Podcasts about Rwandan

I invited Dr. Patrick Mason on to discuss reframing faith in the complex history of religion. He iis a historian and theologian at Utah State University, and discusses the evolution of his career from academic research to pastoral writing aimed at those navigating faith crises. He reflects on the limitations of a transactional approach to religion, suggesting instead that individuals must take personal accountability for their spiritual lives while remaining part of a community. Mason addresses difficult historical and moral issues, such as slavery and the priesthood ban, by arguing that past leaders were fallible and that modern believers should engage with the moral complexity of their heritage. He also shares his profound emotional experience studying the Rwandan genocide, using it as a lens to explore the problem of evil and the role of God in a suffering world. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes the importance of creating safe spaces for honest questioning and wrestling with doubt. Ultimately, Mason advocates for a broad and inclusive religious tent where the focus remains on a faithful God rather than the perfection of human messengers. He is the author of Planted and Restoration.   https://youtu.be/c_7JWglAeRY Don’t miss our previous conversation with Patrick: https://gospeltangents.com/people/patrick-mason/ Reframing Faith: Navigating the Moral Complexity of History and Belief We explored the difficult terrain of faith crises, historical trauma, and the transition from a transactional to an authentic spiritual life. Mason, known for his pastoral works like Planted and Restoration, argues that we must move beyond a “vending machine” approach to God to find a more durable and honest faith. The Trap of the Transactional God Many believers grow up with an “illusion of contract,” believing that specific acts of obedience—like paying tithing or accepting every calling—guarantee divine protection from calamity. Mason points out that when life fails to follow this script, individuals often fall into a “bottomless pit” of self-blame, thinking they simply weren’t “perfect enough.” Drawing on the teachings of the Apostle Paul, Mason emphasizes that we cannot reach God purely through the law; instead, we must take individual authority over our spiritual lives while remaining anchored in a community that “decenters the ego.” Confronting the “Moral Complexity” of History One of the most challenging aspects of a faith journey involves reconciling modern morality with the actions of past leaders, particularly regarding issues like slavery and the priesthood ban. Mason addresses the “trap of presentism”—the idea that we shouldn’t judge the past by modern standards—by noting that even in the 19th century, there were voices like Orson Pratt who critiqued slavery as an offense to our theology using the scriptures available at the time. Furthermore, Rick challenges the historical justification that the priesthood ban was necessary for the Church’s survival, noting that other restoration branches never implemented such bans. Patrick invites us to imagine a history where Brigham Young chose “radical racial inclusion” based on the Book of Mormon’s teaching that “all are alike unto God,” suggesting the Church might have been generations ahead in its global mission. Facing Evil and Prophetic Fallibility Mason's reflections on the 1994 Rwanda genocide serve as a sobering lens for the “problem of evil.” After visiting massacre sites in Rwandan churches, he described the experience as a confrontation with “satanic” evil that defies easy theological answers and forces us to ask, “Where was God?” This recognition of human darkness extends to his view of prophetic fallibility. Mason asserts that while prophets are “reliable guides,” they are not infallible and do not claim to be. He believes it is a mistake to treat the scriptures or prophetic statements as inerrant, noting that salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone, not through the perfection of his messengers. Creating Spaces to Wrestle with Faith To help others navigate these complexities, Mason and his wife hosted a student group in their home for years, providing a space for open gospel conversations without “guard rails.” He found that when people are given the space to wrestle with difficult questions—ranging from LGBTQ+ issues to church history—they often discover their own spiritual authority and wisdom. Ultimately, Mason suggests that the most foundational Christian covenant is not a litmus test of witnessing, but the commitment to “mourn with those that mourn” and “bear one another's burdens.” By creating spaces where people feel heard and validated, the community can move toward a more authentic and loving practice of the gospel. Chapters 0:00 Meet Patrick Mason 7:42 Reframing Faith: Moving from Transaction Belief to Mature Faith 16:59 Presentism & Slavery 30:50 Problem of Evil/Rwandan Genocide 38:31 Prophetic Infallibility 52:07 Rwandan Genocide Books 52:56 Safe Spaces for Wrestling with Faith 1:00:43 Is Polygamy for eternal marriage or dynastic sealings? 1:04:26 Thankful for LDS Faith Journey Communities 1:07:02 Role of Sunday Meetings How do you handle these complex theological problems over slavery, the priesthood ban, polygamy, or other controversial practices?

Rwandan government critic, Aimable Karasira, died the day he was set to be released from prison. Authorities say he overdosed on prescribed medicine, but rights groups want an independent investigation. What does this incident mean for Rwanda's record on civic freedoms? AfricaLink host Lucy Riley speaks with political commentator Jean Baptiste Gasominari, and DW's Alex Ngarambe in Kigali.

Pagecast is coming to you live from the Franschhoek Literary Festival. Rémy Ngamije's new book is Only Stars Know, a collection of short stories that explore love, loss, identity, and human connection, centred on the life of an aspiring writer. Rémy Ngamije is a Rwandan-born Namibian writer and photographer. He is the founder of the Doek Arts Trust, an arts organisation which publishes Doek! Literary Magazine, Namibia's first literary magazine, which he cofounded and serves as editor-in-chief. In conversation with Wamuwi Mbao, columnist for Business Day's Wanted magazine, SALA-winning literary critic for the Johannesburg Review of Books, and lecturer in English Studies at Stellenbosch University. His book Years of Fire and Ash brings together fifty years' worth of South African protest poetry into one collection. Filmed & edited by Curt Ruiters at Quickclick Productions.

Today I want to talk to you about something that has deeply shaped my life: the invisible discipline behind everything that once seemed impossible. In this new podcast episode, I share real stories of people who chose to keep going when nobody believed in them. People who kept showing up when all they heard was silence. People who held on to their vision even when there was no evidence things would work out.I talk about a friend of mine who got into Calvin Klein because she refused to give up. About the extraordinary Immaculée Ilibagiza, who survived the Rwandan genocide sustained only by faith. And about Michael Jackson, a man who turned obsession with excellence into history.And yes… I also talk about myself. About those moments when I questioned whether I truly belonged in certain rooms, certain spaces, certain dreams. But I learned something powerful: success does not arrive overnight. It arrives when your persistence becomes stronger than your doubts.If you feel like you are planting seeds and still cannot see the fruit, this episode is for you. Because there are moments in life when persistence is not just an option… it is the only strategy. I want this episode to remind you of something important: keep going. Even when nobody sees it yet. Even when it feels slow. Even when it hurts. Because many times, the impossible simply needs someone who refuses to quit.I'll see you in this very special episode. And always remember: the one who keeps going, wins. 

China's 15th Five-Year Plan just made AI-powered robots the centerpiece of its industrial strategy. 54% of the world's industrial robots already deploy in China but the real play isn't humanoids dancing on TV. It's traditional industrial robotics turbocharged by AI, targeting full adoption within 5 to 10 years.Meanwhile, the zero-tariff Africa policy (now 5 days in) is revealing its true geometry: a 44% surge in Chinese FDI into the continent signals supply-chain anchoring, not just market opening. Rwandan chili farms scale from 15 to 300 hectares. Kenyan avocado oil rides the SGR rail to Chinese ports.Holiday consumption hit record highs, but the 500B yuan trade-in subsidy program is the hidden engine. Will it renew in H2?And 9 days out from Trump-Xi, Beijing bans drone sales citywide and frames Taiwan as the "biggest risk factor."

In this episode of The Long Form Podcast, Ugandan veteran politician and NRM stalwart Captain Mike Mukula shares a rare insider perspective on the events that shaped modern Rwanda and East Africa. From his early interactions with Paul Kagame and Fred Rwigema before 1990, to witnessing the aftermath of the Rwandan Civil War and 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Captain Mukula offers a firsthand account of pivotal moments in African history.The conversation explores the lived reality of Rwandan refugees in Uganda, the role of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, and what it takes to create stability in volatile regions like northern Uganda and Karamoja. We also examine the hidden costs of stability, the use of force versus dialogue, and the future of leadership in Uganda and East Africa.This is a deep discussion on power, conflict, regional politics, and the decisions that shaped Rwanda, Uganda, and the Great Lakes region.Sponsors:Threat Informat - https://threatinformant.io/                                               Akagera Medicines- https://www.akageramedicines.com Join our Patreon to enjoy ad-free viewing https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheLongFormPod or support us via our MTN Mobile Money Code 95462 or directly to our phone number: +250795462739Visit Sanny Ntayombya's Official Website: https://sannyntayombya.comProduced by LF Media 

In this episode Niyonagira Laurence recounts her experience of the Rwandan genocide. She talks about the process of forgiving Mutiribambe Aloys – a neighbor who killed members of her family – after he returned to the village from prison. Aloys speaks how terrifying it was to return to the village, and what happened when his son fell in love with Laurence's daughter. Dr. Valentine Ngalim speaks about his research on forgiveness in Kenya. Laurence's daughter Uwizeyimana Solange remembers processing her understanding of the genocide as a child, and how she decided to marry Aloys's son, Uwizeyimana Vedaste. Vedaste describes the song he wrote about their story, “Imboni Y'ibyiza.” To read an English translation of the song, you can go to the SongWriter episode page.Chapters:00:02:25Laurence and Aloys' story00:21:48Dr. Valentin Ngalim's perspective on forgiveness00:38:52Solange and Vedaste's storySongWriterPodcast.comInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcastTikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcastYouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcastSongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, Joyce Carol Oates, David Sedaris, and George Saunders. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com. Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation

This episode of The Long Form Podcast explores what it really takes to enter politics in Rwanda. Jessy Mugisha, a young independent parliamentary aspirant and businessman, shares his experience attempting to run in the 2024 elections and what he discovered about access, participation, and opportunity in the political system. We discuss youth engagement in Rwandan politics, the barriers facing independent candidates, and whether the system is truly open to ordinary citizens. The conversation also looks at his advocacy for street cleaners in Kigali and what it reveals about labor conditions, dignity, and social responsibility. This is a deeper look at governance, youth participation, and political reality in Rwanda — essential for anyone interested in East African politics, democracy, and civic engagement.Sponsors:Threat Informat - https://threatinformant.io/                                               Akagera Medicines- https://www.akageramedicines.comJoin our Patreon to enjoy ad-free viewing https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheLongFormPod or support us via our MTN Mobile Money Code 95462 or directly to our phone number: +250795462739Visit Sanny Ntayombya's Official Website: https://sannyntayombya.comProduced by LF Media 

The Resurrection is the "macro" event that flipped the world upside down—birthing concepts of human dignity, ending slave trades, and fueling civil rights movements. But behind every global shift is a "micro-encounter": an individual human heart meeting the risen Jesus. Whether it was "Little Bird" in the Rwandan genocide praying for his executioners or the disciple Thomas touching the wounds of Christ, an encounter with Jesus is something you simply cannot unsee. In John 20, we find the disciples trapped in a "Friday reality"—locked in a room by fear and trauma. Jesus enters their locked space and does three things that reorient their existence: He shows them His scars, He gives them His breath, and He identifies Himself as their Master. These aren't just historical details; they are the blueprint for our own transformation. When we encounter Jesus, our past is redeemed by His scars, our spirit is reborn by His breath, and our mission is defined by His Lordship.Support the show

Rwanda – It was the centerpiece of a lot of news attention back in 1994. Bloody civil war; tens of thousands of Rwandans were slaughtered there. There were nightly images of emaciated refugees, dying of disease, dying of starvation. And children; oh, you just couldn't forget the children. Many of those kids had lost everything in the carnage. Billy Graham's son, Franklin Graham, took a medical team to try to help there, and I heard him tell about one little girl he said he could never forget, and I don't think I will. He was in this rebel camp and he was walking by an army truck. He noticed this one little girl sitting in the back of it and she was just rocking back and forth, and she was singing something very softly but in a language Franklin couldn't understand. There was a soldier standing by there paying no attention to the girl, and Franklin said, “What happened to this little girl?” And he said, “Oh, the same as all the others. She's got nobody left.” Franklin said, “Well, would you do me one more favor? Would you tell me what she's singing?” The soldier seemed a little annoyed, but he listened for a minute and he said, “Yeah, it's…” Then he went on to translate it. When he translated the song, it was clear that this little Rwandan orphan hadn't lost everything. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about “Unloseable.” The soldier, after hearing this song sung by that little Rwandan orphan girl said, “Yeah, it's something about Jesus loving her.” Franklin said, “Is it Jesus Loves Me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so?” “Yeah, yeah, that's it.” With her world torn apart, with every human who loved her gone, this precious little victim had one unloseable relationship. Do you? They couldn't take Jesus away from her. Our word for today from the Word of God - Romans chapter 8. It begins by talking about the worst things that could happen to you in your life, and in verse 37 it says, “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor demons, nothing in the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” A love you can never lose; a love that will never lose you. Jesus is the unloseable person we've looked for all our lives. Actually we're built to belong to our Creator. If it weren't for Jesus, we would never have the possibility of that heart-satisfying relationship because of the gap between God and us. It's called sin. That's basically the self-rule of our lives. It could be summed up in those words “I did it my way.” So the God that we're built by and for is out of our reach until that sin bill is paid. Talk about love! God's only Son came to remove the only thing that could keep us from His love - the death penalty for our sin. From the moment you say, “Jesus, I'm putting my total trust in you and what you did on the cross for me” you belong to God. You always will. Nothing in heaven, nothing in hell, nothing on earth can end that relationship. God has guaranteed it. Quite some time ago, my wife and I spent a week at a little house at the Jersey shore; it was like a mini-honeymoon. And two weeks later she came down with a life-threatening case of hepatitis. I'll never forget the night when she almost died. I realized that this one person who would never choose to leave me might not have any choice about it that night. I'm so grateful God spared her. But that night I realized that the closest thing I have on earth to an unloseable person is loseable. But you know what? Since that day, came the day that I did lose her. But I was still able to sing “Jesus loves me, this I know.” I hope you can too. You probably never thought you'd learn anything from a little Rwandan orphan girl, but she was hanging on to Jesus with all her heart. Maybe it's time for you to do that. I'd love to help you know how. Join me at our website AnewStory.com. Isn't it time you grabbed Jesus' hand? Because that's the only hand that won't ever let you go.

Rwanda - it was the centerpiece of a lot of news attention back in 1994. Bloody civil war; tens of thousands of Rwandans were slaughtered there. There were nightly images of emaciated refugees, dying of disease, dying of starvation. And children; oh, you just couldn't forget the children. Many of those kids had lost everything in the carnage. Billy Graham's son, Franklin Graham, took a medical team to try to help there, and I heard him tell about one little girl he said he could never forget, and I don't think I will. He was in this rebel camp and he was walking by an army truck. He noticed this one little girl sitting in the back of it and she was just rocking back and forth, and she was singing something very softly but in a language Franklin couldn't understand. There was a soldier standing by there paying no attention to the girl, and Franklin said, "What happened to this little girl?" And he said, "Oh, the same as all the others. She's got nobody left." Franklin said, "Well, would you do me one more favor? Would you tell me what she's singing?" The soldier seemed a little annoyed, but he listened for a minute and he said, "Yeah, it's..." Then he went on to translate it. When he translated the song, it was clear that this little Rwandan orphan hadn't lost everything. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Unloseable." The soldier, after hearing this song sung by that little Rwandan orphan girl said, "Yeah, it's something about Jesus loving her." Franklin said, "Is it Jesus Loves Me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so?" "Yeah, yeah, that's it." With her world torn apart, with every human who loved her gone, this precious little victim had one unloseable relationship. Do you? They couldn't take Jesus away from her. Our word for today from the Word of God - Romans 8. It begins by talking about the worst things that could happen to you in your life, and in verse 37 it says, "We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor demons, nothing in the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." A love you can never lose; a love that will never lose you. Jesus is the unloseable person we've looked for all our lives. Actually we're built to belong to our Creator. If it weren't for Jesus, we would never have the possibility of that heart-satisfying relationship because of the gap between God and us. It's called sin. That's basically the self-rule of our lives. It could be summed up in those words "I did it my way." So the God that we're built by and for is out of our reach until that sin bill is paid. Talk about love! God's only Son came to remove the only thing that could keep us from His love - the death penalty for our sin. From the moment you say, "Jesus, I'm putting my total trust in you and what you did on the cross for me" you belong to God. You always will. Nothing in heaven, nothing in hell, nothing on earth can end that relationship. God has guaranteed it. Quite some time ago, my wife and I spent a week at a little house at the Jersey shore; it was like a mini-honeymoon. And two weeks later she came down with a life-threatening case of hepatitis. I'll never forget the night when she almost died. I realized that this one person who would never choose to leave me might not have any choice about it that night. I'm so grateful God spared her. But that night I realized that the closest thing I have on earth to an unloseable person is loseable. But you know what? Since that day, came the day that I did lose her. But I was still able to sing "Jesus loves me, this I know." I hope you can too. You probably never thought you'd learn anything from a little Rwandan orphan girl, but she was hanging on to Jesus with all her heart. Maybe it's time for you to do that. I'd love to help you know how. Join me at our website ANewStory.com. Isn't it time you grabbed Jesus' hand? Because that's the only hand that won't ever let you go.

So much of what is happening these days seems utterly nonsensical, from Trump’s war crime and profanity-laced Easter rant, to the whipsaw on Iran. So, is it simply Occam’s razor, or is there more going on here than we’re led to believe? Since I entered politics, I have chiefly had men’s views confided to me privately. Some of the biggest men in the United States, in the field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of somebody, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they had better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it. — President Woodrow Wilson, The New Freedom: A Call for the Emancipation of the Generous Energies of a People (1913) The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the larger centers has owned the Government ever since the days of Andrew Jackson — and I am not wholly excepting the Administration of W. W. The country is going through a repetition of Jackson’s fight with the Bank of the United States — only on a far bigger and broader basis. — President Franklin D. Roosevelt, letter to Col. Edward Mandell House (21 November 1933); as quoted in F.D.R.: His Personal Letters, 1928-1945, edited by Elliott Roosevelt (New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1950), pg. 373 I would suggest nothing we’re seeing, including (especially) the seemingly nonsensical, is ‘accidental’ or coincidental. It is PSYOP/PSWAR, a potent toxic mixture of POSIWID and chaos theory designed and intended to rapidly produce maximum chaos resulting in a ‘Clash of Civilizations‘ and The End of History and the Last Man, to ultimately bring about a ‘Novus Ordo Seclorum’1234 a la Genesis 11 → Genesis 6 → culminating in Psalm 2 → Revelation 19. Links Videos / Clips [x] = Played Trump says Americans against war with Iran are ‘foolish’ [x] 2:00–5:15 [x] 8:33–9:12 ‘Apparently I'm an idiot': Three-time Trump voter in Pennsylvania sounds off on Iran war [x] 3:15–3:45 Lucifer Has a NASA Moon Mission named Artemis. Here’s What They’re Hiding. Headlines [x] = Mentioned / Discussed Trump: “A Whole Civilization with Die Tonight” If President Trump carries out his threat to kill the entire civilization of Iran, he will join the ranks of Cato the Elder, Genghis Khan, Cortez, and other villains in history who chose the policy of destroying an entire civilization. Needless to say, this is not what Washington, Madison, Adams, Jefferson, and Franklin had in mind when they founded the US Constitutional Republic. Members of the US government—as well as We the People—should think about the reflections of multiple Roman authors who regarded the total annihilation of Carthage as an outrage and repudiation of Rome's republican values and virtues. In the Aeneid, Virgil frames the Punic Wars as a fateful conflict initiated by the Punic Queen Dido’s curse on Aeneas’s descendants. I interpret this as Virgil's way of condemning the “unspeakable” destruction of Carthage. The American people should be aware of the fact that if our US government does indeed annihilate the Iranian nation forever, it will certainly have a vast array of terrible consequences for us and for all of mankind. Among other disasters, it is likely that millions of Iranians will be forced to flee to other lands, including those of Europe. Many young men who see their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters suffer will be animated with a burning desire for revenge. I anticipate great horrors ahead for all of us. Trump's F-Bomb on Iran Joins America's Rollicking History of Presidential Profanity White House Easter egg roll Monday: How to watch live White House Easter Egg Roll honors America’s egg farmers, says President Trump | Fox News [x] Pentagon's new plans in Iran give Trump a way out of war crime accusations – POLITICO [x] Trump threatens to jail journalist who reported on crew's rescue in Iran if they don't reveal source – POLITICO [x] Iran Says US Airman Rescue May Have Been Cover to ‘Steal Enriched Uranium' Artemis ‘Launch’ April Fool’s Day / Easter – Amazing ‘Coincidence’ [x] [Published April Fool's Day! Same as Artemis II 'launch'] Did Van Allen Belts Stop the Moon Landings? Myth vs Fact – FreeAstroScience [x] Artemis II live updates: Nasa astronauts returning to Earth after seeing parts of Moon ‘no human has ever seen' | The Independent Artemis – Wikipedia “Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Innana…” & Asteroids | Fixed Stars Are the goddesses Ashteroth, Remphan, Isis, Ishtar, Belit, Anahita, Artemis, and Diana the same goddess with different names? – Quora Pan: The Complete Guide to the Greek God of Nature (2023) The Rest [x] = Mentioned / Discussed [x] Deutsche Bank – Wikipedia [x] Deutsche Bank [00:27, 17 May 2024 revision] – Wikipedia [x] Trump family faces high-stakes testimony in Manhattan fraud trial [x] At Trump Org fraud trial, ex-banker recalls ‘hunting' for Trump's business | Courthouse News Service [x] Finra Suspends Trump's Former Personal Banker – AdvisorHub [x] Rosemary Vrablic – Wikipedia [x] Jared Kushner – Wikipedia The thinly sourced theories about Trump's loans and Justice Kennedy's son (Jul 12, 2018) by Salvador Rizzo | The Washington Post [x] Why Trump Is Mentally Unfit to Be President: Pathology of Narcissism (Apr 5, 2017) by Alex Morris | Rolling Stone [x] Taibbi on the Madness of Donald Trump (Sep 19, 2017) by Matt Taibbi | Rolling Stone [x] Donald Trump Is About to Be a Loser, His Lawyers Say (Mar 22, 2023) by Asawin Suebsaeng and Adam Rawnsley | Rolling Stone [x] Donald Trump, Trickster God (Mar 4, 2016) by Corey Pein | The Baffler [x] Kushner and Witkoff – by esc [x] IMEC: Trump's War With Iran Is About Global Trade. Period. [x] What The Iran Attack Is Really All About – Road Warrior Radio [x] Road Warrior Radio with Chris Hinkley, March 10, 2026 Hour 1 – Republic Broadcasting Network [x] Road Warrior Radio with Chris Hinkley, March 10, 2026 Hour 2 – Republic Broadcasting Network On This Day Events April 2026 Calendar of Public Holidays | Office Holidays Holidays and Observances in the United States in 2026 What day is it today? Important events every day ad-free | United States OTD On This Day – What Happened on April 7 Today in History: April 7, Rwandan genocide begins | AP News What Happened on April 7 – On This Day What Happened on April 7 | HISTORY April 7 – Wikipedia What Happened On April 7 In History? 07 | April | 2020 | Executed Today Holidays National Beer Day (United States) Historical Events 2022 – The Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson – “Pizzagate” judge who was unable to define ‘woman' – to the Supreme Court, securing her place as the court's first Black female justice. 2021 – COVID-19 shenanigans: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announces that the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant has become the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States. 2020 – COVID-19 shenanigans: China ends its lockdown in Wuhan. 2020 – COVID-19 shenanigans: Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly resigns for his handling of the COVID-19 ‘pandemic’ on USS Theodore Roosevelt and the dismissal of Brett Crozier. 1994 – A day after the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi died in a missile attack on their aircraft, the moderate Hutu prime minister of Rwanda, Agathe Uwilingiyimana, and her husband were killed by Rwandan soldiers; in the 100 days that followed, Hutu extremists slaughtered hundreds of thousands of minority Tutsi and Hutu moderates. 1990 – John Poindexter is convicted for his role in the Iran–Contra affair. In 1991 the convictions are reversed on appeal. 1984 – The Census Bureau reported that Los Angeles had overtaken Chicago as the nation's “second city” in terms of population. 1980 – During the Iran hostage crisis, the United States severs relations with Iran. 1970 – John Wayne wins Best Actor Oscar: The legendary actor John Wayne wins his first—and only—acting Academy Award, for his star turn in the director Henry Hathaway's Western True Grit. Known for his tough, rugged, uniquely American screen persona, Wayne appeared in some 150 movies over the course of his long and storied career. 1969 – The internet is born: With the publication of RFC 1, The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) awarded a contract to build a precursor of today’s world wide web to BBN Technologies. The date is widely considered as the internet’s symbolic birthday. 1968 – Riots continue in over 100 US cities following the Apr 4 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. 1966 – The U.S. Navy recovered a hydrogen bomb that the U.S. Air Force had lost in the Mediterranean Sea off Spain following a B-52 crash. 1964 – IBM announces the System/360. 1963 – Tito is made president of Yugoslavia for life: A new Yugoslav constitution proclaims Tito the president for life of the newly named Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Formerly known as Josip Broz, Tito was born to a large peasant family in Croatia in 1892. 1961 – JFK lobbies Congress to help save historic sites in Egypt: President John F. Kennedy sends a letter to Congress in which he recommends the U.S. participate in an international campaign to preserve ancient temples and historic monuments in the Nile Valley of Egypt. The campaign, initiated by UNESCO, was designed to save sites threatened by the construction of the Aswan High Dam. 1954 – Domino Theory: President Dwight D. Eisenhower coined one of the most famous Cold War phrases, held a news conference in which he outlined the concept of the “domino theory” as he spoke of the importance of containing the spread of communism in Indochina, saying, “You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly.” 1953 – Sweden's Dag Hammarskjöld elected U.N. head: By a vote of 57 to 1, Dag Hammarskjöld is elected secretary-general of the United Nations. The son of Hjalmar Hammarskjöld, a former prime minister of Sweden, Dag joined Sweden's foreign ministry in 1947, and in 1951 formally entered the cabinet as deputy foreign minister. 1950 – President Truman receives NSC-68 report, calling for “containing” Soviet expansion: President Harry S. Truman receives National Security Council Paper Number 68 (NSC-68). The report was a group effort, created with input from the Defense Department, the State Department, the CIA, and other interested agencies; NSC-68 formed the basis for America's Cold War policy for the next two decades. 1949 – Tony-winning musical South Pacific opens on Broadway: The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific opens at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway in New York City. The romantic musical about World War II, which touches on controversial racial themes, goes on to run for almost five years, becoming one of the most popular musicals of the 1950s. 1948 – World Health Organization established: The WHO, a privately funded United Nations agency front organization, ostensibly concerned with fighting disease and epidemics worldwide, building up national health services, and improving health education in its 194 member states. 1945 – World War II: The Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Yamato, one of the two largest ever constructed, is sunk by United States Navy aircraft during Operation Ten-Go, in Japan's first major counteroffensive in the struggle for Okinawa. Weighing 72,800 tons and outfitted with nine 18.1-inch guns, the battleship Yamato was Japan's only hope of destroying the Allied fleet off the coast of Okinawa. 1943 – The National Football League makes helmets mandatory. 1943 – Holocaust in Ukraine: In Terebovlia, Germans order 1,100 Jews to undress and march through the city to the nearby village of Plebanivka, where they are shot and buried in ditches. 1940 – Tuskegee Institute founder Booker T. Washington becomes the first Black American to be honored with a postage stamp. It will take nearly four decades for a Black woman to receive a similar honor: Harriet Tubman in 1978. 1939 – Benito Mussolini invades Albania, declares an Italian protectorate over Albania and forces King Zog I into exile. 1933 – National Beer Day: Prohibition in the United States is repealed for beer of no more than 3.2% alcohol by weight, eight months before the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution. (Now celebrated as National Beer Day in the United States.) 1927 – First long-distance television transmission: an image of Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover is sent from Washington, D.C. to NYC by AT&T 1922 – Teapot Dome Scandal: Interior Secretary Albert B. Fall signed a secret deal to lease U.S. Navy petroleum reserves in Wyoming and California to his friends, oilmen Harry F. Sinclair and Edward L. Doheny, in exchange for cash gifts; Fall would eventually be sentenced to prison on bribery and conspiracy charges in what became known as the Teapot Dome Scandal. 1868 – Thomas D’Arcy McGee, one of the Canadian Fathers of Confederation is assassinated by the Irish, in one of the few Canadian political assassinations, and the only one of a federal politician. 1862 – American Civil War: Battle of Shiloh concludes: Two days of heavy fighting conclude near Pittsburgh Landing in western Tennessee. Union forces led by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell are victorious after the Confederate attack stalled on April 6, and fresh Yankee troops drove the Confederates from the field on April 7. 1832 – The Man Who Sold His Wife: Most modern readers believe Thomas Hardy was plunging into deep fiction when he wrote about a man selling his wife. He wasn’t. Nagging wives needed to be careful in 19th Century England, for, as Hardy recounted in The Mayor of Casterbridge, her husband might put her up for sale. That's just what happened on this day to Mary Thompson, according to a local newspaper report. 1829 – Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint cult, commences translation of the Book of Mormon, with Oliver Cowdery as his scribe. 1827 – First friction match sold: English chemist John Walker produced and sold the first operable matches. They were soon banned in France and Germany because burning fragments would sometimes fall to the floor and start fires. 1805 – German composer Ludwig van Beethoven premieres his Third Symphony, at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna 1805 – Lewis and Clark depart Fort Mandan: After a long winter, the Lewis and Clark expedition departs its camp among the Mandan tribe and resumes its journey West. The Corps of Discovery had begun its voyage the previous spring, and it arrived at the large Mandan and Minnetaree villages along the upper Missouri River (north of present-day Bismarck, North Dakota) in late October. 1798 – The Mississippi Territory is organized from disputed territory claimed by both the United States and the Spanish Empire. It is expanded in 1804 and again in 1812. 1788 – American Pioneers to the Northwest Territory arrive at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum rivers, establishing Marietta, Ohio, as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory, and opening the westward expansion of the new country. 1776 – Captain John Barry and the USS Lexington captures the Edward. 1739 – Dick Turpin is executed in England for horse stealing 1724 – Johann Sebastian Bach’s St. John Passion premiered: St. John’s Passion premieres on Good Friday at St. Nicholas Church in Leipzig, Electorate of Saxony (now Germany). The sacred oratorio is the oldest extant Passion by the German composer. The highly popular work is a dramatization of the final days of Jesus Christ, according to the Gospel of John. 1521 – Ferdinand Magellan arrives at Cebu. 529 – First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis or the Justinian Code (a fundamental work in jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I 451 – Attila the Hun captures Metz in France, killing most of its inhabitants and burning the town. 30 – Scholars estimate for the crucifixion of Jesus by Roman troops at the behest of Jewish leadership (Caiaphas the high priest, chief priests, scribes, elders) on Golgotha outside Jerusalem [or April 3] Births 1964 – Russell Crowe, New Zealand/Australian actor, singer, producer 1954 – Jackie Chan, Hong Kong-born actor and director noted for acrobatic stunt work in hits like “The Young Master” and the “Rush Hour” series. 1939 – Francis Ford Coppola, American director, producer, screenwriter 1938 – Jerry Brown, American lawyer and politician, 34th and 39th Governor of California 1931 – Daniel Ellsberg, American activist and author (died 2023) 1928 – James Garner, American actor, singer, and producer (died 2014) 1920 – Ravi Shankar, Indian/American sitar player, composer (died 2012) 1915 – Billie Holiday, American Jazz singer-songwriter, actress whose soulful intensity earned her the nickname “Lady Day.” Signature hits like “Strange Fruit” and “God Bless the Child.” (died 1959) 1897 – Walter Winchell, American journalist and radio host (died 1972) 1893 – Allen Dulles, American lawyer and diplomat, 5th Director of Central Intelligence (died 1969) 1890 – Marjory Stoneman Douglas, journalist, conservationist, activist best known for her advocacy for the preservation of Florida’s Everglades region. (died 1998) 1860 – Will Keith Kellogg, American businessman, ardent eugenicist, Seventh-day Adventist cult member, founded the Kellogg Company (died 1951) 1772 – Charles Fourier, French philosopher, communist (died 1837) 1770 – William Wordsworth, English poet (died 1850) Deaths 1947 – Henry Ford, American businessman, founded the Ford Motor Company (born 1863) 1928 – Alexander Bogdanov, Russian physician, philosopher, and author (born 1873) 1891 – P. T. Barnum, American businessman, co-founded Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey Circus (born 1810) 1804 – Toussaint Louverture, Haitian general (born 1743) 1733 – Samuel Partridge, very stupid and unconcern'd From the New England Weekly Journal, July 23, 1733 — a three-month-old news item (part of a roundup of dated minor dispatches) that had to cross the Atlantic from the mother country. Ipswich, April 7. Last Saturday Samuel Partridge was executed here, for robbing Mr. Barwell of Brockley in this City, of 31l, 10s., a Horse, and other Things, in Company with another Person not yet taken. He said he was born at Debden in Suffolk, that he was about 22 years of Age, and was brought up in Husbandry; he appeared to be very illiterate, for he could neither read nor write, and was entirely ignorant of the first Principles of Christianity. He denied the Fact for which he suffered, and said he was perswaded to own the Robbery by a Soldier that was in Halsted Bridewell with him, he telling him, that if he confessed the Fact he would come off very well; and that he advised him to say, that he had made use of a Bolt instead of a Pistol, and that he had hid it in a certain Place, where it was found according to his Direction. At the Place of Execution he seemed very stupid and unconcern'd; only, as directed, he called on God for Mercy when he was turned off. Elon Musk Tweets ‘Novus Ordo Seclorum' After Donald Trump Wins Reelection. MAGA Is The Pied Piper – winepressnews.com ↩ Novus Ordo Seclorum – History of Motto on Great Seal’s Unfinished Pyramid ↩ Novus ordo seclorum – Wikipedia ↩ Annuit cœptis – Wikipedia ↩

For over three decades Rwanda has been recovering from the almost unimaginable horror of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.On Tuesday the UN commemorated the systematic crimes committed there – in which more than one million people were killed – with ceremonies held at several of its offices around the world.The event was attended by survivors of the massacre, senior UN officials and representatives of the Rwandan authorities including Karoli Martin Ngoga, Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations.He sat down with UN News's Assumpta Massoi and explained the significance of the ceremony held at UN headquarters in New York.

What's the understanding and level of awareness of autism in Rwanda? Evas Kyomugisha, our Global Autism Project Partner from Rwanda, talks about the stigma around autism in Rwanda, the different levels of autism acceptance among parents at her center, and how she tries to inspire hope for their children's futures. Evas is the founder and owner of Silver Bells, an autism center in Kigali. Silver Bells offers comprehensive services for families, including Applied Behavior Analysis, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Music Therapy. Welcome to Autism Tips & Tools, where we highlight the best practical guidance from previous episodes of Autism Knows No Borders. Whether you're a self-advocate, a family member, or a service provider, there's something here for you! This conversation with Evas Kyomugisha was originally released on July 21, 2022. Would you like to hear Evas talk about how the Rwandan government has helped provide services for families? Click the link below for the full conversation and be sure to subscribe to hear more from people connected to autism inspiring change and building community.  Inspiring Hope for Parents in Rwanda, with Evas Kyomugisha Let's work together to transform how the world relates to autism. ----more---- We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you'd like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too. Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey 

Chris flies solo today, without Mitzi on this Monday, but still manages to keep it (mostly) on the sunny side! Today, on National Tartan Day, and the year’s 250th anniversary of our Declaration of Independence, we explore the fascinating history and linkage between our Declaration, and the Scottish Declaration of Arbroath, along with a special bonus surprise anniversary connection of the “Triumphal Entry” of Jesus Christ on Apr 6, 32 AD (10th of Nisan) spoken of in all four Gospels! If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. – John 8:36 KJV Triumphal Entry – in all four Gospels! Mat 21:1–11 Mar 11:1–10 Luk 19:28–40 Jhn 12:12–19 From the National Tartan Day Time and Date page: The Scottish Declaration of Independence was signed on April 6, 1320. The American Declaration of Independence was, in fact, modeled on this particular document. Almost half of the signers of the American Declaration of Independence were of Scottish descent. The US Senate Resolution on National Tartan Day was passed on March 20, 1998. From that point onward, National Tartan Day was designated as a day for all Americans, particularly those of Scottish descent, on April 6 each year. From the summary of John King Bellassai’s Two Declarations with a Common Purpose: The Link between 1320 and 1776: Tartan Day in the United States is April 6th, which is also the anniversary of the signing of the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath. The significance of this date is the striking similarities in phrasing and intent between the Declaration of Arbroath and the Declaration of Independence. A key to understanding this link is the fact that the American Revolution came right on the heels of the Scottish Enlightenment. While Scottish immigrants were a small part of the general colonial population, their influence on the worldview held by the educated segment of the colonial population, most notably Thomas Jefferson was very influential. Several other key events including the fact that Jefferson's mother's family were of Scottish decent of one of the signers of the Declaration of Arbroath and his Scottish William & Mary professor William Small, whom Jefferson described as his mentor, most notably also played a role in the creation of the Declaration of Independence. Links Videos / Clips [x] = Played [x] Braveheart Theme with Highland Bagpipes (the way it should have been) [x] @josephtawadros “Thank you for replacing the Ayatollah…” [x] @cheesyandthebears and @troycaylak “America vs. Europe 2” [x] Braveheart – Motivational Speech – Inspirational Speech – William Wallace – HD Quality [x] Declaration of Arbroath [x] The 1320 Scottish Declaration of Arbroath Explained… [x] Braveheart: Scotland is Free (HD CLIP) NAR – The Series An Unholy Alliance With Israel – NAR the Series S01E02 [x] 0:00--7:04 Scottish Guy reads The DECLARATION OF ARBROATH for the first time Scotland's Origin Story – What You Never Realised about The Declaration of Arbroath Walter Williams: Why the Founders Did Not Want a Democracy – YouTube The Rest [x] = Mentioned / Discussed [x] Braveheart – Wikipedia Wars of Scottish Independence – Wikipedia First War of Scottish Independence – Wikipedia [x] Battle of Falkirk – Wikipedia [x] United States Declaration of Independence – Wikipedia [x] Declaration of Arbroath – Wikipedia Magna Carta – Wikipedia S.RES. 155 | Congressional Chronicle | C-SPAN.org Text – S.Res.155 – 105th Congress (1997-1998): A resolution designating April 6 of each year as “National Tartan Day” to recognize the outstanding achievements and contributions made by Scottish Americans to the United States. | Congress.gov | Library of Congress H.RES. 109 | Congressional Chronicle | C-SPAN.org Text – H.Res.109 – 107th Congress (2001-2002): Recognizing the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath and supporting the establishment of a National Tartan Day to recognize the outstanding achievements and contributions made by Scottish Americans to the United States. | Congress.gov | Library of Congress H.RES. 514 | Congressional Chronicle | C-SPAN.org Text – H.Res.514 – 108th Congress (2003-2004): Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a day should be established as “National Tartan Day” to recognize the outstanding achievements and contributions made by Scottish Americans to the United States. | Congress.gov | Library of Congress [x] John Adams, letter to William Tudor, Quincy (Jun 1, 1818) When general counsels and deliberations commenced, the objects could be no other than the mutual defence and security of every individual for his life, his liberty, and his property. To suppose them to have surrendered these in any other way than by equal rules and general consent was to suppose them idiots or madmen, whose acts were never binding. To suppose them surprised by fraud, or compelled by force, into any other compact, such fraud and such force could confer no obligation. Every man had a right to trample it under foot whenever he pleased. In short, he asserted these rights to be derived only from nature and the author of nature; that they were inherent, inalienable, and indefeasible by any laws, pacts, contracts, covenants, or stipulations, which man could devise. [x] John Adams, A Dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Law – Teaching American History In a word, let every sluice of knowledge be opened and set a-flowing. The encroachments upon liberty in the reigns of the first James and the first Charles, by turning the general attention of learned men to government, are said to have produced the greatest number of consummate statesmen which has ever been seen in any age or nation. The Brookes, Hampdens, Vanes, Seldens, Miltons, Nedhams, Harringtons, Nevilles, Sidneys, Lockes, are all said to have owed their eminence in political knowledge to the tyrannies of those reigns. The prospect now before us in America, ought in the same manner to engage the attention of every man of learning, to matters of power and of right, that we may be neither led nor driven blindfolded to irretrievable destruction. Nothing less than this seems to have been meditated for us, by somebody or other in Great Britain. There seems to be a direct and formal design on foot, to enslave all America. This, however, must be done by degrees. The first step that is intended, seems to be an entire subversion of the whole system of our fathers, by the introduction of the canon and feudal law into America. The canon and feudal systems, though greatly mutilated in England, are not yet destroyed. Like the temples and palaces in which the great contrivers of them once worshipped and inhabited, they exist in ruins; and much of the domineering spirit of them still remains. The designs and labors of a certain society, to introduce the former of them into America, have been well exposed to the public by a writer of great abilities; and the further attempts to the same purpose, that may be made by that society, or by the ministry or parliament, I leave to the conjectures of the thoughtful. But it seems very manifest from the Stamp Act itself, that a design is formed to strip us in a great measure of the means of knowledge, by loading the press, the colleges, and even an almanac and a newspaper, with restraints and duties; and to introduce the inequalities and dependencies of the feudal system, by taking from the poorer sort of people all their little subsistence, and conferring it on a set of stamp officers, distributors, and their deputies. But I must proceed no further at present. The sequel, whenever I shall find health and leisure to pursue it, will be a “disquisition of the policy of the stamp act.” In the mean time, however, let me add, — These are not the vapors of a melancholy mind, nor the effusions of envy, disappointed ambition, nor of a spirit of opposition to government, but the emanations of a heart that burns for its country's welfare. No one of any feeling, born and educated in this once happy country, can consider the numerous distresses, the gross indignities, the barbarous ignorance, the haughty usurpations, that we have reason to fear are meditating for ourselves, our children, our neighbors, in short, for all our countrymen and all their posterity, without the utmost agonies of heart and many tears. [x] H. L. Mencken – Wikiquote Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats. – Prejudices, First Series (1919) Ch. 6, “The New Poetry Movement” Audience Contributed [x] Magnus Magnusson – Wikipedia [x] Scotland : the story of a nation : Magnusson, Magnus : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive On This Day Events April 2026 Calendar of Public Holidays | Office Holidays Holidays and Observances in the United States in 2026 What day is it today? Important events every day ad-free | United States OTD On This Day – What Happened on April 6 Today in History: April 6, United States enters World War I | AP News What Happened on April 6 – On This Day What Happened on April 6 | HISTORY April 6 – Wikipedia What Happened On April 6 In History? 06 | April | 2020 | Executed Today Holidays Easter Monday National Tartan Day12345 Sorry Charlie Day – Fun Holiday Historical Events 2017 – U.S. military launches 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at an air base in Syria. Russia describes the strikes as an “aggression”, adding they significantly damage US-Russia ties. 2016 – First baby born with DNA from three parents through mitochondrial transfer in Mexico 1994 – Rwandan genocide begins: The assassination of Rwandan President, Juvénal Habyarimana, and Burundian President, Cyprien Ntaryamira, killed when the jet they were riding in was shot down by surface-to-air missiles as it attempted to land in Kigali, Rwanda abruptly ending peace negotiations and sparking the Rwandan Genocide, triggered a mass slaughter of ethnic Tutsis with up to 1 million victims. Those responsible have never been identified. 1980 – Post-it Notes first sold: 3M begins sales of Post-it Notes. The canary yellow sticky pads quickly become one of the best-selling office supply products in history and a ubiquitous staple in schools and offices around the world. 1970 – Sam Sheppard, the inspiration for “The Fugitive,” dies: Sam Sheppard, a doctor convicted of murdering his pregnant wife in a trial that caused a media frenzy in the 1950s, dies of liver failure. After a decade in prison, Sheppard was released following a re-trial. His story is rumored to have loosely inspired the television series and movie The Fugitive. 1968 – Pierre Elliott Trudeau wins the Liberal Party leadership election, and becomes Prime Minister of Canada soon afterward. 1965 – First commercial communications satellite is launched: Intelsat I, also known as Early Bird, facilitated the first live TV broadcast of a spacecraft splashdown when Gemini 6 landed in the Atlantic Ocean. 1954 – Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, R-Wis., responding to CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow's broadside against him on “See It Now,” claimed in remarks filmed for the program that Murrow had, in the past, “engaged in propaganda for Communist causes.” 1930 – At the end of the Salt March, Gandhi raises a lump of mud and salt and declares, “With this, I am shaking the foundations of the British Empire.” 1929 – Huey P. Long, Governor of Louisiana, is impeached by the Louisiana House of Representatives. 1924 – First successful around-the-world flight begins: A team of aviators begins the first round-the-world flight in history. Four aircraft left Seattle on a westbound route around the globe. 157 days later, two of them reached the same location. 1917 – World War I: The United States entered World War I as the House joined the Senate in approving a declaration of war against Germany that was then signed by President Woodrow Wilson. 1909 – North Pole Expedition: Robert Peary and Matthew Henson allegedly become the first people to reach the North Pole. Peary’s claim has never been verified and is widely contested. The first undisputed journey to the North Pole was the 1948 Soviet Sever-2 expedition. 1896 – First modern Olympic Games are opened in Athens, Greece: 241 athletes from 14 countries took part in the First Olympiad. The event took place over 1500 years after the last ancient Olympic Games, which originated in Olympia in south-western Greece. 1866 – The Grand Army of the Republic, an American patriotic organization composed of Union veterans of the American Civil War, is founded. It lasts until 1956. 1865 – American Civil War: [better known as the War of Eastern European banking aggression] The Battle of Sailor’s Creek: Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia fights and loses its last major battle while in retreat from Richmond, Virginia, during the Appomattox Campaign. 1862 – American Civil War: [better known as the War of Eastern European banking aggression] The Battle of Shiloh begins: In Tennessee, forces under Union General Ulysses S. Grant meet Confederate troops led by General Albert Sidney Johnston, as Confederate forces launched a surprise attack against Union troops, who beat back the Confederates the following day. 1860 – Mormon LDS cult: The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, later renamed Community of Christ, is organized by Joseph Smith III and others at Amboy, Illinois. 1841 – John Tyler inaugurated as 10th U.S. President: John Tyler is sworn in as president. Tyler was elected as William Henry Harrison's vice president earlier in 1841 and was suddenly thrust into the role of president when Harrison died one month into office. He was the first vice president to immediately assume the role of president after a sitting president's untimely exit and set the precedent for succession thereafter. 1830 – Mormon LDS cult: Joseph Smith and others met in Fayette, New York, to form the Church of Christ — now known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1812 – British forces under the command of the Duke of Wellington assault the fortress of Badajoz. This would be the turning point in the Peninsular War against Napoleon-led France. 1808 – John Jacob Astor incorporates the American Fur Company, that would eventually make him America’s first millionaire. 1800 – The Treaty of Constantinople establishes the Septinsular Republic, the first autonomous Greek state since the Fall of the Byzantine Empire. (Under the Old Style calendar then still in use in the Ottoman Empire, the treaty was signed on 21 March.) 1772 – Beard… Tax…? Empress of Russia Catherine the Great ends the tax on men with beards, enacted by Tsar Peter the Great in 1698 1652 – Cape Colony, the first European settlement in South Africa, is established by the Dutch East India Company under Jan van Riebeeck 1320 – Tartan Day:12345 The Scots reaffirm their independence by signing the Declaration of Arbroath, the Scottish “Declaration of Independence”. The day is increasingly renamed Declaration Day, since 2016, and associated with events commemorating the Declaration of Arbroath and other aspects of Scottish history. Tartan Day has expanded into an entire Tartan Week in New York City and Angus, and into multi-day events in some other locations, including Washington, DC. The name Scotland Week has also been promoted in Scotland. The events typically have parades of pipe bands, Highland dancing, and other Scottish-themed activities. In 1998, the efforts of the coalition and the Caledonian Foundation (led then by JoAnne Phipps), with the legislative sponsorship of Senator Trent Lott, resulted in United States Senate Resolution No. 155 (introduced March 6, 1998) to adopt April 6 as National Tartan Day. The resolution passed March 20, 1998, “to recognize the outstanding achievements and contributions made by Scottish Americans to the United States”; it also referred to the predominance of Scots among the Founding Fathers of the United States and claimed that the American Declaration of Independence was “modelled on” the Scottish Declaration of Arbroath. The now quasi-official National Tartan Day was held annually thereafter; The Washington Times reported in 2000 on the event, by which time it was already growing into a three-day affair in Washington, DC. Births 1976 – Candace Cameron Bure, American actress (50) 1969 – Paul Rudd, American actor (57) 1964 – Tim Walz, American politician, Governor of Minnesota & vice presidential candidate (62) 1952 – Marilu Henner, Greek-Polish American actress and author (74) 1942 – Barry Levinson, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (84) 1937 – Merle Haggard, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2016) 1937 – Billy Dee Williams, American actor, singer, and writer (89) 1931 – Ram Dass (Richard Alpert), American theosophist, cult leader (died 2019) 1671 – Jean-Baptiste Rousseau, French poet and playwright (died 1741) 1135 – Maimonides, Jewish philosopher, Torah scholar, physician and astronomer (March 30 also proposed, died 1204) Deaths 1992 – Isaac Asimov, American science fiction writer (born 1920) 1971 – Igor Stravinsky, Russian-American pianist, composer, and conductor (born 1882) 1528 – Albrecht Dürer, German painter, engraver, and mathematician (born 1471) 1520 – Raphael, Italian painter and architect (born 1483) 1199 – Lionheart Richard, The Stranger King: Richard I of England, King of England, also known as Richard the Lionheart. Richard the Lionheart, Robin Hood's king is considered one of the great English monarchs. Yet he cost his country a fortune and barely lived there. (born 1157) 2014 – Mickey Rooney, American soldier, actor, and dancer (born 1920) 2014 – Massimo Tamburini, Italian motorcycle designer, co-founded Bimota (born 1943) 2015 – James Best, American actor, director, and screenwriter, best known as the bumbling Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane in the action comedy series The Dukes of Hazzard, which originally aired on CBS from 1979 to 1985. (born 1926) 2015 – Ray Charles – the other Ray Charles, American singer-songwriter and conductor (born 1918) 2017 – Don Rickles, American actor and comedian (born 1926) 2025 – Jay North, American actor best known for his role as the good-natured but mischievous Dennis Mitchell on the CBS situation comedy Dennis the Menace (1959–1963), based on the comic strip created by Hank Ketcham. (born 1951) Wikipedia Contributors. “Tartan Day.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Apr. 2026, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartan_Day. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026. ↩↩ “National Tartan Day 2026 in the United States.” Timeanddate.com, 2026, www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/national-tartan-day. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026. ↩↩ “History of National Tartan Day”. NationalCapitalTartanDay.com. National Capital Tartan Day Committee. 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023. ↩↩ “National Tartan Day” (PDF). Congressional Record – Senate. United States Senate. March 20, 1998. p. S2373. Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2023 – via Library of Congress. ↩↩ Bellassai, John. Two Declarations with a Common Purpose: The Link between 1320 and 1776. Mar. 2022. Archived at National Capital Tartan Day, Issue Papers. www.nationalcapitaltartanday.com/issue-papers/. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026. ↩↩

Prices are rising, currencies are under pressure, and global events are beginning to affect everyday life in ways many people don't fully understand.In this episode of The Long Form Podcast, Soraya Hakuziyaremye, Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, explains what is really happening inside Rwanda's economy — and how global shocks such as US sanctions, geopolitical tensions, and rising energy prices impact inflation, the Rwandan franc, and long-term economic growth.We discuss whether Rwanda can continue its development trajectory under external pressure, how much control central banks actually have over inflation, and what individuals should understand about saving, investing, and building wealth in uncertain times.Sponsors:Threat Informat - https://threatinformant.io/                                               Akagera Medicines- https://www.akageramedicines.com/ Join our Patreon to enjoy ad-free viewing https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheLongFormPod or support us via our MTN Mobile Money Code 95462 or directly to our phone number: +250795462739Visit Sanny Ntayombya's Official Website: https://sannyntayombya.comProduced by LF Media 

Time spent and words spent—what does each signal? Deceptive mimicry—the manipulation of individual or group identity—includes passing off as a different individual, as a member of a group to which one does not belong, or, for a group, to ‘sign' its action as another group. Mimicry exploits the reputation of the model it mimics to avoid capture (flight), to strike undetected at the enemy (fight), or to hide behind or besmirch the reputation of the model group (‘false-flag' operations).  Fight, Flight, Mimic: Identity Mimicry in Conflict (Oxford UP, 2024) offers a theory and game-theoretic model of mimicry, an overview of its use through history, and a deep empirical exploration of its modern manifestations through several case studies by leading social scientists. The chapters cover mimicry in the context of the Northern Ireland conflict, terrorism campaigns in 1970s Italy, the height of the Iraq insurgency, the Rwandan genocide, the Naxalite rebellion in India, and jihadi discussion forums on the Internet. Thomas Hegghammer is Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Lucas Tse is Examination Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Time spent and words spent—what does each signal? Deceptive mimicry—the manipulation of individual or group identity—includes passing off as a different individual, as a member of a group to which one does not belong, or, for a group, to ‘sign' its action as another group. Mimicry exploits the reputation of the model it mimics to avoid capture (flight), to strike undetected at the enemy (fight), or to hide behind or besmirch the reputation of the model group (‘false-flag' operations).  Fight, Flight, Mimic: Identity Mimicry in Conflict (Oxford UP, 2024) offers a theory and game-theoretic model of mimicry, an overview of its use through history, and a deep empirical exploration of its modern manifestations through several case studies by leading social scientists. The chapters cover mimicry in the context of the Northern Ireland conflict, terrorism campaigns in 1970s Italy, the height of the Iraq insurgency, the Rwandan genocide, the Naxalite rebellion in India, and jihadi discussion forums on the Internet. Thomas Hegghammer is Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Lucas Tse is Examination Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Time spent and words spent—what does each signal? Deceptive mimicry—the manipulation of individual or group identity—includes passing off as a different individual, as a member of a group to which one does not belong, or, for a group, to ‘sign' its action as another group. Mimicry exploits the reputation of the model it mimics to avoid capture (flight), to strike undetected at the enemy (fight), or to hide behind or besmirch the reputation of the model group (‘false-flag' operations).  Fight, Flight, Mimic: Identity Mimicry in Conflict (Oxford UP, 2024) offers a theory and game-theoretic model of mimicry, an overview of its use through history, and a deep empirical exploration of its modern manifestations through several case studies by leading social scientists. The chapters cover mimicry in the context of the Northern Ireland conflict, terrorism campaigns in 1970s Italy, the height of the Iraq insurgency, the Rwandan genocide, the Naxalite rebellion in India, and jihadi discussion forums on the Internet. Thomas Hegghammer is Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Lucas Tse is Examination Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

Time spent and words spent—what does each signal? Deceptive mimicry—the manipulation of individual or group identity—includes passing off as a different individual, as a member of a group to which one does not belong, or, for a group, to ‘sign' its action as another group. Mimicry exploits the reputation of the model it mimics to avoid capture (flight), to strike undetected at the enemy (fight), or to hide behind or besmirch the reputation of the model group (‘false-flag' operations).  Fight, Flight, Mimic: Identity Mimicry in Conflict (Oxford UP, 2024) offers a theory and game-theoretic model of mimicry, an overview of its use through history, and a deep empirical exploration of its modern manifestations through several case studies by leading social scientists. The chapters cover mimicry in the context of the Northern Ireland conflict, terrorism campaigns in 1970s Italy, the height of the Iraq insurgency, the Rwandan genocide, the Naxalite rebellion in India, and jihadi discussion forums on the Internet. Thomas Hegghammer is Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Lucas Tse is Examination Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Time spent and words spent—what does each signal? Deceptive mimicry—the manipulation of individual or group identity—includes passing off as a different individual, as a member of a group to which one does not belong, or, for a group, to ‘sign' its action as another group. Mimicry exploits the reputation of the model it mimics to avoid capture (flight), to strike undetected at the enemy (fight), or to hide behind or besmirch the reputation of the model group (‘false-flag' operations).  Fight, Flight, Mimic: Identity Mimicry in Conflict (Oxford UP, 2024) offers a theory and game-theoretic model of mimicry, an overview of its use through history, and a deep empirical exploration of its modern manifestations through several case studies by leading social scientists. The chapters cover mimicry in the context of the Northern Ireland conflict, terrorism campaigns in 1970s Italy, the height of the Iraq insurgency, the Rwandan genocide, the Naxalite rebellion in India, and jihadi discussion forums on the Internet. Thomas Hegghammer is Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Lucas Tse is Examination Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics

About Our GuestsDr. Brandon Ferderer is Head of Programming at Shared Studios and honors faculty at Arizona State University. A writer, performer, storyteller, and expert facilitator, Brandon holds a doctorate in intercultural communications from Arizona State University. His work spans private, education, and nonprofit sectors, harnessing communication technology to bridge cultural divides through dynamic educational and arts programs. His academic and creative works have been featured in Critical Studies in Media Communication and The Seventh Wave, and he has performed at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Phoenix Art Museum, the Moth Main Stage, and the Dixon Theater in New York City.Ross Phillips is a social studies teacher at Winnacunnet High School in Hampton, New Hampshire. Holding a master's degree in education from the University of New Hampshire, Ross is passionate about bringing the world into his classroom through live virtual connections. An avid world traveler who has explored Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Egypt, Italy, Iceland, and beyond, Ross uses real-world application to ignite students' curiosity for non-Western history, law, and geography.What Is Shared Studios?Shared Studios is best known for its immersive portals — repurposed shipping containers equipped with audiovisual technology that place users in a full-body, face-to-face conversation with someone in a similar container in one of 20–25 countries around the world. But at its core, Shared Studios is a network of people: trained facilitators and community members around the globe — from community activists to UN officials — brought together to create meaningful educational connections. Programming can be delivered through the immersive portal environment or via video conferencing.Key Topics DiscussedWhy immersive portals go beyond video conferencing Brandon explains that 65–75% of a message's meaning is communicated nonverbally. While video conferencing restored face-to-face visibility, it also introduced "Zoom fatigue" — the tendency to monitor how we appear to be connecting rather than actually connecting. The portal creates full-body presence and a sense of accountability to your conversational partner, which is essential for building genuine empathy.The origin story of Shared Studios Founder Amar Bakshi originally built the portal concept to help his grandmother feel connected to her native Pakistan — imagining her sharing a chai in a café. The first portals debuted at a New York art gallery and in Tehran, Iran, where the profound emotional responses (women dancing freely behind closed doors, a young man coming out) revealed the technology's transformative potential.How Ross uses the portal at Winnacunnet High School Ross has built years of relationships with curators in Mexico City, Kigali, and other sites. Students recognize facilitators by name, ask about their lives, and engage in deeply personal conversations — including discussions about the Rwandan genocide with survivors and their families, a topic directly tied to New Hampshire's state curriculum standards.The role of the facilitator On-site facilitators like Ross help students acclimate to the unique, distraction-free environment of the portal. The shared studios curators on the other end are trained to handle sensitive or culturally awkward moments as teachable opportunities rather than offenses — creating a space where students can "trip up" and grow.Reaching reluctant learners Rather than leading with heavy topics, Brandon and Ross recommend starting with common ground — video games, food, music, daily life. A memorable example: skeptical Arizona State students connected with young men in Herat, Afghanistan over football and video games, and ended up in a 45-minute conversation about U.S.-Afghan relations.Preparing students for cross-cultural conversations Shared Studios uses "shared understandings" drawn from the Mejlis style of dialogue — an approach rooted in Arab cultures emphasizing equity in speaking time, active listening, and respectful engagement. Brandon also discusses the importance of teaching students the difference between cultural relativism and universalism before entering conversations.Why distance learning matters Both guests emphasize that the problems facing the next generation — climate change, refugee crises, global poverty, genocide — are deeply interconnected and cannot be solved by any one nation or culture. Distance learning, especially in immersive forms, is how we build the global citizens equipped to meet those challenges together.Quotable Moments"Video conferencing has been really great for connecting us. It has not been so good at creating connection between us." — Dr. Brandon Ferderer"I've never walked away from a connection being like, 'Well, that didn't go well.' There's always a nugget." — Ross Phillips"We have to find ways to put young people into conversation with people who are different than them... distance learning is the way that we do that." — Dr. Brandon FerdererResources & LinksShared StudiosWinnacunnet High SchoolFind all episode links and visuals at cilc.org/podcastHost links:Discover more virtual learning opportunities at CILC.org with hosts Tami Moehring and Allyson Mitchell.Seth Fleischauer's Banyan Global Learning combines live virtual field trips with international student collaborations for a unique K12 global learning experience. See https://banyangloballearning.com/global-learning-live/Enjoyed this episode? Tell a friend, follow the podcast, and leave us a review! Editing by Lucas Salazar.

Trevor Williams didn't take a typical path into the fire service. He grew up overseas, living in places like Zaire during the Rwandan genocide and later Haiti during periods of civil unrest. His family's missionary work with humanitarian organizations exposed him early to crisis, relief work, and the reality of helping people when things fall apart. Years later, that mindset carried straight into a career with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.   In this conversation, Williams talks about the long road to getting hired, the culture shifts he's seeing among newer firefighters, and why mentorship inside the firehouse still matters. He also breaks down how a homemade tool he built for forcing doors eventually turned into a widely used product across departments and industries. The story moves from firehouse camaraderie to small business lessons, covering product design, marketing mistakes, fraud scares, and what it actually takes to turn an idea into something firefighters trust on the job.

Pascal Mirindi, a 25-year-old activist from Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, grew up surrounded by the violent fall-out of the Rwandan genocide of 1994, which spilled over into the DRC. But at age 17, when Pascal joined a peaceful demonstration in the streets of Goma, it showed him another way to fight. Experiencing non-violent resistance changed his life and set him on a path to  protect his country's ecosystems from the greed of oil companies. But – being confronted constantly with police repression, threats, and even forced exile – he wonders if it's time to step back or time to step up… Support the showWe can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

We don't have whatever they were giving JFK to power through the Cuban Missile Crisis, but we're keeping up here. This week's news: in the Iran War, the U.S. prepares to use Kurdish proxy forces against the Islamic Republic (1:26) while offering shifting timelines and contradictory explanations for the war (6:32), plus Iran searches for a new supreme leader (11:54); Hezbollah launches rockets into Israel after months of being bombarded, so Israel escalates its strikes across Lebanon (16:24); Afghanistan and Pakistan exchange airstrikes and artillery fire as fighting along their border displaces tens of thousands (19:26); Turkey considers reentering the F-35 program as part of new energy negotiations with the U.S. (22:56); Nepal holds a major election following last year's protests (26:40); fighting intensifies in Sudan's Kordofan and Blue Nile regions (28:05); M23 launches drone strikes deeper into the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the United States sanctions Rwandan military officials (31:56); a Russian LNG tanker is sunk in the Mediterranean amid suspicions of Ukrainian involvement (34:40); France proposes expanding its nuclear umbrella over Europe (38:01); the U.S. launches a new military operation targeting drug cartels in Ecuador (40:20); Congress strikes down legislation that would halt the Iran war (41:46); and the Trump administration moves ahead with new global tariffs while the courts order billions in refunds for the last batch that were struck down (44:41). Grab a copy of Danny and Michael Brenes' edited volume Cold War Liberalism: Power in a Time of Emergency. Use the discount code BESSNER26. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We don't have whatever they were giving JFK to power through the Cuban Missile Crisis, but we're keeping up here. This week's news: in the Iran War, the U.S. prepares to use Kurdish proxy forces against the Islamic Republic (1:26) while offering shifting timelines and contradictory explanations for the war (6:32), plus Iran searches for a new supreme leader (11:54); Hezbollah launches rockets into Israel after months of being bombarded, so Israel escalates its strikes across Lebanon (16:24); Afghanistan and Pakistan exchange airstrikes and artillery fire as fighting along their border displaces tens of thousands (19:26); Turkey considers reentering the F-35 program as part of new energy negotiations with the U.S. (22:56); Nepal holds a major election following last year's protests (26:40); fighting intensifies in Sudan's Kordofan and Blue Nile regions (28:05); M23 launches drone strikes deeper into the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the United States sanctions Rwandan military officials (31:56); a Russian LNG tanker is sunk in the Mediterranean amid suspicions of Ukrainian involvement (34:40); France proposes expanding its nuclear umbrella over Europe (38:01); the U.S. launches a new military operation targeting drug cartels in Ecuador (40:20); Congress strikes down legislation that would halt the Iran war (41:46); and the Trump administration moves ahead with new global tariffs while the courts order billions in refunds for the last batch that were struck down (44:41).Grab a copy of Danny and Michael Brenes' edited volume Cold War Liberalism: Power in a Time of Emergency. Use the discount code BESSNER26.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Massive explosions are reported in Tehran and in Karaj to its west as the United States and Israel step up their attacks on Iranian cities. We hear what life is like for those living there. Iran continues to retaliate with attacks on Israel and other countries in the region -- although it denies carrying out drone strikes in Azerbaijan. Ukraine's President Zelensky says he is prepared to lend his support to Gulf states facing Iran's missile attacks and we ask what that help might look like. Also: we take you to Nepal's election, the first since Gen-Z protests brought down the last government. Conservatives from the Anglican church deny they are splitting from the communion after choosing a Rwandan bishop to head a new religious council. And new research suggests stopping weight loss jabs can lead to rapid weight regain in one year. 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

One of Canada's most celebrated rappers, Shad, joins us on this episode of The Adamantium Podcast. We discuss his latest album, Start Anew, and cross-Canada tour. We also talk about his unique lyrical style, his Rwandan roots, winning a JUNO, his big break that launched his 20+ year career, 90s music nostalgia, hosting the documentary series Hip Hop Evolution on HBO Canada and Netflix, and the courses he's teaching at The University of Toronto and Wilfred Laurier University.

On this episode, we examine the future of the US-brokered peace deal after Washington sanctioned Rwanda's defence forces and senior military officials over the eastern DR Congo conflict. Kigali calls the move is unfair and accuses the DRC of failing to meet its own commitments. Meanwhile, Ethiopia has opened its first unmanned police station in Addis Ababa, letting citizens report crimes digitally. The pilot is part of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's push to modernize public services, but is raising questions about adoption and data protection.Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producer: Keikantse Shumba, Daniel Dadzie and Ayuba Iliya Technical Producer: Jonathan Mwangi Senior Producers: Bella Twine and Blessing Aderogba Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

Ukraine has lost close to a quarter of its civilian workforce since the invasion. Three and a half million workers left government-controlled areas: mobilised into the armed forces, displaced inside the country, gone abroad as refugees, or killed. Giacomo Anastasia, Tito Boeri, and Oleksandr Zholud draw on an unprecedented wartime dataset to document how Ukraine's labour market adapted under that pressure. What they find is not what you might expect. Aggregate matching efficiency fell by only about 15%; less than the decline recorded in the United States during the 2008 financial crisis. Firms hired women into roles previously closed to them by law, took on older workers and people with disabilities, and expanded remote work to keep displaced employees and refugees connected to Ukrainian payrolls. The collapse was real, but concentrated: in contested territories near the frontline, employment fell to less than half its pre-war level and vacancy postings dropped to virtually zero. The question the paper poses for reconstruction is how to sustain that resilience, absorb close to a million returning soldiers, and begin to reverse what five years of disrupted schooling has done to a generation.The research behind this episode:Anastasia, Giacomo M., Tito Boeri, and Oleksandr Zholud. 2026. "A Wartime Labor Market: The Case of Ukraine." Economic Policy: Papers on European and Global Issues, special issue: "What's Next for Ukraine?"To cite this episode:Phillips, Tim. 2026. "What's Next for Ukraine: A Wartime Labour Market." Economic Policy: Papers on European and Global Issues (podcast).Assign this as extra listening. The citation above is formatted and ready for a reading list or VLE.About the guestsGiacomo Anastasia is a PhD student in Economics at Columbia University and Columbia Business School. His research interests include public economics, labour economics, and industrial organisation.Tito Boeri is Professor of Economics at Bocconi University and one of Europe's leading authorities on labour markets, unemployment insurance, and welfare state reform. He served as President of INPS, Italy's national social security institution, from 2015 to 2019.Oleksandr Zholud is a researcher at the National Bank of Ukraine. He was central to maintaining the economic data systems that continued to function through the war, and which made the empirical work in this paper possible. Research cited in this episodeThe civilian labour force contraction is estimated at roughly twenty to twenty-five per cent of the pre-war workforce in government-controlled areas, equivalent to a loss of around 3.5 million workers. The calculation combines refugees abroad (between six and seven million, of whom approximately seventy per cent are of working age), military mobilisation (at least 800,000 since 2022, up from 250,000 before the war), and combat casualties. The authors note that a shock of this scale has almost no modern precedent; the closest comparisons are Serbia's losses in the First World War and the economic disruption caused by the 1994 Rwandan genocide.Work.ua is the largest online job-search platform in Ukraine, covering around 125,000 firms and 4.5 million workers. The paper draws on weekly data from Work.ua on vacancy postings, job-seeker resumes, and offered and expected wages to track labour market dynamics across sectors and regions throughout the war. This platform data continued to be updated through the conflict and provided the primary source for the paper's matching analysis, replacing the State Statistics Service household survey, which suspended publication after the invasion.The InfoSapiens household survey, commissioned by the National Bank of Ukraine since 2021, serves as the wartime replacement for the State Statistics Service quarterly Labour Force Survey. It interviews around 1,000 individuals per quarter on employment, unemployment, and labour force participation, stratified by gender, age, region, and settlement size. Despite its smaller sample, it remains the primary regular survey-based source on Ukraine's labour market since the full-scale invasion.The State Employment Service (SES) firm survey, conducted in January 2025 in cooperation with Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, covered 55,000 enterprises employing 4.2 million workers plus 70,000 registered unemployed persons. This cross-sectional survey provided the paper's evidence on how recruitment practices, remote work adoption, and workforce composition changed after the invasion; it is described in the paper as one of the largest wartime enterprise surveys of its kind.Air raid alarm data are used as the paper's proxy for regional exposure to the war. When missiles or drone attacks are detected, sirens activate across affected areas; the authors use the frequency and duration of these alarms to classify Ukrainian regions on a spectrum from low-exposure (western oblasts such as Lviv) to high-exposure (eastern regions such as Kharkiv) to contested (partially or fully occupied territories including parts of Donetsk and Luhansk). This classification is the basis for the paper's finding that war intensity is the primary driver of differences in labour market outcomes across regions.Matching efficiency is a standard labour economics measure of how effectively the market converts a given stock of unemployed workers and open vacancies into new hires. A fall in matching efficiency means that jobs and workers exist but find each other more slowly. The paper estimates that Ukraine's aggregate matching efficiency declined by about fifteen per cent after the invasion; a smaller fall than the more than twenty per cent recorded in the United States during the 2008 financial crisis, though with severe deterioration concentrated in frontline and contested regions, where matching efficiency dropped by close to twenty-five per cent.Remote work as a retention mechanism. A survey of Ukrainian refugees abroad found that roughly forty per cent of those in employment were working for Ukrainian firms remotely. Those maintaining an employment link to a Ukrainian company reported a significantly higher intention to return to Ukraine after the war compared with refugees employed by foreign firms. Anastasia argues this makes remote work not only an economic adaptation but a tool for sustaining the connection between displaced workers and the country they may one day return to rebuild.More in the "What's Next for Ukraine?" seriesThis episode is the third and final in a series based on papers presented at the inaugural Economic Policy winter conference, Paris, December 2025.Episode 1, with Yuriy Gorodnichenko and Maurice Obstfeld: why $40 billion a year in investment is more achievable than it sounds, why deep debt restructuring is a prerequisite for attracting private capital, and what the Euroclear frozen assets could unlock. Episode 2, with Edward Glaeser, Martina Kirchberger, and Andrii Parkhomenko: why the right model for rebuilding Ukraine's cities is postwar Tokyo rather than postwar Berlin or Warsaw, and why directing reconstruction spending towards the most damaged regions would be rebuilding in the wrong direction. Related reading on VoxEUThe labour market in Ukraine: Rebuild better, the companion VoxEU column by Anastasia, Boeri, and Zholud, summarising the paper's findings on matching efficiency, firm adjustment, and the policy priorities for reconstruction. You only live twice: A growth strategy for Ukraine, Gorodnichenko and Obstfeld's companion column to Episode 1, making the case for $40 billion a year in investment and explaining why EU and NATO accession momentum is the key enabling condition.Rebuilding cities in Ukraine, a VoxEU column on the spatial and urban decisions that will shape how Ukraine's cities develop in the decades after the war, and why the Tokyo model of decentralised land readjustment is the right precedent.

Let Stewart talk you into the light of God's love for all, whether they have lots of money or very little. He has stories to help us to get to grips with how different God's Kingdom is from our world. Join the adventure as Stewart tells us the joy he found in a Rwandan home, the contentment of his childhood (with very little money) and the heroes who are breaking free of their debt. Stewart McCulloch leads Christians Against Poverty (CAP) and he is passionate to help us talk about poverty, injustice and the stories of the many who are living it. A third of the UK are severely stressed about their finances and 4 million of our children are living in poverty. As a special bonus, hear about the origin of the grand old Duke of York's march up a hill!We are here to make your difficult conversations a little easier and this one is another belter! At CAP, Stewart champions a collective, church-based movement, a clear response to the UK's deepening poverty crisis. This combines with his personal passion to free people from debt and see transformed lives as a result. Previously, he headed an international insurance business before moving to Christian charities like World Vision and Stewardship, as part of his wish to integrate his faith and work.Support the show

This month, we're re-airing one of our favorite and most listened to podcasts from November 2025. Enjoy... The country of Rwanda in east Africa has known tremendous suffering and loss from the Genocide of 1994, in which hundreds of thousands were killed. And even though a huge percentage of Rwandans identify as believers, many mix elements of their former pagan beliefs and practices with their new Christian faith. So, the need for the Gospel to heal and correct is desperately needed.Join host Michael Woolworth and his guest, Anton De Vreugd, as Anton recalls wonderful Christians he met on his recent trip to Rwanda. That includes 12-year-old Joyeuse, who loves to write and sing her own songs about the Lord. And 63-year-old Dalie, who lost her own dear husband and son in the Rwanda Genocide but was granted strength by God to forgive those who brought such tragedy to her life.Subscribe today and invite others to listen with you to this powerful podcast. Length: 24:54.

How can the visual arts be used to promote peace? Professor Mitchell investigates how the visual arts can not only incite violence, but also bear witness, reveal dangerous memories, transform violence, contribute to healing trauma and imagine more hopeful futures. Examples are taken from both current conflicts (Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Palestine) and past wars (Paul Nash and Otto Dix in the First World War, local artists in the Iran-Iraq War and the 1984 Rwandan genocide). Professor Mitchell analyses the ambivalent role of the visual arts in building peace.This lecture was recorded by professor Jolyon Mitchell on 11th February 2026 at Bernard's Inn Hall, LondonProfessor Jolyon Mitchell is Principal of St John's College, Durham and a Professor at Durham University who specialises in Religion, Violence and Peacebuilding, with reference to the arts and media. Educated at the Universities of Cambridge, Durham and Edinburgh, Professor Mitchell worked as a Producer and Journalist with BBC World service and Radio 4 before moving to the University of Edinburgh where he served as Director of CTPI (the Centre for Theology and Public Issues at the University of Edinburgh) and Academic Director for IASH (Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities). He is a former President of TRS-UK (2012-2018 - the national association for Theology and Religious Studies in the UK). He is author or editor of over a dozen books, as well as many chapters and articles, including Promoting Peace and Inciting Violence: The Role of Religion and Media (Routledge, 2012); Martyrdom: A Very Short Introduction (OUP, 2012); Religion and War: A Very Short Introduction (OUP, 2021), Religion and Peace (Wiley Blackwell, 2022), Picturing Peace: Photography, Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding (Bloomsbury, 2025) and Media Violence and Christian Ethics (CUP, 2007). He is currently finishing a book on A Passion for Performance: The mysterious resurgence of religious drama (OUP, 2027). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), an honorary fellow at the University of Edinburgh, and a life member of Clare Hall, at the University of Cambridge. Professor Mitchell has also served on international film juries at the Cannes, Berlin and Venice film festivals. He directs several projects on Peacebuilding, including one which led to a widely used co-edited volume on Peacebuilding and the Arts (Palgrave MacMillan, 2020). He has also worked with Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders, as well as Palestinian and Israeli journalists, on a peace building project in Jerusalem and beyond. A keen cricketer and former marathon runner, he has lectured all over the world. The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/peacebuilding-artsGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show

What does heroin actually do to a human being — and why are so many young Africans falling into addiction? In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Steve Khald Maridadi a Rwandan filmmaker, opens up about heroin addiction, cocaine, laced marijuana, recovery, psych wards, and the system that failed him. We explore how drug addiction works biologically and psychologically, why jailing addicts may be the wrong solution, and how stigma pushes addiction underground.Sponsors: Threat Informat - https://threatinformant.io/.                                                    Akagera Medicines- https://www.akageramedicines.com/ Join our Patreon to enjoy ad-free viewing https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheLongFormPod or support us via our MTN Mobile Money Code 95462 or directly to our phone number: +250795462739 Visit Sanny Ntayombya's Official Website: https://sannyntayombya.com

From childhood reading to feminist awakening to the brutal truth about why being yourself means refusing to let anyone's opinion control your narrative - and why the books from Madeleine Albright to Roosevelt's memoirs reveal that greats are just human beings with the same 24 hours and same organs as you proving "why not me?" is the right question, the psychological reality of self-awareness where you insult yourself so harshly that when strangers on social media try to bring you down they become mere mortals because whatever they say you've already said worse to yourself, the Rwandan minister reaching out about Women of Valor triggering imposter syndrome asking "what does this woman want?" before realizing it's the fourth year of promoting this event so it's not a big deal, and why Ghanaians are not timid - they are overly nice, overly polite, overly respectful to the point where they won't tell you your shirt is hideous to your face but will smile and say "oh yeah feel" while thinking something completely different, while the real question becomes: are you confident enough to disagree with people, to be authentic, to say no when you're exhausted, to tell a crying girl "if you're crying because I don't have time right now then cry more because I don't have the time, but if you're crying because of why you want to talk to me call me tomorrow when my brain works better," because being yourself means knowing when to set boundaries, when to say no, when to protect your energy, and when to give your number to someone who needs help and actually mean it when you say call me tomorrow at 7 a.m. and she does and you invite her over and she takes three hours in traffic from Ashiaman to sit in your living room and gulp down water because today is going to be a long day and this girl is going to unload her story just like Junior did at the first Women of Valor event when she shared how her father's friends defiled her as a child with their "mehri mehri you want to say" red flag behavior and her mother heard that story for the first time and cried and the whole room broke down and one girl in the crowd couldn't speak up because she was going through it right then and came to you after the event needing to talk. In this raw episode of Konnected Minds, host Derrick Abaitey sits down with Nana Aba Anamoah - a powerhouse media personality and feminist who dismantles the dangerous "be humble and let people walk over you" mentality that keeps young women from setting boundaries, speaking up, and protecting their energy, revealing the exact moment when reading books from Madeleine Albright and Roosevelt made it clear that greats are human beings with the same 24 hours and same organs as you so "why not me?" is the only question that matters, when being so self-deprecating and insulting yourself harshly means nobody on social media can bring your spirit down because you've already said worse to yourself making their opinions irrelevant, when a Rwandan minister reaching out about Women of Valor triggers imposter syndrome and the panicked thought "what does this woman want, maybe somebody told her something about me" before realizing it's the fourth year of this event so it's not a big deal, when people call saying "they're writing about you on social media" and the response is "I haven't even seen what they're saying because I don't pay attention, I don't lose sleep over opinions of people who shouldn't be discussing my life," when Derek and his friends sit around discussing the worst things about Nana Aba thinking it will bring her spirit down but it actually eggs her on because she thrives on it, when the only person who can bring your spirit down is you and nobody else has that power. When Ghanaians are called timid but the truth is they are overly nice, overly polite, overly respectful - they won't tell you your shirt is hideous to your face, they'll smile and say "oh yeah feel" while thinking something else, when that's not hypocrisy it's just being very nice people who don't want you to look bad or feel bad, when children are taught to start sentences with "please" and end with "thank you" and use magic words and be respectful, when that doesn't mean Ghanaians are timid because if you disrespect a Ghanaian you will see the real Ghanaian. Guest: Nana Aba Anamoah Host: Derrick Abaitey

Today, our first letter comes from Sandra in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire: Sandra's mother rejects Sandra's gay brother and his children, cutting them off completely. Sandra wants to have a loving and authentic relationship with her mother, but how can she hold compassion for her mother—who's harboring unhealed pain and trauma from the Rwandan genocide—while standing for peace, reconciliation, and acceptance in their family? Our next letter comes from Fatima: As Fatima builds a spiritually-aligned community of friends, she finds that some of her "conscious" connections feel off. She asks how to discern between being judgmental and recognizing whether her friends might truly be out of alignment so she can cultivate friendships rooted in integrity, presence, and shared values. Finally, Michael leads a meditation on paying undistracted attention to that which is Real. ✨ What's your Life Question? Have questions about your relationships, finances, life purpose, or how to understand  world events through a spiritual lens? Submit your Life Question to podcast@michaelbeckwith.com — your question could be featured in an upcoming episode to inspire others on their journey! ✍️Love Take Back Your Mind? This podcast grows through your support. If you've been inspired by an episode, we'd love to hear from you! Consider leaving a 5-star review or drop a comment. It helps others join this journey of growth and connection.

From teenage pregnancy to imposter syndrome to unstoppable self-awareness - and the brutal truth about why parents must have uncomfortable conversations with their children before the world teaches them the hard way, the 18-year-old girl who called crying because she thought she was pregnant and had never been taught about protection or boys because her parents never had that conversation with her, the psychological reality of imposter syndrome where good things happen and the first reaction is "why me?" followed by arrogance of "if not me then who?" and finally settling into humanity, and why reading books from Magdalene Albright to Roosevelt's memoirs reveals that greats are just human beings with the same 24 hours and the same organs as you - so why not you, while the real question becomes: are you self-deprecating enough to insult yourself so harshly that when strangers on social media try to bring you down they become mere mortals because whatever they say you've already said worse to yourself, because the only person who can bring your spirit down is you, and if Derek and his friends sit around discussing the worst things about you thinking it will break you - you actually thrive because you don't lose sleep over the opinions of people who shouldn't be discussing your life anyway. In this raw episode of Konnected Minds, host Derrick Abaitey sits down with a powerhouse guest who dismantles the dangerous silence parents keep with their children about relationships, sex, and consequences - revealing the exact moment when an 18-year-old girl called her crying and scared because she thought she was pregnant, when the girl begged "please don't tell my mom I'm coming to see you" but the call was made anyway to check if everything was okay, when the mother said "yeah she's at home watching TV" having no idea her daughter had left to seek help, when the conversation revealed this young woman had never been taught about boys or protection because her parents never had that conversation with her, when getting pregnant at a very young age herself meant knowing the only person who would have a problem was her mother because her father was deeply religious and spiritual, when her father's response was calm and empowering: "the fact that you're pregnant now doesn't mean your life comes to an end - when you deliver you go back to whatever you want to do," when that support made it possible to sacrifice hanging out and having fun in the 19s and 20s to be a mother instead, when the lesson became clear: every action has a consequence and young people must know this early. This isn't motivational self-help talk from Instagram influencers - it's a systematic breakdown of why children in their 18s, 19s, 20s should be comfortable telling their parents "there's this guy I'm talking to" or "there's this girl I'm talking to" because if they can't have that conversation they'll make life-altering mistakes without guidance, why an 18-year-old girl called crying thinking she was pregnant because her parents never taught her about protection or boys, why getting pregnant at a young age was not planned and should never be the inspiration for anybody because it meant sacrificing youth and exploration to be a mother, why imposter syndrome is real and happens in three stages: self-doubt asking "why me?", arrogance saying "if not me then who?", and finally humanity, why reading books from greats like Magdalene Albright and Roosevelt reveals they are human beings with the same 24 hours and same organs as you proving "why not me?" is the right question, why being self-deprecating and insulting yourself harshly means nobody on social media can bring you down because you've already said worse to yourself, why strangers discussing your life are mere mortals whose opinions don't deserve sleep or attention, why a Rwandan minister reaching out about Women of Valor triggers imposter syndrome first before realizing it's the fourth year of promoting this event so it's not a big deal, and why the only person who can bring your spirit down is you - making self-awareness, brutal honesty, and refusing to care about nonsense the foundation of unstoppable confidence that thrives on criticism instead of crumbling under it. Host: Derrick Abaitey

Susan Barry is the founder of Hive Marketing and the host of Top Floor, bringing hotel sales, marketing, and ownership-side perspectives to the mic. In this solo episode, she reintroduces herself to new listeners from Hotel Online and HFTP and zooms out on a timely industry controversy to ask a much bigger question about power, history, and responsibility in hospitality. This episode is short and sweet, much like Susan. How Susan went from English major to hotel exec to founder and podcaster Why "hotels should stay out of politics" is a myth How hotels shape tax, labor, and zoning policy Why hotels are natural hubs for political activity How history proves hotels become power centers in crises How hotels can be tools of refuge or control What the Minnesota ICE controversy really exposes How brand power works in an asset-light hotel model *** Our Top Three Takeaways 1. Hotels are never "apolitical," even when they claim to be. The episode argues that hotels are inherently political because they operate at the intersection of real estate, labor, capital, and public visibility. From lobbying on taxes and visas to hosting political events and managing labor relations, hotels participate in politics constantly—whether or not they acknowledge it. 2. History shows hotels repeatedly become power centers during moments of crisis. Across wars, genocides, and social movements, hotels have functioned as command centers, sanctuaries, negotiation hubs, and tools of control. Examples from World War II, the Rwandan genocide, and the U.S. Civil Rights Movement illustrate how hotel spaces and staff actions can enable resistance, protection, or oppression depending on who holds power. 3. Modern brand–owner dynamics turn "neutral" decisions into political acts. In today's asset-light model, brands wield enormous influence through flags, loyalty systems, and distribution, while owners carry the financial risk. When a brand intervenes or withdraws, it is making an economic and political judgment that can instantly reshape a property, raising hard questions about authority, accountability, and local decision-making. Susan Barry on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/susandbarry/ Hive Marketing https://www.hive-marketing.com/ Cayuga Hospitality Consultants https://cayugahospitality.com/ Female Founders in Hospitality https://femalefoundersinhospitality.com/ Other Episodes You May Like:  99: Believers to Church https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/99 91: Pool Heat Miser https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/91 71: Public Restroom Couple https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/71 64: Roman Bird Murmuration https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/64 59: Cat Hair Pants https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/59

"We're going to hire tons of engineers in Rwanda who are Rwandan to build this technology shoulder to shoulder with our American engineers."American foreign policy is experiencing a profound shift. It's now about trade not aid. But we've been waiting to understand what that means in practice. That's why an announcement by the US Department of State last November was so significant. The U.S. committed up to $150 million dollars to a partnership with Zipline. Zipline is an American company that designs, manufactures, and operates delivery drones. Yes, drones. And it's one of the first real examples of the America First global health strategy in action. So that's why we're excited to speak with Caitlin Burton. Caitlin is the CEO of Zipline Africa. Plus: What she really thinks about aid

"They were tired of losing women in childbirth."Last year, one of the US's top diplomats said that Africa is the world's largest untapped market… and Africa should be among the US's largest trading partners. This time, it's not just about aid. It's about business. And we were wondering what that might mean in practice. In November last year, the US Department of State made an important announcement: the U.S. committed up to $150 million dollars to a partnership with Zipline. Zipline designs, manufactures, and operates delivery drones. These currently fly in Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana. And they're saving lives. Listen to find out more.Plus: How African governments are forward thinking.

What if the most transformative thing you can do for your writing craft and author business is to face what you fear? How can you can find gold in your Shadow in the year ahead? In this episode, I share chapters from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words. In the intro, curated book boxes from Bridgerton's Julia Quinn; Google's agentic shopping, and powering Apple's Siri; ChatGPT Ads; and Claude CoWork. Balancing Certainty and Uncertainty [MoonShots with Tony Robbins]; and three trends for authors with me and Orna Ross [Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast]; plus, Bones of the Deep, Business for Authors, and Indie Author Lab. This show is supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn  Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, and memoir as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. What is the Shadow? The ‘creative wound' and the Shadow in writing The Shadow in traditional publishing The Shadow in self-publishing or being an indie author The Shadow in work The Shadow in money You can find Writing the Shadow in all formats on all stores, as well as special edition, workbook and bundles at www.TheCreativePenn.com/shadowbook Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words The following chapters are excerpted from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words by Joanna Penn. Introduction. What is the Shadow? “How can I be substantial if I do not cast a shadow? I must have a dark side also if I am to be whole.” —C.G. Jung, Modern Man in Search of a Soul We all have a Shadow side and it is the work of a lifetime to recognise what lies within and spin that base material into gold. Think of it as a seedling in a little pot that you're given when you're young. It's a bit misshapen and weird, not something you would display in your living room, so you place it in a dark corner of the basement. You don't look at it for years. You almost forget about it. Then one day you notice tendrils of something wild poking up through the floorboards. They're ugly and don't fit with your Scandi-minimalist interior design. You chop the tendrils away and pour weedkiller on what's left, trying to hide the fact that they were ever there. But the creeping stems keep coming. At some point, you know you have to go down there and face the wild thing your seedling has become. When you eventually pluck up enough courage to go down into the basement, you discover that the plant has wound its roots deep into the foundations of your home. Its vines weave in and out of the cracks in the walls, and it has beautiful flowers and strange fruit. It holds your world together. Perhaps you don't need to destroy the wild tendrils. Perhaps you can let them wind up into the light and allow their rich beauty to weave through your home. It will change the look you have so carefully cultivated, but maybe that's just what the place needs. The Shadow in psychology Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychologist and the founder of analytical psychology. He described the Shadow as an unconscious aspect of the human personality, those parts of us that don't match up to what is expected of us by family and society, or to our own ideals. The Shadow is not necessarily evil or illegal or immoral, although of course it can be. It's also not necessarily caused by trauma, abuse, or any other severely damaging event, although again, it can be. It depends on the individual. What is in your Shadow is based on your life and your experiences, as well as your culture and society, so it will be different for everyone. Psychologist Connie Zweig, in The Inner Work of Age, explains, “The Shadow is that part of us that lies beneath or behind the light of awareness. It contains our rejected, unacceptable traits and feelings. It contains our hidden gifts and talents that have remained unexpressed or unlived. As Jung put it, the essence of the Shadow is pure gold.” To further illustrate the concept, Robert Bly, in A Little Book on the Human Shadow,uses the following metaphor: “When we are young, we carry behind us an invisible bag, into which we stuff any feelings, thoughts, or behaviours that bring disapproval or loss of love—anger, tears, neediness, laziness. By the time we go to school, our bags are already a mile long. In high school, our peer groups pressure us to stuff the bags with even more—individuality, sexuality, spontaneity, different opinions. We spend our life until we're twenty deciding which parts of ourselves to put into the bag and we spend the rest of our lives trying to get them out again.” As authors, we can use what's in the ‘bag' to enrich our writing — but only if we can access it. My intention with this book is to help you venture into your Shadow and bring some of what's hidden into the light and into your words. I'll reveal aspects of my Shadow in these pages but ultimately, this book is about you. Your Shadow is unique. There may be elements we share, but much will be different. Each chapter has questions for you to consider that may help you explore at least the edges of your Shadow, but it's not easy. As Jung said, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The latter procedure, however, is disagreeable and therefore not popular.” But take heart, Creative. You don't need courage when things are easy. You need it when you know what you face will be difficult, but you do it anyway. We are authors. We know how to do hard things. We turn ideas into books. We manifest thoughts into ink on paper. We change lives with our writing. First, our own, then other people's. It's worth the effort to delve into Shadow, so I hope you will join me on the journey. The creative wound and the Shadow in writing “Whatever pain you can't get rid of, make it your creative offering.” —Susan Cain, Bittersweet  The more we long for something, the more extreme our desire, the more likely it is to have a Shadow side. For those of us who love books, the author life may well be a long-held dream and thus, it is filled with Shadow. Books have long been objects of desire, power, and authority. They hold a mythic status in our lives. We escaped into stories as children; we studied books at school and college; we read them now for escape and entertainment, education and inspiration. We collect beautiful books to put on our shelves. We go to them for solace and answers to the deepest questions of life. Writers are similarly held in high esteem. They shape culture, win literary prizes, give important speeches, and are quoted in the mainstream media. Their books are on the shelves in libraries and bookstores. Writers are revered, held up as rare, talented creatures made separate from us by their brilliance and insight. For bibliophile children, books were everything and to write one was a cherished dream. To become an author? Well, that would mean we might be someone special, someone worthy. Perhaps when you were young, you thought the dream of being a writer was possible — then you told someone about it. That's probably when you heard the first criticism of such a ridiculous idea, the first laughter, the first dismissal. So you abandoned the dream, pushed the idea of being a writer into the Shadow, and got on with your life. Or if it wasn't then, it came later, when you actually put pen to paper and someone — a parent, teacher, partner, or friend, perhaps even a literary agent or publisher, someone whose opinion you valued — told you it was worthless. Here are some things you might have heard: Writing is a hobby. Get a real job. You're not good enough. You don't have any writing talent. You don't have enough education. You don't know what you're doing. Your writing is derivative / unoriginal / boring / useless / doesn't make sense. The genre you write in is dead / worthless / unacceptable / morally wrong / frivolous / useless.  Who do you think you are? No one would want to read what you write. You can't even use proper grammar, so how could you write a whole book? You're wasting your time. You'll never make it as a writer. You shouldn't write those things (or even think about those things). Why don't you write something nice? Insert other derogatory comment here! Mark Pierce describes the effect of this experience in his book The Creative Wound, which “occurs when an event, or someone's actions or words, pierce you, causing a kind of rift in your soul. A comment—even offhand and unintentional—is enough to cause one.” He goes on to say that such words can inflict “damage to the core of who we are as creators. It is an attack on our artistic identity, resulting in us believing that whatever we make is somehow tainted or invalid, because shame has convinced us there is something intrinsically tainted or invalid about ourselves.” As adults, we might brush off such wounds, belittling them as unimportant in the grand scheme of things. We might even find ourselves saying the same words to other people. After all, it's easier to criticise than to create. But if you picture your younger self, bright eyed as you lose yourself in your favourite book, perhaps you might catch a glimpse of what you longed for before your dreams were dashed on the rocks of other people's reality. As Mark Pierce goes on to say, “A Creative Wound has the power to delay our pursuits—sometimes for years—and it can even derail our lives completely… Anything that makes us feel ashamed of ourselves or our work can render us incapable of the self-expression we yearn for.” This is certainly what happened to me, and it took decades to unwind. Your creative wounds will differ to mine but perhaps my experience will help you explore your own. To be clear, your Shadow may not reside in elements of horror as mine do, but hopefully you can use my example to consider where your creative wounds might lie. “You shouldn't write things like that.” It happened at secondary school around 1986 or 1987, so I would have been around eleven or twelve years old. English was one of my favourite subjects and the room we had our lessons in looked out onto a vibrant garden. I loved going to that class because it was all about books, and they were always my favourite things. One day, we were asked to write a story. I can't remember the specifics of what the teacher asked us to write, but I fictionalised a recurring nightmare. I stood in a dark room. On one side, my mum and my brother, Rod, were tied up next to a cauldron of boiling oil, ready to be thrown in. On the other side, my dad and my little sister, Lucy, were threatened with decapitation by men with machetes. I had to choose who would die. I always woke up, my heart pounding, before I had to choose. Looking back now, it clearly represented an internal conflict about having to pick sides between the two halves of my family. Not an unexpected issue from a child of divorce. Perhaps these days, I might have been sent to the school counsellor, but it was the eighties and I don't think we even had such a thing. Even so, the meaning of the story isn't the point. It was the reaction to it that left scars. “You shouldn't write things like that,” my teacher said, and I still remember her look of disappointment, even disgust. Certainly judgment. She said my writing was too dark. It wasn't a proper story. It wasn't appropriate for the class. As if horrible things never happened in stories — or in life. As if literature could not include dark tales. As if the only acceptable writing was the kind she approved of. We were taught The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie that year, which says a lot about the type of writing considered appropriate. Or perhaps the issue stemmed from the school motto, “So hateth she derknesse,” from Chaucer's The Legend of Good Women: “For fear of night, so she hates the darkness.” I had won a scholarship to a private girls' school, and their mission was to turn us all into proper young ladies. Horror was never on the curriculum. Perhaps if my teacher had encouraged me to write my darkness back then, my nightmares would have dissolved on the page. Perhaps if we had studied Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or H.P. Lovecraft stories, or Bram Stoker's Dracula, I could have embraced the darker side of literature earlier in my life. My need to push darker thoughts into my Shadow was compounded by my (wonderful) mum's best intentions. We were brought up on the principles of The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and she tried to shield me and my brother from anything harmful or horrible. We weren't allowed to watch TV much, and even the British school drama Grange Hill was deemed inappropriate. So much of what I've achieved is because my mum instilled in me a “can do” attitude that anything is possible. I'm so grateful to her for that. (I love you, Mum!) But all that happy positivity, my desire to please her, to be a good girl, to make my teachers proud, and to be acceptable to society, meant that I pushed my darker thoughts into Shadow. They were inappropriate. They were taboo. They must be repressed, kept secret, and I must be outwardly happy and positive at all times. You cannot hold back the darkness “The night is dark and full of terrors.” —George R.R. Martin, A Storm of Swords It turned out that horror was on the curriculum, much of it in the form of educational films we watched during lessons. In English Literature, we watched Romeo drink poison and Juliet stab herself in Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet. In Religious Studies, we watched Jesus beaten, tortured, and crucified in The Greatest Story Ever Told, and learned of the variety of gruesome ways that Christian saints were martyred. In Classical Civilisation, we watched gladiators slaughter each other in Spartacus. In Sex Education at the peak of the AIDS crisis in the mid-'80s, we were told of the many ways we could get infected and die. In History, we studied the Holocaust with images of skeletal bodies thrown into mass graves, medical experiments on humans, and grainy videos of marching soldiers giving the Nazi salute. One of my first overseas school field trips was to the World War I battlegrounds of Flanders Fields in Belgium, where we studied the inhuman conditions of the trenches, walked through mass graves, and read war poetry by candlelight. As John McCrae wrote: We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Did the teachers not realise how deeply a sensitive teenager might feel the darkness of that place? Or have I always been unusual in that places of blood echo deep inside me? And the horrors kept coming. We lived in Bristol, England back then and I learned at school how the city had been part of the slave trade, its wealth built on the backs of people stolen from their homes, sold, and worked to death in the colonies. I had been at school for a year in Malawi, Africa and imagined the Black people I knew drowning, being beaten, and dying on those ships. In my teenage years, the news was filled with ethnic cleansing, mass rape, and massacres during the Balkan wars, and images of bodies hacked apart during the Rwandan genocide. Evil committed by humans against other humans was not a historical aberration. I'm lucky and I certainly acknowledge my privilege. Nothing terrible or horrifying has happened to me — but bad things certainly happen to others. I wasn't bullied or abused. I wasn't raped or beaten or tortured. But you don't have to go through things to be afraid of them, and for your imagination to conjure the possibility of them. My mum doesn't read my fiction now as it gives her nightmares (Sorry, Mum!). I know she worries that somehow she's responsible for my darkness, but I've had a safe and (mostly) happy life, for which I'm truly grateful. But the world is not an entirely safe and happy place, and for a sensitive child with a vivid imagination, the world is dark and scary. It can be brutal and violent, and bad things happen, even to good people. No parent can shield their child from the reality of the world. They can only help them do their best to live in it, develop resilience, and find ways to deal with whatever comes. Story has always been a way that humans have used to learn how to live and deal with difficult times. The best authors, the ones that readers adore and can't get enough of, write their darkness into story to channel their experience, and help others who fear the same. In an interview on writing the Shadow on The Creative Penn Podcast, Michaelbrent Collings shared how he incorporated a personally devastating experience into his writing:  “My wife and I lost a child years back, and that became the root of one of my most terrifying books, Apparition. It's not terrifying because it's the greatest book of all time, but just the concept that there's this thing out there… like a demon, and it consumes the blood and fear of the children, and then it withdraws and consumes the madness of the parents… I wrote that in large measure as a way of working through what I was experiencing.” I've learned much from Michaelbrent. I've read many of his (excellent) books and he's been on my podcast multiple times talking about his depression and mental health issues, as well as difficulties in his author career. Writing darkness is not in Michaelbrent's Shadow and only he can say what lies there for him. But from his example, and from that of other authors, I too learned how to write my Shadow into my books. Twenty-three years after that English lesson, in November 2009, I did NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, and wrote five thousand words of what eventually became Stone of Fire, my first novel. In the initial chapter, I burned a nun alive on the ghats of Varanasi on the banks of the Ganges River. I had watched the bodies burn by night on pyres from a boat bobbing in the current a few years before, and the image was still crystal clear in my mind. The only way to deal with how it made me feel about death was to write about it — and since then, I've never stopped writing. Returning to the nightmare from my school days, I've never had to choose between the two halves of my family, but the threat of losing them remains a theme in my fiction. In my ARKANE thriller series, Morgan Sierra will do anything to save her sister and her niece. Their safety drives her to continue to fight against evil. Our deepest fears emerge in our writing, and that's the safest place for them. I wish I'd been taught how to turn my nightmares into words back at school, but at least now I've learned to write my Shadow onto the page. I wish the same for you. The Shadow in traditional publishing If becoming an author is your dream, then publishing a book is deeply entwined with that. But as Mark Pierce says in The Creative Wound, “We feel pain the most where it matters the most… Desire highlights whatever we consider to be truly significant.” There is a lot of desire around publishing for those of us who love books! It can give you: Validation that your writing is good enough Status and credibility Acceptance by an industry held in esteem  The potential of financial reward and critical acclaim Support from a team of professionals who know how to make fantastic books A sense of belonging to an elite community Pride in achieving a long-held goal, resulting in a confidence boost and self-esteem Although not guaranteed, traditional publishing can give you all these things and more, but as with everything, there is a potential Shadow side. Denying it risks the potential of being disillusioned, disappointed, and even damaged. But remember, forewarned is forearmed, as the saying goes. Preparation can help you avoid potential issues and help you feel less alone if you encounter them. The myth of success… and the reality of experience There is a pervasive myth of success in the traditional publishing industry, perpetuated by media reporting on brand name and breakout authors, those few outliers whose experience is almost impossible to replicate. Because of such examples, many new traditionally published authors think that their first book will hit the top of the bestseller charts or win an award, as well as make them a million dollars — or at least a big chunk of cash. They will be able to leave their job, write in a beautiful house overlooking the ocean, and swan around the world attending conferences, while writing more bestselling books. It will be a charmed life. But that is not the reality. Perhaps it never was. Even so, the life of a traditionally published author represents a mythic career with the truth hidden behind a veil of obscurity. In April 2023, The Bookseller in the UK reported that “more than half of authors (54%) responding to a survey on their experiences of publishing their debut book have said the process negatively affected their mental health. Though views were mixed, just 22%… described a positive experience overall… Among the majority who said they had a negative experience of debut publication, anxiety, stress, depression and ‘lowered' self-esteem were cited, with lack of support, guidance or clear and professional communication from their publisher among the factors that contributed.” Many authors who have negative experiences around publishing will push them into the Shadow with denial or self-blame, preferring to keep the dream alive. They won't talk about things in public as this may negatively affect their careers, but private discussions are often held in the corners of writing conferences or social media groups online. Some of the issues are as follows: Repeated rejection by agents and publishers may lead to the author thinking they are not good enough as a writer, which can lead to feeling unworthy as a person. If an author gets a deal, the amount of advance and the name and status of the publisher compared to others create a hierarchy that impacts self-esteem. A deal for a book may be much lower than an author might have been expecting, with low or no advance, and the resulting experience with the publisher beneath expectations. The launch process may be disappointing, and the book may appear without fanfare, with few sales and no bestseller chart position. In The Bookseller report, one author described her launch day as “a total wasteland… You have expectations about what publication day will be like, but in reality, nothing really happens.” The book may receive negative reviews by critics or readers or more publicly on social media, which can make an author feel attacked. The book might not sell as well as expected, and the author may feel like it's their fault. Commercial success can sometimes feel tied to self-worth and an author can't help but compare their sales to others, with resulting embarrassment or shame. The communication from the publisher may be less than expected. One author in The Bookseller report said, “I was shocked by the lack of clarity and shared information and the cynicism that underlies the superficial charm of this industry.” There is often more of a focus on debut authors in publishing houses, so those who have been writing and publishing in the midlist for years can feel ignored and undervalued. In The Bookseller report, 48 percent of authors reported “their publisher supported them for less than a year,” with one saying, “I got no support and felt like a commodity, like the team had moved on completely to the next book.” If an author is not successful enough, the next deal may be lower than the last, less effort is made with marketing, and they may be let go. In The Bookseller report, “six authors—debut and otherwise—cited being dropped by their publisher, some with no explanation.” Even if everything goes well and an author is considered successful by others, they may experience imposter syndrome, feeling like a fraud when speaking at conferences or doing book signings. And the list goes on … All these things can lead to feelings of shame, inadequacy, and embarrassment; loss of status in the eyes of peers; and a sense of failure if a publishing career is not successful enough. The author feels like it's their fault, like they weren't good enough — although, of course, the reality is that the conditions were not right at the time. A failure of a book is not a failure of the person, but it can certainly feel like it! When you acknowledge the Shadow, it loses its power Despite all the potential negatives of traditional publishing, if you know what could happen, you can mitigate them. You can prepare yourself for various scenarios and protect yourself from potential fall-out. It's clear from The Bookseller report that too many authors have unrealistic expectations of the industry. But publishers are businesses, not charities. It's not their job to make you feel good as an author. It's their job to sell books and pay you. The best thing they can do is to continue to be a viable business so they can keep putting books on the shelves and keep paying authors, staff, and company shareholders. When you license your creative work to a publisher, you're giving up control of your intellectual property in exchange for money and status. Bring your fears and issues out of the Shadow, acknowledge them, and deal with them early, so they do not get pushed down and re-emerge later in blame and bitterness. Educate yourself on the business of publishing. Be clear on what you want to achieve with any deal. Empower yourself as an author, take responsibility for your career, and you will have a much better experience. The Shadow in self-publishing or being an indie author Self-publishing, or being an independent (indie) author, can be a fantastic, pro-active choice for getting your book into the world. Holding your first book in your hand and saying “I made this” is pretty exciting, and even after more than forty books, I still get excited about seeing ideas in my head turn into a physical product in the world. Self-publishing can give an author: Creative control over what to write, editorial and cover design choices, when and how often to publish, and how to market Empowerment over your author career and the ability to make choices that impact success without asking for permission Ownership and control of intellectual property assets, resulting in increased opportunity around licensing and new markets Independence and the potential for recurring income for the long term Autonomy and flexibility around timelines, publishing options, and the ability to easily pivot into new genres and business models Validation based on positive reader reviews and money earned Personal growth and learning through the acquisition of new skills, resulting in a boost in confidence and self-esteem A sense of belonging to an active and vibrant community of indie authors around the world Being an indie author can give you all this and more, but once again, there is a Shadow side and preparation can help you navigate potential issues. The myth of success… and the reality of experience As with traditional publishing, the indie author world has perpetuated a myth of success in the example of the breakout indie author like E.L. James with Fifty Shades of Grey, Hugh Howey with Wool, or Andy Weir with The Martian. The emphasis on financial success is also fuelled online by authors who share screenshots showing six-figure months or seven-figure years, without sharing marketing costs and other outgoings, or the amount of time spent on the business. Yes, these can inspire some, but it can also make others feel inadequate and potentially lead to bad choices about how to publish and market based on comparison. The indie author world is full of just as much ego and a desire for status and money as traditional publishing. This is not a surprise! Most authors, regardless of publishing choices, are a mix of massive ego and chronic self-doubt. We are human, so the same issues will re-occur. A different publishing method doesn't cure all ills. Some of the issues are as follows: You learn everything you need to know about writing and editing, only to find that you need to learn a whole new set of skills in order to self-publish and market your book. This can take a lot of time and effort you did not expect, and things change all the time so you have to keep learning. Being in control of every aspect of the publishing process, from writing to cover design to marketing, can be overwhelming, leading to indecision, perfectionism, stress, and even burnout as you try to do all the things. You try to find people to help, but building your team is a challenge, and working with others has its own difficulties. People say negative things about self-publishing that may arouse feelings of embarrassment or shame. These might be little niggles, but they needle you, nonetheless. You wonder whether you made the right choice. You struggle with self-doubt and if you go to an event with traditional published authors, you compare yourself to them and feel like an imposter. Are you good enough to be an author if a traditional publisher hasn't chosen you? Is it just vanity to self-publish? Are your books unworthy? Even though you worked with a professional editor, you still get one-star reviews and you hate criticism from readers. You wonder whether you're wasting your time. You might be ripped off by an author services company who promise the world, only to leave you with a pile of printed books in your garage and no way to sell them. When you finally publish your book, it languishes at the bottom of the charts while other authors hit the top of the list over and over, raking in the cash while you are left out of pocket. You don't admit to over-spending on marketing as it makes you ashamed. You resist book marketing and make critical comments about writers who embrace it. You believe that quality rises to the top and if a book is good enough, people will buy it anyway. This can lead to disappointment and disillusionment when you launch your book and it doesn't sell many copies because nobody knows about it. You try to do what everyone advises, but you still can't make decent money as an author. You're jealous of other authors' success and put it down to them ‘selling out' or writing things you can't or ‘using AI' or ‘using a ghostwriter' or having a specific business model you consider impossible to replicate. And the list goes on… When you acknowledge the Shadow, it loses its power Being in control of your books and your author career is a double-edged sword. Traditionally published authors can criticise their publishers or agents or the marketing team or the bookstores or the media, but indie authors have to take responsibility for it all. Sure, we can blame ‘the algorithms' or social media platforms, or criticise other authors for having more experience or more money to invest in marketing, or attribute their success to writing in a more popular genre — but we also know there are always people who do well regardless of the challenges. Once more, we're back to acknowledging and integrating the Shadow side of our choices. We are flawed humans. There will always be good times and bad, and difficulties to offset the high points. This too shall pass, as the old saying goes. I know that being an indie author has plenty of Shadow. I've been doing this since 2008 and despite the hard times, I'm still here. I'm still writing. I'm still publishing. This life is not for everyone, but it's my choice. You must make yours. The Shadow in work You work hard. You make a living. Nothing wrong with that attitude, right? It's what we're taught from an early age and, like so much of life, it's not a problem until it goes to extremes. Not achieving what you want to? Work harder. Can't get ahead? Work harder. Not making a good enough living? Work harder. People who don't work hard are lazy. They don't deserve handouts or benefits. People who don't work hard aren't useful, so they are not valued members of our culture and community. But what about the old or the sick, the mentally ill, or those with disabilities? What about children? What about the unemployed? The under-employed? What about those who are — or will be — displaced by technology, those called “the useless class” by historian Yuval Noah Harari in his book Homo Deus? What if we become one of these in the future? Who am I if I cannot work? The Shadow side of my attitude to work became clear when I caught COVID in the summer of 2021. I was the sickest I'd ever been. I spent two weeks in bed unable to even think properly, and six weeks after that, I was barely able to work more than an hour a day before lying in the dark and waiting for my energy to return. I was limited in what I could do for another six months after that. At times, I wondered if I would ever get better. Jonathan kept urging me to be patient and rest. But I don't know how to rest. I know how to work and how to sleep. I can do ‘active rest,' which usually involves walking a long way or traveling somewhere interesting, but those require a stronger mind and body than I had during those months. It struck me that even if I recovered from the virus, I had glimpsed my future self. One day, I will be weak in body and mind. If I'm lucky, that will be many years away and hopefully for a short time before I die — but it will happen. I am an animal. I will die. My body and mind will pass on and I will be no more. Before then I will be weak. Before then, I will be useless. Before then, I will be a burden. I will not be able to work… But who am I if I cannot work? What is the point of me? I can't answer these questions right now, because although I recognise them as part of my Shadow, I've not progressed far enough to have dealt with them entirely. My months of COVID gave me some much-needed empathy for those who cannot work, even if they want to. We need to reframe what work is as a society, and value humans for different things, especially as technology changes what work even means. That starts with each of us. “Illness, affliction of body and soul, can be life-altering. It has the potential to reveal the most fundamental conflict of the human condition: the tension between our infinite, glorious dreams and desires and our limited, vulnerable, decaying physicality.” —Connie Zweig, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul The Shadow in money In the Greek myth, King Midas was a wealthy ruler who loved gold above all else. His palace was adorned with golden sculptures and furniture, and he took immense pleasure in his riches. Yet, despite his vast wealth, he yearned for more. After doing a favour for Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry, Midas was granted a single wish. Intoxicated by greed, he wished that everything he touched would turn to gold — and it was so. At first, it was a lot of fun. Midas turned everything else in his palace to gold, even the trees and stones of his estate. After a morning of turning things to gold, he fancied a spot of lunch. But when he tried to eat, the food and drink turned to gold in his mouth. He became thirsty and hungry — and increasingly desperate. As he sat in despair on his golden throne, his beloved young daughter ran to comfort him. For a moment, he forgot his wish — and as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek, she turned into a golden statue, frozen in precious metal. King Midas cried out to the gods to forgive him, to reverse the wish. He renounced his greed and gave away all his wealth, and his daughter was returned to life. The moral of the story: Wealth and greed are bad. In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is described as a “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner.” He's wealthy but does not share, considering Christmas spending to be frivolous and giving to charity to be worthless. He's saved by a confrontation with his lonely future and becomes a generous man and benefactor of the poor. Wealth is good if you share it with others. The gospel of Matthew, chapter 25: 14-30, tells the parable of the bags of gold, in which a rich man goes on a journey and entrusts his servants with varying amounts of gold. On his return, the servants who multiplied the gold through their efforts and investments are rewarded, while the one who merely returned the gold with no interest is punished: “For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” Making money is good, making more money is even better. If you can't make any money, you don't deserve to have any. Within the same gospel, in Matthew 19:24, Jesus encounters a wealthy man and tells him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor, which the man is unable to do. Jesus says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Wealth is bad. Give it all away and you'll go to heaven. With all these contradictory messages, no wonder we're so conflicted about money! How do you think and feel about money? While money is mostly tied to our work, it's far more than just a transactional object for most people. It's loaded with complex symbolism and judgment handed down by family, religion, and culture. You are likely to find elements of Shadow by examining your attitudes around money. Consider which of the following statements resonate with you or write your own. Money stresses me out. I don't want to talk about it or think about it. Some people hoard money, so there is inequality. Rich people are bad and we should take away their wealth and give it to the poor.  I can never make enough money to pay the bills, or to give my family what I want to provide. Money doesn't grow on trees.  It's wasteful to spend money as you might need it later, so I'm frugal and don't spend money unless absolutely necessary. It is better and more ethical to be poor than to be rich. I want more money. I read books and watch TV shows about rich people because I want to live like that. Sometimes I spend too much on things for a glimpse of what that might be like.  I buy lottery tickets and dream of winning all that money.  I'm jealous of people who have money. I want more of it and I resent those who have it. I'm no good with money. I don't like to look at my bank statement or credit card statement. I live off my overdraft and I'm in debt. I will never earn enough to get out of debt and start saving, so I don't think too much about it. I don't know enough about money. Talking about it makes me feel stupid, so I just ignore it. People like me aren't educated about money.  I need to make more money. If I can make lots of money, then people will look up to me. If I make lots of money, I will be secure, nothing can touch me, I will be safe.  I never want to be poor. I would be ashamed to be poor. I will never go on benefits. My net worth is my self worth. Money is good. We have the best standard of living in history because of the increase in wealth over time. Even the richest kings of the past didn't have what many middle-class people have today in terms of access to food, water, technology, healthcare, education, and more. The richest people give the most money to the poor through taxation and charity, as well as through building companies that employ people and invent new things. The very richest give away much of their fortunes. They provide far more benefit to the world than the poor.  I love money. Money loves me. Money comes easily and quickly to me. I attract money in multiple streams of income. It flows to me in so many ways. I spend money. I invest money. I give money. I'm happy and grateful for all that I receive. The Shadow around money for authors in particular Many writers and other creatives have issues around money and wealth. How often have you heard the following, and which do you agree with? You can't make money with your writing. You'll be a poor author in a garret, a starving artist.  You can't write ‘good quality' books and make money. If you make money writing, you're a hack, you're selling out. You are less worthy than someone who writes only for the Muse. Your books are commercial, not artistic. If you spend money on marketing, then your books are clearly not good enough to sell on their own. My agent / publisher / accountant / partner deals with the money side. I like to focus on the creative side of things. My money story Note: This is not financial or investment advice. Please talk to a professional about your situation. I've had money issues over the years — haven't we all! But I have been through a (long) process to bring money out of my Shadow and into the light. There will always be more to discover, but hopefully my money story will help you, or at least give you an opportunity to reflect. Like most people, I didn't grow up with a lot of money. My parents started out as teachers, but later my mum — who I lived with, along with my brother — became a change management consultant, moving to the USA and earning a lot more. I'm grateful that she moved into business because her example changed the way I saw money and provided some valuable lessons. (1) You can change your circumstances by learning more and then applying that to leverage opportunity into a new job or career Mum taught English at a school in Bristol when we moved back from Malawi, Africa, in the mid '80s but I remember how stressful it was for her, and how little money she made. She wanted a better future for us all, so she took a year out to do a master's degree in management. In the same way, when I wanted to change careers and leave consulting to become an author, I spent time and money learning about the writing craft and the business of publishing. I still invest a considerable chunk on continuous learning, as this industry changes all the time. (2) You might have to downsize in order to leap forward The year my mum did her degree, we lived in the attic of another family's house; we ate a lot of one-pot casserole and our treat was having a Yorkie bar on the walk back from the museum. We wore hand-me-down clothes, and I remember one day at school when another girl said I was wearing her dress. I denied it, of course, but there in back of the dress was her name tag. I still remember her name and I can still feel that flush of shame and embarrassment. I was determined to never feel like that again. But what I didn't realize at the time was that I was also learning the power of downsizing. Mum got her degree and then a new job in management in Bristol. She bought a house, and we settled for a few years. I had lots of different jobs as a teenager. My favourite was working in the delicatessen because we got a free lunch made from delicious produce. After I finished A-levels, I went to the University of Oxford, and my mum and brother moved to the USA for further opportunities. I've downsized multiple times over the years, taking a step back in order to take a step forward. The biggest was in 2010 when I decided to leave consulting. Jonathan and I sold our three-bedroom house and investments in Brisbane, Australia, and rented a one-bedroom flat in London, so we could be debt-free and live on less while I built up a new career. It was a decade before we bought another house. (3) Comparison can be deadly: there will always be people with more money than you Oxford was an education in many ways and relevant to this chapter is how much I didn't know about things people with money took for granted. I learned about formal hall and wine pairings, and how to make a perfect gin and tonic. I ate smoked salmon for the first time. I learned how to fit in with people who had a lot more money than I did, and I definitely wanted to have money of my own to play with. (4) Income is not wealth You can earn lots but have nothing to show for it after years of working. I learned this in my first few years of IT consulting after university. I earned a great salary and then went contracting, earning even more money at a daily rate. I had a wonderful time. I traveled, ate and drank and generally made merry, but I always had to go back to the day job when the money ran out. I couldn't work out how I could ever stop this cycle. Then I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, a book I still recommend, especially if you're from a family that values academic over financial education. I learned how to escape the rat race by building and/or accumulating assets that pay even when you're not working. It was a revelation! The ‘poor dad' in the book is a university professor. He knows so much about so many things, but he ends up poor as he did not educate himself about money. The ‘rich dad' has little formal education, but he knows about money and wealth because he learned about it, as we can do at any stage in our lives. (5) Not all investments suit every person, so find the right one for you Once I discovered the world of investing, I read all the books and did courses and in-person events. I joined communities and I up-skilled big time. Of course, I made mistakes and learned lots along the way. I tried property investing and renovated a couple of houses for rental (with more practical partners and skilled contractors). But while I could see that property investing might work for some people, I did not care enough about the details to make it work for me, and it was certainly not passive income. I tried other things. My first husband was a boat skipper and scuba diving instructor, so we started a charter. With the variable costs of fuel, the vagaries of New Zealand weather — and our divorce — it didn't last long! From all these experiments, I learned I wanted to run a business, but it needed to be online and not based on a physical location, physical premises, or other people. That was 2006, around the time that blogging started taking off and it became possible to make a living online. I could see the potential and a year later, the iPhone and the Amazon Kindle launched, which became the basis of my business as an author. (6) Boring, automatic saving and investing works best Between 2007 and 2011, I contracted in Australia, where they have compulsory superannuation contributions, meaning you have to save and invest a percentage of your salary or self-employed income. I'd never done that before, because I didn't understand it. I'd ploughed all my excess income into property or the business instead. But in Australia I didn't notice the money going out because it was automatic. I chose a particular fund and it auto-invested every month. The pot grew pretty fast since I didn't touch it, and years later, it's still growing. I discovered the power of compound interest and time in the market, both of which are super boring. This type of investing is not a get rich quick scheme. It's a slow process of automatically putting money into boring investments and doing that month in, month out, year in, year out, automatically for decades while you get on with your life. I still do this. I earn money as an author entrepreneur and I put a percentage of that into boring investments automatically every month. I also have a small amount which is for fun and higher risk investments, but mostly I'm a conservative, risk-averse investor planning ahead for the future. This is not financial advice, so I'm not giving any specifics. I have a list of recommended money books at www.TheCreativePenn.com/moneybooks if you want to learn more. Learning from the Shadow When I look back, my Shadow side around money eventually drove me to learn more and resulted in a better outcome (so far!). I was ashamed of being poor when I had to wear hand-me-down clothes at school. That drove a fear of not having any money, which partially explains my workaholism. I was embarrassed at Oxford because I didn't know how to behave in certain settings, and I wanted to be like the rich people I saw there. I spent too much money in my early years as a consultant because I wanted to experience a “rich” life and didn't understand saving and investing would lead to better things in the future. I invested too much in the wrong things because I didn't know myself well enough and I was trying to get rich quick so I could leave my job and ‘be happy.' But eventually, I discovered that I could grow my net worth with boring, long-term investments while doing a job I loved as an author entrepreneur. My only regret is that I didn't discover this earlier and put a percentage of my income into investments as soon as I started work. It took several decades to get started, but at least I did (eventually) start. My money story isn't over yet, and I keep learning new things, but hopefully my experience will help you reflect on your own and avoid the issue if it's still in Shadow. These chapters are excerpted from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words by Joanna Penn  The post Writing The Shadow: The Creative Wound, Publishing, And Money, With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Why is Stromae's Papaoutai Afro Soul remix suddenly everywhere on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Spotify in January 2026? In this episode of Artiste Hangout with Femi Makx, we dive into the viral phenomenon transforming a 2013 classic into a global Afro Soul sensation.The remix, credited to Chill77, mikeeysmind, and Unjaps (released late 2025), has racked up over 14 million Spotify streams and climbing charts worldwide. By replacing Stromae's electronic original with African percussion, soulful vocals, choir layers, and Afrobeat rhythms, this version has become the go-to soundtrack for dances, travel vlogs, aesthetic edits, and emotional reels.We break down:• The story behind “Papaoutai” – Stromae's tribute to his father lost in the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the haunting question, “Papa, où t'es?” (Dad, where are you?).• Why the Afro Soul twist hits differently – blending sorrow and groove, creating powerful contrasts in lighthearted viral content.• The AI remix debate – is this musical evolution fair to the original, or a new frontier for global sounds?• The virality factor – why the remix is dominating feeds in Abuja, Lagos, West Africa, and beyond.Whether you're vibing nonstop or just curious, this episode explains the cultural resonance, emotional depth, and viral mechanics making this remix the sound of early 2026.

David L. Kahn is an author, oneironaut, and has been a member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD) since 2006.  He is a regular contributor to The Lucid Dreaming Experience magazine and has participated in several lucid dreaming research studies.  Much of his published work and many of his presentations focus on trauma dreams, particularly those of genocide survivors and LGBTQ+ youth.  He also contributed an entry to the Encyclopedia of Sleep and Dreams on dreams related to the Holocaust and the Rwandan genocides.  His books include The Oneironaut's Odyssey:  Discovering Ancient Wisdom Through Lucid Dreams and Storms and Rainbows:  Trauma Dreams of LGBTQ+ Youth. For more information about Dave and his work, please see Instagram pages: @boundless_dream @thelucidexplorer Or contact him directly at:  boundlessdreaming@gmail.com This podcast is available on your favorite platform, or here:https://endoftheroad.libsyn.com/episode-331-david-l-kahn-lucid-dreamsthe-oneironauts-odyssey-discovering-ancient-wisdom-through-lucid-dreams Have a blessed week!

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a country in central Africa the size of Western Europe and rich in arable land and minerals, including those critical to the military industrial complex, such as cobalt and coltan. Since the CIA-backed assassination of Patrice Lumumba in 1961, the DRC has been ruled by puppets who answer to the United States and its allies. 2025 has been a devastating year for the DRC. Clearing the FOG speaks with Maurice Carney, the executive director of Friends of the Congo, about the occupation by Rwandan forces, mass displacement of millions of people, and the recent 'peace agreements' that rob the DRC of its riches and sovereignty. He discusses this in the context of Kwame Nkrumah's work, "Neo-colonialism: The last stage of imperialism." For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

We're looking back at 10 of the episodes that defined 2025 at The Take. This originally aired on January 30. None of the dates or references have been changed. Bodies are lining the streets of Goma and hospitals are overwhelmed after an escalation in the long-simmering conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Rwandan-backed M23 group claims it took control of the city, and the DRC has called it a declaration of war by Rwanda. But why is Rwanda involved and what are its interests? In this episode: Kambale Musavuli (@kambale), Analyst, Center for Research on the Congo-Kinshasa Episode credits: This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra, Sonia Bhagat and Chloe K. Li, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hagir Saleh, Hanah Shokeir, Melanie Marich, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. We’ll be back tomorrow. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Duck bills. Beaver tails. Underground lairs. Eggs. Milk. Venom? A platypus has it all. Scholar, conservationist, and Ornithorhynchologist Dr. Tahneal Hawke is here to run through the baffling anatomy and answer all of our WHAT'S THE DEAL, WHAT EVEN *ARE* THEY questions, and chat about field work, evolution, how to spot a platypus, why you can't have one in your bathtub, and myths about platypus espionage. Also, a platypus might be sexier than you. Follow Dr. Hawke on Instagram and Google ScholarA donation went to the Platypus Conservation InitiativePods Fight Poverty is raising money for Rwandan families via GiveDirectly.org/ologiesMore episode sources and linksOther episodes you may enjoy: Mammalogy (MAMMALS), Oology (EGGS), Dasyurology (TASMANIAN DEVILS), Lutrinology (OTTERS), Castorology (BEAVERS), Evolutionary Biology (DARWINISM), Chickenology (HENS & ROOSTERS)400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topicSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesSponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Weaving songs and dances into classroom lessons, having difficult conversations with parents, and navigating the second-day meltdowns of kindergarten students with Yaronda Kilgo, an elementary school teacher. What did a backpack full of snacks teach her about empathy? And what makes her "extra"?We're teaming up this month with GiveDirectly to collect money that will go directly to Rwandan families. Dan will match every dollar raised from What It's Like To Be... listeners. Donate now: givedirectly.org/whatitslikeWANT MORE EPISODE SUGGESTIONS? Grab our What It's Like To Be... "starter pack". It's a curated Spotify playlist with some essential episodes from our back catalogue. GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Email us at partnerships@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We'll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What's a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to know and what does it mean? 2. What's a specific story you tell your friends that happened on the job? It could be funny, sad, anxiety-making, pride-inducing or otherwise. We can't respond to every message, but we do listen to all of them! We'll follow up if it's a good fit.

Dehydrated eggs. Airborne tortillas. Pouches of chicken. Tang. Work up an appetite for space food with artist, designer and Astrobromatologist, Maggie Coblentz. She shares how the intersection of design and science led her skyward, doing experiments on zero G flights, and shipping miso into space. We also talk Martian gardening, stinky roommates, booze bans, contraband corned beef, velcro fatigue, the ethics of space tourism, how to make barbecued wings in orbit, and addressing the conspiracy of astronaut ice cream. Visit Maggie's website and follow her on InstagramA donation went to AstroAccessPods Fight Poverty is raising money for Rwandan families via GiveDirectly.org/ologiesMore episode sources and linksOther episodes you may enjoy: Cosmology (THE UNIVERSE), Areology (MARS), Selenology (THE MOON), Entomophagy Anthropology (EATING BUGS), Futurology (THE FUTURE), Gustology (TASTE), Gastroegyptology (BREAD BAKING), Microbiology (GUT BIOME)400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topicSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesSponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Author and speaker, Immaculée Ilibagiza returns to continue her story of how God worked powerfully in her life. As a survivor of the Rwandan genocide she has an incredible testimony of faith, hope, and forgiveness.Did you miss Part One? Listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/right-now-with-ralph-martin/id1536626967?i=1000738547197.

Managing Ebola treatment centers in Sierra Leone, coordinating with government officials and local leaders, and advocating for the radical simplicity of cash aid with Grace Jackson, a humanitarian worker. When low-income families are given money, what's the first thing they often buy? And what is “CMCoord”?This episode is part of a fundraising effort called Pods Fight Poverty. We're teaming up with GiveDirectly to collect money that will go directly to Rwandan families. Dan will match every dollar raised from What It's Like To Be... listeners. Donate now: givedirectly.org/whatitslikeWANT MORE EPISODE SUGGESTIONS? Grab our What It's Like To Be... "starter pack". It's a curated Spotify playlist with some essential episodes from our back catalogue. GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Email us at partnerships@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We'll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What's a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to know and what does it mean? 2. What's a specific story you tell your friends that happened on the job? It could be funny, sad, anxiety-making, pride-inducing or otherwise. We can't respond to every message, but we do listen to all of them! We'll follow up if it's a good fit.