Podcasts about North Africa

China is emerging from the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran in a much weaker position. For years, Beijing counted on Tehran to serve as a bulwark against Washington. Today, though, that's no longer possible as the Iranian government and its proxies across the Middle East have been neutralized, at least for now. The conflict also exposed a major Chinese vulnerability following threats that Iran might close the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for the attacks on its nuclear facilities. This would be devastating for the Chinese economy, given that between a third and half of all Chinese oil imports pass through this strategic waterway. Ahmed Aboudouh, head of the China research unit at the Emirates Policy Center and an associate fellow in the Chatham House Middle East and North Africa program, joins Eric & Cobus to discuss the new realities facing Beijing in the aftermath of the war in Iran. JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social FOLLOW CGSP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

Full Text of ReadingsThursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 374The Saint of the day is Blessed Raymond LullBlessed Raymond Lull's Story Raymond worked all his life to promote the missions and died a missionary to North Africa. Raymond was born at Palma on the island of Mallorca in the Mediterranean Sea. He earned a position in the king's court there. One day a sermon inspired him to dedicate his life to working for the conversion of the Muslims in North Africa. He became a Secular Franciscan and founded a college where missionaries could learn the Arabic they would need in the missions. Retiring to solitude, he spent nine years as a hermit. During that time he wrote on all branches of knowledge, a work which earned him the title “Enlightened Doctor.” Raymond then made many trips through Europe to interest popes, kings, and princes in establishing special colleges to prepare future missionaries. He achieved his goal in 1311, when the Council of Vienne ordered the creation of chairs of Hebrew, Arabic, and Chaldean at the universities of Bologna, Oxford, Paris, and Salamanca. At the age of 79, Raymond went to North Africa in 1314 to be a missionary himself. An angry crowd of Muslims stoned him in the city of Bougie. Genoese merchants took him back to Mallorca, where he died. Raymond was beatified in 1514 and his liturgical feast is celebrated on June 30. Reflection Raymond worked most of his life to help spread the gospel. Indifference on the part of some Christian leaders and opposition in North Africa did not turn him from his goal. Three hundred years later Raymond's work began to have an influence in the Americas. When the Spanish began to spread the gospel in the New World, they set up missionary colleges to aid the work. Saint Junípero Serra belonged to such a college. Click here for quotes from Catholic saints! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

China is emerging from the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran in a much weaker position. For years, Beijing counted on Tehran to serve as a bulwark against Washington. Today, though, that's no longer possible as the Iranian government and its proxies across the Middle East have been neutralized, at least for now. The conflict also exposed a major Chinese vulnerability following threats that Iran might close the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for the attacks on its nuclear facilities. This would be devastating for the Chinese economy, given that between a third and half of all Chinese oil imports pass through this strategic waterway. Ahmed Aboudouh, head of the China research unit at the Emirates Policy Center and an associate fellow in the Chatham House Middle East and North Africa program, joins Eric & Cobus to discuss the new realities facing Beijing in the aftermath of the war in Iran. JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social FOLLOW CGSP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

The richly diverse and fascinating world of culture and politics of the Middle East and North Africa, co-hosted by Khalil and Malihe. The post Voices of the Middle East and North Africa – June 26, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

Texas is turning to helicopters to manage invasive aoudad sheep, what's behind a surge in moose attacks in Colorado, and one youth figured out how to turn biodegradable fishing lures into a business plus how Gen Z are taking Adulting classes. Join radio hosts Rebecca Wanner aka 'BEC' and Jeff ‘Tigger' Erhardt (Tigger & BEC) with The Bend Radio Show & Podcast, your news outlet for the latest in Outdoors & Western Lifestyle News!   Season 5, Episode 242 Aerial Hunting, Moose Dangers, Life Lessons, and a Teen's Green Fishing Breakthrough  Texas Takes to the Skies to Manage Invasive Aoudad Texas is stepping up its wildlife management game — from the sky. Starting September 1, hunters will be allowed to shoot aoudad, also known as Barbary sheep, from helicopters, thanks to Senate Bill 1245, signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott. Originally from North Africa, aoudad were brought to Texas in the 1950s and have since exploded in number — with over 30,000 now roaming the state. They're hardy, fast-breeding, and tough on the environment, competing with native species like mule deer and bighorn sheep, damaging fragile desert ecosystems, and even spreading disease to commercial herds. The bill adds aoudad to the state's aerial wildlife management program, which already includes feral hogs and coyotes. Officials hope helicopter hunting — a method that helped reduce hog numbers by over 30% — can also bring the aoudad population under control. While they're a problem for landowners and wildlife managers, aoudad remain a popular big game target for hunters. Texas has no closed season or bag limit for them — just bring a valid hunting license and be ready for a challenge, whether on foot or from above. Reference: https://www.outdoorlife.com/hunting/texas-hunting-aoudad-from-helicopters/ Colorado Officials Warn: Give Moose Space During Calving Season Moose attacks are on the rise across Colorado, and wildlife officials say the reason is simple — it's calving season. From late May to mid-June, cow moose become highly protective of their young and more likely to charge if they feel threatened, especially by dogs. In just over a week, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) responded to four separate attacks involving mother moose and nearby people or pets. In one case, a cow moose trampled two dogs and forced a man to dive under a car. In another, two women were charged and stomped while walking off-leash dogs — they only escaped by climbing onto a roof, and a neighbor used a fire extinguisher to drive the moose off. Even leashed dogs don't guarantee safety. In Grand County, Colorado, a woman was seriously hurt when a cow moose charged her and her dog; her boyfriend shot the moose in self-defense. Wildlife officers later had to euthanize the orphaned calf, fearing it would become too dependent on humans. In the most recent incident, a woman in Steamboat Springs was attacked while walking her dogs. A bystander tried to help — and got kicked for his trouble. The injured woman was airlifted to the hospital, and the cow and its two calves were later relocated. CPW says moose see dogs as predators and react aggressively to protect their calves. They're urging outdoor enthusiasts to keep pets leashed, avoid thick brush where calves may be hiding, and give moose a wide berth if spotted. While moose attacks remain rare, growing moose and human populations mean encounters are becoming more likely. So if you're hiking in moose country this time of year, stay alert, leash your dog, and let these massive mammals raise their young in peace. Reference: https://cpw.state.co.us/news/06022025/colorado-parks-and-wildlife-warns-potentially-aggressive-cow-moose-following-three GEN Z Needs Adulting “101” According to a recent New York Post article, Gen Z — born between 1997 and 2012 — can code TikToks in their sleep, but ask them to change a tire or fold a fitted sheet? Forget it. High schoolers and college students across the U.S. are now signing up for “Adulting 101” — crash courses in how to do laundry, budget for rent, or cook something besides ramen.New York teen Zack Leitner put it this way: “Until the 1960s, students learned how to cook, clean, and sew. In 2025, we're lucky if they know how to do their laundry.” Psychologist Jean Twenge points to overprotective parenting and a trend of young adults living longer at home. She says today's 20-somethings are arriving at adulthood with empty toolboxes — not because they're lazy, but because no one taught them the basics.So while schools are starting to step in, experts say these basic life skills should be taught way earlier. Because whether it's interest rates or ironing a shirt — ignorance isn't bliss. It's expensive…. Lastly, if you have a chance - research Financial Literacy, it is a topic more should be talking about in our opinion! Reference: https://nypost.com/2025/05/26/lifestyle/gen-z-flocks-to-adulting-101-for-basic-life-skills-help/ Teen Angler Hooks Science Fair Win with Eco-Friendly Fishing Lures A high schooler from Pennsylvania is reeling in praise — and fish — with his homemade biodegradable fishing lures. Ethan Albright, a senior at Hempfield High School and lifelong fisherman, created the lures using natural ingredients like seaweed-based sodium alginate, gelatin, and cornstarch. His goal? Cut down on plastic waste in rivers. Albright's eco-conscious invention earned him third place at the International Science and Engineering Fair this May, after first winning a local competition in March. And yes — the lures work. “The trout were hammering them,” Albright said after a successful trip during trout season. Traditional soft-plastic lures often break off or get swallowed by fish, clogging waterways and fish stomachs. Albright's version, on the other hand, is fully edible and decomposes in just over two weeks. He's now producing 10-packs of the five-inch worm lures — the classic “senko” style — in biodegradable packaging, with plans to sell them in local bait shops. His creations could mark a step forward for anglers and the environment alike. Albright says he's starting small but thinking big: “One day, maybe we can get them manufactured somewhere other than my kitchen.” (Interested buyers can email him here.) OUTDOORS FIELD REPORTS & COMMENTS We want to hear from you! If you have any questions, comments, or stories to share about bighorn sheep, outdoor adventures, or wildlife conservation, don't hesitate to reach out. Call or text us at 305-900-BEND (305-900-2363), or send an email to BendRadioShow@gmail.com. Stay connected by following us on social media at Facebook/Instagram @thebendshow or by subscribing to The Bend Show on YouTube. Visit our website at TheBendShow.com for more exciting content and updates! https://thebendshow.com/ https://www.facebook.com/thebendshow WESTERN LIFESTYLE & THE OUTDOORS Jeff 'Tigger' Erhardt & Rebecca 'BEC' Wanner are passionate news broadcasters who represent the working ranch world, rodeo, and the Western way of life. They are also staunch advocates for the outdoors and wildlife conservation. As outdoorsmen themselves, Tigger and BEC provide valuable insight and education to hunters, adventurers, ranchers, and anyone interested in agriculture and conservation. With a shared love for the outdoors, Tigger & BEC are committed to bringing high-quality beef and wild game from the field to your table. They understand the importance of sharing meals with family, cooking the fruits of your labor, and making memories in the great outdoors. Through their work, they aim to educate and inspire those who appreciate God's Country and life on the land. United by a common mission, Tigger & BEC offer a glimpse into the life beyond the beaten path and down dirt roads. They're here to share knowledge, answer your questions, and join you in your own success story. Adventure awaits around the bend. With The Outdoors, the Western Heritage, Rural America, and Wildlife Conservation at the forefront, Tigger and BEC live this lifestyle every day. To learn more about Tigger & BEC's journey and their passion for the outdoors, visit TiggerandBEC.com. https://tiggerandbec.com/

Love in Sufi Literature: Ibn ‘Ajiba's Understanding of the Divine Word (Routledge, 2023) explores the role of divine love in the Quranic commentary of the Moroccan Sufi scholar Aḥmad Ibn ʿAjība (d. 1224/1809). Through close textual analysis of Ibn ʿAjība's exegesis al-Baḥr al-madīd—The Abundant Ocean—and drawing on his other Sufi writings the book illuminates the scholar's theory of divine love, drawn from his scholarly antecedents, to elucidate its role and the scholar's impact on the wider field of Quranic scholarship. This close analysis is supplemented by a comparative approach focusing on several other eminent and influential Sufi commentaries. What is displayed is that Ibn ʿAjība's exegesis connected theoretical works on the concept of divine love to their practical application, a breakthrough in Sufi literature. The study situates Ibn ‘Ajība's thought in theological and historical perspective, engaging with his mystical approach which integrates his theory of divine love with other Sufi doctrines in an accessible manner. As such, the Moroccan scholar's work left an indelible impact on future generations of Quranic exegetes within North Africa and across the Islamic world. Love in Sufi Literature makes important contributions to the study of Sufism, Islam in North Africa, and late pre-modern Islamic intellectual history. Omneya Ayad is Assistant Professor of Sufi Studies at Üsküdar University in Istanbul, Türkiye. Yaseen Christian Andrewsen is a DPhil Candidate at the University of Oxford specialising in Islamic intellectual history in West Africa, focused on issues in Sufism, theology, and authority. Yaseen is a co-host for the New Books in Islamic Studies podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

Love in Sufi Literature: Ibn ‘Ajiba's Understanding of the Divine Word (Routledge, 2023) explores the role of divine love in the Quranic commentary of the Moroccan Sufi scholar Aḥmad Ibn ʿAjība (d. 1224/1809). Through close textual analysis of Ibn ʿAjība's exegesis al-Baḥr al-madīd—The Abundant Ocean—and drawing on his other Sufi writings the book illuminates the scholar's theory of divine love, drawn from his scholarly antecedents, to elucidate its role and the scholar's impact on the wider field of Quranic scholarship. This close analysis is supplemented by a comparative approach focusing on several other eminent and influential Sufi commentaries. What is displayed is that Ibn ʿAjība's exegesis connected theoretical works on the concept of divine love to their practical application, a breakthrough in Sufi literature. The study situates Ibn ‘Ajība's thought in theological and historical perspective, engaging with his mystical approach which integrates his theory of divine love with other Sufi doctrines in an accessible manner. As such, the Moroccan scholar's work left an indelible impact on future generations of Quranic exegetes within North Africa and across the Islamic world. Love in Sufi Literature makes important contributions to the study of Sufism, Islam in North Africa, and late pre-modern Islamic intellectual history. Omneya Ayad is Assistant Professor of Sufi Studies at Üsküdar University in Istanbul, Türkiye. Yaseen Christian Andrewsen is a DPhil Candidate at the University of Oxford specialising in Islamic intellectual history in West Africa, focused on issues in Sufism, theology, and authority. Yaseen is a co-host for the New Books in Islamic Studies podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Love in Sufi Literature: Ibn ‘Ajiba's Understanding of the Divine Word (Routledge, 2023) explores the role of divine love in the Quranic commentary of the Moroccan Sufi scholar Aḥmad Ibn ʿAjība (d. 1224/1809). Through close textual analysis of Ibn ʿAjība's exegesis al-Baḥr al-madīd—The Abundant Ocean—and drawing on his other Sufi writings the book illuminates the scholar's theory of divine love, drawn from his scholarly antecedents, to elucidate its role and the scholar's impact on the wider field of Quranic scholarship. This close analysis is supplemented by a comparative approach focusing on several other eminent and influential Sufi commentaries. What is displayed is that Ibn ʿAjība's exegesis connected theoretical works on the concept of divine love to their practical application, a breakthrough in Sufi literature. The study situates Ibn ‘Ajība's thought in theological and historical perspective, engaging with his mystical approach which integrates his theory of divine love with other Sufi doctrines in an accessible manner. As such, the Moroccan scholar's work left an indelible impact on future generations of Quranic exegetes within North Africa and across the Islamic world. Love in Sufi Literature makes important contributions to the study of Sufism, Islam in North Africa, and late pre-modern Islamic intellectual history. Omneya Ayad is Assistant Professor of Sufi Studies at Üsküdar University in Istanbul, Türkiye. Yaseen Christian Andrewsen is a DPhil Candidate at the University of Oxford specialising in Islamic intellectual history in West Africa, focused on issues in Sufism, theology, and authority. Yaseen is a co-host for the New Books in Islamic Studies podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/islamic-studies

Love in Sufi Literature: Ibn ‘Ajiba's Understanding of the Divine Word (Routledge, 2023) explores the role of divine love in the Quranic commentary of the Moroccan Sufi scholar Aḥmad Ibn ʿAjība (d. 1224/1809). Through close textual analysis of Ibn ʿAjība's exegesis al-Baḥr al-madīd—The Abundant Ocean—and drawing on his other Sufi writings the book illuminates the scholar's theory of divine love, drawn from his scholarly antecedents, to elucidate its role and the scholar's impact on the wider field of Quranic scholarship. This close analysis is supplemented by a comparative approach focusing on several other eminent and influential Sufi commentaries. What is displayed is that Ibn ʿAjība's exegesis connected theoretical works on the concept of divine love to their practical application, a breakthrough in Sufi literature. The study situates Ibn ‘Ajība's thought in theological and historical perspective, engaging with his mystical approach which integrates his theory of divine love with other Sufi doctrines in an accessible manner. As such, the Moroccan scholar's work left an indelible impact on future generations of Quranic exegetes within North Africa and across the Islamic world. Love in Sufi Literature makes important contributions to the study of Sufism, Islam in North Africa, and late pre-modern Islamic intellectual history. Omneya Ayad is Assistant Professor of Sufi Studies at Üsküdar University in Istanbul, Türkiye. Yaseen Christian Andrewsen is a DPhil Candidate at the University of Oxford specialising in Islamic intellectual history in West Africa, focused on issues in Sufism, theology, and authority. Yaseen is a co-host for the New Books in Islamic Studies podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

Join Robert and Ericka as they welcome back Daniel Flesch, Senior Policy Analyst for Middle East and North Africa in the Heritage Foundation's Allison Center for National Security. Together, they discuss Project Esther, the Heritage Foundation's proactive initiative to combat antisemitism, along with policy approaches to support Israel on the global stage, and the rise […]

The richly diverse and fascinating world of culture and politics of the Middle East and North Africa, co-hosted by Khalil and Malihe. The post Voices of the Middle East and North Africa – June 19, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

For 30 years, SAT-7 has been reaching into the countries of The Middle East and North Africa with the good news of Jesus. Outgoing president Dr. Rex Rogers and incoming president John Cernilia join host Down Hawkins to talk about this strategic ministry. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

On Friday, June 13th, just days before the sixth scheduled round of US–Iran talks over the country's nuclear energy program, Israel carried out a series of punishing airstrikes in many different parts of Iran. The bombings were unprecedented in targeting Iran's nuclear energy infrastructure, and have since expanded to target Iranian state television, the energy industry, and high-rise apartment buildings. Israel's bombing campaign has so far killed over 240 people, and has scuttled US–Iran nuclear diplomacy—at least for now. In response, Iran has launched drones and missiles at Israel, killing over 20 Israelis. Now, the escalating conflict, which has prompted thousands of Iranians to flee their homes and brought Israelis into bomb shelters, threatens to grow even deadlier as news outlets report that the Trump administration is weighing a US strike on Iran.In this episode of On the Nose, senior reporter Alex Kane assesses Israel's war with Daniel Levy, president of the US/Middle East Project, and Ellie Geranmayeh, the Deputy Director for the European Council on Foreign Relation's Middle East and North Africa program. They discuss the Trump administration's position on the conflict, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war goals, and where the region might be heading in the wake of this bombing campaign.Articles Mentioned and Further Reading“Israel Built Its Case for War With Iran on New Intelligence. The U.S. Didn't Buy It,” Alexander Ward, Lara Seligman, and Dustin Volz, The Wall Street Journal“How Trump Shifted on Iran Under Pressure From Israel,” Jonathan Swan, Maggie Haberman, Mark Mazzetti, and Ronen Bergman, The New York Times“America First or Israel First? Will Trump Join Netanyahu's War on Iran?” Daniel Levy, Zeteo“Europe must act now to prevent a major war between Israel and Iran,” Ellie Geranmayeh, European Council on Foreign Relations“Unpacking the Rift Between Trump and Netanyahu,” Alex Kane, Jewish Currents“

Joy Organics is a family-owned business that sells broad-spectrum and full-spectrum CBD products. They have simple, effective formulas with real ingredients. All of Joy Organics' products are third-party lab tested for purity.Their products are sold with minimal packaging and in amber glass jars, which is great for reducing your exposure to plastic chemicals. Plus, they have free, carbon-free shipping. Today we are joined by Hannah Smith. Hannah is a writer who has been featured on Forbes, Vice, and Vox. She's been a photographer in the Middle East and North Africa, and she is a CBD advocate and Director of Communications for Joy Organics.Learn more about Joy Organics: https://joyorganics.com/Get tested for BPA, phthalates, parabens, and other hormone-disrupting chemicals with Million Marker's Detect & Detox Test Kit: https://www.millionmarker.com/

This week, Balazs Szalontai returns to the podcast to explore the overlooked history of North Korea's relationship with countries across the Middle East and North Africa. The expert discusses how Pyongyang navigated ideological contradictions, opportunistic diplomacy and shifting global alliances throughout the Cold War, touching on the DPRK's ties with Iran, Egypt, Algeria, Iraq and more. He also explains how North Korea often prioritized strategic survival and a symbolic presence in the region over ideological consistency.  Dr. Balazs Szalontai is a historian and professor at Korea University in the Division of Public Sociology and Korean Unification. He previously appeared on episode 106 of the podcast. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists. NK News subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.

The richly diverse and fascinating world of culture and politics of the Middle East and North Africa, co-hosted by Khalil and Malihe. The post Voices of the Middle East and North Africa – June 12, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

During World War II, Bob Hope and his troupe of Hollywood performers traveled over 80,000 miles to entertain troops in the United States, Alaska, North Africa, Europe, and the Pacific.

Each theater of war during World War 2 offered something unique and dangerous, Europe it was the winters, the Pacific had tropical diseases, but North Africa, it was a whole different ballgame. A desert stretching more than 2,000 miles from Morocco to Egypt with a lotta wide open spaces between. When Hitler invaded France on May 10, 1940, Mussolini waited with bated breath for the right moment to announce he was taking his talents to the Axis IYKYK. 4 weeks into the Battle of France it was obvious France wasn't going to keep Germany out of her, so Mussolini makes his declaration of war on the Allies June 10.. Now Benny had told Adolf he wasn't gonna be ready until 1942 to make with the warring but the prospect of expanding across N. Africa (they already controlled Libya, which happens to border British controlled Egypt) was too good to pass up. Mussolini believed Hitler's planned invasion of the British home islands would pull a large amount of forces away from Egypt and it would be easy pickings. He'd capture the Suez Canal and control the Mediterranean, preventing the Allies from launching any invasions from the south. Well Hitler's invasion never happened but Benito was so excited he decided to go forward with the battle for North Africa anyway. It started out pretty much how you'd expect for the Italians, they weren't ready, the British were. The Royal Navy reigned supreme in the Med which meant for the duration of the North Africa Campaign, all supplies coming from Italy were under attack. It didn't take long for Mussolini to go hat in hand to Hitler and ask for help. Hitler decided to send one of his most decorated general's at the time, Erwin Rommel to clean up the Italian mess. What followed was the first real instance of Axis vs Allies on a large scale and it served to influence how the war was going to be fought going forward. Quit reading this nerd and get into the episode. Support the show

Beyond The Outer Realm welcomes the return of dear Friend Mark Olly Host: Michelle Desrochers Date: June 10th, 2025 Episode: 573 Discussion: UK Archeologist, Ufologist and Author Mark Olly will be chiming in on Forbidden Knowledge, Hidden Archeology, Antarctica, The Grand Canyon and Tartaria Contact for the show - theouterrealmcontact@gmail.com Rumble: TheOuterRealm X - MicheleDerocher Website: www.theouterrealmradio.com Please support us by Liking, Subscribing, Sharing and Commenting. Thank you all!! About Our Guest: Mark Olly was born in 1962 in Warrington, England, and educated at Appleton Hall County Grammar School, Warrington College of Art & Design, the University of Liverpool Institute of Extension Studies field archaeology unit, various business schools, and El-Shaddai College of Advanced Ministry U.K. Manchester where he obtained a Certificate of Ministry (Ct.Min.AP) and Diploma of Biblical Studies (Dip.BS.AP). For over 22 years he worked as a professional musician, live DJ, compare, and in music management, founding Angelharp Music, Unicorn Entertainments Agency Ltd. and Legendthink Ltd. (one of the first ‘multi-media' companies in the world) before moving on to pursue a solo career as a writer, archaeologist and television presenter. This career has so far taken him to all parts of the UK, France, Egypt, Norway, Italy, Bulgaria, Cyprus, South America, Turkey, Malta, and North Africa in search of the ancient and the mysterious. His hobbies include collecting antiques and geological specimens, Dark Age, Celtic and Medieval costumed re-enactment, staging occasional exhibitions and live events, public speaking, and investigating ancient sites. He has six major books in print, appeared on Carlton Television's ‘The History Detectives', wrote and presented all three seasons (22 episodes) of ITV Granada's award nominated ‘Lost Treasures' adventure archaeology series, has presented for Sky History Channel, writes, presents and directs DVD's for US media giant Reality Entertainments / Reality Films, wrote and directed four Music Videos for International US band Hayseed Dixie and three for Sacred Wind's 2014/15 Christmas charity single, occasionally appears in movies, and recently played sessions with bands Soul Path, Sacred Wind, Metall Hose, Atakarma Giants, Wolf and Copperworm. He is visiting lecturer at Wilsmlow Guild and the University Of Chester, an exam invigilator, occasionally heads up his own archaeological unit, and runs his own DVD production and props company MythCo. If you enjoy the content on the channel, please support us by subscribing: Thank you All A formal disclosure: The opinions and information presented or expressed by guests on The Outer Realm Radio and Beyond The Outer Realm are not necessarily those of the TOR, BTOR Hosts, Sponsors, or the United Public Radio Network and its producers. Although the content may be interesting, it is deemed "For Entertainment Purposes" . We are always be respectful and courteous to all involved. Thank you, we appreciate you all!

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcastSubscribe to Ark Media's new podcast ‘What's Your Number?': lnk.to/DZulpYFor sponsorship inquiries, please contact: callmeback@arkmedia.orgTo contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org/Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorgDan on X: x.com/dansenorDan on Instagram: www.instagram.com/dansenorToday's episode:Following the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel, Brett McGurk was a lead negotiator for the U.S. Government in every round of hostage/ceasefire negotiations in 2023, 2024, and January 2025. In today's episode, which we recorded before a live audience at the Manhattan JCC last week, Brett sat down for his first long-form/on-the-record conversation on his lessons learned, including how these lessons inform the current (on-again/off-gain) negotiations over the Witkoff Plan. Brett McGurk has held senior national security posts across the Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations.  Most recently, he served as President Biden's White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa. In this role, he spearheaded U.S. Government efforts across the region to secure the release of Israeli hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza and he coordinated international support for Israel's defense against Iranian ballistic missile attacks.As Special Presidential Envoy for both President Obama and President Trump, McGurk was an architect of the global coalition of more than 80 countries together with local forces on the ground to defeat ISIS. He also led secret negotiations with Iran to secure the release of American hostages, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaein. As a senior White House official under George W. Bush, Brett was an early advocate for a change in Iraq war policy and helped develop “the surge” strategy. He also negotiated the Strategic Framework Agreement with Iraq, which continues to guide U.S. relations between the two countries.  He is now a Venture Partner at Lux Capital, a venture capital firm based in New York City and Silicon Valley, as well as a Special Advisor for international affairs at Cisco, and holds fellowships at both the Harvard's Belfer Center and the Atlantic Council. He's also a CNN Global Affairs Analyst. CREDITS:ILAN BENATAR - Producer & EditorMARTIN HUERGO - Sound EditorMARIANGELES BURGOS - Additional EditingMAYA RACKOFF - Operations DirectorGABE SILVERSTEIN - ResearchYUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Christianity is often considered prevalent when it comes to defining the key values of late antique society, whereas 'feeling connected to the Roman past' is commonly regarded as an add-on for cultivated elites.  Roman Identity and Lived Religion: Baptismal Art in Late Antiquity (Cambridge UP, 2025) demonstrates the significant impact of popular Roman culture on the religious identity of common Christians from the fifth to the seventh century in the Mediterranean world. Baptism is central to the formation of Christian identity. The decoration of baptisteries reveals that traditional Roman culture persisted as an integral component of Christian identity in various communities. In their baptisteries, Christians visually and spatially evoked their links to Roman and, at times, even pagan traditions. A close examination of visual and material sources in North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, and Italy shows that baptisteries served roles beyond mere conduits to Christian orthodoxy. New Books in Late Antiquity is presented by Ancient Jew Review. Stefanie Lenk is a postdoc the university of Göttingen, and she's held other postdocs and fellowship at the Universities of Bern and Hamburg. And she, along with Jaś Elsner, was Curator at the Ashmolean's of the international exhibition “Imagining the Divine: Art and the Rise of World Religions. Michael Motia teaches in Classics and Religious Studies at UMass Boston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Christianity is often considered prevalent when it comes to defining the key values of late antique society, whereas 'feeling connected to the Roman past' is commonly regarded as an add-on for cultivated elites.  Roman Identity and Lived Religion: Baptismal Art in Late Antiquity (Cambridge UP, 2025) demonstrates the significant impact of popular Roman culture on the religious identity of common Christians from the fifth to the seventh century in the Mediterranean world. Baptism is central to the formation of Christian identity. The decoration of baptisteries reveals that traditional Roman culture persisted as an integral component of Christian identity in various communities. In their baptisteries, Christians visually and spatially evoked their links to Roman and, at times, even pagan traditions. A close examination of visual and material sources in North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, and Italy shows that baptisteries served roles beyond mere conduits to Christian orthodoxy. New Books in Late Antiquity is presented by Ancient Jew Review. Stefanie Lenk is a postdoc the university of Göttingen, and she's held other postdocs and fellowship at the Universities of Bern and Hamburg. And she, along with Jaś Elsner, was Curator at the Ashmolean's of the international exhibition “Imagining the Divine: Art and the Rise of World Religions. Michael Motia teaches in Classics and Religious Studies at UMass Boston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christianity is often considered prevalent when it comes to defining the key values of late antique society, whereas 'feeling connected to the Roman past' is commonly regarded as an add-on for cultivated elites.  Roman Identity and Lived Religion: Baptismal Art in Late Antiquity (Cambridge UP, 2025) demonstrates the significant impact of popular Roman culture on the religious identity of common Christians from the fifth to the seventh century in the Mediterranean world. Baptism is central to the formation of Christian identity. The decoration of baptisteries reveals that traditional Roman culture persisted as an integral component of Christian identity in various communities. In their baptisteries, Christians visually and spatially evoked their links to Roman and, at times, even pagan traditions. A close examination of visual and material sources in North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, and Italy shows that baptisteries served roles beyond mere conduits to Christian orthodoxy. New Books in Late Antiquity is presented by Ancient Jew Review. Stefanie Lenk is a postdoc the university of Göttingen, and she's held other postdocs and fellowship at the Universities of Bern and Hamburg. And she, along with Jaś Elsner, was Curator at the Ashmolean's of the international exhibition “Imagining the Divine: Art and the Rise of World Religions. Michael Motia teaches in Classics and Religious Studies at UMass Boston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/art

Christianity is often considered prevalent when it comes to defining the key values of late antique society, whereas 'feeling connected to the Roman past' is commonly regarded as an add-on for cultivated elites.  Roman Identity and Lived Religion: Baptismal Art in Late Antiquity (Cambridge UP, 2025) demonstrates the significant impact of popular Roman culture on the religious identity of common Christians from the fifth to the seventh century in the Mediterranean world. Baptism is central to the formation of Christian identity. The decoration of baptisteries reveals that traditional Roman culture persisted as an integral component of Christian identity in various communities. In their baptisteries, Christians visually and spatially evoked their links to Roman and, at times, even pagan traditions. A close examination of visual and material sources in North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, and Italy shows that baptisteries served roles beyond mere conduits to Christian orthodoxy. New Books in Late Antiquity is presented by Ancient Jew Review. Stefanie Lenk is a postdoc the university of Göttingen, and she's held other postdocs and fellowship at the Universities of Bern and Hamburg. And she, along with Jaś Elsner, was Curator at the Ashmolean's of the international exhibition “Imagining the Divine: Art and the Rise of World Religions. Michael Motia teaches in Classics and Religious Studies at UMass Boston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/italian-studies

Christianity is often considered prevalent when it comes to defining the key values of late antique society, whereas 'feeling connected to the Roman past' is commonly regarded as an add-on for cultivated elites.  Roman Identity and Lived Religion: Baptismal Art in Late Antiquity (Cambridge UP, 2025) demonstrates the significant impact of popular Roman culture on the religious identity of common Christians from the fifth to the seventh century in the Mediterranean world. Baptism is central to the formation of Christian identity. The decoration of baptisteries reveals that traditional Roman culture persisted as an integral component of Christian identity in various communities. In their baptisteries, Christians visually and spatially evoked their links to Roman and, at times, even pagan traditions. A close examination of visual and material sources in North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, and Italy shows that baptisteries served roles beyond mere conduits to Christian orthodoxy. New Books in Late Antiquity is presented by Ancient Jew Review. Stefanie Lenk is a postdoc the university of Göttingen, and she's held other postdocs and fellowship at the Universities of Bern and Hamburg. And she, along with Jaś Elsner, was Curator at the Ashmolean's of the international exhibition “Imagining the Divine: Art and the Rise of World Religions. Michael Motia teaches in Classics and Religious Studies at UMass Boston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christianity is often considered prevalent when it comes to defining the key values of late antique society, whereas 'feeling connected to the Roman past' is commonly regarded as an add-on for cultivated elites.  Roman Identity and Lived Religion: Baptismal Art in Late Antiquity (Cambridge UP, 2025) demonstrates the significant impact of popular Roman culture on the religious identity of common Christians from the fifth to the seventh century in the Mediterranean world. Baptism is central to the formation of Christian identity. The decoration of baptisteries reveals that traditional Roman culture persisted as an integral component of Christian identity in various communities. In their baptisteries, Christians visually and spatially evoked their links to Roman and, at times, even pagan traditions. A close examination of visual and material sources in North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, and Italy shows that baptisteries served roles beyond mere conduits to Christian orthodoxy. New Books in Late Antiquity is presented by Ancient Jew Review. Stefanie Lenk is a postdoc the university of Göttingen, and she's held other postdocs and fellowship at the Universities of Bern and Hamburg. And she, along with Jaś Elsner, was Curator at the Ashmolean's of the international exhibition “Imagining the Divine: Art and the Rise of World Religions. Michael Motia teaches in Classics and Religious Studies at UMass Boston

Christianity is often considered prevalent when it comes to defining the key values of late antique society, whereas 'feeling connected to the Roman past' is commonly regarded as an add-on for cultivated elites.  Roman Identity and Lived Religion: Baptismal Art in Late Antiquity (Cambridge UP, 2025) demonstrates the significant impact of popular Roman culture on the religious identity of common Christians from the fifth to the seventh century in the Mediterranean world. Baptism is central to the formation of Christian identity. The decoration of baptisteries reveals that traditional Roman culture persisted as an integral component of Christian identity in various communities. In their baptisteries, Christians visually and spatially evoked their links to Roman and, at times, even pagan traditions. A close examination of visual and material sources in North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, and Italy shows that baptisteries served roles beyond mere conduits to Christian orthodoxy. New Books in Late Antiquity is presented by Ancient Jew Review. Stefanie Lenk is a postdoc the university of Göttingen, and she's held other postdocs and fellowship at the Universities of Bern and Hamburg. And she, along with Jaś Elsner, was Curator at the Ashmolean's of the international exhibition “Imagining the Divine: Art and the Rise of World Religions. Michael Motia teaches in Classics and Religious Studies at UMass Boston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/christian-studies

Google's Hyderabad, India campus strives for zero waste in its dining services. Executive Chef Pavan Kumar, shows how he uses the leftover peels of carrots and beets to make vegetable kofta. Kofta are a type of meatball found in South and Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. In this more healthful version, the kofta is baked rather than fried, and made with a blend of spiced vegetables in place of ground meat. Watch the full documentary and find recipes here! https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

A.M. Edition for June 5. President Trump is reinstating a controversial immigration policy from his first term, banning travel to the U.S. from a host of countries largely in the Middle East and North Africa. Plus, Dow Jones Newswires economics editor Paul Hannon discusses the tricky needle central bankers will need to thread as inflation concerns spike, even if that's not yet showing up in the data. And gamers worldwide scramble to get their hands on Nintendo's new Switch 2 console. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reports that Eastern Libya's parliament is considering endorsing the 2019 maritime agreement between Turkey and the Tripoli-based government in Libya that attempted to split the eastern Mediterranean between the two - and at the expense of neighboring countries - is sounding the alarm in Greece and Egypt. Sean Mathews, a journalist for the Middle East Eye covering the Middle East, North Africa and the Balkans, joins Thanos Davelis as we look at why the Turkey-Libya deal is back in the headlines, and examine what a decision to endorse it in eastern Libya would mean for Greece, Egypt, and the East Med.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Exclusive: Greece to lobby Egypt against Haftar endorsing Turkey-Libya maritime dealEU warns Greece over lack of water strategyAthens, Cairo back at the table over ancient monastery status

Harold Terens was just 18 years old and playing basketball with his friends when he heard the news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Like many Americans, he had no idea where Pearl Harbor was but he definitely wanted to serve. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942 with dreams of becoming a pilot. A vision test dashed those dreams but he quickly proved proficient at receiving and sending Morse Code. Terens left for Europe on his 20th birthday in 1943. He was assigned to the 350th Fighter Squadron in the Eighth Air Force. His job was to make sure radios on P-47 Thunderbolts were in good working order. He was also stationed there on June 6, 1944, when many of the planes in his squadron were part of the D-Day invasion. Many did not return to base.In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Terens describes D-Day in vivid, painful detail and why he went to Normandy a short time later.  We'll also hear about Terens narrowly escaping with his life after a German V-1 rocket, or "buzz bomb" landed next to his building in London.A few weeks after D-Day, Terens was transferred out of England. He tells us about serving in North Africa, the Middle East, and Russia. And he shares two more instances in which he was forunate to emerge alive.Finally, Terens tells us all about his wedding in Normandy on the 80th anniversary of D-Day and how he and his new bride were treated like royalty in France.

North Texas drivers will pay more to use toll roads beginning in July. The North Texas Tollway Authority will increase rates beginning July 1 by an average of 1 cent per mile for TollTag holders, from 21 to 22 cents. ZipCash customers without toll tags pay double the TollTag rate. In other news, clouds of Saharan dust, originating in North Africa, have made their way across the Atlantic Ocean and are impacting states along the Gulf of Mexico this week, with some of the biggest effects expected in Florida; when Texas students head back to class in the fall, school could feel different. The Legislature approved a bevy of education-focused bills that target everything from cellphones to DEI work. And while several consequential school bills are headed to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk, many other proposals died in the final days of the session. Most notably, House and Senate members failed to reach an agreement on how to kill the STAAR test; and a McKinney resident won a million dollar Powerball prize during a drawing last month. The winner, who opted to remain anonymous, bought the ticket at a Walmart Supercenter in McKinney. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Pastors Lee and Jeff share their thoughts and excitement for Matt to begin his Sabbatical over the Summer while the rest of us press on in the work of ministry at Grace Auburn Church. Jeff shares his excitement for the rich work that we are embarking on this summer and into the Fall – including his trip to India, another team's trip to North Africa, Grace Games, Staycation, and our annual Community Group Leader Retreat at Camp Marannook.

Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa) and is based in Los Angeles, California. An activist and content creator of Iranian Jewish heritage, Matthew is dedicated to advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, promoting equality within the Iranian and Jewish communities, combating antisemitism, and supporting the Women Life Freedom movement for a free Iran.Matthew actively works to expose the hypocrisy within the anti-Israel movement and to counter claims of pinkwashing, especially following the events of October 7. In recognition of his impactful work, Matthew received the TrailBlazer Award at the 2021 JQ International annual Impact Awards. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewnouriel/Twitter/X: https://x.com/MatthewNouriel

Rita Elmounayer is the CEO of Christian television network, SAT-7, which broadcasts across countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Rita tells her incredible journey of how God has had His hand of protection over her life, and led her step by step to where she is today as CEO of SAT-7. Born in war-torn Lebanon and having experienced various aspects of war through her childhood and adulthood, she shares how she has needed to depend 100% on the leadership of Holy Spirit. God gave her a supernatural love which has compelled her, and she shares deeply moving testimonies of how millions have been impacted by the Christian content they are able to broadcast. As you listen to her story, you'll be encouraged that God can use broken people when they say 'yes' to Him. He will equip you with what you need for His plans for your life! Related Materials: Join the International Mentoring Community IMC, to facilitate a safe environment where like-minded people at any stage of their walk can enter into a deeper experience of Jesus. Liz Wright will mentor you each week through revelatory teaching, powerful testimonies and the grace to step into life-changing encounters with Jesus. https://www.jointheimc.com/

Previously Editor-in-Chief for GQ Middle East and currently for Dazed MENA, Ahmed Swaid has had an extensive career in media. He joins us to talk about his multicultural upbringing, from the UK, Syria and Lebanon, to Sierra Leone, and explores how his diverse background helps shape his unique vantage points in the media landscape. We discuss the challenges and insights of working in different media settings, the importance of representing various voices in the region, and Swaid's personal journey in creative industries. With engaging anecdotes and thoughtful reflections, this episode dives into the intricacies of cultural perspectives, identity, and the evolving content game in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). 00:00 Introduction00:33 Swaid's Multicultural Background03:58 Early Influences and Pop Culture09:08 Career Beginnings and Media Journey12:02 Content Creation in Different Regions16:53 Challenges in Media and Storytelling24:11 Creativity in the Age of Chaos31:43 Exploring the Meaning of "Dazed" 32:26 Cultural Significance and Global Reach36:10 Casting and Featuring Diverse Talent39:00 Challenges and Strategies in Media Representation45:12 Pop Culture in the Arab World52:56 Rapid Fire QuestionsAhmad Swaid is the founding Editor-in-Chief of Dazed MENA and previously EIC of GQ Middle East. He has led content for Dazed, AnOther Magazine, and Nowness, championing underrepresented voices and regional talent. Raised across London, Beirut, Freetown, and Aleppo, he brings a global perspective to his work, focusing on authentic storytelling from the Middle East and North Africa. He co-founded Creatives for Lebanon to support artists after the 2020 Beirut explosion and mentors young designers through the QASIMI RISING Talent Incubator. Connect with Swaid

The city of LA has obtained new legal representation to the tune of $900-thousand in a big homelessness spending case. Two pop-ups this weekend to let those who lost record collections in the L.A. fires to crate-dig for free. A festival today in downtown LA puts a spotlight on the culture of the Middle East and North Africa. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.com Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!Support the show: https://laist.com

Deja Perkins, an urban ecologist and co-organizer of Black Birders Week, remembers seeing House Sparrows all over Chicago as a kid. These little brown birds are native to Eurasia and North Africa, but were forced to adapt to many places around the world where they were introduced. Though many people consider House Sparrows to be urban pests, Deja admires them and draws parallels between their natural history and the story of her own ancestors.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.

In this conversation with Emanuel Prinz, we dig into his latest research, exploring what actually catalyzes movements, the kinds of leaders and teams that sustain them, and what blocks them from taking root. We'll talk about the personal and spiritual qualities of movement catalysts, why reproducibility matters more than charisma, and how partnering with God, rather than simply following a method—is essential to see lasting fruit. Along the way, we wrestle with questions of multiplication, DNA, and the risks of bottleneck leadership. If you care about genuine spiritual movement, if you want to see communities transformed and leaders multiplied, not just in theory but in practice, you won't want to miss this episode. So join us because this conversation is packed with wisdom and hard-won insight for anyone longing to shift culture in meaningful ways.DR. EMANUEL PRINZ has partnered with God to start a movement in North Africa and speaks from personal experience. He has researched kingdom Christian movements across the globe for fifteen years. Currently, he serves ministries worldwide as an expert movement consultant, coach, trainer, and researcher, facilitating their progression toward movements. Through his Exponential Disciple-Making and MOVES Coaching trainings, more than 12,000 leaders in over fifty countries have been equipped. Prinz has taught at Columbia International University, the European School for Culture and Theology, and Bethany Global University. He is the author of Movement Catalysts and numerous articles in journals such as Missiology, Evangelical Missions Quarterly, Global Missiology, Journal of the Evangelical Missiological Society, Mission Frontiers, as well as in Christianity Today. Above all, he seeks to live as the Father's beloved. He blogs at www.catalyticleadership.info.Emanuel's Book:What Actually Starts MovementsEmanuel's Recommendation:The Forgotten WaysSubscribe to Our Substack: Shifting CultureConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Bluesky or YouTubeConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below Friar TimeThrough meaningful interviews and heartfelt conversations, Friar Time, hosted by Fr....Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Ok, it's the beginning of 1942, and for the Allies, things are looking, well, kinda bleak.  France, one of the great powers of the world as recently as 1939, is now occupied by the Nazis, who are in total control of the north and west of France, and who have installed a puppet government in the south and east of France.  Great Britain is alone in Europe, and it very dependent on imported goods, but Nazis are threatening British shipping in the Atlantic with both surface boats and U-boats.  The Soviet Union has lost almost a million square miles of territory to Nazi Germany, and the Germans are at the doors of Moscow and Leningrad, and in the south have captured much of the Ukraine. The Italians, with German help, have captured Greece and Cyprus, and are also trying to gain territory in North Africa, pushing towards British-held Egypt and the vitally important Suez Canal.  British naval control of the Mediterranean and the North Sea is threatened by German air power and U-boats.  In the Pacific, the United States has lost its entire battleship fleet, though some will be back in action before the end of the year.  The Japanese have captured the US territory of the Philippines, and the British holdings of Singapore and Hong Kong, and are threatening Indonesia and Australia.  The Japanese navy has also driven the British navy out of the Pacific, and now the only area that the Royal navy is really in control of is the Indian Ocean.  So that's a quick summary of how things are looking for the Allies.  Looks pretty grim, actually.  Let's take a closer look at each area of the world, and just how close the Axis is to completely taking over the world.  

Interview with Mona Yacoubian on Trump's Middle East Visit: 25:55 This week, Kelly and Tristen discuss President Trump's meeting with the President of South Africa, give an update on the war in Ukraine, and unpack the UK's new trade agreement with the European Union. Kelly then talks with Mona Yacoubian for a breakdown on Trump's recent trip to the Middle East, and what the visit means for American foreign policy in the region. Mona Yacoubian is the Senior Adviser and Director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She was previously the Vice President of the Middle East and North Africa center at the United States Institute of Peace. Prior to joining USIP, Mona was Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Middle East Bureau at the United States Agency for International Development from 2014 to 2017, where she had responsibility for Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. Mona also previously served as the North Africa analyst in the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson.  Recorded on May 22, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown

The richly diverse and fascinating world of culture and politics of the Middle East and North Africa, co-hosted by Khalil and Malihe. The post Voices of the Middle East and North Africa – May 29, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

In this episode of Welcome to Cloudlandia, we kick off by reflecting on a recent trip to the UK, where London's unexpected warmth mirrored the friendliness of its black cab drivers. Our visit coincided with the successful launch of the 10 Times program in Mayfair, which attracted participants from various countries, adding a rich diversity to the event. Next, we delve into the advancements in AI technology, particularly those related to Google Flow. We discuss how this technology is democratizing creative tools, making it easier to create films and lifelike interactions. This sparks a conversation about the broader implications of AI, including its potential to transform industries like real estate through AI-driven personas and tools that enhance market operations. We then shift our focus to the political arena, where we explore the Democratic Party's attempt to create their own media influencers to match figures like Joe Rogan. The discussion centers on the challenges of capturing consumer attention in a world overflowing with digital content, and the need for meaningful messaging that resonates with everyday life. Finally, we touch on aging, longevity, and productivity. We emphasize the importance of staying engaged and productive as we age, inspired by remarkable individuals achieving significant milestones beyond 60. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS In our recent trip to the UK, we experienced the unexpected warmth of London and engaged with the local culture, which included charming interactions with black cab drivers. This atmosphere set the tone for a successful event launch in Mayfair with global participants. We discussed the sparse historical records left by past civilizations, such as the Vikings, and how this impacts our understanding of history, drawing a parallel to the rich experiences of our recent travels. AI advancements, particularly Google Flow, are revolutionizing the creative landscape by democratizing filmmaking tools, allowing for lifelike scenes and interactions to be created easily and affordably. The potential of AI in the real estate market was explored, using the example of Lily Madden, an AI-driven persona in Portugal, which highlights the challenge of consumer attention in an ever-saturated digital content environment. We analyzed the Democratic Party's approach to media influencers in the 2024 election, noting the need for genuine engagement with voters' lives amidst fierce competition for attention in today's media landscape. The discussion shifted to aging and longevity, focusing on productivity and engagement in later years. We emphasized the importance of remaining active and contributing meaningfully past the age of 60. We wrapped up the episode with excitement about future projects, including a new workshop and book, highlighting our commitment to staying creatively engaged and inviting listeners to join us in future discussions. Links: WelcomeToCloudlandia.com StrategicCoach.com DeanJackson.com ListingAgentLifestyle.com TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Dean: Mr sullivan it has to be recorded because it's uh historic thinking it's historic thinking in a historic time things cannot be historic if they're not recorded, that is true, it's like if, uh, yeah, if a tree falls in the forest yeah, it's a real. Dan: It's a real problem with what happened here in the Americas, because the people who were here over thousands of years didn't have recordings. Dean: They didn't write it down. They didn't write it down. Dan: No recordings, I mean they chipped things. Dean: They didn't write it down. Dan: They didn't write it down no recordings, no recordings. Yeah, I mean, they chip things into rock, but it's, you know, it's not a great process really. Dean: I think that's funny, you know, because that's always been the joke that Christopher Columbus, you know, discovered America in 1492. But meanwhile they've been here. There have been people, the sneaky Vikings, and stuff. How do you explain that in the Spaniards? Dan: Yep. Dean: Yeah. Dan: Yeah Well, writing. You know, writing was an important thing. Dean: Yeah, yeah. Dan: We don't know much. We don't, yeah, we really don't know much about the Vikings either, because they didn't they weren't all that great at taking notes. I mean, all the Vikings put together don't equal your journals. Dean: That's true. All the Viking lore's the not what's happening. So it's been a few weeks yeah I was in the uk, we were in the uk for a couple weekends for uh-huh okay, it was great, wonderful weather, I mean we had the very unusual. Dan: It was great, wonderful weather. Dean: I mean we had the very unusual weather for May. It was, you know, unseasonably warm 75, 80, nice bright oh my goodness. Dan: Yeah, really terrific. And boy is the city packed. London is just packed. Dean: And getting packed dirt, huh. Dan: Yeah, yeah, just so many people on the street. Dean: I always, I always laugh, because one time I was there in June which is typically when I go, and it was. It was very funny because I'd gotten a black cab and just making conversation with the driver and he said so how long are you here? And I said I'm here for a week. He said, oh, for the whole summer, because it was beautifully warm here for the whole summer. Yeah, that's so funny, I hear hear it's not quite. Dan: They're fun to talk to. Dean: Oh man for sure. Dan: Yeah, they know so much. Dean: Yes, I hear Toronto. Not quite that warm yet, but get in there I think today is predicted to be the crossover day we had just a miserable week. Dan: It was nonstop rain for five days. Oh my goodness, Not huge downpour, but just continual, you know, just continual raining. Dean: But it speeded up the greening process because I used to have the impression that there was a day in late May, maybe today like the 25th, when between last evening and this morning, the city workers would put all the leaves on the trees like yesterday there were no leaves, and but actually there were. Dan: We're very green right now because of all the rain. Dean: Oh, that's great yeah. Two weeks I'll be there in. I arrived 17th. Dan: Yeah, yeah, I'm trying to think of the date I'm actually arriving. Dean: I'm arriving on the 6th A strategic coach, you're going to be here, yeah we're doing on Tuesday. This month is Strategic Coach. Dan: Yeah, because of fathers. Dean: Right, right, right right, so we're doing. Yeah, so that Tuesday, that's exciting. Dan: Tuesday, Wednesday, Of course, our week is 19th, 18th, I think it's the 17th 17th is the workshop day and we have a garden party the night before and the day I know we have two parties. Dean: Yeah, I love I can't go wrong yeah and hopefully we'll have our table 10 on the. Uh well, we'll do it at the one, we'll do it at the one, that's great. You've been introduced to the lobster spoons. I hear. Dan: It's been good, that's a great little spot. I didn't overdo it, but I did have my two. I had two lobster spoons Okay, they're perfect. Dean: I took one of my teams there about uh, six weeks ago, and we, everybody got two we got two lobster spoons and it was good, yeah, but the food was great service with service was great. Dan: Yeah, yeah, yeah all right. Dean: Well then, we got something I'm excited about. That's great. So any, uh, anything notable from your trip across the pond no, uh, we um jump things up um. Dan: Last October we introduced the 10 times program in London so uh 25 to 30. I think we have 25 to 30 now and uh, so when I was there um last two weeks, it'll be, um, um two weeks or last week no, it was last week. Um, I'm just trying to get my, I'm just trying to get my bearings straight here. When did I get home? I think I got home just this past Tuesday. Dean: This past Tuesday. Dan: So it would have been the previous Thursday. I had a morning session and afternoon session, and in the morning it was just for 10 times and in the afternoon it was just for 10 times and in the afternoon it was for everybody. So we had about 30 in the morning and we had about 120 in the afternoon. Dean: Oh, very nice yeah. Dan: And you know a lot of different places. We had Finland, estonia, romania, dubai, South Africa quite a mix. Quite a mix of people from. You know all sorts of places and you know great getting together great. You know couple of tools. You know fairly new tools A couple of tools, you know fairly new tools and you know good food good hotel, it's the Barclay, which is in. Mayfair. Okay, and it's a nice hotel, very nice hotel. This is the third year in a row that we've been there and you know we sort of stretched their capacity. Dean: 120 is about the upper limit and what they've been to the the new four seasons at uh, trinity square, at tower bridge. It's beautiful, really, really nice, like one of my favorites no, because the building is iconic. I mean Just because the building is iconic. I mean that's one of the great things about the. Dan: Four Seasons. Dean: Yeah, and about London in specific, but I mean that. Four Seasons at. Dan: Trinity it's beautiful, stunning, love it. Yeah, we had an enjoyable play going week um we did four, four, four musicals, actually four, four different. Uh, musicals we were there one not good at all probably one of the worst musicals I've seen um and uh, but the other three really terrific. And boy, the talent in that city is great. You know just sheer talent. Dean: What's the latest on your Personality? Yeah, personality. Dan: Yeah, the problem is that London's a hot spot right now and there's a queue for people who want to have plays there. Oh okay, Actually they have more theaters than Broadway does Is that right On the West End yeah, west End, but they're all lined up. Problem is it's not a problem, it's just a reality is that you have some plays that go for a decade. You know, like Les Mis has been in the same theater now for 20 years. So there's these perennials that just never move. And then there's hot competition for the other theaters, you know I wonder is Hamilton? Dean: there, I don't think so, I just wonder about that actually, whether it was a big hit in the UK or whether it's too close. Dan: Yeah, I'm not entirely sure why it was a great play in the United States. I went to see it, you know. I mean it bears no historical similarity to what the person actually was. Dean: No. Dan: So you know, I mean, if people are getting their history from going to that play, they don't have much history. Dean: That's funny, yeah, and I'm not a rap. Dan: I'm not a fan of rap, so it's not the oh God. I'm not the target, definitely not the target audience for that particular play. But we saw a really terrific one and. I have to say, in my entire lifetime this may have been one of the best presentations, all told. You know talent, plot, everything. It's cook. It's the curious case of Benjamin Button button, which is okay. Yeah, I've seen the movie which you. You probably saw the movie. Dean: I did. Dan: Yeah, and this is Fitzgerald. It's Fitzgerald. Dean: Yes. Dan: And it is just a remarkable, remarkable presentation. They have about, I would say, 15 actors and they're literally on stage for the entire two and a half hours. And they are literally on stage for the entire two and a half hours and they are the music. So every actor can sing, every actor can dance and every actor can play at least one musical instrument. And they have 30 original songs and then you know the plot. And they pull off the plot quite convincingly with the same actors, starting off at age 70, and he more or less ends up at around age 25, and then they very ingeniously tell the rest of the story. And very gripping, very gripping very moving and very gripping, very gripping very moving, beautiful voices done in. Sort of the style of music is sort of Irish. You know it takes place in Cornwall, which is very close to you know, just across the Irish Sea from Ireland. So it's that kind of music. It's sort of Irish folk music and you know it's sort of violins and flutes and guitars and that sort of thing, but just a beautifully, beautifully done presentation. On its way to New York, I suspect, so you might get a chance to see it there. Dean: Oh wow, that's where it originated, in London. Dan: No, yeah, it's just been. It was voted the number one new musical in London for this year, for 2025. Yeah, but I didn't know what to expect, you know, and I hadn't seen the movie, I knew the plot, I knew somebody's born, old and gets younger. Yeah, just incredibly done. And then there's another one, not quite so gripping. It's called Operation Mincemeat. Do you know the story? Dean: No, I do not. Dan: Yeah, it's a true story, has to do with the Second World War and it's one of those devious plots that the British put together during the Second World War, where to this was probably 1940, 42, 43, when the British had largely defeated the Germans in North Africa, the next step was for them to come across the Mediterranean and invade Europe, the British and Americans. And the question was was it going to be Sicily or was it going to be the island of Sardinia? And so, through a very clever play of Sardinia, and so, through a very clever play, a deception, the British more or less convinced the Germans that it was going to be Sardinia, when in fact it was going to be Sicily. And the way they did this is they got a dead body, a corpse, and dressed him off in a submarine off the coast of spain. The body, floated to shore, was picked up by the spanish police, who were in cahoots, more or less, with the germans, and they gave it to the germans. And the Germans examined everything and sent the message to Berlin, to Hitler, that the invasion was gonna be in Sardinia, and they moved their troops to Sardinia to block it. and the invasion of Sicily was very fast and very successful, but an interesting story. But it's done as a musical with five actors playing 85 different parts. Oh my yeah. Dean: Wow, 85 parts. Dan: Yeah. Dean: It sounds like. Dan: I thought, you were describing Weekend at Bernie's Could be. Dean: Could be if I had seen it If I had seen it. It was funny? Dan: Yeah, it's kind of like Weekend at Bernie's right, right, right, I don't know. I don't know what I'm talking about, but I know you are. And three of them were women who took a lot of male parts, but very, very good comic comic actors, and three of them were women who took a lot of male parts, but very, very good comic actors. It's done in sort of a musical comedy, which is interesting given the subject matter. And then I saw a re-revival of the play Oliver about Oliver Twist, a re-revival of the play Oliver about Oliver Twist and just a sumptuous big musical. Big, you know, big stage, big cast, big music, everything like you know Dickens was a good writer. Dean: Yes, um, dan, have you? Dan? Did you see or hear anything about the new Google Flow release that just came out two or three days ago? I have not. I've been amazed at how fast people adopt these things and how clearly this is going to unlock a new level of advancement in AI. Here thing kind of reminded me of how Steve Jobs used to do the product announcement. You know presentations where you'd be on stage of the big screen and then the. It was such an iconic thing when he released the iPhone into the world and you look back now at what a historically pivotal moment that was. And now you look at what just happened with flow from a prompt. So you say what you describe, what the scene is, and it makes it with what looked like real people having real dialogue, real interactions. And so there's examples of people at a car show talking like being interviewed about their thoughts about the new cars and the whole background. Dan, all the cars are there in the conference. You know the big conference setting with people milling around the background noises of being at a car show. The guy with the microphone interviewing people about their thoughts about the new car, interviewing people about their thoughts about the new car. There's other examples of, you know, college kids out on spring break, you know, talking to doing man-on-the-street interviews with other college kids. Or there's a stand-up comedian doing a stand-up routine in what looks like a comedy club. And I mean these things, dan, you would have no idea that these are not real humans and it's just like the convergence of all of those things like that have been slowly getting better and better in terms of like picture, um, you know, pick, image creation and sound, uh, syncing and all of that things and movies, getting it all together, uh, into one thing. And there, within 48 hours of it being released, someone had released a short feature, a short film, 13 minutes, about the moment that they flipped the switch on color television, and it was like I forget who the, the two, uh in the historic footage, who the people were where they pushed the button and then all of a sudden it switched to color, um broadcasting. But the premise of the story is that they pushed the button and everything turned to color, except the second guy in the thing. He was like it didn't turn him to color and it was. He became worldwide known as the colorless man and the whole story would just unfolded as kind of like a mini documentary and the whole thing was created by one guy, uh in since it was released and it cost about 600 in tokens to create the the whole thing and they were uh in the comments and uh, things are the the description like to create that, whatever that was, would have cost between three to $500,000 to create in tradition, using traditional filmmaking. It would have cost three to 500,000 to create that filmmaking it would have cost three to 500,000 to create that. And you just realize now, dan, that the words like the, the, the um, creativity now is real, like the capability, is what Peter Diamandis would call democratized right. It's democratized, it's at the final pinnacle of it, and you can only imagine what that's going to be like in a year from now, or two years from now, with refinement and all of this stuff. And so I just start to see now how this the generative creative AI I see almost you know two paths on it is the generative creative side of it, the research and compilation or assimilation of information side of AI. And then what people are talking about what we're hearing now is kind of agentic AI, where it's like the agents, where where AIs will do things for you right, like you can train an AI to do a particular job, and you just realize we are really like on the cusp of something I mean like we've never seen. I mean like we've never seen. I just think that's a very interesting it's a very interesting thought right now, you know, of just seeing what is going to be the. You know the vision applied to that capability. You know what is going to be the big unlock for that, and I think that people I can see it already that a lot of people are definitely going down the how path with AI stuff, of learning how to do it. How do I prompt, how do I use these tools, how do I do this, and I've already I've firmly made a decision to I'm not going to spend a minute on learning how to do those things. I think it's going to be much more useful to take a step back and think about what could these be used for. You know what's the best, what's the best way to apply this capability, because there's going to be, you know, there's going to be a lot of people who know how to use these tools, and I really like your idea of keeping Well, what would you use it for? Well, I think what's going to be a better application is like so one of the examples, dan, that they showed was somebody created like a 80s sitcom where they created the whole thing. I mean, imagine if you could create even they had one that was kind of like all in the family, or you know, or uh imagine you could create an entire sitcom environment with a cast of characters and their ai uh actors who can deliver the lines and, you know, do whatever. You could feed a script to them, or it could even write the script I think that what would be more powerful is to think. I I think spending my time observing and thinking about what would be the best application of these things like ideas coming. Dan: I think that somebody's going no no, I'm asking the question specifically. What would you, dean jackson, do with it? That's what. That's what I'm saying oh not what? Not what anybody could do with it, but what? Dean: would you? Dan: do with it um well, I haven't. Dean: I haven't well for one let's let's say using it. I, years ago, I had this thought that as soon as AI was coming and you'd see some of the 11 labs and the HN and you'd see all these video avatars, I had the thought that I wonder what would happen. Could I take an AI and turn this AI into the top real estate agent in a market, even though she doesn't exist? And I went this is something I would have definitely used. I could have used AI Charlotte to help me do, but at the time I used GetMagic. Do you remember Magic, the task service where you could just ask Magic to do? Dan: something, and it was real humans, right. Dean: So I gave magic a task to look up the top 100 female names from the 90s and the top 100 surnames and then to look for interesting combinations that are, you know, three or four syllables maximum and com available so that I could create this persona, one of the ones that I thought, okay, how could I turn Lily Madden Home Services into? How would you use Lily Madden in that way? So I see all of the tools in place right now. So I see all of the tools in place right now. There was an AI realtor in Portugal that did $100 million in generate $100 million in real estate sales. Now that's gross sales volume. That would be about you know, two or $3 million in in revenue. Yeah, commissions for the thing. But you start to see that because it's just data. You know the combinations of all of these things to be able to create. What I saw on the examples of yesterday was a news desk type of news anchor type of thing, with the screen in the background reporting news stories, and I immediately had that was my vision of what Lily Madden could do with all of the homes that have come on the market in Winter Haven, for instance, every day doing a video report of those, and so you start to see setting up. All these things are almost like you know. If you know what I say complications, do you know what? Those are? The little you know? All those magical kind of mechanical things where the marble goes this way and then it drops into the bucket and that lowers it down into the water, which displaces it and causes that to roll over, to this amazing things. I see all these tools as a way to, in combination, create this magical thing. I know how to generate leads for people who are looking for homes in Winter Haven. I know how to automatically set up text and email, and now you can even do AI calling to these people to set them on an email that every single day updates them with all the new homes that come on the market. Does a weekly, you know video. I mean, it's just pretty amazing how you could do that and duplicate that in you know many, many markets. That would be a scale ready algorithm. That's. Dan: That's one thought that I've had with it yeah, you know the the thing that i'm'm thinking here is you know, I've had a lot of conversations with Peter over Peter Diamandis over the years and I said you know, everything really comes down to competition, though. Dean: Everything really comes down to competition though. Dan: The main issue of competition is people's attention, the one thing that's absolutely limited. Everybody talks everything's expanding, but the one thing that's not expanding and can't expand is actually the amount of attention that people have for looking at things you know, engaging with new things. So for example. You asked me the question was I aware of this new thing from Google? From Google and right off the bat, I wouldn't be because I'm not interested in anything that Google does. Period, period, so I wouldn't see it. But I would have no need for this new thing. So this new thing, because what am I going to do with it? Dean: I mean, I don't know. But I recall that that was kind of your take on zoom in two months. Dan: Yeah but, uh. But if the cove, if covet had not happened, I would still not be using zoom yeah, yeah, because there was nobody. There was nobody at the other end that's exactly right. Dean: You didn't have a question that Zoom was the answer to. Dan: Yeah. And I think that that's the thing right now is we don't have a question that the new Google Flow Because this seems to me to be competition with something that already exists, in the sense that there are people who are creating, as you say, $500,000 versions of this and this can be done for $600. Dean: Well, in that particular field, now I can see there's going to be some fierce competition where there will be a few people who take advantage of this and are creating new things advantage of this and are creating new things, and probably a lot of people are put out of work, but not I. I what is so like? Dan: uh, you know, no, and it's not it's not based on their skill and it's it's on their base. There's no increase in the number of amount of attention in the world to look at these things. Dean: There's no increase there's no increase of attention. Yes, the world to look at these things. Dan: There's no increase. There's no increase of attention. Dean: Yes, which it's so eerily funny, but in my journal last night, after watching a lot of this stuff, I like to look at the edges of this and my thought exactly was that this is going to increase by multiples the amount of content that is created. But if I looked at it, that the maximum allowable or available attention for one person is, at the maximum, 16 hours a day, if you add 100% of their available attention bandwidth, you could get 1, 1000 minutes or 100 of those jacksonian units everybody that we only have those. We only have 110 minute units and we're competing. We're competing against the greatest creators ever Like we're creating. We're competing against the people who are making the tippy top shows on Netflix and the tippy top shows on any of these streaming things. I don't think that it's, I think, the novelty of it to everybody's. It's in the wow moment right now that I think everybody's seeing wow, I can't believe you could do this. And it's funny to look at the comments because everybody's commenting oh, this is the end of Hollywood, hollywood's over. I don't think so. Dan: Hollywood's been kind of over for the last five or ten years. I mean it's very interesting. I think this is a related topic. I'm just going to bounce it off you. The Democratic Party has decided that they have to create their own Joe Rogan, because they now feel that Joe Rogan as a person, but also, as you know, a kind of reality out in the communication world tipped the election in 2024. Dean: Who have they nominated? Dan: Yeah, that Trump being on Joe Rogan and a few other big influencers was the reason, and so they're pouring billions of dollars now into creating their own Joe Rogans. But the truth of it is they had a Joe Rogan. He was called Joe Rogan and he was a Democrat. Dean: Yeah, and he was a Democrat. Dan: Yeah, so you got to work out the problem. Why did Joe Rogan Democrat become Joe Rogan Republican is really the real issue question. And they were saying they're going to put an enormous amount of money into influencers because they feel that they have a fundamental messaging problem. Dean: Look how that worked out for them, with Kamala I mean they had all the A-listers. Dan: Well, they had $2 billion I mean Trump spent maybe a quarter of that and they had all the A-listers. They had Oprah. They had, you know, they had just Beyonce, they just had everybody and it didn't make any difference. So I was thinking about it. They think they have a messaging problem. They actually have an existential problem because nobody can nobody can figure out why the democratic party should even exist. This is the fundamental issue why, why, why should a party like this even exist? Dean: I I can't I? Dan: I don't know, I mean, can you answer the question? I can't answer the question I really don't know why this party actually exists. So it's a more fundamental problem to get people's attention. They have no connection, I think, with how the majority of people who show up and vote are actually going about life, are actually going about life. So you have these new mediums of communication and I'm using Google Flow as an example but do you actually have anything to communicate? Dean: Right, it all definitely comes down to the idea. It's capability and ability. I think that that's where we get into the capability column in the VCR formula. That capability is one thing is why I've always said that idea is the most valuable, you know? Dan: um, yeah, because you know, execution of a better idea, a capability paired with a better ability, is going to create a better result but if it's just a way of selling something that people were resisting buying and they were resisting buying in the first place have you really? Dean: made it. Dan: Have you really made a breakthrough? Dean: Have you really made a breakthrough? That was my next journey in my journal was after I realized that. Okay, first of all, everybody is competing for the same 1,000 minutes available each day per human for attention each day per human for attention, and they can't you know, do you can't use all of that time for consuming content there has to be. They're using, you know, eight hours of it for, uh, for working, and you know four hours of it for all the stuff around that, and it's probably, you know, three or four hours a day of available attention. Dan: Boy, that would be a lot. Dean: I think you're right, like I think that's the thing. I'm just assuming that's the, you know, that's the. Well, when you, you know, in the 50s, Dan, what was the? I mean that was kind of the. There was much less competition for attention in the 50s in terms of much less available, right, like you look at, I was thinking that's the people you know, getting up in the morning, having their breakfast, getting to work, coming home, having their dinner and everybody sitting down watching TV for a few hours a night. That's. That seems like that was the american dream, right? Or they were going bowling or going, uh, you know it was the american habit yeah, that's what I meant. That that's it exactly, exactly. The norm, but now, that wasn't there were three channels. Yeah, and now the norm is that people are walking around with their iPhones constantly attached to drip content all day. Dan: Well, I don't know, because I've never Not. Dean: you drip content, all well. Dan: Well, I don't know, because I've never not you and I have never. I've never actually done that, so I don't actually, I don't actually know what, what people are do, I do know that they're doing it because I can? I can observe that when I'm in any situation that I'm watching people doing something that I would never do. In other words, I can be waiting for a plane to leave, I'm in the departure lounge and I'm watching, just watching people. I would say 80 or 90 percent of the people. I'm watching are looking at their phones, yeah, but. Dean: I'm not, but I'm not yes, yes, I'm actually. Dan: I'm actually watching them and uh, wondering what are they? Doing why? Dean: no. Dan: I'm. I'm wondering why they're doing what they're doing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And, for example, I never watch the movie when I'm on an airplane, but I notice a lot of people watching the screen. Yeah, so, and you know, if anything, I've got my Kindle and I'm reading my latest novel. Yes, that's basically what I'm doing now, so so, you know, I think we're on a fundamental theme here is that we talk about the constant multiplication of new means to do something. Constant multiplication of new means to do something, but the only value of that is that you've got someone's attention. Yes, and my thing, my thinking, is that google flow will only increase the competition for getting yes, attention, attention that nobody, nobody's getting anyway. Dean: That's exactly right, that's it. And then my next thought is to what end? Dan: Well, they're out competing some other means. Dean: In other words, there's probably an entire industry of creating video content that has just been created, too, based on this new capability. I so I just think, man, these whole, I think that you know, I'm just, I'm just going. Dan: I'm just going ahead a year and we just got on our podcast and it'll be you. It won't be me. Dan did you see what such and such company just brought out? And I'll tell you, no, I didn't. And they say this is the thing that puts the thing I was talking about a year ago completely out of. Dean: Isn't that funny, that's what I'm seeing. It probably was a year ago that we had the conversation about Charlotte. Dan: Well, no, it was about six months ago. I think it was six months ago. Dean: Maybe yeah. Dan: But we were talking about Notebook, we were talking about Google. Dean: Notebook. Dan: I had one of my team members do it for me three or four times and then I found that the two people talking it just wasn't that interesting. It really didn't do it so I stopped't want to be dismissive here and I don't want to be there but what if this new thing actually isn't really new because it hasn't expanded the amount of tension that's available on the planet? Dean: biggest thing you have to, the biggest thing that you have to increase for something to be really new is actually to increase the amount of human attention that there is on the planet, and I don't know how you do that because, right, it seems to be limited yeah, well, I guess I mean you know, one path would be making it so that there it takes less time to do the things that they're spending their time other than it seems to me, the only person who's got a handle on this right now is Donald Trump. Dan: Donald seems to have a greater capacity to get everybody's attention than anyone anyone in my lifetime. Mm-hmm, yeah, he seems to have. Dean: I mean you look at literally like what and the polarizing attention that he gets. Like certainly you'd have to say he doesn't care one way or the other. Dan: He doesn't really care love or love, love or hate. He's kind of got your attention yeah one thing that I'm. He's got Canada's attention yeah. Dean: I mean really. Dan: That and $7 will get you a latte today getting. Canada's attention. Dean: It won't get you an. Americano, but it'll get you a Canadiano, okay. Dan: Yeah, it's so funny because I just I've created a new form and. I do it with perplexity it's called a perplexity search and give you a little background to this. For the last almost 20, 25 years 24, I think it is I've had a discussion group here in Toronto. Dean: It's about a dozen people. Right. Dan: And and every quarter we send in articles and then we create an article book, usually 35, 40 articles, which is really interesting, and it's sort of the articles sort of represent a 90 to 180 day sense of what's going on in the world. You know, you kind of get a sense from the articles what was going on in the world and increasingly, especially since AI came out. I said, you know, these articles aren't very meaty. They don't know it's one person's opinion about something or one person's. You know, they've got it almost like a rant that they put into words about some issues so what I? resorted to is doing perplexity search where, for example, I have one that I've submitted. This was the week when we had to submit our articles and we'll be talking about them in July, the second week of July. So they have to be formatted, they have to be printed. July, so they have to be formatted, they have to be printed, they have to be the book has to be put together and the book has to be sent out. Usually, everybody has about four weeks to read 35 articles. So my articles I have four articles this time and they all took the form, and one of them was 10 reasons why American consumers will always like their gas-fueled cars. Okay, and there were 10 reasons. And then I say, with each of the reasons, give me three bullet point, statistical proof of why this is true. And it comes out to about five pages, and then I have it write an introduction and a conclusion. This is a format that I've created with Propoxy. It takes me about an hour to start, to finish, to do the whole thing, and I read this and I said this is really, really good, this is really good. You know this is very meaty, you know it's got. You know it's just all fact, fact, fact, fact, fact, and it's all put together and it's organized. So I don't know what the response is going to be, because this is the first time I did it, but I'll never get an article from the New York Times or an article from the Wall Street Journal again and submit it, because my research is just incredibly better than their research, you know. And so my sense is that, when it comes to this new AI thing, people who are really good at something are going to get better at something, and that's the only change that's going to take place, and the people who are not good at something are going to become it's going to become more and more revealed of how not good they are. Yeah, yeah, like the schmucks are going to look schmuckier, the schmuckification of America and you can really see this because it's now the passion of the news media in the United States to prove how badly they were taken in by the Biden White House, that basically he, basically he wasn't president for the last four years, for the last four years there were a bunch of aides who had access to the pen, the automatic pen where you could sign things, and now they're in a race of competition how brutally and badly they were taken in by the White House staff during the last four years. But I said, yeah, but you know, nobody was ever seduced who wasn't looking for sex. You were looking to be deceived. Yeah, you know, all you're telling us is what easily bribe-able jerks you actually are right now, and so I think we're. You know. I'm taking this all back to the start of this conversation, where you introduced me to Google Flow. Yeah, and I'll be talking to Mike Koenigs in you know a few days, and I'm sure Mike is on to this and he will have Mike, if there's anybody in our life who will have done something with this. Dean: it's Mike Koenigs that's exactly right. Dan: You're absolutely right. Dean: Yeah. Dan: Mike will have three or four presentations using this. Yes, but the big thing I come down to. What do you have that is worth someone else's attention to pay attention to? Do you have something to communicate? Dean: Do you have something to communicate that? And my sense is it can only be worth their time if it's good for them to pay attention to you for a few minutes. You're exactly right, that is an ability. Do you have the ability to get somebody's attention? Because the capability to create that, content is going to be. Dan: There's's going to be only a few people at the tippy top that have well, that's not going to be the issue that's not going to be the issue that's not going to be the issue, that's the how is taken care of. Yes, that's exactly it. The question is the why? Dean: yes, I put it, you were saying the same thing. I think that that it's the what I just said, the why and the what. Why are we? What? To what end are we doing this? And then, what is it that's going to capture somebody's attention? Uh, for this, and I think that that's yeah, I mean, it's pretty amazing to be able to see this all unfold. Dan: Hmm. Dean: You know, yeah, yeah. But there's always going to be a requirement for thinking about your thinking and the people who think about their thinking. I think that people this is what I see as a big problem is that people are seeing AI as a surrogate for thinking that oh what a relief I don't have to think anymore. Dan: Yeah. Dean: I saw a meme that said your Gen Z doctors are cheating their way through medical school using chat GPT. Probably time to start eating your vegetables, it's probably time to start living healthily. Exactly yes. Dan: It's very interesting. I was interviewed two or three days ago by New Yorker magazine actually. Dean: Really Wow. Dan: Fairly, and it was on longevity. Dean: OK, because you're on the leaderboard right. Dan: The longevity, yeah, and, and they had interviewed Peter Diamandis and they said you ought to talk to Ann Sullivan, nice guy, the interviewer. I said the biggest issue about, first of all, we're up against a barrier that I don't see any progress with, and that is that our cells reproduce about 50 times. That seems to be built in and that most takes us to about 120,. You know, and there's been very few. We only have evidence of one person who got to 120, 121, 122, a woman in France, and she died about 10 years ago. I do think that there can be an increase in the usefulness of 120 years. In other words, I think that I think there's going to be progress in people just deciding well, I got 120 years and I'm going to use them as profitably as I can, and I said that's kind of where I that's kind of where I am right now and, uh, I said, uh, I have this thing called one 56, but the purpose of the one 56 is so that I don't, um, uh, misuse my time right now. Right, that's really, that's really the reason for it. And I said you know, at 81, I'm doing good. I'm as ambitious as I've ever been. I'm as energetically productive as I've ever been. That's pretty good. That's pretty good because when I look around me, I don't see that being true for too many other people and see that being true for too many other people. It was really, really interesting, I said, if we could get half the American population to be more productive from years 60 to 100, a 40-year period. I said it would change the world. It would totally change the world. So I said the question is do you have actually anything to be usefully engaged with once you get to about 60 years old? Do you have something that's even bigger and better than anything you've done before? And I said you know, and my sense is that medicine and science and technology is really supporting you if you're interested in doing that. But whether it's going to extend our lifetime much beyond what's possible right now. I said I don't think we're anywhere near that. Dean: I don't either. Yeah, I think you look at that, but I think you hit it on the head. That of the people who are the centenarians, the people who make it past a hundred. They're typically, they're just hung on. They made it past there but they haven't really had anything productive going on in their life for a long time since 85 years old, very rare to see somebody. Uh, yeah, you know, I mean you think about Charlie Bunger, you know, died at 99. And you look at, norman Lear made it to 101. And George Burns to 100. But you can count on one hand the people who are over 80 that are producing. Yeah, you're in a rare group. Where do you stand on the leaderboard right now? Dan: I was number 12 out of 3,000. That was about four months ago. Dean: That was about four months ago. Dan: I only get the information because David Hasse sends it to me. My numbers were the same. In other words, it's based on your rate of aging. Dean: That's what the number is when I was number one. Dan: the number, was this, and my number is still the same number. And when I was number one, the number was this and my number is still the same number. It just means that I've been out-competed by 11 others, including the person who's paying for the whole thing, brian Johnson. But you know useful information, yeah. Dean: But you know useful information. Dan: Yeah, you know and you know. But the big thing is I'm excited about the next workshop we're doing this quarter. I'm excited about the next book we're writing for this quarter. So so I've always got projects to be excited about. Dean: I love it All righty, I love it Alrighty. Okay, dan, that was a fun discussion. I'll be back next week, me too. I'll see you right here. 1:03:42 - Dan: Yeah, me too. Awesome See you there. Okay, bye, bye,

Welcome to the Unconventional Ministry Podcast, hosted by Dennis Wiens of SAT-7 USA. In this episode, we explore eternal returns on investment through strategic philanthropy and biblical stewardship. Dennis is joined by Dr. Jim Bakke, President of the Barnabas Foundation, to discuss how Christians can effectively steward their resources for lasting kingdom impact. Delve into practical strategies that balance reducing tax burdens with making meaningful charitable contributions, and learn how inviting God into your business or personal finances can transform outcomes. Gain insights into leveraging assets beyond cash gifts for greater impact, using tools like donor-advised funds to manage your giving effectively. Whether you are a business owner or an individual seeking to enhance your philanthropic efforts, this episode offers valuable perspectives on maximizing the use of God-given resources for eternal significance. Don't miss the opportunity to unlock the potential within your stewardship journey. To learn more about giving non-cash assets to make God's love visible in the Middle East and North Africa, download a free copy of Gifts that Reduce Taxes – Stock, Real Estate, and Other Non-Cash Assets.

Ankara's latest effort to end a four decades long Kurdish insurgency is opaque and is full of risks and opportunities for Turkey and Syria's Kurds says lawmaker Cengiz Candar.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, I'm joined by bestselling author Damien Lewis to talk about one of the remarkable men featured in his new book SAS Great Escapes Four — Archie Gibson. Archie served with the Long Range Desert Group and worked closely with the SAS during some of their earliest and most daring operations. His wartime journey took him from the harsh deserts of North Africa to the rugged terrain of Yugoslavia, where he operated alongside local resistance fighters behind enemy lines. We also delve into the ongoing campaign to award SAS legend Paddy Mayne a posthumous Victoria Cross, recognition he was controversially denied during the war.   patreon.com/ww2podcast  

Wayne Shepherd reads excerpts from Serving God and Country, United States Military Chaplains in World War II.   (click for more)   In World War II, over 12,000 Protestant ministers, Catholic priests, and Jewish rabbis left the safety of home to join the Chaplain Corps, following the armed forces into battle across Europe, Asia, North Africa, and the high seas.With author Lyle Dorsett's permission, this week we feature selected readings from this book. These are the personal stories of some of the bravest and most selfless men who served with the armed forces. Many lost their lives or suffered debilitating wounds while serving as pastors to the troops. For more information about Dorsett's book, click here.                                          NEXT WEEK:  Matthew WolakSend your support for FIRST PERSON to the Far East Broadcasting Company:FEBC National Processing Center Far East Broadcasting CompanyP.O. Box 6020 Albert Lea, MN 56007Please mention FIRST PERSON when you give. Thank you!

Today's episodes of Voices of the Middle East and North Africa and This Way Out are preempted by special programming for KPFA's 2025 Spring Fund Drive. Liam O'Donoghue speaks with renown geographer and author Richard Walker about his view of cities as living organisms and the role industry plays in development and ongoing health of cities. This live event which took place in Berkeley, California on March 27, 2025. To support our mission and receive Richard Walker's book Pictures of a Gone City as a thank-you gift, please donate here or call (800) 439-5732 (800-HEY-KPFA).   The post Special Spring Fund Drive Programming: Richard Walker on the Role of Industry in Building Cities appeared first on KPFA.

It's Thursday, May 15th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark 1,518 executions worldwide in 2024 A report from Amnesty International found there were 1,518 executions around the world last year. That's up 32 percent from 2023. Nations with the most documented executions include Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.  These numbers do not include executions in China, North Korea, and Vietnam. China is considered to be the world's leading executioner, with potentially thousands of executions last year. All of these countries are ranked on the Open Doors' World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian.  British city council no longer bans street preachers A local government district in England has backed down from banning street preachers. Back in March, Rushmoor Borough Council sought to criminalize street preaching, praying for people, singing, or handing out Bibles. Local churches, supported by the Christian Legal Centre, opposed the plan. Thankfully, the council backed down.  Jamie Broadey, a local evangelist, said, “Since we found out about the injunction and asked for prayer, we have been contacted by Christians from across the UK. The issue is uniting preachers and Christians and we are prepared to challenge this as far as need be to prevent the Gospel being criminalized.” Acts 5:29 says, “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.'” $1.2 trillion economic package with Qatar United States President Donald Trump is visiting countries in the Middle East this week. Yesterday, he signed an agreement with Qatar that would generate an economic exchange worth at least $1.2 trillion. This includes an historic sale of Boeing aircraft and GE Aerospace engines to Qatar Airways worth $96 billion.  Trump budget insists on work requirements for Medicaid This week, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives unveiled the “big, beautiful bill,” as the president calls it, to advance Trump's agenda.  The bill includes tax breaks, spending cuts, and border security.  Notably, the measure would cut $900 billion from Medicaid spending. It would also require many people to prove they are working, volunteering, or pursuing education to be eligible for Medicaid. Listen to comments by House Speaker Mike Johnson. JOHNSON: “We are protecting Medicaid for the people who need and deserve it. This program is an essential lifeline for our most vulnerable Americans: pregnant women, single mothers, low income seniors, the disabled. That's who Medicaid is intended to be for, and that's who we're protecting while we're eliminating fraud, waste and abuse to improve Medicaid. “These are reforms to restore and preserve the system so that it doesn't collapse on itself. That means ensuring illegal aliens don't get coverage meant for Americans in need. It means implementing work requirements to ensure that adults who can work, but refuse to, cannot keep cheating the system. We're going to continue to call this out.” Trump's bill defunds Planned Parenthood The “big, beautiful bill” from Republicans also paves the way for defunding Planned Parenthood. The legislation would bar federal funds from going to prohibited entities that perform abortions in many cases. The measure would also cut taxpayer funding for transgender surgeries for minors.  U.S. drug overdose deaths down Drug overdose deaths in the United States declined last year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 80,000 people died from overdoses in 2024. That's down 27 percent from 2023. It's the largest drop in overdose deaths on record. However, overdose deaths are still higher now than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic.  Inflation down and egg prices down Annual inflation was lower than expected last month. The consumer price index rose 0.2 percent in April. That put the 12-month inflation rate at 2.3 percent. Inflation is now the lowest it's been since 2021. Notably, egg prices fell by over 12 percent. However, they're still up about 50 percent compared to a year ago. Worldwide Bible engagement update And finally, the American Bible Society released the second chapter of its State of the Bible USA 2025 report.  The chapter looks at Bible engagement around the world.  People are most actively engaged and committed to the Bible in areas that are majority Christian like Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.  Interestingly, people are the most receptive to new ideas and other religions in Muslim-majority areas like North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.  The greatest indifference to the Bible is found in the secular west and certain majority-Christian areas like the U.S., Western Europe, Russia, and Eastern Europe.  Of countries in the secular West, the U.S. had the highest rates of Bible usage and church attendance.  Isaiah 45:22 says, “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the Earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, May 15th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

“This has been my favorite session of the three days. Thank you,” said one attendee following a powerful live conversation at AJC Global Forum 2025. This exclusive episode of AJC's People of the Pod, presented by AJC's Women's Global Leadership Network, features a candid discussion on the critical impact of Jewish women leaders in global diplomacy and conflict resolution. Casey Kustin, AJC's Chief Impact and Operations Officer, joins former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mira Resnick and Dana Stroul, Research Director and Kassen Family Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, to share how they've navigated the corridors of power, shaped international policy from the Middle East to Europe and beyond, and opened doors for the next generation of women in foreign affairs. ___ Resources– AJC Global Forum 2025 News and Video AJC Global Forum 2026 returns to Washington, D.C. Will you be in the room? Listen – AJC Podcasts: Most Recent Episodes: A United Front: U.S. Colleges and AJC Commit to Fighting Campus Antisemitism What is Pope Francis' Legacy with the Jewish People? Why TikTok is the Place to Talk about Antisemitism: With Holocaust Survivor Tova Friedman The Forgotten Exodus: Untold stories of Jews who left or were driven from Arab nations and Iran People of the PodFollow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Interview Transcript: Manya Brachear Pashman:  Live from AJC Global Forum 2025, welcome to People of the Pod. For audience members who are not in this room, you are listening to a show that was recorded in front of a live studio audience on April 29 at AJC Global Forum 2025 in New York. I'm your host, Manya Brachear Pashman. Thank you all for being here. In countries around the world, women are working more than ever before. But compared to men, they are not earning as much or being afforded an equal voice – at work, at home, or in the community. In no country in the world do women have an equal role. Let me repeat that. In no country in the world, do women have an equal role–when it comes to setting policy agendas, allocating resources, or leading companies.  With us today are three modern-day Miriams who have raised their voices and earned unprecedented roles that recognize the intellect and compassion they bring to international diplomacy. To my left is AJC Chief Impact and Operations Officer, Casey Kustin. Casey served as the staff director of the Middle East, North Africa, and Global Counterterrorism Subcommittee on the House Foreign Affairs Committee for 10 years. She has worked on political campaigns at the state and national level, including on Jewish outreach for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Welcome, Casey.  To Casey's left is Dana Strohl. She is the Director of Research for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. She was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East. In this role, she led the development of U.S. Department of Defense policy and strategy for Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Iran, Iraq–I'm not done–Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Prior to that, she also served on Capitol Hill as the senior professional staff member for the Middle East on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Welcome, Dana. And last but not least, Mira Resnick. Mira was the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Israeli and Palestinian Affairs and Arabian Peninsula Affairs, in which she handled two crucial Middle East portfolios, usually helmed by two separate people. Previously, she oversaw the Department's Office of regional security and arms transfers, where she managed foreign arms sales and shepherded the Biden administration's military assistance to Ukraine and Israel after Russia's invasion and after the October 7 Hamas attacks. Like Casey, Mira has also served as a senior professional staff member with the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, focusing on the Middle East and North Africa. Thank you for being here, Mira.  Welcome to all of you, to People of the Pod.  I think it's safe to say, this panel right here, and all the knowledge and experience it represents could solve the Middle East conflict in one day, if given the chance. Casey, you served for a decade as staff director for the Middle East, North Africa and Global Counterterrorism Subcommittee. A decade, wow. You witnessed a lot of transition, but what were the constants when it came to regional cooperation and security needs?  Casey Kustin: What's the saying? The enemy of my enemy is my friend. And that's the world that we're all trying to build. So, you know, from an American perspective, which we all came from in our government work, it was trying to find those shared interests, and trying to cultivate, where we could, points of common interest. And even with the challenges of October 7 now, perhaps stalling some of those areas of progress, you still see that the Abraham Accords haven't fallen apart. You saw when Iran launched missiles at Israel. You saw other countries in the region come to, maybe they wouldn't say Israel's defense. It was their airspace defense. But you saw that still working. You see that still working now. And it's every day when we come to work at AJC, we're thinking about how to increase and strengthen Israel's place in the world. Manya Brachear Pashman:  So Mira, your role encompassed both Israel and the Gulf for the first time, right? Mira Resnick:   That was the first time at my level. Yes.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Okay, so whose idea was that, and did that put you or the US in a position to work for the good of the neighborhood, rather than just Israel, or just the Gulf States? Mira Resnick:   Yeah, this was an opportunity for the State Department to be able to see all of the different threads that were coming throughout the region. This is something that Dana did on a daily basis. This is something that our colleagues at the NSC did on a daily basis. The Secretary, of course, needs to be able to manage multiple threads at the same time. When I was overseeing arms sales, of course, I would have to consider Israel and the Gulf at the same time.  So this wasn't a new idea, that our interests can be aligned within one portfolio, but it was particularly important timing for the United States to be able to see and to talk to and to hear our Gulf partners and our Israeli partners at the same time within the same prism, to be able to truly understand what the trends were in the region at that particularly critical moment, post-October 7. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Dana, in your role as Assistant Deputy Secretary of Defense, you met with military leaders in the Middle East, around the world, and you were often the only woman at the table. What do women contribute to international conflict resolution that's missing when they're not given a seat at the table? Dana Strohl:   Well, let me start out by stating the obvious, which is that women make up 50% of the global population of the world. So if 50% of the world is missing from the negotiating table, from the peacemaking table, from conflict prevention mechanisms, then you're missing 50% of the critical voices. There's evidence, clear evidence, that when women are part of peace processes, when they are part of negotiations, the outcomes on the other side are 35% more sustainable. So we have evidence and data to back up the contention that women must be at the table if we are going to have sustainable outcomes.  When I think about the necessity, the imperative, of women being included, I think about the full range of conflict. So there's preventing it, managing it, and then transitioning to peace and political processes in a post-war or post-conflict situation. In every part of that, there's a critical role for women. As examples, I always think about, when you make policy, when you have a memo, when there's a statement that's really nice, in the big capital of some country, or in a fancy, beautiful palace somewhere in the Middle East or in Europe.  But peace only happens if it's implemented at a local level. Everyone in the world wants the same things. They want a better life for their kids. They want safety. They want access to basic services, school, health, clean water and some sort of future which requires jobs. Confidence you can turn the light on. You can drive your car on a road without potholes. Those are details that often are not included in the big sweeping statements of peace, usually between men, that require really significant compromises.  But peace gets implemented at a very local level. And at the local level, at the family level, at the community level, at the school level, it's women. So how those big things get implemented requires women to champion them, to advance them. And I will also just say, you know, generally we should aspire to prevent conflict from happening. There's data to suggest that in countries with higher levels of gender equality, they are less likely to descend into conflict in the first place.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Can you recall a particularly consequential moment during your tenure, when you were at the table and it mattered? Dana Strohl:   So my view on this is that it was important for me to be at the table as a woman, just to make the point. That women can serve, just like men. Do the same job. And frankly, a lot of the times I felt like I was doing a better job. So what was really important to me, and I can also just say sitting up here with Mira and Casey, is that all of us have worked together now for more than a decade, at different stages of, getting married, thinking through having kids, getting pregnant, taking parental leave, and then transitioning back to work. And all of us have been able to manage our careers at the same time. That only happens in supportive communities, in ecosystems, and I don't just mean having a really supportive partner.  My friends up here know, I ask my mom for a lot of help. I do have a partner who really supported me, but it also means normalizing parenthood and being a woman, and having other obligations in the office space. I would make a point of talking about being a parent or talking about being a woman. To normalize that women can be there. And often there were women, really across the whole Middle East, there were always women in the room. They were just on the back wall, not at the table. And I could see them looking at me.  And so I thought it was really important to make the point that, one, a woman can be up here, but I don't have to be like the men at the table. I can actually talk about, well, I can't stay for an extra day because I have a kindergarten, you know, theater thing, and I have to run back and do that.  Or there were many times actually, I think Mira was Zooming for parent teacher conferences after we were having the official meeting. But I think it's important to actually say that, at the table, I'm going to leave now and go back to my hotel room because I'm making a parent teacher conference. Or, I have to be back by Friday because I'm taking a kid to a doctor's appointment.  So all the women that come after us can see that you can do both, and the men at the table can understand that women have a right to be here. Can do the jobs just as effectively and professionally as the men, and do this other absolutely critical thing. Manya Brachear Pashman:   But your point about, it requires a supportive network, a supportive work community. You told me a story before we got up here about just how supportive your colleagues were in the Department of Defense.  Dana Strohl:   I will give a shout out to Lloyd Austin, the Secretary of Defense. So one of the things you do in our positions is travel with the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Defense. And these are not the kind of things where they get on a plane and you land in whatever country. There's a tremendous amount of planning that goes into these. So on a particular trip, it was a four country trip, early in 2023. Secretary Austin was going to multiple countries. He had switched the day, not he, but his travel team, of his departure, which then caused us to switch the day of my son's birthday party. And then they switched the time of his departure from Andrews Air Force Base, and we could not change the birthday party.  So I called Secretary Austin's office and said, Listen, I want to be at my son's birthday party. So I've looked and it looks like I can take this commercial flight. So I won't be on the Secretary of Defense's plane, but I can largely land around the same time as you all and still do my job in the region. And to their credit, they said, okay, and then one of the things that you do in my position is you get on the airplane and you talk to the Secretary of Defense about the objectives and the goals and the meetings. So they said, Okay, we'll just change that to earlier. You can do it the day before we depart, so that he can hear from you. You're on the same page. You can make the birthday party. He can do the thing. So we were actually going to Jordan for the first stop. And it turns out, in his itinerary, the first thing we were doing when we landed in Jordan, was going to dinner with the King. And it was very unclear whether I was going to make it or not. And quite a high stakes negotiation.  But the bottom line is this, I finished the birthday party, had my mother come to the birthday party to help me clean up from the birthday party, changed my clothes, went to Dulles, got on the airplane, sort of took a nap, get off the airplane. And there is an entire delegation of people waiting for me as you exit the runway of the airplane, and they said, Well, you need to go to this bathroom right here and change your clothes.  I changed my clothes, put on my suit, ran a brush through my hair, get in a car, and they drove me to the King's palace, and I made the dinner with the king. It's an example of a team, and in particular Secretary Austin, who understood that for women to have the opportunities but also have other obligations, that there has to be an understanding and some flexibility, but we can do both, and it took understanding and accommodation from his team, but also a lot of people who are willing to work with me, to get me to the dinner. And I sat next to him, and it was a very, very good meal. Manya Brachear Pashman:   I find that so encouraging and empowering. Thank you so much. Casey, I want to turn to you. Mira and Dana worked under particular administrations. You worked with members of Congress from different parties. So how did the increasing polarization in politics affect your work, or did it? Casey Kustin:   It's funny, I was traveling last week for an AJC event, and I ended up at the same place with a member of Congress who was on my subcommittee, and I knew pretty well. And he looked at me and he said, the foreign affairs committee, as you know it, is no longer. And that was a really sad moment for me, because people always described our committee as the last bastion of bipartisanship. And the polarization that is seeping through every part of society is really impacting even the foreign policy space now. As you see our colleague, our Managing Director of [AJC] Europe, Simone Rodan[-Benzaquen], who many of you know, just wrote a piece this week talking about how, as Israel has become to the progressive, when Ukraine has become to the far right.  And I think about all the years I spent when Ted Deutch, our CEO, was the top Democrat on the Middle East subcommittee, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), a great friend of AJC, was the chair of the subcommittee. And Ted and Ileana would travel around together. And when she was the chair, she always made a point of kind of joking like Ted's, my co chair, and we did so many pieces–with Mira's great support of legislation for the US, Israel relationship, for Syria, for Iran, that we worked on together, really together. Like at the table with my staff counterparts, trying to figure out, you know, what can your side swallow? What can your side swallow? And I hear from so many of our former colleagues that those conversations aren't really taking place anymore. And you know, the great thing about AJC is we are nonpartisan, and we try so hard to have both viewpoints at the table. But even that gets harder and harder. And Dana's story about the King of Jordan made me laugh, because I remember a very similar experience where I was on a congressional delegation and Chairwoman Ros-Lehtinen, and I was six months pregnant at the time, and I wanted to go on the trip, and the doctor said I could go on the trip. And we were seated around the table having the meeting.  And I, as you won't be able to hear on the podcast, but you in this room know, look very young, despite my age. And you're self conscious about that. And I remember Ileana just being so caring and supportive of me the entire trip. And I wasn't even her staffer, and I remember she announced to the King of Jordan that I was six months pregnant, and you could kind of see him go, okay. That's very like, thank you. That's very nice. But even just having that moment of having the chairwoman on the other side of the aisle. That whole trip. I think I've told some AJC people another funny story of on that same trip, we met with the Greek Orthodox Patriarch in Jerusalem, and she pulled me up to him, and she said to the patriarch, will you bless her unborn child? Knowing I'm Jewish, she leaned over and said to me: Can't hurt. So I hope that we return to a place like that on Capitol Hill. I think there are really good staffers like us who want that to happen, but it is just as hard a space now in foreign policy as you see in other parts of politics. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Mira, I want to ask you another policy related question. How did the Abraham Accords change the dynamics of your combined portfolio, and how could it shape the future? Mira Resnik:   My first, one of my first trips, certainly my first trip to the Middle East, when I was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Security, overseeing security assistance and security cooperation, was to Dubai, as the State Department representative for the Dubai Airshow. And it is a huge event that showcases the world's technology. And I remember walking into the huge hangar, that every country that has a defense industry was showcasing their most important, their most important munitions, their most important aircraft. And I remember seeing the enormous Israeli pavilion when I was there. And I was staying at a hotel, and I get to the breakfast and they said, Would you like the kosher breakfast or the non-kosher breakfast. And I'm like, Am I in Israel?  And I was blown away by the very warm relationship–in the security space, in the humanitarian space. I agree with Casey that things have gotten a little tougher since October 7, and since the aftermath in Gaza. But what I would also point out is that April and October, during the time when when we witnessed Israel under cover, when we witnessed Iran's missiles and projectiles going toward Israel and going toward other regional airspace, our diplomats, our militaries, our intelligence officials, all had earlier warning because of the work of other Gulf governments, even those who have not joined the Abraham Accords. And that is a prime example of where this security cooperation really matters. It saves lives. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So Casey, so much of what AJC does has to do with international diplomacy and maintaining that regional cooperation and security, and that sounds a lot like your previous role. So I'm really curious how much your job truly has changed since you came to AJC? Casey Kustin:   You're absolutely right. There are so many similarities in what we do at AJC and what we did in the government. And the core of that is really those relationships that you build with partners and interlocutors in other countries and other governments, and the foundation, over decades that AJC has laid. Particularly in the Middle East, thanks to 30 years of quiet travel to the region.  It struck me when I first came here, the access that AJC has is nearly the same that we had traveling as members of Congress. And the meetings and the quality and the level of meetings that AJC is afforded in these other countries.  Our missions, which many of you have been on, often feel like congressional delegation trips to me, and the conversations and the candor with which partners speak to AJC is almost the same that was afforded to members of Congress. And that has been comforting, in a way, as you said Manya, Because there feels like there's continuity in the work that we're doing, and it has made me realize that organizations, non-governmental organizations, advocacy organizations, play such a crucial role in supporting the work of a government, of your country's government. And in reinforcing the values and the interests that we as AJC want to communicate that very much dovetail, with hopefully any US administration.  I think that the role that an organization like ours, like AJC, can play in a particular moment, like we're in, where, as we've discussed, there's hyperpartisanship, and we hear a lot, Dana mentioned this. We hear a lot from foreign partners that the way our democracy works with a change in administration every four years is unsettling to some of them, because they don't know if a particular policy or agreement is going to continue the role that we can play, providing some of that continuity and providing a nonpartisan and thoughtful place to have conversations. Because they know that we have that kind of nuanced and thoughtful and nonpartisan insight. Manya Brachear Pashman:   I really appreciate your insights on the roles that you've played, and I think the audience has as well. But I want to pivot back to your role as women. Dana, I mentioned that you were often the only woman at the table. Would you discover that when you arrived at meetings and events? Dana Strohl:   In Washington, DC, and in particular, I'm very proud to have served in the Biden administration, where there were always women at the table. And I will also say that there was a network of women, and it was the same on the Hill. On the hill, there was actually a box of maternity clothes that was kept in then-Senate Leader Harry Reid's office.  And his National Security Advisor called me when she heard I was pregnant the first time, which was during the 2015 JCPOA negotiations on the Hill, which meant that I was super tired and doing all of those congressional hearings and briefings, but there was a network of women who were supporting each other and giving me clothes as I got bigger and bigger. And it continued into the Pentagon and the State Department, where there were always women and when we saw each other at the White House Situation Room or in the different meetings, there was always the quiet pull aside. How are you doing? How are your kids? Are you managing? What's the trade off on your day to day basis? Can I do anything to help you?  And in particular, after October 7, that network of people really kicked into high gear, and we were all checking in with each other. Because it was the most intense, most devastating time to work in the government and try to both support Israel and prevent World War III from breaking out across the Middle East. So that was DC. In the Middle East, I largely assumed that I was going to be the only woman at the table, and so I decided to just own it. There are some great pictures of me always in a pink jacket, but the point you know, was that I expected it, and there were always women, again, against the back walls. I made an effort whenever possible to make sure everyone at the table, regardless of your gender, had an opportunity to speak and participate, but I was also not just the only woman.  A lot of times, I was the co-chair with whatever partner it was in the Middle East, so I had a speaking role, and I felt was incumbent upon me to present a model of leadership and inclusivity in how we engage with our partners, spoke to our partners, listened to our partners concerns, and that that was part of the job. And only once, I remember it very clearly. We were at a dinner after a big meeting, and somebody looks at me, it's a meeting with all, y7all men, all men for a dinner. And they said, Is this what it's like for you all the time? And I said, Yes, it is. And you know, it took two and a half years for somebody to notice, so. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Mira, what have you experienced? And have you ever worried as a woman that you weren't being taken seriously? Mira Resnick:   I think that every woman in one of these jobs has imposter syndrome every so often, and walking into the room and owning it, fake it till you make it right. That's the solution. I will. I agree with Dana wholeheartedly that in Washington, I was really proud to walk into the room and never fear that I was the only woman. And I even remember traveling where another delegation was all women, and our delegation was all women, and how surprising that was, and then how disappointing, how surprising that was, but to take notice of the moment, because they don't happen very often.  I think that in Washington and throughout diplomacy, the goal is to pay it forward to other women. And I wasn't the last person to pump in the Ramallah Coca Cola factory, and I wasn't the first person to pump in the Ramallah Coca Cola factory. But that is, that was, like, my moment where I was like, Oh, this is a strange place to be a woman, right?  But I do find that women really bring holistic views into our policy making, and whether it's meeting with civil society, even if your job is strictly security cooperation to understand the human impacts of your security decisions, or making sure that you are nurturing your people, that you are a good leader of people.  I remember post-October 7, I was looking for some way that I could nurture in the personal life. And I see Nadine Binstock here, who goes to my shul, and Stephanie also. Stephanie Guiloff is also in the audience. She's my neighbor, and also goes to my shul. And after October 7, I took on the Kiddush Committee Coordinator at my shul. So that every week, no matter what I was experiencing at the office and no matter where I was in the world, our community would be a little bit more nurtured. And it was a way for me to like to give back to the community, and at the same time be able to continue to do the hard power work of security cooperation. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So Mira, Casey, Dana, thank you so much for joining us, sharing your modern-day Miriam experiences. I want to open it up for questions from the audience. Just raise your hand and someone will bring you a microphone. Audience Member: Hi, I'm Maddie Ingle. I'm a Leaders for Tomorrow alum. What is some advice that any of you have for young women like me in the advocacy space and in general. Casey Kustin:   First of all, thank you for taking the time to come to Global Forum and for joining LFT. You've already taken the first step to better arming yourself as an advocate. I think there is, I wish someone had said to me, probably before I met the two of them who did say it to me, that it was okay to take up space around the table. I remember sitting in secure facilities, getting classified briefings from ambassadors, male ambassadors who were 30 years my senior, and watching the two of you in particular i. Not be scared to challenge the back and forth when I as a probably still, you know, mid 20s, early 30s, did have fear of speaking up.  And I wish someone, when I was your age as a teenager, had, and obviously, I had supportive parents who told me I could do anything, but it's different. It's different than seeing it modeled by people who are in the same space as you, and who are maybe even just a couple years older than you. So I would just say to you not to ever be afraid to use your voice. This is a memory that has stuck with me for 15 years. I was in a meeting, sitting next to my congressman boss, with two men who were probably in their 60s, and a vote was called. And you never know on the Hill when a vote is going to be called. So it interrupts a meeting. And he had to go vote, and he said, Casey will finish the meeting with you. And they looked at him and said, Does she know what we're talking about?  Dana Strohl: We have all been there, Casey. Casey Kustin: We have all been there. So even if you're met with a response like that when you try to use your voice, don't let it deter you. Audience Member: Hi, guys. I'm Jenny. This has been my favorite session of the three days. Thank you guys. My mom is the first female, woman brakeman conductor on Amtrak. So you guys are just so empowering. As a long time Democrat, you guys talked about bipartisan issues. With how the Democratic Party is. I know you guys probably can't go fully into this. Do you have any inspiring words to give us hope when it feels very scary right now, as a Democrat, how divided our party is. Casey Kustin: I work for a nonpartisan organization now, so I'll let them handle that one. Dana Strohl:   I, so were we all on the Hill during the first Trump administration? And there was still bipartisanship. And what I'm looking for right now is the green shoots of our democracy. And I see them. There is thinking through what does it mean to be in this country, to be an American, to live in a democracy? What does democracy do? I think, first of all, it is healthy and okay for Americans to go through times of challenge and questioning. Is this working for us? And you know, the relationship between the government, whether it's legislative, judicial, executive and the people, and it's okay to challenge and question, and I think it's okay for there to be healthy debates inside both the Republican and the Democratic Party about what what this stands for, and what is in the best interest of our country.  And you can see both in polling data and in certain areas where there actually are members of Congress coming together on certain issues, like economic policy, what's in the best interest of our constituents and voters. That there is thinking through what is the right balance between the different branches of our government.  I was talking to somebody the other day who was reminding me this actual, you know, we are, we are in a time of significant transition and debate in our society about the future of our country and the future role of the government and the relationship. But it's not the first time, and it won't be the last. And I found to be that part of my job was to make sure I understood the diversity of voices and views about what the role of the government should be, general views about American foreign policy, which was our job, was just such a humble reminder of democracy and the importance of this back and forth. Audience Member:  [My name is Allie.] My question for you is, what are your hopes and dreams for generation alpha, who will be able to vote in the next election?  Casey Kustin:   I think we all have, all our kids are still in elementary, or Mira, your one is going into middle school now– Mira Resnik: To middle school. Casey Kustin:   So the vast majority of our children are still elementary school age. And for me, I have a very interesting experience of moving my family out of a very diverse community in Washington, DC to Jacksonville, Florida. And it's a very different environment than I thought that my children were going to grow up in, because at the time, we didn't anticipate leaving DC anytime soon, and it's made me realize that I want them to live in a world where no matter what community They are growing up in, they are experiencing a world that gives them different perspectives on life, and I think it's very easy now that I have gone from a city environment to suburbia to live in a bubble, and I just, I hope that every child in this next generation doesn't have to wait until they're adults to learn these kinds of really important lessons. Dana Strohl:   I have two additional things to add. I'm very concerned at what the polling suggests, the apathy of young people toward voting, the power of voting, why it matters. And participation, that you need to be an active citizen in your governments. And you can't just vote every four years in the presidential election, there's actually a ton of voting, including, like the county boards of education, you got to vote all the way up and down you continuously. And that it's okay to have respectful debate, discourse, disagreements in a democracy. So I would like this generation to learn how to have respectful discourse and debate, to believe that their votes matter and just vote. And three, on the YouTube thing, which is terrifying to me, so I'm hoping the educators help me with this is, how to teach our kids to separate the disinformation, the misinformation, and the fiction that they are getting because of YouTube and online. So mine are all elementary schoolers, and I have lost positive control of the information they absorb.  And now I'm trying to teach them well, you know, that's not real. And do I cut off certain things? How do I engage them? How do I use books and when? So they need to not just be active participants in their society, all up and down the ballot, multiple times every year, but they need to know how to inform themselves. Manya Brachear Pashman:   And Mira? Mira Resnick:   I do hope that our children, as they approach voting age, that they see the value in cooperation with each other, that they see the value of face to face conversation. I think that honestly, this is the value of Shabbat in my household. That you take a break from the screens and you have a face to face conversation. My children understand how to have conversations with adults now. Which is, I think, a critical life skill, and that they will use those life skills toward the betterment of their communities, and more broadly, our Jewish community, and more broadly than that, our global community. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Thank you so much. Thank you to everyone.