Podcasts about sectarian

Tim Franks speaks to a British-Syrian Alawite who came under attack, along with her family, during the sectarian violence on Syria's coast in March.The Alawite sect is an offshoot of Shia Islam and its followers make up around 10 per cent of Syria's population, which is majority Sunni.The recent violence came after fighters loyal to the country's overthrown former president, Bashar al-Assad, who is an Alawite himself, led deadly raids on the new government's security forces.Those attacks resurrected deep-seated anger over Assad's repressive dictatorship, with Alawite civilians seen by some as complicit in the crimes of his regime - and as part of the insurgency that followed his fall.The new Sunni Islamist-led government had called for support from various military units and militia groups to respond to the attacks on its security forces – which then escalated into a wave of sectarian anger aimed at Alawite civilians.Human rights groups estimate that around 900 civilians, mainly Alawites, were killed by pro-government forces across Syria's coastal region in early March.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Tim Franks Producer: Ben Cooper Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Last week's announcement by President Donald Trump on lifting US sanctions on Syria seemed to have a refreshing effect for a country that has been reeling from political divisions and economic turmoil. This week, the European Union followed, lifting all economic restrictions in a major diplomatic shift aimed at supporting Syria's reconstruction and fragile peace. The news has been accompanied by more breakthroughs: the World Bank cleared Syria's $15.5 million debt, paid off by Saudi Arabia and Qatar. On the ground, the interim government led by President Ahmed Al Shara, a former HTS leader, is scrambling to unify rebel factions, “eradicate” remnants of ISIS, and bring the country under one flag. The challenges are far from over. Sectarian violence continues to plague minority communities, some Kurdish groups are demanding autonomy, and Israeli airstrikes persist along the southern border. Al Shara, once designated a terrorist by the West, is now lobbying for international legitimacy. So what does the lifting of sanctions really mean? And can Syria be unified? In this week's Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher looks at the significance of the US and European decisions and the challenges faced by the Syrian leader in his efforts to unite the country.

The New Arab Voice is back!This week we look at the recent sectarian violence that engulfed the Syrian coast and targeted the country's Alawite community and the violence that hit in the south, which targeted the country's Druze community. We examine the causes of the violence, the response by the state, where the state's response went wrong, and what it means for the future of this new Syria. Joining us to guide us through the violence on the coast, we speak with Dr. Rahaf Aldoughli (@r_aldoughli), a Lecturer in Middle East and North African studies at Lancaster University (@LancasterUni), and Senior Editor for the Middle East Section at Cogent Social Sciences.And to explain what happened in the south, we speak with Dr. Nanar Hawach (@NanarHawach), Senior Analyst for Syria at International Crisis Groups (@CrisisGroup).All five episodes of our special series Sanaa's Odyssey are out now, you can listen to them via The New Arab, or search for 'Sanaa's Odyssey', wherever you get your podcasts.This podcast is written and produced by Hugo Goodridge (@hugogoodridge).Theme music by Omar al-Fil with additional music from Audio Network.To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TNAPodcasts or email podcast@newarab.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News Headlines II HereHumanitarian vessel CONSCIENCE attacked by drones in international waters near Malta; Israel's security cabinet approves Gaza annexation; Israel escalates violence in Gaza, killing over 63, many children.Israel's "Operation Iron Wall" forces mass displacement in the West Bank; 2,970 ceasefire violations in Lebanon, 148 killed.Sectarian violence in Suwayda continues; Israel's controversial "humanitarian aid" mission in Syria raises tensions.75 pro-Palestine protesters arrested at Columbia University; Trump threatens to withhold federal funding over criticism of Israel.Burkina Faso sees support for leader Ibrahim Traoré after thwarted coup and rising tide from the Global SouthVenezuela suffers $226B loss from US sanctions; Sudan's genocide case against UAE dismissed by ICJ.Romania's far-right leader George Simion rises to prominence; 80th Anniversary of the Red Army defeating Nazism and discussion about history and memory.Election Reflections; Albanese faces backlash over controversial diplomatic ties with Indonesian General Prabowo and outro Sudisman Poem.  Song - Shabjdeed - 7ASAD (Prod. Al Nather) [Live in Berlin]Voices 4 Palestine II HereJosh Lees From Palestine Action Group and Effie Prom from Muslim Votes Matters at the Sydney Rally 2 Weeks ago.Song - A-WA - Hana Mash Hu Al YamanBirrugan Interview Stephen Gapps II HereFriend of the show Birrugan Dunn-Velasco interviews renowned historian Stephen Gapps about the contested history of what's known as the "frontier wars". Full interview found when clicking the "here" link.This is Week that was II HereComrade Kevin provides us with an update on the week that was.Claire and Hank from Save Public Collective II HereClaire And Hank from Save Public Collective stop in and ring in to update us on the current situation in the public housing. Pushing against mainstream narratives and giving a real human perspective.  Song - Living Colour - Open Letter to a Landlord

Kristy Asseily joins The Beirut Banyan to discuss her candidacy for Beirut's 2025 municipal elections. Our discussion covers her recent return to Lebanon and passion for grassroots politics, Beirut Madinati's efforts in retrospect, and the short and long-term platform the list is advocating. We also talk about voter engagement, communal concerns, municipal relations with the Muhafez, digitization efforts, learning from NGOs and why the municipality matters. Kristy Asseily is a member of the National Bloc. The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations. Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our YouTube channel and your preferred audio platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:32 Professional background 3:13 Return to Lebanon 5:30 Municipal vs national politics 6:38 Decision to join National Bloc 8:26 Beirut Madinati in retrospect 13:23 Coalition disadvantage 15:03 Voter engagement 17:21 Sectarian concerns vs numbers 20:03 Striking names 23:22 Platform & financial audit 27:14 Starting small 30:45 Relations with the Muhafez 35:13 Collecting taxes 37:42 Digitization 40:59 Ghost projects 42:21 Accusations & false assumptions 44:17 Mobile app 47:53 Citizen forums 49:05 Bygone urban planning 53:17 Learning from NGOs 54:14 Reinvigorating the port 58:13 Vacancies & rent rates 1:01:26 Commute & accessibility 1:02:40 Political void & communal votes 1:08:15 Why the Municipality matters

Started off with the worrisome uptick in sectarian violence in Syria, and then gave an update on the so-called cartel crematorium in Mexico. Plus elections in Australia, Canada, and Singapore, Spain searches for answers in massive power outage, more info comes out about Army Blackhawk air disaster in DC, and a former CHP captain drunkenly sexually assaults male flight attendants before pulling out genitals. Music: Fisher/“Just Feels Tight”

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says an Israeli strike close to the Presidential Palace in Damascus is a message to Syria's government not to threaten the Druze community. The new Syrian government says any breach of the country's sovereignty is unacceptable -- but Mr Netanyahu insisted that Israel would "not allow" Syrian forces to deploy south of the capital. Sectarian clashes in Syria this week killed dozens of people. Also in the programme: First Canada, now Australia - how the Trump factor is shaping tomorrow's election; and a surprise at the polls for Britain's governing Labour Party. (Photo: Syrian security forces check vehicles at the entrance of Druze town of Sahnaya, Syria, May 1, 2025. Reuters/Yamam Al Shaar)

Your daily news in under three minutes. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes! Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

AP correspondent Laurence Brooks reports on Israeli aistrikes near the presidential palace in Damascus.

Makram Rabah, an assistant professor at the American University in Beirut, says that Syria's interim president lacks the power to control his own army and that Washington needs to engage with Syria's new government to help defuse sectarian violence and for peace to prevail in the war-ravaged country.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: We begin with Vladimir Putin's surprise announcement of a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine. The Kremlin says it's a humanitarian gesture—but we'll break down what's really behind the timing. Then, we turn to Syria, where sectarian clashes near Damascus have left 13 people dead. We'll examine the growing instability and what triggered the violence. Plus, a widespread blackout across Europe is being blamed on solar plant failures. We'll look at what happened—and what it reveals about vulnerabilities in the continent's energy grid. And in today's Back of the Brief: A $60 million U.S. Navy fighter jet falls overboard from an aircraft carrier. We'll tell you what went wrong. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief TriTails Premium Beef: Visit https://TryBeef.com/PDB for 2 free Flat Iron steaks with your first box over $250. Plus, for a limited time enjoy 5% off on almost everything site-wide excluding subscriptions and B-stock. Birch Gold: Text PDB to 989898 and get your free info kit on gold Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ABRAHAM ACCORDS, TWO-STATE PARADIGM, AND U.S.-IRAN NUCLEAR TALKSHEADLINE 1: The Navy lost a $60 million fighter jet because of a Houthi missile attack.HEADLINE 2: An Israeli district court sentenced an Israeli citizen to 10 years in prison for treason.HEADLINE 3: Sectarian clashes broke out near Damascus in what people are still calling the new Syria.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Recently, we've been asking the question How To Practice Tantra Safely and we proposed that the historical progression of ideas in Shaivism presents a kind of graded syllabus where the traditions that come earlier (like the Vedas and the Shaiva Siddhanta etc.) act as firm foundations for the traditions that emerge later, like the transgressive, non-dual Goddess-oriented traditions (Kaula etc.). Abhinava Gupta presents us with a kind of hierarchy for the various schools in Tantrāloka 29.51:1. Veda (Smārta and Śrauta)2. Vaishnava Tantra (Pañcarātra)3. Pashupāta systems (Lakulīśan etc.)4. Siddhānta5. Vāma 6. Dakshina7. Mata8. Kula9. Kaula10. Trika (kulāt parataram trika)Of course, the fact that he distinguishes "Kula" from "Kaula" is worth noting and perhaps worth discussing in depth on another occasion. In what sense the Trika is the "highest" is also worth questioning. In a sense. the Veda and Siddhānta might be the most important since they are the most foundational and yet in another sense, the Kaula and Trika might be the "best" because they are the most refined, specialized revelations of Lord Shiva for the most advanced practitioners. In any case, the world of Tantra, both Hindu and Buddhist is full of "doxographical hierarchies" like this where other schools are accepted as true and good but only insofar as they can lead to "my" school which necessarily I will position as the greatest. We find this strategy also in the Tibetan Tantra masterpiece "Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness" by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche where the various Buddhist schools are presented in a hierarchy. This approach is called "religious inclusivism" and it is certainly better than "religious exclusivism" which says "my path alone is right and other paths are wrong!." In this video, I argue for a third approach as exemplified by Sri Ramakrishna: "all paths are equally, non-hierarchically good as many aspects of the Infinitely Varied One!" This view is called religious "pluralism" and it is to this view that our lineage belongs. As such, in this video, having carefully examined these various approaches to the many schools of Tantra, we make a case for a non-sectarian reading! We present the major 8 schools of Shaivism as follows:Pāshupata dualism (includes Nyāya and Vaishesika)The Lakulīsha PāshupataShaiva Siddhānta DualismShaiva ViśishtādvaitaViśeshādvaita (Vīra Shaivism)Nandikeśvara ShaivismRaseśvara ShaivismShaiva monism (Advaita Shaiva Vada)You'll find a complete playlist of introductory lectures on Tantra in both theory and practice here. Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday 10am PST and again Friday at 6pm PST.Use this link and I will see you there:https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrMSupport the show

For at least 14 years the US and its Western allies have been actively engaged in overthrowing Syria's Bashar al-Assad. Opponents of the "regime change" plotters warned that Syria would become another Libya, rocked with murderous sectarian violence, if they succeeded. In December Assad was finally overthrown by a former senior al-Qaeda leader, as western governments cheered. Sectarian violence commenced. Thousands of religious and ethnic minorities have been slaughtered. Geopolitical analyst Kevork Almassian joins today's Liberty Report to explain how we got to this point, who are the main players, and what we might expect. Get your tickets TODAY for the Ron Paul Institute Spring Conference: https://tinyurl.com/3t97tx8f

The past several days have seen horrifying sectarian massacres in Syria. Over 1,000 people have been killed, mostly Alawites and some Christians, in Latakia and Tartus. The perpetrators? Sectarian death squads from HTS, led by Syria's new president, Mohammed al-Jolani—formerly the leader of Al-Qaeda in Syria.Western media is whitewashing these atrocities, falsely framing them as “revenge” against pro-Assad remnants. But the truth is clear: Syria is now controlled by Salafi jihadists who openly target minorities. How did this happen? What is the reality on the ground? And why is the media complicit in covering up genocide?Veteran war correspondent Elijah Magnier joins Dispatches for a special live episode to break down the facts the media won't tell you.

In a part of Syria that had been a stronghold of deposed dictator Bashar Al-Assad, there has been a wave of violence against Alawites, the religious minority of the Assad family. Hundreds of Alawites have been killed and hundreds more have fled their homes in fear. The episode highlights the challenges the new government in Syria faces in uniting the country. But as we learn from an incident in a different Alawite community, this isn't the first episode of violence against the sect.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Militants aligned with the Sunni rulers of Damascus, HTS, have reportedly killed at least 1,000 Alawites and Christians in western Syria.5) Sectarian violence spreads in Syria; 4) Armed man shot by Secret Service outside White House; 3) Who controlled the auto-pen during Biden's term as president?; 2) RFK Jr. meets with Big Food; 1) Man trying to look like woman insults Riley Gaines by saying she looks like a man trying to look like a woman (huh?).FOLLOW US!X: @WatchSkyWatchTV | @Five_In_TenYouTube: @SkyWatchTelevision | @SimplyHIS | @FiveInTenRumble: @SkyWatchTVFacebook: @SkyWatchTV | @SimplyHIS | @EdensEssentialsInstagram: @SkyWatchTV | @SimplyHisShow | @EdensEssentialsUSATikTok: @SkyWatchTV | @SimplyHisShow | @EdensEssentialsSkyWatchTV.com | SkyWatchTVStore.com | EdensEssentials.com | WhisperingPoniesRanch.com

Emergency Sunday Episode: Hello and Welcome to Colonial Outcasts, the anti-imperialist podcasts that a lot of people are going to hate and no one is going to be happy and the pro-palestine movement will get refractured again because this is an emergency Sunday episode about Syria… probably the messiest battle space in existence with dozens of warring factions, literally every global and regional power has its fingers invested in this conflict, and there is propaganda coming from every side…

Although the sectarian labels of Sunni and Shi'a are widely used today to cover a range of identities and beliefs held by Muslims across the Islamic World, there are many foundational questions remaining over the origins of sectarian identity in Islam as well as its implications across time. The field has largely understudied theories of sectarianism and the precise applications of Sunni and Shi'a labels, including the content of their beliefs and the boundaries between them, largely remain an open debate to historians, political scientists, and others alike. This discussion covered some of the main theoretical, methodological, and thematic issues relating to the study of sectarianism, Shi'a and Sunni identities, and the challenges in understanding what these labels mean over time and in the larger field of Islamic and Middle Eastern studies. Speakers: Dr. Ahmed El Shamsy, Professor of Islamic Thought, University of Chicago Dr. Mohammad Sagha, Lecturer in the Modern Middle East, Harvard University. Moderator: Dr. Mohsen Goudarzi, Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies, Harvard Divinity School. This event took place on November 14, 2024. Full transcript: https://www.hds.harvard.edu/news/2024/11/14/exploring-sectarian-identity-islam

A ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon has been extended to mid-February. But when peace returns, what is the future of Lebanon's fractured political system? For 30 years, sectarian parties representing Sunni, Shia and Christian communities have carved up power.

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:   First, we'll begin with Israel, as Mossad agents spill the beans about how they managed to infiltrate Hezbollah's operations and convince the terror group to buy explosive-laced pagers and walkie-talkies that would ultimately cripple the once powerful terror army. Then, Syria's new de facto leader is attempting to reassure the country's ethnic and religious minorities that they will be protected under the new Islamist regime, promising an end to the sectarian violence that has long plagued the country. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the future of Syria begins to emerge, one minority group is particularly fearful about how they'll be treated. The Alawites feel like they were mistreated by now-deposed dictator Bashar al-Assad, but because he was a member of that sect, they are also unfairly tied to him in the minds of other Syrians. We go to an Alawite neighborhood of Damascus to hear their concerns.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

On November 25-26, Islamabad witnessed chaos as around 10,000 PTI supporters defied a government ban, leading to violent clashes. According to Reuters, nearly 1,000 protesters were arrested, five security personnel lost their lives, and 22 police vehicles were set ablaze. The protesters demanded the release of Imran Khan and other “political prisoners” and sought to repeal a constitutional amendment that boosts the government's power over judicial appointments in political cases. Despite Khan urging supporters to “fight to the end,” PTI called off the protests after three days, citing "government brutality." Was this a strategic retreat or symbolic messaging? Did it achieve the desired impact or fall short of Khan's vision? Meanwhile, Imran Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, has unexpectedly emerged in the spotlight. Some say her involvement in party affairs is deepening PTI's internal divisions and that Khan downplayed her role, claiming she merely conveyed his messages. But could there be more to the story? If Khan is displeased with her influence, what's driving his unease? Listen in! Also, listen to our episode on Hindus in Bangladesh here: https://podcasts.indiatoday.in...&-history/geetas-world/hindus-in-bangladesh-are-attacks-on-minorities-political-or-communal-or-both-geetas-world-ep-110-1123934-2024-11-20 Produced by Anna Priyadarshini Sound Mix by Nitin Rawat   Chapters:   1:37 — Introduction   3:56 — Demands of PTI supporters   11:37 — Amry's brutal usage of live rounds   16:30 — What did the protest achieve?   23:54 — Bushra Bibi's role   29:35 — Sectarian rife

Toby Harnden is the author of one of the best-selling and well regarded books on the IRA and the troubles, “Bandit Country”. Toby's book lifted the lid on the area where is was most dangerous to be a British soldier in during the conflict and the IRA brigade that made it that way. One of my most requested guests and an author that I've been dying to speak to, Toby and I spoke about their history, actions & legacy as well as the reasons why this small rural area was the thorn in the army's side throughout the entire conflict. We discussed the IRA's guerrilla attacks on the British Army in South Armagh, the 'Slab” Murphy family, Gaddafi & Libyan arms shipments, the anti-helicopter sub-battle within the conflict, the deployment of the SAS, the infamous 90's sniper teams and much more. PLEASE HELP OUT THE SHOW WITH A DONATION IF YOU CAN SPARE IThttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/goodlistenerpodcast00:00 Intro 16:20 Stats & Facts on The South Armagh IRA 21:45 Thomas “Slab” Murphy & the Murphy family 43:00 1970's1:03:50 Informers 1:07:50 Sectarian m*rders 1:10:00 THE SAS (1976)1:15:14 WARRENPOINT 1:28:00 Glasdrumann scrapyard counter-ambush 1:33:30 Libya and Gaddafi 1:42:05 Richard Johnson & the American connection 1:50:45 Anti-Helicopter War 2:00:00 “SNIPER AT WORK” (1990's)2:22:25 1990's actions

Started this week with dozens of kids dying in South Africa from food poisoning, and then talked about the brutal week of killings in Pakistan. Also UFC star Conor McGregor found liable for rape, Ukraine strikes Russia with U.S. and British missiles, Israel PM handed arrest warrant, Laos tourist alcohol deaths, and a celebrated German transgender police officer is arrested after picking up two guys at a Berlin sex club and inflicting “serious injuries” on them with a penis pump. Music: System of a Down & Wu-Tang Clan: “Shame”

The U.S. tells Israel to take steps to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza or face potential restrictions on military aid. The mass displacement in Lebanon war has revived sectarian tensions as Christian and Sunni communities grow uneasy over hosting displaced Shi'ite neighbours. Boeing factory workers held a large rally in Seattle to demand a better wage and pension deal even as the company announced 17,000 job cuts. And in Georgia, voters turn out in record numbers as the battleground state opens early voting for the November 5th presidential election.  Sign up for the Reuters Econ World newsletter here. Listen to the Reuters Econ World podcast here. Find the Recommended Read here. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt out of targeted advertising. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Racist and sectarian graffiti daubed on walls in Antrim, bonfire season approaches and it's essentially freshers week for MP's, as hundreds of new faces from across the UK will fill the corridors of Parliament. Presented by Holly Hamilton.

And how do you sleep well? We speak to a sleep expert

Disabled boy's great grandmothers hit out at sectarian house attack, outside Antrim. Also, Stormont announce extra money for public services and Portugal's Christiano Ronaldo finds redemption from the penalty spot as they beat Slovenia to reach the last 16 of the European Championships.

Homes in a new social housing development just outside Antrim are attacked, the search for missing British teenager Jay Slater is called off by Spanish Police and Jude Bellingham's balletic brilliance keeps England in the European Championships.

On today's #NCFNewspeak, NCF Director Peter Whittle, Senior Fellow Rafe Heydel-Mankoo and Amy Gallagher of Stand Up To Woke discuss the general election campaign so far, Nigel Farage's chances in Clacton, the rise of sectarianism in British politics and what a Labour government will really mean for the nation.

Content warning for discussion of genocide, torture, mutilation, rape, and slavery Hey, Hi, Hello, this is the History Wizard and welcome back for Day 14 of Have a Day w/ The History Wizard. Thank you to everyone who tuned in for Day 13 last week, and especially thank you to everyone who rated and/or reviewed the podcast. I hope you all learned something last week and I hope the same for this week. This week marks the 5th part of our mini series of currently ongoing genocides and humanitarian crises. Episode 2 was on Palestine, Episode 11 was on Congo, episode 12 was on Sudan, episode 13 was on Xinjiang, and today's episode will talk about the genocide of the Rohingya people of Myanmar. It's officially the end of week 2! We made it. Congratulations one and all on surviving 2 weeks worth of weeks. As a gift for you all we're going to visit the Alchemist's Table. Today;s libation is called Prohibition Sweet Tooth. It's 1.5 ounces each of Redemption Bourbon and Creme de Cacao, followed by .75 oz of Frangelico. Shake well and pour over ice. Officially the Rohingya genocide began around 2016 and continues to this day, but as we know from every other episode we've had so far, genocide's don't just pop up out of nowhere all of the sudden. There is context, there is a roadmap of hindsight that we can follow back to, if not a starting point at least a starting line. So, first, let's talk about Myanmar. There have been homonid species living on Myanmar for about 750,000 years, first in the form of Homo erectus and then Homo sapiens starting around 25,000 years ago. Then a whole lot of history happened that, while fascinating and important, isn't strictly relevant to what we're going to discuss today. Starting on January 1, 1886 Myanmar (then called Burma) was officially annexed by the British Empire under the control of the British East India Company. Burma would remain under British rule until 1948. Burma was officially declared an independent state by an act of Parliament, specifically the Burma Independence Act 1947. Burma then remained under a civilian government until 1962, at which point it was overthrown in a coup detat and Burma (which became Myanmar officially in 1989) has been under military rule since then. Between 1962 and 1974, Myanmar was ruled by a revolutionary council headed by the general. Almost all aspects of society (business, media, production) were nationalised or brought under government control under the Burmese Way to Socialism, which combined Soviet-style nationalisation and central planning. A long series of anti-government protests resulted in a popular uprising in 1988, sometimes called the 8888 Uprising. This would lead directly to the renaming of the country from Burma to Myanmar and the country's first free, multiparty elections in 30 years. So, as you can see Myanmar has had an interesting and contentious history born of a desire for a strong sense of national unity, stability, and growth. It was the instability of the civilian government, the lack of growth, the skyrocketing crime rates, and the fear of the disintegration of Burma into several smaller nations that would lead to the 1962 coup after all. When your country has such a strong, almost rabid desire for unity and strength and national identity it always goes hand in hand with a desire for a homogenous society. The Germans in World War 2 felt it. The Ottomans in World War 1 felt it. It's what nations who fear their own collapse DO. They look for the divisive elements, the ones who don't fit the majority mold and they say “Hey, these people won't fall in line. They're dividing out country, threatening it with their different religion, culture, values, etc. We can solve all of our problems, save our country if we just… get rid of them”. Myanmar is a Buddhist majority country, by an overwhelming margin. According to the 2014 Myanmar census 90% of the country's population (of about 56 million) is Buddhist. 6.3% is Christian and just over 2% is Muslim. The Rohingya people, the subjects of our episode for today and Mulsim, so let's dive back and take a look at the history of Muslim persecution in Myanmar. The first Muslim documented in Burmese history (recorded in the Glass Palace Chronicle) was Byat Wi during the reign of Mon, a Thaton king, circa 1050 AD. The two sons of Byat Wi's brother Byat Ta, known as Shwe Byin brothers, were executed as children either because of their Islamic faith, or because they refused forced labor. Throughout the premodern era various restrictions were placed on Muslim communities in Burma. The Burmese king Bayinnaung banned Islamic ritual slaughter, thereby prohibiting Muslims from consuming halal meals of goats and chicken. He also banned Eid al-Adha and Qurbani, regarding killing animals in the name of religion as a cruel custom. Burma having largely adopted Buddhism by the 12th century CE. Although, in a strange, cruel, and somewhat ironic twist King Bodawpaya from 1782–1819 arrested four prominent Burmese Muslim Imams from Myedu and killed them in Ava, the capital, after they refused to eat pork. According to the Myedu Muslim and Burma Muslim version, Bodawpaya later apologized for the killings and recognised the Imams as saints. During the "Burma for Burmese" campaign in the late 1930s, a violent demonstration took place in Surti Bazaar, a Muslim area. When the police, who were ethnically Indian (there was a lot of anti-Indian sentiment in Burma in the 1930s, and because most Indian people living in Burma were Muslim, this also affected Muslim Burmese people), tried to break up the demonstration, three monks were injured. Images of monks being injured by ethnically Indian policemen were circulated by Burmese newspapers, provoking riots. Muslim properties, including shops and houses were looted. According to official sources, 204 Muslims were killed and over 1,000 were injured. 113 mosques were damaged. Panglong, a Chinese Muslim town in British Burma, was entirely destroyed by the Japanese invaders in the Japanese invasion of Burma in World War 2. And, after the 1962 coup all Muslim troops were expelled from the Army.  And, of course, we need to talk about the 1997 Mandalay Riots. Mandalay is the second largest city in Myanmar. a mob of 1,000–1,500 Buddhist monks and others shouted anti-Muslim slogans as they targeted mosques, shop-houses, and vehicles that were in the vicinity of mosques for destruction. Looting, the burning of religious books, acts of sacrilege, and vandalizing Muslim-owned establishments were also common. At least three people were killed and around 100 monks arrested. The unrest in Mandalay allegedly began after reports of an attempted rape of a girl by Muslim men, though there's no way to know if that story is true or not. In 2001, anti-Muslim pamphlets, most notably The Fear of Losing One's Race, were widely distributed by monks. Many Muslims feel that this exacerbated the anti-Muslim feelings that had been provoked by the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan in Afghanistan. (The Buddhas are two giant statues in the Bamiyan Valley of Afghanistan that daye from about the 6th century CE, they have long been considered a holy site by Buddhists and they were destroyed by the Talbian in 2001). And that's why on 15 May 2001, anti-Muslim riots broke out in Taungoo, Pegu division, resulting in the deaths of about 200 Muslims, in the destruction of 11 mosques and the setting ablaze of over 400 houses. On 15 May, the first day of the anti-Muslim uprisings, about 20 Muslims who were praying in the Han Tha mosque were killed and some were beaten to death by the pro-junta forces. Now, something that we need to discuss before I forget to is that since 1982 the Rohingya have been denied voting rights and citizenship within Myanmar thanks to the 1982 Citizenship Law. The law created three categories of citizenship: the first category applied to ethnic Burmans and members of the Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Mon, Arakan Buddhists, Shan, and any other ethnic group present in Myanmar prior to 1823 (though they did not include Rohingya Muslims, rendering them stateless), granted them full citizenship. The second category granted partial “associate” citizenship to the children of mixed marriages where one parents fell into the first category, as well as to individuals who had lived in Myanmar for five consecutive years, or to individuals who lived in Myanmar for eight out of the ten years prior to independence. Associate citizens could earn an income, but could not serve in political office. The third category applied to the offspring of immigrants who arrived in Myanmar during the period of British colonial rule. When we look at the state of Myanmar during the 20th century we can very clearly see Levels 3 and 4 of the Pyramid of Hate. The Pyramid of Hate was created in the mid aughts and was based on the Alport Scale of Prejudice created by psychologist Gordon Alport in the 1950s. Simply put the five levels, going from bottom to top are thoughts, words, discriminatory policy, violence towards individuals because of their membership to the group and violence against the cultural markers of the group, and finally genocide. Myanmar, very obviously has and had discriminatory policy and violence towards individuals and their cultural markers. Massacres, riots, burning Qurans and mosques all fit under level 4. But, of course, things can and did get worse. There was the 2012 Rakhine State riots. Sectarian violence erupted between the Rakhine ethnic group and the Rohingya and ended with most of the Rohingya population of Sittwe, the capital of the Rakhine State being expelled. Over the course of the riots that lasted most of June and erupted again in October a little over 160 people were killed and over 100,000 Rohingya were displaced. We are now in our time of rapid escalation of violence as the next major anti Rohingya event would occur in March of 2013. But before we talk about the 2013 riots we need to talk about the 969 Movement. The 969 is a violently Islamophobic Buddhist Nationalist organization founded and run by Ashin Wirathu. Time for a slight diversion for a fun fact: The three digits of 969 "symbolize the virtues of the Buddha, Buddhist practices and the Buddhist community". The first 9 stands for the nine special attributes of the Buddha and the 6 for the six special attributes of his Dharma, or Buddhist Teachings, and the last 9 represents the nine special attributes of Buddhist Sangha (monastic community). Those special attributes are the Three Jewels of the Buddha. Wirathu claims that he does not advocate for violence against Muslims and that all he wants is peace, and yet in a Time magazine article he had this to say: "You can be full of kindness and love, but you cannot sleep next to a mad dog", Wirathu said, referring to Muslims. "If we are weak", he said, "our land will become Muslim". The 2013 riots were particularly brutal. One incident involved several Muslim teenagers dragging a Buddhist man off of his bike and setting him on fire. As well as the deadliest incident of the riot which occurred when a Buddhist mob attacked and torched the Mingalar Zayone Islamic Boarding School. While outnumbered security forces stood by, rioters armed with machetes, metal pipes, chains, and stones killed 32 teenage students and four teachers. Now, while 2016 would be the “official” start of the genocide we would be remiss if we skipped over the 2015 refugee crisis. In 2015, hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas in Myanmar and Bangladesh fled from religious persecution and continued denial of basic rights in their home countries by means of boat travel, often through previously existing smuggling routes among the Southeast Asian waters. Many Rohingyas fled to Indonesia and Malaysia, which both adopted a stance open to acceptance of the Rohingya refugees still at sea in mid-May. And now we're at the genocide itself, though before we do that, let's take a look at that the US State Department had to say about Myanmar and Rakhine shortly before the shit hit the fan. The situation in Rakhine State is grim, in part due to a mix of long-term historical tensions between the Rakhine and Rohingya communities, socio-political conflict, socio-economic underdevelopment, and a long-standing marginalisation of both Rakhine and Rohingya by the Government of Burma. The World Bank estimates Rakhine State has the highest poverty rate in Burma (78 per cent) and is the poorest state in the country. The lack of investment by the central government has resulted in poor infrastructure and inferior social services, while lack of rule of law has led to inadequate security conditions. Members of the Rohingya community in particular reportedly face abuses by the Government of Burma, including those involving torture, unlawful arrest and detention, restricted movement, restrictions on religious practice, and discrimination in employment and access to social services. In 2012, the intercommunal conflict led to the death of nearly 200 Rohingya and the displacement of 140,000 people. Throughout 2013–2015 isolated incidents of violence against Rohingya individuals continued to take place. In 2016 a Rohingya resistance group known as Harakah al-Yaqin formed and attacked several border police posts leaving 9 officers dead and looting as many munitions as they could. In response to this the government of Myanmar immediately began cracking down on all Rohingya people as quickly and viscously as they could. In the initial operation, dozens of people were killed, and many were arrested. Casualties increased as the crackdown continued. Arbitrary arrest, extrajudicial killings, gang rapes, brutalities against civilians, and looting were carried out. Media reports stated hundreds of Rohingya people had been killed by December 2016, and many had fled Myanmar as refugees to take shelter in the nearby areas of Bangladesh. Those who fled Myanmar to escape persecution reported that women had been gang raped, men were killed, houses were torched, and young children were thrown into burning houses. Boats carrying Rohingya refugees on the Naf River were often gunned down by the Burmese military. In a report published in March 2024, the IIMM stated the military had in a "systematic and coordinated" manner "spread material designed to instil fear and hatred of the Rohingya minority". The report found military was used dozens of seemingly unrelated Facebook pages to spread hate speech against the Rohingya prior before the 2017 Rohingya genocide. This is similar in intent to the use of radio stations to spread constant anti Tutsi propaganda during the Rwandan genocide, though obviously as information technology advances methods get more sophisticated. Though I hesitate to call Facebook sophisticated.. In August 2018, a study estimated that more than 24,000 Rohingya people were killed by the Burmese military and local Buddhists since the "clearance operations" which had started on 25 August 2017. The study also estimated that over 18,000 Rohingya Muslim women and girls were raped, 116,000 Rohingyans were beaten, and 36,000 Rohingyans were thrown into fires. It was also reported that at least 6,700 to 7,000 Rohingya people including 730 children were killed in the first month alone since the crackdown started. In September 2018, the U.N. Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar released a report stating that at least 392 Rohingya villages in Rakhine State had been razed to the ground since 25 August 2017. Earlier, Human Rights Watch in December 2017 said it had found that 354 Rohingya villages in Rakhine state were burnt down and destroyed by the Myanmar military. In November 2017, both the UN officials and the Human Rights Watch reported that the Armed Forces of Myanmar had committed widespread gang rapes and other forms of sexual violence against the Rohingya Muslim women and girls for the prior three months. HRW stated that the gang rapes and sexual violence were committed as part of the military's ethnic cleansing campaign while Pramila Patten, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, said that the Rohingya women and girls were made the "systematic" target of rapes and sexual violence because of their ethnic identity and religion. In February 2018, it was reported that the Burmese military bulldozed and flattened the burnt Rohingya villages and mass graves in order to destroy the evidence of atrocities committed. These villages were inhabited by the Rohingya people before they were burnt down by the Burmese military during the 2017 crackdown. Since the 25 August incident, Myanmar blocked media access and the visits of international bodies to Rakhine State. Rakhine State has been called an information black hole. According to the Mission report of OHCHR (released on 11 October 2017 by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights), the Burmenese military began a "systematic" process of driving hundreds of thousands of Rohingya from Myanmar in early August 2017. The report noted that "prior to the incidents and crackdown of 25 August, a strategy was pursued to": Arrest and arbitrarily detain male Rohingyas between the ages of 15–40 years; Arrest and arbitrarily detain Rohingya opinion-makers, leaders and cultural and religious personalities; Initiate acts to deprive Rohingya villagers of access to food, livelihoods and other means of conducting daily activities and life; Commit repeated acts of humiliation and violence prior to, during and after 25 August, to drive out Rohingya villagers en masse through incitement to hatred, violence, and killings, including by declaring the Rohingyas as Bengalis and illegal settlers in Myanmar; Instill deep and widespread fear and trauma – physical, emotional and psychological, in the Rohingya victims via acts of brutality, namely killings, disappearances, torture, and rape and other forms of sexual violence. In addition to the massive and horrific amounts of violence that are occuring, even now, inside Myanmar there is also the refugee crisis we mentioned earlier. There are over 700,000 Rohingya people who have been displaced from their homes and are living in refugee camps in surrounding countries. Most fled to Bangladesh while others escaped to India, Thailand, Malaysia, and other parts of South and Southeast Asia. On 12 September 2018, the OHCHR Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar published its report to the United Nations Human Rights Council. Following 875 interviews with victims and eyewitnesses since 2011, it concluded that "the [Burmese] military has consistently failed to respect international human rights law and the international humanitarian law principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution." Even before the most recent incident of mass Rohingya displacement began in 2011, the report found that the restrictions on travel, birth registration, and education resulting from Rohingya statelessness violated the Rohingya people's human rights. During the mass displacement of almost 725,000 Rohingya by August 2018 to neighbouring Bangladesh, as a result of persecution by the Tatmadaw, the report recorded "gross human rights violations and abuses" such as mass rape, murder, torture, and imprisonment. It also accused the Tatmadaw of crimes against humanity, genocide, and ethnic cleansing. The mission report recommended that six Burmese generals in the Tatmadaw stand trial in an international tribune for atrocities committed against the Rohingya. Despite all this the UN refuses to do anything substantive. Instead they are still trying to cooperate with the Tatmadaw and convince them to stop committing genocide. The UN has always been a useless tool of appeasement, Western imperialism, and white supremacy that refuses to hold anyone accountable. Of course, if the UN held genocidal regimes accountable they'd have to arrest the entire permanent Security Council so, the lack of accountability isn't surprising. It's why cops don't arrest other cops. You may have noticed that the dates in this episode stop after 2018, you also might remember that Myanmar has been called an information black hole. The genocide is still ongoing, nothing has gotten better and it's probably gotten worse, but getting verifiable information out of Myanmar is all but impossible at this point. Keep Myanmar in your sight. That's it for this week folks. No new reviews, so let's get right into the outro. Have a Day! w/ The History Wizard is brought to you by me, The History Wizard. If you want to see/hear more of me you can find me on Tiktok @thehistorywizard or on Instagram @the_history_wizard. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe to Have a Day! On your pod catcher of choice. The more you do, the more people will be able to listen and learn along with you. Thank you  for sticking around until the end and, as always, Have a Day, and Free Rakhine.    

“Everything that is manifested within this cosmic world is but the energy of the Supreme Lord. As fire emanating from one place diffuses its illumination and heat all around, so the Lord, although situated in one place in the spiritual world, manifests His different energies everywhere. Indeed, the whole cosmic creation is composed of different manifestations of His energy.” (Vishnu Purana, 1.22.52)

In this interview I am once again joined by Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, a tantric priest in a centuries old Newari Buddhist family lineage and master of the religious dance tradition of Charya Nritya. Prajwal Vajracharya explores the history of Newar Buddhism, a rich form of Varjayana practiced in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. Prajwal Vajracharya recounts the history of the religion, from its periods of suppression and secrecy up to its complex modern day interactions with 1960s hippies and Tibetan Buddhist refugees. Prajwal Vajracharya details the distinctive ritual practices of Newar Buddhism, which contain cultivation practices for ten paramitas, and explains the use of sacred sounds and the alphasyllabry. Prajwal Vajracharya also reveals distinctive mudra and mantra practices, explains the many esoteric uses of the mala prayer beads, and decodes the rich deity artwork for which the region is renowned . … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep256-newar-buddhism-prajwal-ratna-vajracharya-2 Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:05 - Suppression of Newar Buddhism for 800 years 03:56 - Secret family lineages 04:52 - Distinctive ritual practices of Newar Buddhism 06:23 - 10 Paramita system 09:05 - Why perform daily ritual? 09:48 - Learning to perform ritual 11:28 - The power of ritual 13:00 - Sacred sounds and the alphasyllabary 14:54 - Decoding the symbolism of sacred deity art 16:50 - Daily practice 17:34 - History of Nepal's Buddhist textual tradition 20:08 - Buddha's birth and past life activity in Nepal 21:56 - Lost in Tibetan translation 23:14 - Guru Rinpoche activities in Nepal 24:18 - Secret practices under Gorkha rule 25:42 - Frustrations publishing about Charya dance 26:55 - Gendun Chophel 27:55 - Lack of scholarly evidence and destruction of Buddhism in Nepal 28:49 - Modern revival 29:44 - History of the Tibetan refugee community in Nepal 31:54 - Opening to the hippies in the 60s 33:17 - Lack of interest in Newar Buddhism among Tibetan lamas in Nepal 36:03 - Sectarian rivalry and racism 39:33 - How to use a mala 40:44 - Subtle anatomy and mudra 41:08 - Elemental and energetic significance of each finger 43:38 - Mudra uses the whole body 44:44 - The 3 important mudras 46:50 - Inner mudra 47:32 - The flower mudra 48:08 - Making mudra into meditation 49:32 - A gradual path 51:18 - Future mudra discussions 51:56 - A call for more research into Newar Buddhism … To find out more about Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, visit: - https://www.dancemandal.com/ 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

Also, Great Victoria Street station is closing tonight

Graham Cousins grew up protestant in East Belfast and spent his late-teen years and early 20s in the Ulster Defense Association better known as the UDA, a loyalist paramilitary group formed in the early 70s. He has since become close friends with ex-paramilitaries from the other side including my last guest, ex-b*mb-maker Packy McMahon (https://youtu.be/R5XJQrUCeMk?si=zCipaXh0uMIK6P0j)Graham speaks to us about his mindset during the early 70s, his reasons for joining up, his thoughts on the UDA's policy of targeting innocent Catholics and how he left the group. Graham shared some interesting thoughts/insights into his mentality during the UDA days, the time that RUC officers let him “steal” their weapons, his memories of Ian Paisley, thoughts on a united Ireland and much moreIf you would like to help out the show please like, subscribe and share. I plan on doing bigger things with this show including walk through of areas, documentary-type videos and more.. if you would like to help fund these efforts please consider donating on Patreon or Buy My a Coffee.Thanks a million!!https://www.buymeacoffee.com/goodlistenerpodcastTIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro6:20 RUC COLLUSION w/ UDA 10:10 Why join UDA not UVF 15:05 How were catholic families intimidated out ?16:55 How did graham feel about his UDA activities at the time?18:00 Does Graham identify as British ?21:45 Ian Paisley 27:15 How did he view the UVF ?29:10 Any respect for the IRA ?31:25 Would Graham have known the main hitmen in the UDA ? 35:45 Women in the UDA37:50 Dual membership UDA/UDR 39:35 Living in England

Sh. Yasir Qadhi gives straight forward reminder on being united and focused on making sure we have the basic fundamentals of Islam down and unite upon this good.

And what's your opinion on tipping etiquette? Simon Calder tells us his thoughts.

Harken! The four wise men/women left their summit to discuss Matt Stone and Trey Parker's South Park: "Woodland Critter Christmas"! Released in 2024, the episode stars Matt Stone, Trey Parker, Dante Alexander, and many others! Please enjoy this special holiday trip to Shaolin. Special thanks to Shane Ivers for allowing us to use the track "Tremendum" under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Harken! The four wise men/women left their summit to discuss Larry Roemer's Rudolph the Red-Noised Reindeer! Released in 1964, the episode stars Burl Ives, Larry Mann, Billie Mae Richards, Paul Soles, Stan Francis, and many others! Please enjoy this special holiday trip to Shaolin. Special thanks to Shane Ivers for allowing us to use the track "Tremendum" under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Harken! The four wise men/women left their summit to discuss Robert Zemeckis's Tales from the Crypt: And All through the House! Released in 1989, the episode stars John Kassir, Mary Ellen Trainor, Larry Drake, and many others! Please enjoy this special holiday trip to Shaolin. Special thanks to Shane Ivers for allowing us to use the track "Tremendum" under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Harken! The four wise men/women left their summit to discuss Burt Brinckerhoff's ALF's Special Christmas! Released in 1987, the episode stars Max Wright, Cleavon Little, Paul Fusco, and many others! Please enjoy this special holiday trip to Shaolin. Special thanks to Shane Ivers for allowing us to use the track "Tremendum" under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Harken! The four wise men/women left their summit to discuss John Stewart, John Blizek, and David Blyth's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: "Alpha's Magic Christmas"! Released in 1994, the episode stars Richard Steven Horvitz, a bunch of kids, and numerous flashbacks to the show's cast! Please enjoy this special holiday trip to Shaolin. Special thanks to Shane Ivers for allowing us to use the track "Tremendum" under a Creative Commons attribution license.

“Free Inquiry The first principle of democratic secular humanism is its commitment to free inquiry. We oppose any tyranny over the mind of man, any efforts by ecclesiastical, political, ideological, or social institutions to shackle free thought. In the past, such tyrannies have been directed by churches and states attempting to enforce the edicts of religious bigots. In the long struggle in the history of ideas, established institutions, both public and private, have attempted to censor inquiry, to impose orthodoxy on beliefs and values, and to excommunicate heretics and extirpate unbelievers. Today, the struggle for free inquiry has assumed new forms. Sectarian ideologies have become the new theologies that use political parties and governments in their mission to crush dissident opinion. Free inquiry entails recognition of civil liberties as integral to its pursuit, that is, a free press, freedom of communication, the right to organize opposition parties and to join voluntary associations, and freedom to cultivate and publish the fruits of scientific, philosophical, artistic, literary, moral and religious freedom. Free inquiry requires that we tolerate diversity of opinion and that we respect the right of individuals to express their beliefs, however unpopular they may be, without social or legal prohibition or fear of sanctions. Though we may tolerate contrasting points of view, this does not mean that they are immune to critical scrutiny. The guiding premise of those who believe in free inquiry is that truth is more likely to be discovered if the opportunity exists for the free exchange of opposing opinions; the process of interchange is frequently as important as the result. This applies not only to science and to everyday life, but to politics, economics, morality, and religion.” -https://secularhumanism.org/a-secular-humanist-declaration/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/antonio-myers4/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/antonio-myers4/support

A conversation with Simon Kachar - lecturer in political science at the American University of Beirut, fellow at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and author of 'Fouad Chehab and the Political Change in a Pluralistic Society'. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/ntj65MQA9tM Discussing the buildup to cross-communal power sharing and the national pact, 1958, the legacy of Fouad Chehab and a wider look at institutional building and foreign policy during the 1960s. We also talk about the 1969 Cairo Agreement's long term implications, trying to replicate 'Chehabism' under those circumstances and 80 years of independence in retrospect. Taped live at Aaliya's Books on Lebanon's Independence Day. Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 2:04 Birth pangs of this country 8:20 Sectarian model 14:18 Reflective of Lebanese society 19:36 1958 27:16 Fouad Chehab's career 45:00 The system, itself 49:02 Deuxième bureau 53:51 Relations to political families 1:00:19 Post-Fouad Chehab 1:07:34 Who we are & where we are 1:11:39 The same position 1:19:19 Religious family laws 1:21:06 Palestine 1:22:47 Successors 1:25:32 'Chehabism' 1:28:14 Alternative narrative 1:30:28 Other political figures 1:40:45 Foreign policy 1:45:37 Sarkis & Frangieh dispute 1:50:21 Political reform 1:51:57 Forming a political party

On this episode of the Order From Ashes podcast, Ali Al-Mawlawi traces the long history of anti-Shia prejudice in Iraq. That prejudice, he argues, distorts contemporary debates over whether Shia factions are undermining the state when they compete for power.   This episode of Order From Ashes is the fourth and final episode in “Shia Power,” a series about the transformation of Shia politics in Iraq, and what Iraq's experience teaches us about the role of religion in politics everywhere.    In episode 1 of “Shia Power,” Sajad Jiyad and host Thanassis Cambanis chart the powerful role of religion and the Shia clergy in the creation of a new Iraqi order after Saddam Hussein. In episode 2, Marsin Alshammary draws on her fieldwork in the seminaries of Najaf to argue that clerical authority has not diminished, despite setbacks over the last twenty years. In episode 3, Taif Alkhudary chronicles the revolutionary efforts of the Tishreen protest movement to establish an alternative to religious politics. In episode 4, the final in this series, Ali Al-Mawlawi connects some of today's sectarian rhetoric to Iraq's long history of anti-Shia prejudice.   Participants: Ali Al-Mawlawi,  Thanassis Cambanis, director, Century International   Read: Report: “Iraqi Shia Factions Are Supposedly ‘Anti-state.' But State Power Is What They Want,” by Ali Al-Mawlawi Book: Shia Power Comes of Age Project: Shia Politics

Eddie Kinner is a loyalist and ex-UVF member who grew up in Belfast in the 60/70's, a time and place where sectarian tensions simmered and would eventually explode into rioting and violence.Eddie speaks to us about his growing up, attitudes among his fellow protestants at the time, seeing riots & houses burnt out by sectarian mobs, all as a boy/young teen unaware of the bigger picture that he was a part of.He tells us the effects of a 1971 IRA b*mb in his area on his mentality as a young teen after helped to dig out dead bodies from the ruins of b*mbed out furniture shop and how his mind processed the horrific event at the time. We spoke about his joining the UVF(loyalist paramilitary group) in his mid-teens and the jobs he carried out for them including armed robberies on part-time security force members in order to steal firearms.***TIMESTAMPS***00:00 Growing up in Shankill 7:40 Marching Season 11:00 Did it feel like Eddie was part of a majority growing up? 13:10 Did Eddie feel like other British people would have considered him “British” ?15:30 Did it feel like the RUC (police) were on their side?22:30 Rioting/Catholic houses being burnt out 30:30 IRA bomb in Eddie's area (14 years old at the time)33:10 Joining the “Tartan gang” and later joining the UVF38:10 Thoughts on collusion (Mark Haddock, Dublin-Monaghan b*mbings, Robert Nairic) 50:25 UVF's internal security unit PART 2 COMING SOON (We speak about one of the most significant events in Eddie's life when he planted a b*mb at the age of 16 which k*lled an an innocent women and lead to Eddie spending years in the infamous Long Kesh, plus much more)YOUTUBE PAGE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChtciipyjckL-asTVYecsMQ

Join us again today as Vijay Prashad, Zoe Alexandra and Prasanth R discuss major developments that took place last week across the world. Stories this episode:

Over the last twenty years, award-winning Iraqi journalist Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, has watched his nation disappear time and time again. Sectarian division, ethnic division, and military intervention have torn his native Baghdad apart - leaving him feeling like a stranger in his own city. In the third episode of this series Iraq: Legacy of War, brought to you by Intelligence Squared, host Renad Mansour sits down with Ghaith Abdul-Ahad to discuss how Iraqi citizens lost their country and the disappearing sense of ‘Watan' - a word that means the nation, the state and the homeland all in one. A Stranger in Your Own City by Ghaith Abdul-Ahad is available now: https://tinyurl.com/2k6kfhh5 To listen to the whole series now please subscribe via Intelligence Squared Premium on Apple Podcasts or here: https://iq2premium.supercast.com/ for ad-free listening, bonus content, early access and much more. This series was produced by Farah Jassat and Catharine Hughes, with editing and artwork from Catharine Hughes. Music is by Alexander Nakarada. Excerpts featured in this episode are from Al Jazeera. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices