weight loss made simple and affordable! Skip the waiting rooms and start losing today with SlimRxCenter.com !** Featuring personalized plans with medical providers, and a team that understands the frum community and its unique lifestyle challenges. Visit: https://slimrxcenter.com/ Call: 845-414-6499 ________ ** Town Appliance - For All Of Your Appliance Needs! ** No matter the budget, Town Appliance will get you the right appliance for your needs and give you the most value for your money. Visit: https://www.townappliance.com/ Call/Text/Whatsapp: 732-364-5195 ________ We have a call-in number where you can hear the cast! Tell your friends and family who may not have internet access! 605-417-0303 To Call In From Israel: +079-579-5087 To Call In From UK: +03-333-66-0768 Also! Subscribe for our bonus content by phone! Available at the same number. ________ Get official KC swag and show your support to the world! https://kiddushclubmerch.com ________ Subscribe now to keep us going and access bonus content! https://buymeacoffee.com/kiddushclub/membership   Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kiddushclubpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kiddushclubcast Join our WhatsApp chat: https://whatsapp.kccast.com Send us you thoughts comments and suggestions via email: hock@kiddushclubpodcast.com  

Democrats trail Republicans in cash by nine figures. The DNC reported $16 million on hand against $17.9 million in debt. The RNC reported $130 million. Peter Schweizer and Eric Eggers follow the money filling the gap, and most of it comes from senior citizens. A Stanford researcher spent eight months preparing an investigation for The New York Times. Fact checkers cleared it. Lawyers cleared it. Then the Elias Law Group sent cease and desist letters on behalf of Democratic committees, and the paper walked away. What the research found: a spam text pipeline built to squeeze a captive pool of elderly donors. An 85 year old man in Oxford, Ohio gave 7,800 times, nearly $650,000, more than double the value of his house. A 90 year old woman in an Indiana senior living facility gave more than 25,000 times, $250,000 in total. Fewer than 1% of Democrat donors account for almost half of the $1.4 billion these PACs have raised since 2017. One network alone pulled in $390 million. Most of the money never reaches a candidate. It recycles back into the fundraising operation. Hakeem Jeffries shows the shift in one chart. In 2018, his average donor was 54 and 21% were 65 or older. This cycle, his average donor is 73 and 86% are senior citizens. Then the midterm ledger. Ripple and Coinbase sit at the top of $230 million in special interest spending, ahead of Big Tech and Wall Street. FanDuel and DraftKings make the top six. George Soros has given more than $102 million this year. AIPAC drew headlines for $30 million behind Haley Stevens in Michigan, while the money moving against her opponent's opponent stays far harder to trace: a $200,000 super PAC check from Abdul El-Sayed's father-in-law, an Islamic Society of North America figure; $25,000 from an Egyptian American activist sentenced to life in absentia; $115,000 tied to people affiliated with the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Saudi Arabia spent $92 million on Washington lobbying last year with roughly 148 registered foreign agents. Peter and Eric close on Sharia law, Jesse Watters' interview with El-Sayed, and whether the red-green alliance holds long enough to make Michigan competitive. (00:00) Cold open (00:31) Votes from the poor, money from the rich (02:33) The DNC has $16 million and $17.9 million in debt (04:43) Granny's Social Security check funds the campaign (06:34) The New York Times kills the story after legal threats (07:33) One donor, 7,800 gifts, $650,000 (09:30) Hakeem Jeffries' donor base ages 20 years in eight (12:27) Crypto, gambling and AIPAC lead the midterm spending (15:25) The influence money nobody tracks (20:14) CAIR cash, Jesse Watters, and the Sharia law question

CONTENTS THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 8-24-2026.OTTAWAConrad Black and co-host Edmund Fitton-Brown discuss the collapse of trade negotiations and subsequent US tariff threats that have sparked a major political crisis in Canada, leading to opposition calls to immediately reconvene Parliament. Black describes a stark contrast in national attitudes, noting that President Trump's rhetoric effectively denies Canada's sovereignty. This perceived affront has deeply united Canadians across party lines, who view the tariffs as an assault on national identity rather than a mere commercial dispute. Black highlights potential Republican electoral fallout in key US Senate races like Maine and Michigan, and suggests a bilateral phone call could resolve the dispute. (1)Janatyn Sayeh and Edmund Fitton-Brown examine Iranian official Ghalibaf's public appearance in Iraq, signaling defiance to the US and Israel before secondary sanctions are revealed. Sayeh explains that Iran views Iraq as its backyard, using it to evade sanctions by blending Iranian oil with Iraqi exports. Under President Trump, US economic scrutiny on Iraq has increased to block this smuggling. While maximum pressure has devalued Iran's currency and caused hyperinflation, Iran aims to overwhelm Washington by utilizing its regional proxy networks across Yemen, Lebanon, and Iraq. The US must view these proxies as Iranian arms rather than local actors. (2)Ernesto Araújo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa, with Edmund Fitton-Brown: In Brazil, falling poll numbers have panicked President Lula, prompting him to call Donald Trump despite years of anti-American rhetoric. Araújo explains this reflects the US's central role in combating South American "narcosocialist" regimes. Meanwhile, in Venezuela, Delcyand Jorge Rodríguez are simulating cooperation with the US while delaying presidential elections to buy time. Peña Esclusa notes that Venezuelan opposition members are negotiating Supreme Court appointments rather than election dates or political prisoners. Both guests will attend Slovenia's Bled Strategic Forum to discuss Latin America's right-wing political shift and potential energy partnerships with Europe. (3)Malcolm Hoenlein and Edmund Fitton-Brown discuss rising security concerns in Israel after incendiary balloons from Gaza were discovered, potentially testing Israel's border preparedness. Concurrently, Turkey is expanding its regional footprint, occupying 5% of Syria and attempting to establish military bases, which Israel countered with airstrikes. In Gaza, Jared Kushner met with Hamas in Cairo, a move that critics argue bolsters the group's status despite declining local support. Meanwhile, the US Treasury has previewed secondary sanctions on Iranian trading partners, including China. Iran's economy is in collapse, with inflation skyrocketing and the currency reaching an all-time low. (4)David Daoud and Edmund Fitton-Brown examine UNIFIL's mandate, which restricts it to acting as an auxiliary to the Lebanese Armed Forces, preventing independent disarmament of Hezbollah. Consequently, Hezbollah operates freely near UN watchtowers and tunnel networks. Daoud argues that while new US Treasury sanctions expanding target parameters to include Iranian violations are positive, they fail to address Hezbollah's deep integration into Lebanon's socio-political fabric. To be effective, the West must treat Hezbollah as a Lebanese entity with sovereign responsibilities, rather than purely an Iranian proxy. True security requires targeting all of Hezbollah's activities, including its social and political wings. (5)Ivana Stradner and Edmund Fitton-Brown analyze Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's visit to Belgrade, which does not signal a split between Serbia and Russia. President Vučić's weapons sales to Ukraine are merely lucrative business deals. Serbia remains highly dependent on Russia, sharing deep intelligence ties and cooperating with the FSB to test crowd-control equipment. Vučić balances these relationships to survive domestic protests sparked by environmental concerns and a severe heatwave. Stradner, recently returning from Israel, reports that Israeli morale remains exceptionally high despite facing a multi-front threat from Iran's proxy network, which Russia continues to exploit through regional propaganda and strategic manipulation. (6)Edmund Fitton-Brown critiques the term "economic D-Day," explaining that Pakistan's mediation in Iran is self-interested, driven by fears of secondary US sanctions. These sanctions have suffocated Iran's economy, reducing oil exports and sparking hyperinflation. Iraq also struggles with contradictory policies, balancing its US alliance with pro-Iranian gestures, such as securing tanker passage through the Strait of Hormuz. In the Red Sea, the Houthis demand tribute from Saudi Arabia to halt attacks on tankers and pipelines. Fitton-Brown warns that paying the Houthis only delays their long-term expansionist goals against Saudi territory and Israel. (7)Samuel Ben-Ur and Edmund Fitton-Brown discuss how, following a temporary lull, Hamas has intensified attacks in Gaza, emboldened by disarmament frameworks proposed by Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators. Ben-Ur notes Hamas only accepted the deal under the pretense of disarming while intending to survive intact. However, following Jared Kushner's visit, the US aligned with Israel's stance, demanding total disarmament before military withdrawal. Fitton-Brown and Ben-Ur discuss the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (ENCAG), a secular government planned to replace Hamas. Lacking military power, ENCAG's deployment depends on an international stabilization force, though troop commitments remain severely short. (8)Michael Sobolik and Edmund Fitton-Brown examine how Chinese AI company Moonshot bypassed US export controls by "distilling" technology from Anthropic's Claude Opus model to train its own system, Kimi K3. This intellectual property theft threatens American market dominance and national security. Sobolik recommends three policy actions: imposing crushing financial sanctions on violating Chinese firms, closing export control loopholes related to remote cloud access, and banning open CCP models in the United States. He warns that American tech companies prioritizing short-term profits over security risk losing the AI race, mirroring historical patterns of Chinese piracy. (9)John Hardie and Edmund Fitton-Brown outline Russia's military assistance to Iran via the Caspian Sea, a highly secure transit route. This collaboration benefits Moscow by raising energy prices and draining US munition stockpiles like Patriot interceptors, giving Russia a freer hand in Ukraine. Russia provides Iran with tactical intelligence, drone components to resist satellite jamming, and has agreed to deliver shoulder-launched air defense missiles. While Ukraine and Israel have attempted long-range strikes against trade vessels and ports to disrupt this flow, interdiction is difficult because the Caspian Sea operates as a protected, non-transparent Russian-Iranian military lake. (10)Standing corrections applied: Janatyn Sayeh, Ernesto Araújo, Alejandro Peña Esclusa, Delcy Rodríguez (and Jorge Rodríguez), Zelenskyy, Vučić with diacritics, and Kimi K3 (source again had "Kimmy"). One anomaly in the source: segment 7 listed Fitton-Brown as both guest and co-host, so I've formatted it as his solo segment — flag it if there was a second voice in that file.

Edmund Fitton-Brown critiques the term "economic D-Day," explaining that Pakistan's mediation in Iran is self-interested, driven by fears of secondary US sanctions. These sanctions have suffocated Iran's economy, reducing oil exports and sparking hyperinflation. Iraq also struggles with contradictory policies, balancing its US alliance with pro-Iranian gestures, such as securing tanker passage through the Strait of Hormuz. In the Red Sea, the Houthis demand tribute from Saudi Arabia to halt attacks on tankers and pipelines. Fitton-Brown warns that paying the Houthis only delays their long-term expansionist goals against Saudi territory and Israel. (7)

Futbol W is back and Ali Krieger, Jeff Kassouf and Cristina Alexander break down all the latest in NWSL as San Dieog Wave impress with a 4-2 win, Bay FC get a big win, and Ashley Sanchez continues her strong season for NC Courage. Then, they choose their NWSL Players of the Week, and they discuss Esther Gonzalez's intriguing move to Saudi Arabia after leaving Gotham FC with mutual consent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2022, LIV Golf pulled major golf stars away from the established PGA Tour with massive payouts. But this year, the Saudi Public Investment Fund pulled funding from the organization. This morning, we're discussing how the upstart league struggled to attract fans and the broader impact of sports investment. But first, we talk Canada preparing to unveil retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. later today.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace Morning Report is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Stories featured in this episode:Saudi Arabia will no longer fund LIV Golf. What happened?

In 2022, LIV Golf pulled major golf stars away from the established PGA Tour with massive payouts. But this year, the Saudi Public Investment Fund pulled funding from the organization. This morning, we're discussing how the upstart league struggled to attract fans and the broader impact of sports investment. But first, we talk Canada preparing to unveil retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. later today.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace Morning Report is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Stories featured in this episode:Saudi Arabia will no longer fund LIV Golf. What happened?

A US aircraft carrier packed with 5,000 sailors is not supposed to become a story about empty shelves, broken plumbing, and desperate messages to families. We start there because the USS Abraham Lincoln reports don't just raise moral alarms, they raise a strategic one: if extended deployments are pushing crews to the edge, what does that say about America's ability to sustain a long pressure campaign and naval blockade tied to the US-Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz? From that human reality, we widen the lens to the region's shifting center of gravity. We dig into the Mecca Agreement and what a Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan defense alignment could mean for the future of Middle East security, especially as countries weigh whether Washington is a reliable partner when air defenses, munitions, and political priorities all feel strained. We also examine claims that Iran is rapidly rebuilding missile and drone capacity after the 2026 war, and why production rates matter more than narratives when offensive weapons can outpace defensive interceptors. Then I dismantle the Washington Post editorial argument for “containment” and more credible escalation. We walk through what containment has looked like for decades, how it can lead directly to war, and why ideas like a “more sustainable” blockade collide with fleet readiness, oil market fragility, and the limits of sanctions enforcement. If Iran gets a say on the battlefield and at the negotiating table, pretending otherwise is not strategy, it's denial.

CannCon flies solo for Tuesday with Ghost calling in for a meaty geopolitics segment on the Mecca agreement, an Article 5 style defense pact between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey that has now reportedly extended invitations to Iran and Syria. Ghost walks through Turkey's rising role inside NATO, US troops leaving Iraq, and a genuinely surprising revelation about who was actually serving as the back channel into Iran, which flips the widely reported narrative on its head. The back half turns domestic, with the Supreme Court allowing some vote by mail limits ahead of the midterms, a Ninth Circuit immigration ruling, and two brave Michigan township clerks publicly inviting federal officials in to cross check their voter rolls after a whistleblower claim. CannCon closes with a WNBA eligibility story that is equal parts absurd and pointed.

Futbol W is back and Ali Krieger, Jeff Kassouf and Cristina Alexander break down all the latest in NWSL as San Dieog Wave impress with a 4-2 win, Bay FC get a big win, and Ashley Sanchez continues her strong season for NC Courage. Then, they choose their NWSL Players of the Week, and they discuss Esther Gonzalez's intriguing move to Saudi Arabia after leaving Gotham FC with mutual consent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gaius and Germanicus: On a rainy late summer night in 92 AD Londinium, the hosts convene in their newly expanded wine bar by the River Thames, built so retired centurions of the eighth legion—such as Strabo, who served twenty-seven years—can rest and put their feet up. Gaius apologizes for his tardiness, delayed by a commercial dispute with a Gaulishmerchant demanding extra money for a shipment of Greek wine brought across the choppy English Channel; a poor bargainer, Gaius resolves to pay whatever it takes to secure the wine for the centurions by Sunday, and shares his day planting fragrant sumacs and tall purple-flowered ironweeds as pollinators. From this first-century frame, the hosts turn to the collapse of American strategy: the Persian Empire (modern Iran) no longer fears the American "imperator," as shown by Iran inviting Iraq—a country generously supported by the United States for years—to ship at least five backed-up tankers of oil through the Strait of Hormuzuntouched, and by Pakistani army chief General Munir's travel to Tehran to meet the IRGC. Russia and China are in constant communication with Iran; Germanicus traces Russia's interest to the nineteenth century, the 1908 spheres-of-influence division, and the 1942 invasion, arguing the American "feckless war" has stitched the Eurasian continent together and frozen the US out. Where the post-9/11 US "bestrode the Middle East like a colossus" and Iran sought breathing room through the JCPOA, now Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan court Tehran, the Gulf states seek accommodations in the new order, and the US has been reduced to nothing more than Israel's direct defender. (1)

US Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh will seek to soothe investors' nerves at this week's Jackson Hole symposium, Andy Burnham is headed to Ukraine for his first overseas trip as Britain's prime minister, and Saudi Arabia held talks with London brokers for a state-backed war insurance scheme. Plus, we take a deep dive into an investment giant that's slowly unravelling, and Canada's prime minister says the country is “at war” with the US over trade. Mentioned in this podcast:Warsh seeks to soothe investors' nerves as signs of economic strain mountBurnham to pledge support for long-range missile construction in UkraineMark Walter's unravelling empire tests the insurance trade behind private credit's riseMark Carney says Canada ‘at war' with US over tradeWant to get in touch? Email us at podcasts@ft.comNote: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts The FT News Briefing is produced by Victoria Craig, Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, and Katya Kumkova. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Alex Higgins. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Support this week from Kelly Garry. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips is the FT's global head of audio. The show's theme music is by Metaphor Music. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode of The Diplomat's Asia Geopolitics podcast, hosts Katie Putz and Ankit Panda discuss the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement -- a collective security agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in early August. They dive into the motivations for the pact on the part of all three members, the role (or lack thereof) of nuclear deterrence within it, and take a moment to compare it to other collective security arrangements like the CSTO. There are few concrete details available about the pact, but given the tumultuous regions its members span, it'll be tested soon. You can subscribe to The Diplomat's Asia Geopolitics podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify; and watch the episode on YouTube.

Adam Hurrey is joined on the Adjudication Panel by David Walker and Nick Miller. On the agenda: Wedding guests with goal-machine names, the rude awakenings/wake-up calls/reality checks of the Premier League opening weekend, how much it would actually cost to "drive Harry Maguire to Saudi Arabia yourself", Lee Dixon's emerging spot-kick commentary trademark, tenuous Match of the Day identity crises, Dom Ballard's pure Puskas wondergoal, the many ripples of a Fabrizio Romano typo, Jean-Philippe Mateta aiming for legislative immortality, West Brom's "curly slippers", James Trafford's unorthodox cadence and Richard Keys's one word for his beloved Coventry City. Play the Happy Hunting Grounds daily quiz at games.footballcliches.com Sign up for Dreamland, the new members-only Football Clichés experience, to access our exclusive show and much more: https://dreamland.footballcliches.com Use the code CLICHES to get 60% off the annual plan at incogni.com/cliches Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hawk's objection is structural. Kushner holds no government position, which is what keeps him outside security clearance and financial disclosure requirements, and he is simultaneously serving as envoy on Gaza, Iran, and Ukraine while raising money for his own fund from the governments he is negotiating with. The arithmetic is the part worth watching. Steven Rattner's chart work shows the fund is almost entirely foreign capital, including two billion from Saudi Arabia over the objection of the royal family's own advisers. At a 1.25 percent management fee, three billion under management pays Kushner roughly 37 million a year whether he does anything or not. Democratic voters keep telling pollsters they want someone who will fight. Hawk's question is what a private common ground meeting signals about January. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Week one of the Premier League is in the books! And what a weekend it was!Sam Matterface is alongside talkSPORT's Alex Crook and Troy Deeney to unpack all the weekend's action.Newcastle and Liverpool both paid tributes to the late, great Kevin Keegan in fitting fashion, playing out an entertaining 2-2 draw at St James's Park, but were the hosts unfortunate to concede a last minute penalty?Elsewhere it was an afternoon to forget for Aston Villa, they were hammered 4-0 by Brighton and it could have been much much worse. Ollie Watkins missed the game ahead of an impending move to Saudi Arabia and his manager Unai Emery was not pleased, Troy tells him he has nothing to moan about.Plus, we get Crooky's verdict on his big day out at the MKM to watch Hull beat Man United, Troy basks in the glory of Spurs defeat to Brentford, and we pick some heroes and villains from the opening weekend.Instagram: @talkSPORTTwitter: @talkSPORT YouTubeWebsite Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Retired Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Justice Elspeth Cypher returns to the podcast (her first appearance was episode 183) to map the legal landscape of the gender turf wars, fought on four major frontiers: prisons, schools, sports, and therapy. As president of the Women's Liberation Front (WoLF), Elspeth walks me through the Chandler case challenging California's SB 132, which eliminated all gatekeeping for men seeking transfer into women's prisons, and the protective orders finally winning women in federal facilities some measure of relief. We discuss the aftermath of Skrmetti, Mahmoud, Chiles, and the BPJ sports ruling — and why a Supreme Court victory on paper doesn't translate smoothly into changed practice on the ground.We also explore how women's speech has been silenced across millennia, from the scold's bridle to modern cancelation; what “radical feminist” means to her; the ethics of surrogacy; the falsification of birth certificates; WoLF's remarkable new executive director, Jasmine Faulk, who escaped Saudi Arabia; the FTC's fraud case against WPATH; and why parental authority has to be established early. This conversation asks: when nearly 200,000 women are incarcerated in facilities an unknown number of men can now enter, who is defending their right to safety, privacy, and dignity?Elspeth B. Cypher retired from the Supreme Judicial Court in Massachusetts in 2024. She is president of the board of directors of the Women's Liberation Front (WoLF), a nonpartisan radical (meaning "root") feminist organization dedicated to the rights of women and girls. She is also a founding member of the Gender Critical Law Society. Follow her on X @ebclaw or here on Substack Elspeth Cypher. Email: boardpresident@womensliberationfront.org.[00:00:00] Start[00:03:51] How Women's Speech Gets Silenced[00:12:23] What Radical Feminism Really Means[00:17:23] The Ethics of Surrogacy[00:24:01] Falsified Birth Certificates and Identity[00:28:27] WoLF's New Executive Director[00:32:03] Chandler Case: Men in Women's Prisons[00:39:15] Protective Orders in Federal Prisons[00:47:30] Skrmetti, Mahmoud, and Chiles Rulings[00:54:29] Supreme Court on Girls' Sports[00:57:12] Four Frontiers of the Gender Battle[01:00:30] Counting Women in US Prisons[01:09:30] Gender Identity in School Curricula[01:14:06] Parental Authority Starts Early[01:19:08] FTC Fraud Case Against WPATH[01:24:10] Final Words of WisdomROGD REPAIR Course + Community gives concerned parents instant access to over 120 lessons providing the psychological insights and communication tools you need to get through to your kid. Now featuring 24/7 personalized AI support implementing the tools with RepairBot! Use code SUBSTACK to take 50% off your first month.PODCOURSES: use code SOMETHERAPIST at LisaMustard.com/PodCoursesPRODUCTION: Looking for your own podcast producer? Visit PodsByNick.com and mention my podcast for 20% off your initial services.MUSIC: Thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude & permission.ALL OTHER LINKS HERE. To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

JOIN PATREON FOR EARLY UNCENSORED EPISODE RELEASES: https://www.patreon.com/JulianDorey CLIPPERS DISCORD: https://discord.gg/8QmWEKJ3BT HENRY ABBOTT KUSHNER LAKERS STORY: https://www.truehoop.com/p/whos-actually-buying-the-lakers FOLLOW JULIAN DOREY IG: https://www.instagram.com/julianddorey/ X: https://x.com/juliandorey FOLLOW JOEY DEEF IG: https://www.instagram.com/joeydeef/ X: https://x.com/TokeMalone JULIAN YT CHANNELS - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Clips YT: https://www.youtube.com/@juliandoreyclips - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Daily YT: https://www.youtube.com/@JulianDoreyDaily - SUBSCRIBE to Best of JDP: https://www.youtube.com/@bestofJDP ****TIMESTAMPS**** 00:00 - Big GOV picking on Small BIZ 1:21 - Henry Abbott from the CLOUDS 2:27 - GI Joe Kash Patel nowhere to be found 3:45 - Alessi's UNHINGED Flock CEO caption on Julian's page 5:56 - Hayden Panettiere 7:47 - Chris Hansen Refuses to sign A24's NDA for “Primetime” film 12:37 - The EDP Documentary is DARK 17:48 - Henry Abbott's PURE SPEC on Kushner's Shady LA Lakers deal 20:32 - Lakers Selling Owner, Mark Walter, Under Investigation 22:57 - Mubadala Capital Slushing Money? 27:25 - The Arab Spring & Israeli Spy Company 32:08 - Julian on FLOCK vs. IPHONES 37:13 - Epstein (of course) connected to almost everybody in Lakers deal 40:08 - Apple is now Anti-Pegasus (allegedly) 41:06 - The Kushners 2017 overlap w/ Epstein in Saudi Arabia w/ MBS 44:38 - Josh Kushner's road to $5 Billion Net Worth 45:39 - Josh Kushner's shady new slush fund forms 47:54 - Josh Kushner invests in surveillance company 50:08 - Kushners riding off Trump & the Global “Stage” 52:07 - Penn State WHITEOUT: The Godfather, Pablo Pledgescobar 58:18 - College is SO BACK baby 1:00:21 - Anti-Italian Defamation 1:01:24 - Pablo Pledgecobar denied bail 1:02:06 - D*** related deaths at Penn State 1:06:16 - Phoebe Gates (Bill Gates Daughter) Secret Stanford “World Domination” Course 1:10:29 - One Eye Huntin, One Eye Fishin to the rescue! 1:12:28 - Trump's New Shady BANK 1:14:56 - The Optics of Trump's Bank (& CBDC?) are very BAD 1:16:20 - Trump's “USD1” Cryptocurrency 1:18:01 - The Trump Trojan Horse 1:21:28 - Darth Vader Shilling Flock Cams 1:23:37 - Unanimous agreement forming on FLOCK & Mass Surveillance 1:24:33 - Julian addresses Police Officers who like Flock Cameras 1:27:17 - Other Surveillance companies want to replace Flock (they are just as bad) 1:28:20 - Bari Weiss & Larry Ellison LOVE Flock Cameras 1:33:13 - George Orwell 1:34:31 - Joey Deef Killing it CREDITS: - Host, Editor & Producer: Julian Dorey - COO, Producer & Editor: Alessi Allaman - https://www.youtube.com/@UCyLKzv5fKxGmVQg3cMJJzyQ - In-Studio Producer: Joey Deef Julian Dorey Podcast Episode 466 - Julian Dorey Music by Artlist.io Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MUSLIMS ARE planning enclaves that could put self-contained religious communities near Dallas and Houston. Meanwhile, amplifiers broadcast the call to prayer in American cities like Minneapolis, Dearborn and Hamtramck, Michigan, and Paterson, New Jersey. Imams are growing increasingly bold in their statements that their goal is to turn America into a Muslim nation. What most Americans don't realize is that there is no separation of church and state in Islam. The church IS the state, for all intents and purposes. But more than that, this is a spiritual war that the god of Muhammad—who is not to be confused with the triune God of the Bible—intends to win. Here's the link to the article Derek mentioned, "A Call to Power: Islamic Leaders See Ballot Box as Path to Paradise," by Paul Sperry. That fact is also behind a statement issued by the foreign ministers of Turkey, the UAE, Indonesia, Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. In a joint statement, the ministers objected to Israel's plan to build 3,400 new dwellings in an area east of Jerusalem called E1. They complain that this would separate Arab neighborhoods in East Jerusalem from the rest of the so-called West Bank, blocking the creation of a future Palestinian state with its capital at Jerusalem. From the Israeli standpoint, that is rather the point. After the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, Israel will not accept an independent Palestinian state on its borders. Further eroding the situation in the Middle East, Turkey has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Turks are seeking an Interpol red notice for the arrest of Netanyahu as part of a criminal case against him for Israel's interception of an aid flotilla sailing for Gaza back in May. The charges include genocide, crimes against humanity and torture. Well, good luck with that. We also discussed a plan to build data centers around the ring of fire, the volcanically active area around the Pacific Ocean, using geothermal energy to power the centers. Tapping into volcanoes to generate electricity. What can possibly go wrong? Also: Social media is causing an epidemic of mental and spiritual illness, as evidenced by the crowd of women who gathered outside the courthouse in Plymouth, Massachusetts Thursday in support of Lindsay Clancy, who has admitted to killing her three children. Granted, postpartum depression is a real thing. But that doesn't mean Clancy shouldn't be held accountable for what she did. Derek's new book War of the Watchers Book One: From Baal to Balfour is now available at Amazon in paperback and as a Kindle e-book! It's also a part of a special offer at the SkyWatchTV store: Get War of the Watchers, Derek's previous book The Second Coming of Saturn, and a 13-part teaching DVD based on The Second Coming of Saturn for your donation of at least $45! Follow us! • X (formerly Twitter): @pidradio | @sharonkgilbert | @derekgilbert• Telegram: t.me/gilberthouse | t.me/sharonsroom | t.me/viewfromthebunker• Substack: gilberthouse.substack.com | SharonKGilbert.substack.com• YouTube: @GilbertHouse | @UnravelingRevelation• Facebook.com/pidradio Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! f you are so led, you can help out at www.GilbertHouse.org/donate. Get our free app! It connects you to this podcast, our weekly Bible studies, and our weekly video programs Unraveling Revelation and A View from the Bunker. The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at pidradio.com/app. JOIN US IN ISRAEL (NOTE NEW DATES)! We will tour the Holy Land October 25–November 6, 2027 with an optional three-day extension to Jordan. For more information, log on to GilbertHouse.org/travel. Think better, feel better! Our partners at Simply Clean Foods offer freeze-dried, 100% GMO-free food and delicious, vacuum-packed fair trade coffee from Honduras. Find out more at GilbertHouse.org/store/.

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston chat about the WrestleMania 42 attendance, Missy Hyatt repeats an allegation about Vince McMahon, and All In hits 40k. 00:00:00 Start00:01:34 WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia 00:05:57 Janel Grant describes a recent hospital stay 00:08:47 WrestleMania 42 attendance from Las Vegas Stadium Authority 00:32:43 Missy Hyatt repeats allegation against Vince McMahon on Dark Side 00:39:28 Ryohei Oiwa vs. Yuya Uemura 00:47:11 G1 Climax attendance stats 00:53:36 How many younger wrestlers are being pushed in NJPW, AEW & WWE?01:03:24 AEW All In London approaching 40,000 tickets out 01:05:36 Gregory Fenelon acquires 9.4 million shares of TKO stock 01:09:59 Nick Khan's stock sales01:12:59 Peacock raises its prices Music courtesy: “Panic Beat” by Ben TramerPOST WrestlingSubscribe: https://postwrestling.com/subscribePatreon: http://postwrestlingcafe.comForum: https://forum.postwrestling.comDiscord: https://discord.com/invite/Q795HhRTwitter/Facebook/Instagram/YouTube: @POSTwrestlingBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/postwrestling.comWrestlenomicsSubscribe: https://wrestlenomics.com/podcast/Patreon: https://patreon.com/wrestlenomicsSubstack: https://wrestlenomics.substack.com/Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/YouTube: @WrestlenomicsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wrestlenomics.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and all of our episodes. Danny and Derek must disclose that they have had Hasan Piker on this program. They are listening and learning from him. In this week's news: Israel bombs a Syrian airbase, potentially moving closer to a conflict with Turkey (1:22); Jared Kushner and Benjamin Netanyahu agree to scrap the Gaza Board of Peace's Hamas disarmament plan (7:09); the Iran MOU expires as Trump escalates the economic war (9:20); the Islamic Republic might restart the shooting war (13:36); the Pentagon and Arab governments rethink America's military presence in the Gulf (15:58); Trump curtails military exercises with South Korea, possibly moving toward diplomacy with North Korea/DPRK (18:53); the Sudanese military concludes a new cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia (24:47); the Ebola outbreak in the DRC continues to expand (27:39); in Ukraine, Zelenskyy faces calls for new elections (30:06); Trump suspends new tariffs on Canada (33:01); the U.S. moves Operation Southern Spear onto land (34:50); and a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report details the cost of the new “Trump class” battleships (36:45). Watch a replay of last night's livestream with Séamus Malekafzali. Don't forget Derek's Substack, Foreign Exchanges. Enjoy Danny's new Substack, Imperialist Realism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny and Derek must disclose that they have had Hasan Piker on this program. They are listening and learning from him. In this week's news: Israel bombs a Syrian airbase, potentially moving closer to a conflict with Turkey (1:22); Jared Kushner and Benjamin Netanyahu agree to scrap the Gaza Board of Peace's Hamas disarmament plan (7:09); the Iran MOU expires as Trump escalates the economic war (9:20); the Islamic Republic might restart the shooting war (13:36); the Pentagon and Arab governments rethink America's military presence in the Gulf (15:58); Trump curtails military exercises with South Korea, possibly moving toward diplomacy with North Korea/DPRK (18:53); the Sudanese military concludes a new cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia (24:47); the Ebola outbreak in the DRC continues to expand (27:39); in Ukraine, Zelenskyy faces calls for new elections (30:06); Trump suspends new tariffs on Canada (33:01); the U.S. moves Operation Southern Spear onto land (34:50); and a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report details the cost of the new “Trump class” battleships (36:45). Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia are entertaining a NATO-style mutual defense pact. While this alliance might not be practical at this moment, it's a much different conversation in the long run. Join the Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/PeterZeihan Full Newsletter: https://bit.ly/4fXxzA1

Jonathan Schanzer examines the fractured state of Hamas, noting the group currently controls only 30% of Gaza while facing internal discord over potential disarmament. International negotiators are discussing a "disarm first" condition, which Hamas leadership currently rejects, demanding an Israeli withdrawal instead—a term Schanzer deems unacceptable to any Israeli leader. The conversation turns to Iran, where Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Omandue to its perceived collaboration with the Iranian regime. Despite its "Switzerland of the Middle East" reputation, Oman hosts Houthi and IRGC headquarters, facilitating intelligence and weapon transfers. Schanzer warns that Iran is in "war mode," coordinating closely with its proxy network to prepare for future violence. He also details the rapid rearmament of the Syrian military under Turkish and Russian influence, which concerns Israel. Finally, a new Sunni alliance between Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia seeks to diminish Iranian Shiite power. (2)

TABLE OF CONTENTS, JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 8-18-2026Liz Peek discusses the resilience of the American economy, noting that high-end consumer spending remains strong despite recession fears. Small businesses are reportedly "humming," with hiring and profitability reaching their highest levels since 2026. This economic momentum is increasingly driven by a massive boom in AI development, which has created an exponential demand for long-term capital. However, this appetite for money is pressuring the bond market, leading to higher mortgage rates that hinder the housing industry. Peek highlights a growing divide between red and blue states, where the former are more likely to embrace AI investment while the latter resist it. She also addresses the influence of Hasan Piker, a radical Twitch streamer who mobilizes young men for Democratic candidates like Abdul El-Sayed. Despite concerns about AI-related job losses, Peek argues it is a vital tool for productivity and medical advancement. (1)Jonathan Schanzer examines the fractured state of Hamas, noting the group currently controls only 30% of Gaza while facing internal discord over potential disarmament. International negotiators are discussing a "disarm first" condition, which Hamas leadership currently rejects, demanding an Israeli withdrawal instead—a term Schanzer deems unacceptable to any Israeli leader. The conversation turns to Iran, where Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Omandue to its perceived collaboration with the Iranian regime. Despite its "Switzerland of the Middle East" reputation, Oman hosts Houthi and IRGC headquarters, facilitating intelligence and weapon transfers. Schanzer warns that Iran is in "war mode," coordinating closely with its proxy network to prepare for future violence. He also details the rapid rearmament of the Syrian military under Turkish and Russian influence, which concerns Israel. Finally, a new Sunni alliance between Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia seeks to diminish Iranian Shiite power. (2)Gregory Copley analyzes China's recent ICBM test in the South China Sea, interpreting it as "Wolf Warrior diplomacy" designed to signal naval reach to the US and regional neighbors. Australia is countering this threat through the AUKUSand Five Eyes alliances, though Copley notes a lack of cohesion between current heads of government. He highlights Canada's significant pivot under Mark Carney toward independent defense spending, reaching 5% of GDP to secure the Northwest Passage and Arctic interests. Regarding Yemen, Copley argues the Houthis represent the legitimate military weight of North Yemen, while the internationally recognized government is merely a "Saudi puppet." He suggests Western diplomacy should deal directly with the Houthis rather than adhering to Saudi preferences. Additionally, Copley provides a historical defense of Charles I, arguing his execution was an illegal abrogation of the social contract. He maintains that constitutional monarchies remain a viable and flourishing modern system. (3)Mary Kissel discusses the strained US-South Korea alliance, where disagreements over military funding have prompted Seoul to seek independent nuclear-powered submarine capabilities. She characterizes North Korea as a reckless actor that has committed tens of thousands of combat troops and ballistic missiles to aid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Kissel critiques the "transactional nature" of current diplomacy, noting that contradictory signals toward Kim Jong-unundermine national security strategies. Regarding Oman, she defends the nation as a moderate partner vital for counterterrorism and the release of detained Americans, viewing Trump's threats to bomb the country as an expression of frustration over Iran. Kissel also highlights political successes in South America, where center-right victories in Colombia and Chile represent a return to capitalist principles and closer ties with the US. She concludes by noting that environmental factors like El Niño will soon challenge regional stability in Brazil. (4)Joseph Sternberg addresses the looming "year of doom" in 2032, when the Social Security trust fund is projected to run out. Without reform, benefits could be slashed by 22% to match current payroll tax revenues, creating a massive political crisis. Sternberg explores potential remedies such as means testing for high-earners like Elon Musk or raising the payroll tax cap, though he warns these could impact broader economic growth. He highlights the generational fairness issue of asking younger workers to fund benefits that baby boomers were unprepared to pay for themselves. The discussion also covers the rise of Hasan Piker, a popular Twitch streamer who broadcasts far-left economic views to a younger audience. While Piker is photogenic and compelling, Sternberg describes him as a "popularizer" rather than a deep thinker. Piker's pugnacious approach serves as a bellwether for whether radical progressive ideas can succeed in general elections. (5)Thaddeus McCotter analyzes the recent Michigan Democratic primary, where Dr. Abdul El-Sayed narrowly defeated the establishment candidate, Haley Stevens. El-Sayed, an "anti-establishment" fighter endorsed by Bernie Sanders, capitalized on unhappiness within the Democratic base, particularly in counties with large young populations like Washtenaw and Kent. While El-Sayed distances himself from the "Socialist" label, he supports extensive economic regulation and holds anti-Israel sentiments popular in Ann Arbor. McCotter notes that the Democratic establishment is now rallying around El-Sayed to preserve their Senate majority, hoping a "common enemy" in Donald Trump will bridge internal divides. Republican candidate Mike Rogers, a former Intelligence Committee chair, plans to counter El-Sayed by focusing on manufacturing, border security, and the risks of "Medicare for All" to seniors. McCotter warns that Trump's messaging on the "Iran war" and rising inflation remains a significant hurdle for Republican candidates in the general election. (6)Bob Zimmerman reports on the successful recovery of a SpaceX Starship near Christmas Island, which remained seaworthy for 24 days after a vertical splashdown in the Indian Ocean. This achievement, along with SpaceX's record-breaking launch frequency, signals a "renaissance to American ingenuity." Zimmerman notes that Elon Musk's political involvement was a defensive reaction to the Biden administration's regulatory pressure on his companies. In the Ukraineconflict, Ukrainian missiles successfully targeted a Russian factory producing Soyuz-2 rockets, aiming to cripple Russia's military satellite and drone communication capabilities. Regarding spaceport expansion, Zimmerman details SpaceX's potential new site in Louisiana, which offers hundreds of square miles for operations. He also critiques government-funded spaceports, like those in Australia or New Mexico, which often fail because they lack dedicated rocket companies as customers. Finally, research on mice aboard the International Space Station suggests that weightlessness does not fundamentally damage the heart's contracting mechanisms. (7)Two corrections applied, pending your confirmation: Hasan Piker (transcribed as "Hassan," segments 1 and 5 — the Twitch streamer spells it with one s) and Washtenaw County (transcribed as "Washington," segment 6 — Ann Arbor's county, which fits the context of young Democratic voters; flag me if the audio genuinely said Washington).

Bridget Toomey analyzes the reawakening of the Yemeni Civil War, noting that the Houthis are launching fresh offensives to seize the Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb choke point. While the Houthis claim to target Saudiinterests, their primary focus has shifted to defeating government-backed ground troops. Toomey highlights the extensive use of drone technology by both sides, with the Houthis demonstrating sophisticated capabilities while the Yemeni government adopts modified Chinese systems. She notes that Saudi Arabia remains hesitant to fully re-initiate a large-scale military intervention despite continued Houthi aggression. (2)

TABLE OF CONTENTS, THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 8-17-2026.Bill Roggio reflects on the five-year anniversary of the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, highlighting the accuracy of the maps he built that predicted the Taliban's takeover. He describes the withdrawal as disorganized, noting there was zero plan for the Afghan government or military equipment. Roggio specifically criticizes the abandonment of Bagram Air Base, which he believes was the superior evacuation site. He also addresses current Middle East policy, dismissing proposed land blockades against Iran as "fanciful" and impractical. He warns that current strategic failures mirror the indifference seen in Afghanistan. (1)Bridget Toomey analyzes the reawakening of the Yemeni Civil War, noting that the Houthis are launching fresh offensives to seize the Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb choke point. While the Houthis claim to target Saudiinterests, their primary focus has shifted to defeating government-backed ground troops. Toomey highlights the extensive use of drone technology by both sides, with the Houthis demonstrating sophisticated capabilities while the Yemeni government adopts modified Chinese systems. She notes that Saudi Arabia remains hesitant to fully re-initiate a large-scale military intervention despite continued Houthi aggression. (2)Janatyn Sayeh explores the "secret plan" of Iranian hardliners to escalate regional conflict and raise costs for the United States. He notes that while the Iranian economy is an existential vulnerability, the regime is willing to ride out sanctions to maintain its Islamist agenda. Sayeh critiques the viability of a U.S. land blockade, citing the difficulty of gaining cooperation from neighbors like Afghanistan and Pakistan. He argues that power is concentrated within the IRGCsecurity establishment rather than just the Supreme Leader, and that internal rifts are secondary to the elite's collective survival. (3)Malcolm Hoenlein provides an overview of the October 27th Israeli election, explaining the complex "list" voting system and Netanyahu's challenges. He discusses the "Board of Peace" negotiations, stressing that the central hurdle remains Hamas's refusal to disarm before Israeli withdrawal. Hoenlein also touches on regional tensions, including Hezbollah's rearming and internal unrest in Iran fueled by economic desperation. Finally, he notes Turkey's significant lobbying efforts in Washington through a new headquarters and a "glorious new front" of diplomatic normalization between Israel and several South American nations including Colombia. (4)Edmund Fitton-Brown argues that the U.S. is "running out of ideas" regarding economic pressure on Iran, labeling a land blockade as far-fetched due to uncooperative neighbors. He suggests that secondary sanctions on Chinese "teapot" refineries are a more practical tool. Regarding Yemen, Fitton-Brown observes that the Houthis have become emboldened by U.S. irresolution and are pushing south to capture the Bab el-Mandeb. He expresses cautious optimism regarding Jared Kushner's diplomatic delegation, noting that experienced figures like Tony Blair are unlikely to be "dupes" for Hamas during negotiations. (5)John Hardie reports on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, specifically Russia's rejection of a Black Sea ceasefire in favor of striking Ukrainian food supplies. He notes that while Russia maintains a maritime blockade advantage, Ukraine is retaliating with high-precision long-range drone strikes against Russian oil refineries and defense plants. Hardie suggests that the Kremlin may be receptive to a moratorium on deep-strike operations because their own infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable. He concludes that Ukraine currently holds a tactical edge in drone technology, aided by Western intelligence to bypass Russian air defenses. (6)David Daoud details the escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, noting that Hezbollah's refusal to disarm has prompted the IDF to prepare for a major operation. Israel is currently conducting "clearing operations" to destroy Hezbollah installations near the Al-Aishiyeh Ridge. Daoud highlights the recent deaths of senior commanders from the elite Radwan and Badr units, which indicates that Hezbollah's operational security remains compromised. Despite these losses, Hezbollah is working with Iran to rebuild its command structure and has attempted to smuggle advanced weaponry, including cruise missiles, into Lebanon. (7)Kamran Bokhari examines the evolution of the Iranian regime, arguing that the Supreme Leader has become a figurehead for the IRGC and security establishment. He suggests that the war has accelerated a process of internal fragmentation, though the elite remains united by a shared fear of collapse. While public uprisings have gone "underground," the regime continues to conduct mass arrests to prevent a critical mass of resistance. Bokhari describes a "post-clergy" era where the military dominates political life, noting that the regime has evolved into a different entity than it was decades ago. (8)Alan Tonelson exposes a massive Chinese tariff evasion scheme, where goods are rerouted through countries like Cambodia and Mexico to bypass U.S. duties. This "scam" is estimated to cost the U.S. up to $26 billion in annual revenue. While the White House is developing AI-based systems to strengthen customs enforcement, there is criticism regarding the lack of direct penalties against Beijing. Tonelson notes that 40 countries are currently complicit in these practices, harming the U.S. manufacturing base. He predicts only modest changes to these trade dynamics through the remainder of the current administration. (9)Samuel Ben-Ur discusses the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza, focusing on Jared Kushner's meeting with Hamas leadership to discuss a 15-point peace plan. Ben-Ur explains that Israel rejected the plan because it lacked a verifiable mechanism for Hamas's disarmament before Israeli withdrawal. He dismisses reports of famine in Gaza as propaganda, noting that international bodies currently view aid levels as acceptable. The conversation emphasizes that Hamas remains committed to the destruction of Israel, making voluntary disarmament a "fiction," while Israeli politics remain divided over the war's prosecution. (10)Richard Epstein critiques Senator Bernie Sanders' characterization of Israeli politicians as "extremists," viewing it as a provocative attempt to shift American Democratic policy. Epstein argues that a two-state solution is fundamentally unstable because an autonomous Palestinian region cannot be prevented from remilitarizing. He contends that proponents of this solution often act in bad faith, ignoring Hamas's history of violated ceasefires. Furthermore, Epstein describes the Democratic Socialists of America as isolationists who focus disproportionately on Israel while ignoring other global aggressors like Vladimir Putin in Ukraine. (11)Jeremy Zakis reports on the looming weather crisis in Australia, where meteorologists predict a "super El Niño" combined with a positive Indian Ocean Dipole. This rare combination is expected to cause extreme drought and record-breaking temperatures in New South Wales and Victoria. Zakis warns that a wet winter has fueled rampant eucalyptus growth, creating a massive volume of flammable oils. These conditions have "primed" the landscape for catastrophic wildfires. Residents are being urged to clear undergrowth immediately, as the upcoming fire season could surpass the severity of the devastating 2020–2021 bushfires. (12)One small fix beyond the log: Badr unit (source had "Bader," segment 7) — the standard rendering of Hezbollah's Badr unit. Janatyn Sayeh applied per your confirmed spelling.

Yemeni researcher and political analyst Baraa Shiban (and dear friend of the show) is back not only to give us an update on Yemen now that the civil war (and Saudi Arabia's role in it) are heating up again, but also to give Thomas a much-deserved dressing down for not going far enough to hold Jeremy Hunt to account for his role in the Stockholm Agreement. Baraa explains: The collapse of the 2022 Yemen truce and renewed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and Red Sea shipping The Yemen battlefield map: Houthi control of Sanaa, Hodeidah and the northwest versus government-held south and east The strategic importance of Marib and Hadramaut, including Saudi-trained National Shield and Emergency Forces Mocha, the Giants Brigades and the impact of the UAE withdrawal on anti-Houthi military capabilities The Stockholm Agreement and how the 2018 ceasefire strengthened long-term Houthi leverage Why the Houthis are escalating now and how renewed fighting serves Iran's regional strategy Houthi links with the IRGC, Hezbollah and Iraqi militias, including operations and financial networks in Iraq Saudi war aims, the Mecca Accords and the emerging Saudi–Turkey–Pakistan security architecture Follow Baraa on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/baraashiban/⁠ Follow Baraa on X: ⁠https://x.com/BShtwtr⁠ Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm⁠  Find us on X: ⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠ And Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted⁠ And Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠ Conflicted is a Message Heard production. Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren. This episode was produced and edited by Thomas Small . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

August 17, 2026, 5pm; Democrat lawmakers say Trump 2.0 is more focused on getting rich and prosecuting perceived enemies than helping the American people, and the American people have had enough. But rather than stop the corruption or make the American people feel better about what their government is doing, this administration is leaning in. For more from Nicolle, follow and download her podcast, “The Best People with Nicolle Wallace,” wherever you get your podcasts.To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A deep dive into the rise and fall of Osama bin Laden, from his affluent childhood in Saudi Arabia to his assassination during the biggest manhunt in modern history. For this, Dan is joined by Jason Burke, author of 'The Revolutionists: The Story of the Extremists Who Hijacked the 1970s', to make sense of the forces that inspired the world's most infamous Jihadist, the beginnings and growth of Qaeda, and 9/11 and its aftermath.Produced by James Hickmann and Mariana Des Forges, and edited by Dougal Patmore.We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.