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Russian authorities say a bomb blast at a restaurant in central Moscow has killed three people and wounded many more. Reports say a woman tried to bring an improvised explosive device into the restaurant, but was stopped by a security guard. Also: Spain installs a floating barrier in the sea to protect its North African territory of Ceuta. A look back at the life of the well known mountain climber, Nirmal Purja, who's died in an avalanche. We meet the marine biologist who spent 45 years investigating a new seaweed. And we visit a hacker rehab programme hoping to steer teenagers away from cyber-crime. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.ukPhoto: Law enforcement officers at the site of an explosion at a restaurant in central Moscow, Russia Credit: Reuters/Anastasia Barashkova
The Legal AF podcast hosted by Ben and Popok reports on breaking news at the intersection of law and politics including: 1) What the DOJ's dismissal of the bogus, fraudulently supported Reflecting Pool Indictment means for Trump's Presidency and Todd Blanche's effort to get the Attorney General nod; 2) Todd Blanche's nomination being undercut by Trump and a new appeal filed to salvage the Jan6 fund; 3) new developments in Katie Phang's suit that may be the next step in Blanche being held in contempt during his confirmation vote; 4) the Blanche led DOJ going after another sex abuse survivor, E Jean Carroll, in a new Supreme Court filing; 5) Kash Patel going from bad to worse in 2 separate defamation cases he filed to have people stop calling him a public drunk and a Russian asset; and so much more. Support our Sponsors: Iron Wall: Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit https://ironwall.com/legalaf and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Smalls: For a limited time, get 60% off your first order, plus free shipping and free treats for life, when you head to https://Smalls.com/legalaf Select Quote: Get you FREE Quote today at https://SelectQuote.com today! IQ Bar: Get 20% off all IQBAR products. Text LEGALAF to 64000. (Message and data rates may apply) Become a member of Legal AF YouTube community: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgZJZZbnLFPr5GJdCuIwpA/join Learn more about the Popok Firm: https://thepopokfirm.com Subscribe to Legal AF Substack: https://michaelpopok.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=c0fc8f5c Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steve Hassan: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show The Ken Harbaugh Show: https://meidasnews.com/tag/the-ken-harbaugh-show Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Last week, Ralph, along with our constitutional law expert, Bruce Fein, organized another symposium in Washington DC on impeaching Donald Trump. On today's program, we play you highlights from that symposium with eight of the participants, each of whom are going to give listeners their perspective on why Donald Trump should be impeached even before the midterm elections.The rhetoric from many Democratic leaders has not kept up with the horror and the urgency of what [Donald Trump] is inflicting on America and the American people. He has moved very, very quickly to develop a fascist dictatorship embodying a kleptocratic corporate state that is marked by non-regulation, tax cuts for the wealthy, and tax escapes for the wealthy and major corporations, as well as expanded corporate welfare in the midst of personal and institutional two-way bribery and extortion. It's very important to punctuate the seriousness of what he's already done.Ralph NaderCelinda Lake is a political strategist and president of Lake Research Partners.What I love about polling is: conventional wisdom is wrong about 90% of the time, plus or minus 5%. Beltway conventional wisdom is wrong about 100% of the time, plus or minus 5%. So, “Everybody knows impeachment is unpopular.” No, it's not. It's very popular. A majority of people support it. “Everyone knows that it'll energize the other side.” No. The other side, to the extent they're going to be energized, they're already energized. We need to energize our side. We need to get our people out to vote… “Everyone knows it's very volatile.” No, it's not. Attitudes about impeachment track with job performance… And finally, “Everybody knows that nobody understands impeachment.” Well, frankly, voters understand it better than a lot of elected officials.Celinda LakeSuparna Reddy is the Senior Counsel for Free Speech For People.Let us be clear: Congress should impeach and remove Trump for each and every one of these hundreds of offenses. And we have a duty to record his every abuse of power. But in the process, we should not miss the forest for the trees— Trump is intentionally and systematically dismantling our democratic institutions to consolidate his own power and line his own pockets.Suparna ReddyRichard Painter is the S. Walter Richey professor of corporate law at the University of Minnesota Law School and was the chief White House ethics lawyer from 2005 to 2007.We have seen serious, indeed, tragic financial conflicts of interest in the executive branch never before seen in the history of our country—unless we look at our very early Presidents who held vast plantations with slave labor, a clear economic conflict of interest with their official duties. A conflict of interest shared by many Senators and Representatives and Justices of the Supreme Court, and indeed a tragic conflict of interest for the first eighty years of our history that ended only with a bloody civil war. But since then, we have not had at least a President who is embroiled in financial conflicts of interest with his official duties.Richard PainterDoug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, specializing in foreign policy and civil liberties.We need to make a persuasive argument for people, whether they like Donald Trump or not, to understand the Constitution transcends this President. The Constitution transcends future Presidents and future crises. We need to convince Americans across the political spectrum to stand with the rule of law, to stand with accountable government, to stand with an accountable executive, responsible legislatures. History tells us that one person making these decisions is not good. Plenty of authoritarians in the past have made these decisions and brought their countries to disaster.Douglas BandowErwin Chemerinsky is the Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.We're now at a moment when the federal government is a threat to our rights. The actions of the Trump administration are unprecedented in the violations of the Constitution. And so I think it's crucial that state and local governments step in so as to protect rights. It's interesting that through American history, Federalism has always been equated, states' rights have always been equated with regressive policies… But now it's time for progressives to use states' rights and look for the opportunities for states to safeguard our constitutionErwin ChemerinskyKeira Havens is a United States Air Force veteran, a former scientist, and a longtime political activist. She is the executive director of Citizens' Impeachment.Everybody has agency. Everybody has a role that they can play. Everybody can take action. As a private citizen, I can say, “Man, there are a lot of things wrong with what's happening.” In fact, I wrote several articles of impeachment: tyranny, treason, obstruction of justice, and of course, corruption, right? Members of Congress have more power than that. They need to do more than say things. They have to take action. Courage is an action. It's what you do after you say the words that really matters. And every single member of Congress is able to take action. They are able to introduce articles of impeachment, and they are refusing.Keira HavensJessica Denson is a former Trump staffer and founder of the Removal Coalition.The American people (and particularly Democratic primary voters) are looking for fighters. For God's sake, what could you do better than to exert the power that you have—this one privilege in the House, Rule 9, that gives any member of the Congress, including the minority, the ability to force a vote any time. Why would you sit on that? Why would you wait? Instead, in my activism, I've had to resort to relying on literally one Congressman. This is so pathetic. He is a dear friend, and I am so grateful for him. But to this day, I think it is pathetic that I have to rely on one Congressman to bring forth articles of impeachment and force votes, and that's Representative Green.Jessica DensonNews 7/31/26* Our top stories this week have to do with the Democratic National Committee. Several stories have recently come out about DNC Chair Ken Martin, ranging from interpersonal issues to his utter failure to raise money for the Democratic Party. The most stunning example of this comes from NOTUS, which reports that Martin “put [the DNC's] physical headquarters up for collateral last year in order to obtain a $15 million line of credit to help invest in off-year elections.” While the party has used this mechanism before, it underlines the gaping disparity between the DNC, which is currently over $2 million in debt compared to the Republican National Committee (RNC), which can boast $128.5 million cash on-hand.* Compounding the issues of the already cash-strapped DNC, the New Republic reports the Democratic National Committee was scammed out of nearly $29,000 by an email from someone pretending to be Chair Ken Martin last year. DNC spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg is quoted saying “The DNC takes seriously our duty to protect the funds provided to us by millions of patriotic Americans chipping in to fund our mission…this was a one-off mistake that was promptly caught and addressed, and no similar issues have occurred since.” That said, only $7,000 worth of this money has been recovered. As TNR puts it, “This has all been very embarrassing. Martin can't raise money, can't keep money, and can't unite the base under the big tent' he likes to talk about.” Martin may also be facing an outright rebellion led by party insiders.* One surprising proposal to this effect is coming from a very unlikely source. The Hill reports veteran Democratic strategist James Carville, while tearing into Martin, opened the door to former DNC Vice-Chair David Hogg taking the reins. Carville said the DNC appears “dysfunctional” and that the committee needs to “figure out a way maybe they could be somewhat relevant,” adding that “If David Hogg wants to take it over, I ain't stopping you…Go ahead, man, I don't really care.” This is a stark turnabout from Carville's position on Hogg when the latter was in DNC leadership; back then, Carville dismissed him as “a contemptible little twerp.” In an interview, Hogg highlighted this exact reversal, while simultaneously saying that he did not want to lead the crumbling Democratic Party organization. Ben Wikler, the former Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair who challenged Ken Martin in 2025 has also resisted calls to take over the DNC, with rumors circulating that he is gearing up to run for Senate in the Badger State next cycle. While pressure continues to mount on Martin, alternative leadership remains elusive.* Speaking of lackluster leadership, Sources Say News reports Capitol CNCT has launched The Scoop which they describe as “a confidential rating system that lets current and former Hill staffers weigh in on the members and offices they have worked for.” As one might imagine, some reviews are extremely scathing. This piece cites one that reads, “Leadership is abusive. Lies about promotions and bonuses…This place will leach at your mental health like a vampire…Beware.” Sources Say highlights the fact that “Unlike most workplaces, Congress has no HR department, which means bad behavior by members and senior staff can go unreported and unchecked for years.” The new site verifies that the posters are or were real employees of these offices, but keeps their names anonymous to protect them from retaliation.* In more news from Congress, POLITICO reports Maryland Representative and House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin is launching a new investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, this time focusing on whether the deceased sex offender and financier acted as an unregistered foreign agent. In a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, Raskin writes that “Jeffrey Epstein never registered as a foreign agent…Yet numerous recently released documents now show he acted aggressively on behalf of multiple foreign governments, including several with interests adverse to the United States, in order to influence policies of the first Trump Administration.” The declassified files reveal that Epstein “offered to serve as a conduit between Saudi Arabia and members of the Trump administration, consulted with Russian officials on engaging with the president and advised former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.” This inquiry is likely to raise fresh questions about not only Epstein's role working on behalf of foreign governments, but his possible connections with intelligence and espionage organizations including the CIA and Mossad.* Other progressive members of Congress, led by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, have issued a formal response to a new Trump administration report on Cuba. These members interpret this report – which claims that the tiny Caribbean nation of 10 million people has “waged a sustained campaign” to “conquer” the United States and is backing “left-wing terrorism on American soil” – is in fact an instrument the administration plans to use to persecute “Trump's perceived political enemies.” Omar, joined by Representatives Jim McGovern, Delia Ramirez, Rashida Tlaib, AOC and more, contend that Trump is “hell-bent on taking America back 70 years to the height of Cold War McCarthyism, when hawkish foreign policy was paired with unsubstantiated accusations of communist subversion and political repression against dissidents at home.” The administration report singled out several organizations and activists, including the National Lawyers Guild, Hasan Piker, and campus activist Isra Hirsi, daughter of Congresswoman Omar. This from Common Dreams.* In more news from the left, POLITICO reports Donavan McKinney – who is challenging incumbent Congressman Shri Thanedar in Detroit – picked up a major batch of endorsements this week from members of the Congressional Black Caucus. These new endorsers include Representatives Steven Horsford, the former chair of the CBC, along with Lateefah Simon and Ayanna Pressley. These endorsements, particularly that of Congressman Horsford, are notable because Thanedar retains the support of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his deputies, Representatives Pete Aguilar and Katherine Clark. McKinney said he was “honored” by these endorsements, adding that he “[looks] forward to working alongside these incredible leaders to pass critical legislation to protect voting rights, get big money out of our politics, and ensure all families have access to the resources they need to not just survive, but to truly thrive.” McKinney's primary will be held on August 4th, along with the more closely watched Senate primary between progressive Abdul El-Sayed and his moderate, establishment-backed opponent Haley Stevens.* Meanwhile, in New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani continues to fulfill campaign promises at an astonishing rate. First, Forbes reports that Mamdani has officially introduced a $124.7 billion city budget which includes funding for five city-run grocery stores which will sell staple foods at a 30% discount compared to private grocery stores. These staples are set to include produce, dairy, bread, select meat and seafood, and approximately 20 other products. Being city-owned, these stores will not have to pay rent or property taxes, ensuring they can operate more cheaply than their competitors in the private sector. This piece notes that similar experiments in smaller cities like Baldwin, Florida, and Erie, Kansas proved unsustainable financially, while proposals in Chicago and Kansas City struggled to get off the ground. There is reason to believe New York will prove a different matter entirely, but that remains to be seen. At the same time, Jacobin reports Mamdani is launching a new initiative called “Talk to Tenants,” which will “send volunteers door-to-door in buildings with chronic housing code violations, connecting renters with organizing resources, neighborhood organizations, and training on tenants' rights and how to build tenant associations.” This effort will be led by the Office of Mass Engagement in partnership with the Office to Protect Tenants. It is extremely encouraging to see Mamdani utilizing a varied array of tools at his disposal – including both direct action by the city as on grocery stores or using city resources to promote the formation of non-governmental organizing efforts – in order to achieve his vision of a just and affordable American metropolis.* In more troubling, if not surprising, news, the Wall Street Journal is out with a new report finding that the Department of Justice is giving a green light to corporate criminals. The Journal cites examples ranging from Alibaba to Boeing and EagleBank to Abbott Laboratories where the Trump DOJ “declined to charge companies even when prosecutors thought executives or managers were involved in the wrongdoing.” This follows from directives given by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who has “said prosecutors shouldn't view prosecuting companies as their goal and should instead focus on holding individual wrongdoers accountable.” This piece cites a December speech by Blanche in which he stated that “Companies don't go to jail, people do.” Yet, it seems that under the Trump Justice Department, neither do.* Finally, in more corporate news, the antitrust lawsuit filed by over a dozen state attorneys general has at least temporarily succeeded in halting the mega-merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and the Ellisons' media conglomerate, Paramount Skydance. After the lawsuit was filed, a federal judge in Oakland ordered a pause on the deal, and since then, the Ellisons themselves have agreed to put the merger “on ice” pending the outcome of the trial, Variety reports. This piece also highlights the private sentiments of anonymous Warner Bros. executives who apparently hope that the deal hits a “legal landmine” and is ultimately “nixed.” However, in an internal memo, David Ellison maintained that “the facts and the law are on our side, and a full hearing will demonstrate why the plaintiffs' arguments should not prevail.”This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe
68 MinutesPG-13Dr. Matthew Raphael Johnson is a researcher, writer, and former professor of history and political science, specializing in Russian history and political ideology.Pete and Dr. Johnson continue a reading and commentary of Ivan Ilyin's 1925 book, "On Resistance to Evil by Force."Tolstoy's "What is a Jew?"The Lies of Leftism: Ivan Ilyin, Atheism and the Death of Reason in the East and West by Dr. Matthew Raphael JohnsonDr Johnson's PatreonDr Johnson's CashApp - $Raphael71RusJournal.orgTHE ORTHODOX NATIONALISTDr. Johnson's Radio Albion PageDr. Johnson's Books on AmazonJohnson's Law in Action: Venezuela and the Foreign Policy of Mass PresumptionDr. Johnson's Pogroms ArticleThe Orthodox Nationalist: Karl Marx “On the Jewish Question” (1844)Article: Karl Marx's Theses on the Jews and the Necessity of Free Trade: Zur Judenfrage (1844) by Matthew Raphael JohnsonPete and Thomas777 'At the Movies'Support Pete on His WebsitePete's PatreonPete's SubstackPete's SubscribestarPete's GUMROADPete's VenmoPete's Buy Me a CoffeePete on FacebookPete on TwitterBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-pete-quinones-show--6071361/support.
00:00:00 – Global-war dread hangs over the opening 00:04:55 – Russian missile crashes inside Poland 00:09:49 – Ukraine strikes an Iranian ship in the Caspian 00:14:42 – Saudi Arabia builds a Red Sea defense bloc 00:19:36 – China's robot army fuels a new threat panic 00:23:43 – Migrants overwhelm Spain's African enclaves 00:32:45 – The Spain crisis turns toward Israel and Morocco 00:37:44 – Tucker frames regional wars as deliberate destabilization 00:42:40 – Israel and Spain trade threats over the enclave crisis 00:47:19 – Spain's Jewish history enters the modern conflict 00:52:16 – The Gates of Toledo revive religious-war comparisons 00:57:08 – Mass migration sparks Spanish civil-war fears 01:03:55 – A clip maps Morocco's migration blackmail strategy 01:07:32 – A caller defends Franco and the Reconquista 01:12:19 – Usury leads the call into central banking 01:16:42 – The Federal Reserve faces a constitutional attack 01:20:15 – Liberal empathy takes blame for social collapse 01:25:08 – Discord and gaming break the tension 01:29:40 – The poisoned water-car inventor mystery returns 01:33:19 – Fauci pleads the Fifth under Senate pressure 01:38:14 – Bill Gates' nuclear clearance draws suspicion 01:42:04 – Mosquito nets allegedly wreck African fisheries 01:46:41 – Fauci's pandemic record gets a furious reckoning 01:51:36 – Masks, AZT and Fauci's HIV-era legacy 01:54:40 – Positive advice closes a bleak show Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: http://obdmpod.com ► Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/obdmpod ► Full Videos at Odysee: https://odysee.com/@obdm:0 ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/obdmpod ► Instagram: obdmpod ► Email: ourbigdumbmouth at gmail ► RSS: http://ourbigdumbmouth.libsyn.com/rss ► iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/our-big-dumb-mouth/id261189509?mt=2
After thousands of Moroccans enter the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Italy calls for Spain to suspended from the EU open borders agreement. Also in the programme: It's six months since 84-year old Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her home in Tucson, Arizona, in the middle of the night; and a bomb has exploded in a Moscow restaurant favoured by the Russian elite.(Photo: A migrant from Morocco walks in the water after crossing into Ceuta by sea, amid recent mass crossings of migrants on foot and by sea from Morocco into Spanish territory, in Ceuta, Spain, 1 August 2026. Credit: Reuters/Violeta Santos Moura)
Show Notes On this week's Yugoslav History Interlude, they say that if you want to understand any political event in Europe you have to start with the Romans... and that may well be true for the split between Tito and Stalin. After going through a few of the theories competing to explain the sudden rupture in the apparently cozy relationship between two of Europe's most prominent Communists, we zero in on the Adriatic Question - the first of a series of foreign policy entanglements that put the Yugoslavs at odds with their Russian patrons. Mobile Suit Breakdown is written, recorded, and produced within Lenapehoking, the ancestral and unceded homeland of the Lenape, or Delaware, people. Before European settlers forced them to move west, the Lenape lived in New York City, New Jersey, and portions of New York State, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Connecticut. Lenapehoking is still the homeland of the Lenape diaspora, which includes communities living in Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Ontario. You can learn more about Lenapehoking, the Lenape people, and ongoing efforts to honor the relationship between the land and indigenous peoples by visiting the websites of the Delaware Tribe and the Manhattan-based Lenape Center. Listeners in the Americas and Oceania can learn more about the indigenous people of your area at https://native-land.ca/. We would like to thank The Lenape Center for guiding us in creating this living land acknowledgment. You can subscribe to Mobile Suit Breakdown for free! on fine Podcast services everywhere and on YouTube, visit our website GundamPodcast.com, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, or email your questions, comments, and complaints to gundampodcast@gmail.com. Mobile Suit Breakdown wouldn't exist without the support of our fans and Patrons! You can join our Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus episodes, extra out-takes, behind-the-scenes photos and video, MSB gear, and much more! The intro music is WASP by Misha Dioxin, the recap music Window by 1000 Handz, and the outro is Long Way Home by Spinning Ratio, all licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 licenses. All music used in the podcast has been edited to fit the text. Mobile Suit Breakdown provides critical commentary and is protected by the Fair Use clause of the United States Copyright law. Gundam content is copyright and/or trademark of Sunrise Inc., Bandai, Sotsu Agency, or its original creator. Mobile Suit Breakdown is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu, or any of their subsidiaries, employees, or associates and makes no claim to own Gundam or any of the copyrights or trademarks related to it. Copyrighted content used in Mobile Suit Breakdown is used in accordance with the Fair Use clause of the United States Copyright law. Any queries should be directed to gundampodcast@gmail.comRead transcript
Your daily news in under three minutes.For more on these stories, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com And connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
Your daily news in under three minutes.For more on these stories, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com And connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
Russia's principal security service says a Russian citizen has been detained in the country's far East. The man is accused of spying for New Zealand's SIS. Jack Tame sits down with Russia's Ambassador Stanislav Krans at the Russian Embassy in Wellington to ask more about the case. And nearly four and a half years into the military invasion of Ukraine, and following 35 rounds of New Zealand sanctions against Russia, he asks about the relationship between Russia and New Zealand. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.
Outspoken former Children's Commissioner cut short in role Dr Claire Achmad was given around five weeks' notice that she would be exiting her role of Children's Commissioner. First appointed to a five-year term to advocate for young people in New Zealand, that became a one-year term in 2025, and when she signed off on Friday July 31st, she left office two years earlier than she'd expected. She says that she has been a "fair and balanced critic" of Government policy when it comes to child poverty, and that she has not been told by the Minister for Social Development, Louise Upston, why she wasn't brought back. Dr Achmad sat down with Jack Tame in her final week in the role. Spy allegations: NZ's relationship with Russia in focus Russia's principal security service says a Russian citizen has been detained in the country's far East. The man is accused of spying for New Zealand's SIS. Jack Tame sits down with Russia's Ambassador Stanislav Krans at the Russian Embassy in Wellington to ask more about the case. And nearly four and a half years into the military invasion of Ukraine, and following 35 rounds of New Zealand sanctions against Russia, he asks about the relationship between Russia and New Zealand. Most people want fewer cars, Dutch academic says Twenty years from now, people will look back on high speed limits we have in cities now and find them just as unbelievable as smoking indoors - a relic of the past. That's the dream of a visiting Dutch academic. Professor Marco te Brömmelstroet holds the Chair on Urban Mobility Futures at the University of Amsterdam and spoke at the Public Transport Association conference at Te Papa this week. While there, he caught up with Jack Tame. "Discriminatory" law focus of Green MP's bill Migrant families can be split apart when family members are denied visas on the basis that their disability would be a burden to New Zealand's health system, a Green MP says. Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan's members bill would remove the ability to discriminate and carve out a way for affected families to challenge these decisions: by making a complaint to the Human Rights Commission. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.
Molly McKew (writer and lecturer on Russian influence and information warfare) joins host Ron Steslow to examine how Ukraine's widening reach is bringing the war home to Russia and what a defeated Russia could become. They begin with the war's new geography: strikes that have idled a quarter of Russia's refining capacity, and drones now reaching the Caspian corridor between Russia and Iran. Next, they trace Ukraine's rise from scrappy insurgent to serious power, erasing Russian sanctuary and moving to the center of Europe's security future. Then they examine The Economist's profile of oligarch Andrey Melnichenko, who warns against breaking Russian sovereignty and sketches four dangerous futures for a defeated Russia. Finally, they confront what holding Russia responsible would truly require. In Politicology+, they take stock of Sen. Lindsey Graham's death and what his absence means for the Republican Party's fading support for Ukraine. POLITICOLOGY+ Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don't miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus. Check out Great Power: https://www.greatpower.us/ Read The Economist's coverage of Andrey Melnichenko: https://bit.ly/4x5YvDk SPONSORS & PROMO CODES: https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8 Send your questions and ideas to podcast@politicology.com Ron Steslow on X: https://x.com/RonSteslow Molly McKew on X: https://x.com/MollyMcKew Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the final part, Mike LeBlanc explains why Ukraine has become a real-time preview of future warfare, where robots and drones now do most of the fighting and over 80% of incoming Russian drones are stopped before impact. He breaks down the political reasons Russia hasn't crushed Ukraine, the underexplored frontier of subsurface warfare exposed by Iran, and why he believes autonomy—not new weapons types—is the true turning point in combat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This episode covers real-life horror far more extreme than usual, including a Russian professor arrested in 2011 for keeping the mummified corpses of 29 women and girls in his apartment, each one fitted with a hidden music box. It also includes the story of a 19th-century whiskey heir who paid six handkerchiefs for a 10-year-old girl so he could watch cannibals kill and eat her, and the theory that Alexander the Great was declared dead nearly a week before he actually died. Content is more graphic than usual, so listener discretion is advised.EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/necropolystREAD or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8e5emeCHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding00:00:47.354 = Show Open00:01:58.356 = Alexander the Great00:05:52.710 = The Ravenous Beast of Gévaudan00:09:41.943 = The Rape and Burial of Jessica Lunsford ***00:11:55.911 = The Dyatlov Pass Incident00:15:29.080 = The Torture Dungeon of Leonard Lake and Charles Ng00:19:10.197 = Robert The Doll00:23:08.785 = The Disappearance and Eerie Return of Bobby Dunbar ***00:26:33.271 = Albert Fish – The Brooklyn Vampire00:30:06.498 = The Strange Disappearance of the Sodder Children00:34:28.570 = Anatoly Moskvin, The Russian Who Mummified Dead Girls00:38:41.505 = The Jameson Whiskey Cannibal ***00:42:29.572 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakLISTEN ON PODCAST APPS: Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*SOURCES and RESOURCES:“Real-Life Horror Stories More Freaky Than Fiction” by Marco Margaritoff for AllThatsInteresting.com:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8p9c72(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.Originally aired: March 2022Weird Darkness this episode gathers real-life horror too extreme for scripted television, spanning from ancient Macedonia to the Congo basin and landing, along the way, in a Russian apartment stacked with mummified girls.It opens with Alexander the Great, who collapsed in Babylon in 323 B.C. after a 24-hour drinking binge triggered a sudden fever, a stabbing pain in his back, and creeping paralysis that eventually left him speechless; doctors pronounced him dead at 32. His body reportedly stayed "pure and fresh" for six days afterward, evidence ancient Greeks took as proof of his divinity. In 2019, Dr. Katherine Hall of New Zealand's University of Otago proposed in the Ancient History Bulletin that Alexander actually suffered from Guillain-Barré Syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that paralyzes the body while leaving the mind fully intact; since fourth-century-B.C. doctors checked for breath rather than a pulse, Hall's theory suggests Alexander may have been declared dead nearly a week before he actually died, and was buried alive.From there, the story moves to 18th-century France, where a wolf-like creature killed or mauled close to 300 people across three years in the Gévaudan region, most of them women and children. Fourteen-year-old shepherdess Jeanne Boulet was the first confirmed victim in 1764; a fifteen-year-old girl killed a month later survived long enough to describe her attacker as "a horrible beast". Militia leader Jean-Baptiste Duhamel organized a 30,000-strong hunting party, and King Louis XV eventually dispatched his own bodyguard, François Antoine, who killed a large wolf in September 1765; the attacks resumed within months regardless. A farmer named Jean Chastel is credited with killing the actual beast using silver bullets, reportedly after finding human remains inside its stomach.Next, the episode turns to the 2005 murder of nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford in Homosassa, Florida. Convicted sex offender John Evander Couey broke into her family's home, took her to his trailer, raped her over three days, sealed her inside garbage bags, and buried her alive in his yard while she still clutched a stuffed dolphin her father had won her at a state fair. Prosecutors later determined Jessica may have still been alive in the house during Couey's first police interview. Couey was convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping in March 2007 and died on death row of natural causes in 2009.From Florida, the episode jumps to the Ural Mountains and the Dyatlov Pass incident of January 1959, when hiking leader Igor Dyatlov and eight fellow students from the Ural Polytechnic Institute died during an expedition toward Otorten Mountain. Investigators found their tent slashed open from the inside and shoeless footprints leading nearly a mile into the forest; the first bodies recovered, dressed only in underwear despite temperatures near negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit, were ruled hypothermia deaths. Two of the last four bodies found, Lyudmila Dubinina and Semyon Zolotaryov, were missing their eyeballs, Lyudmila was also missing her tongue, and both had clothing that tested positive for radioactivity. More than sixty years later, no single explanation, from avalanche to secret Soviet weapons testing, has been confirmed.The episode then moves to a cabin in California's Sierra Nevada foothills, where Leonard Lake and Charles Ng tortured and killed as many as 25 people between 1983 and 1985. Lake, a Vietnam veteran discharged for psychological reasons, built a cinderblock bunker behind a one-way mirror where he and Ng held women as sex slaves before killing them, dismembering the bodies, and dissolving the remains in acid; investigators eventually recovered twelve victims' remains along with roughly 40 pounds of charred bone. The pair was caught in June 1985 after Ng tried to shoplift a bench vise; Lake swallowed a cyanide capsule sewn into his jacket lining and died in custody before trial, while Ng was convicted of eleven murders in 1999 and remains on death row at San Quentin.Next comes Robert the Doll, manufactured by Germany's Steiff Company in 1904 and given to a Key West boy named Robert Eugene "Gene" Otto, who reportedly carried the doll everywhere and spoke of it in the first person. After Gene died in 1974, new owner Myrtle Reuter said the doll continued moving through her house with no explanation and eventually donated it to the Fort East Martello Museum, where curator Cori Convertito now oversees a steady stream of visitors who claim their cameras stop working in Robert's presence.From there, the episode circles back to 1912 Louisiana and the disappearance of four-year-old Bobby Dunbar from Swayze Lake. Eight months later, authorities found a boy matching his description traveling with a man named William Cantwell Walters, who insisted the child was Bruce Anderson, son of field hand Julia Anderson; the Dunbar family claimed the boy as their own anyway. It took until 2004, after years of research by Bobby's granddaughter Margaret Dunbar Cutwright, for a DNA test to prove the man raised as Bobby Dunbar shared no blood relation to the Dunbar family, meaning the real Bobby likely died in 1912 and the family had unknowingly raised Julia's son instead.The story turns next to Albert Fish, born in 1870 and later known as the Brooklyn Vampire, who spent decades torturing, killing, and cannibalizing children after enduring severe abuse in a New York orphanage as a boy. In 1928, posing as a farmer named Frank Howard, Fish lured ten-year-old Grace Budd away from her family and killed her; he wasn't identified until November 1934, when a letter he sent to Grace's mother describing the murder in graphic detail was traced back to him. Fish was executed in the electric chair at Sing Sing Prison on January 16th, 1936.Following that, the episode covers the unresolved 1945 Sodder children case in Fayetteville, West Virginia, where a Christmas Eve house fire killed, or apparently killed, five of George and Jennie Sodder's nine children. No bones were ever recovered from the wreckage despite a coroner attributing the deaths to the blaze, and the family spent decades chasing tips and alleged sightings after strangers had made ominous threats about the house burning down in the months before the fire. George and Jennie erected a billboard along Route 16 asking for information and died in 1968 and 1989, respectively, without ever learning their children's fate.From there, the story turns to Anatoly Moskvin, a Russian journalist and college professor fluent in thirteen languages who dubbed himself a "necropolyst" and visited 752 cemeteries around his hometown of Nizhny Novgorod. Moskvin was arrested in 2011 after police investigating the desecration of Muslim graves found him painting over photographs of the dead; a search of the apartment he shared with his parents turned up the mummified remains of 29 women and girls, dressed, made up with buttons for eyes, and fitted with music boxes inside their chests. Moskvin told investigators he dug up the bodies because he was lonely and confessed to 44 counts of abusing graves and corpses.The episode clos
C Constable reports from France on the high heat and smoke impact near Bordeaux. The discussion shifts to surging energy prices, with Brent crude rising 26% and European gas up 36%. Despite high energy costs, rising copper prices suggest potential industrial growth. (1)Simon Constable and Jim McTague continue with a quiz highlighting that typical data centers use 300,000 gallons of water daily, while larger ones can reach 5 million gallons. Currently, most centers are urban, but 67% of planned facilities are rural. In Lancaster County, a "tale of two data centers" emerges as one town embraces the revenue stream while another resists it due to misinformation and fear. (2)Cliff May argues for maximum pressure and coercive diplomacy to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. He advocates for a naval blockade, specifically targeting oil exports from Kharg Island to strangle the regime's revenue. May emphasizes that the Iranian leadership's ideology makes them likely to use nuclear weapons, necessitating a strategy to cripple the regime's power. (3)John Hardie and Bill Roggio cover the significant leadership change in Ukraine as General Drapatyi replaces General Syrskyi as commander-in-chief. Drapatyi is seen as a representative of a new, western-style generation of officers who embrace technological innovation and listen to subordinates. The transition aims to "desovietize" the military and maintain the momentum of successful drone offensives against Russian infrastructure. (4)Anatol Lieven examines how the Ukraine and Iran conflicts are merging into one global struggle following a Ukrainiandrone strike on an Iranian vessel. This escalation threatens global energy supplies of refined oil products, as Russianrefineries struggle with capacity. While Ukraine targets the Russian middle class to undermine support for the war, Lieven warns of a widening proxy war involving China, North Korea, and Iran. (5)Anatol Lieven turns to Britain's new political era under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who is described as the Labour Party's "last chance" to address a discredited government. Burnham faces immense financial pressure, particularly regarding the costs of healthcare for the elderly and dementia. To succeed, he may need to pivot from "Net Zero" policies to prioritize energy needs and seek a new mandate through an election. (6)Salvatore Vitale and Kalin Plunkett of MIT explain hierarchical merging, a process where black holes merge repeatedly to create larger "monsters." By analyzing gravitational waves from 155 binary pairs, they discovered that 14% are second-generation black holes, born from previous mergers rather than stellar collapse. These second-generation black holes are characterized by rapid spin and mass asymmetry, providing clues to how supermassive black holes form in galaxies. (7)Salvatore Vitale and Kalin Plunkett continue: to uncover the origins of the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, scientists propose building larger gravitational wave detectors scaled up by a factor of ten. These advanced observatories would allow researchers to peer further back into cosmic history, potentially detecting black holes from the very early universe. Expanding the global network to four or five detectors would help pinpoint host galaxies and detect the formation of heavy elements. (8)Arthur Herman recounts the historic 1896 meeting where Henry Ford pitched his internal combustion engine to a skeptical Thomas Edison. Edison's encouragement served as the catalyst for Ford's revolution in American transportation. This industrial transformation was further enabled by John D. Rockefeller, whose ability to lower oil prices made gasoline an economically feasible fuel for mass production. The segment also highlights George Washington's vision for a professional Continental Army. (9)Arthur Herman explains the American founders were heavily influenced by the Scottish Enlightenment, particularly the ideas of David Hume and Adam Smith regarding the pursuit of happiness. This subjective right was prioritized over property to potentially allow for the future abolition of slavery. The founding spirit extended to the Northwest Ordinance, creating communities like Marietta, Ohio, that were dedicated to education, religion, and freedom. (10)Arthur Herman characterizes Abraham Lincoln as a founder for his vision of an America without slavery and his willingness to risk the Union to fulfill the Declaration of Independence. His administration's legacy includes the Homestead Act and the Transcontinental Railroad, which expanded the "empire of liberty." Additionally, the Civil War era facilitated the rise of Andrew Carnegie, who later revolutionized the global steel industry using the Bessemerprocess. (11)Arthur Herman reframes the Gilded Age not as an era of greed, but as a period of unprecedented opportunity and connectivity driven by the railroad. James J. Hill's Great Northern Railway fostered regional prosperity and negotiated fairly with Native American tribes. Meanwhile, Thomas Edison's relentless competitiveness and "restless mind" led to the electrification of the nation and the invention of the phonograph, inspiring future generations of founders like Elon Musk. (12)Arthur Herman contrasts Woodrow Wilson's attempt to centrally manage industry during World War I, which resulted in logistical chaos and failure, with FDR's embrace of the private sector for World War II, appointing GM's Bill Knudsento lead mobilization. By relying on the incentives of the marketplace, Knudsen successfully converted American manufacturing into a massive war machine, producing more war material than the world imagined in just 18 months. (13)Arthur Herman presents Martin Luther King Jr. as a founder who refounded the American experiment by taking risks to fulfill the promise of equality. The segment explores the eternal conflict between the bold "founder mindset" and the cautious "manager instinct" that emerged in the 1950s. While managers seek stability and predictability, founders drive innovation and national greatness, preventing the American dream from becoming stagnant and stale. (14)Arthur Herman credits Vannevar Bush's "The Endless Frontier" manifesto with persuading FDR to fund basic scientific research through universities, laying the groundwork for Silicon Valley. This federal support enabled discoveries in information theory and microchip development, transforming the American economy. The evolution from massive mainframes like the IBM 360 to modern microchips illustrates the imaginative leap of founders who see opportunities where others see only current technology. (15)Arthur Herman concludes that today's founders, including Elon Musk and Donald Trump, continue the tradition of taking massive risks to fulfill bold visions. Musk's goals for SpaceX and Mars are described as a step-by-step process of industrial manufacturing and innovation. Central to this enduring success is the Patent Act of 1790, a unique constitutional protection that ensures individuals own the products of their minds, fueling 250 years of American discovery. (16)Corrections applied per the log: John Hardie (transcribed as "Hardy," segment 4) and Labour Party (UK spelling, segment 6). I also dropped the phonetic "(Chopati)" after General Drapatyi in segment 4 — that's Mykhailo Drapatyi, so the first spelling stands. One to confirm for the log: Kalin Plunkett (segments 7–8) — I couldn't verify this MIT researcher's spelling; if it's from audio, it may need checking against the MIT LIGO group roster.
John Hardie and Bill Roggio cover the significant leadership change in Ukraine as General Drapatyi replaces General Syrskyi as commander-in-chief. Drapatyi is seen as a representative of a new, western-style generation of officers who embrace technological innovation and listen to subordinates. The transition aims to "desovietize" the military and maintain the momentum of successful drone offensives against Russian infrastructure. (4)
Anatol Lieven examines how the Ukraine and Iran conflicts are merging into one global struggle following a Ukrainiandrone strike on an Iranian vessel. This escalation threatens global energy supplies of refined oil products, as Russianrefineries struggle with capacity. While Ukraine targets the Russian middle class to undermine support for the war, Lieven warns of a widening proxy war involving China, North Korea, and Iran. (5)
Day 1,617.As yet more Russian Wildberries distribution sites reach for the stars, Ukrainian missile producer Firepoint wins the month's top-trolling award by offering merch to anyone who correctly predicts their next target. Dom reports how ballistic-missile defence is the hot topic of military and diplomatic discussion at the moment, with offers from Poland, favours asked of SpaceX and, perhaps least surprising of all, a growing coolness from Donald Trump over the plan/idea/wishful thinking that Ukraine would be given the Patriot blueprints. Alex Nichol reports that Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff may be in Ukraine in the next few weeks, which would be their first trip to Kyiv despite making multiple visits to Putin in Moscow.Contributors: Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Alex Nichol (Telegraph Journalist).With thanks to Hugh Roberts (@hugh.g.a.roberts on Instagram) and the University of Exeter. Senior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O'SullivanSocial Producer: Tom SteedStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David KnowlesNOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED:If you're interested in sponsoring Dom's upcoming defence event, email our colleagues at events@telegraph.co.ukRussian missile destroys US firm's Kyiv drone factory (The Guardian)https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/30/us-firm-drone-factory-terminal-autonomy-ukraine-russia Zelensky Asked Trump for a Favor From Elon Musk (The Atlantic)https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2026/07/zelensky-asked-trump-for-a-favor-from-elon-musk/688122/Donald Trump ‘not sure' he will let Ukraine build Patriot missiles (Financial Times)https://www.ft.com/content/d8c42f6b-4dba-4976-a907-c7c93bca0bbd?syn-25a6b1a6=1 War and peace: Ukraine's ambassador in Washington joins our table (Christian Science Monitor)https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/monitor_breakfast/2026/0731/ukraine-ambassador-olga-stefanishyna?icid=rssThe Geopolitics of Russia's Civil Nuclear Exports Four Years into the War (Centre for Strategic and International Studies)https://www.csis.org/analysis/geopolitics-russias-civil-nuclear-exports-four-years-war Ukrainian War Time Poetry: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx2YPXiQIIQvRHSFfabgsOZM_5G5eqj5OJantar Publishing House: https://www.jantarpublishing.com/Lines from the frontline: the poet soldiers defending Ukraine (The Conversation): https://theconversation.com/lines-from-the-frontline-the-poet-soldiers-defending-ukraine-276676 Death of a Ukrainian Writer (New Yorker): https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-death-of-a-ukrainian-writer-victoria-amelinaThe Buried Book That Helped Ukraine's Literary Revival (The New York Times): https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/20/world/europe/ukraine-publishing-buried-book.htmlMore about Aliaksei Lazarau: https://x.com/Alx_lazarau/status/2050195969103307014 The petition to allow non-Ukrainian to be recognised as Hero of Ukraine: https://petition.president.gov.ua/petition/264020 EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:Russians 'fear being killed in Red Square,' Kyiv claimsZelensky asks Elon Musk a favour Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Back in April, the white-paper dreamers in Washington told you the Russian state was a rational actor optimizing its war effort. We used the Ponyatiya analytics engine to predict an August logistical meltdown and a regional liquidity freeze. Tomorrow is August, and the Wildberries hubs, energy refineries, and regional budgets are burning on schedule.1. Domestic Energy Rationing & The Moscow Fuel Vacuum — 95% ProbabilityBy October 2026, the Kremlin will be forced to introduce formal, centralized fuel rationing across Western Russia and the Moscow region. Priority will be stripped from civilian transport and domestic logistics to feed the military apparatus, triggering localized black-market fuel rates exceeding $2.50 to $3.00 (200–240 RUB) per liter in provincial hubs.2. Complete Commercial Logistics Paralysis & Black-Market Dominance — 90% ProbabilityBy Q4 2026, major e-commerce platforms will officially abandon centralized regional fulfillment in high-risk zones (Volgograd, Tatarstan, Krasnodar, Ryazan). Civilian goods distribution will fracture into localized, cartel-run black markets where private security groups (MOGs) charge up to $7,500 (600,000 RUB) per run, completely outpricing state-subsidized retail.3. The September Mobilization Wave & Feudal Labor Battalions — 85% Probability Following the September Duma elections, Moscow will execute a mandatory mobilization wave of 300,000 to 500,000 men. To prevent urban panic, the state will simultaneously implement 17th-century feudal labor laws, converting underperforming agricultural, industrial, and municipal workers into forced "rear-support" penal units to keep the harvest and rail lines from completely collapsing.4. "Bratva 2.0" Cartel Warfare in Provincial Cities — 80% Probability By late Autumn 2026, returning combat veterans will merge with established organized crime syndicates to create Bratva 2.0. Armed clashes between veteran-led cartels, regional police, and migrant labor networks over protection rackets, drug distribution, and local food supplies will paralyze provincial cities across the Urals and Southern Russia.5. Peripheral Asset-Stripping & Regional Economic Stampede — 75% ProbabilityBy Winter 2026/2027, regional governors and local elites will stop waiting for Moscow's checks to clear. Following Wildberries' lead in buying up Kazakh logistics space, regional oligarchs will initiate covert asset-stripping, withholding local resource tax revenues and issuing localized barter instruments or promissory notes to keep their populations fed, effectively triggering the de facto economic fragmentation of the Russian Federation.Become our patron:https://www.patreon.com/theeasternborderMerch store + another option for memberships:https://theeasternborder-shop.fourthwall.com/Follow what's going on here in the very border of Eastern Europe:https://bsky.app/profile/theeasternborder.lvDownload all episodes for free on our website; pictures accompanying certain episodes can be found there as well!http://theeasternborder.lv/Car4Ukraine Eastern Border Summer Campaign!https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-trucks-2026-eastern-borderSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ukrainian drone strikes hit Wildberries warehouses across Russia, with 16 distribution centres damaged or destroyed in the past fortnight. As the country's biggest online retailer faces disruption and a Lukoil oil refinery is also hit, we examine why Ukraine is targeting Russian business infrastructure.Also, oil prices rise after Iran stops two vessels attempting to leave the Strait of Hormuz. We ask why crude has not surged even higher, and look at how China's hidden oil reserves have helped limit the impact on global markets.FIFA faces a growing backlash over plans to sell minority stakes in a new commercial entity controlling future tournament rights, with UEFA, other federations and senior figures inside FIFA pushing back against the proposal.Plus, we examine the collapse of an AI-focused hedge fund once valued at $45 billion, led by 24-year-old tech entrepreneur Leopold Aschenbrenner, after its assets were bought by a rival firm for less than $10 billion.Image Credit: STRINGER/EPA/Shutterstock
OpenAI 'Rogue Agent' Fallout, Minnesota Water Systems Hit, Exchange OWA Zero-Click Mailbox Takeover David Shipley covers multiple security stories: the OpenAI "rogue agent" incident expands as Modal Labs says a customer's exposed endpoint was used as a launchpad in attacks on Hugging Face, while critics cite missing zero trust/defense-in-depth and disabled safeguards; Bruce Schneier and Bargath Raghaven label this the "genie effect" and propose a "genie coefficient" to measure instruction-to-outcome gaps. Minnesota IT Services reports more than 30 community water systems hit in a coordinated OT attack July 26–27, with some running manually, as agencies assist and warnings persist about Iranian-linked PLC targeting; Canada also reports a NoName intrusion claim. Proofpoint details Laundry Bear exploiting an Exchange OWA XSS (CVE-2026-42897) to maintain mailbox access even after password resets. MCBS reports a 2025 breach affecting 1.261M people. Lava finds ~25,000 internet-exposed IPMI/BMCs leaking crackable hashes. 00:00 Headlines and intro 00:29 OpenAI rogue agent fallout 02:18 Genie effect and benchmarks 03:29 Minnesota water systems hit 05:02 Iran-linked PLC warnings 06:23 Exchange OWA mailbox backdoor 08:24 Medical billing breach tally 09:43 IPMI BMCs exposed online 11:00 Wrap-up and next episodes
The Washington Post reports that shrinking U.S. missile and munitions inventories, driven largely by the conflict with Iran, are putting intense pressure on the Pentagon to rebuild its arsenal quickly. Russia launched a massive overnight assault on Ukraine with 284 drones and 70 missiles, killing at least eight people and injuring dozens more across multiple regions of the country, according to Ukrainian officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed the casualties in part on shortages and delays in Western air-defense support. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A 22-year-old soldier from Drogheda, Co Louth, who fought for Ukraine in Donetsk, has been sentenced by the Russian authorities to 14 years' imprisonment in a maximum-security penal colony.Joining Shane for more on this is Freelance Journalist, Darragh McDonagh.
Operation Doppelganger was a Russian propaganda project discovered in 2022, a minor part of the enormous, ongoing disinformation and chaos-sewing campaign Russia spreads across the world through social media. And some of your views may have come from it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The US military says American forces hit dozens of targets across Iran in a two-hour wave of strikes after Iranian missile attacks on US forces in Jordan were intercepted. Iranian state media reported that the islands of Qeshm and Abadan, both central to the oil industry, were among the areas hit. Jordan and Kuwait have come under further attack from Iran in retaliation. Also: More than thirty people are known to have died in Japan's earthquake. An object that violated Polish airspace overnight was 'most likely' a Russian missile, according to the Polish Prime Minister. African migrants forced to leave South Africa after a wave of anti-immigration protests speak about their difficulties in rebuilding their lives. A French teenager falls foul of laws in Singapore over an incident with a straw, and in a world dominated by devices how small moments can help us reconnect with the physical world.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: A U.S. military aircraft takes off from an unknown location during what U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) says are strikes on Iran, in this screengrab from a handout video released on July 29, 2026 Credit: US Central Command
A ten-year-old boy gallops across the Russian steppe on a Kalmyk horse, collecting plants for his father while German settlers starve in earth dugouts along the Volga. Seven years later, that same boy is standing on the deck of Captain Cook's Resolution as it crosses the Antarctic Circle for the first time in history, sketching birds and icebergs in a cabin so small he can barely turn around. By twenty-two he has circumnavigated the globe, published a book that Christoph Martin Wieland called a masterpiece and Samuel Johnson praised for its prose, dined with Benjamin Franklin in Paris, and been elected to the Royal Society. By thirty he has become the intellectual mentor to a young Prussian named Alexander von Humboldt, who would spend the rest of his life crediting Forster as the man who taught him how to see the natural world. By thirty-five he has helped found the first democratic republic on German soil during the French Revolution. By thirty-nine he is dead in Paris, abandoned by his wife, cut off from his country, and buried in a mass grave during the Terror. Today's guest is Andrea Wulf, author of The Traveller: The Revolutionary Life of George Forster and his Search for Humanity. We discuss how Forster's father dragged him from a parish near Gdansk to Russia at ten and onto Cook's ship at seventeen, why his account of the voyage was considered the finest travel writing of the eighteenth century, and how his travels through the South Pacific convinced him that human diversity was not a hierarchy but a harmony, with all peoples entitled to the same dignity and rights. We look at how he challenged Kant, Rousseau, and Buffon before he was twenty-five, why he threw himself into the French Revolution and helped build the Mainz Republic only to watch the Terror destroy everything he believed in, and why a man who influenced Humboldt, shaped the Romantic movement, and anticipated the concept of universal human rights has been almost completely forgotten.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Michael Bernstam reports Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries have severely pinched Moscow's fuel production, forcing it to import refined products from India. Bernstam argues that the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have merged into a singular global energy crisis. With critical chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea threatened, a quarter of the world's oil supply is endangered. As governmental reserves dwindle, the US has become a primary exporter. (9)1931 TOKYO MATSUYA DEPARTMENT STORE
Michael Bernstam notes official statistics reveal the Russian economy has entered a state of stagnation, with GDP growth at a mere 0.2% for the first half of 2026. While weapons production remains high, the civilian economy—including agriculture and construction—is in recession. Bernstam notes that "perceived inflation" for Russian consumers is roughly 15%, significantly higher than official reports. Reckless interest rate cuts have further invited inflation, signaling a deepening commercial and fiscal crisis. (10)1932 TOKYO POLICE HQ
SCHEDULE FOR THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 7-29-26.1885 CHILE STEEL SIDED WARSHIPRebecca Grant and Gordon Chang report China is escalating provocations against the Philippines and Japan, including dangerous maneuvers near Second Thomas Shoal and firing missiles from submarines. Grant highlights the US Navy's preparedness to defend allies, noting a "red line" if Filipino sailors are killed. Despite China's permanent presence, the US maintains dominance through carrier strike groups and superior undersea warfare. The lack of operational officers on China's Central Military Commission suggests potential command risks. (1)Rick Fisher and Gordon Chang discuss reports that China is transferring hundreds of advanced QW-12 and FN-16 man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) to Iran via Hong Kong intermediaries. Fisher warns this poses a significant threat to US aircraft in the Strait of Hormuz. Chang advocates for reimposing sanctions on Hong Kong. The transfer, which China denies, represents a major escalation and highlights China's ongoing role in arming US adversaries like North Korea and Pakistan. (2)Charles Burton and Gordon Chang note Xi Jinping broke tradition by skipping the 50th anniversary of the devastating Tangshan earthquake, sending a surrogate instead. Burton suggests this absence may signal political instability or paranoia regarding his domestic standing. The earthquake historically symbolizes a loss of the "mandate of heaven." Furthermore, vacancies on the Central Military Commission and the mysterious death of former Premier Li Keqiangindicate profound internal disarray and a lack of clear succession. (3)Charles Burton and Gordon Chang discuss how trade tensions and rhetoric from the US have led to increased disdain among Canadians toward their neighbor. Burton discusses a poll showing Canadians view China more favorably than the US due to perceived economic threats from American tariffs. While the integrated North American market remains strong, Canadian provincial governments are reportedly restricting US alcohol sales. There are even suggestions that Canada should adopt "resistance" strategies similar to Ukraine. (4)Evan Ellis reports Keiko Fujimori has been inaugurated as Peru's president, appointing a respected center-right cabinet focused on fiscal discipline and US alignment. However, she faces challenges from endemic insecurity, corruption, and significant Chinese investment. Meanwhile, the influence of Cuba remains a concern across Latin America, with accusations of espionage and interference in democratic processes. Díaz-Canel's regime is under pressure from the Trump administration, potentially facing coercive negotiations or military action. (5)Evan Ellis previews Brazil's upcoming October election, which pits the leftist Lula da Silva against Flavio Bolsonaro, son of the former president. While Lula currently leads in polls, his Workers' Party background and ties to the São Paulo Forum raise concerns about radicalism and increased engagement with China. Ellis warns that a Lula victory could lead Brazil into a recession and a state-centric social policy, potentially settling political scores while lacking necessary financial resources. (6)Evan Ellis surveys shifting political landscapes: Javier Milei is rallying support for the Bolsonaros in Brazil, highlighting a new era of cross-border political interference. In Colombia, President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella is signaling a pro-US shift by cutting ties with Cuba and Nicaragua. Conversely, Venezuela remains in a "holding pattern" under Delcy Rodríguez. Despite reports of crumbling oil infrastructure, major investment is unlikely until a legitimate government is established to address the nation's $240 billion debt. (7)Evan Ellis notes President Claudia Sheinbaum has seen success in reducing homicides and cooperating on border security, but deep-seated corruption persists. The USMCA's future is uncertain, with the Trump administration using ongoing negotiations as leverage. Additionally, China is quietly expanding its presence in Mexico's telecom and automotive sectors. Sheinbaum must navigate a delicate balance: pursuing economic diversification and relationships with China without jeopardizing critical access to the US market. (8)Michael Bernstam reports Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries have severely pinched Moscow's fuel production, forcing it to import refined products from India. Bernstam argues that the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have merged into a singular global energy crisis. With critical chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea threatened, a quarter of the world's oil supply is endangered. As governmental reserves dwindle, the US has become a primary exporter. (9)Michael Bernstam notes official statistics reveal the Russian economy has entered a state of stagnation, with GDP growth at a mere 0.2% for the first half of 2026. While weapons production remains high, the civilian economy—including agriculture and construction—is in recession. Bernstam notes that "perceived inflation" for Russian consumers is roughly 15%, significantly higher than official reports. Reckless interest rate cuts have further invited inflation, signaling a deepening commercial and fiscal crisis. (10)Sadanand Dhume observes that despite having a vast pool of engineers and data, India lags behind the US and China in developing frontier AI models. Dhume discusses the "winner-take-all" fear versus the belief that AI technology will eventually diffuse globally. While the Indian government is investing in semiconductors, many IT sector jobs in coding and back-office support are threatened by automation. The debate continues over whether India can successfully reap benefits without being a front-runner. (11)Sadanand Dhume examines India's "reservations" system, a rigid quota-based affirmative action program facing intense criticism for undermining university competitiveness. Originally intended to redress historical caste-based wrongs, quotas have expanded to cover roughly 60% of medical school seats. Dhume notes that while merit-based systems in Chinaprovide a brutal but efficient benchmark, Indian political parties fear touching the quota system would be "electoral suicide." This policy has entrenched caste identities. (12)General Blaine Holt analyzes reports of China supplying advanced shoulder-launched missiles (MANPADS) to Iran via Hong Kong and Pakistan, signaling a major geopolitical shift. Holt explains that while these weapons threaten low-flying aircraft, the supply chain is vulnerable to intelligence interdiction. Holt observes that recent Iranian escalations in Iraq and the Gulf suggest a fragmented leadership in disarray rather than a cohesive strategy. The US and Saudi Arabiaare actively striking Iranian-backed militias. (13)Mary Anastasia O'Grady reports that following a narrow election victory, center-right businessman Abelardo de la Espriella faces fierce opposition from outgoing President Gustavo Petro. Petro, a former M19 terrorist, has refused to recognize the results, alleging fraud and foreign interference. De la Espriella plans to take a hard line against illegal armed groups like the ELN and FARC. To build support, he intends to hold his inauguration at a military garrison, signaling a commitment to restoring national security. (14)Bob Zimmerman reports SpaceX's 13th Starship Super Heavy launch was a major success, demonstrating the reliability of Raptor 3 engines and the thermal protection system. Zimmerman highlights the shift toward a "capitalism model," where private companies manage missions for NASA. Meanwhile, a schizophrenic GAO report on NASA's workforce reductions suggests that budget cuts have not significantly impacted major projects, despite agency officials' claims that funding decreases are "disastrous." (15)Bob Zimmerman notes the Deep Space Network facility in Spain narrowly avoided destruction by wildfires, highlighting the fragility of planetary communication nodes. Beyond Earth, astronomers have observed a precipitous drop in star formation within the Andromeda galaxy as it moves toward an eventual collision with the Milky Way. Additionally, NASA's Dragonfly mission to Titan faces potential power shortages from its nuclear sources. Despite these risks, commercial space continues to expand into private stations. (16)Corrections applied: Rick Fisher (transcribed as "Fischer" in segment 2 — matching the spelling from your earlier batch), Delcy Rodríguez, Díaz-Canel, and São Paulo Forum with accents. Also standardized "man-pads" to MANPADS and hyphenated the QW-12/FN-16 designations. Stray double commas from the source cleaned throughout.5
Day 1,616.A Russian cruise missile is believed to have landed in Poland overnight, just after President Zelensky and Polish prime minister Donald Tusk met to patch up a rumbling diplomatic spat. Meanwhile, inside Ukraine, former Minister of Defence Fedorov gives his first big interview since being sacked, saying there is 'resistance to change' in the defence ministry and laying out his vision to win the war. Finally, Dom, Adelie, and Francis read your best summer postcards and answer your questions.Contributors:Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Producer: Tom SteedSenior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O'SullivanSocial Producer: Anita BlayStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David KnowlesNOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED:‘Russian missile' leaves crater in Poland (The Telegraph)https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/30/poland-explosion-russian-missile-attack/ Attacks on Ukrainians in Poland are rising. Disinformation fuels the flames (Kyiv Independent)https://kyivindependent.com/attacks-on-ukrainians-in-poland-are-rising-disinformation-fuels-the-flames/Watch the full interview with Mykhailo Fedorov (Ukrainska Pravda, in Ukrainian)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbjYc4-OuT0Russia importing sensitive UK, EU tech through India, data shows (Politico)https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-import-uk-eu-technology-india-data/Francis's Interview with Michael Bohnert re. Patriot missile timescales:https://youtu.be/Fg_PmGkpJu4?si=Jf7HoU6anVj1JCQW EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:Russian missile leaves crater in PolandFedorov reveals all in first interview since sacking Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this episode of the Breaking Barriers Show, we sit down with Alex Groyzberg, CEO and founder of Slice, to talk about entrepreneurship, building an empowering company culture, and the true value of embracing failure.Alex shares how he went from moving to the U.S. as a young Russian immigrant and sharing a one-bedroom apartment with seven family members, to dominating the payment processing industry. Through an unyielding drive for financial independence, a love for numbers, and a genuine passion for supporting his team, he built his own successful enterprise after famously getting fired from his first banking job for performing too well.He also discusses the realities of the payment processing space, the importance of promoting from within, and the hidden lessons in business setbacks that ultimately lead to major wins. Alex explains why he actually gets excited about failing, what business owners should understand about having a "burn budget" to test new technologies like AI, and why intentionality and mentorship make a massive difference in your work environment.Whether you are feeling stuck in your career, building a business, or looking for practical advice about taking calculated risks, this episode is filled with valuable insight on finding what motivates you, creating opportunities, and leading with purpose.Listen to the full episode now!Don't forget to subscribe for more inspiring stories, business lessons, and real conversations.
The union representing some WestJet flight attendants has issued a 72 hour strike notice.CBC News has uncovered the identity of the Canadian woman arrested in Belgium last week on espionage charges. Thousands of migrants swim into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, prompting Spain to call in the army and declare a national emergency. At least eight people are dead following heavy Russian strikes across Ukraine, as NATO member Poland confirms a Russian missile landed within its borders. There are signs of hope in France as wildfires continue to burn. More than 70 hikers were evacuated from British Columbia's famous West Coast Trail. The Italian tall ship Amerigo Vespucci is now docked in Montreal.
Soybeans and corn under pressure as rains move into eastern plains and Midwest; wheat strongly higher this morning on new Ukraine damaged a Russian grain terminal; cattle futures higher as cash continued slightly lower; boxed beef lower; very light feeder cattle trade.
AP correspondent Karen Chammas reports Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine kill at least 8 civilians and wound dozens as Ukraine continues to strike Russian targets.
International fixture, innovator and true legend Ralph Lauren is celebrating his 50th year in the fashion industry. Ralph explains how passion, conviction and intention were the keys to his early success when he was selling ties out of a drawer in the Empire State Building. He reflects on the valuable life lessons he learned during his humble childhood in the Bronx, where he was raised by Russian immigrant parents. Ralph also shares the “out-of-body” experience he felt when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and how the health scare brought him a greater sense of empathy to his own life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Darkness Radio presents Supernatural News/Parashare: The Paranormal vs. The Government Edition w/Jessi Doyle!This week, President Trump is waiving NDA's in an attempt to get UAP witnesses to come forward! The FBI secretly investigated Bigfoot; we have the details! Did a time traveller show up to Elvis Presley's last ever concert? We'll explain... And, A man fakes his own funeral to escape drunk driving legal consequences! Lightning struck a Chinese rocket as it attempted to launch! See the "striking" photo here: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/epic-photo-captures-lightning-striking-a-chinese-rocket-during-liftoffMulder and Scully are back with the X-Files!... in LEGO form... See the commercial for the new set HERE: https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/400101/mulder-and-scully-are-back-as-an-impressive-x-files-lego-setHave you ever wanted to be on Game of Thrones?! Maybe we aren't thinking of the same show... check out the Russian game show (don't eat first...) here: https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/400102/bizarre-toilet-drinking-competition-is-dubbed-game-of-thronesHunt For The Appalachian Bigfoot: Valley Of The Giants is a new full-length documentary from Jessi Doyle of Hellbent Holler, presented by Small Town Monsters. It appears on Small Town Monsters' YouTube channel starting August 2nd, and you can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@SmallTownMonstersCheck out Hellbent Holler on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hellbenthollerCheck out Hellbent Holler's website: https://hellbentholler.com/Darkness Radio Hoodies! Fleece Pants! Bucket Hats! Mugs! Glasses! and MORE!There are new and different (and really cool) items all the time in the Darkness Radio Online store on our website! Check out the Darkness Radio Store! https://www.darknessradioshow.com/store/Make sure you update your Darkness Radio Apple Apps!and subscribe to the Darkness Radio YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@DRTimDennis#paranormal #supernatural #paranormalpodcasts #darknessradio #timdennis #jessidoyle #paranormalinvestigator #hellbentholler #smalltownmonsters #supernaturalnews #parashare #ghosts #spirits #hauntings #hauntedhouses #haunteddolls #demons #supernaturalsex #deliverances #exorcisms #paranormalinvestigation #ghosthunters #Psychics #tarot #ouija #Aliens #UFO #UAP #Extraterrestrials #alienhumanhybrid #alienabduction #alienimplant #Alienspaceships #disclosure #disclosureday #shadowpeople #AATIP #DIA #Cryptids #Cryptozoology #bigfoot #sasquatch #yeti #abominablesnowman #ogopogo #lochnessmonster #chupacabra #beastofbrayroad #mothman #artificialintelligence #AI #NASA #CIA #FBI #conspiracytheory #neardeatheexperience
New Discourses Bullets, Ep. 174 The Democratic Socialists of America are making a bid to take over the Democratic Party, echoing the grim historical chapter during which Lenin's Bolsheviks abolished the more moderate Mensheviks from the future of Russian politics. They, like their historical predecessors, from whom they take inspiration, are Communists, and they have a party platform. In this episode of New Discourses Bullets, host James Lindsay reads quickly through the entire DSA party platform (https://program.dsausa.org/) so that people can hear for themselves just how crazy it is. Join him for an eye-opening read, and check out his longer exploration of this platform on the New Discourses Podcast. Join us for the Preserving Liberty Conference at Sea!: https://ndcruise.com Support New Discourses: https://newdiscourses.com/support Follow New Discourses on other platforms: https://newdiscourses.com/subscribe Follow James Lindsay: https://linktr.ee/conceptualjames © 2026 New Discourses. All rights reserved. #NewDiscourses #JamesLindsay #dsa
Thaddeus McCotter and Judy Dempsey discuss Ukraine's strike on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, which complicates global energy security for Europe. This inland sea is a vital source of non-Russian energy. Dempsey reports that Germany is carefully observing the implications of this new front. The strike underscores the deep military connection between Russia and Iran regarding equipment exchanges. Meanwhile, recent polls show seven out of ten Americans oppose the Iran war. (3)1903
Mary Kissel observes President Zelenskyy is receiving a warmer reception in Washington due to Ukraine's increasing military leverage. Innovative long-range drone strikes on Russian energy nodes have demonstrated Ukraine's utility to USstrategic interests. Unlike the situation with Iran, the US maintains active diplomatic channels in Moscow to discuss potential conflict resolutions. Kissel notes that influential voices on the right are beginning to shift their views on Ukraine. (6)
SCHEDULE THE MAKING OF THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 7-28-26.1900 IDAHOLiz Peek reports the US economy remains robust, driven by strong consumer spending in rural areas like Connecticutand Lancaster County. Peek highlights rising small business and consumer confidence despite increasing gasoline prices. Attention shifts to new Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh, who may end "dot plot" forecasting. Warsh aims to be more "taciturn," forcing markets to rely on incoming data rather than Fed projections. (1)Liz Peek examines the Michigan Democratic Senate primary as a national test for the party's ideological direction. Moderate Haley Stevens faces Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a candidate favored by the Democratic Socialists of America. Peek notes the "shocker" UAW endorsement of El-Sayed, highlighting a shift toward "woke" politics among union members in higher education. This race evaluates if a far-left candidate can win a statewide swing-state contest. (2)Thaddeus McCotter and Judy Dempsey discuss Ukraine's strike on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, which complicates global energy security for Europe. This inland sea is a vital source of non-Russian energy. Dempsey reports that Germany is carefully observing the implications of this new front. The strike underscores the deep military connection between Russia and Iran regarding equipment exchanges. Meanwhile, recent polls show seven out of ten Americans oppose the Iran war. (3)Thaddeus McCotter and Judy Dempsey turn to a deadly ramming attack at a Berlin parade that has put Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the defensive regarding his security credentials. The populist AfD party is exploiting the tragedy to criticize "uncontrolled immigration" ahead of crucial state elections. While Merz responded with calls for law and order, the incident underscores the difficulty police face in monitoring numerous terrorist suspects. The AfD utilizes these crises to offer simple solutions. (4)Mary Kissel notes diplomatic efforts with Iran currently involve "shuttling messages" through intermediaries like Omanand Qatar. Kissel argues that the Islamic Republic is a revolutionary regime with no interest in genuine strategic peace. The administration's lack of a cohesive strategy has led to declining public support for military action. Meanwhile, the Houthi threat in the Red Sea remains a dangerous Iranian-backed tool for disrupting international shipping. (5)Mary Kissel observes President Zelenskyy is receiving a warmer reception in Washington due to Ukraine's increasing military leverage. Innovative long-range drone strikes on Russian energy nodes have demonstrated Ukraine's utility to USstrategic interests. Unlike the situation with Iran, the US maintains active diplomatic channels in Moscow to discuss potential conflict resolutions. Kissel notes that influential voices on the right are beginning to shift their views on Ukraine. (6)Jonathan Schanzer reports the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East are merging as Russia, Iran, and Chinacoordinate their efforts. Schanzer notes that Ukraine's Caspian Sea strike has clarified this global partnership. The US is currently attempting to "keep a lid" on Israel to prevent a regional escalation. However, the US military faces a depletion of missile interceptors, making it difficult to sustain a long, high-intensity conflict. (7)Jonathan Schanzer discusses new UK–US talks focused on a maritime coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has an opportunity to reset the relationship with Donald Trump. The Iranian-backed Houthi threat remains a top concern for global oil analysts and regional powers like Egypt. Meanwhile, the US is signaling that Lebanon is "too big to fail" to counter Hezbollah's regional influence. (8)Gregory Copley reports the Trump administration has imposed tariffs on Australia, alleging "forced labor" practices—a claim Copley describes as spurious. This move antagonizes a loyal ally that has fought alongside the US for over a century. Consequently, Australia and Canada are beginning to lessen their strategic dependence on the US. Copley warns that such unilateral protectionism could weaken the long-term structure of the Western alliance. (9)Gregory Copley describes Cuba's total implosion as its infrastructure collapses and major blackouts occur. Copley describes a strategic failure in the Caribbean, where China has built significant influence over the last 20 years. The USmust decide whether to facilitate a rapid collapse or a managed transition of the regime. While the Cuban people suffer, the wealthy expatriate community remains ready to fund reconstruction. (10)Gregory Copley reports Xi Jinping faces significant internal opposition from Communist Party elders at the Beidaiheretreat. Despite his titles, Xi's operational power is waning as the Chinese economy evaporates and social unrest grows. A recent ballistic missile launch served as a show of strength before a state visit to the US. Copley notes that youth unemployment is high, and the PLA may eventually act independently. (11)Gregory Copley turns to the UK, where following the rise of Prime Minister Andy Burnham, the country faces political uncertainty as Labour struggles with a lack of growth. Copley highlights King Charles III's vital role as a unifying force, focusing on British national identity and values. While the Burnham government is viewed as sclerotic and ideological, the King remains an egalitarian figure. His efforts to preserve heritage, like Dumfries House, bolster his standing. (12)Joseph Sternberg criticizes Prime Minister Andy Burnham's economic policy as ineffective against the cost-of-living crisis. Sternberg argues that the UK is trapped by net-zero regulations that prevent the use of vast North Sea oil and gas reserves. Burnham finds it politically difficult to cut taxes or reverse climate policies despite potential economic benefits. This paralysis makes his government a target for future replacement. (13)Joseph Sternberg notes Chairman Kevin Warsh is moving the Federal Reserve toward a "taciturn" style, ending the practice of "forward guidance." This reform aims to prevent the Fed from becoming locked into policies that may become inappropriate as data shifts. Sternberg suggests that saying less may protect the Fed from political conflict with the White House over tariffs. Markets must now interpret raw data rather than Fed signals. (14)Thaddeus McCotter describes the Michigan Democratic Senate primary as a "civil war" between establishment candidate Haley Stevens and progressive Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. The candidates are sharply divided over AIPAC funding and support for Israel. Stevens is endorsed by high-profile figures like Gretchen Whitmer and Barack Obama. The result will indicate if the Democratic Socialists of America can succeed in a statewide race in a swing state. (15)Thaddeus McCotter notes Dr. Abdul El-Sayed denies being a socialist, claiming he merely wants to regulate "capitalism run amok." However, his platform includes radical proposals such as abolishing ICE. Haley Stevens frames him as a "celebrity candidate" and questions his appeal to women voters. McCotter notes that while the DSA lacks a ground model, identity politics may drive a high turnout among Michigan's large Muslim population. (16)Corrections applied throughout as directed: Thaddeus McCotter and Liz Peek.
Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham both left Congress abruptly in the middle of July, probably for the same reason, though not confirmed as of the recording of this episode. Both were known foreign assets working against the interests of the voters of both parties.The senior citizens in Congress are starting to drop like flies. Causes range from heart attacks related to the vaccines, or maybe even a Russian missile. Calculating the immense damage caused by these two traitors over the decades, as they schemed from the shadows and colluded with foreign powers, is impossible to quantify. One thing is for certain: Glitch McConnell and Lady G will never be able to betray the American people again.---Macroaggressionswww.Macroaggressions.ioMerch StoreLink Tree Video ChannelsRumble | YouTube | BrighteonActivist PostNewsletter Sign UpAudiobooksHypocrazyThe Octopus of Global ControlSupport Our SponsorsReplace Your Mortgage: www.WipeOutYourMortgageNow.comGround Luxe Grounding MatsC60 Power | Promo Code: MACROChemical Free Body | Promo Code: MACROWise Wolf Gold & SilverLegalShield: www.DontGetPushedAround.comChristian Yordanov's Health ProgramThe Dollar VigilanteNesa's Hemp | Promo Code: MACROAugason Farms
Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he dives into today's top stories shaping America and the world. In this Wednesday Q&A episode of The Wright Report, Bryan breaks down Iran's surprise missile attack on US forces in Jordan, shattering the fragile ceasefire just days after it took hold. Bryan answers listener questions on why the IRGC believes it holds the upper hand in this war, the risky billions being poured into new Middle East pipelines and ports, and how new US-Mexico desalination projects could help solve the West's water crisis. He also tackles questions on the newly uncovered Fauci diaries and a listener's concerns about a defense bill deepening US-Israel military cooperation. Plus, Bryan covers Bernie Sanders' stunning admission that he's not actually a Democrat, new American drone factories built with Ukrainian expertise, rogue Russian mercenaries operating in Central Africa, and the fallout from a Substack pricing mixup that's testing his relationship with loyal subscribers. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32 Keywords: Wright Report, Bryan Dean Wright, Iran attack, Jordan, IRGC, Strait of Hormuz, ceasefire, Fauci diary, Israel defense bill, Bernie Sanders, DNC, drone factory, Ukraine, Africa Corps, desalination, water crisis
In its bout with Iran, the US is neither floating like a butterfly nor stinging like a bee. Trump's dual meetings with Netanyahu and Zelensky have laid bare the foreign policy lightweight that our president really is while Iran only gets stronger. Lieutenant General Douglas Lute joins David Rothkopf and Ed Luce to discuss the war against Iran, Ukraine's continued defense against Russian aggression, and how each misstep by the administration is leading up to an inevitable knockout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Day 1,615.After Russia sees another night of Ukrainian drone strikes on a Wildberries warehouse and oil refinery attacks, Francis examines Kyiv's campaign to disrupt Putin's logistics and wartime economy. He also looks at encouraging developments in Washington, where Presidents Zelensky and Trump met ahead of the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, before Graham's landmark bipartisan sanctions bill took a significant step forward in Congress. Then James Kilner has his regular Russia roundup, as rumours of a fresh mobilisation continue to circulate, before we explore the dramatic downfall of the powerful head of Russia's international chess federation.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X.Malcolm Pein (Telegraph chess correspondent). @TelegraphChess on X.Senior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O'SullivanSocial Producer: Anita BlayStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David KnowlesNOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED:Russia explores support for Wildberries after Ukrainian drone attacks, sources say (Reuters)https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/russia-explores-support-wildberries-after-ukrainian-drone-attacks-sources-say-2026-07-28/Laura Loomer says she called Trump from Ukraine, plans to brief president on visit (Kyiv Independent)https://kyivindependent.com/laura-loomer-says-she-called-trump-from-ukraine-plans-to-brief-president-on-visit/ Kremlin Gambit: German FIDE presidential candidate Vadim Rosenstein continues to earn millions in Russia (Ukrainian Independent Information Agency of News, in Russian)https://sport.unian.net/othersports/kandidat-v-prezidenty-fide-vadim-rozenshteyn-prodolzhaet-vesti-biznes-v-rossii-13451784.html Russians Form Street Patrol to Shield Men From Forced Recruitment (Kyiv Post)https://www.kyivpost.com/post/81265 World chess chief faces endgame after EU announces Russia war sanctions (BBC)https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cewrk58k2k4o No contact with political prisoner Andrei Trofimov since April (Memorial)https://memopzk.org/en/news/no-contact-with-political-prisoner-andrei-trofimov-since-april/EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:Ukraine wipes out seventh Wildberries warehouse and major oil refineryUS senate advances key Russia sanctions bill Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How much runway does the world's energy market still have? Our Head of Commodity Research Martijn Rats joins our Global Head of Fixed Income Research Andrew Sheets to explain what's causing pressure beyond renewed tensions in the Middle East.Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript -----Andrew Sheets: Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I'm Andrew Sheets, Global Head of Fixed Income Research at Morgan Stanley.Martijn Rats: And I'm Martijn Rats, Head of Commodity Research at Morgan Stanley.Andrew Sheets: Today – talking about the recent volatility and the direction ahead for oil.It's Wednesday, July 29th at 2pm in London.Martijn, it's great to talk to you again. We haven't talked for a little while on this program. But oil is once again back in the headlines and it's moving around.So maybe to just jump right into things, as you look at the lay of the land in global energy markets at the moment, what's been happening? What are you telling clients?Martijn Rats: Okay. Well, we've had a large amount of volatility, over the last couple of weeks. If you roll the clock back, sort of, to the beginning of June. In the beginning of June, it started to become clear that already some more oil was leaking out of the Strait of Hormuz than perhaps, many of us anticipated at the time.But that data has been confirmed since then. And then, of course, in the middle of June, we got the memorandum of understanding. And after that, roughly 100-150 million barrels a day or so that was behind the Strait of Hormuz got cleared. And that…Andrew Sheets: These were tankers that were stuck there during the conflict, all came out.Martijn Rats: Absolutely. Laden tankers that were there; had just basically turned into floating storage for a good couple of months. They all cleared out, and that actually created a bit of a glut, in the sense that all of a sudden, the refiners of this world had a lot of crude to absorb. And we saw many indications of physical looseness in the market, physical differentials, calendar spreads.All sorts of indicators pointed that physically there was a lot of oil, temporarily to be absorbed. And the spot price of Brent fell to $70. And that looked to be the new direction of travel. In principle, the world is not short of oil if you take the geopolitics out of it.So, for a while it, it looked bearish. But then a new set of disruptions came, and the military conflict restarted, and we've had 13 days of overnight bombing. And with that also the flow through the Strait of Hormuz diminished again. And we are back in the last, sort of, week, 10 days to very, very low levels. The same levels we had in March.The flow through the strait is not exactly zero. But it's sort of 2-3 million barrels a day, sort of, down 80 percent to 90 percent of what it was before the conflict. And with that, prices have rallied. But on top of that, last week it looked like the military activity could really scale up. And for a couple of days, the markets priced that in.But then we have other choke points to take into account now. Not only Hormuz, but the Bab el-Mandeb, the CPC terminal, the issues in global refining. Altogether, it's been a tremendously volatile period. So, we're on the whole leaning towards the constructive side because there are so many disruptions in the system. But it's a very hard one to call at the moment.Andrew Sheets: So Martijn, let's talk about those other disruptions besides just the Strait of Hormuz. Because yeah, it's not just the Strait of Hormuz anymore. We have issues in the Red Sea. You have ongoing issues with Russian energy infrastructure that's being attacked by Ukraine. Just what are these other factors that are out there? And how much do they matter relative to, you know, how many ships are passing through the Strait of Hormuz?Martijn Rats: Yeah. They matter a lot, and you can see that expressed in the price of refined product more than the price of crude. If you look at the main global benchmark for the price of diesel, which is arguably the ICE gas-oil contract, which are diesel barges delivered in Rotterdam or in the wider ARA area, it's trading at about $1,200 a ton, which is sort of $150-$160 per barrel.That's where you see the tightness. And so out of the total end user price, the refiners are capturing more at the moment than the crude suppliers. But what end users pay is not $85 per barrel for Brent crude oil, it's $1,200 a ton for diesel. And that is a very high price. Now, that is a result effectively of four major issues that the oil market has to deal with.One of them is Hormuz, as just discussed. But then we come to these other three. And these other three are the Bab el-Mandeb, which is the strait on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula that provides entry and exit to the Red Sea. That strait has gained in importance because Saudi Arabia has been redirecting about 4 million barrels a day of crude oil supply that was previously exported via Hormuz. Now through the East-West Pipeline to a terminal near a city called Yanbu, from where it is loaded and mostly sails down south through the Bab el-Mandab to refineries in Asia.The Bab el-Mandab is a strait that is effectively controlled by the Houthis, which is an Iran-aligned group that controls much of Yemen. And already in [20]24, earlier in [20]25, they've been very effective, controlling tanker traffic through that strait. And in the last sort of week or so, they have said that they will no longer allow Saudi tankers to sail out. And also, that group has executed drone attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure near the Jazan refinery, near the Yanbu terminal, and overnight also the Abqaiq facility, which is a large oil processing plant.So, this whole Red Sea situation puts at risk something like an incremental 3.5 million barrels a day of crude.Then we've had to deal with issues at the CPC terminal, which is again, also a very large oil export terminal. About 1.5-2 million barrels a day of crude is exported from CPC, which is a terminal near the Russian city of Novorossiysk.Ukraine has been executing drone attacks on tankers that have been trying to load from the CPC terminal. Much of last week, the CPC terminal was out. Over the last 24 hours, a few tankers have loaded again, but it's very unreliable. It's on again, off again. It's a very disrupted flow. In and of itself, a single terminal loading 1.5-2 million barrels a day is very, very large. So, we care.And then the third issue that the oil market has been dealing with, and this also comes back to this issue about these refined product prices, is very severe tightness in the global refining system. That is an issue of some refineries can't export because they're behind the Strait of Hormuz again.So, you can say, "Well, isn't that; that's sort of the same problem?" But nevertheless, it expresses it somewhere else. It's partly a problem of, sort of, the Chinese refinery system running very low. But it's recently mostly been driven by Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries. And by now, something like 60 percent of the Russian refining system is out.And with that, exports of refined products have declined very significantly. There's a gasoline export ban. There's a diesel export ban from Russia. Russia used to be a very large diesel exporter. That is now down to practically zero. And with that, refined product markets have rallied severely on top of the price of crude.Andrew Sheets: And I think that's interesting [be]cause when we think about the economic impact of oil, while, you know, the price of oil per barrel is often the most kind of visible marker that we have – it's often the refined product that we actually use. You know, a truck is running on diesel. It's not running on crude oil.And, you know, that cost of diesel, of jet fuel, of gasoline, you know, that is the thing that can often really affect business margins. And the ability to operate and move product around. So, I mean, just give a sense like how much have those diesel prices gone up? And how much further could they rise if you're operating, you know, a trucking company in Europe?Martijn Rats: Yeah. Look, when supply is inherently scarce, we often ask the question – what is the demand destruction price, right? If you can't supply the stuff quick enough, the physical oil market, be it crude or refined product, must balance.There are a finite number of molecules in the system, and we can store them for a bit. We can take them out of storage. But when you take storage into account, molecules can't disappear out of nowhere. And they can't create it out of nowhere either. So, the system must balance. And if you can't supply it quick enough, the only way to balance sometimes is through demand destruction.And then we ask the question, what is the price that effectively causes that to happen? And if you look historically, that is often expressed in crude, something like $140-$150 a barrel. We've seen that before. But those were occasions where refining was not an issue. And then crude needs to do the heavy lifting to drive prices higher.What we're having at the moment is that refined products need to do it. And so, from experience earlier in the year, back in 2022, some other occasions, the price that destroys diesel demand is probably in the order of $1,400 a ton. In the diesel market, we use tons rather than barrels for historical reasons. Just to make it easy.But it's about $1,400 a ton, which is about sort of, you know, like $180-$190 per barrel. That really stops diesel demand in its track. At the moment, we're $1,230-$1,240, that sort of level. And so, we are getting close. There is probably a little bit more to go, like another 5 percent, 10 percent, that sort of thing, before you really hit some exceptionally high levels.But the diesel price, I would argue, is doing exactly that. It's searching for this demand destruction price. It's just if you then take that sort of $160 diesel that we have at the moment, how much do the refiners get versus how much do the crude producers get?At the moment, the refiners are getting $65- $70 out of that, leaving comparatively little for the crude supplier. But the refined product price is the channel by which the economy is impacted and ultimately also by which demand is eroded.Andrew Sheets: When we're talking about demand destruction, we're talking about at what price does a trucking company not operate, does not drive as much, you know, does not, you know... We're talking about less activity. And inherently that is, I think a risk to growth. But especially risk to growth in Europe where the starting point for growth is already pretty weak.Martijn Rats: Yes. So, we are watching as much, how the Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refiners are playing out as we are watching, sort of, the Strait of Hormuz.Andrew Sheets: Martijn, the last thing I wanted to talk to you about is, you know, we've been talking about the Iran conflict since late February. And, you know, we're sitting here in late July. And it's clear that, you know, there was a small normalization in flows as you talked about. But we're back to a place where those flows are nowhere near normal.And I think the question on everybody's mind is how much longer can this go on before there's a much larger shock to energy prices?Now, again, you've mentioned we're already seeing some of that shock to diesel, but, you know, a much bigger disruption. What's your current thinking on how much runway the energy system still has?Martijn Rats: Yeah. It's an excellent question, and it's turned out to be fiendishly hard to answer. My gut feel based on how the data is behaving, based on what we know from history: If this lasts another, sort of, month or two, three, then it's hard to argue that by then the buffers in the system will not have been completely exhausted.The reason why I think oil analysts have lost a degree of confidence in forecasting this accurately is that there's a lot of unexplained oil that does require some explanation. If you look at the cumulative amount of supply loss from the Middle East since the start of this conflict, easily over 1.5 billion barrels. 1.5 billion barrels in 150 days is an enormous amount.And yet, the inventory draws that we can find in observable data, they are at best a third of that, maybe 0.5 billion barrels. And so, there's another billion barrels where you say, "Yeah, we had that last year, but we don't have this this year.”How did we solve that billion-barrel problem? And you can say, "Well, we were a bit oversupplied going into it," and a few other things. But you, sort of, have to conclude, and I think this is also, you know, talking to clients and investors, other market participants. I think this is sort of collectively we're discovering this is that this system of, like, unobservable inventories has to be way bigger.That is either inventories like in the supply chain, inventories at customers end, or in countries where we generally just have very little data anyway, like in China. And so, the system has been behaving as if already in [20]24 and [20]25 actually, we were putting a lot of oil into these, in storages that are hard to observe – because in that period we had the opposite problem.We were forecasting large inventory builds, and we couldn't find them all. And now we're forecasting large draws, and we haven't been able to find them all. And so, the system has been behaving as this; the unobservable part of the inventories are way larger.And… But at some point, they also run out. But because they're hard to observe, we don't know when. And I would guess if we're getting towards the end of the summer by August-September, and we're still in this situation? Yeah, then we're going into the winter. Like, you know, German households objectively have little storage of heating oil.Andrew Sheets: Mm-hmm.Martijn Rats: And they need to be rebuilt. And there are a few examples where we do know what customers are doing with their inventories, and they point to a picture where, yeah, by the end of the summer, like, we're running on fumes. And so, look, this – we've been able to patch this up. But it can't go on forever.Andrew Sheets: Well, Martijn, always a pleasure to, to catch up with you and talk energy markets.Martijn Rats: Nice to talk to you.Andrew Sheets: And thank you for listening. If you enjoy Thoughts on the Market, please take a moment to rate and review us.And please share with a friend or colleague today.
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