Podcasts about Kosovo

Our guest for this episode is Daniel Nelson. Nelson has over 20 years of international basketball coaching experience. Beginning his career in Ireland with Templeogue, DCU St Vincent's, Trinity College Dublin and Irish national youth programs, he quickly built a reputation for technical teaching and player development. Since 2011, Nelson has coached across Australia, Europe and beyond, including roles with the Perth Wildcats, where he was part of a national championship-winning team, MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg, Parma Basket Perm and the Taylor Hawks. He has also served as Video Scout for the Australian Men's National Team, coached West Australian state teams, and worked in national talent identification programs in both Ireland and Australia. His career includes head and assistant coach positions in Cyprus, Romania, the UK, Kosovo, Belgium and the Netherlands, leading teams to competitive success. Nelson is the founder of Daniel Nelson Coaching, delivering clinics, workshops and consulting for coaches and clubs internationally. Known for his tactical precision, use of advanced analytics and commitment to building strong team cultures, he blends structure with adaptability to develop players and programs. He is the current Head Coach of Anorthosis Famagusta in Cyprus, leading the team into the FIBA Europe Cup for the 2025–26 season. Holding multiple coaching licenses, he continues his record as one of Ireland's most globally experienced basketball coaches. Holding multiple coaching licenses, he continues to build on a career that has taken an Irish coach to professional leagues and national teams across the world.

Looking for more DTP Content? Check out our website at: www.threadinesslab.com/dtp-links In this episode of the Disaster Tough Podcast, host John Scardena sits down with LTG (Ret.) Dr. Jody Daniels, former Chief of Army Reserve and former Commanding General of the U.S. Army Reserve. Daniels walks through the leadership lessons she carried from early service in Kosovo, intelligence work in Iraq, and later senior roles guiding Reserve Soldiers at home and abroad. Daniels explains her unexpected path into senior leadership, emphasizing that she never set out to be “the one in charge.” Instead, she focused on doing the job well, supporting others, and staying open to new opportunities. That mindset shaped her approach as she led Soldiers across diverse missions, including major domestic disaster support operations. Throughout the conversation, she shares how she learned to identify talent, communicate clearly, and maintain humility without lowering expectations. A major portion of the discussion centers on the structure and capabilities of the U.S. Army Reserve. Daniels clarifies what the Reserve actually provides during large-scale disasters—logistics, engineering, medical support, transportation, civil affairs, and other essential functions that complement civilian response efforts. Scardena and Daniels talk through the practical realities of integrating military support with local, state, and federal partners, highlighting the value of experienced liaison officers and thoughtful coordination. They also dive into organizational culture: how teams function, why trust matters, and how leaders cultivate an environment where people feel comfortable speaking honestly while maintaining professionalism. Daniels outlines the difference between being “in a position of impact” and “being influential,” reinforcing that titles alone don't create effective leadership. Toward the end of the episode, Daniels shares one of her guiding principles: choose purpose over passion. Passion can shift with time, but purpose—anchored in service, responsibility, and long-term commitment—creates clarity throughout a career. It's the mindset that carried her from junior officer to her final role leading the Army Reserve. This episode offers a grounded look at leadership, service, and the realities of military support to disaster operations, delivered with the straightforward clarity Dr. Daniels is known for. Major EndorsementsImpulseBleeding Control Kits by Professionals for Professionalshttps://www.impulsekits.comDoberman Emergency ManagementSubject matter experts in assessments, planning, and traininghttps://www.dobermanemg.comThe Readiness LabTrailblazing disaster readiness through podcasts, outreach, marketing, and interactive eventshttps://www.thereadinesslab.comFor Sponsorship Requestscontact@thereadinesslab.com314-400-8848 Ext 2Jody Daniels, Army Reserve, U.S. Army Reserve, Army leadership, national security, emergency management, disaster response, military support to civil authorities, logistics support, military engineering, military medical support, FEMA coordination, homeland security, operational readiness, crisis leadership, leadership development, Reserve Component, military intelligence, Iraq War, domestic operations, liaison officers, emergency operations, organizational leadership, change leadership, purpose driven leadership, John Scardena, Disaster Tough Podcast

GB2RS News Sunday, the 30th of November The news headlines: The RSGB has launched its official Instagram profile Listen out for GB25YOTA for Youngsters on the Air month TX Factor releases part two of its Hamfest special The RSGB has launched its official Instagram profile! This addition to the Society's social media presence will help it to connect in a new way and showcase the exciting world of amateur radio and STEM. Through Instagram, the RSGB aims to support youth activities and highlight opportunities for young radio enthusiasts. It wants to engage with like-minded organisations that promote STEM education and innovation, and to inspire the RF engineers of the future by sharing stories, projects and events. It will also be a great platform for connecting with other groups that enjoy practical activities. If you're on Instagram, the RSGB invites you to follow its profile, like its posts and join the conversation as it builds a new community. Search for ‘theRSGB' and get involved! Youngsters on the Air Month has officially begun. Listen out for special event station GB25YOTA throughout the month as young radio amateurs get on the amateur bands. Sandringham School and the 2nd Marlborough Scout Group start the event on Wednesday, the 3rd of December. On Friday, the 5th of December, Bracknell Amateur Radio Club will host GB25YOTA, as well as Jon, M0NOJ, who will be operating later in the afternoon. Cambridge University Wireless Society will be hosting the callsign on both Friday and Saturday. Also on Saturday, the 6th of December, you'll be able to work South Durham Radio Club, who are active using the GB25YOTA. Looking forward to Sunday, the 7th of December, listen out for the 2nd Marlborough Scouts and Cray Valley Radio Society. Details of operating times, bands and modes can be found at rsgb.org/yota-month. Take the time to encourage a young radio amateur by having a QSO with them. TX Factor is back with part two of its National Hamfest special, which completes the coverage of news from that event. The episode is full of informative updates on the RSGB, including an interview with RSGB Board Chair Stewart Bryant, G3YSX, on the work of the Emerging Technology Coordination Committee. TX Factor presenter Bob McCreadie, G0FGX, also speaks with RSGB President Bob Beebe, GU4YOX, about the importance of RSGB membership and the vital work the Society does on protecting the spectrum. In addition, you'll find an interview focusing on the RSGB communications strategy and how it is helping to bring amateur radio to new audiences, as well as an update from the RSGB Maker Champion Tom Wardill, M9TWM. Watch all this and more by going to txfactor.co.uk A reminder that the last Tonight@8 webinar of 2025 will be live tomorrow from 8 pm via the RSGB's YouTube channel and special BATC channel. The presentation will feature young RSGB members who travelled to Paris earlier this year for the Youngsters on the Air summer camp. As well as hearing about their experience, you'll receive an update from the RSGB Youth Team on its plans for 2026. If you're a young radio amateur or you're interested in encouraging young people to get involved in amateur radio in the coming year, this webinar is not to be missed. Find out more at rsgb.org/webinars Remember that if you're interested in the role of RSGB Nominated Director, the deadline for applications is the 5th of December. Nominated Directors are selected by the Society's Nominations Committee, and then the RSGB membership votes to endorse them at the AGM. Go to rsgb.org/elections  and follow the instructions on that page to apply or to have a chat about the role. Following the Ofcom changes to the Intermediate licence callsign series, the RSGB is updating its guidance to members. RSGB members with M8 or M9 callsigns who wish to receive QSL cards via the RSGB Bureau should send envelopes to the same QSL sub-manager who handles the corresponding 2x callsign series. The list of QSL sub-managers has been updated accordingly, so please check on the website before posting. You can find the list in the QSL Bureau section of the RSGB website at rsgb.org/qsl Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.  And now for details of rallies and events Today, the 30th, Bishop Auckland Radio Amateur Club's Rally is taking place at Spennymoor Leisure Centre, County Durham. Traders, catering, ample parking and disabled facilities are available on site. For more information, visit barac.org.uk. The Mid Devon Amateur Radio and Electronics Fair 2025 will be held on the 7th of December at Winkleigh Sports and Recreation Centre. The doors will be open from 9 am to 1 pm. Entry costs £3 per person, and there is no charge for partners and under-16s. For more details, contact Phil, G6DLJ, on 07990 563 147 or email wrg2024@hotmail.com Now the Special Event news Special event station OZ90NRAU is active until the 7th of December to celebrate the anniversary of the establishment of the Nordic Radio Amateur Union. For more information, including details of awards that are available for working the station, visit QRZ.com Datta, VU2DSI, is active as AU2JCB until the 15th of December to commemorate the birthday of Indian physicist and radio pioneer Jagadish Chandra Bose. Listen for activity using SSB on the 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands. QSL directly to Datta's home call. Now the DX news Gabriele, HB9TSW, is active as Z68BG from Slatina Air Base near Pristina, Kosovo, until the 10th of December. He is operating using CW only. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL, or via his home call. Red, DL1BUG is active as TY5FR from Cotonou, Benin, until the 11th of December. He is using CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands. QSL via DL1BUG directly or via the Bureau. QSOs will be uploaded to Club Log. Now the contest news The CQ World Wide DX CW Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday, the 29th, and ends at 2359 UTC today, Sunday, the 30th of November. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and CQ zone. The UK is in Zone 14. On Tuesday, the 2nd of December, the RSGB 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955 UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday, the 2nd of December, the RSGB 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230 UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 3rd, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 3rd, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. The ARRL 160m Contest starts at 2200 UTC on Friday, the 5th and ends at 1559 UTC on Sunday, the 7th of December. Using CW on the 160m band, the exchange is signal report. American and Canadian stations also send their ARRL or RAC section reference. On Sunday, the 7th of December, the RSGB 144MHz Affiliated Societies Contest runs from 1000 to 1400 UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 27th of November Last week was a mixed bag in terms of solar activity. Yes, we had geomagnetic disturbances, but they were never really that bad, with a maximum Kp index of 5, and that was for only one three-hour period. This was mainly due to two large coronal holes on the Sun, which saw the solar wind speed increase to around 700 to 740 kilometres per second. There have been coronal mass ejections, but these have been on the far side of the Sun and so didn't affect us. Meanwhile, the solar flux index has continued its downward trend, being in the range of 116 to 121 over the week. However, there has been DX to be worked. The CDXC Slack group reports ZD7VJ on St Helena Island has been logged on the 40m band using CW. 3G0YR on Easter Island, was also worked on the 40m band using CW. Many other stations have been setting up for the CQ World Wide CW Contest over the last week, so there have been plenty of DX stations around. The DXSummit website reports 3B8/E70A in Mauritius on the 15m band using FT8, VR2KF in Hong Kong on the 10m band using CW, and S21RW in Bangladesh on the 10m band using SSB. Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will pick up, perhaps hitting 155 by the 1st of December and 175 by the 6th. Only time will tell if this prediction is correct. Meanwhile, the Kp index is forecast to start the coming week at 2, but then increase to 5 by Wednesday the 3rd. Quiet geomagnetic conditions were forecast for the duration of the CQ World Wide CW Contest. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The recent unsettled weather is continuing to dominate the big weather picture for the coming week or two. But with such a complex weather pattern, it is hard to be precise as to the predicted upcoming weather events and their timings. It's worth keeping a watch on forecasts from day to day to pick the bigger storms out in time and make sure your antennas are secure. Having said that, in propagation terms, this type of pattern is poor for any tropo prospects, and the best benefit is likely to be potential rain scatter from heavier rain. Last Wednesday saw some interesting dry-weather 24GHz propagation over the North Sea. At the Margate 24GHz WebSDR, the newly-repaired Flanders beacon ON0HVL was copiable all day until around 2000UTC, until a band of humid air hit the path from the West, taking out both ON0HVL and GB3PKT. The latter returned to normal on the morning of Thursday, the 27th.   We are now exiting the broader span of the Leonids meteor shower with a gap driven by random meteors until mid-December when the Geminids arrive. There have been a few minor auroral moments, although not particularly noteworthy in a radio sense. But in the absence of any tropo, perhaps it's still worth keeping an eye on the Kp index going above 5 to provide a little excitement. Lastly, we had some more out-of-season Sporadic-E on 50MHz last week, so keep an ear open for that. For EME operators, Moon declination is rising and went positive again on Saturday, the 29th. That means more Moon time and higher peak elevation in the coming week. Path losses are low and falling further as we approach perigee on Thursday, the 4th. 144MHz sky noise is low all week, climbing to moderate at the end of the week And that's all from the propagation team this week.

Twenty-five years after the Women, Peace and Security agenda was enshrined through Resolution 1325, the face of war looks completely different. And so does the face of peace. Breaking new ground, women are now involved in negotiating peace and independence – more than ever before. And outside the physical realm, women find space for themselves in digital security. Host Sabina Șancu and Eugenia Rossi, programme assistant in charge of the Frontline Voices project, spoke to Edita Tahiri, former Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, about her efforts in building an independent country where women would be accounted for in constructing peace. We also spoke to Anett Mádi-Nátor, President of Women4Cyber initiative, about the importance of cybersecurity in today's world, and how women can leave a mark in maintaining peace through this avenue. If you want to comment on this episode you can send us an e-mail: press@friendsofeurope.org

Žrtve internet prevara u Crnoj Gori ove godine oštećene za oko 300.000 eura. Prva municija 'Made in Kosovo' biće proizvedena krajem 2026. Narodna banka Srbije mogla bi se naći pod sekundarnim sankcijama Vašingtona.

Tonight on The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian is joined by Meredith Preston McGhie, one of the world's leading practitioners in conflict resolution and the Secretary General of the Global Centre for Pluralism. For nearly 30 years, Meredith has worked at the front lines of peacebuilding across Africa and Asia — from the Naga in Northeast India, to ethnic dialogues in Nigeria and Kenya, to UN efforts in Kosovo, Iraq, South Sudan, Somalia and Sudan. Few people understand conflict, diversity, and democratic resilience the way she does.Meredith brings realism, experience, and a rare optimism grounded in decades of hard-won lessons from conflict zones. She believes and demonstrates that pluralism isn't idealistic. It's necessary. And that in times of division, ordinary people have extraordinary power to create peace.

Host Sarah Henry meets Joshua Colangelo-Bryan, a renowned human rights lawyer and special counsel at Human Rights First. Joshua shares his journey into law, his role in the fight for justice at Guantanamo Bay, and the inspiration behind his new book Through the Gates of Hell: American Injustice at Guantanamo Bay.   Joshua Colangelo-Bryan is Special Counsel at Human Rights First, where he spearheads impact litigation and advocacy efforts to uphold democratic principles and support defenders of human rights. Beyond representing Guantanamo detainees, he has sued Turkey for assaulting protestors in Washington, D.C., the Trump administration for attempting to deport a college student based on protest activity, and a U.S. pastor who fomented legislation in Uganda criminalizing the LGBTQI community. Josh has conducted human-rights investigations in countries such as Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain. He also served with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo.   To find out more on Through the Gates of Hell, American Injustice at Guantanamo Bay visit: https://humanitasmedia.org/through-the-gates-of-hell/   For more on the work of  Human Rights First please see: https://humanrightsfirst.org/

(00:00:38) Donald Trump est-il devenu un « canard boiteux »? Interview Gabriel Solans (00:10:18) Dans une prison au Kosovo: où le Danemark externalise sa politique migratoire (00:15:23) Que se passe-t-il dans un territoire quand les médias locaux disparaissent?

In this episode, governance expert Margus Sarapuu cuts through one of the biggest myths in government transformation: that digitalisation and public administration reform can happen separately. Spoiler: they can't.From Estonia and Ukraine to Moldova, Bangladesh, and Kosovo, Sarapuu shares why digital reforms often stall and how governments can avoid the trap of layering shiny tech on top of unreformed bureaucracy. If you're looking at how to build resilient, future-proof governance systems, this episode is a must-listen.Tune in now and join the conversation about what it really takes to make government work in the digital age.

In this intense and unsettling episode, Jon Herold and Zak Paine continue their deep dive into the world of human hunting, forced organ harvesting, and elite-level criminal networks. Picking up the thread from last week, they unravel the horrifying story of the Kosovo “Yellow House,” where kidnapped civilians were reportedly dissected for their organs under the protection of the Kosovo Liberation Army. The hosts examine eyewitness accounts, UN reports, and the stunning lack of prosecutions, even as the alleged perpetrators rose to positions of political power. They also expose shocking modern-day parallels, from U.S. prison cases where families received bodies stripped of organs, to hospitals harvesting unidentified patients, to the mysterious Maltese death of teenager Mike Mansholt. With their signature mix of dark humor, sharp analysis, and incredulity at the media's silence, Jon and Zak spotlight a global system of corruption that authorities continue to ignore, and ask how these atrocities can happen in plain sight.

Is Edon Zhegrova the spark Juventus has been waiting for? In this episode, we deep-dive into the meteoric rise of the dynamic Kosovar winger, tracing his journey from dominating Ligue 1 dribbling stats at Lille to his blockbuster September move to Serie A. We analyze his "inverted winger" playstyle—drawing comparisons to Bukayo Saka and Eden Hazard—break down his elite creative metrics (including his impressive npxG and key pass rates), and discuss how his electrifying 1v1 ability will translate to Italian football. Tune in for a complete scout report on the forward-thinking talent poised to light up Turin.Edon Zhegrova, Juventus transfer news, Kosovo national team, Serie A football, tactical scout report.

Todo lo que querías saber sobre Curazao y Kosovo del Sur

Episode: 00294 Released on November 24, 2025 Description: In this episode, Jason Elder sits down with Phil Powell, Vice President of IALEIA, longtime FIAT instructor, international advisor, and one of the most globally experienced intelligence professionals in the field. With more than forty years of service across the United Kingdom, the Balkans, Jamaica, and the United Nations, Phil shares rare insights into building intelligence units from the ground up, applying analytical fundamentals under extreme conditions, and navigating the evolving relationship between technology, artificial intelligence, and human judgment. Phil reflects on the post conflict environment in Kosovo, the early development of intelligence led policing in the United Kingdom, the rapid rise of analyst capacity in Jamaica, and what it truly takes to create an environment where analysts can succeed. He explains the core traits that endure in the profession, including adaptability, critical thinking, discipline, and clear communication. He emphasizes that even in a world filled with automation, the human analyst remains essential. Phil also offers practical guidance to new analysts and experienced practitioners, discusses the future direction of IALEIA, and closes with an encouraging message for anyone committed to the growth of the profession.

Soos, Oliver www.deutschlandfunk.de, Europa heute

Soos, Oliver www.deutschlandfunk.de, Europa heute

Um pequeno país com uma guerra muito recente por uma independência que ainda nem é reconhecida por todos os países da União Europeia. Foi em 2008 que nasceu o Kosovo, um país de maioria albanesa (mais de 90%), mas que a Sérvia continua a considerar como uma província sua, que lhe foi roubada, com a ajuda direta da NATO, que em 1999 bombardeou Belgrado por “razões humanitárias”. Esse ataque nunca foi aprovado pelo Conselho de Segurança da ONU, e por isso é considerado ilegal à luz da lei internacional. Mas quem caminha em Pristina, a capital do Kosovo, depara-se em todo o lado com as homenagens dos habitantes aos maiores poderes da NATO, Reino Unido e Estados Unidos, em forma de bandeiras, nomes de ruas e avenidas e mesmo nos nomes das pessoas. “Tonibler” é um nome comum para um rapaz kosovar, devido à ligação do antigo-primeiro ministro britânico, Tony Blair, nessa decisão da NATO. Mas a norte ainda vivem muitos sérvios, por ter sido sempre a sua casa, e os seus direitos foram esquecidos neste novo Kosovo. O seu acesso à justiça é limitado, os seus direitos de associação também, a educação, a rede de apoios sociais, estabelecer um negócio, demonstrar livremente a sua religião, ortodoxa, tudo é mais difícil para um sérvio residente no Kosovo. E no horizonte, tanto para sérvios como para kosovares, a União Europeia, o mesmo sonho distante. De tempos a tempos, os problemas entre as duas comunidades voltam a ser notícia, trocam-se tiros, montam-se barricadas entre o norte e o sul, as forças de manutenção da paz voltam a ter de intervir, e, até agora, tudo isto tem passado com críticas mais ou menos duras de Bruxelas. No entanto, a guerra da Ucrânia está a voltar a fazer a Europa falar de “lados” certos e errados e os Balcãs Ocidentais, todos com pretensões de adesão à UE e todos eles em banho-maria há anos, ou décadas. A Sérvia deu início ao processo em 2009, tal como a Albânia. O risco de que possam passar a olhar para leste se desde lado se continuarmos sem lhes prestar atenção é real. O editor de internacional do Expresso foi convidado pelo Governo do Kosovo para uma visita ao país e neste episódio fala-nos de um país jovem, como muita vontade de um futuro europeu. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Soos, Oliver www.deutschlandfunk.de, Europa heute

Dix ans après la transformation spectaculaire qu'a connue la capitale de la Macédoine du Nord avec le projet «Skopje 2014», retour dans la ville parmi une statuaire fantomatique et un projet nationaliste qui hante encore le pays… Au cœur des Balkans, la Macédoine du Nord est un petit pays au nom longtemps disputé et au territoire convoité depuis des siècles. Située entre la Grèce, l'Albanie, la Serbie, le Kosovo et la Bulgarie, cette jeune nation issue de l'éclatement de l'ex-Yougoslavie de Tito est encore largement méconnue ; mais sa capitale Skopje a fait, un temps, il y a 10 ans, la Une de la presse internationale.  « Disney des Balkans, capitale du kitsch, Disney nationaliste… » :  les qualificatifs, parfois railleurs, souvent critiques, ne manquaient pas pour désigner le nouveau visage que la ville a offert au monde et aux Skopjiotes, à travers le projet «Skopje 2014». Cette opération ruineuse de rénovation urbanistique du centre-ville était alors portée par la droite nationaliste au pouvoir. Son ambition : redessiner l'identité macédonienne à coups de statues antiques géantes avec, au centre, la figure d'Alexandre Le Grand, de galion amarré le long des rives du Vardar qui traverse la ville ou de monuments néo-classiques ou néo-baroques, aux accents propagandistes. En 2014, une blague courait d'ailleurs les rues de Skopje : «Attention, si tu restes plus de 5 minutes au même endroit sans bouger, tu vas te transformer en statue ». Ce n'est certes pas nouveau que l'urbanisme est une arme pour le pouvoir et les nations boursouflées ; mais à Skopje, dix ans après ce vaste programme, que reste-t-il aujourd'hui de cette vision mégalomaniaque ? Comment les habitants ont-ils appris à vivre parmi ces façades pompeuses et ces places devenues musées d'elles-mêmes ? Comment certains artistes opposés au projet, cherchent-ils, aujourd'hui comme hier, à le déjouer et dire autrement le pays métissé, traversé d'influences qu'ils habitent ? Un reportage de Sibylle d'Orgeval à Skopje.   En savoir plus :   - Sur l'actualité des Balkans et notamment celle de la Macédoine du Nord, allez voir la Revue de presse des Balkans de RFI, préparé par les équipes du «Courrier des Balkans», l'indispensable portail francophone des Balkans - Sur les expressions artistiques et l'humour autour du projet Skopje 2014, un article de 2016 d'Aleksandar Takovski. En anglais - Sur le rapport de Transparency International Macedonia sur le projet Skopje 2014. Publié en 2018. En anglais - Sur l'institut français de Skopje - Sur les deux reportages que nous avions consacrés en 2015 à la Macédoine aujourd'hui dite du Nord.

Dix ans après la transformation spectaculaire qu'a connue la capitale de la Macédoine du Nord avec le projet «Skopje 2014», retour dans la ville parmi une statuaire fantomatique et un projet nationaliste qui hante encore le pays… Au cœur des Balkans, la Macédoine du Nord est un petit pays au nom longtemps disputé et au territoire convoité depuis des siècles. Située entre la Grèce, l'Albanie, la Serbie, le Kosovo et la Bulgarie, cette jeune nation issue de l'éclatement de l'ex-Yougoslavie de Tito est encore largement méconnue ; mais sa capitale Skopje a fait, un temps, il y a 10 ans, la Une de la presse internationale.  « Disney des Balkans, capitale du kitsch, Disney nationaliste… » :  les qualificatifs, parfois railleurs, souvent critiques, ne manquaient pas pour désigner le nouveau visage que la ville a offert au monde et aux Skopjiotes, à travers le projet «Skopje 2014». Cette opération ruineuse de rénovation urbanistique du centre-ville était alors portée par la droite nationaliste au pouvoir. Son ambition : redessiner l'identité macédonienne à coups de statues antiques géantes avec, au centre, la figure d'Alexandre Le Grand, de galion amarré le long des rives du Vardar qui traverse la ville ou de monuments néo-classiques ou néo-baroques, aux accents propagandistes. En 2014, une blague courait d'ailleurs les rues de Skopje : «Attention, si tu restes plus de 5 minutes au même endroit sans bouger, tu vas te transformer en statue ». Ce n'est certes pas nouveau que l'urbanisme est une arme pour le pouvoir et les nations boursouflées ; mais à Skopje, dix ans après ce vaste programme, que reste-t-il aujourd'hui de cette vision mégalomaniaque ? Comment les habitants ont-ils appris à vivre parmi ces façades pompeuses et ces places devenues musées d'elles-mêmes ? Comment certains artistes opposés au projet, cherchent-ils, aujourd'hui comme hier, à le déjouer et dire autrement le pays métissé, traversé d'influences qu'ils habitent ? Un reportage de Sibylle d'Orgeval à Skopje.   En savoir plus :   - Sur l'actualité des Balkans et notamment celle de la Macédoine du Nord, allez voir la Revue de presse des Balkans de RFI, préparé par les équipes du «Courrier des Balkans», l'indispensable portail francophone des Balkans - Sur les expressions artistiques et l'humour autour du projet Skopje 2014, un article de 2016 d'Aleksandar Takovski. En anglais - Sur le rapport de Transparency International Macedonia sur le projet Skopje 2014. Publié en 2018. En anglais - Sur l'institut français de Skopje - Sur les deux reportages que nous avions consacrés en 2015 à la Macédoine aujourd'hui dite du Nord.

Vi hjemsøkes av overskifter om at norske skolen er i "krise" og "fritt fall." Stadig får vi beskjeder om at norske elever blir dårligere og dårligere til å lese. Vi har derfor invitert en vaskeekte norsklærer inn i studio for å få en innblikk i hvordan livet er på bakken. Liridonna Qaka forteller oss om hennes reise fra Kosovo til Gjøvik, innom Universitet i Oslo til omsider en norsklærer i Osloskolen. Som lesehest selv forteller Qaka om hvilke grep hun gjør for å vekke leselyst hos sine lever, og hvilken lærer i sin tid åpnet llitteraturens verden for henne. I studio; Liridonna Qaka og Tayyeb Jolani (teknikk). 

In der Nacht wurde das Dokument des sogenannten Friedensplans veröffentlicht: Luhansk, Donezk und die Krim sollen zu Russland gehören, die Ukraine soll ihre Armee reduzieren, ein NATO-Beitritt würde ausgeschlossen. Was kann die Ukraine dazu sagen? Prof. Marina Henke hat Antworten. - Mehr Rechte fürs Volk: diese Idee aus dem Parlament soll der Bundesrat prüfen. Es geht um das Instrument einer sogenannten eidgenössischen Volksmotion. In einigen Kantonen gibt es das schon. Aargauer Mitte-Nationalrätin Maya Bally setzt sich für den Vorstoss ein. - Schweizer Soldaten sollen noch länger im Kosovo bei der Friedenssicherung helfen. Der Bundesrat will den Swisscoy-Einsatz um weitere 4 Jahre verlängern. Aktuell sind bis zu 215 Soldatinnen und Soldaten im Kosovo stationiert, der Bundesrat möchte den Bestand um bis zu dreissig Personen erhöhen können, falls sich die Sicherheitslage verschlechtert. Auslandredaktor Janis Fahrländer ordnet ein. - Im westafrikanischen Nigeria sind vor einigen Tagen 25 Schülerinnen entführt worden. Bewaffnete seien in ein Internat eingedrungen, hätten einen Menschen getötet und die Mädchen mitgenommen, teilt die örtliche Polizei mit. Die freischaffende Journalistin Bettina Rühl ordnet ein.

For a second time, Kosovo’s parliament has failed to elect a prime minister. We assess the implications for the region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Soos, Oliver www.deutschlandfunk.de, Das war der Tag

Die Erbschaftssteuer-Initiative dürfte an den Abstimmungen vom 30. November abgelehnt werden, zeigt die neuste SRG-Umfrage. Die Gegner befürchten, dass Wohlhabende nach einer Annahme der Initiative ins Ausland abwandern. Auch bei der Service-citoyen-Initiative zeichnet sich ein Nein ab. Weitere Themen: · In den USA sollen die Akten rundum den verstorbenen Sexual-straftäter Jeffrey Epstein veröffentlicht werden. Beide Parlamentskammern haben einem entsprechenden Gesetzesentwurf zugestimmt. US-Präsident Donald Trump hat angekündigt, das Gesetz unterschreiben zu wollen. · Die Schweizer Fussball-Nationalmannschaft hat sich für die Weltmeisterschaft nächstes Jahr in den USA, Kanada und Mexiko qualifiziert. Die Schweiz hat das letzte Qualifikationsspiel gestern mit einem 1:1 gegen den Kosovo beendet und löst damit das direkte WM-Ticket. · Die Schweiz springt im jährlichen Klimaschutz-Ranking um ganze sieben Plätze nach vorn. Sie schneidet damit deutlich besser ab als beim letzten Mal - aber sie bleibt im Mittelfeld.

Wir haben ein Buch geschrieben – gemeinsam mit Franziska Tschinderle, unserer Expertin für Albanien und Kosovo. Es trägt den Titel „Der Westbalkan im Wartezimmer der EU“ und ihr könnt es für einen Fünfer in der Schriftenreihe der BpB erwerben. Über das Thema des Buches sprechen wir auch in der aktuellen Folge: Sechs Länder, zwei Jahrzehnte Hoffnung – und noch immer kein Einlass: Seit 2003 warten die Staaten des Westbalkans auf ihren EU-Beitritt. Der Prozess schien blockiert, wurde von manchen schon für tot erklärt. Doch mit dem Krieg in der Ukraine hat die Frage nach einer Erweiterung neue Dringlichkeit gewonnen – geopolitisch wie gesellschaftlich. Wo steht die Region im Jahr 2025? Welche Chancen, welche Blockaden und welche Einflüsse prägen heute die Perspektive auf Europa? Und wie sieht die Realität in den Ländern des Westbalkans selbst aus? Wir gehen heute alle sechs Kandidatenländer durch und berichten, wo sie beim EU-Beitritt derzeit stehen.

Amire Hoxha, author of "Amar's Fajr Reward," talks to Zainab bint Younus about writing as a minority within a Muslim minority, trends in Muslim bookselling, and what Muslim kidlit keeps missing out on.

From aircraft maintenance officer to professional fitness champion to executive coach, Tanji Johnson Bridgeman '97 has exhibited leadership on many stages. SUMMARY In the premiere episode of Focus on Leadership, she joins host Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99 to share how resilience, self-care and feedback transform challenges into growth — and why caring for yourself is key to leading with presence and impact.   SHARE THIS PODCAST LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK    TANJI'S TOP 10 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS Lead with a Whole-Person Approach: Effective leadership requires nurturing mind, body, and spirit, not just focusing on one aspect. Reframe Failure as Feedback: View setbacks as events and learning opportunities, rather than personal flaws or endpoints. Consistency Over Perfection: Strive for regular, sustainable effort and give yourself grace rather than aiming for flawless execution. Self-Reflection Builds Authenticity: Regular reflection (e.g., journaling, meditation) helps clarify values and stay true to yourself as a leader. Executive Presence Matters: Project confidence through body language, eye contact, and purposeful communication to influence and inspire others. Take Inventory and Set Self-Care Rituals: Assess mental, physical, and emotional health, then develop small, habitual self-care practices to maintain energy and focus. Recognize and Address Burnout: Leaders must be attentive to signs of burnout in themselves and others, emphasizing rest, breaks, and boundaries. Normalize and Model Wellness in Leadership: Leaders should model healthy habits and make personal wellness a visible priority to support team well-being. Focus on Connection and Service: Shift focus away from self-doubt by being intentional about serving, connecting, and empowering others. Adapt and Accept Change: Growth requires adapting to new realities, accepting changes (including those related to age or circumstances), and updating strategies accordingly.   CHAPTERS 0:00:06 - Introduction to the podcast and guest Tanji Johnson Bridgeman. 0:01:07 - Tanji shares her journey from the Air Force Academy to wellness and leadership. 0:04:13 - Discussing wellness strategies and advice for cadets and young leaders. 0:12:10 - Recognizing burnout, setting boundaries, and maintaining consistency in habits. 0:17:39 - Reframing failure as feedback with examples from Tanji's career. 0:27:58 - Exploring the concept of executive presence and practical ways to develop it. 0:38:07 - The value of authenticity and self-reflection in leadership. 0:44:21 - Creating sustainable self-care rituals and adopting healthy habits. 1:00:54 - Emphasizing wellness in leadership and the importance of leading by example. 1:02:18 - Final reflections and a summary of key takeaways from the episode.   ABOUT TANJI BIO Tanji Johnson Bridgeman graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1997, where she distinguished herself by navigating the rigors of cadet life with both determination and initiative. As one of the first women to serve as Group Superintendent during Basic Cadet Training for the Class of 1999, she honed her leadership and public-speaking skills by addressing hundreds of incoming cadets nightly. Following her commissioning, she served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force — initially in the Academy's admissions office as a minority enrollment officer, then as an aircraft maintenance officer at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, where she led over 200 personnel across six specialties supporting KC-135 air-refueling operations. After four years of service, Tanji pivoted to a second career in fitness and wellness, becoming an 11-time professional champion in the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB) and competing for 18 years in 54 pro contests. She later leveraged her competitive success and military-honed leadership into executive-presence and lifestyle-coaching, founding the “Empower Your Inner Champion” brand and offering keynote speaking, coaching, and wellness solutions.    CONNECT WITH TANJI LinkedIn Instagram: @OriginalTanjiJohnson   CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Ted Robertson | Producer and Editor:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org Send your feedback or nominate a guest: socialmedia@usafa.org   Ryan Hall | Director:  Ryan.Hall@USAFA.org  Bryan Grossman | Copy Editor:  Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org Wyatt Hornsby | Executive Producer:  Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org      ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     FULL TRANSCRIPT Guest, Tanji Johnson Bridgeman '97 | Host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz 0:00 If you love the Long Blue Leadership podcast, you'll want to discover Focus on Leadership, a Long Blue Leadership production of the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation. Here on Focus on Leadership, we move beyond the “why” and dive into the “how,” exploring the habits, mindsets and lessons that turn good leaders into great ones. In each episode, host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99, sits down with accomplished Air Force Academy graduates and other influential leaders to uncover their stories, their insights and real-world actions that drive excellence. Focus on Leadership: Offering impactful and actionable lessons for today's exceptional leaders. Without further ado, sit back and enjoy this premiere episode of Focus on Leadership. Naviere Walkewicz 0:58 Welcome to Focus on Leadership, where we take a close look at the practices that make strong leaders even stronger. I'm your host, Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. Today we're joined by Tanji Johnson Bridgeman, Class of '97, an Air Force Academy graduate whose journey has taken her from aircraft maintenance officer to professional fitness champion, American Gladiator known as “Stealth,” entrepreneur and executive coach. Tanji is here to teach us about leadership through the lens of health and wellness, how caring for yourself physically and mentally fuels your ability to establish presence and lead others with confidence. Tanji, welcome to Focus on Leadership. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 1:36 Thank you, Naviere. It is so good to be here. Naviere Walkewicz 1:40 Such an honor to see you. I mean, as a ‘99 graduate to have a ‘97 trainer here in the presence, I'm already feeling wonderful. And you know, it's been about 10 years since you've been at your academy. How are you feeling? You came back last evening. What are your thoughts? Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 1:54 Wow, I was here nine years ago for my 20th reunion. I just feel so much gratitude. I mean, it's so surreal. Even last night, we went to work out. And you know, you're driving up the hill towards Vandenberg, and all these memories are coming back to me from the good times. But the biggest thing I'm feeling is pride, you know, pride and gratitude. Because, you know, we don't always reflect, but just being here, it forces you to reflect, like, this is where it all started. I mean, it really started with my upbringing, but the Air Force Academy, my experience here, laid the foundation for who I became, and I'm so grateful for that. Naviere Walkewicz 2:29 Well, let's go back to the fact that right off the bat, you got off the plane, you met me and we went to work out. So wellness, no joke, is right at the top of your foundation. So how did you get into this space? Let's kind of introduce that to our listeners, because I think it's important for them to really understand the depth of what wellness means. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 2:46 Well, the funny thing about it is I never would have imagined that I would be doing what I'm doing today, because I was a die-hard — I thought I'm going in the military, and I'm staying in for 20 years. So when I was here, you know, I was on the cadet Honor Guard and I cheered, and that's when I fell in love with lifting weights. So I got into competing, even as a lieutenant, and I just I fell in love, and I turned professional. And so there was these transitions where I had an opportunity to be a professional athlete, and I took it, right? And so I became a professional bodybuilder, fitness champion. And then next thing you know, I'm on NBC's American Gladiators. That was wild. And so I did that for a while, and then I became a trainer and a coach and a promoter and a judge, and did all the things bodybuilding. And then I retired in 2016, and that's around the time I met my husband, and so really that's when my real wellness journey began. Because prior to that, it was heavily around physical fitness, but wellness for me began when I transitioned and retired from competing. And really, I had to figure out what is my fitness life going to look like, because it's not going to be working out three times a day on a calorie-deficient diet. Naviere Walkewicz 3:57 Three times a day… Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 3:58 Right, none of that. I was like, I'm done. I'm done. But I really had to design the rest of my life and really figure out what that was going to look like. So I got into functional medicine, health coaching. I married a chiropractor, so we believe in holistic medicine, and that's where it started. Naviere Walkewicz 4:13 Excellent. And so this is not a traditional career path. So let's kind of go back to the cadet mindset. For example: How would you — knowing what you know now — maybe talk to yourself as a cadet, or actually, cadets that might be listening, of what they should be thinking about in this priority space of wellness, in leadership? Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 4:30 Absolutely, I think that's a great question. The disadvantage for young leaders, whether they're cadets or lieutenants, is that they don't have the luxury of having a lot of life experience. And so building a foundation is important, and it takes mindfulness and just, “What should we be aware of?” So what I would want to impart on them is to adopt the philosophy of looking at wellness from a whole-person approach, because high performance is going to demand it. And so when I say whole person, wellness is multi-dimensional. So we want to look at the mindset, we want to look at the body and we want to look at the spirit, and being able to start from a place where you're going to go into all of those. Naviere Walkewicz 5:13 Well, as a cadet, there are so many hats they have to wear. No pun intended. They have to be on top of their game in the academic space. They have to be on top of the game in the military, and then also athletically. Can you talk about, or maybe share an example as a cadet, how you navigated that journey of wellness and what that looked like? Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 5:32 Well, let's go back to — so I didn't get a chance to break down. So mind, body, spirit. Why is that important? Because in anything, any philosophies that we adopt, we have to really see where it's important. So when you think of what is an officer, what is a leader going to have to do with their mind, this is where they have to have clarity. It's going to help with focus, creativity to innovate new solutions. And so we need to be able to prioritize our mindset and our mental health. And then there's the body, right? So a lot of us are going to be going on deployments. We're going to work long hours. Our body is what's going to give us the fuel and energy and the stamina to get through a day. It's literally bringing our energy. And then you think about the spirit, and this one is really special, and it's probably the most neglected. So when you think about the spirit, this is where you're going to anchor in with your emotional health. What is your purpose? What is your “why?” You know, earlier today, I was having a great discussion with Gen. Marks, and he shared with me that one of his goals for the cadets is that when they graduate, you know, they're going to be committed to being leaders, but are they committed — like really committed — and bought in to knowing what their purpose is going to be? And I think that a big part of that is being able to explore their spirit in advance, so they can discover their identity and their strengths in advance and to be able to go off into the leadership and fully own it. And so an example that I would like to present: When I was coaching bodybuilders and female athletes, I remember I started a team. And now this is going to be a team of women that they have the common goal of competing. So they're trying to pursue physical excellence with how they transform their physiques. But what I did was I brought this team together, this sisterhood of women. So a couple of things that I wanted to see, I wanted sisterhood and support. I wanted them to have the commonality of the same goal, and I wanted them to be able to support each other, and I wanted to be able to support them by elevating their mindset. And so one of the things that I did that was really unique at the time, that a lot of other coaches and leaders weren't doing, — when somebody wanted to work with them, they just sign them up. But I would have a consultation. It was kind of more of an interview, because one of the questions I would ask is, “Naviere, why do you want to compete?” And then I'd give them examples, like, you know, “Is this a bucket list? Are you trying to improve your health? Is this for validation and attention? Is this because you're competitive? Because, if you're competitive, and you're telling me that you just started working out last year, maybe we need to wait a couple of years.” You see what I mean. So when you go back to the “why,” it keeps you in alignment to move forward, in alignment with your why, but a lot of people don't know what that is, and sometimes all it takes is asking the question. Naviere Walkewicz 8:17 So the question I'd love to ask you then, is going back to the cadet side, because I think talking to Gen. Marks and the purpose piece, you know, you actually, I think as a cadet, remember, you were on Honor Guard. You were also a cadet… I think you were the cheer captain of our cheerleading team. I feel that that is such a great testament to the fact that you have to figure out, you know, the purpose of, how do I do more and give more and still stay connected to my purpose of where you said in the beginning, “I was going to serve 20 years in the Air Force.” How do our cadets get that same level of interviewer coaching with someone without having that life experience yet? Like, what would you share with them now, from your learning experience? Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 8:55 So when I think back to… OK, so when you look at wellness, and you think of mental wellness, physical wellness, emotional wellness, you know, I think what happens here at the Academy — and I remember starting this way — we prioritize physical fitness, right? I remember being in that fight-or-flight mode like, OK, if I can just show that I am, you know, prioritizing physical fitness, that strength is going to get me respect, and I could definitely feel the difference in how I was treated. The problem sometimes with prioritizing physical fitness… It's great because, you know, it can strengthen your mind. So if your body's feeling strong, your mindset is strong, but it becomes problematic when your body fails. So what happens when you fail? And I have plenty of stories and memories, my goodness, of being on Honor Guard, one that I remember distinctly is, you know, if you had me doing push-ups or pull-ups, oh, I was in a zone. I was impressing everybody. I was passing all the tests, but you put me in a formation where the short people are in the back, you throw a helmet, M1 Garand, and we have to go run 3 miles now, now I'm falling out and I'm getting exhausted. And you know, the body goes — the stress goes up, the blood sugar goes down. It's just physiology, right? And so what happens is, now mentally, my mind is becoming weak. So when the body fails, my mind is getting weak,   Naviere Walkewicz 10:13 And you've been training your body right? Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 10:14 Right, right. And so I look back, and I just, I remember those days in Honor Guard where I would feel doubt, like, “Am I going to make it do? I deserve to be here? Am I good enough?” I would feel discouraged, right? And I would go back to my room and then something happened. So after about two weeks of suffering through this pain and this big challenge, I remember thinking, “Gosh, every time they beat me down physically, I feel so weak mentally. But I was in my room and I remember having anxiety for the next day, like, “Oh, I'm going out there again.” And for some reason that meme, you know, with the Asian guy that says, “But did you die?” Right? That's always in my head, and I remember saying that to myself, like, “It was hard. Today was hard, but did I die?” No. And actually, after two weeks, I'm like, “It's actually getting easier,” like, because I'm getting more fit, right? I'm able to do the push-ups. I'm running further. And I remember that was the mindset shift where I realized, “OK, now, tomorrow, when I go out to practice, I'm not going to be as afraid, because I've already decided that I can do hard things.” And so now, when I was enduring the practice, right, and the leadership of my Honor Guard cadre, I was prepared with that mental strength, right? And so that's what we need. We need to be able to train so that when our body fails, our mind prevails, right? Naviere Walkewicz 11:39 Love that — those three facets of wellness, and that's a really strong way to explain it. And so you gave a couple examples about when the body fails, so when we think about how we're wired, and I think many of us are this way, as cadets, as graduates, as those who really want to succeed in life, right? Thinking about resilience, how do we balance? Or maybe balance isn't the right word, but how do we make sure we're very mindful of that line between healthy discipline and then harmful overdrive. How do you navigate that? Maybe, what would you share with some of our listeners? Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 12:11 Well, you were asking like, how do we recognize when it's happened? You know, the good news is, your body will leave clues. You will have emotional clues, you will have physical clues, you're going to have behavioral clues. Your body will leave clues. So the first thing is, I think that if we can be willing to evolve — you know, look at what culture are we in now, like you and I, we come from a culture where the philosophy was grit at any cost. Push, push, push, push, and drive, drive, drive. You know, I think about, as an athlete, you know, especially if you're motivated. You're thinking, when I was training my body, I remember thinking, “I want to get these results, and so I'm going to do what it takes. So every day I'm doing the lifting, I'm eating the food, and I'm going to train every day.” And I remember on that seventh day, you know, I had done all the things, I took the supplements, I got all the sleep, and I went in to train, and my body was exhausted. And it's because I was physically burning out, and my body needed the rest. And then it really transferred into how I would choreograph my training and so with routine. So I was a fitness competitor. I did these fitness, crazy fitness routines where I'm doing push-ups and squats and gymnastics and flying around, right? And it's two minutes long. So think of doing like a crazy CrossFit routine for two minutes straight without stopping, and smiling. And so I remember being strategic, right? And how I would lay out those practices athletically, where I would do a portion, 30 seconds — I would train 30 seconds at a time, and then the next day I would do the next 30 seconds, a week later I would go for about a minute. But the part I want you to know is, right before the competition, I would decrease that training load. I would actually do less, because the year that I trained full out, all the way up into the competition, I didn't do well on stage because my body was exhausted. So again, our body is going to leave us clues, and we have to be willing to evolve, to say that self-care — it's not selfish, but it's strategic. And so we need to pay attention to those signs, because we're going to have a choice to either pivot and be intentional and strategic with taking care of ourselves, or we're going to stay stuck in this old-school thinking that's not going to serve us. Naviere Walkewicz 14:38 So if it's not the body telling you — because we talk about how wellness is more than just physical — how do you recognize signs on the spiritual side, on your emotional side, that you might be in this harmful space of it's too much give, give, give, and not enough fill, fill, fill. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 14:55 I think that's a great question. So here's some telltale… So going back to physical, you know, like the examples I gave, you're going to feel exhausted, you're going to have muscle tension, you might even start to have stomach issues. Those are all great physical signs that you're reaching burnout. Now, when you think of mentally, if you notice emotionally and mentally, that you start getting irritable and you've become more impatient and you're having a harder time making decisions, those are also great clues that mentally, you're starting to get burnt out. And then when you think of behaviorally, you know, let's say you had a great morning routine, and now all of a sudden, you find yourself in this season where you've abandoned that, or you have deadlines that you're usually very protective, and you can get things done, but now you're starting to procrastinate, and you're thinking like, “Who am I right now? I'm procrastinating. I've abandoned my wellness routine. I'm not even… I don't even have a morning routine.” That's when you should really step back. And I think one of the practical tools that everyone can do is check in with themselves on a regular basis. So I'm being very transparent. I check in with myself daily. So let's say I do three back-to-back hours of Zoom calls: Maybe ones with an executive coaching clients. Maybe another one is a team Zoom, where I'm training a group of folks, and then another team meeting. After that three hours, I will stop, and I'll check in with myself, and I'll take a deep breath and say, “How am I feeling? Do I feel like getting right back on a call? No, my brain is fried right now.” And then I'll pivot and I'll go take a 10-minute walk around break. And that's just one of my strategies. Naviere Walkewicz 16:30 So it does… A check in doesn't have to be this grand “I take time off and I spend a week.” It literally could just be a few minutes of [breathes deeply] and check in with yourself, because I think sometimes time is a challenge as well, right? We talk about, how do we prioritize all these things and we're within this 24-hour period. How do we make sure that the time piece is something that we can also utilize to take care of ourselves, and so when you said it doesn't have to take a lot of time to check in. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 16:58 And think about it. So we just talked about how to check in with yourself daily. What about like in your career? You know, I was helping physique athletes with poise mastery, basically teaching posing to athletes for over 15 years, and towards the end of that career, what I started to notice when I would mentally check in with myself, is I would notice that as I was driving to the office to go work with another client, I just did not feel as energized. I didn't feel as passionate. My motivation was going down, and this was a sign for me that I was getting burnt out from this specific way of serving, and it was my first clue that it was time to pivot and to look at something else. Naviere Walkewicz 17:38 That's really interesting, because when you think about when you're making big decisions, whether in career, whether in leadership or just, you know… The fact that you have these signs help you make those decisions, but I also wonder if it helps you at times think about part of the growth is maybe not totally pivoting, but it's recognizing that I'm supposed to go through this period of hardship. So what I'm kind of alluding to right now, is failure, right? So failure, as we go through some of our experiences are inevitable, right? How do we make sure we're using failure in a way to grow, as opposed to the easy button of, well, I failed, so I'm pivoting. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 18:18 OK, so that would be like a reaction. You're reacting to what happened, and you think what you need to do is flee from it. So you have to be able to discern, “Am I pivoting because I'm afraid, or because I feel like I'm not good enough, or because my purpose and my spirit is telling me that my work is done here, and I'm looking for innovation.” I'm looking for something new. I'm looking to impact new people. So going back to failure — like public speaking, it's one of the top two fears, right?   Naviere Walkewicz 18:52 What's the other? Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 18:53 Oh, public speaking, flying, swimming [laughs]. No, I'm just kidding. Only if you grow up like me. But going back to failure, I think that people fear failure a lot because they make the mistake of connecting it to their identity instead of realizing failure is an event. It's not your identity. And so how many times do we do something, and maybe it's a competition, or it's an event or an application, and you fail. You don't get the desired result. It's an event. So what we need to do is reframe failure as feedback. That's it. So I have a great example. When I think about a great example of someone who was able to show in person, in reality, that when they failed, it did not disrupt their identity at all. So I don't know if there's any boxing fans out there, Naviere Walkewicz 19:46 Oh, we have some, I'm sure. Yeah. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 19:47 The Canelo and Crawford fight, it was a couple weeks ago. Did you see that? Naviere Walkewicz 19:50 I didn't, but I did hear about this. Actually, honestly, I fell asleep. I planned to watch it. My husband watched it, but I fell asleep. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 19:57 Oh, they went all the rounds, right? It was a great fight. Really, really great. You saw two physical specimens, you know, at the top of their game. They were both undefeated. I believe Canelo was favored to win, but he didn't. He lost the belt, right? And so Crawford wins. And so I'm always very intrigued with how people respond to failure when it's public, right? And so Crawford got to make his speech, and then when Canelo made his speech, you know, one of the first things they ask is, “OK, so you didn't get the result you were hoping for. You didn't win this bout. How are you feeling?” And he gave an answer that I totally didn't expect. He said, “I feel great.”   Naviere Walkewicz 20:39 Just like that?   Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 20:40 Yes. He was like, “I feel great.” He was like, “It was a great fight,” you know. He affirmed Crawford, you know, edified him. Talked about how great he was, you know, but he maintained his identity, and you could feel that in his spirit. He said, “I feel great. I came out here. I did a great job. I did what I was supposed to do. Obviously, there's room for feedback, to learn. You know, I didn't get the result I wanted. So whether it was endurance or I wasn't strategic enough, or I didn't prioritize my offense, there's feedback there.” He's going to learn from that. But he basically had such a great attitude. And he ended it by saying, you know, “I feel great and it was great time.” And I remember thinking like, “Wow, now there's an example of someone who did not own the failure and make it a part of his identity. It was just an event.” And his legacy will still be restored, right? And to be honest with you, it made me think about my own career. Naviere Walkewicz 21:31 Yes, so did you, have you experienced anything like that in your career? Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 21:34 Have I experienced failure? Over and over again. Naviere Walkewicz 21:39 And how did you respond in your, you know, the wellness side of it, when you think about, you know, what you're trying to do, your purpose. How did you use that? Did you use it as feedback? Or what did that look like for you. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 21:50 So let's say in sports, if you don't win, then that event is deemed as a failure, right? And so if you think about it, I did 54, I've done 54 professional bodybuilding, fitness competitions.   Naviere Walkewicz 22:04 Wow. OK, what year did you start, just so we can get some perspective?   Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 22:06 I started in 2001 and retired in 2016, so about 17 years. And I won 11 of them. So that means out of, and that's a lot, actually. So out of that many, that means I lost all the others. And there's one particular competition that will always be dear to my heart, and it was the Arnold Classic. Yes, the Arnold Schwarzenegger. You know, he has this gigantic competition every year. And midway through my career, I started I got in the top five. So I would get fourth, and then the next year I'd get third, and then I'd go down to fourth, and then I'd get second, right? I think I got second maybe four years in a row. So basically, in my 10th year of competing, I finally won the darn thing. So Arnold comes from across the stage, and I'm already crying, and, you know, with his accent, “Why are you so emotional?” And there's a picture of me taking the microphone from him because I had something to say, and in that moment, because it was a special moment, I realized, yes, all of these years of failure, every time I competed, I missed the mark. I missed the mark. I missed the mark. But what did I do? I took that feedback and I went back and said, “What do I need to do differently? What does this mean? How can I improve my physique? How did I need better stamina in my routine?” And every year, I was coming back better and better and better. But guess what? So were the other athletes, right? And so when I won in that 10th year, I actually would not have had it any other way, because I don't think it would have meant as much to me. Because what was happening, I may have won the Arnold Classic on that day, but I was becoming a champion throughout that whole 10-year process. You see what I did there. So it's not your identity, it's an event. So if you look at it and reframe it as feedback, then you can leverage that and use it as an opportunity to win. Naviere Walkewicz 24:00 So failure, and we're going to say synonym: feedback. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 24:03 Exactly. Naviere Walkewicz 24:04 I like that. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 24:05 I mean, and I'll give you another example. So you know, I did my first TEDx Talk last year, and I was a part of this coaching group. And here's the thing: As leaders, we get to create and build culture. And I think it's very important for leaders to create a culture where they normalize failure and they teach their teams that it's meant to be for feedback. So encourage courage, and then help them leverage the failure or the mistake as lessons learned so that they can grow and move forward. So I'm in this coaching group, and they told us, “We're going to have you send out probably an average of 80 applications. Now we're going to guide you and tell you what to do, but every application is different, because the event promoters are different. So we can't tell you exactly what they all want, but you're going to find out when you apply.” So I remember applying, I think, to UCLA Berkeley or something, and I applied to do a TEDx Talk, and midway through my application, they asked me, what was my scientific evidence and proof of my theory and my great idea? And I didn't have one at the time. And I remember thinking, “I'm going to go ahead and finish this application, but yay, I just got some feedback that I need to include scientific data in my pitch and in presenting my idea.” And it was shortly after, I think I did five more applications and I got selected. And so now I have been so trained to see failure as an opportunity to grow and excel, that when I am afraid of something, I reframe it immediately, and then I actually look forward to it, like, “Oh my gosh, I can't wait to get out there and do this thing, because I'm going to get this feedback, and that's going to make me better.” Naviere Walkewicz 25:39 Well, I think that's really wonderful in the way that you frame that. Because, you know, in the military, and I was actually just at a conference recently, and they were talking about how failure should be a part of training. Failure is actually the most important part of the training, because when it comes time to actual execution, operationally, that's when we can't fail, right? So, like, you want that feedback through all the training iterations, and so, you know, the way you just, you know, laid that out for us, it was in a sense that, you know, you had this framework, “I'm getting feedback, I'm training, I'm training, I'm training.” And then, you know, of course, when you took the champion spot… Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 26:10 And I love… I think back to when I physically learned to appreciate failure was through weight training. And I know you've done it too, because can you go back and remember the first time you know, as a bodybuilder, when you lift weights, you're trying to grow your muscle, and to grow the muscle, the muscle fibers have to tear, and so there has to be a certain level of intensity and hardship in doing that. So if you're one of those people that you go to the gym and you're doing, you know, 15 easy reps, four sets, you never break a sweat, you're toning and you're getting some movement in, but you're not tearing your muscle fibers, and that's probably why they're not growing. So when I worked with the trainer and we were doing overhead military presses, and I physically felt like I was done at about 12 reps, but he was spotting me, so he just kept force repping me through six to eight more. I mean, until my arms were done, and I put my arms down, and they started to float up in the air. And he looks at me, because I'm looking at him, like, “Dude, what are you doing?” I'm like, “Wow, are you trying to hurt me?” And he just said, “No, but I do need you to learn that you're going to have to fail in order to grow and win.” And I was like… So then after that, we're going in the gym, like, “All right, Naviere, we're going to hit failure today. Oh yeah, we're going to learn how to fail.” “Did you fail at the gym last night?” “Yes, I did.” So in the bodybuilding community, it's celebrated. You know, it's a concept where that's we're trying to work through failure because we know it's on the other side. Naviere Walkewicz 27:34 Yes. Oh, I love that. That's fantastic. Well, and then you said you retired in 2016, so that was probably quite a transition in the fact where you had to… You probably have been doing all the wellness check-ins. “Where am I at? What am I thinking?” How did you make that transition into the executive presence space? Because it doesn't seem like it's a direct correlation from someone's body building to executive presence. Or maybe it is. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 27:58 So, in in body building, I developed a niche. So I started off as a trainer, and then very quickly, probably because of some of my Honor Guard background, I mean, we did precision drill, and I just realized that I can… I learned things really easily, and then I can teach it. I can see something and break it down in detail and teach it. And so I got really good at doing that for the athletes proposing to where I was able to build a whole career and get paid really well through poise mastery. Now what I think? You know when I think back to all the things we had to do as a cadet, from standing at attention, keeping your chest up, you know, your chin in projecting we were all we were already starting to work on our executive presence, but we just didn't know realize it, right? And so in the real world outside of the military, where people are not building habits of standing up straight on a regular basis, they don't. I go into board rooms. I go to events where I see people get on stage. They're looking down, they're fidgeting, they're not making eye contact, they're speaking too softly. And so executive presence is the ability to project confidence in how you show up and the way that you communicate and how you get people to experience you, because, unfortunately, we live in a society where perception shapes opportunity. So as a leader, if you're not commanding that authority right off the bat, you may you may be missing the mark on being able to influence, and that's what leadership is. And so I was basically elevating all of these athletes to just present the best version of themselves, and in leadership, that's what we want, too. We all have strengths, we all have learned skills. We all have something to offer. But if we're not projecting and presenting our inner power externally, a lot of times we miss that mark, and I want to connect the dots. And that's kind of what hit me when I thought about moving into the executive space, is, you know, I can… sure I can teach you how to stand in front of a red carpet and some power poses, but it goes beyond that. It's how we communicate. It's our body language. And so there's, there's a lot of skills that can be learned. Naviere Walkewicz 30:09 Well, let's start with maybe just sharing a couple. How can our leaders, our listeners start to display a stronger executive presence every day? What's the first couple things you might have them start thinking about? Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 30:22 OK, so physically, I would start like, let's say with body language is eye contact. So my concern with this, the generation that we have now is they're dealing with a disadvantage that we didn't have to deal with. You know, when we were in school together 20 years ago, we were connecting all the time. It wasn't even a challenge. We were always together in person, building relationships, connecting, communicating. And now we're in a digital world where our attention is, is we're fighting for it, right? And so a lot of times I will watch people, and I realize whether they're going out to dinner and they are not maintaining eye contact because they're distracted, and they really haven't been, they haven't been trained to really be present. So for example, when you're speaking with someone and you're making eye contact with them. They feel seen,, you know? And so that's, that's one of the strongest ones. OK, Naviere Walkewicz 31:16 OK. I like that a lot. That's perfect. So as they're starting to think about the first thing is being present and making eye contact, from a — that's a physical standpoint. Maybe what, from a mental or emotional standpoint should be they be doing from a starting point for executive presence? Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 31:33 OK, so being intentional. So when you think about your leader, and let's say you're going to speak in front of the Cadet Wing, or you're going to start managing a team, or you're going to a networking event as an executive, and you're trying to pick up a few sponsors. Before you even go to the event, you can be intentional about who am I meeting with, what is my goal and how do I want them to feel. So when you think about networking, a lot of times, there's people, I have a client. You know, she hired me because she has a little bit of social anxiety. She's younger, and so she's on a board where everybody's older than her. So there's a little bit of that mental insecurity of, you know, “Am I good enough? Do I have what it takes? Are these people going to respect me,” right? And so she's coming into the situation already insecure, and she's thinking about herself. “How am I going to be perceived?” instead of going there, focused on connection, right? So if she was to go there and say, “This is who's going to be there. This is how I want to make them feel. So I'm actually going to be very intentional about asking questions that's going to connect with them, that's going to make them feel a certain way. If I want this audience to feel respected, what do I what do I ask them, and what do I say? What do I highlight? If I want them to feel accepted and warm. What can I say?” And so it just gives you more power to show up, be present and be intentional, and you'll feel more confident, because now you've taken the focus away from yourself to how you're going to serve others. Naviere Walkewicz 33:02 That is excellent, and that leads us into a bit of the mental piece of it, right, the mindset. So earlier, you talked about how you had a mindset shift when you were getting beat down in Honor Guard, you know, you're in the back, you know, because of the vertical challenge, and you're running, you know, and you're hanging in there, and you got better. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 33:19 Well, it makes me think about when I was auditioning for American Gladiators. And again, I'm going to go back to this executive presence and where I use my mental training to serve me, so when I was auditioning, so if you guys don't remember, the old show was, there was no water, right? It was just everything was over big, you know, pillows and just a flat area, OK? So when I went in there to audition, I remember there was for the sake of diversity, there was like, two of everything. There was two Black women there, there was two redheads, two blondes. And I remember looking around thinking, “OK, both of us are not getting this job.” And so the very last part of the audition, after many rounds, is you had to go in front of the executive committee, and you had a one-minute pitch. You could say whatever you want, but they're all sitting there with their arms crossed, and you just get to go in there. And I remember thinking, “OK, I am shorter than her, but I'm more muscular. And, you know, she's been on tons of fitness magazines. She's, you know, super beautiful, more popular. I want to go in there, and I want to be intentional about showing them that what I'm going to present is the right fit for the show.” And so I walked in there and I called the room to attention. I used my Honor Guard diaphragm, and I called the room to attention. And then I went in and I started telling them about how during basic training, I was like one of the pugil stick champions. And they thought that was great, because we had an event for that, right? And so, you know, going back to that mental training, you know, part of it is just that intention of being prepared, you know, what is it that you want to achieve? What are you going to do? And then you strategize and have a game plan for how you're going to go in there. Now, another example: So once I got… I got the job, yay, right? And then we go to Sony studios, and I look at the set, and I realized that half of the set is over water. So half of the events, the joust, Hang Tough, the rock climbing, it's all over water. And you guys remember when I talked about a little bit not, not being a big swimmer. And so this was fascinating to me, but I didn't want anyone to know, because I didn't want to lose my job, right? And so here's where I tapped into my mental and mindset training. So as an athlete, I did this a lot: To preserve my physical body, because of all the gymnastics and routines, I didn't overtrain, because there's damage when you over train. But I would visualize myself going through my movements, and I would picture myself being successful, so I didn't visualize myself messing up or anything like that. And there was, there would be repetition after repetition after repetition. And so what I did to face that fear of having to do events that were going to land me in the water is I had to use logic, you know, so I literally would say, “OK, if I end up being in the joust and I get hit, I'm going to fall in the water. And this is how far away the edge of the pool is. I'm going to take a deep breath. I'm going to I know how to do the stroke, so I'm going to get over there.” But I had to visualize myself falling and then I use logic to just keep myself calm. So I visualize myself hitting the water and being calm, because I would prepare myself to be calm. If I wasn't, I probably would have panicked and drowned. And so I think back to that, and I never told anybody, but I was ready, and I was not afraid, because I had already went through the mental training to prepare myself to do something that I was uncomfortable doing. Naviere Walkewicz 36:50 And so did you fall into the water, and did it play out the way that you had mentally prepared it for? Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 36:56 So here's what's crazy. I'm probably not even supposed to talk about this, but the way they film some of these shows, they're not in sequence. So imagine that I'm filming a water event from Episode 1, 3 and 8. OK, well, for me, like, my third day there, I actually tore my ACL falling off the pyramid. And so, you know, those viewers at home didn't know that. So actually the answer is no, I actually didn't even get put into a water event because I got injured beforehand. But I was ready mentally. Regardless, I was actually disappointed, because I was ready to see that courage come to the surface. Naviere Walkewicz 37:32 Oh my goodness! These are all such wonderful examples of how you have really almost embodied wellness throughout your decisions as a leader throughout your career. I'm really curious, as you think about how you've been true to yourself in this journey, because there's an authenticity to you that only Tanji could bring. And so I'm wondering, how do you know who is your authentic self as a leader, and how have you continued to really show up for yourself in that way? Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 38:07 I think this is very important. And you know, my heart goes out to the young leaders, because, again, like I was saying earlier, they haven't had the experience yet. And I even remember when my sister, my younger sister, she was struggling to figure out what she wanted to do for a living, and she was a college graduate, and she still didn't know. And a lot of it is because when you don't have that personal life experience, you know — experience is a teacher. It tells you, it leaves clues. So when you don't have that, you kind of feel like you're just shooting from the hip trying to figure it out. And so what I think is important is to start the art of self-reflection early. I will never forget I was on a TDY during the Kosovo crisis. I was at RF Mildenhall, and I was a maintainer, and I remember having, you know, a lot, I think, over 200 troops over there, but it was kind of a lonely season for me, because all my peers were pilots, and they were all flying, and, you know, I didn't have anyone to hang out with, and I wasn't home, you know, I was, I was TDY. So I remember just spending my time. I would go to the gym, and then I would go for walks, and I did a lot of journaling. And I don't know why I had the foresight been but I would, you know, ask myself questions like, “Who am I? What matters to me? What values are important to me?” And the process of doing that really helped me solidify my identity. And so, for example, I knew that I thought self-love was really important to me. It was a value that I care about. So when I see people that are self-deprecating, they're talking poorly about themselves. They don't believe in themselves. This hurts my soul. It's a part of who I am, right? And so I've always believed in self-acceptance, you know. For me, as a Christian, you know, I want to celebrate how God made me and have that level of self-love. So when I was a cheerleader at the Air Force Academy, I remember I didn't have self-esteem issues with my body image. Nothing about it, right? And then I go off an become a professional fitness competitor — now I'm competing. And in that industry, breast implants were very prevalent and they were starting to get really popular. And it made me really insecure. So if you think about it, I did not change, but my environment changed. So as leaders, how often are we going to be in situations where your environment is constantly changing and maybe you feel that pressure to conform? And so in my environment, most of the women around me, as a means to an end, were getting breast implants to change how their body looked, to look more feminine, to be more accepted. And there's nothing wrong if that's what you want to do, but I remember feeling like, “Now I'm insecure about my body. Now I don't feel as pretty. Now I don't feel as feminine.” And I remember that being problematic because it wasn't in alignment with my identity. And so, again, knowing what my values are, I thought, “Well, I could go get the operation like a lot of people do. But this is problematic because I don't want to lead a life — and how am I going to go back and coach other women and lead a team if now what I'm saying is whatever is true to who you are and your identity, it's OK to abandon that.” And so, for me, that's why I chose not to have that surgery. And I started this journey — it took about two years — of being able to redefine beauty, redefine femininity. And this is kind of where all the different tools came in. So I started looking in the mirror and I would do positive — because it's self-taught. Instead of looking at my chest and saying, “You're flat and it looks masculine and you're not feminine enough,” I would say, “Girl, do you know what this chest cand do? We can do crazy push-ups.”  And I would say, “Wow, you're strong.” And over time, I changed how I felt about myself. And it was a very proud moment for me, because I look back, and that's why identity is so important. You need to take the time to reflect on who you are, what do you stand for, so that when those moments of pressure come, you're going to be able to make a decision to stay in alignment with who you are. Naviere Walkewicz 42:15 So you said — and maybe it's by grace — that you hadn't really planned. You just started journaling in those moments of quiet when you're feeling a little bit alone as TDY. Is that the best way, you think, to spend some time figuring out who you are? What's important to you? Or are there other tools you might suggest? Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 42:33 There's going to be multiple tools. You know, for me, I like to write. You know, for some people, they will pray and they will just ask a higher being to guide me and to make me more aware, make things known to me. For other people, they're going to meditate. You know, I liked journaling. I also have the strength of curiosity. And so, because of that, I was always not only asking myself a lot of questions, but I was asking other people too. And so, for example, if people don't have that strength of curiosity and they're thinking, “I really don't reflect very much and I'm never asking myself those questions,” you know, you don't necessarily have to journal it, but you can just take time to spend in reflection. But some of the work that I do, I take people through identity activation drills where I will list several, several different lists of values, different lists of strengths, and they'll think about each one and they'll really start to think about, “Let me think of a time where I experienced one of these strengths.” Or, “What's the last thing somebody celebrated?” Or, “What do people tend to tell me or complement?” And then all of a sudden they realize,” I didn't realize this was a strength, but, wow, this is a strength!” And now they can own it because they're aware of it.  Naviere Walkewicz 43:48 That is outstanding. So, you've really taken wellness into practice with everything you've done. You started to elevate others around you to have this ability to discover themselves and then have this executive presence. You know, if all the things you are doing, it takes energy. How are you… Because I know you talked about not overtraining and making sure you preserve that and doing mental reps. Is that really the special sauce? The mental training so that you don't find yourself in a period where you just lack energy and burnout?    Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 44:22 So basically, how do you sustain energy when it comes to wellness? So again, you go back to mind, body and spirit. So what I would do is I would — and this is for each person… You just break it down. You ask yourself, “OK, mind. How am I going to keep energy in my mind? What can I do?”  One of the easiest things to do is to just take a short break. So when I gave you the example of how my mind was working at full capacity for three hours straight. So when I was done, it needed a bit of a reset. And so what I do every day when I'm at home is I go outside and I visit with my chickens. So I have chickens and I have four cats. And so I will take a mental break and it's a habit for me now. I get up from the table and I will walk, because it decreases your stress hormones when you have movement, and I will give my mind a break and I will allow myself to observe. That's my favorite thing: I call it mindful walks where I just go outside and I will just take a moment. You know when they say, “Just stop and smell the roses.” No, seriously.   Naviere Walkewicz 45:28 Or the chickens…   Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 45:29 So the chickens make me smile because when I come out there I typically have treats. But they just come… They bumrush me.  So I go out there and they make me smile and then something wonderous will happen, like I might see my cat just sprinting up a tree and I'm just thinking, “Wow, what a hunter,” right? They're so fast. Then, you know, I see my dahlias that have been sprouting and I just can't believe how fast they grow overnight with sunshine. And that's just 10 minutes. And then I come back in and I instantly feel recharged and I sit down and I'm restored and ready to focus again on the next task. So, mentally, I like taking breaks. When it comes to physically, just getting into movement. And, you know, a lot of times people will think, “Well, I don't have time to go to the gym for an hour.”      Naviere Walkewicz 46:16 Or, “I'm tired already. How am I supposed to go workout?”   Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 46:17 Exactly. So when I think about the body, you know, there's four pillars that you can focus on. And if you feel like you're not mastering any of them, just start with one. So food is one. Food is fuel. And then we have hydration. You know, my husband's mom actually went to the hospital because she works all the time and she had been out in the sun and we discovered that she was dehydrated and it put her in the hospital. So sometimes when we're going after the mission and we're doing one task after — you know, when people forget to drink water and eight hours later you're dealing with brain fog, you're irritable, you don't understand what's happening. But you didn't fuel the body. So hydration, movement, food and sleep. So those are like the four pillars. And I would just ask yourself — so if I'm working with a health coaching client, I would say, “Out of those four areas, where do you want to start?” They'll say, “Sleep. My sleep health is terrible.” And then I can take it step further and say, “Have you heard of a thing called sleep hygiene?” They're like, “What's that?” “Sleep hygiene is literally, what is your sleep ritual? What are your habits to prepare for bedtime? Do you have a consistent bedtime? Do you decrease blue-light therapy? Do you put the phone away? Do you take a bubble bath to relax?” When you think about your environment and what your habits are, when some people tell you, “I do not feel rested,” we look at your sleep hygiene. What's going on? There's things that we can fix, and that's just with sleep. And so I ask people, “Where would you like to start? And you just pick one habit that you can commit to over time and once you've mastered that, you start to habit-stack.” Naviere Walkewicz 47:57 Amazing. So that was — you talked about, from the energy, when it comes to your physical and then your mental. What about from the spiritual side?    Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 48:07 OK, so, this is — and I think this is important because, again, I talk about the spirit is the anchor for your emotional health, right? And so you want to think about activities that's going to feed your soul and your spirit. Now I'll give an example. If you're going through, let's say, a season where you're irritable and you're feeling ungrateful and you're pessimistic and everything just seems bad. We're actually kind of in a season like that right now sometimes. One of the things I do — so this is just an exercise, but it's a gratitude process. Write down 100 things you are grateful for. I did this for three months straight. It took me about 20 minutes, but I got really good at it. And when you have to list out 100 things, you know, at first you might do 20 and you're like, “All right. Where do I go from here?” But you're forced to dig deeper. And when I came up with my 100 list, first of all, I would think about my husband. And 10 things, I would get specific. Grateful for his provision. Grateful for support, for his sense of humor, for his hot, fit body. You know, I'd just go down all the things, right? And then every day I'm grateful for my home, for my physical abilities, for my flexibility, my mobility. You're just in a different frame of mind. And anyone can get there if they choose to do an exercise or a prompt that shifts them from their current circumstance. And that's why I'm most passionate about empowering people that they truly can design their life utilizing these tools. Naviere Walkewicz 49:47 Can you share an example when you've seen someone that was maybe in that season…   Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 49:53 What kind of season? Negative season?   Naviere Walkewicz 49:54 In the negative season. And how going through some of these, kind of, wellness check-ins or activities — what did it allow them to do? What did it open on the other side that changed for them with your help?   Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 50:06 OK, so, one example would be we have social media; we have digital devices. And we can easily… Everything is about habit management and that's one thing I would tell people to do, you know? If you were to take inventory, look at how you live your life every day, and if you were to put every single action you did down as a habit — brush your teeth is a habit. Stop by and grab the Diet Coke is a habit. Sit down on the couch to watch TV is a habit. If you put it in a category of what serves you; what doesn't serve you. You know, one of the most…      Naviere Walkewicz 50:41 So first list out all your habits and categorize them?   Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 50:43 Right, right. So then you would recognize, “Oh my goodness. I have a habit of scrolling Instagram. Or social media.” And then you ask yourself how much time do you spend doing that. “Oh, I get caught up in a loophole of 30 to 45 minutes. And then what are you consuming? You know, so let's say the things that have happened in the last couple of weeks, you know, say something negative happens in society that's getting a lot of public attention and you're just ina rabbit hole reading about that incident over and over and over again. And when you're done scrolling, the question is, “How do you feel after that activity?” And most people would say, “I feel tense. I feel angry. I feel disappointed.” They list off all of these negative feelings. And so what I do is I help them realize, “OK, so does that serve you? Because you were in this negative health space, when you went to dinner with your family or when you went into this next assignment, how did you show up? How did you perform?” And then they realize, “Oh, wow. Not very well. I treated my wife like crap because I was irritable.” And so then you go back again. Your experience… We leave clues with how we're living our lives. So then you go back and you realize, “That is a habit I need to change.  And I just need to make a decision, and I have to have a compelling reason. So let's say you want to work on your marriage and you want to show up better for your spouse, but you're always showing up with negative energy because of this habit that you do right when you get home, then you can — so we just come up with a plan, and it's different for each person. You know, “What could you do that would be more positive?” “I could come home play a game with my kid, because, you know, my kid is amazing, and it makes me smile and laugh,” and you're in a good mood, you know? And this is why, if I am stressed during the day, I already know if I get exposed to my chickens, my cat, or just go outside, I'm so mesmerized by the beauty of nature. All of those things I know fill me in a positive way. And so I am very intentional and aware of when I need to shift, and I know what my go-to are. So when I work with clients, I help them discover what their database of go-tos are going to be. The first part is just helping them become more aware of when it's happening so they can decide to shift. Naviere Walkewicz 52:57 Right. So that awareness is really critical, but then the next step is probably the discipline and actually doing something about it?   Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 53:07 Right. Naviere Walkewicz 53:08 How can you take the lessons that you've had in bodybuilding, and then, you know, in all of your journey to help those now move from the awareness bucket to actually…   Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 53:17 To making it happen? So I think that the first goal should be consistency, not perfection, right? And I learned this the hard way as a bodybuilder, because in the beginning of my career, I hated dieting. I've always hated dieting. I love food.   Naviere Walkewicz 53:31 You and I are kindred spirits in that way.   Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 53:32 I don't mind being, yes, I don't mind being on a structured, you know, meal plan. But, you know, being on a strict diet can be hard, so anytime you set a goal to do something that is difficult, you know, the first thing that I tried to do was be perfect. So I would hire a coach, and my nutritionist would tell me, “This is what you're supposed to eat for meal one, two, three, four, exactly down to the macros. And maybe I would do great for three days. And then, you know, I would fail. I would cheat or have something I'm not supposed to have, and I would feel so bad again. Going back to a lot of these principles are coming back up. I was letting the failure identified me as a bad person, so now I'm feeling shame, and that's making me feel discouraged. And I kept doing this thing, like, “Well, I blew it, so I'm just gonna take the whole day off.” Like, how dumb is that, right? Like, there's four more meals you can eat and you're just gonna sabotage the rest of the four. So think about if I did that every day. So if you messed up every day and you sabotage three out of the six meals every single day, where would you be at the end of the week?   Naviere Walkewicz 54:31 Worse off. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 54:32 Fat. [Laughs] No, I'm just kidding,   Naviere Walkewicz 54:33 Worse off than you were when you started.   Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 54:35 You would be, with no results.   Naviere Walkewicz 54:37 No more Oreos in the house so you wouldn't have to worry about eating them anymore. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 54:40 So that's when I realized, “Oh, I'm getting caught up with perfection, and that's causing me to sabotage.” So then I changed. I said 80/20, 90/10, I just want to be consistent. And so when you fail, you know you give yourself that grace, right? And so I always like to say courage, grit and grace. You have to have the courage to do something uncomfortable, the grit to endure and then the grace to embrace when you've messed up and then move forward. And so the first thing I would do with wellness habits is, you know, you build one habit at a time, and you do what you can to be consistent, and when you fail, again, here's that theme, you take that failure as feedback. “Why did you fail? Did you get hungry? Did you have temptation in the house? Did you not set your alarm?” Right? You know? “What could you do differently?” And then you just recommit to being consistent. Naviere Walkewicz 55:31 That is excellent. So talking about everything, this has been a wonderful conversation. When I think about lasting impact, right? So you know, you've had this incredible journey. You've helped people understand how to be more aware of their wellness, how to take action, be consistent and really drive change. What is one challenge you might have our listeners take in the w

Danes pa nekaj o aktualnem trenutku v slovenskem žogobrcu. V času, ko to poslušate, se končuje slovenska nogometna avantura s poskusom preboja na Mundial prihodnje leto. Kot ima slovenski žurnalizem v navadi, ob uspehih govorimo o junakih in pravljici, ob neuspehih pa udrihamo z vsem kar gre po ubogih športnikih. Naša oddaja bo vsaj malo odvzela breme z ramen nogometašev, selektorja in Nogometne zveze Slovenije … Zakaj? Ker na nogomet gledamo širše kot običajna javnost.Osredinimo se samo na zadnji poraz, ki so ga mnogi opisali kot sramotnega, v Stožicah proti reprezentanci Kosova. Kdo je kriv, je bilo odgovorjeno že stokrat. Zvezna vrsta, ki je bila luknjičasta in počasna. Selektor, ki ne spravi skupaj ofenzivne taktike, ali napadalci, ki dajo gol vsako četrto tekmo? Po našem svetem prepričanju nihče od naštetih. Največjo krivdo nosi Janez Janša, za njim pa Danilo Türk. Zgodba je zapletena, hkrati pa enostavna. Na predlog Janševe vlade je Slovenija prve dni marca leta 2008 priznala Kosovo kot neodvisno in suvereno državo. Strinjal se je tudi tedanji predsednik Danilo Türk in poslanci so z nekaj izjemami priznanje potrdili. Torej; če takrat Slovenija Kosova ne bi priznala, ne bi mogla prejšnjo soboto proti njemu izgubiti, ker tekme sploh ne bi igrala. Igrati proti državi, ki ne obstaja, je pač nemogoče. Sobotni nogometni poraz je dal prav Sašu Pečetu in Zmagu Jelinčiču, ki sta že leta 2008 opozarjala, da bo priznanje imelo daljnosežne in negativne posledice za našo državo. Njune besede so ob sobotnem porazu z 2 : 0 postale meso, kar le še enkrat več pomeni, da je politični šovinizem tek na dolge proge. Da bi se izognili podobnim blamažam in v pomoč našemu nogometu tako predlagamo, da za božjo voljo nikarte več priznavati novih neodvisnih držav … Da ne bi recimo komu prišlo na misel priznanje Katalonije … Ob trenutnem stanju v naši reprezentanci pa ne moremo biti samozavestni niti pred tekmo z ekipo Palestine, ki jo gostimo v rehabilitacijskem centru Soča. Če dobro premislimo; slovenskemu reprezentančnemu nogometu bi najbolj pomagali, ako prekinemo diplomatske stike z večino svetovnih držav in potem bi, z neigranjem tekem, dosegli kar precejšnje uspehe. Pač po logiki, da če tekme ne igraš, si še vedno uspešnejši od tega, da jo izgubiš! Ob tekmi pa je bilo še nekaj spornih situacij, ki so burile javnost mogoče celo bolj kot poraz sam. Tribune so namreč zasedli kosovski navijači v številu, ki je najbrž preseglo slovenske navijače in žvižgali so Zdravljici. Kar je vsega obsojanja vredno, ampak nekaj je treba vedeti … Pogumni in neustrašni Iliri iz goratega zaledja Jadranskega morja gojijo do nogometa posebno strast. Pa ne le to. Nogomet je postal njihov izvozni izdelek, ki je mogoče celo bolj pogost, kot nastrgano meso v štručki ali pa popularna poletna osvežitev. Hočemo povedati, da nogometaši pod dvoglavim orlom logično zapolnjujejo nogometno reprezentanco republike Albanije, nato republike Kosovo in v veliki meri še reprezentanco Švice. Proti takšni valilnici nogometnih talentov je majhna Slovenija brez moči in ker smo v kvalifikacijah igrali tako s Kosovom kot s Švico, lahko v maniri duhovičenja športnih komentatorjev pristavimo, da je dvoglavi orel pošteno oskubil slovensko kokoš. Pa gremo k izgubljenemu dvoboju na tribunah. Mlačnost in pomanjkanje energije slovenskih navijačev na tribunah je čudovito sovpadalo z mlačnostjo in pomanjkanjem energije slovenskih nogometašev. In poznejše jokanje po družbenih omrežjih, kako so bili gostujoči navijači bolj glasni, bolj zavzeti, z večjimi zastavami in z več strasti, je klavrni navijaški predstavi le nastavilo ogledalo. Na tem mestu pa ne moremo mimo katastrofalne politike Nogometne zveze Slovenije. Groteskna in zdaj sploh ne več prikrita absolutna in popolna centralizacija Slovenije je dosegla in zadušila tudi nogomet. Vztrajanje, da mora reprezentanca igrati tekme v na pol dograjenih Stožicah, ker je pač v onih betonskih temeljih zakopano bistvo slovenstva, je neumno, če že ni skrajno škodljivo. Nacionalne nogometne zveze, tudi tiste velikih in pomembnih reprezentanc, dosledno skrbijo, da nacionalna moštva domače tekme igrajo na različnih prizoriščih po državi. To ni ne neka novost, ne posebna praksa. Gre za osnovno nogometno dostojnost, bi zapisali. Razen slovenske nogometne zveze, ki je tako zaverovana v Ljubljano, kot da si nogometni uradniki ne bi smeli izplačati dnevnice, če bi se podali kam drugam. Recimo v Celje, kjer trenutno gori še zadnji dostojni utrinek slovenskega nogometa. Da o Mariboru, ki je kljub sramotni prodaji domačega kluba še vedno z naskokom največje slovensko nogometno mesto. Vztrajanje z Ljubljano in s Stožicami, kjer poskušajo umetno vzpostaviti čarobnost nekdanjega Bežigrada, je za slovenski nogomet škodljivo prav toliko, kot porazne igre naše nogometne reprezentance.  

In this episode of the show, I sit down with John Spencer. We're proud to have brought John aboard as The MirYam Institute Senior Analyst On Urban & Asymmetrical Warfare. A globally renowned expert, John delves into his recent position paper regarding the U.S. proposed International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, the outline for which is currently moving through the United Nations (link to position paper below).He and I discuss where he sees reason for optimism and for caution. Enjoy!Read John Spencer's Position Paper:Support the showThe MirYam Institute. Israel's Future in Israel's Hands.Subscribe to our podcast: https://podfollow.com/1493910771Follow The MirYam Institute X: https://bit.ly/3jkeUyxFollow Benjamin Anthony X: https://bit.ly/3hZeOe9Like Benjamin Anthony Facebook: https://bit.ly/333Ct93Like The MirYam Institute Facebook: https://bit.ly/2SarHI3Follow Benjamin Anthony Instagram: https://bit.ly/30m6uPGFollow The MirYam Institute Instagram: https://bit.ly/3l5fvED

TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE - FROM EUROPE'S RADICAL RIGHT, AND EX-BREXIT PARTY MEP NATHAN GILL!Nick Cohen and Arthur Snell - the author and ex-diplomat - discuss political corruption and treason - following the sentencing of Nathan Gill, the former Brexit Party MEP and ex-leader of UKIP in Wales. They discuss the deply disturbing case of Gill- convicted of eight counts of bribery, after an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing uncovered how he received payment in return for making statements which supported the presence of pro-Russian media outlets in Ukraine.Arthur explains the enduring love affair between Putin's Russia and Europe's Radical Right politicians. Gill and others have collaborated with pro-Kremlin politicians to spread anti-Ukrainian propaganda. Nick and Arthur explore the unique aspects of corruption across different countries and highlighted an upcoming trial involving charges of bribery related to pro-Kremlin propaganda activities. The discussion concluded with an examination of the complex relationship between the radical right in Western countries and Russian President Vladimir Putin.Russian Influence in European PoliticsArthur explains the widespread pro-Russian sentiment among far-right European politicians, noting examples like Farage's admiration for Putin and Tice's connection to a Russian financier. He emphasises that while Nathan Gill's influence was limited, his propaganda echoed broader Russian efforts to insert pro-Russian narratives into mainstream media Nick highlights how Russian disinformation, amplified through social media and media outlets, can shape public opinion, referencing instances like Nigel Farage's paid appearances on Russia Today, the Putin propaganda channel now banned from UK airwaves. Both Arthur and Nick agree about the reluctance of British authorities to investigate Russian interference, particularly in the context of Brexit, due to political sensitivities.Read all about itArthur Snell's substack column is Not all doom & his regular inciteful podcast is Behind the Lines. Arthur's first not fiction book is How Britain Broke the World: War, Greed and Blunders from Kosovo to Afghanistan, 1997-2022 .Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Read Nick's latest column, Can Europe resist Trump's gangsterism? Does it have the willpower to try? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sie dienten in Afghanistan, Mali, im Kosovo. Doch wieder zurück in Deutschland tobt der Einsatz weiter: Das sind Nächte ohne Schlaf, Erinnerungen an den gefallenen Kameraden, an das Gefecht.

In der 316. Ausgabe der «Dritten Halbzeit» geht es um die WM-Qualifikation des Schweizer WM-Teams – obwohl es noch nicht zu 100 Prozent garantiert ist. Aber es müsste schon mit höheren Kräften zugehen, damit das Team von Murat Yakin nach dem 4:1 gegen Schweden am Dienstag in Pristina 0:6 oder höher verliert. Stattdessen konzentrieren wir uns eher darauf, was die sechste WM-Teilnahme in Folge für eine Nation wie die Schweiz bedeutet. Wie gross der Anteil von Captain Granit Xhaka ist. Und welche Spieler beim Sieg in Genf besonders überzeugt haben.Aber auch der FC Zürich ist in der Länderspielpause Thema. Dennis Hediger bleibt bis zum Ende des Jahres Interimstrainer des FCZ und wir spekulieren: Ist es ein Sieg von Sportchef Milos Malenovic, dass „sein” Trainer weiterhin im Amt ist? Und wir fragen uns, welcher Kandidat in der letzten Woche bei Ancillo Canepa im Büro sass – und am Ende doch nicht Trainer der Zürcher geworden ist.Die Themen:00:00 Werbung00:30 Intro03:30 Die Schweiz kann die Tickets buchen07:55 Sechs WM-Endrunden in Folge18:45 Das 4:1 gegen Schweden30:14 Superjoker Johan Manzambi35:28 Embolo überholt Chapuisat40:33 Was Okafor von Elvedi lernen kann47:42 Hediger bleibt FCZ-Trainer In der Dritten Halbzeit wird über den Schweizer Fussball diskutiert. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode we explore the evolving political landscape of Kosovo with Serbeze Haxhiaj. We discuss the questions of ethnic identity, economic opportunity, and minority integration and their continuation to shape Kosovo's future. Find out more about how media narratives influence public perception, the positive role of civil society, and the challenges facing EU-brokered negotiations. From frozen conflicts and international risks to the growing frustration of Kosovo's younger generation, this episode sheds light on the hopes and hurdles defining one of Europe's most complex regions.Serbeze Haxhiaj has been working as an investigative journalist and news editor in Kosovo and for international media for over 19 years, dealing mainly with the most pressing issues such as corruption, human rights, security issues, religious extremism, terrorism and war crimes.Haxhiaj is currently an editor at Radio Television of Kosovo and a journalist of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN). She has previously worked for the daily newspapers Rilindja, Zeri, Lajm and Koha ditore, was the correspondent in Pristina of the French Courrier des Balkans, and worked for 5 years as a specialised researcher for the Navanti Group, an American research and analysis institute.For reporting on war crimes, organised crime, corruption, human rights and violence against women, Haxhiaj has been awarded 12 twelve times by various local and international organisations. She holds master degree in International Law.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you're a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe's leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe's leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today's business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our updates!Tell us what you liked!

Vincenzo Carrozza"Il traditore"Golem Edizioniwww.golemedizioni.itSeguito del libro “Ghost Medical Team”.  Il GMT è chiamato a svolgere una nuova missione che coinvolge George, Lorenzo e tre soldati inglesi, in territorio nemico. George, leader del GMT, rimarrà ucciso. Lorenzo non è convito che la sua morte sia casuale, così, insieme al suo amico Giuseppe e Ciccio, il cane mascotte, comincia a cercare indizi. Entrambi sono convinti che George sia stato ucciso in seguito a un preciso ordine. Ma da parte di chi? E perché?La vicenda si snoda tra Inghilterra, Francia, Cuba e Russia e altri omicidi, mettendo a rischio la vita degli stessi due amici e Ciccio.Vincenzo CarrozzaMedico, specializzato in Chirurgia generale, dopo varie esperienze di lavoro in Italia e all'estero, decide di dedicarsi alla chirurgia di guerra. Somalia, Niger, Afghanistan, Mali, Kosovo e Ucraina diventano, allora, luoghi familiari, dove provare a dare speranza a bambini, donne, ragazzi, uomini per i quali la morte arriva inaspettata per via delle guerre, della fame, dei trafficanti, delle malattie, del terrorismo, del deserto e del mare grosso.Ghost Medical Team, pubblicato nel 2023 per Golem Edizioni, racconta di un team medico altamente segreto, al servizio di enti sovranazionali, nato per agire in zone ostili.Diventa un supporter di questo podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/il-posto-delle-parole--1487855/support.IL POSTO DELLE PAROLEascoltare fa pensarehttps://ilpostodelleparole.it/

Über den FC Basel, wo der Fokus sich immer mehr auf Trainer Ludovic Magnin richtet. Bis hin zu den Young Boys, die unter Gerardo Seoane mal vier Tore kassieren und mal vier Tore schiessen.Es geht um den FC Zürich, der in der Länderspielpause ja eigentlich einen neuen Trainer vorstellen müsste. Um die Grasshoppers, die in Winterthur einen extrem wichtigen Sieg feiern. Und es geht um die kritischen Aussagen von Noah Okafor vor den entscheidenden WM-Qualifikationsspielen der Schweiz gegen Schweden und Kosovo.Host: Tilman PaulsProduzent: Tobias HolzerDie Themen:00:00 Intro05:40 Das Wunder von Thun16:50 Fragen an Ludovic Magnin28:48 Lob für Gerardo Seoane38:37 Die Energie von Lausanne-Sport45:40 Bildinterpretation beim FCZ59:23 Becher auf der Schützenwiese01:10:15 Okafor ist schlecht beraten In der Dritten Halbzeit wird über den Schweizer Fussball diskutiert. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Anti-Turk protests in Montenegro have added to rising tensions between Serbia and Turkey. The unrest was set off by anger over Ankara's sale of weapons to Kosovo, and growing fears of Turkish influence in the Balkans. “Turks out!” shouted protesters as they marched through Podgorica, the Montenegrin capital. Several Turkish-owned businesses, among the country's largest investors, were ransacked during last month's violence. The clashes were sparked by a knife attack on a Montenegrin citizen by Turkish nationals. After the unrest, Montenegro imposed visa requirements on Turkish visitors. Some opposition parties accused Serbia of stoking the protests, pointing to rising friction between Belgrade and Ankara over the arms sale to Kosovo. “There are those accusing the Serbian region of being behind it,” Vuk Vuksanovic, of the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, told RFI. “Although I have seen no material evidence.” Widening rift While Serbia has not commented on the accusations, it has the capacity to incite such unrest given its strong influence in Montenegro, Vuksanovic said. “The drama involving Montenegro has built up to this difficult atmosphere in Serbian-Turkish relations,” he said. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic last month accused Turkey of trying to resurrect the Ottoman Empire through the sale of sophisticated drones to Kosovo, which broke away from Serbia in 1999. Analysts say the weapons deal could shift the balance of power in the region. “There are the kamikaze drones, which are posing a threat, and there are also strategic drones likely to be used to secure the border itself and more as a show of force,” said Zoran Ivanov, a security expert from the Institute of National History in Skopje, North Macedonia. “So it poses a direct security threat to Serbia and Serbia has to react to this.” Criminalising identity: Turkey's LGBTQI+ community under threat Changing alliances The tension marks a sharp turnaround. In recent years, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had built a close relationship with his Serbian counterpart, and Turkish companies became major investors in Serbia. However the arms sale to Kosovo reveals a shift in Turkey's relations with Belgrade, explained international relations professor Huseyin Bagci, of Ankara's Middle East Technical University. “Turkey has more leverage than Serbia,” Bagci said. “The relations between Turkey and Serbia, we understand each other, but it is not as happy as before.” Analysts say the shift reflects Ankara's wider ambitions in the Balkans. “Ankara is trying to increase its influence and will do it,” said Bagci, adding that Turkey's historical and cultural ties to the region run deep – with millions of families tracing their roots back to the former Ottoman territories. “The Ottoman Empire was a Balkan empire. The Turkish influence is getting bigger, and of course, they don't like it. But Turkey is the big brother in the Balkans.” Turkish Cypriot vote could force shift in Erdogan's approach to divided island Turkish expansion Last month, Turkish forces took command of NATO's KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. At the same time, Turkish businesses continued expanding across the region. “They're expanding their markets; they're expanding their capabilities; they're expanding their influence,” Ivanov said. Turkey's renewed focus on the Balkans was unsurprising given historical ties, he added. “That's natural for the Turks to come to invest in the region and now looking for their old roots." However its expanding presence might feel like history repeating itself, Ivanov warned. As “a man who is coming from the Balkans,” he said, he sees “the Turks coming as they were in history” – a reminder of a past many in the region have not forgotten. The European Union has praised Ankara for supporting peacekeeping operations and economic aid in Kosovo. But analysts caution that Turkey must avoid alienating its Balkan neighbours. “Ankara also has to be mindful of its own limitations of its own Balkan ambitions," Vuksanovic. said. "Because otherwise it can push majority Christian Orthodox nations like the Serbs, Greeks and Bulgarians to work against the Turks if the Turks are perceived to be too provocative or aggressive.”

The European Commission has released its annual enlargement report and there's movement on Europe's waiting list. Ten countries are officially candidates to join the EU: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Turkey, and Ukraine. They all want a seat at the table, but who is really getting closer to joining, and who is falling behind?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dominic Bowen hosts Vjosa Musliu to analyse the growing wave of protests and dissent across Serbia. Together, they examine the EU's influence, the controversial lithium extraction agreement, and the role of media bias in shaping public opinion. From political repression to Serbia–Kosovo tensions, they trace how civil rights and democracy are being tested in one of Europe's most complex regions.Vjosa Musliu is an Associate Professor of International Relations at the VUB. Her research interests include international and European interventions, conflicts and international political economy. Her area of focus is primarily the Balkans and post-Soviet space. She is a co-editor of the Routledge Series of Studies in Intervention and Statebuilding and co-founder of Yugoslawomen+ Collective, a collective of six academics from the post-Yugoslav space working in ‘Global North' academia She is also a board director at the Youth Initiative for Human Rights Kosovo. She is the author of three books and dozens of journal articles in the field of international relations. Before entering academia, she worked as a journalist in Kosovo. Vjosa is based between Belgium and Kosovo.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you're a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe's leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe's leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today's business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our updates!Tell us what you liked!

Kosovo on road to NATO with USA support

This was a fascinating conversation with Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir whose TED talk, documentary and book have opened our eyes to a new concept of what intuition is, and how and why we need to plug into its potential. She shares her personal story of working at the UN after the war in Kosovo and the disconnection she felt along with her journey back to the Icelandic concept of Innseai. In this episode we discuss parenting with innsaei: intuitive listening, how to model emotional openness, the need to create space for stillness, foster creative freedom and connecting our kids and ourselves with nature. Listen to Hrund's TED TalkCheck out her documentaryHer book Innsaei: Heal, Revive and Reset with the Icelandic Art of Intuition **********Thank you to FeedSpot for selecting “Parenting the Adlerian Way” as the #1 parenting podcast in Canada!Do you have a parenting question for me? Send it to hello@alysonschafer.com and I'll answer (anonymously) on an upcoming Q&A podcast.Sign up for my monthly newsletter at www.alysonschafer.com and receive my “Responsibilities By Age” pdf. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Burkhardt, Susanne www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de, Fazit

Sometimes the hardest battles aren't fought overseas. They're fought in living rooms, late at night, when the weight of war refuses to let go. In this powerful conversation, Ashley Sylvester shares the story of her husband, Army Sergeant Jason Sylvester, whose deployments to Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan left invisible scars that followed him home. Ashley walks us through the subtle shifts she saw over time: sleepless nights, changes in mood, outbursts, and moments when Jason seemed present in body but gone in spirit. She describes the impossible balancing act of protecting their children, seeking help inside and outside the military system, and watching the walls close in. Her honesty shines a light on the barriers veterans face, the threat of losing security clearances, stigma, and fear of losing careers, which keep too many from getting the support they need. Most of all, she shares the heartbreak of losing Jason to suicide, and why recognizing the warning signs and having hard conversations could make all the difference for another family. This episode covers a difficult topic, but it's also a call to action: don't ignore what you see, don't wait, and don't give up on finding the help that's out there. Timestamps: 04:27 - The first signs of sleepless nights and nightmares 13:00 - The rucksack of trauma that only grows heavier 18:00 - Creative strategies Ashley used to get her husband to talk 31:00 - When Jason began to mentally check out 44:15 - The tornado, the loss of everything, and the final spiral Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JasonSylvester2017 Follow Ashley Sylvester on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-sylvester-b426a4263 Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

Le Danemark enverra bientôt quelque 300 prisonniers, dans des cellules au Kosovo. Soit à quelque 2 000 kilomètres plus au sud. L'accord qui a pour but de désengorger les prisons surpeuplées rapportera 200 millions d'euros au petit pays des Balkans, soit quatre fois le budget du ministère de la Justice. Pour Pristina, il s'agit d'un juste retour des choses, car le Danemark a soutenu son indépendance face à la Serbie. Mais les critiques ne manquent pas, face à une externalisation de plus qui ne s'embarrasse guère de considérations morales. Reportage à Gjilan signé Louis Seiller.     Les Roumains viennent d'inaugurer la plus grande cathédrale orthodoxe du monde Après plus de dix ans de travaux, l'hyperbole est de mise... la cathédrale du Salut de la nation se veut un symbole du pouvoir de l'Église. Mais elle a coûté 270 millions d'euros dont une grande partie d'argent public. Ce qui soulève beaucoup de critiques en pleine période d'austérité alors que le système de santé et l'éducation sont sous dotés. À Bucarest, notre correspondante Marine Leduc a assisté à l'inauguration.     L'endoctrinement patriotique russe à hauteur d'enfant  C'est tout l'objet du documentaire Mr Nobody against Putin nommé pour les oscars. Il a été tourné par le vidéaste officiel d'une école de province en Russie, aujourd'hui exilé à Prague où il a pu obtenir le statut de réfugiés. Images édifiantes qu'a pu regarder pour nous notre correspondant Alexis Rosenzweig.     La chronique musique de Vincent Théval  Miguel Araújo :  Quem?

Mike Hayes is a former U.S. Navy SEAL officer who served 20 years in Special Operations. A graduate of one of the toughest SEAL training classes—one of only 19 out of 120 to complete—he deployed throughout South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia, including in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Hayes commanded SEAL Team TWO and led a 2,000-person Special Operations Task Force in southeastern Afghanistan. He also served as Deputy Commander for all Special Operations in Anbar Province, Iraq, and was selected as a White House Fellow (’08–’09). At the National Security Council, he served as Director for Defense Policy and Strategy, where he helped draft a proposed START Treaty and led the White House response to the Maersk Alabama hijacking. His decorations include the Bronze Star for Valor in Iraq, a Bronze Star for Afghanistan, and the Defense Superior Service Medal. After retiring from the Navy, Hayes transitioned to senior leadership roles in technology and investment, and authored Never Enough: A Navy SEAL Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning, donating all profits to support Gold Star families. He lives with his wife, Anita, and their daughter, Maeson, and most enjoys spending time and laughing with them when not mentoring others or speaking about leadership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#187 - A childhood marked by chaos. A career built on service. And a second act shaped by faith, language, and a blank page. Jake sits down with Ken Webb to trace a life that refuses to settle for mere existence—from praying his way through a turbulent home to leading across Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and beyond.Ken opens up about how his grandparents' steady love and a lived-in faith helped him endure abuse and instability, and how those early lessons informed three decades in the Army Reserve. We walk through his pivot from military police to intelligence, the realities of early Iraq deployments, the nuance of embassy duty in Baghdad, and the complexity of retiring when your identity is wrapped in a uniform. Ken shares why he turned down comfortable contracts, chose Miraflores in Lima, and made Spanish class and the gym his new daily discipline.We also dig into his debut novel, Trapped in Deception, a work of fiction threaded with real messages and real emotions. The story explores gaslighting, misplaced trust, and moral courage through a protagonist who—like Ken—keeps moving forward even when life tilts sideways. Along the way, Ken reframes adventure: not cliffs and bravado, but consistent growth, honest discomfort, and choices that expand your life. If you're wrestling with what comes after a big chapter ends, or wondering how to trade drift for direction, this conversation offers practical hope and hard-won insight.Listen, share with a friend who needs courage today, and if the story speaks to you, leave a quick rating or review. It helps more curious, purpose-driven listeners find the show.To learn more about Ken and his first novel check out kenwebb69.com.Want to be a guest on Journey with Jake? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake Visit LandPirate.com to get your gear that has you, the adventurer, in mind. Use the code "Journey with Jake" to get an additional 15% off at check out. Visit geneticinsights.co and use the code "DISCOVER25" to enjoy a sweet 25% off your first purchase.

In this powerful episode, we are honored to welcome Brigadier General Roger S. Giraud, the 21st Chief of the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps (MSC), Commanding General of Medical Readiness Command–Europe, Command Surgeon for U.S. Army Europe and Africa, and Director of the Defense Health Network Europe. With a career spanning over three decades, BG Giraud brings unmatched leadership experience across tactical, operational, and strategic levels. In this episode, he shares the vision and strategy to achieve the future of the Medical Service Corps and breaks down what it takes to build, grow, and lead a world-class team of Medical Service Corps Officers and Warrant Officers.Episode Highlights:People Are the Priority: BG Giraud outlines our three strategic priorities for the Medical Service Corps. Recruit phenomenal talent, Develop it deliberately, and Retain the best to meet Army modernization demands.Talent Management: Why it's essential for officers to master their craft, advocate for their careers, and understand the flexibility of the MSC structure.The Future of Army Medicine: A candid discussion on leveraging data, artificial intelligence, and structure changes to make the MSC more adaptable and impactful.Mentorship & Leadership: Reflections from a career that spans Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Germany, the Pentagon, and beyond. BG Giraud shares the leadership principles that shaped him and how MSC officers at all levels can apply them.Practical Advice for Officers: Whether you're just commissioning or preparing for strategic-level command, BG Giraud offers honest guidance for career growth, resilience, and staying mission ready.Call to Action: BG Giraud emphasizes staying relevant, investing in professional development, and keeping MSC officers at the forefront of the Medical Service Corps mission “conserve the fighting strength now and into the future so others may live.”About BG Roger S. Giraud. BG Giraud is a Distinguished Military Graduate of Texas A&M, with dual bachelor's degrees in Biomedical and Animal Science. He earned his Master of Health Administration from Baylor University and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. His command and staff roles include battalion, brigade, and division-level leadership; deployments to Iraq, Kosovo, and Afghanistan; and multiple executive roles at OTSG and MEDCOM HQ. His awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Expert Field Medical Badge, German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Gold), and membership in the Order of Military Medical Merit. He is also the recipient of The Surgeon General's prestigious “A” Proficiency Designator.Pro Tip: Watch alongside the MSC Strategy Map on our YouTube channel to follow BG Giraud's discussion in action.Book reference: The History of the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps by Richard V.N. Ginn, https://www.amazon.com/History-Medical-Service-Richard-2015-10-19/dp/B01K3JNXHEDisclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are the guests and host's alone and do not reflect the official position of the Medical Service Corps, the Department of Defense, or the US Government. All information discussed is unclassified approved for public release and found on open cleared sources.For more episodes listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube @ Be All You Can Be MSC For more information, suggestions, or questions please contact: beallyoucanbemsc@gmail.com

Mission Driven - How To Make Better Decisions - From Former Commanding Officer US Navy SEAL Team TwoGuest:Mike Hayes A Managing Director at Insight Partners * Former Commanding Officer of US Navy SEAL Team TWO* Managing Director, Insight Partners* Author of National Bestseller Mission Driven (distilled nicely in this article)All of Mike's profits from his book sales go to a 501(c)(3) he founded, The 1162 Foundation, which pays off mortgages for Gold Star families – he's paid off 12 widows' mortgages to date.AUMRegulatory assets under management $90B and 600 portfolio managers. Timeless LessonsLeaders Don't need to make the best decision.They need to make sure the best decision gets made. Team, Teammate, SelfAlgin these 3 things – for purpose and elite performance:What gives someone energy?What are they good at?What's good for the business?Best adviceWhenever you are having a hard day, find someone else who's having a harder day and help them. Social Profiles* Instagram @thisis.mikehayes* X @thisismikehayes* LinkedInBioMike Hayes is Managing Director at Insight Partners, a global software investment firm with $90B+ in regulatory assets under management and 800+ portfolio companies across every stage of growth.Prior to Insight, Mike was Chief Operating Officer at VMware, where he led the company's worldwide business operations, their SaaS transition, and the successful acquisition into Broadcom for $94B. Before that, Mike served as Senior Vice President and Head of Strategic Operations for Cognizant Technologies, where he ran a $2B P&L for Cognizant's global financial services clients.Mike previously spent four years at Bridgewater Associates, an investment management firm, where he served in Chief of Staff to CEO and COO roles. Prior to Bridgewater, he spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy SEALs where his career began as one of 19 graduates from a class of 120. Mike served throughout South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia, including the conflicts in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan.His last job in the Navy was the Commanding Officer of SEAL Team TWO, which included ten months as the Commander of a 2,000-person Special Operations Task Force in southeastern Afghanistan. Before that, Mike was selected as a White House Fellow ('08/'09) and served two years as Director of Defense Policy and Strategy at the National Security Council.In the Bush Administration, Mike was responsible for the START Treaty, where he produced a new proposed START Treaty and flew to Russia for negotiations. In the Obama administration, he led the White House response to President Obama's first major foreign policy showdown — the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama off the coast of Somalia. Prior to the White House Fellowship, Mike served as the Deputy Commander for all Special Operations in Anbar Province, Iraq.Mike holds an M.A. in Public Policy from Harvard's Kennedy School and received his B.A. from Holy Cross College, where he was an active Big Brother. His military decorations include the Bronze Star for valor in combat in Iraq, a Bronze Star for Afghanistan, and the Defense Superior Service Medal from the White House.Mike is the author of the best-seller Never Enough: A Navy SEAL Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning, and donates all profits to a 501(c)(3) he started that pays off mortgages for Gold Star widows and children.He serves on the board of Immuta, a data governance company, and is the founding board member of the National Medal of Honor Museum. Mike is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations, is fluent in German and Spanish, frequently speaks about leadership and elite organizations, and enjoys mentoring others to success.He is a life-long Sox/Pats fan, but most enjoys laughing with his wife, Anita, and their 24-year-old daughter, Maeson.

Wow, wow, wow. Despite having one of the best striker partnerships in world football, Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres' Sweden fell to defeat against Kosovo for the second time this year. Where did it go wrong for Jon Dahl Tomasson, and might Graham Potter be the man to rescue their qualification campaign?Lars Sivertsen joins Dotun and Andy to discuss the fallout. Before that though, Kylian Mbappé captained France to victory against Azerbaijan. Are we seeing a new, more mature Mbappé, and who's going to join him up front next summer? Finally, Robert Lewandowski is set to leave Barcelona. But why?Please fill out Stak's listener survey! It'll help us learn more about the content you love so we can bring you even more - you'll also be entered into a competition to win one of five PlayStation 5's! Click here: https://bit.ly/staksurvey2025Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump has pulled off one of the greatest feats of his presidency by securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas—just nine months into his return to the presidency. From Iran and Israel to Ethiopia and Egypt, Kosovo and Serbia, and Pakistan and India, Trump approaches foreign policy through direct negotiation, economic leverage, and personal diplomacy. Victor Davis Hanson explores why this model succeeded where others failed, and how it could soon shape Trump's approach to Ukraine on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In a Few Words." “Why is this happening now, though? It didn't happen under Biden, a settlement in the Middle East. It did not happen under Trump's first administration. It did not happen under Obama. It did not happen under George Bush. There were about 10 things that had to happen. All these intricate pieces in this puzzle, the pieces of the peace, all fell into success in a way that made it possible. What were they? “Donald Trump created personal relationships in the Arab community. He did not insult the Saudis, as Joe Biden had done during the 2020 campaigns. He did not alienate the Arab community. He did not alienate Benjamin Netanyahu. He gave them concessions. He praised them. He created personal relationships. He did trade deals. He used tariffs as carrot and a stick, pressures and leverages.”

Alla som är över 75 år rekommenderas vaccin mot covid-19 / Fler barn under 15 år hamnar i domstol / Sveriges tränare sparkad efter förlust mot Kosovo i VM-kvalet i herrfotboll / Många vill lära sig mer om svamp Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radio Play. Av Jenny Pejler och Ingrid Forsberg.