Podcasts about Saudis

In early 2000, two young Saudis arrive in San Diego. They had never been to America, speak almost no English, and have no idea how to open a bank account or rent a flat. But one Arabic-speaking neighbour offers help, putting his name on the lease to secure their tenancy. A BBC News Long Form Audio production.

Twenty-five years on from the deadliest terror attack in history, BBC investigative journalist Jane McMullen asks why thousands of grieving families are still fighting for answers.In early 2000, two young Saudis arrived in San Diego. They had never been to America, spoke almost no English, and had no idea how to open a bank account or rent a flat. Within weeks they had done all of it. Twenty months later they hijacked a plane and crashed it into the Pentagon.Jane McMullen investigates a man who helped two of the hijackers – and reveals a story that the US and Saudi governments have fought to keep secret.A BBC News Long Form Audio production.

Trump is flailing so badly on Iran. He dispatched Jared Kushner to negotiate with the regime but then denies that any talks are happening at all. He also threatened to bomb one ally and hammered another for not helping him fight his war. And somehow, in all of this, Kushner—a private businessman and a consultant for the Saudis—is meeting with Hamas officials and Netanyahu while also looking out for his own financial interests. Plus: a primer on why we keep troops in South Korea, Hegseth may be mulling a presidential run, and Gen Alpha may save us all.Tom Nichols joins Tim Miller.show notes: "The Next Level" podcast—out later on Tuesday Tim on another family being held at the Dilley detention facility The Gen Alpha TikTok video Tim mentioned Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets go on sale August 21. Bulwark+ members get early access via our presale starting August 18. Watch your inbox for details. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.

//The Wire//1800Z August 12, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: OIL CRISIS CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE AS STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE DROPS BELOW 300 MILLION BARRELS. WAR IN MIDDLE EAST REMAINS COMPLICATED, SHIPPING REMAINS STAGNANT. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESULTS IN MURDERS AT DAYCARE IN MINNESOTA.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Middle East: Around the region the war remains as before, with no major strikes being reported overnight. The war between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia has continued to increase in complexity following the Houthi strikes on the Jazan refinery last week. Saudi Arabia has stepped up efforts to fund and supply the official Yemeni government, which was outcast by the Houthis capturing and holding the capital city years ago. Analyst Comment: For the past decade, the Saudis have tried to undermine the Houthi control of Yemen by funding the exiled government forces which still control pockets of influence around the country. A few days ago, a strike was reported in the city of Mocha in Yemen, which was originally reported as being of Saudi origin. Turns out, it was the Houthis themselves striking the sector of the city that still remains in government control, targeting a collection of Saudi advisors which were working with the Yemeni government.-HomeFront-Washington D.C. - This morning a suspicious device was discovered in the vicinity of the Engine Company 20 fire station. One device comprised of a thermos container with wires wrapped around it was discovered by authorities, prompting a lockdown of the area. EOD responded to the scene and stated that the device was not a threat.Minnesota: This morning a stabbing attack was reported at a child care facility in Hopkins. Local authorities state that two adults and one child were stabbed at Brown Bear Childcare, a private residence converted to a daycare. All three individuals are reported deceased. Throughout the day, official sources have indicated that this was a domestic violence incident between the owners of the daycare, which resulted in one of the adults murdering the other, before murdering their child, and then themselves. The attack was witnessed by six other children, as well as a parent who had arrived at the residence to drop off their child.Analyst Comment: This attack took place at 236 Tyler Ave North. The business itself is registered with the state and has an active childcare license, with no violations or concerns being readily available online. Reviews are very positive, and the business appeared to be a small and wholesome daycare run out of a private residence. Prior to the murders this morning, this address had been listed on a local garage sale page. The listing claiming that the daycare had been scheduled to close at the end of the month, but how (or if) this fits in is unclear at the moment. As a result, this horrifically brutal attack is very out of the ordinary for Hopkins, and further analysis will be required to determine why this happened.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Concerning the impact of the Gulf War on global energy markets, the situation is still desperate. Oil transits through Hormuz are very minimal, with the NAVCENT-run reporting sources no longer publicly disclosing all of the Iranian strikes on tanker vessels. Many observers visually seeing a burning hull on the horizon, or crude oil washing ashore, is about as "confirmed" as it can get, and over the past few weeks several strikes have taken place that have not been reported by the UKMTO. In terms of what this is doing to the oil markets, Hormuz is back to very minimal oil flows. The constant Houthi targeting down in the Red Sea region has also resulted in the Saudi's cutting production at many oil terminals and processing facilities, and the Omanis are quietly trying to export more oil from their terminals which bypass the Strait...efforts which get derailed when a tanker gets struck by a drone/cruise missle.Where we go from here is hard to say, but the situation has been slow to develop. If a person is watching a car crash in slow motion, and it takes 6 months for the impact, people get bored. This appears to be what's happened as this war has dragged on for almost half a year. This has resulted in complacency, even though the overall situation is incredibly serious. The United States has continued to drain the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) at a breakneck pace, to the point that we are approaching the physical limits of how much oil can be withdrawn from storage. This oil is not really being processed within the US, but rather sold on the international market so as to keep the price of oil artificially low globally. Last week, the SPR dropped to 298.7 million barrels of oil in storage, all total. This is the first time that the SPR has dipped this low since the 1980's, when the demand was 20-30% lower than it is today. More broadly, this is also a major milestone in terms of how close we're getting to tank bottom. There is debate regarding how low the SPR can be drawn down. A common figure over the years has been that the US can theoretically drain the SPR down to 70 million barrels. There is also a legal floor as well, with 42 USC § 6241 mandating that the SPR cannot be drawn below 252 million barrels for national security reasons. Of course, this is a law that can be reliably ignored by both the White House and Congress itself, but it is a number to work from...and we're getting close to it.Last year the Government Accountability Office conducted a large-scale study on the SPR, which found that due to infrastructure degradation over the years, the entire system can only pump out a fraction of what it was previously capable of. The report did not explicitly state the magic number of how low we can go, but the report did state that regardless of where the bottom of the tank actually is, we can only pump it out at a rate that is 61% of what it was designed for. This means that not only are our tanks scraping bottom, but we are also limited in how fast we can drain what's left. Like a broken record, the story has constantly repeated since the war began...demand remains the same, but supply is down. The basics of that fact can only be concealed, manipulated, and talked-down for so long before supply itself runs out. As the SPR cruises past the 300 million barrel milestone, more motivation is stacking up to re-enter the diplomatic phase once again, before the energy crisis gets much worse.Analyst: S2A1 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269 Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//

TABLE OF CONTENTS JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 8-10-2026.John Hardie reports North Korea is deploying a specialized unit equipped with KN-23 and KN-24 short-range ballistic missiles to assist Russia's war efforts. This shipment, potentially totaling 120 missiles, significantly bolsters Russia's magazine depth as it continues pounding Ukrainian cities. The relationship is mutually beneficial: Russia receives much-needed munitions and troops, while North Korea gains combat experience and technical assistance for its satellite and missile programs. Ukraine, facing a critical shortage of air defense interceptors, is seeking to use Starlink within Russian territory to hunt and strike these missile launchers before they can fire. (1)Ernesto Araújo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa report Venezuelan negotiators have established a timeline for a political transition, aiming to restore rights and select new electoral authorities by December. However, there are significant concerns regarding the lack of a firm election date and the ongoing militarization of the Bolivarian revolution. Simultaneously, diplomatic relations between Brazil and the U.S. have deteriorated, resulting in the U.S. revoking the credentials of Brazil's ambassador. In Colombia, new president Abelardo de la Espriella has launched a decisive military response against narco-terrorism, a move that regional leaders hope will dismantle the cross-border havens used by Venezuelan-linked criminal groups. (2)Malcolm Hoenlein discusses a new mutual defense pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan that has emerged to counter Iranian influence and the Muslim Brotherhood. Meanwhile, in Gaza, empirical data from UNICEF and the WHO challenges international narratives of famine, showing malnutrition rates are actually lower than in many neighboring countries. Theft of aid by Hamas remains a primary obstacle to relief efforts. In Iran, the regime faces severe domestic instability due to energy and water shortages, yet it continues to make extreme "non-negotiable" demands of the U.S., including $300 billion in reparations, while escalating public executions to silence internal dissent. (3)David Daoud explains Iran is currently leveraging negotiations with the U.S. to secure a ceasefire that protects Hezbollah from further Israeli military pressure while allowing the group to rebuild. Critics argue that U.S. security assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) is a poor investment, as the LAF lacks the political will to disarm Hezbollah within its own borders. While a fragile ceasefire has shifted active war toward localized "policing operations" and skirmishes, Hezbollah explicitly rejects any linkage between an Israeli withdrawal and its own disarmament. The Trump administration is reportedly prioritizing "quiet" in Lebanon, which has forced Israeli forces into a more reactive posture. (4)Mariam Wahba reports the Sudanese civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), now entering its fourth year, has left over 400,000 dead. The conflict has evolved into a complex proxy war; the UAE supports the RSF to gain access to gold mines, while Egypt and Turkey lean toward the SAF. Iran has further complicated the battlefield by selling drones and hardware to both factions. Although neither side is seen as morally superior, civilians frequently celebrate when the SAF liberates territory from the RSF. Sudanese activists continue to call for a transition to civilian government despite the ongoing violence. (5)Bridget Toomey reports the Houthis have escalated their regional campaign by striking Saudi Arabia's Jazan refinery, demonstrating their ability to disrupt global energy markets despite recent defense pacts. Within Yemen, the Houthis are intensifying attacks on government-held ports like Mocha and oil-rich regions like Marib to expand their territorial control. These strikes often target civilian displacement camps, using ballistic missiles and drones to sow terror and gain leverage in future negotiations. While Saudi Arabia pursues diplomatic off-ramps through Omani mediation, the Houthis continue to use military pressure to force an agreement favorable to their long-term dominance. (6)Edmund Fitton-Brown describes the Houthis' methodical campaign, likely coordinated with Iran, to intimidate Saudi Arabia and prevent its entry into the Abraham Accords. Recent strikes on Mocha and Jazan highlight a resurgence of the 12-year-old Yemeni civil war, which remains a primary source of regional instability. While a new Sunni alliance between Pakistan and Turkey offers symbolic support to the Saudis, it lacks the practical military "teeth" to intervene on the ground. Meanwhile, the UAE is asserting itself as an agile regional powerhouse, investing in high-tech infrastructure and maintaining an uncompromising stance against the Muslim Brotherhood. (7)Janatyn Sayeh analyzes the appointment of Mohsen Rezaei, an original IRGC veteran, to the Supreme National Security Council, signaling a return to hardline, ideologically driven decision-making in Tehran. Rezaei, linked to past international terrorism, reinforces the regime's aggressive stance against the U.S. and Israel. Iran currently refuses to engage in talks until the U.S. meets extreme demands, including unfreezing all assets and paying billions in reparations. The regime utilizes a "good cop, bad cop" strategy between factions to maximize leverage, but remains unified in its goals of expanding its nuclear program and securing regional dominance through its "resistance axis." (8)Conrad Black reports Prime Minister Mark Carney is under pressure to revitalize Canada's economy 16 months after his election. Despite being a "treasure house" of resources, Canada suffers from lengthy project delays caused by redundant provincial regulations and indigenous land claims. Black notes that Canada's public sector workforce is disproportionately large, representing 12% of the population, and calls for corporate tax cuts to foster competitiveness. While Carney is exploring diversified trade, the U.S. remains Canada's indispensable partner, accounting for roughly 64% of its trade. Carney's political survival depends on achieving the kind of robust growth seen south of the border. (9)Scott Harold explains the U.S. and Japan are adopting a "walking quietly and carrying a big stick" approach to deter a Chinese attack on Taiwan. This strategy involves creating a "hellscape" of thousands of drones and missiles to make an amphibious assault impossibly risky for Beijing. While Japan's official documents avoid explicitly naming Taiwan to prevent escalation, its leadership views a conflict as a survival-endangering situation. China's attempts to annex portions of the Western Pacific as domestic waters pose a direct threat to the global economy. Persistent deterrence remains essential, as the Chinese military currently lacks high-end operational experience and faces leadership purges. (10)Bill Gertz reports a Pentagon official's attendance at a People's Liberation Army (PLA) celebration has sparked fears of a "defeatist" accommodation policy toward Beijing. Critics argue that seeking "respectful relations" with a Leninist regime is interpreted as subservience and weakness. This shift is reportedly influenced by concerns over Chinese control of rare earth minerals. China continues its global expansion and military bullying against neighbors like the Philippinesand Japan. Gertz warns that the U.S. education system is failing to inform the public about the threats of China's high-tech totalitarian system, which seeks to dominate through economic and military coercion. (11)

Edmund Fitton-Brown describes the Houthis' methodical campaign, likely coordinated with Iran, to intimidate Saudi Arabia and prevent its entry into the Abraham Accords. Recent strikes on Mocha and Jazan highlight a resurgence of the 12-year-old Yemeni civil war, which remains a primary source of regional instability. While a new Sunni alliance between Pakistan and Turkey offers symbolic support to the Saudis, it lacks the practical military "teeth" to intervene on the ground. Meanwhile, the UAE is asserting itself as an agile regional powerhouse, investing in high-tech infrastructure and maintaining an uncompromising stance against the Muslim Brotherhood. (7)

On this episode, Roblox loses value...kind of, the Saudis bought EA, Japan telling Trump to stop being a troll, and more.  Then we talk about board games from our childhood.  JD picks his Dice game.  

What's this?? 2 episodes 2 weeks'ish ;) apart?? Well we definetley forgot to cover a few things last podcast. So we get into to all the latest!! Thanks for listening. Check out our Patreon -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.patreon.com/c/playtheobjective⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Twitch - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitch.tv/dubfire33⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the Discord - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/Hy7KWJMmE6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Saudis bought EA and the word on the street is that Dragon Age: The Veilguard publisher BioWare is on the chopping block. Can't imagine why the Saudis wouldn't want to bankroll any more of this... and I can't imagine anybody would want to buy them right now. Watch the podcast episodes on YouTube and all major podcast hosts including Spotify. CLOWNFISH TV is an independent, opinionated news and commentary podcast that covers Entertainment and Tech from a consumer's point of view. We talk about Gaming, Comics, Anime, TV, Movies, Animation and more. Hosted by Kneon and Geeky Sparkles. Get more news, views and reviews on Clownfish TV News - https://more.clownfishtv.com/ On YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/ClownfishTV On Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4Tu83D1NcCmh7K1zHIedvg On Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clownfish-tv-audio-edition/id1726838629 MORE CLOWNFISH TV - Official Merch Store: http://ClownfishMinus.com Facebook - https://facebook.com/ClownfishTV X - https://x.com/ClownfishTVcom Clownfish TV subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ClownfishTVOfficial/ Disclaimer: This series is produced by Clownfish Studios and WebReef Media, and is part of ClownfishTV.com. Opinions expressed by our contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of our guests, affiliates, sponsors, or advertisers. ClownfishTV.com is an unofficial news source and has no connection to any company that we may cover. This channel and website and the content made available through this site are for educational, entertainment and informational purposes only. These so-called “fair uses” are permitted even if the use of the work would otherwise be infringing. #Games #Gaming #Bioware #Podcast #Commentary #News #Reaction #Gaming #Comedy #Entertainment #Hollywood #PopCulture #Tech #Anime #FYP Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After roughly half-a-dozen episodes of unfortunate absence, we're pleased to welcome Dustin back to the fold, and just in the nick of time at that. A trio of interesting stories have bubbled to the surface over the past week worth examining, and they require further inquiry from the whole cast. For starters, Sony's financials show a stagnant (albeit perfectly healthy) PlayStation brand, as PS5 marches ever-slower towards 100 million units sold. And then there's Electronic Arts, the pioneering American publisher that sold-out to a wealthy foreign interest, with untold ramifications on the other side of the biggest-ever leveraged buyout in human history. Finally, we come to Netflix and Rockstar, who have teamed-up for what can only be described as a unique approach towards showcasing Grand Theft Auto VI, one (perhaps not surprisingly) some people aren't thrilled about. Among other news (and other nonsense), we also get into your listener submissions, as we do each week. How will MLB: The Show 27 be affected next year by what appears to be an inevitable work stoppage in professional baseball? Is there any workable idea for a framework surrounding the second-hand buying, selling, and trading of digital games? Could Sony blunt PlayStation 6's inevitably-high cost by taking a page from Xbox's book and offering hardware on long-term payment plans? Has Colin been saying "beaucoup bucks" wrong, or does one listener simply not know his French? This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Sign up and get 10% off at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols Sign up for your $1 per month trial at https://www.shopify.com/sacred Get 365-day returns and free shipping at https://www.quince.com/sacred Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00 - Intro21:28 - Beaucoup bucks23:15 - Has Colin gone woke?30:57 - Betting on Dustin's return35:44 - Last games during Dustin's leave51:19 - Balancing work, life, and kids58:32 - GTA VI premieres on Netflix1:16:24 - Sony Q1 26 financials1:56:48 - EA's sale to the Saudis is done2:11:37 - Shift Up's AI music video2:21:50 - Dave Bautista as Kratos?2:26:59 - New PlayStation LEGO2:27:31 - Black Ops on PS5 sales2:28:34 - What We're Playing (Halo, GTA SA, Big Walk, Splatoon Raiders)2:55:43 - AI Moderation3:13:54 - MLB Lockout3:17:47 - Optimizing games too much3:24:30 - Buying and selling digital games3:34:09 - Lack of real games media3:41:07 - Buying PS6 via contract Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

//The Wire//1700Z August 10, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: MAJOR EARTHQUAKE STRIKES COLOMBIA. WAR CONTINUES IN MIDDLE EAST. BRITISH MOD ALLEGEDLY INVESTIGATING VULNERABILITIES WITH NEWLY-PURCHASED DRONE BOAT FLEET.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Middle East: The situation continues as before, with routine strikes being carried out over the weekend. Iran has continued to strike merchant shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with daily targeting efforts being reported for about a week. Overnight, a tanker vessel was struck in the Strait, with the resulting fire being visible from land.Red Sea/HOA: The Houthis have been active over the past few days, conducting low-level strikes against the Saudi staging areas along the border region with Yemen. More significantly, the Houthis have also struck the Jazan refinery again, with the Saudis targeting the port of Mocha in Yemen.France: As wildfires have continued to spread around the nation, French authorities have announced the arrest of over 420x individuals on charges of arson, at least 166x of which are individuals claiming to be minors who admitted to deliberately starting fires.United Kingdom: This morning the Telegraph published a leak from within the Ministry of Defense, pertaining to the new K3 Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) that have been purchased by the Royal Marines. The leak alleges that some components within the drone boat fleet are made in China, and actually "phone home" to data centers back in China. The Ministry of Defense has denied any security vulnerabilities, but an emergency audit has been announced to investigate the matter.Analyst Comment: Having a foreign adversary contribute to any part of the production chain for highly secret and cutting-edge military technology is a suboptimal decision.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: This morning an earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.4 was reported in the western districts of Colombia, which resulted in infrastructure damage throughout the region. The city of Cali was hardest hit, with many structures collapsing or otherwise suffering major damage. So far, roughly 20x fatalities have been reported outright, but the true scale of the damage will take some time to determine due to the remote nature of many affected villages. There is not a lot of information on how bad the damage is, and most of what has circulated are videos showing the damage, or other first hand reports. At the time of this report, this is a developing story, and details are likely to change as more information becomes available.Analyst: S2A1 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269 Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//

EP230: WWIII, Tyler Robinson: New Rooftop Video, Science Pleads 5th, Aaron Rodgers, WNBASPORTSAaron Rodgers v ESPN(VIDEO) https://www.steelernation.com/2026/08/05/steelers-espn-battle-furious-pittsburghEnes Kanter declares for WNBA draft https://x.com/enesfreedom/status/2085772139869696032?s=46&t=ye-2GyAK2iDh3yT1vKjfJgRoyce White followsCLICKSColdCard Hack, $89M of Bitcoin Gone https://thehackernews.com/2026/08/coldcard-hardware-wallet-flaw-linked-to.html?m=1US Supports Yen (JPY)  https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/01/us-treasury-intervenes-to-support-yen-after-japan-steps-in-ft.htmlBessent notepadReverse Yen Carry TradeOil catalyst https://x.com/leadlagreport/status/2050602702128705598?s=46&t=ye-2GyAK2iDh3yT1vKjfJgGameStop - Roaring Kitty Thumbnail https://youtube.com/@roaringkitty?si=o-6xr66YM_7EmVQlCohen mulls pulling eBay offer https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-10/gamestop-s-ryan-cohen-weighs-pulling-56-billion-ebay-offer?Trump Launches $100k Stock Tip Hotline https://x.com/kobeissiletter/status/2083607441355297211?s=46&t=ye-2GyAK2iDh3yT1vKjfJgTucker w/Massie, MTG, Kent & wives https://x.com/fmrrepmtg/status/2083568963846303896?s=46&t=ye-2GyAK2iDh3yT1vKjfJgFauci Senate Testimony https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/hearings/testimony-of-anthony-fauci/Origins: Fauci emailed himself his notes to write a book https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6017780-fauci-contempt-doj-rand-paul/ Brownstone https://brownstone.org/articles/anthony-faucis-private-diary-and-emails-show-he-knew-lockdowns-failed/Pleads 5th (VIDEO)Contempt charges incoming?COVID Rage https://x.com/utobian/status/1762921006623285521?s=46&t=ye-2GyAK2iDh3yT1vKjfJgRFK Jr & Dana Bash CNN Interview(VIDEO)Fauci Phone Data(VIDEO)34k texts500+ voicemails Kirk Assassination - Tyler Robinson911 call; who called?“Get that off him.” Shirt? Mic?Crash detection call??Candace releases new rooftop video https://www.alexjoneslive.com/2026/07/29/candace-owens-releases-never-before-seen-footage-of-individual-on-rooftop-during-charlie-kirk-assassination/not released by prosecutionsprinting into place; limp goneLateral crawlFold out AR?? Towel??No screwdriver assembly visible, occur before this video??Takes shot?? No recoil, no flashIs there a gun  at all on the roof?Is Candace Charlie Kirk's Killswitch?hints at more videoPOLITICSWWIII https://www.military-stuff.org/iran-makes-shocking-world-war-iii-declaration-against-u-s-trump-can-dream-about-hormuz-watch/ Pape https://open.substack.com/pub/professorrobertpape/p/is-world-war-iii-beginning-the-strategic?Munitions stockpile concerns https://www.csis.org/analysis/six-reasons-why-united-states-low-munitions Saudis pressures US to cancel; will sell US treasuries to pay for any potential reconstruction of attacks on ARAMCO https://global21.substack.com/p/phone-call-saudis-issue-ultimatum? Mecca Pact: Saudi, Pakistan, Turkey https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/7/new-regional-order-pakistan-turkiye-saudi-arabia ARAMCO attacked by Yemen https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/fire-extinguished-aramco-facility-jizan-saudi-arabia-says-2026-08-09/ Iran to charge 7% Toll SoH$100B/yr at pre-war traffic https://x.com/truthstreamnews/status/2032093786575089906#RonPaulWasRight#EpsteinDidntKillHimself#NothingEverHappens#GoAnalog#TouchGrassAbout the Sports, Clicks & Politics PodcastSCAPP is a weekly podcast with a Livestream every Monday at 12pm on eastern.Join hosts Shawn Hannon and Ben Hussong as they separate the latest news from the noise impacting New York State. The podcast has frequent guest interviews for additional perspectives in the worlds or sports, politics and beyond!Follow the show on social mediaFacebook: facebook.com/scappodcastTwitter: @SCAPPodcastFollow Shawn & Ben on social mediaFacebook: facebook.com/hannon44Twitter: @hannon44Facebook: facebook.com/ben.hussong.3Twitter: @benhussong

This week, Lotus, Niki, and John discuss their very enjoyable time together with Big Walk, Devolver Digital's move off of the London Stock Exchange, and Netflix's incredibly bizarre six hour rental of Grand Theft Auto VI's deeper dive trailer later this month.00:00:00 Intro & laundry hamper talk00:14:30 Netflix's Grand Theft Auto VI "exclusive" look00:47:26 EA's big deal with the Saudis and Jared Kushner closed01:12:30 Halo Studios parts ways with contractors01:20:32 Devolver Digital moves to unlist from London Stock Exchange to go private01:33:30 Square Enix is collaborating with Google Gemini for AI-based QA01:40:43 PlayStation by far the most played console in the US01:41:53 Restart Run staff laid off01:44:43 Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the best the MCU has been in a very long time01:51:40 Splatoon Raiders continues to delight us01:57:37 AYN Thor is probably the best one of these emulation handhelds02:02:10 The VGBees Crew is having a blast with Big Walk02:37:25 HIVE QUESTIONS03:10:57 Reviews & outroThanks for listening!Please leave us a review! We'll read it on the show and it helps us out a lot.VGBees is ad-free, AI-free, and completely supported by you! https://vgbees.com/joinVGBees is a weekly games media podcast hosted by Niki, John, and Lotus.

Send us Fan MailEA has officially changed hands, with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund taking control of one of gaming's biggest publishers. We dig into what that could mean for EA, while also trying to understand Netflix's bizarre six-hour GTA VI trailer exclusivity stunt. We also talk Marvel Tōkon hype, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, new Fire Emblem, Warrior Cats, and why people seriously need to stop calling Beast of Reincarnation a Soulslike.That and more on this episode of Spectator Mode Podcast!Timestamps:0:00 - Intro and games we've played10:49 - Let's talk about how good Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is16:18 - Netflix's Brief GTA 6 trailer exclusive nonsense21:01 - Spider-Man: Brand New Day reactions32:39 - Fire Emblem: Fortunes Weave Direct reap43:51 - Warrior Cats JRPG reveal46:36 - Why Every Action Game isn't a Soulslike54:26 - Electronic Arts is owned by the Saudis and how bad this deal is1:01:25 - Podcast wrap-up and PAX West plans1:06:16 - Closing remarks and outroThanks for listening, and please, if you enjoy the show, leave a rating on Spotify or Apple Music.Spotify – spoti.fi/2HsmTZ8Apple Music – https://apple.co/43Bz67AYouTube – Youtube.com/theouterhavenAmazon Music – https://amzn.to/3FE4bPM#xbox #playstation #nintendo #electronicarts #soulslike #grandtheftauto6 #GTA6Support the showYou can find the Spectator Mode podcast on the following podcast platforms. Please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast, as it will go a long watch in more people discovering us. Thank you!Apple PodcastsYouTubeSpotifyAmazon Music

New Military Alliance? Turkey, Saudis and Pakistan Seal Defense Deal

Once again, Darrell Castle discusses war but with a little diplomacy and an historical reminder that technology constantly changes but human nature never changes. Transcription / Notes THE HUMILIATION FACTOR Hello, this is Darrell Castle with today's Castle Report. This is Friday the 7th day of August in the year of our Lord 2026. I'm afraid my beat is war once again but with a little diplomacy and an historical reminder that technology constantly changes but human nature never changes. For the history lesson I have to go back to December 7th, 1941, and perhaps even a few days before that. This story is important because of the title to this report but also because yesterday, August 6 was the 81st anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima Japan. The United States was engaged in diplomacy with Japan regarding Japan's invasion of China and Roosevelt's refusal to sell them more oil until they left China. The Japanese had to import virtually all their raw materials and they got oil primarily from the U.S. The Japanese had behaved so horribly in China that Roosevelt tried to persuade the Europeans to join him in a conditional boycott but they refused so he decided to do it himself. If you want to know more about how the Japanese behaved in China I recommend Iris Chang's book “The Rape of Nanchang, The Forgotten Holocaust of World War ll. Well, at least the two sides were talking to each other through diplomats around a conference table in Washington D.C. The Japanese knew that if the U.S. continued to refuse to sell them oil they would have to get it by conquering the oil and rubber rich nations of the South Pacific so they made plans to do just that. Those nations could not be conquered with the U.S. Navy at large in the Pacific so Japan's plan included that Navy's destruction in an attack we know as Pearl Harbor. Admiral Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese Fleet, had given orders that a war warning had to given to the American diplomats about one hour before the attack but delays of various kinds caused the warning to be delivered one hour after battleship row was burning. The Japanese believed that when the decadent, luxury loving, American people were confronted with this debacle they would demand that their leaders negotiate a way out of it. There were an awful lot of American members of Congress and the Senate who were in office because they were opposed to fighting European wars. There was an America first contingent which measured about 140 members. How could any nation so divided muster the will to fight a long bloody war, but the Japanese were catastrophically wrong in their assessment. Immediately after the attack the America first group voted to disband. Charles Linberg, the most outspoken and most famous antiwar advocate tried to join the Army Air Corps. Men lined up around the block in every city in America. School boys lied about their age to enlist. Keep in mind that in Japan every radio receiver in every military unit was tuned to American broadcasts in order to discern the mood of the people. Military transcriptionists took down every word of every broadcast and on December 8th at 12:30 PM they were turned in for FDR's speech. He spoke for only 6 minutes and none of it was a call for patience or negotiation but instead he called it a day that will live in infamy. The American people and the President were fueled to righteous anger by the deceptive nature of it. The term sneak attack was on everyone's lips and worse because it happened while the two sides were negotiating. That's a long history report, folks, but there is a reason for it. The reason is that another sneak attack, conducted while the two sides were negotiating has now happened. The anger, the determination to fight on no matter how long it took that fueled American resolve is now being felt by citizens of The Islamic Republic of Iran. Yes American diplomats were negotiating with Iranian diplomats when the U.S, and Israeli bombers struck. The attack didn't just destroy Iranian military targets, but it killed their supreme leader and almost his whole family including his 14-month-old granddaughter. The next day American bombs struck a girls school and around 160 little girls were killed but just to make sure it was hit again. How are these people supposed to feel about negotiating with America to end this war. How can they be expected to ever trust an American's word again. The problem continues almost daily as U.S. negotiators, if there are any besides the president, continue to go back on their word which is diplomat speak for lying. For example, the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding the president announced the other day called for Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz. The next day the president reneged on that point. I read someone the other day and I can't remember who said it, but he said President Trump should get the Nobel Peace Prize because he has ended the Iran War 7 times and number 8 is coming soon. Think about the mindset that the U.S. sneak attack must have created in the minds of the Iranian people. Before it happened there did seem to be a lot of unrest and a lot of division. People were in the streets protesting the harsh measures of the regime and that regime proceeded to kill thousands of them. I imagine the President was told that his sneak attack would have the same effect on the Iranian people that the Japanese thought Pearl Harbor would have on the American people. Both those assumptions were catastrophically wrong. Instead of causing the Iranian people to riot and overthrow their government it brought them together. The hated Mullahs were once again respected leaders. Thousands attended the Ayatollah's funeral. I think it was Mark Twain who said history doesn't repeat itself but it rhymes. Now the situation is so much worse for the U.S. and of course for Israel which was, apparently, the reason for the sneak attack. The Strait is at least a very dangerous place and ships can't sail without extreme danger. The entire world's economy teeters on the brink of depression. Oil and other needed mineral resources are soaring in price since about 20% of them have to pass through that chokehold. Meanwhile the President has announced a new deal being brokered by his Board of Peace involving peace in Gaza. The lynch pin would require Hamas, a terrorist group financed by Iran, to give up its arms and identify all its tunnels etc. In other words, Hamas would cease to exist and Israel would leave Gaza so that the U.S. and the Middle East members of the Board such as the Saudis and the Gulf States could rebuild it and everyone would prosper. The moment the deal was announced Netanyahu said the President sent it to him and he didn't like it. He said Israel would not leave Gaza until Hamas completely disarmed and Hamas Says it will not disarm until Israel leaves. Qatar is apparently kicking Hamas out of its country and rumors have it moving its operations to Turkey which is apparently the President's hope for the role of ensuring Middle East peace. My point in all this is that it is humiliating and embarrassing, or it should be. This country is supposed to be trusted because we have laws and rules, and we are supposed to stand for something. There are things we simply will never do and financing another country's crimes is one of those things. The first law of the land of course is the Constitution because it says it is the supreme law of the land. It restricts the power of leaders and they all take an oath to it but for most that means nothing. The standard of completely disarmed is virtually impossible to know or measure and that leaves the door open for this conflict to continue indefinitely. In the meantime, Reuters reports that the U.S. has expended more than 80% of its antimissile defense missiles. The Iranians are very smart people and they have been for a long time. They just keep putting missiles into U.S. bases and into Israel knowing that only a few will get through but it requires the U.S. to expend its supply and what then. The President announces what turns out to be a temporary halt to bombing, I guess. The U.S. position with regard to Israel and the Middle East is indefensible and I guess that's why they no longer try to defend it. The attitude seems to be the old one made famous by Baghdad Bob. You are not seeing this so just move on because everything is fine. I chose humiliation as the title of this Report because it is humiliating for a great nation to force people to pay for their own destruction. A foreign nation somehow persuades the U.S. to give it money so it can use that money to buy U.S. politicians who will then vote to fund its expansionist wars. I'll close this report on our humiliation with a few words from old friend and economist Bill Bonner. “No matter how cynical you are, its probably not enough. Perhaps Donald Trump is playing a different game altogether. He marshalls DOGE to cut spending but does not actually cut a dime out of the swollen federal budget. He makes grand theater out of tariffs but trade deficits continue unmolested. No more foreign wars, he pledges and then attacks Iran.” Finally, folks, the way out of this seems very difficult to bear but wouldn't it be better to quit now so we can manage the withdrawal rather than wait until we are forced out. The Iran War was a mistake we should admit and we are sorry we made it. We are especially sorry for those Iranian school girls and we will pay compensation to their families. It's the same decision made by the French after Dein Bin Phu when we decided to take up their war. At least that's the way I see it, Until next time folks, This is Darrell Castle, Thanks for listening.

Michael Bernstam discusses how August is historically a "month of curses" for Russia, citing the 1991 coup and the 1914 start of WWI. Currently, Russia is facing a severe fiscal and production crisis driven by Ukrainian drone strikes that have crippled 25% of its oil refining capacity. Additionally, Ukrainian drones recently destroyed a massive Wildberrieswarehouse—Russia's equivalent to Amazon—stripping a million vendors of their livelihoods and stressing the banking sector. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is in fiscal trouble due to its $1.5 trillion "The Line" project and Houthi attacks on its pipelines. This pressure is leading the Saudis to urge the Trump administration toward concessions with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and stabilize oil flows. Bernstam notes that while the EU has frozen the Russian oil price cap at $44.10, the real impact on Russian revenues will come from any reduction in world oil prices. (1)

SCHEDULE THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 8-5-2026.Michael Bernstam discusses how August is historically a "month of curses" for Russia, citing the 1991 coup and the 1914 start of WWI. Currently, Russia is facing a severe fiscal and production crisis driven by Ukrainian drone strikes that have crippled 25% of its oil refining capacity. Additionally, Ukrainian drones recently destroyed a massive Wildberrieswarehouse—Russia's equivalent to Amazon—stripping a million vendors of their livelihoods and stressing the banking sector. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is in fiscal trouble due to its $1.5 trillion "The Line" project and Houthi attacks on its pipelines. This pressure is leading the Saudis to urge the Trump administration toward concessions with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and stabilize oil flows. Bernstam notes that while the EU has frozen the Russian oil price cap at $44.10, the real impact on Russian revenues will come from any reduction in world oil prices. (1)Bob Zimmerman highlights the rapid evolution of the commercial space industry, comparing it to the early 20th-century auto boom. A major milestone includes SpaceX successfully retrieving a Starship stage from the Indian Ocean to analyze its thermal protection tiles. Zimmerman notes that the FAA is proposing to exempt spaceports from 13 environmental laws to curb "mission creep" and "lawfare." In the satellite market, Starlink's dominance has forced competitors like Hughes into bankruptcy. Internationally, Zimmerman criticizes the European Union Space Act as a regulatory disaster that could drive U.S. and Chinese businesses away from the EU market. Other notable developments include Spain's $1 billion offer to move the Thirty Meter Telescope to the Canary Islands and new evidence that near-surface ice is ubiquitous on Mars, simplifying future colonization. He also mentions the mapping of 200,000 supermassive black holes. (2)James Holmes and Gordon Chang address the critical lack of frigates in the U.S. Navy, which Holmes describes as essential low-cost platforms for monitoring adversaries. The current fleet is "top-heavy," relying on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers that are overworked. Holmes explains that the new Constellation-class frigate program has been delayed because the Navy continues to "monkey with the designs," resulting in vessels that are destroyer-sized but under-armed. Meanwhile, China and Russia have conducted joint naval exercises since 2005 to improve interoperability and provide military options in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. Holmes suggests the U.S. should consider leveraging the superior shipbuilding capacity of allies like South Korea, which claims it could produce five Arleigh Burkes annually, whereas the U.S. struggles to build two. The focus remains on regaining the ability to build plentiful, cost-effective combatants. (3)Piero Tozzi and Gordon Chang explore the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) "long arm" influence in the U.S., specifically regarding a Purdue University professor pressured to cancel a speech at a Catholic conference. Tozzi explains that the CCP uses "patriotic churches" to "sinicize" Catholicism, which involves forcing the religion to conform to Party dictates. Tozzi criticizes the Vatican's "accommodationist approach" under the 2018 Sino-Vatican Accord, noting it neglects the persecuted "underground" church. He highlights that figures like Cardinal Zen and Archbishop Cordileone have been vocal defenders of figures like Jimmy Lai. Tozzi argues that the Catholic hierarchy must understand the totalitarian nature of the CCP, which seeks absolute control over all institutions. The discussion emphasizes that Chinese officials use intimidation to project dominance even within American universities and religious organizations. (4)Steve Yates and Gordon Chang discuss the proposed ban on Chinese components in U.S. data centers, warning that these devices allow for foreign sabotage of critical infrastructure. Yates notes that the CCP often fuels "astroturf" protests in rural America to block data center construction and slow U.S. AI development. Regarding Taiwan, Yates reports that security cooperation is becoming more transparent, moving away from "strategic ambiguity" to reassure allies and deter China. However, he notes a delay in a $14 billion arms package for Taiwan, suggesting that some in Washington still prioritize "walking on eggshells" to preserve the relationship with Xi Jinping. Yates argues for a shift toward helping partners buy and use their own deterrent capabilities. He concludes that U.S. leadership in compute power is a vital strategic advantage that China is actively trying to undermine through influence operations. (5)Peter Huessy provides a historical overview of nuclear arms control, starting with the 1972 SALT I agreement, which actually codified a buildup of weapons while banning missile defenses. He describes the "window of vulnerability" in the 1980s when Soviet SS-18 missiles threatened a first strike. The START I and START II treaties in the 1990s achieved the first real reductions, with START II aiming to ban destabilizing multiple-warhead (MIRV) land-based missiles. However, START II unraveled when Russia demanded limits on U.S. missile defenses. Following the Moscow Treatyand the 2010 New START, the arms control regime has effectively collapsed. Huessy emphasizes that today, there is no active treaty governing nuclear weapons between the U.S. and Russia. He underscores the importance of past verification measures, like "portal monitoring" in missile factories, which are no longer in place. (6)Humberto Briceño describes Venezuela as a state captured by a transnational alliance of criminal organizations, including colectivos (paramilitaries) and narco-traffickers. He criticizes the decision to leave "gangsters" like Delcy Rodríguez in power while attempting to rebuild democracy. Briceño argues that the judiciary and military must be entirely replaced, as they currently serve only as agents of the regime. Despite $13 billion in recent oil earnings, massive corruption has left the funds unaccounted for. He maintains that free elections, ideally by March 2027, are impossible without first dismantling the criminal infrastructure and placing the military under civil authority. Briceño praises the leadership of María Corina Machado and Edmundo González, noting the Venezuelan people are desperate for transformation after three decades of state-sponsored violence and economic collapse. (7)Simon Constable reports on the extreme weather and energy pressures facing Europe, with Brent crude prices up 12% and natural gas up 22% in a single month. He details a "semi-invasion" of Spain, where 60,000 migrants recently attempted to cross from Morocco, and the controversy in the UK over using the Royal Navy to return migrant boats to France. Constable describes the lack of logic in French police allowing these dangerous rubber rafts to depart. Switching to his "data center quiz," he reveals that 67% of new data centers are planned for rural areas, which often brings both high local resistance and significant tax revenue. He identifies labor shortages—particularly for electricians—and tariff uncertainties as the primary barriers to U.S. data center construction. Constable notes that within five miles of an operational data center, a significant portion of the U.S. population now resides. (8)Mary Kissel analyzes the "stuck" state of global diplomacy, arguing that China and Russia are actively judging the strength of U.S. deterrence in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine. She disputes the idea that China is a neutral bystander, noting that Beijing benefits from Russian energy, Iranian markets, and the depletion of U.S. military assets like Patriotmissiles. Kissel asserts that the "merging" of the wars in Ukraine and Iran actually happened years ago through long-standing regime cooperation. She warns that a "halfway house" deal with Iran would only grant the regime more leverage and threaten European population centers with ballistic missiles. NATO must recognize a "condominium of countries"—China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea—that are aligning against Western security. Kissel emphasizes that these regimes' interference in U.S. domestic politics is a strategic tool used to promote their own ends. (9)Colonel Grant Newsham challenges the assumption of inevitable Chinese dominance, labeling it a "fake it till you make it" strategy intended to intimidate foreigners. He points out that China's property market is a "crater" and its currency is not freely convertible, forcing the CCP to aggressively export overcapacity to earn the dollars needed for raw materials. Newsham highlights that over 600 million Chinese citizens live on less than $5 a day, and even the CCP elite, including Xi Jinping, keep wealth overseas as a hedge against the system's future. He argues that China's high-tech focus on AI and robotics does not solve its massive youth unemployment. Newsham concludes that China is a "big power but not a great one," functioning as a "rigged casino" without property rights or the rule of law, which is increasingly deterring foreign direct investment. (10)

In this edition of Arsene Trendger, Miles and special guest co-host superproducer Justin Connor discuss Space X progressing from crashing on Earth to crashing on the Moon, military GPS jammers crashing real planes, the Michigan primary results, EA Games getting captured by Trump and the Saudis and much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

0:00: LIV gets the help it needs, but questions remain 07:00: How can LIV survive if Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm aren't along for the ride? 13:30: Brooks Koepka's strange season could come to an end this week 19:00: New star Jackson Koivun finds himself as this week's bubble boy Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Headlines:Two more Iranian nationals have been executed by the regime for allegedly spying on behalf of Israel.Reports are swirling in the region that the Saudis may need to go back to military operations against the Houthis in Yemen. If the Strait of Hormuz doesn't open, the Brits could experience a serious recession in 2027.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Bradley Bowman, senior director of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP).Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Trump's approval with independents just hit 24%. Republicans are going home to their districts and getting an earful about an unauthorized, unconstitutional, and wildly unpopular war with Iran that is now pulling in the Saudis, the Egyptians, and Iranian proxies from Iraq to Yemen. Paul Rieckhoff calls it what it is — a sucking chest wound — and lays out why Senate Republicans are finally breaking, why Lindsey Graham comparing Trump and Netanyahu to Roosevelt and Churchill isn't landing, and why supporting the troops means demanding a coherent plan, not a blank check for one man's war. From there, the episode moves to John Cornyn refusing to be rolled on Trump's weaponization slush fund, Todd Blanche's Epstein problem and his condescending meeting with survivors, and the acting-AG limbo that could stretch into September. And it closes with a tribute to Coach Yeoman Wilder — the New York youth baseball legend who stood up to ICE agents at his practice, protected his players, and reminded a country full of capitulating law firms and universities what actual patriotism looks like. Righteous anger, patriotic hope, and a call to meet the moment. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we're doing to change that. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Mideast expert Ksenia Svetlova joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. US President Donald Trump said late Saturday that he had called off a major attack on Iran after being assured by Tehran and other Middle East countries that a framework for a deal to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz and “end the Iran nuclear threat” had been reached. Ahead of that announcement, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone call with Trump in which he stressed the importance of talks and of preventing the conflict with Iran from widening. Today, Svetlova delves into Saudi Arabia: What are its concerns during this current conflict with Iran, even as it must deal with the Houthis and their threats to block the Red Sea. She proposes that, despite assurances from Trump, the chances of normalization between the Jewish state and the Saudi kingdom are increasingly slim. In the wake of the drone strike on a US-owned gas storage tanker at Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta, Svetlova assesses the willingness of Egypt to join the fray against Iran. We take a look at the newly announced deal that would see Hamas eventually lay down its arms. How is it being received by the Arab world? And finally, Svetlova speaks about senior Palestinian figure Mohammad Dahlan, who has stepped into the spotlight for helping broker the Hamas disarmament. Who is he and will we soon be hearing more about him in future leadership roles? Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Trump says he and Israel have called off Iran attack after being assured deal is imminent Saudis said to gear up for ground invasion against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen Drone strikes US-owned gas tanker in Egyptian port, in possible expansion of Mideast war Exiled Palestinian leader says Kushner told him Israel would halt Gaza strikes; deletes post Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht edited this episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

July 31, 2026 - 6am: Joe criticizes Trump's 'socialism' after Commerce Dept. takes equity stakes in 7 private companies Trump suggests pulling Blanche nomination amid GOP standoff The U.S. economy slowed in the second quarter amid continued concern over inflation Saudis form military coalition to deter Red Sea attacks MS NOW: Trump claims agreement reached for Hamas disarmament Iran war expands to Saudi Arabia, Egypt as strikes resume Major hurdles remain in Gaza ceasefire plan Jay Clayton still hasn't taken office as DNI NFL Training Camp round-up To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comMegan is an old friend, a journalist, and an OG blogger — starting way back in 2001. We were bloggers at The Atlantic together, and she went on to write for Newsweek, The Daily Beast, and Bloomberg View. She's now a WaPo columnist, a contributing writer at The Dispatch, and a co-host of the podcasts “Reasonably Optimistic” and “Central Air.” She's also the author of The Up Side of Down: Why Failing Well Is the Key to Success.For two clips of the episode — on the appeal of socialism to those under 30, and the secrecy of ailing politicians — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: growing up on the UWS; her prof dad meeting her mom while she TA'd for him; Frank Gannett in her family; peaking at 6'2'' in 7th grade; an eating disorder to try to counter her height; the heightism of women on dating apps; the coziness of elites in DC; Fauci worship by the Dems; his coziness with Jake Tapper and Hollywood celebs; his diary; Fauci's lie over masks; masks at the Floyd protests; vaccine mandates; lab leak; Mitch McConnell MIA; Rep. Granger in memory care; Rep. Kean's depression; Biden's infirmity; age limits on the presidency; FDR's overreach; post-Nixon reforms; the constitutional crisis over the Iran War; dwindling Tomahawks; Lindsey Graham's closeness with Bibi; 9/11 and Islamofascism; nuclear proliferation and the Saudis; whether Vance or Rubio would make a better successor to Trump; Rubio's designs on Cuba; Vance's populism and lecturing the Pope; presentism; Jon Ossoff; Rahm Emanuel; the Stonewall myth; misusing rape stats and the UVA hoax; critical theory; the DSA, and its over-educated, downwardly mobile youth.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Ross Barkan on the DSA and Mamdani, John O'Sullivan on conservatism, Emily Eakin on postmodernism, Arianna Huffington on AI, and Azam Ahmed on terrifying new drugs. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

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//The Wire//2100Z July 30, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: UNITED STATES CONDUCTS RETALIATORY STRIKES WITHIN IRAN. CYCLOSPORA OUTBREAK CONTINUES IN UNITED STATES. MIGRATION WAVE HITS SPAIN AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING RESULTS IN BORDER CROSSING BREACH.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Middle East: American strikes on Iran continued overnight, with most of the targets being struck in the same coastal regions of Iran that have been targeted since the ceasefire was broken. Iran has claimed to have struck several aircraft on the ground at Muwaffaq al Salti in Jordan, along with other targets around the region which will take some time to verify.On the American side, one new series of targets struck by the United States was reported in the border town of Abadan, which is geographically located right on the Iraqi border, a short distance from Bubiyan Island where American HIMARs launchers have been observed conducting ATACMS strikes within Iran.Spain: An emergency situation has been declared after thousands of migrants swarmed the small enclave of Ceuta on the south side of the Strait of Gibraltar. Several thousand migrants breached the border perimeter that separates the Spanish peninsular city of Ceuta, from mainland Morocco. After it became clear to the crowds that there were very few border guards, the fencing was breached by land, and small boats launched by sea to land on the beaches, circumventing the fencing.Immediately after the migrant waves arrived this morning, the city has been in a state of sheer bedlam. Riots have been reported throughout the peninsula and property owners have reported being swarmed with break ins, as the border itself has completely collapsed.Analyst Comment: The reason for the fray is due to a recent court ruling which has intensified illegal immigration efforts. This week, Spain's Supreme Court re-affirmed that their borders are open, and that migrants who are apprehended trying to cross over to this peninsula cannot be deported. Last month, Spain's amnesty program officially closed, but because it's very hard to prove an entry date for someone who crossed the border illegally, the boats are being launched like never before, which resulted in today's intensification once the fence was breached.-HomeFront-USA: Around the nation the outbreak of cyclospora has continued to remain a concern as the exact point of origin for the parasite remains largely unknown. Over the past few weeks, the infection has continued to spread around the nation, and now a total of 45x states are reporting citizens falling ill. The largest outbreak cluster remains in Michigan and Ohio, and most of the other states affected are located in the midwest, the northeast, and southeastern regions of the nation.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The war in the Middle East has reached a level of complexity that makes direct strikes and targeting efforts way more impactful than they otherwise would be. A few days ago, the Saudis struck targets in northern Iraq, targeting Iran-aligned militia groups. It was partially this action which resulted in Iran striking back at Saudi Arabia yesterday. The groups that were targeted by the Saudis, were allegedly smaller sub-groups within the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which had not formally joined with the Iraqi government. For context, the PMF are an infamous collection of militia units and tribes, which align with Iran along religious lines in addition to sharing the geography along the Iranian border.In recent years, the PMF has been rolled into the Iraqi government, to serve as the official militia/homeguard for the nation. This results in a complex web of loyalties and relationships, as making the PMF a part of the official uniformed Iraqi military service makes them harder to strike due to the diplomatic situation. This is probably why the Saudis attacked when they didn't necessarily need to. They found a way to strike PMF factions that would probably result in a fracturing within the region, but also not really result in a retaliatory attack from the Iraqi government. Or at least, that was the gamble on the part of the Saudis. The fact that the PMF sporadically launch drones at the Saudis helped justify this targeting effort last weekend. However in effect, what this has done, has brought Iran and Iraq closer together...at least in terms of hating the Saudis. The problem is that the Saudis (much like others in the region) have a habit of kicking a hornets nest, then handing that nest to the United States to deal with. When the Saudis hit the PMF in Iraq, the militia groups in Iraq will probably take this as an opportunity to increase attacks on the American base in Erbil (as they have for years), and the Iraqi government might not be so inclined to reign them in...because the Americans are not reigning in the Saudis. In short, things are sliding sideways, and because it's complicated and can't be compressed into a quick soundbite for decision makers to consume, the danger is very likely going unnoticed.Even though it is complicated, this is a comparatively easy example of how escalations can take place not just vertically, but also horizontally. Vertical escalations take the form of increasingly more severe tit-for-tat airstrikes, but horizontal escalations are far less intense, while spreading out around the world. This has resulted in the situation sleepwalking into serious territory, which has largely gone unnoticed because it hasn't been flashy enough for headlines. The Saudis are striking the Iraqis, the Houthis are hitting the Saudis, somebody is striking the Egyptians, the Israelis have slipped back into the shadows, the Iranians are hitting the Jordanians and Americans, and the United States is perplexingly bombing coastal targets and bridges within Iran...which are rather forebodingly only used during the wintertime wet season. These horizontal escalations have been a mainstay of this conflict since the beginning, but right now these more indirect escalations are taking center stage as the United States and Iran slug it out with missiles, drones, and bombs, and the United States is unable to make progress for the time being.Analyst: S2A1 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269 Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//

Subscribe now to listen to the entire 17-minute episode (or preview 7 minutes). The precarious international consensus on nuclear non-proliferation is cracking. The Trump administration announced a civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia — long sought by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — which experts fear could lead to the Saudis pursuing nuclear weapons in violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The deal allows for the kingdom to enrich uranium and reprocess plutonium on its own soil. In this episode, Joe Cirincione explains the potential danger to the U.S.-led nuclear order. Recommended reading: Trump's Saudi pact could be the worst nuclear deal in history by Joe Cirincione (MS Now)

Coming up this week and next week and the week after… A massive multi-part episode. The world is shifting in unpredictable ways. The old order dies of smoke inhalation in a dumpster fire. The new one has yet to be lifted out by C-Section. Iran, it is now clear, represents the smouldering conflagration that will consume US power. As its strength is sapped, this lumbering giant will make ever-poorer decisions. Bad money will be poured after good. The Falcon F-16 cannot hear the falconer. Which way is up will become ever harder to discern. In the face of this spinning compass, our sense-making apparatus is as useless as a cavalry charge in the Ardennes. But there is one doomsday weapon that could yet unscramble our circuits. One that has only recently become known to science. The Pod to End All Pods is a three episode collaboration between Multipolarity, and our two most requested guests – Malcolm ‘Juche Respecter' Kyeyune - and Amerikanets, the anonymous Substacker who uncovered the implausibility of Trump's Venezuela Raid. We've assembled this little RAND Corporation, and told them to solve for the next twelve months — and the next ten years. The results were incendiary and interminable. They spoke for three hours — which we've decided to carve into three separate podcasts. In the first episode, this week, we're going to talk about the Air War — the debaseification thesis, as laid out by Amerikanets. The Iranians are systematically denying the US its regional airbases by killing personnel and hitting assets on the tarmac. The Reaper drones that put the fear of god into America's enemies in the 2010s are now undergoing their own holocaust in the skies over Iran. Meanwhile, American generals are struggling to understand what the target even is — in a KPI culture, they're running out of targets, and pushing towards more and more abstruse success metrics. This is a war being run without a purpose. Then, In part two, we get round to The Systemic-War Thesis. Like World War I, like the Thirty Years War, or the Napoleonic Wars, this has become a conflict that pulls in every actor within a closed system — and only stops at mutual physical exhaustion. A point only underlined by the Saudis' decision to hit Iranian targets this week. Finally, in part three, we take on Europe, America and the political fallout. Is the old world about to be dragged into this, much against their will? Given the spate of fires at EU refineries and munitions plants, are we on explosion watch? All this and more, as the July Crisis takes shape. They said it would be over by Christmas — and this show just about will be. This is The Pod To End All Pods.

The news to know for Wednesday, July 29, 2026! We'll tell you about another escalation in the Middle East, as American, Saudi, and Iranian forces all launch new strikes. Also, another surge in the immigration crackdown, with more children and their sponsors being arrested. Plus, why the Red Cross is now offering gift cards for blood donations, how artificial intelligence is being used in job interviews, and the countdown to football season that starts now.   Those stories and even more news to know in about 15 minutes!    Join us every Mon-Fri for more daily news roundups!  See sources: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/shownotes Become an INSIDER to get AD-FREE episodes here: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/insider Get The NewsWorthy MERCH here: https://thenewsworthy.dashery.com/ Sponsors: For a limited time, get 60% off your first order, plus free shipping and free treats for life, when you head to Smalls.com/NEWSWORTHY. Search Whatnot—in the App Store, download, and you can sign-up and start selling right away! To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to ad-sales@libsyn.com    

Along with the US, the Saudis have carried out missile strikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq, in a potential escalation of the Middle East conflict. One of the Iran-aligned groups, the Popular Mobilisation Forces, said at least 20 of its members were killed in the overnight attacks.Also in the programme: the number of settler attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank was the highest on record last month, according to the UN; and the health-conscious ravers swapping nightclubs for saunas.(Photo: Damage at a site belonging to Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) following joint airstrikes by the US and Saudi Arabia, in Bartella, Nineveh province, Iraq, July 29, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Khalid Al-Mousily)

Richard Lewis, Thorin, and MonteCristo dismantle the Esports World Cup's Saudi sportswashing playbook and Riot's quiet complicity in it.   LFN Premium: Q&A access, community input on the show, and bonus content from across the LFN network. Sign up at https://www.lastfreenation.com.   Huel: Limited Time Offer – Make healthy eating simple. Get Huel today with our exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with our  code LFN at https://huel.com/LFN. New Customers Only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show!   Manta Sleep: Head to https://mantasleep.com and use code LFN at checkout to unlock 10% off your purchase.   Factor: Head to https://Factormeals.com/horsemen50off and use code horsemen50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box, with new subscription only.   Hims: Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://hims.com/fourhorsemen to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.   ExpressVPN: Stop paying full-price for streaming services and only getting access to a fraction of their content. Go to https://expressvpn.com/horsemen to get up to four extra months of ExpressVPN!   Livetrade on LoL today on Polymarket: https://polymarket.com/?via=lastfreenation-eeux Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

U.S. President Donald Trump says it's "our turn" after more Iranian missiles targeted U.S. Forces. AP correspondent Lisa Dwyer reports.

Beyond the Brink podcaster Rosemary Armao and Times Union opinion writer Jay Jochnowitz got into a lively discussion with an audience in Pownal Vermont about the conduct of President Trump's wars in the Middle East. Listen in to this excerpt about covering up casualty and death numbers in the Iran conflict, making and unmaking a nuclear deal with the Saudis, and the value of the Abraham Accords.

//The Wire//2300Z July 27, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: WEEKEND SHOOTING REPORTED AT SEATTLE FESTIVAL. VEHICLE RAMMING ATTACK REPORTED IN BERLIN. STABBING ATTACK REPORTED IN PARIS. IRANIAN TARGETING CONTINUES TO STRIKE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT MIDDLE EAST, U.S. HAS NOT RESPONDED YET.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Middle East: After the intense Iranian targeting of American positions Friday evening, sporadic Iranian drone strikes have been reported throughout the region. Other than targeting American positions, Iranian drone attacks have also been observed striking Kurdish militia encampments in northeastern Iraq. On the American side, CENTCOM has not disclosed any strikes within Iran for several days.Red Sea/HOA: Nearly the entire Jazan Refinery in Saudi Arabia remains on fire following the Houthi targeting on Saturday. As of last night, fire detection satellites indicated that most of the facility has been totally destroyed and satellite imagery from yesterday indicates a very large fire at this facility is still burning and the smoke plume stretches over 50 miles to the south.Europe: This morning Iran issued a public condemnation of the Ukrainian targeting of a Russian vessel. Over the weekend a Ukrainian drone struck a Russian vessel, which resulted in the death of one crew member. This crew member happened to be an Iranian citizen, which prompted Foreign Minister Araghchi to issue a statement of outrage.Analyst Comment: It is very unlikely that the Ukrainians would have known that one random crewmember onboard a vessel was technically Iranian, but intentional or not, this incident is another step towards linking the war in Europe with the conflict in the Middle East.Germany: On Sunday, a vehicle ramming attack was reported at the Pride festival in Berlin. One assailant ramming his vehicle into a crowd in the vicinity of the Tiergarden west of the Brandenburg Gate, killing one person and wounding 29 others. After the ramming, the suspect exited the vehicle and reportedly stabbed several people with a machete, before fleeing the scene. This prompted a nationwide manhunt for the assailant that was carried out Sunday afternoon. By Sunday evening, the suspect had been located in a residential area of Spandau. Once located, the suspect allegedly tried to stab the arresting officers, which resulted in the suspect being shot and killed. The suspect was identified as Abdul Ballout, who had reportedly just been released from a juvenile detention facility.France: This morning a stabbing attack was reported in Paris, near Porte de Clichy. One assailant stabbed 3x women on the street, before being restrained by bystanders and an off-duty police officer. While being held down by responding citizens, the attacker claimed that the attack was Islamic in nature, prompting the government to classify this incident as a terror attack.-HomeFront-Washington: Yesterday a shooting was reported at the Bite of Seattle food festival at the Seattle Center. Multiple black/Middle Eastern males began shooting at each other inside a crowd at the event, which resulted in 3x people killed, and 4x others wounded.Analyst Comment: This incident was initially reported as a mass shooting, however the multiple shooters were not targeting the crowd, as this was almost certainly a gang/cultural shooting. As a result of the cultural implications, Seattle Police have not released the name of the suspect(s) they have in custody, nor have they released the photo of the suspect which remains at large.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Despite the substantial Iranian targeting over the past few days, the American response has so far been very minimal and no meaningful strikes have been conducted since Friday night within Iran. This is probably a reflection of the calm before the storm, as the United States continues to stage assets for a large scale attack sometime soon. Over the weekend, many phone calls were likely made which may have delayed whatever American targeting was planned to take place, as several Iranian/Houthi targeting efforts appear to have been more substantial than expected. The Houthi strike on the Jazan Refinery was very clearly an extremely devastating strike from the Houthis, which probably caused the Saudis pause regarding how much hurt the Houthis can bring to the table. Similarly, the heavy targeting of Erbil (and Patriot battery at this base) has likely resulted in a degradation of air defenses in this sector. How bad the damage is, is anyone's guess, but based on the scorch marks observed from space last week, it is hard to imagine this air defense site remaining operational. The Iranians have also claimed to have struck half a dozen other air defense sites throughout the region, but these can't be verified until better satellite imagery is available. Which might take time due to the deliberate censorship of imagery as mandated by the U.S. government.Over the past few weeks, anecdotal evidence from locals on the ground throughout the region has increasingly indicated fewer and fewer successful interceptions of Iranian munitions. These reports are very hard to quantify as most of the time it's a shepherd looking up and visually seeing the interceptors miss the Iranian missile, or no interceptors being launched in the first place. Obviously, these reports are about as unconfirmed as it can get, but the smoking craters that are visible on satellite imagery add a lot of credence to the general theory that, for whatever reason, interceptions are not as effective as advertised. However, as it stands the U.S. will probably respond in some way, not just because of the scale of the Iranian missile strikes, but also the fact that this targeting (and the collapse of the ceasefire) has resulted in the Strait of Hormuz remaining fully closed. What that response will be or when it will be carried out, only time will tell.Analyst: S2A1 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269 Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//

A new front opens in the Iran war as the Houthis attack the Saudis and declare a blockade of the Red Sea. Also, Trump flubs a nuclear deal with the Saudis. Does he have the leverage to push the Saudis into the Abraham Accords? Hear analysis from Riyadh, Israel and Iran.  

Is a U.S.-Saudi nuclear deal about to rewrite the rules of Middle East security?In this explosive episode, we break down Washington's controversial move to grant Saudi Arabia access to nuclear technology and what it really means for Israel's strategic advantage in the region. Is the deal the spark that triggers an unstoppable regional arms race or a risky geopolitical gamble that could backfire? Join us as we unpack the hidden dangers, key intelligence, and the monumental shifts happening behind closed doors. Don't Miss Out!

President Trump said on Thursday that a new nuclear energy deal with Saudi Arabia will require the Arab kingdom to normalize relations with Israel. That marked a turn, a day after the administration announced the signing of the agreement without mentioning that precondition. Trump said in an online post that the deal “will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Trump's condition that Saudi Arabia join the accords that would establish relations with Israel. And tick, tock, goes the end times clock.“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” Daniel 9:27 (KJB)On this episode of the Prophecy News Podcast, the stunning part of this announcement is not simply that Washington and Riyadh have negotiated a civilian nuclear partnership. It is that President Trump has now placed Israel at the hinge of the entire arrangement. The Energy Department announced a decades-long nuclear-cooperation agreement on July 22; Trump then declared that its implementation is “totally subject” to Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords and normalizing relations with Israel. Nuclear power, American technology, Saudi wealth, regional security and peace with Israel are being bound together inside one enormous geopolitical package. Saudi Arabia has always been the crown jewel of Trump's Abraham Accords. Bringing the kingdom into formal relations with Israel would transform the accords from a collection of normalization agreements into the framework for an entirely new Middle Eastern order.Psalm 83 presents Israel surrounded by enemies conspiring against its continued existence. Jeremiah 30:7 points forward to the unparalleled “time of Jacob's trouble.” Daniel 9:27 reveals a covenant that appears to provide order and security before producing betrayal, abomination and desolation. Taken together, these passages paint a sobering picture: Israel's search for peace will ultimately produce an agreement powerful enough to reorganize the region, persuasive enough to gain Israel's confidence and broad enough to include “many.” Trump may not be the man who ultimately confirms Daniel's covenant, but he is absolutely helping construct the diplomatic machinery that the coming man of sin will inherit. The names and circumstances are impossible to ignore: the Abraham Accords, Israel at the center, Saudi Arabia as the decisive partner, multiple nations being gathered, promises of peace and security, and now nuclear technology being used as leverage to seal the deal. Come with us as we take another ‘giant step' on the end times timeline!!

Two big court wins, deal with the Saudis, Mamdani has a message for Bibi, and Sofie stands for women.  Plus, the Message of the Day, on inequality in the U.S.A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: Trump attended the dignified transfer of four service members killed in Iran, then immediately posted that the US would bomb a bridge or power plant in Tehran every time Iran fires anything at a Strait of Hormuz ship — which legal experts would describe as a war crime — before heading to Georgia for a rally where he called the Iran war a "skirmish," invented a weak nickname for Jon Ossoff, and called affordability a Democratic scam, while a guy behind him spent the whole time visibly mocking him. The US also signed a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia giving it a path to enriching uranium — with weaker inspection requirements than Obama's Iran deal — which is a fascinating position for an administration that says Iran can never enrich uranium, while also considering military strikes in Mali against an al-Qaeda affiliate, while letting Saudi Arabia, which harbored the al-Qaeda operatives who planned 9/11, enrich nuclear material, make it make sense. Meanwhile, House Republicans passed a $95 billion budget bill covering the Iran war, farmer tariff bailouts, and voting law changes, plus a stock trading ban that exempts the president from the ban on stock trading — which is the entire point of a stock trading ban — with a random voter ID requirement inserted for good measure. Republicans also sent a criminal referral for Jack Smith to the DOJ for allegedly lying about reading their text messages during his Trump investigations, which is a bold move from the party currently under investigation for everything. Three election deniers endorsed by Trump won Arizona primary races for offices that will directly influence certifying the 2028 election, with OG election denier Andy Biggs winning the Republican governor's primary to face Katie Hobbs in November. And OpenAI announced that its own AI system autonomously hacked into another AI company called Hugging Face in what they called an "unprecedented cyber incident."  Resources/Articles mentioned: WaPo: Trump administration weighs military options in Mali, officials say NBC News: Trump attends dignified transfer of 4 service members killed in Iran attacks since the ceasefire ended The Guardian: Trump scoffs at ‘affordability' as he touts economic policies at Georgia rally | Donald Trump WaPo: U.S. signs nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia that gives it path to enriching fuel NYT: House Adopts $95 Billion G.O.P. Budget for Iran War AP News: House votes to limit stock trading by members of Congress, elevating a campaign issue Fox News: Jack Smith hit with criminal referral as GOP moves testimony fight toward prosecution WaPo: Arizona primary takeaways: Trump's picks prevail and a House Democrat survives AP News: OpenAI says its AI technology acted on its own in an 'unprecedented' hack of another company  Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mamdani vs Netanyahu and Why The Answer to the Extreme Right Isn't the Extreme Left. Media Blitz Pod Four young Americans are dead. The Secretary of Defense is asking Congress for more money after months of all gas, no brakes. The Saudis are quietly telling the world they don't trust Trump to neutralize Iran — so they're going to build their own bomb. And now the Washington Post reports the administration is weighing strikes on Mali, the eighth country hit since Trump returned to office. This is what a forever war looks like when nobody in Congress is willing to stop it. Paul Rieckhoff cuts through the noise from Union Square with a no-BS media blitz — MSNBC with Nicole Wallace, CNN with Erin Burnett — and lays out the human cost the White House doesn't want you to see. He calls out Mayor Mamdani's Netanyahu stunt as the extreme-left mirror of MAGA, honors Sergeant Angel Rampersat of Queens, and asks the question no anchor will: if this war is so noble, why isn't the president's own 20-year-old son in uniform? Independents are 45% of this country. The extremes running our politics are barely a quarter. It's time to act like it. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we're doing to change that. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

-House approves NDAA, tying U.S. and Israeli militaries closer -Trump strikes a deal to allow Saudis to enrich nuclear material -American kids go starving while U.S. war machines gets trillions -Working Class History: socialist brewery workers strike in S.F.

Das US-Repräsentantenhaus will das Budget für das Militär erhöhen: Plan ist, das allgemeine Verteidigungsbudget aufzustocken, aber auch konkrete Vorhaben zu finanzieren. Stimmt auch der Senat zu, wäre das eine massive Vergrösserung des Militärbudgets. Wie hängt dies mit dem Iran-Krieg zusammen? Alle Themen: (00:00) Intro und Schlagzeilen (01:01) US-Armee soll grösseres Budget erhalten (06:59) Nachrichtenübersicht (11:19) Gaza-Pläne des Friedensrats bleiben Wunschträume (18:21) Saudis setzen auf Atomprogramm (21:43) Der eigenwillige Tessiner Regierungschef Zali in Bedrängnis (27:00) Wie Roche am Abnehmmarkt mitverdienen will (31:16 Nächste Runde im Zolldisput der Schweiz mit den USA steht bevor

Trump keeps promising more bombs and bigger explosions in Iran, but the regime knows he's just trying to disguise his retreat. And the Iranians are not going to back down until the whole world can see that they beat Trump. Meanwhile, in the middle of a war that is ostensibly about stopping Iran from getting a nuke, POTUS just cut a deal with the Saudis for their own nuclear program. Plus: The failure of Republican senators to stand up to Trump may be out of fear of his voters, and are the American people or our political system more to blame for what ails the country?David Frum joins guest host Jonathan V. Last.Show notes: JVL's Triad on Trump being at war with himself JVL's Triad, "Very Low-IQ Trump Too Stoopid to Win War" David's pod episode with Jeffrey Goldberg The latest episode of "The David Frum Show" Nixon certifying JFK's election victory

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Ukraine appears to have found a new pressure point inside Russia. We examine why Kyiv is now targeting Russia's largest commercial logistics companies—and how disrupting the country's supply network could become the next phase of the drone war. Yemen's Houthis are expanding the fight. We'll explain why the group's newly announced naval blockade targeting Saudi Arabia and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could threaten global shipping and energy markets. A U.S.-brokered plan enters a critical new phase in southern Lebanon as Israeli troops begin withdrawing from parts of the country and Lebanese forces move into areas long held by Israel. In today's Back of the Brief: Hamas has chosen a new leader. We introduce you to Khalil al-Hayya and examine what his leadership could mean for the future of the terrorist organization and the conflict with Israel. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Acre Gold: Turn your pocket change into physical 24-karat gold and enter to win a limited-edition Hot Wheels gold bar at https://GetAcreGold.com/PDB Wild Alaskan Company: Get $35 off your first box of wild-caught, sustainable seafood—delivered right to your door. Go to: https://www.wildalaskan.com/PDB  Poncho Outdoors: Gear up for summer with Poncho and grab $10 off plus free shipping at https://ponchooutdoors.com/PDB  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Bordeaux was a 23-year-old in Kentucky, playing EA Sports College Football 27 for a living. Then Electronic Arts — the $50-billion mega-developer backed by the Saudis and Jared Kushner's private-equity firm — tried to extract so-called "microtransactions" from inside his beloved video game. So the furious creator put his mouth where his money is: leading the type of organic, populist revolt that has become all too uncommon in American life. Bordeaux explains to Pablo how fans won a battle... but why consumers may never win the war.• Previously on PTFO: The "Pay-to-Play" Scheme That (Almost) Ruined Video Games, with Dan Soder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Krystal and Saagar discuss 4 US troops killed, Houthis blockade Red Sea for Saudis, Mearsheimer dire economic warning. Murtaza Hussain: https://x.com/MazMHussain To become a Breaking Points Premium Member and watch/listen to the show AD FREE, uncut and 1 hour early visit: www.breakingpoints.com Merch Store: https://shop.breakingpoints.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SPONSORS: 1) AMENTARA: Go to amentara.com/go/julian and use Code: JDP22 for 22% off your first purchase. 2) MOOD: Get 20% off your first order of federally legal cannabis gummies, flower, and more at https://mood.com with promo code JULIAN. 3) DOSE: Head to dosedaily.co/JULIAN or enter JULIAN to get 35% off your first subscription. JOIN PATREON FOR EARLY UNCENSORED EPISODE RELEASES: https://www.patreon.com/JulianDorey CLIPPERS DISCORD: https://discord.gg/8QmWEKJ3BT (***TIMESTAMPS in Description Below) ~ Joe Kent is an American politician, former United States Army warrant officer, and former Central Intelligence Agency paramilitary officer who served as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center from 2025 to 2026. JOE's LINKS - X: https://x.com/joekent16jan19 - IG: https://www.instagram.com/joekent16jan19/?hl=en - BOOK: https://shorturl.at/PS195 FOLLOW JULIAN DOREY INSTAGRAM (Podcast): https://www.instagram.com/juliandoreypodcast/ INSTAGRAM (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/julianddorey/ X: https://twitter.com/julianddorey JULIAN YT CHANNELS - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Clips YT: https://www.youtube.com/@juliandoreyclips - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Daily YT: https://www.youtube.com/@JulianDoreyDaily - SUBSCRIBE to Best of JDP: https://www.youtube.com/@bestofJDP ****TIMESTAMPS**** 0:00 - Resignation Over Israel 10:41 - Fatherhood, Grief & Trump 22:22 - Trump, Iran & Tulsi Gabbard 31:35 - Midnight Hammer & Netanyahu's Influence 44:06 - Venezuela & Israel's Secret Plan 58:35 - Petrodollar & Intelligence Atrophy 1:04:31 - Foreign Money Buying American Policy 1:15:00 - Petrodollar, Sanctions & Trump MOU 1:25:35 - Hot War & Restraining Israel 1:34:50 - Butler Assassination & FBI Failures 1:44:30 - Ayatollah Assassination Intent & Government Rot 1:54:35 - Mossad, CIA & JD Vance 2:04:37 - Vance, Rubio & the Dead MOU 2:14:30 - Energy Crisis & King of Jordan 2:24:35 - China, Saudis & Iran Going Nuclear 2:34:30 - Nukes, ISIS, Syria & Turkey 2:44:30 - Green Berets, Rangers & 9/11 Reality 2:54:38 - Baghdad, Saddam's Nukes & Combat Truth 3:03:56 - Mortality, Fatherhood & Iraqi Sentiment 3:14:40 - Al Qaeda & How We Created Terrorists 3:28:00 - Yemen, Combat & His Late Wife 3:40:00 - Syria, Suicide Bomber & Grief 3:44:30 - CIA Paramilitary & Africa Deployment 3:54:40 - Tulsi, JFK Files & Epstein 4:03:10 - Epstein, CIA & Ukraine War 4:11:31 - Kirk Assassination & FBI Tension 4:15:19 - Joe's Work CREDITS: - Host, Editor & Producer: Julian Dorey - COO, Producer & Editor: Alessi Allaman - https://www.youtube.com/@UCyLKzv5fKxGmVQg3cMJJzyQ - In-Studio Producer: Joey Deef Julian Dorey Podcast Episode 452 - Joe Kent Music by Artlist.io Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

//The Wire//1900Z July 14, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: WAR IN MIDDLE EAST REMAINS HOT WITH USA AND IRAN EXCHANGING HEAVY FIRE OVERNIGHT. NEW YORK TIMES JOURNALISTS ISSUED SUBPOENAS REGARDING THEIR REPORTING ON AIR FORCE ONE.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Middle East: The war continued to escalate overnight, with the attack/counterattack cycle no longer being distinguishable, as all belligerents are now attacking constantly. At least two more ships have been struck in the Strait of Hormuz since last night, and the US has continued to fly continuous sorties to strike targets within Iran. Dozens of targets were struck overnight, with CENTCOM announcing that the sorties took 5 hours to complete throughout the region. As of this morning, nearly all of the targets that have been struck have been within a few hundred yards of the Gulf, with heavy concentrations of targets being located within Bushehr, Bandar Abbas, Chabahar, and Jask, all of which are major naval bases. Most of the Gulf islands have also been struck, with Qeshm and Kish Islands being targeted heavily this afternoon.Conversely, Iran has conducted their own strikes in Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait. In Kuwait, Iranian forces have conducted counter-battery fire on American HIMARS missile launcher sites, with multiple ballistic missile strikes taking place at most of the US bases and missile launch sites all day.Analyst Comment: Over the past 24 hours, the war in the Middle East has returned to the level of fighting first observed during the height of the war back in March. How long this is planned to continue is unknown, but this is not a slight increase in targeting; the war appears to be fully back on once again.United Kingdom: This morning Counterterrorism police released more details regarding a high-profile murder case that took place last week. On Thursday, Ann Widdecombe was found murdered in her home in the town of Haytor in Devon. After her murder was discovered, local authorities immediately referred the case to counterterrorism, and one suspect has already been arrested in conjunction with this case. This suspect has been charged for the murder, and as of this morning terrorism offenses have been added to the list of charges.Analyst Comment: This case is noteworthy as most of the information so far indicates this was a political assassination, and the speed at which authorities have immediately declared this to be a terrorism incident is very, very unusual. Widdecombe was a former Member of Parliament, and in her later years was a familiar conservative political commentator known to weigh in on political issues throughout the nation. More details may or may not come to light in due time regarding the identity of the suspect, but due to the high-profile nature of this murder, this case will be in the headlines for a while.-HomeFront-Washington D.C. - Yesterday a total of five New York Times reporters have been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury, to testify regarding their reporting on the alleged security breaches onboard the new Air Force One. Last week, President Trump flew to Turkey for the NATO summit on the new airframe, but during the trip, an undisclosed security issue prompted the Secret Service to switch back to the older platform.Analyst Comment: The details of exactly what the alleged crimes are, have not been disclosed. The New York Times has a history of publishing content which could lead to security issues, but in this case nothing they wrote in their original report appears to have been classified. However, they did explicitly state that they had a source who had classified knowledge of the defenses (or rather, the alleged lack of defenses) on the new Air Force One platform, which is probably why the harsh crackdown on the New York Times. They also made the claim that the new airframe has not had enough time to install the anti-missile countermeasures of the older platform, though no detail on this was provided. Regardless, talking to journalists in any capacity about any of the protection measures used by the White House is a huge no-no, and one of the most sensitive issues that always results in a very heavy-handed response.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: As the war in the Persian Gulf rages on, concerns are growing regarding the apparent widening of the war to include the Red Sea region. The mutual targeting between the Saudis and the Houthis in Yemen has continued to some degree, though it's too soon to tell if either party is committed to turning this into a more protracted fight. If that is the chosen course of action, the situation is likely to get very serious.While the Strait of Hormuz remains a hot warzone that has restricted the flow of about 20 million barrels per day out of the region, the Saudi East-West Pipeline system has been working to reduce this deficit by pumping roughly 7 million barrels per day during most of this conflict. This has eased the burden of Hormuz being cut off, and has been one of the main factors keeping oil from reaching $200 per barrel. However, this pipeline runs from the Gulf, across the desert, before terminating in Yanbu at a major oil export terminal. This terminal....is within missile range of the Houthis. Somewhat interestingly, there are also very little air defenses in the southern regions of Saudi Arabia despite the Saudis fighting the Houthis for a couple of decades at this point; nearly all missile defenses are on the northern coastline or in the vicinity of American bases. So far during this conflict, the Iranians have successfully struck the Yanbu oil terminal using extremely long-range (and slow-flying) drones. The Houthis have a much higher chance of success in threatening Yanbu, and if they are able to strike this facility, the global oil crisis will go from worse to worst.Analyst: S2A1 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269 Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//

Scott brings Kyle Anzalone on the show to run through where things stand with the fighting in Lebanon, the talks between the US and Iran, the flare-up between the Houthis and the Saudis, the unending suffering of the people of Gaza and more. Discussed on the show: The Libertarian Institute Substack Kyle Anzalone is news editor of the Libertarian Institute, opinion editor of Antiwar.com, co-host of Conflicts of Interest and host of The Kyle Anzalone Show. Follow him on Twitter @KyleAnzalone_  Sign up for the Scott Horton Academy of Foreign Policy and Freedom at scotthortonacademy.com For more on Scott's work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott's other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott's books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/43D82oY (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/4eMQblu Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/4a5fKvx Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tax Attorney Matt Sercely https://agoristtaxadvice.com; Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com; Expat Money https://expatmoney.com/scott; and Crowdhealth https://www.joincrowdhealth.com/ (use promocode Horton) You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices