Podcasts about shia

CAPTION:  1914 BEIRUTDavid Daoud outlines the strategic dynamics of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah is currently launching pinprick probing attacks to test Israel's rules of engagement under ceasefire constraints and US pressure. Within Lebanesepolitics, the Shia community remains structured around a symbiotic relationship between the nationalist Amal movement and Hezbollah, preventing any independent Shia opposition from gaining ground. Beyond Lebanon, Hezbollah acts as the tip of the spear for Iranian expansionism, training regional proxies in rocket, tunnel, and propaganda warfare. This veteran, transnational expertise makes Hezbollah an indispensable regional asset that Iran would find impossible to replace. (10)

Caption: 1521 PERSIATONIGHT CONTENTS THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW 8-31-2026Tehran Under Siege: Sanctions, War Fatigue, and the Credibility Crisis of the UNEdmund Fitton-Brown details the bleak economic reality for citizens in Tehran living under severe economic sanctions and a low-intensity conflict. Ordinary residents are reduced to driving for ride-sharing apps like Snapp and begging for food due to skyrocketing prices of staple goods like yogurt. While the regime's elite remain insulated, sanctions have severely strained the general population without driving systemic behavior changes. Furthermore, the discussion examines the declining global credibility of the United Nations. The organization has abandoned its neutrality by focusing excessively on targeting Israel and prioritizing humanitarian relief, which frequently ends up diverted to empower oppressive regimes. (1)Demographic Doom: How the One-Child Legacy and Youth Cynicism Threaten China's FuturePiero Tozzi explores China's severe demographic crisis resulting from the legacy of the totalitarian one-child policy enacted in 1979 and officially lifted in 2015. Despite transitioning to a three-child policy, fertility rates continue to plummet due to youth disillusionment. The gender imbalance has catalyzed widespread female trafficking from neighboring countries, while a high proportion of single-child soldiers in the military creates unique domestic vulnerabilities in conflict scenarios. Young Chinese citizens are increasingly opting out of intense economic exploitation through passive resistance movements like "laying flat" and "letting it rot," directly challenging propaganda regarding national rejuvenation. (2)The Domestic Surge: AI Infrastructure, Aerospace Recovery, and US Manufacturing RenaissanceAlan Tonelson highlights the significant manufacturing revival currently taking place in the United States, driven by key sectors like aerospace and artificial intelligence infrastructure. Boeing's resolution of safety and production issues has revitalized aerospace, while a massive buildout of AI data centers has boosted demand for semiconductors, steel, and electronic equipment. Although trade tensions with Canada persist, the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement protects most trade, rendering short-term disruptions minimal. Furthermore, while widespread local protests against data centers have emerged across various states, they have not yet slowed down the overall rapid pace of construction. (3)Middle East Realignment: Iranian Devaluation, Turkish Expansion, and Mediterranean Defense PartnershipsMalcolm Hoenlein covers shifting geopolitical and economic dynamics across the Middle East. Inside Iran, severe inflation, food shortages, and medicine price hikes are suffocating the middle class, prompting harsher internal crackdowns by the regime. Meanwhile, Omani channel shipping flows have partially improved following US-led mine sweeping efforts. In Syria, Turkey is pursuing a quiet military takeover, a move contested by Israel. Additionally, Saudi Arabia is utilizing pipelines to bypass shipping threats, and Finland has joined other nations in defunding the corrupt Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA. Finally, Greece and Israel have solidified a historic $3.5 billion multi-level defense agreement. (4)Cult of Rebellion: Understanding the Resilient and Hostile Ideology of the HouthisEdmund Fitton-Brown chronicles the history, structure, and ideological motivations of the Houthi movement in Yemen. Emerging in the mid-1990s as a Zaydi revivalist cult modeled after Lebanese Hezbollah, the group adopted a highly hostile five-part slogan ("the scream") emphasizing anti-American, anti-Semitic, and anti-Israel vitriol. Over decades of conflict, they waged multiple rebellions against former dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh before forming a tactical alliance with him to seize power. Known as relentless fighters who are always up for a battle, the Houthis harbor expansive territorial ambitions in southern Saudi Arabia, aiming to control the holy sites of Mecca and Medina. (5)Tehran in Limbo: Evaluating Sanctions, Bureaucratic Alienation, and Paths to Regime ChangeJanatyn Sayeh addresses the psychological state of "no war, no peace" in Tehran a year after the September 2025 conflict. The population faces deep war fatigue, compounded by blockades and new sanctions. While sanctions alone cannot topple the regime, they successfully alienate key socio-economic groups. Specifically, lower-level administrative bureaucrats and ideologues are losing their financial incentives and faith in the regime's competence. True systemic change will not happen overnight, but dragging out the process and bringing civil unrest into urban streets could break pro-regime morale and dismantle the kleptocratic elite's hold on power. (6)Deterrence and Covert Diplomacy: Analyzing CIA Trip to Moscow and the North Korean AllianceJohn Hardie analyzes CIA Director John Ratcliffe's unexpected visit to Moscow. Speculation suggests the trip aimed to deter Russian sabotage against NATO, push for a diplomatic settlement in Ukraine, and pressure Moscow to limit support for Iran. Although Russian leader Vladimir Putin remains convinced of victory and resistant to compromises, maintaining deterrence remains critical. Simultaneously, military intelligence reports that North Korea has supplied dozens of short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine, with thousands of combat troops potentially deployed, further complicating the global security landscape. (7)A Shift in Rules: IDF's Aggressive Gaza Targeting, Tunnel Demolition, and West Bank Air PowerSamuel Ben-Ur highlights a shift in Israeli military operations. Following a ceasefire, the IDF returned to pre-agreement rules by striking an active Hamas militant at a Gaza bakery. The military has destroyed roughly half of Gaza's tunnels, with operations continuing on the Hamas-controlled side. Additionally, Israel executed a rare West Bank airstrike to eliminate Kais Betawi, a high-value financial and military operative, signaling strength ahead of upcoming elections. Finally, the discussion outlines the total exclusion of the heavily compromised UNRWA from future Gaza recovery efforts, noting that the United States and Israel will sideline the agency entirely. (8)Higher Education in Crisis: Rising Debt, STEM Brain Drain, and Political PolarizationTom Katsouleas critiques the declining public trust and degrees in American higher education despite high spending. Driven by cost, value, and inclusion issues, students face massive debts that delay major life milestones like marriage and housing. Public universities have increased tuition to compensate for shrinking state budgets, while investing in luxury facilities and high-end services. In graduate education, US research programs depend heavily on international students—primarily from China—for STEM fields. However, rising immigration hostility and aggressive geopolitical competition are reversing this brain drain, while perceived progressive bias further polarizes public trust. (9)The Strategic Vanguard: Hezbollah's Regional Reach, Ceasefire Probing, and Lebanese Shia PoliticsDavid Daoud outlines the strategic dynamics of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah is currently launching pinprick probing attacks to test Israel's rules of engagement under ceasefire constraints and US pressure. Within Lebanesepolitics, the Shia community remains structured around a symbiotic relationship between the nationalist Amal movement and Hezbollah, preventing any independent Shia opposition from gaining ground. Beyond Lebanon, Hezbollah acts as the tip of the spear for Iranian expansionism, training regional proxies in rocket, tunnel, and propaganda warfare. This veteran, transnational expertise makes Hezbollah an indispensable regional asset that Iran would find impossible to replace. (10)The Silent Drip: Structural Remedies for America's $40 Trillion Debt CrisisThomas Savidge addresses the economic implications of the United States crossing the $40 trillion national debt threshold, fueled by pandemic spending and mandatory entitlements. This massive debt competes with private capital, driving up consumer borrowing rates and depressing real wages through inflation. To halt this slow economic drip, Savidge proposes a "fiscal constitution." This includes strong constitutional amendments, Colorado-style spending caps tied to population growth and inflation, a silent-approval budget commission to enact spending cuts, and strict regulatory limits on the scope of government authority to prevent accounting tricks. (11)

On this edition of The Adult in the Room, Victoria Taft breaks down the corporate payouts, legislative censorship, and foreign-hosted extremist networks dominating the headlines: The $17 Billion Meta Shakedown (Dr. Sal Giorgiani): Victoria analyzes the multi-state settlement requiring Meta to pay up to $17 billion over ten years. Men's health expert and former APHA chair Dr. Sal Giorgiani joins the show to examine the physiological and neurological damage caused by social media algorithms. Dr. Giorgiani breaks down dopamine hijacking, male body-image dysmorphia, and why state general funds pocket billions while injured teens and families receive zero direct compensation. Nick Shirley Schools the New York Times: Independent investigative journalist Nick Shirley goes head-to-head with a New York Times reporter in Sacramento over the "Nick Shirley Act". Victoria reviews the video showing how California lawmakers are attempting to weaponize privacy laws and prior restraint to criminalize undercover reporting on fraudulent non-profit and immigration service rings. State Dept Blacklists Global Antifa Tech Infrastructure: The U.S. State Department and Treasury issue sanctions against Italy-based Autistici/Inventati (A/I Collective). Declassified intelligence exposes how this foreign collective provided bulletproof servers, encrypted communications, and doxing portals for violent extremists—including Rose City Antifa, Jane's Revenge, Stop Cop City, and European critical infrastructure saboteurs. The Left-Islamist Revolutionary Nexus: Victoria connects the ideological dots between Western Marxist movements and radical Islamist theocracy, referencing Haviv Rettig Gur's analysis of Maoist protracted warfare, Shia redemptive martyrdom, and viral footage of a local mayor silencing dissent over Hezbollah.

Josh and Will sit down with Dr. Syed A.H. Zaidi, a scholar of Islamic philosophy, theology, and intellectual history, for a wide-ranging conversation about his personal journey from New York political operative to academic, and what that journey reveals about faith, identity, and politics in America today. Dr. Zaidi traces his path from a politically connected Pakistani-American family in New York, through years working for prominent (and often controversial) Democratic politicians, to a late-in-life pivot toward the study of Islamic philosophy and Sufism. From there, the conversation opens into a broader discussion of what Islam actually teaches, how Sunni and Shia traditions differ, the history of Islamophobia in the U.S., the influence of Saudi-funded Wahhabism on global Islam, and how Muslim Americans navigate hot-button political issues like same-sex marriage ballot measures. The episode closes with a sober reflection on the state of American political life — and a shared hope that today's polarization is a passing phase rather than a permanent condition.Guest BioDr. Syed A.H. Zaidi is a core lecturer in Islamic Studies at Butler University, where his research focuses on Islamic Neoplatonism, Shia thought, Sufism, and the relationship between philosophy and religious revelation. He earned his PhD in Islamic Civilizations from Emory University and is currently working on books examining the Brethren of Purity and the development of Hermetic thought from late antiquity through the medieval Islamic world. He also directs the Muslim Studies Endowment at Butler University.

Episode 4199 │ August 7, 2026 7,053 service members died in the War on Terror. Counting veteran suicides, the real number is over 30,000. That's the gap between noise and signal. WHAT THIS EPISODE COVERS  Scott Kesterson closes the week by separating what he calls the signal from the noise — confirming from military procurement sources that US missile interceptor stocks are genuinely critical, tracing leaked Pentagon reports on Trump's growing isolation and the increasingly bombastic, deal-making posture that led to a predictable, telegraphed strike on Iran built on a catastrophic intelligence failure about Shia martyrdom theology, and naming the deeper cost the official casualty count obscures: 7,053 confirmed War on Terror deaths against a Brown University study putting the real total near 30,000 once post-9/11 veteran suicides are counted, a population equivalent to erasing two Douglas County towns off the map. Scott then dismantles the third-party rumor mill circling Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Thomas Massie, arguing that no party, no candidate, and no political realignment fixes a nation whose people have stopped listening to the one signal that matters — the Declaration of Independence's claim that rights come from God, not government — while every competing narrative, pro-Trump or anti-Trump, pro-Israel or pro-Ukraine, is simply noise engineered to keep people reacting to manufactured wants instead of returning to that root. The episode closes with a practical charge: give someone a printed Declaration and a pocket reader instead of another gift, and rebuild the nation's operating system one gospel, one document, one conversation at a time. KEY QUESTIONS ADDRESSED  What is the real death toll from the War on Terror once post-9/11 veteran suicides are included — and why does the gap between the official 7,053 figure and the Brown University estimate of nearly 30,000 reveal something the government has a direct interest in keeping obscured? Why did the Iran decapitation strike represent, in Scott's assessment, a catastrophic intelligence failure — and what does the Ayatollah's advance preparation for martyrdom under Shia Islamic theology reveal about how predictable and preventable the outcome actually was? Why does Scott argue that a Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Thomas Massie third party would not fix anything — and what is the single signal, rooted in the Declaration of Independence's claim that rights come from God rather than government, that he says must be restored before any political solution can matter? ABOUT BARDSFM BardsFM is a daily independent podcast covering faith, liberty, history, and information warfare. Hosted by Scott Kesterson — combat veteran, documentary filmmaker, and rancher. Over 4,100 episodes and 50 million lifetime downloads. New episodes every weekday. bards.fm This episode was researched and produced under the Spatial Terra Intelligence Methodology (STIM v5) — the analytical framework built by Scott Kesterson — with AI-assisted research synthesis at a 70/30 human/AI authorship ratio, fully disclosed. All analysis, conclusions, and editorial judgments are those of Scott Kesterson. BardsFM's archive includes hundreds of episodes on prayer, scripture, and walking the Way of Christ — available free in the full episode catalog. DOWNLOADS Community Sovereignty Framework: click here AFFILIATE LINKS Bards Nation Health Store: www.bardsnationhealth.com MYPillow promo code: BARDS >> Go to https://www.mypillow.com/bards and use the promo code BARDS or... Call 1-800-975-2939.  EMPShield protect your vehicles and home. Promo code BARDS: Click here Treadlite Broadforks...best garden tool EVER. Promo code BARDS26: TreadliteBroadforks.com EnviroKlenz Air Purification, promo code BARDS to save 10%: www.enviroklenz.com Morning Intro Music Provided by Brian Kahanek: www.briankahanek.com Founders Bible 20% discount code: BARDS >>> TheFoundersBible.com Windblown Media 20% Discount with promo code BARDS: windblownmedia.com White Oak Pastures Grassfed Meats, Get $20 off any order $150 or more. Promo Code BARDS: www.whiteoakpastures.com/BARDS Mission Darkness Faraday Bags and RF Shielding. Promo code BARDS: Click here DONATIONS: If you wish to support this podcast directly you can donate here... DONATE: Click here MAILING ADDRESS: Xpedition Cafe, LLC Attn. Scott Kesterson 591 E Central Ave, #740 Sutherlin, OR  97479

It is one of the largest gatherings of people in the world. More than 20 million Shia Muslim pilgrims gathered in the Iraqi city of Karbala this week for the annual commemoration of the 7th Century killing of a central figure of their faith. Iran is mostly Shia and this year greater numbers of Iranians participated in the pilgrimage, many say because of the killing of their modern-day religious leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed by airstrikes in the early days of the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran. We go to Karbala to hear from some Iranian pilgrims.  Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show's perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

In this episode of The Ansari Podcast, we are joined by Hassan Muzzad to explore one of the most significant and misunderstood chapters in Islamic history: the origins of the Sunni–Shia divide.Together, we examine the leadership of Abu Bakr and Ali, the role of the Companions, the tragedy of Karbala, and why the Battle of the Camel may have been the defining moment that transformed political disagreement into a lasting division. Exploring both Sunni and Shia perspectives with nuance and respect, this conversation asks an enduring question: Was the Sunni–Shia split inevitable, or did history take a path that changed the Muslim world forever?JOIN OUR WEBSITE MEMBERSHIP! @ https://ansaripodcast.comThe Debt Clinic: https://www.mydebtclinic.com/ansariProvision Capital: https://www.provisioncapital.com00:00 What Caused the Sunni Shia Split?05:54 Why Ali and not Abu Bakr?11:50 Ad13:23 Why Does the Position of Khalifah Matter?19:38 Who Are the Imams?27:11 Who Are the Real Sahaba and are Reliable Sources?39:06 Isn't Abu Bakr the Family of the Prophet PBUH?45:31 Ad46:22 What Happened at the Battle of the Camel?59:09 What Happened with Hussain and Yazid?01:08:14 Who Betrayed Hussain?01:11:15 When did the Actual Sunni Shia Split Happen?01:13:55 When Did Shia Hadith Begin?01:16:42 Who are The 12 Imams?01:24:28 Why Did Allah Allow Abu Bakr to Be the Khalifa?01:33:44 Can Shia Insult the Sahaba?01:36:14 Is the Ayatollah like the Pope?01:49:38 Sunni and Shia are a Part of the Same Civilization01:53:13 Final Thoughts#shia #sunni #iran #islamichistory #muslimunityListen on All Audio Platforms: https://tr.ee/JeX-ILYSyjFollow The Ansari PodcastInstagram: https://instagram.com/ansaripodcastTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theansaripodcastTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/ansaripodcast

Today's Headlines“You first” Israel and Hamas tell each other in peace plan impasseTensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran have ancient originsChurches coordinate relief after deadly Kyushu earthquakes

Donald Trump has U-turned on a 14-day campaign of military strikes on Iran, which he claimed would have been the biggest attack since World War II in favor of restarting peace talks. Tehran insists no negotiations with the US are taking place.Meanwhile, an intelligence breach reveals Centcom is actively seeking "unconventional" ways to pressure Iran, while fresh missile attacks and radio threats near Oman continue to disrupt critical shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.On today's episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant discuss the news, the rinse-and-repeat cyclical nature of the war and why Saudi Arabia is becoming increasingly vocal and involved. Plus, new polling showing American public support for the war dropping to record lows, the Shia festival of Arbaeen in Iraq and how climate change is affecting the region.HighlightsTrump cancels ‘biggest strike since WW2' on Iran, but Tehran denies peace talks Leaked Centcom emails expose US military running out of ways to punish TehranCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Pentagon asks soldiers for ‘creative' ideas to punish Iranhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/03/pentagon-asks-soldiers-for-creative-ideas-to-punish-iran/Oil plummets as Trump calls off Iran strikeshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/08/03/oil-plummets-as-trump-calls-off-iran-strikes/Tiny militias threaten to draw Middle East into forever warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/03/iraqi-militias-threaten-draw-middle-east-into-forever-war/New Hormuz plan leaves Iran in controlhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/01/israel-poised-return-iran-war-heaviest-us-strikes/US lacks weapons to defend Israel against Iran, leaked memo warnshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/02/us-lacks-weapons-to-defend-israel-leaked-memo-warns/Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this presentation, Hashem Morvarid turns to an underexplored archive — Shia ḥadīth and devotional literature — to build a typology of mystical experience. Moving through phenomenology, metaphysics, and epistemology, he examines how texts like Nahj al-Balāgha and al-Munājāt al-Shaʿbāniyya describe heart-based perception, and what marks distinguish authentic experience from delusion.

Porta Potty Man: Found during the World Cup, a creep would not come out of a porta potty.Shia's Stalker: Shia Labeouf's Instagram stalker was confronted by Shia himself, this leads down the dark path of Jim's Schizo algorithm.James Franco Cringe: James Franco is making really cringe, bad alien videos on Tiktok and Looksmaxxers are injecting gold in their veins and drowning to death.FUCK YOU WATCH THIS!, THE BEAR!, AVAIL!, SIMPLE SONG!, JOHNNY CARSON!, WAVED OVER!, BERT KREISCHER!, NETFLIX!, SITCOM!, PORTA POTTY MAN!, FIREMEN!, PENNYWISE!, WE ALL SHIT DOWN HERE!, CUT A HOLE!, GET OUT!, PISSED OFF!, RICH!, SUCCESSFUL!, GOD IS THE GREATEST!, LIVING IN YOUR CAR!, SHIA LABEOUF!, STALKER!, INSTAGRAM!, SCHIZOS!, SCHIZO ALGO!, CRAZY!, WEIRDOS!, HIV!, TUNNELS!, BRAIN ROT!, PISS!, JAMES FRANCO!, FAKE SCHIZO!, ALIENS!, BAD ACTING!, CRINGE!, ANNOYING!, JOHN RAMBO!, RIFFING!, IMPROV!, SQUIDWARD!, ANDROGENIC!, CONNOR MURPHY!, ROB LIEFELD!, LOOKSMAXXERS!, GOLD!, INJECTING GOLD!, GAME OF THRONES!, TOLKIEN STORY!, ANIME IS OUR DOWNFALL!, NPC MILES!You can find the videos from this episode at our Discord RIGHT HERE!

Where did Shia communities in Britain actually come from, and why has their history remained largely unrecorded?In this episode of Thinking Islam, we explore the untold history of Shia Muslim settlement in Britain with Dr Jaffer Mirza. Focusing on the period 1950 to 1980, Jaffer explains why he moved away from the three dominant lenses used to study Shia Islam in Britain — sectarianism, diaspora, and institutional history — arguing that each can obscure more than it reveals. Instead, he turns to ritual as a grassroots, micro-level framework for understanding how communities were actually built.We discuss what ritual is and why it matters for migration studies, and push back on whether a micro-level approach risks ignoring the wider political and structural forces at play. The conversation moves through the idea of "translocal" Shia practice — a third space shaped by both transnational connections and local British context — and uncovers the largely unrecorded role women played in founding Shia communities across cities like Birmingham, Glasgow, and Newport, often invisible in institutional archives. We also examine how geopolitical events, from the Iranian Revolution to Saddam Hussein's Iraq, shaped Shia visibility and self-censorship in Britain, and the challenges of doing oral history with a community whose memory is contested and gendered. The episode closes on the contested idea of "British Shia Islam" and where the field needs to go next.Dr Jaffer Mirza is a researcher whose work explores the history of Shia settlement in Britain, ritual, migration, community formation, and freedom of religion or belief. Drawing on oral history and fieldwork across nine British cities, his research brings overlooked voices and everyday practices into the study of Islam in Britain.Audio Chapters:0:00 – Highlights2:16 – From Karachi to Recovering Britain's Shia History6:22 – Beyond Sectarianism, Diaspora and Institutional History13:30 – What Is a Ritual?17:35 – Why Ritual Matters in Migration21:06 – Can Micro-History Ignore Power and Politics?26:46 – From Transnational to 'Translocal' Shia Practice30:15 – Women Built Britain's Early Shia Communities37:24 – How Geopolitics Made Shia Islam Visible42:49 – Gender, Fieldwork and the Limits of Oral History57:38 – Is There a 'British Shia Islam'?1:07:49 – Building the Future of Shia Communities

While the world's attention has focused on the Strait of Hormuz and the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran, another potentially transformative front has opened in Lebanon. Israeli attacks against the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah have left more than 4,000 people dead and displaced over a million. Now, a fragile ceasefire has raised a question diplomats have struggled with for decades: Can Hezbollah actually be disarmed? On the GZERO World Podcast, Ian Bremmer speaks with Lebanese-born journalist and Middle East expert Kim Ghattas about Iran's shrinking regional influence, Israel's possible plans for a long-term buffer zone, and Lebanon's best chance in decades to reclaim control of its territory. Hezbollah remains armed, but Ghattas argues that it is substantially weaker, while the fall of Syria's Assad regime has severed a crucial link in Iran's regional network. Forcing the Lebanese Army to confront Hezbollah could trigger another civil war. Instead, Ghattas says Lebanon must gradually constrain the group, strengthen state institutions, and show Hezbollah's supporters that diplomacy can deliver more than armed resistance. That will require Israeli withdrawals, international support, and difficult negotiations over the political future of Lebanon's Shia community. “You constrain their capacity to operate. You crowd them out,” Ghattas says. “You demonstrate that diplomacy works and delivers for the Lebanese people in terms of aid, in terms of improved relations with the US.” Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While the world's attention has focused on the Strait of Hormuz and the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran, another potentially transformative front has opened in Lebanon. Israeli attacks against the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah have left more than 4,000 people dead and displaced over a million. Now, a fragile ceasefire has raised a question diplomats have struggled with for decades: Can Hezbollah actually be disarmed? On the GZERO World Podcast, Ian Bremmer speaks with Lebanese-born journalist and Middle East expert Kim Ghattas about Iran's shrinking regional influence, Israel's possible plans for a long-term buffer zone, and Lebanon's best chance in decades to reclaim control of its territory. Hezbollah remains armed, but Ghattas argues that it is substantially weaker, while the fall of Syria's Assad regime has severed a crucial link in Iran's regional network. Forcing the Lebanese Army to confront Hezbollah could trigger another civil war. Instead, Ghattas says Lebanon must gradually constrain the group, strengthen state institutions, and show Hezbollah's supporters that diplomacy can deliver more than armed resistance. That will require Israeli withdrawals, international support, and difficult negotiations over the political future of Lebanon's Shia community. “You constrain their capacity to operate. You crowd them out,” Ghattas says. “You demonstrate that diplomacy works and delivers for the Lebanese people in terms of aid, in terms of improved relations with the US.” Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Five months into the Iran campaign, the US has two carrier strike groups parked in the Arabian Sea, a blockade that may take months to bite, and a daisy chain of tankers stretching thousands of miles because there is no longer any fuel or food to buy inside the Gulf. Now the Houthis have entered the chat and declared their own blockade of the Bab el-Mandeb. Just the OG crew with Bryan Clark, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a former submarine officer, Justin Mc a former special operations officer who works on defense technology, and Tony Stark. We discuss… What Trump is doing in Iran, why the Navy is short-cycling ships out of maintenance and what happened the last time the fleet ran this hot, from McCain and Fitzgerald to the Truman's two collisions in one deployment Why a ground campaign in Iran is a fantasy, from the Marsh Arabs to the Alborz range to the Baluch salt flats, and what Shia militias in Iraq would do to the logistics tail The nuclear-powered cargo ship renaissance and why circumnavigating Africa at 30 knots suddenly pencils out Whether Congress should get an AI kill switch, why DHS is the wrong home for it, and what happens when the boy who cried wolf is finally right Ukraine's civ-mil drama Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five months into the Iran campaign, the US has two carrier strike groups parked in the Arabian Sea, a blockade that may take months to bite, and a daisy chain of tankers stretching thousands of miles because there is no longer any fuel or food to buy inside the Gulf. Now the Houthis have entered the chat and declared their own blockade of the Bab el-Mandeb. Just the OG crew with Bryan Clark, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a former submarine officer, Justin Mc a former special operations officer who works on defense technology, and Tony Stark. We discuss… What Trump is doing in Iran, why the Navy is short-cycling ships out of maintenance and what happened the last time the fleet ran this hot, from McCain and Fitzgerald to the Truman's two collisions in one deployment Why a ground campaign in Iran is a fantasy, from the Marsh Arabs to the Alborz range to the Baluch salt flats, and what Shia militias in Iraq would do to the logistics tail The nuclear-powered cargo ship renaissance and why circumnavigating Africa at 30 knots suddenly pencils out Whether Congress should get an AI kill switch, why DHS is the wrong home for it, and what happens when the boy who cried wolf is finally right Ukraine's civ-mil drama Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode is bonkers, but this time Shia isn't the problem!Ready to reach your goals? Visit forhers.com/rosepricks  to get personalized, affordable care that gets you

In this episode of the Journey of Hope Podcast, host Elio Constantine sits down with Heart for Lebanon President Camille Melki to discuss an exciting new chapter in the ministry's mission: the launch of a new H.O.P.E. Ministry Center in southern Lebanon. In the midst of war, economic collapse, and ongoing humanitarian crisis, God is opening the door for a permanent ministry presence that will serve thousands of vulnerable families with both practical care and the hope of the Gospel.Camille shares why southern Lebanon has remained central to Heart for Lebanon's ministry since its founding in 2006 and how the recent conflict has created unprecedented opportunities to reach people searching for hope. As families continue to experience displacement, loss, and uncertainty, the ministry has witnessed a growing openness to the message of Jesus Christ through compassionate humanitarian aid, Bible studies, discipleship, and worship gatherings.Listeners will gain insight into the strategic location of the future ministry center in Ghazieh, situated to serve Sunni, Shia, and Christian communities alike. Camille explains how this center will become a place for worship, discipleship, children's education, youth ministry, women's ministry, medical care, and humanitarian assistance—all while creating opportunities to introduce families to the transforming hope found in Christ.The conversation also explores the practical realities of launching a major capital project in a post-war environment, including securing permits, finalizing construction plans, and trusting God to provide the resources, workers, and protection needed for the years ahead. Camille invites listeners to join the ministry in prayer as they prepare to begin construction on what will become a lasting testimony of God's faithfulness in one of Lebanon's most strategic regions.Show NotesWhy Southern Lebanon?Heart for Lebanon's ministry began in southern Lebanon in 2006 during the Hezbollah-Israel war.The region remains one of the most strategically important areas for Gospel ministry.Years of conflict have created deep physical and spiritual needs.Families are increasingly searching for hope and truth.God continues to open doors for ministry despite difficult circumstances.The Vision for the New H.O.P.E. Ministry CenterA permanent ministry home in Ghazieh.Worship services and church gatherings.Bible studies, discipleship, Sunday school, youth, and women's ministries.Safe educational programs for vulnerable children.Medical clinic and humanitarian distribution center.A place where children can simply be children again.Meeting Physical Needs While Sharing the GospelProviding food, medical care, and essential relief.Building relationships through compassionate service.Sharing the simple message: "Jesus loves you."Seeing increasing numbers of families place their faith in Christ.Humanitarian aid opening doors for discipleship and spiritual transformation.A Ministry for Every CommunityServing Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, and Christians.Strategically located near Sidon and surrounding villages.Demonstrating Christ's love without discrimination.Creating opportunities for people from every background to hear the Gospel.Building trust through consistent compassion and care.How You Can PrayPray for safety throughout construction.Pray for wisdom as contracts are finalized and building begins.Pray for the resources and workers needed to complete the project.Pray that the center becomes a beacon of hope for generations to come.Pray that many people will encounter Jesus and grow in their faith through the ministry taking place there.Key TakeawayGod continues to build His Kingdom—even in the midst of war.The new H.O.P.E. Ministry Center in southern Lebanon represents far more than a building; it is a place where lives will be transformed, communities restored, and the Gospel proclaimed for generations to come.As construction begins, believers have the opportunity to pray, partner, and participate in what God is doing to bring lasting hope to Lebanon.Connect & Pray With Us

Muharram 1448

➡️Join Our Free Group to Help Get Married this Year: https://www.skool.com/muslimmarriageaccelerator ♥️ Want to FAST TRACK Your Search with Help from Mindful Muslimah? (Get a FREE CALL): https://mindful-muslimah.com/qualify-20-minute-call/ -------------------DISCLAIMER: When we say "SECRET OF THE SAHABA" we are not trying to refer to MYSTERY in Islam. There is nothing mysterious and we are not of SUFI or SHIA positioning, we are SUNNI. We say SECRET OF THE SAHABA only to emphasize it was important and used and lost as an importance in modern day.The 3 Secrets the Sahabiyaat Used to Find the Right Husband (We've Completely Forgotten This)For 1400 years, the women among the Sahaba were finding the RIGHT men — not through butterflies, checklists, or asking their friends. They had a system. And it's been sitting in the Quran and Sunnah this whole time.In this video, I'm pulling back the curtain on the 3 exact things the female Sahaba used to identify the right spouse — and why most of us have completely stopped using them.The 3 Secrets:

Muharram 1448

(0:00) Intro(0:02) Khutba, Surah Ma'arij ki Aayat, Tafseer Lectures aur Weekly Bayanat(1:12) Scientific Research aur Allah ki Qudrat(2:17) Reply to Hassan Ilyas(4:52) Phenkoo Scholars(8:32) Kainat Allah ke Wajood ki Daleel(9:03) Speed of Light(12:26) Galaxy aur Kainat ki Wusa'at(12:55) Sakht Dil Log(14:20) Sargodha Rape Case(15:42) Dil ki Narmi(17:21) Sakht Dil Se Panah ki Dua(19:06) Confusion Se Bachna(19:38) Ghazwa-e-Uhad Se Asbaq(24:38) Mashwary ki Ahmiyat(25:00) Hazrat Aliؓ aur Hazrat Muawiyahؓ ke Ikhtilaf Se Sabaq(26:36) Islami Ahkam Qayamat Tak(26:43) Ghulam aur Baandi ka Islami Nizam(28:42) Mashwary ki Ahmiyat(29:46) Ghazwa-e-Uhad ke Shuhada ka Darja(30:12) Mashwary ke Baad Allah Pr Bharosa(36:54) Beghairat Behnoi aur Damad ke Waqiaat(38:33) Bhikari Pan: Chhota Shirk(40:36) Mufti Rasheed Ahmed sb ki Misali Zindagi(49:16) Nuqsan ke Khauf ka Hal(51:28) Confusion Se Bachny ka Hal(53:08) Narm Dil vs Kamzor Dil(53:38) Nabi ﷺ ki Narm Dili(54:04) Sakht Dil Logon Se Ibrat(57:32) Qur'an mn Sakht Dil Logon ka Anjam(59:08) Islam Se Pehly Baitiyon ko Zinda Dafan Karna(1:01:32) Women's Rights NGOs ki Reality(1:06:18) Islam mn Aurton ke Huqooq(1:06:48) Musalman Shohr ki Fazilat(1:08:52) Sakht Dili Se Ibrat(1:12:02) Khulasa Bayan + Dua(1:12:48) Qari Sahiban aur Bachon ko Maarna(1:16:33) Adalti Khula ka Masla(1:18:03) Suaad aur Zuaad ka Hukam(1:21:58) Hazrat Umarؓ aur Hazrat Fatimahؓ ke Hawaly Se Shia Mubalgha(1:24:41) Shia aur Qadiyani mn Farq(1:25:33) Tawatur aur Qur'an(1:27:21) "What Is Islam" Lecture Course(1:34:40) Course ka Aham Mauzoo(1:35:56) Course Attend Krny ki Targheeb(1:38:52) Deen ke Liye Waqf Shakhs aur Karobar(1:40:37) Haiz Wali Aurat ka Masjid mn Aana(1:40:48) Hazrat Umarؓ ke Qatil ko Shia Hero Kiyun Manty Hain?(1:43:44) Niyaz ki Haqeeqat(1:44:18) 73 Firqon Wali Hadis(1:45:38) Imam Abu Hanifaؒ ke Dalail ka Nazriya Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Israelis and many Americans -- not to mention Gulf Arabs -- were stunned by the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Trump administration and the Iranians last month. There was much to criticize in the MOU, but one of the most egregious elements was the inclusion of Lebanon in the ceasefire deal. Although neither Israel nor the Lebanese government were signatories to a deal between Washington and Tehran, it specifically mandated a halt to Israel's campaign against Hezbollah, Iran's most powerful proxy. Then, last Friday, a reason for some hope. As a beaming US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looked on, the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to Washington signed an agreement envisioning peace between the neighbors and the staged disarming of Hezbollah by the Lebanese army. Could this be the beginning of the end for Hezbollah, the tool of Iranian control of Lebanon? Can we expect a real peace deal that would see Israelis and Lebanese moving across the border? Or is this another half-baked Trump agreement that will lead nowhere, and will allow Israel's enemies to rebuild and keep their weapons? Hanin Ghaddar, a Shiite Lebanese scholar who grew up in southern Lebanon, says that even her community is sick of Hezbollah. The turn against the organization -- which claims to represent and protect the Shia -- began a decade ago, as they sided against anti-government protestors. With the country in a deep economic crisis and political stalemate, the organization dragged the country into war on October 8, 2023, in support of Hamas. The majority of Shiites in Lebanon, said Ghaddar, are done with Hezbollah. "The resistance is dead as a solution to everything," she posited. There's no belief in the resistance anymore. Hezbollah is still there with its arms, and people relate to it because of the factor of fear, not loyalty." Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into a war in support of Iran again this year. Lebanese citizens want Israel out, but see an agreement as the way to accomplish that goal. Ghaddar offered the possibility that the notoriously ineffective Lebanese military is actually more capable than Hezbollah after the Shiite militia was severely degraded by years of war with Israel. However, to disarm Hezbollah, she said, the Lebanese army must be willing to engage in armed conflict if necessary, with the backing of the US, Europe and Saudi Arabia. She made the point that while Israel's relationships with Arab countries are with their governments, the public continues to disdain the Jewish state. In Lebanon's case, the public wants an end to the conflict with Israel, while governments have been loath to act. "Lebanese are ready," she said. "Lebanese are definitely ready for peace." Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this presentation, Dr Muhammed R. Tajri explores how Shīʿa Muslim imams, chaplains, and therapists navigate counselling clients who experience same-sex attraction. Based on interviews with fifteen practitioners, he reveals a pronounced sense of moral and professional uncertainty and highlights the need for formalised training and stronger collaboration between religious scholars and mental health professionals.

What happens when a devout Muslim encounters Jesus Christ and begins a journey that changes everything?In this powerful episode of Nephilim Death Squad, hosts David Lee Corbo (The Raven) and TopLobsta sit down in-studio with Dr. Steven Masood to discuss his incredible testimony, his background in Islam, and the road that ultimately led him to Christianity.Dr. Masood provides a firsthand perspective on Islamic theology, Sunni and Shia traditions, the Quran, Christian-Muslim dialogue, and the challenges surrounding faith, culture, and conversion. This conversation explores some of the deepest questions surrounding truth, religion, and the person of Jesus Christ.Topics include:Dr. Steven Masood's testimonyLeaving Islam and finding ChristSunni vs. Shia Islam explainedThe Quran and Christian theologyEvangelism and apologeticsChristianity vs. IslamThe role of Jesus in Islam and ChristianityFaith, culture, and worldview differencesChristian outreach to MuslimsBiblical truth and spiritual transformationIf you enjoy conversations on Christianity, apologetics, biblical truth, theology, and deep discussions about faith, be sure to subscribe and share this episode.

Ahmad Sharawi and Bill Roggio critique the proposal for Syria to contain Hezbollah. They warn that involving Syriangroups with al-Qaeda ties would trigger sectarian violence and bolster Hezbollah's legitimacy within Lebanon's Shiacommunity. (15)

Former CIA Iran ops officer Mark Fowler joins Jerry and John to explain why Iran is one of the hardest targets on earth. From running agents and sources, Fowler has insight into the Iranian worldview: a persecuted Shia minority that sees walls behind every wall, craves American attention while calling us the Great Satan, and negotiates by treating signed contracts as opening bids. He separates the educated, reform-minded Iranian people from a regime led by men forged in the trenches of the Iran-Iraq War and traces the IRGC's rise from teenage revolutionary militia to a corrupt, self-sufficient parallel army that controls Iran's missiles, ports, and economy. On the current conflict, Trump jumped in without preparation against an adversary that has spent a generation planning for exactly this. Watch Mission Implausible on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MissionImplausiblePod

What's at the top of your Facebook algorithm? Entertainment news, perhaps? If so, maybe it's because the algorithm knows you like this part of our show. If not, maybe it's because celebrities won't stop dying and that's sad.

Bradley gets us up-to-date on Shia LaBeouf's guilty plea. The blinds are full of hot gossip about a popular influencer's family drama.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shownotes After the assassination of its leader in September 2024, Hezbollah sank to its weakest point since its founding in 1982. Supporters began to doubt Hezbollah's capabilities, and detractors—inside Lebanon and abroad—planned to dismantle the group. In March of this year, Lebanon's government outlawed Hezbollah's powerful militia. Many of Hezbollah's competitors and critics declared the end of the group's military capability and political base. But Hezbollah's strength has returned. This spring, as Israel has expanded its occupation of southern Lebanon, Hezbollah has fought effectively. It's all looking very much like a comeback. Century International fellow Sima Ghaddar has closely tracked Hezbollah's constituents and power, and shares a granular look at how the group has revived, and how researchers can assess the notoriously opaque organization. Related reading Nathan Brown, “Rubble is Israel's Doctrine, Not a Case of Improvisation,” Carnegie Endowment, May 21, 2026 Sam Heller, “Trump's Lebanon Negotiations Are Breaking the Country,” Foreign Policy, May 15, 2026 Sima Ghaddar, “Doubting the Party, Revering Its Ideology: Hezbollah's Battered Constituencies Reckon with a Year of Loss.”  US Treasury, “Treasury Targets Hizballah-Aligned Officials Obstructing Peace and Disarmament,” May 21, 2026 Mohamad Bazzi, “Is This What War Looks Like Now?” Guardian, April 24, 2026 Participants SIma Ghaddar is a fellow at Century International and a sociologist whose research spans humanitarianism, the politics of international aid, political sociology, and popular mobilization in the Middle East and the Global South. She holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her dissertation, “Brokers of the Humanitarian Interface: The Politics of Aid in Lebanon's Urban Peripheries,” examines humanitarian aid, transnational NGO governance, and the intersections of patronage, clientelism, and global aid systems in Lebanon. She is also a policy researcher specializing in Middle East politics. Her policy research focuses on hybrid armed actors, regional Shia politics, and social movements in Lebanon. Thanassis Cambanis is director of Century International.  Date: Tuesday, May 25, 2026 Episode: Order from Ashes 114

A big shoutout to JOYMODE for sponsoring this week's episode! CODE: InsideOF20 for 20% off! ⁠⁠http://www.tryjoymode.com/insideof⁠⁠ On this super fun episode of Inside OnlyFans, CJ and Kayla chat with OF creators Kira & Shia about performing live at sex parties, fluffy fetishes, swordplay, the fine line between content and porn, and so much more! Full video episodes available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OnlyFans ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ FOLLOW US! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@insideonlyfans⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cjsparxx⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@kaylalaurenoffical⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @shinyykiraa @shiasnowx Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@insidefans⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Inside OnlyFans⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tiktok:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@insideofpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Inside OnlyFans ⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on GENZ/X™, JM & Braxton take us to 2007 and 1981! First, an in-depth analysis of the Michael Bay opus, Transformers with Shia and Megan Fox! Then, into the Way Back Machine for the 1981 Vietnam-related classic First Blood with Sylvester Stallone and Brian Dennehy. 006 GENZ/X™ The World’s Greatest Generational Podcast Apple […] The post 006 GENZX | God didn’t make Rambo, Megatron made him. appeared first on The LEFT Show.

This week, Roqayah and Kumars devote the hour to a news roundup and analysis of Roqayah's reporting on the reality on the ground during the latest fake ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has now extended after US-brokered negotiations with Lebanon's comprador government.  They also discuss the media fueling rising anti-Shia sectarianism, how Israel uses the bombing of Beirut as a bargaining chip in its attempt to re-occupy south Lebanon, why reports of Hezbollah's demise were greatly exaggerated, and Roqayah's "do's and don't's" for foreigners journalists in Lebanon. Don't miss Kumars's upcoming virtual roundtable on "Indigeneity and Resistance from Turtle Island to Palestine" featuring friend of the show Alex Aviña, Palestinian scholar Steven Salaita, and Kanien'kehá:ka filmmaker Clifton Nicholas! This is just a teaser for today's episode, which is available for Patreon subscribers only!   We can't do the show without your support, so help us keep the lights on over here and access tons of bonus content, including Roqayah's "Last Week in Lebanon" column, by subscribing on our Patreon for as little as $5 a month. While you're at it, we also love it when you subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts. 

1/3: Preview for Later Today: Abdul-Husain explains Iraq's sectarian power-sharing system where the Prime Minister is Shia, Speaker is Sunni, and President is Kurdish, highlighting the internal Shia primary.

7/16: Hussein Abdul-Hussein introduces Ali al-Zaydi, a political newcomer nominated for Iraqi Prime Minister by the Shia coordination framework. Al-Zaydi, a wealthy contractor, follows a pattern where "no-ones" are chosen when powerful factions cannot agree. Iraqi voters are increasingly favoring patriots over pro-Iran candidates.1920 YOKOHOMA

SCHEDULE THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 5-5-2026.1920 HONG KONG1/16: Liz Peek discusses the strong American economy, noting low unemployment and an AI-driven boom despite oil price spikes from the Iran war. While concerns about plummeted savings exist, record stock market highs and a robust labor market sustain growth. Peek also addresses political resistance to AI development.2/16: Liz Peek reflects on the successful American visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, noting the public's rehabilitated view of the royal couple. Despite past controversies, their visit reaffirmed the special relationship, and American affection for the British monarchy remains strong, reflected in high television ratings.3/16: Grant Newsham explores Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's diplomatic mission to Vietnam and Australia to counter Chinese aggression. Takaichi is shifting Japan from purely economic influence toward a professional military posture. This approach is welcomed by Southeast Asian nations facing maritime bullying from China.4/16: Rich Goldberg outlines a "blockade plus" strategy to bankrupt the Iranian regime by cutting off oil and petrochemical revenues. This economic pressure aims to spark internal fractures and popular uprisings. Goldberg also advocates for expanding Middle Eastern pipeline infrastructure to bypass the Strait of Hormuz permanently.5/16: Ivana Stradner reports that Vladimir Putin is living in a bunker, fearing a coup as he loses on the battlefield. To maintain control, the Kremlin has implemented severe internet blackouts and banned Western social media. Stradnersuggests the West should provide Russians with more VPN systems.6/16: Ivana Stradner discusses how American jazz symbolizes freedom and individualism, making it a threat to repressive regimes. Historically used as a "non-nuclear weapon" during the Cold War, jazz's improvisational nature counters state propaganda. She argues the U.S. should revitalize this tool to reach those lacking freedom.7/16: Hussein Abdul-Hussein introduces Ali al-Zaydi, a political newcomer nominated for Iraqi Prime Minister by the Shia coordination framework. Al-Zaydi, a wealthy contractor, follows a pattern where "no-ones" are chosen when powerful factions cannot agree. Iraqi voters are increasingly favoring patriots over pro-Iran candidates.8/16: Hussein Abdul-Hussein explains that the United States remains the biggest player in Iraq, wielding significant influence over leadership choices and economic policy. Washington is currently pushing to move Iraq from a cash-based to a digital economy to prevent Iran from siphoning funds and to ensure financial transparency.9/16: Gregory Copley highlights a major defense contract between Japan and Australia, involving the sale of Mogami-class frigates. The two nations are cooperating to bypass China's monopoly on rare earth processing and energy supply chains. This partnership builds on a long history of strategic trade.10/16: Gregory Copley examines the instability of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso after their withdrawal from ECOWAS. The region faces increasing jihadist threats and government paranoia regarding French interference. Meanwhile, Chinese influence in Africa is weakening as Russia's African Corps remains active but limited.11/16: Gregory Copley reports that Iran is effectively under a military government led by General Vahidi, as Ayatollah Khamenei remains incapacitated. Simultaneously, China's Xi Jinping faces internal strife and energy shortages, while India maintains a strategic, non-aligned posture between the United States, Russia, and the People's Republic of China.12/16: King Charles III visited the United States and Bermuda, receiving bipartisan acclaim in Congress for his defense of constitutional checks and balances. Despite health concerns, the King successfully revitalized the special relationship and was lauded by a Bermuda rabbi for his family's historical protection of Jews. Gregory Copley reports.13/16: Thaddeus McCotter analyzes how high gasoline prices and economic disruptions from the Iran conflict influence midterm elections. He notes that while minority parties usually have messaging advantages, the lack of clear strategic military objectives and persistent inflation create significant uncertainty for American voters and global markets.14/16: Thaddeus McCotter argues that while Wall Street performs well, the average worker remains anxious about healthcare, interest rates, and student loans. He describes the current economy as fragile and warns that failing to address these underlying domestic anxieties could lead to political repercussions during the midterm elections.15/16: Jack Burnham details the rare extradition and indictment of a Chinese national, Mr. U, for state-sponsored hacking. Operating under "Silk Typhoon," the group targeted American COVID-19 research. This operation demonstrates China's strategy of using private actors to steal scientific excellence and prepare the digital battlefield.16/16: Jack Burnham discusses how Chinese commercial satellite firms provide the IRGC with high-resolution imagery to direct attacks against American assets. He differentiates this from the state-led surveillance of the Chinese balloon incident over U.S. missile silos, emphasizing China's broad campaign to disrupt American societal morale.

Aimen's in the thick of it this week so isn't able to appear on the show. Sitting in for him is Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Russian-Israeli researcher and analyst, and a doctoral student at Princeton University. During field research in Iraq in 2023, she was kidnapped by Kata'ib Hezbollah and held in captivity for over two years, suffering torture and solitary confinement. In what we hope will be the first of many appearances on Conflicted, Elizabeth discusses: Saddam Hussein's faith campaign and the rise of Shia religious politics in Iraq The Sadrist movement in Iraq and Muqtada al-Sadr The politicisation of sectarian identity in post-2003 Iraq Iraqi militias as criminal-political enterprises engaged in in theft, extortion, oil smuggling, and dollar smuggling The difference between Iraqi militias and Lebanese Hezbollah The impact of militia rule on ordinary civilian life Iraq's extreme inequality despite its oil and gas wealth The 2003 Iraq War and the debate over American responsibility Iraqi elite agency and the failures of Iraq's political class The 2010 Iraqi election crisis and Nouri al-Maliki's return to power The Iraqi constitution and the failure of constitutional democracy Iraq's dependence on oil revenues and the Strait of Hormuz The impact of the current Iran war on Iraq's economy Iranian attacks on Iraqi oil exports and oil tankers The U.S. military presence in Iraq after ISIS American influence over Iraqi prime ministerial politics Nouri al-Maliki, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, and Ali al-Zaidi Fa'iq Zaidan and the power of Iraq's judiciary Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Elizabeth's personal website: https://elizabeth-tsurkov.net/en/ Find Elizabeth on X: https://x.com/LizHurra Find Elizabeth on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-tsurkov-79491b15/ Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Conflicted is a Message Heard production. Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren. Produced and edited by Thomas Small. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Preview for Later: HEADLINE: Pakistan's Diplomatic Balancing Act with Iran GUEST: Sadanand DhumeSUMMARY: Dhume explores Pakistan's role mediating between the US and Iran while managing its own restive Shiaminority. Despite past friction, Pakistan maintains deep consular ties, handling Iranian affairs in Washington since 1979.1850 PERSIAN EMPIRE

In 2019, the Tishreen uprising saw a young, trans-sectarian generation denounce the "kleptocratic elite" and government corruption. Despite brutal state violence that killed hundreds, the protests represented a rare moment of unity as Shia youth challenged their own religious and political leaders, with women playing an unprecedented role. Abdul-Ahadconcludes that while major violence has subsided, Iraq lacks true peace and accountability for the warlords and politicians who oversaw twenty years of devastation. (8)1939 MARTYR'S BRIDGE

Shia fundamentalism has come to define Iran's place in the Middle East and the world. And that wasn't an accident. How Iranian leaders use Shia Islam to exert their power. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint