Podcasts about Siberia

This week, we’re all in. Oz chats with Kit Chellel, a Bloomberg writer who focuses on gambling, technology, and sports betting. He wrote an article about a secret Russian bot farm that infiltrated the world of online poker in the early 2000s. We follow Kit from Siberia to Armenia, and get a peek into just how bots can make or break the future of online poker.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before it invaded Ukraine, Russia was Europe's single largest supplier of imported natural gas. But now that the European Union is considering an outright ban on all Russian gas by the end of 2027, Russia is pivoting to Asia, courting China as both a crucial new market for its gas and an important geostrategic ally. When Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to China at the end of August, the visit produced a series of cooperation agreements. Among them: a deal between Gazprom and the China National Petroleum Corporation to advance the long-discussed Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, a massive project that, if completed, could send 50 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas to China each year. But the announcement is short on many details, including pricing, financing, and a timeline. So what — beyond symbolism — does this deal actually deliver for both Russia and China in the short term? What prompted China to sign the agreement after years of delays? And what does it tell us about China's efforts to diversify its energy imports?  This week, Jason speaks with three scholars from the Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP), Anne-Sophie Corbeau, Tatiana Mitrova, and Erica Downs, about the possible impacts of the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline agreement. The trio also recently co-authored a post about the PoS2 news on the CGEP website.   Anne-Sophie is a global research scholar at CGEP, where she focuses on hydrogen and natural gas. She previously worked as a senior analyst at BP and the International Energy Agency. Tatiana is a CGEP research fellow with twenty five years of experience dealing with Russian and global energy markets. Erica is a senior research scholar at CGEP, where she focuses on Chinese energy markets and geopolitics. Earlier in her career she held senior roles in the China Studies program of the CNA Corporation and at Eurasia Group. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Gregory Vilfranc.  

Đất hiếm là vũ khí lợi hại giúp Trung Quốc đối mặt với chính sách bảo hộ của Hoa Kỳ. Washington khai thác thuế nhập khẩu vì các mục đích kinh tế và nhất là địa chính trị. Lá chủ bài của Nga là năng lượng. Matxcơva đang dùng đòn « Ngoại giao ống dẫn khí đốt » để phá vỡ gọng kềm trừng phạt của phương Tây, mà mắt xích đầu tiên là Hoa Kỳ. RFI tiếng Việt phỏng vấn Igor Delanoë phó giám đốc Đài Quan Sát Pháp-Nga.  Đến dự thượng đỉnh Tổ Chức Hợp Tác Thượng Hải Thiên Tân, dự lễ duyệt binh trên Quảng Trường Thiên An Môn Bắc Kinh, tổng thống Nga Vladimir Putin không bỏ lỡ cơ hội phô trương quan hệ thắm thiết với các lãnh đạo Ấn Độ, Bắc Triều Tiên và đặc biệt là với nước chủ nhà Trung Quốc. Ở Thiên Tân, hôm 01/09/2025 Trung Quốc, Nga và Ấn Độ khẳng định quyết tâm mở rộng tầm hoạt động của Tổ Chức Hợp Tác Thượng Hải (SCO) ra ngoài lĩnh vực an ninh. Các bên đồng ý thành lập một ngân hàng phát triển dành riêng cho các nước thành viên. Bắc Kinh, Matxcơva mạnh dạn hơn trên con đường xây dựng một trật tự thế giới mà ở đó tất cả không còn chỉ xoay quanh các nước phương Tây. Hai ngày sau, tổng thống Nga đến Bắc Kinh dự lễ duyệt binh nhân kỷ niệm 80 năm kết thúc Thế Chiến Thứ Hai và họp thượng đỉnh song phương Nga-Trung. Đây là dịp để lãnh đạo tập đoàn dầu khí Gazprom thông báo Matxcơva và Bắc Kinh « khởi động lại chương trình xây dựng đường ống đưa khí đốt Power of Siberia 2 ». Đây sẽ là tuyến đường thứ ba đưa khí đốt của Nga sang Trung Quốc, sau Siberia 1 và Tuyến đường Phương Đông. Power of Siberia 2, dự án trị giá 12 tỷ euro để xây dựng đường ống từ các mỏ khí của Nga ở Yamal đến khu vực đông bắc Trung Quốc, đi qua Mông Cổ. Một khi đi vào hoạt động, tuyến đường này cho phép cung cấp 50 tỷ mét khối khí đốt hàng năm cho Trung Quốc. Báo chí Matxcơva nói đến « dự án vĩ đại nhất thế giới trong ngành công nghiêp năng lượng ». Yếu tố chính trị trong thỏa thuận năng lượng Nga-Trung  Trả lời RFI tiếng Việt, chuyên gia Igor Delanoë phó giám đốc Đài Quan Sát Pháp-Nga CCI, cộng tác viên của Viện Quan Hệ Quốc Tế và Chiến Lược Pháp IRIS, công nhận đây là một dự án vô cùng quan trọng đối với cả Matxcơva lẫn Bắc Kinh vào lúc Nga đã mất đi khách hàng quan trọng nhất là châu Âu. Song người Pháp có câu « le diable se cache dans les détails » nghĩa là thành công hay thất bại của dự án tùy thuộc vào những « chi tiết nhỏ ». Hiện tại còn nhiều « chi tiết » không hề nhỏ, hai đối tác chính là Gazprom của Nga và CNPC của Trung Quốc vẫn còn bất đồng. Igor Delanoë nhắc lại, tuần trước nhiều thỏa thuận hợp tác song phương đã được ký kết tại Bắc Kinh nhân chuyến công du Trung Quốc của tổng thống Vladimir Putin. Igor Delanoë : « Trong quan hệ giữa Nga và Trung Quốc, đôi bên đã ký kết khoảng 20 văn kiện liên quan đến nhiều lĩnh vực : nông nghiệp, y tế, giáo dục, không gian... Tuy nhiên nổi bật nhất là bản ghi nhớ về chương trình xây dựng đường ông dẫn khí Power of Siberia 2. Phía Nga đã nói đến một văn bản có giá trị pháp lý ràng buộc trong thời hạn 30 năm. Quá trình đàm phán đã kéo dài và theo chỗ tôi được biết thì hai tập đoàn Gazprom và CNCP vẫn chưa đạt đồng thuận về nhiều điểm : phía CNCP của Trung Quốc đòi mua khí đốt của Nga với mức giá như là Gazprom bán ra trên thị trường nội địa. Đó là điều kiện tập đoàn Nga không thể thỏa mãn, bởi vì buôn bán như vậy Gazprom không có lợi ích thương mại nào cả ». Khí đốt : Trung Quốc sẽ chấp nhận lệ thuộc đến 60 % vào một đối tác ? Igor Delanoë : « Dự án đường ống dẫn Siberia 2 đã bắt đầu được đàm phán từ lâu nay, nhưng mà trước đó, Siberia 1 đã đi vào hoạt động từ 2019, với công suất hiện tại là 38 tỷ mét khối mỗi năm. Trong chuyến công du Trung Quốc lần này, tổng thống Nga đã đồng ý nâng công suất của Siberia 1 lên tới 44 tỷ mét khối/năm. Hơn nữa giữa Matxcơva và Bắc Kinh còn có một đường ống thứ ba, cho phép xuất khẩu mỗi năm 10 tỷ mét khối khí đốt sang Trung Quốc. Một khi đi vào hoạt động thì đường ống Power of Siberia 2 mới là dự án quan trọng nhất : công suất của đường ống này là 50 tỷ mét khối hàng năm. Như vậy cộng cả ba đường ống để Nga cung cấp khí đốt cho Trung Quốc, trong tương lai Matxcơva có thể xuất khẩu đến 106 tỷ mét khối một năm cho quốc gia châu Á này. Đây là một điểm rất quan trọng đối với Gazprom vào lúc mà thị trường châu Âu đã khép lại – (trước đây mua vào 150 tỷ mét khối/năm). Trung Quốc tuy không thể hoàn toàn thay thế vào chỗ trống Liên Âu để lại, nhưng ít ra thì cũng bù đắp lại được khoảng 2 phần 3 thị phần của châu Âu ». Với Nga, dự án pipeline Siberia 2 rõ ràng là vô cùng quan trọng. Đối với Trung Quốc cũng vậy - nhất là khi mà Bắc Kinh đang đàm phán về giá cả với Gazprom. Chuyên gia về Nga Igor Delanoë  lưu ý thêm những điểm như sau : Igor Delanoë : « Trong dự án Siberia 1, đường ống dài 2.200 km nối liền vùng Iakoutie đông Siberia của Nga với tỉnh Hắc Long Giang, đông bắc Trung Quốc, chi phí xây dựng chủ yếu do tập đoàn Nga đài thọ. Sở dĩ mà Gazprom có thể tài trợ là nhờ doanh thu từ xuất khẩu khí đốt sang châu Âu. Châu Âu mua khí đốt của Nga với giá cao. Giờ đây với chi phí xây dựng cơ sở hạ tầng đó, liệu có sẽ do Trung Quốc đảm nhiệm hay không ? Chưa thể giải đáp câu hỏi này. Hiện tại Gazprom hiện tại đang gặp « khó khăn về tài chính » : ngân sách đầu tư của tập đoàn này cho năm nay giảm 7 % so với hồi 2024. Gazprom phải sa thải 40 % nhân sự tại trụ sở tại Saint Petersbourg ; Tháng 5/2024 lần đầu tiên từ hơn 2 thập niên qua, tập đoàn này thông báo làm ăn thua lỗ (lỗ hơn 3,5 tỷ đô la). Đây là hậu quả trực tiếp từ các biện pháp trừng phạt Âu, Mỹ đánh vào kinh tế Nga từ khi Matxcơva đưa quân xâm chiếm Ukraina ». Mượn bóng Trung Quốc để kích thích Hoa Kỳ ? Do vậy, giới trong ngành cho rằng, tổng thống Putin đã tận dụng chuyến công du Trung Quốc vừa qua để phô trương thành tích trong hợp tác năng lượng với Bắc Kinh. Từ trước đến nay bản thân tổng thống Putin luôn thận trọng với Siberia 2 khi Trung Quốc đòi mua khí đốt của Nga với giá rẻ và đòi Gazprom đài thọ phần lớn các phí tổn xây dựng đường ống. Về phía Bắc Kinh tới nay, Trung Quốc vốn chủ trương không để phụ thuộc quá 50 % vào bất kỳ một nhà cung cấp năng lượng nào. Với Siberia 2, một khi đi vào hoạt động, cùng với hai đường ống đã có sẵn thì Nga sẽ trở thành nguồn cung cấp chiếm đến 60 % nhập khẩu khí đốt của Trung Quốc ! Phải chăng vì chiến tranh Ukraina kéo dài mà hai nhà lãnh đạo quyền lực nhất ở Bắc Kinh và Matxcơva đã thay đổi quan điểm ?  Không loại trừ khả năng « văn bản ghi nhớ mang tính ràng buộc » về Power Siberia 2 được thông báo hồi tuần trước là một thông điệp Matxcơva gửi tới Washington. Nga từng chính thức mời tập đoàn dầu khí ExxonMobil của Mỹ « trở lại » với dự án Sakhalin. Hơn một chục ngày sau thượng đỉnh Donald Trump -Vladimir Putin tại Anchorage, Alaska, báo tài chính Mỹ The Wall Street Journal đưa tin ExxonMobil dường như đang đàm phán với Rosneft để tham gia trở lại dự án khai thác dầu khí Sakhalin 1 trong vùng Viễn Đông Nga. Về điểm này chuyên gia Pháp, Igor Delanoë đánh giá :   Igor Delanoë : « Có tin đồn rằng người Mỹ có thể quay lại tham gia dự án Sakhalin ở Viễn Đông Nga. Điều này sẽ đòi hỏi Washington phải ngừng trừng phạt Nga để cho phép các tập đoàn của Mỹ quay lại với dự án này. Nhưng chúng ta thấy rõ, tại thượng đỉnh Thiên Tân cũng như là sự kiện ở Bắc Kinh sau đó, hình ảnh thắm thiết giữa Nga - Ấn Độ - Trung Quốc còn là thông điệp nhắm tới Hoa Kỳ. Tuy vậy đây chỉ là một giải pháp tình thế khi các bên xích lại gần nhau vì đừng quên là vẫn có nhiều bất đồng sâu sắc, đặc biệt là về tranh chấp biên giới giữa Ấn Độ và Trung Quốc, rồi gần đây hơn là giữa Ấn Độ với Pakistan mà Mỹ thì đang sưởi ấm quan hệ với Pakistan và cả Trung Quốc thì đã đứng về phía Islamabad. Chẳng qua là do Mỹ gây áp lực với Ấn Độ và đã đẩy thủ tướng Modi vào vòng tay các ông Tập Cận Bình và Vladimir Putin. Đây là khuynh hướng chung. Về phía ông Putin, thông điệp ẩn đằng sau những sự kiện này là gửi đến người Mỹ, để nói rằng: nếu Hoa Kỳ không buông Ukraina, thì cái giá địa chính trị mà họ phải trả là việc củng cố liên minh tam giác Á-Âu gồm Nga, Trung Quốc và Ấn Độ - với các dự án năng lượng như khí đốt sang Trung Quốc và dầu mỏ sang Ấn Độ ». Nga « bắt đúng mạch » của Mỹ  Igor Delanoë : « Trong lĩnh vực dầu khí, trước khi nổ ra chiến tranh Ukraina, ExxonMobil có một số dự án hơp tác với Nga ở vùng Bắc Cực và Viễn Đông. Nhưng tất cả đã bị đóng băng hoặc bỏ dở một khi Matxcơva đưa quân sang Ukraina và bị phương Tây trừng phạt. Từ khi Donald Trump trở lại cầm quyền, ông đã nối lại đối thoại song phương với Vladimir Putin. Năng lượng là một hồ sơ được đôi bên thảo luận. Nga đề nghị mời Mỹ quay lại và Matxcơva không chỉ mang dầu hỏa khí đốt ra để nhử mà còn để ngỏ khả năng cùng hợp tác khai thác đất hiếm, hợp tác trong nhiều lĩnh vực khác nữa. Các doanh nhân thân cận với Donald Trump rất chú ý đến điểm này và có thể là Washington đang buông tay với Ukraina để xích lại gần hơn với nước Nga của Vladimir Putin. Để đạt được mục tiêu này, thì điều kiện tiên quyết là đến một lúc nào đó phải dỡ bỏ các lệnh cấm vận kinh tế Nga. Trước mắt các bên mới chỉ bàn thảo đến dự án Sakhalin ». Vẫn Igor Delanoë ghi nhận, Nga dùng lá bài đầu tư, kinh tế, năng lượng và cả khoáng sản để thu hút trước hết là chú ý của các nhóm lợi ích bao quanh tổng thống Trump. Mục đích của Matxcơva là thuyết phục được chủ nhân Nhà Trắng vừa giảm hỗ trợ cho Ukraina, vừa nhờ Hoa Kỳ bẻ gấy mắt xích đầu tiên của loạt trừng phạt nhắm vào kinh tế Nga. Một khi mà Washington dỡ bỏ cấm vận với Nga, thì không có lý do gì để các đối tác của Hoa Kỳ như Nhật Bản, Hàn Quốc và châu Âu tiếp tục cô lập Matxcơva. Rất có thể là Vladimir Putin muốn dùng dự án Sakhalin như công cụ hiệu quả nhất bởi chỉ cần Mỹ thực sự quay lại, đó sẽ là một tín hiệu gửi đến các đối tác khác – hoặc đối tác cũ của Nga – về triển vọng nối lại hợp tác năng lượng. Theo nhà nghiên cứu Igor Delanoë Nhật Bản, Hàn Quốc cũng đang nóng lòng chờ đợi một tín hiệu « thuận lợi » nào đó theo chiều hướng này. Đâu chỉ có Trung Quốc hay Mỹ mới biết dùng các công cụ kinh tế để phục vụ các lợi ích địa chính trị. 

Los líderes de Rusia, China y Mongolia firmaron un acuerdo para la construcción de los gasoductos Fuerza de Siberia 2 y Unión-Oriente. Estas infraestructuras energéticas suministrarán gas ruso al gigante asiático a través de Mongolia. Esta obra tendrá un impacto global definitivo.

US President Donald Trump claimed he would "un-unite" Russia and China, but the divide-and-conquer strategy failed. Instead, Moscow and Beijing are closer than ever, and they are at the heart of a Global South-led movement to build a new multipolar world order, challenging Western hegemony and imperialism. Ben Norton explains. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-bq4347Z18 US attacks blow back, uniting China, India, Russia, Iran; encouraging dedollarization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsFGCUtzzQ8 Topics 0:00 China and Russia: close partners 0:59 USA fears "near-peer" competitors 1:51 (CLIP) Trump: divide Russia and China 2:06 US divide-and-conquer strategy 2:31 (CLIP) Marco Rubio: "partner with the Russians" 3:04 Marco Rubio, top US war hawk 3:33 (CLIP) Marco Rubio: China is top "threat" 4:16 China and Russia's political ties 5:33 China's trade with Russia 6:28 US and Russia: economic competitors 7:37 Trump doesn't have anything to offer 8:23 Global South leaders meet in China 9:41 USA failed to divide India and China 10:28 China's 80th anniversary WWII victory parade 12:09 Trump laments China-Russia-India ties 13:02 Xi-Putin meeting in Beijing 14:19 USSR and China in WWII 18:21 Dedollarization of China-Russia trade 19:44 Power of Siberia 2 pipeline 21:44 Russia integrates with Eurasia 22:19 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) 22:44 BRICS 23:33 Neocolonial financial system 25:30 Russia deepens ties with Global South 27:34 New multipolar world order 28:37 Outro

Guest Name: Michael Bernstam • Affiliation: Hoover Institution • Summary: The segment discusses Russia's energy deals with China, including the Power of Siberia pipelines, noting financing and pricing disputes. Michael Bernstam highlights Russia's struggle with declining oil prices, leading to budget deficits and losses for major oil companies. China and India are benefiting from discounted Russian crude, processing it for sale to Europe, bypassing sanctions. Secondary sanctions on China could disrupt this trade. 1918 bake

SHOW SCHEDULE  9-4 The show begins in the EU, fretting Kyiv, Paris, London, Berlin. 1578 ALEX-TRAIMAN-JNS-9-4.mp3 Guest Name: Alex TRAIman MALCOLM HOENLEIN @CONF_OF_PRES @MHOENLEIN1 Affiliation: CEO and Jerusalem Bureau Chief for Jewish News Service (JNS) Summary: The discussion focuses on the Israel-Hamas conflict, emphasizing the Israeli government's preference for all hostage releases and Hamas's surrender for an end to the war. It details the IDF's military campaign in Gaza City, the challenges of urban warfare, and the ongoing threat from Iranian-backed proxies like Hamas and the Houthis. The long-term outlook suggests a complex, "unclean" end to the conflict, with continued terror attacks likely. ANATOL-LIEVEN-KYIV-9-4.mp3 Guest Name: Anatol LIeven Affiliation: Eurasia Project Director of the Quinsey Institute for Responsible Statecraft Summary: The conversation critically examines a proposal for a Eurocentric security force in Ukraine, highlighting its practical unfeasibility given European military limitations and domestic fiscal challenges, particularly in France. It suggests the proposal might be political grandstanding or a strategy to "trap" the US. Ukraine's strategy aims to wear Russia down to concede on demands, recognizing they cannot achieve a full military victory. ANNA-BORSCHEVSKAYA-9-4.mp3 Guest Name: Anna Borschevskaya MALCOLM HOENLEIN @CONF_OF_PRES @MHOENLEIN1 Affiliation: The Washington Institute Summary: This segment discusses Vladimir Putin's vision for a multipolar world with diminished US influence, emphasizing a strategic triangle of Russia, China, and India. It highlights Russia's increasing cooperation with Iran and Belarus, despite conventional wisdom. Putin is seen as willing to accept Russia's junior position to China, viewing it as a necessary alliance against a perceived Western attack on Russia. CHRIS-RIEGEL-HBM-9-4.mp3 Guest Name: Chris RIEGEL Affiliation: CEO of #SCALAREPORT: CHRIS RIEGEL CEO, SCALA.COM @STRATACACHE.  Summary: The discussion centers on High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) as a critical innovation driving the AI revolution. SK Hynix has surpassed competitors by vertically stacking memory chips, overcoming the "memory wall" to allow faster data access for AI processors. This technology is crucial for AI development, with the US leading innovation. Strict US and EU export controls aim to prevent China from acquiring advanced chip-making tools. CLIFF-MAY-ENERGY-9-4.mp3 Guest Name: Cliff May Affiliation: Founder and President of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Summary: The conversation challenges current energy policies, noting that fossil fuels still provide over 81% of global energy despite decades of renewables promotion. Cliff May argues that climate policy often weakens the US while adversaries like China and Russia continue to rely on coal and hydrocarbons without climate concerns. He emphasizes energy security as intrinsic to national security, criticizing government subsidies as ineffective and prone to cronyism. COL-GRANT-NEWWSHAM-ROK-DPRK-9-4.mp3 Guest Name: Grant NEWSHam Affiliation: Colonel, United States Marine Corps retired, and author of "When China Attacks" Summary: The discussion traces the cynical division of Korea at the 38th parallel and the resulting prosperity of South Korea versus the starvation in North Korea. It highlights the current South Korean administration's pro-North Korea stance and its alignment with China and Russia. Kim Jong-un's presence at a Beijing military parade signifies a strengthening, serious alliance among these adversarial nations, aiming to intimidate the West. DALLAS-BIENHOFF-DSVID-LIVINGSTON-MARS-9-4.mp3 Guest Name: Dallas BIEnhof and David Livingston Affiliation:  Space Systems Architect for Offworld.ai; David Livingston: Dr. Space of The Space Show Summary: The discussion defines cis-lunar space as the volume around the Moon, highlighting planned missions and the Artemis program as a key driver. It explores the utility of Lagrange points for stable orbital stations and the need for extensive infrastructure, including transportation nodes and propellant depots, to support a permanent human presence on the Moon and Mars. Future plans also include resource utilization and space tourism. JULIA-CARTWRIGHT-HOUSING-9-4.mp3 Guest Name: Julia Cartwright Affiliation: Senior Research Fellow in Law and Economics at the American Institute for Economic Research Summary: The conversation examines the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as a major impediment to housing development, particularly for rebuilding after wildfires. Julia Cartwright details how CEQA, along with restrictive building and zoning codes, creates costly delays, making California the most expensive state for construction. This bureaucracy disproportionately impacts affordable housing and is exacerbated by entities like the California Coastal Commission. MICHAEL-BERNSTAM-9-4.mp3 Guest Name: Michael Bernstam Affiliation: Hoover Institution Summary: The segment discusses Russia's energy deals with China, including the Power of Siberia pipelines, noting financing and pricing disputes. Michael Bernstam highlights Russia's struggle with declining oil prices, leading to budget deficits and losses for major oil companies. China and India are benefiting from discounted Russian crude, processing it for sale to Europe, bypassing sanctions. Secondary sanctions on China could disrupt this trade. MOHSEN-SAZEGARA-IRAN-9-4.mp3 Guest Name: Mohsen Sazagara Affiliation: Democracy activist from Iran Summary: Mohsen Sazagara confirms Iran's rearmament efforts, fueled by its leadership's belief in success against Israel and continued anti-US policies. Iran is seeking arms from Russia (via Belarus) and China (via North Korea), though Russia is reportedly less generous than expected. The speaker notes growing internal opposition within Iran and a high probability of another military conflict with Israel, especially concerning nuclear development or air defense rebuilding. SADANAND-DHUME-MODI-9-4.mp3 Guest Name: Sadanand Dhume Affiliation: American Enterprise Institute, writes "East to East" column for the Wall Street Journal Summary: The discussion analyzes Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, amidst declining US-India relations due to tariffs. India's large farm lobby, especially dairy, heavily influences trade policy. Despite diplomatic gestures, India maintains vigilance against Chinese aggression due to deep-rooted border disputes and China's close ties with Pakistan, indicating India won't align closely with China. VERONIQUE-DERUGY-9-4.mp3 Guest Name: Veronique de Rugy Affiliation: Mercatus Center Summary: Veronique de Rugy strongly critiques the proposal for a US sovereign wealth fund, arguing it's a poor idea given the US's high debt-to-GDP ratio and existing budget deficits. She contends that borrowing to invest would be fiscally unsound and would lead to "cronyism on steroids," as government investment decisions are driven by political priorities rather than viable market opportunities, unlike private sector investments.

Wakati mabilioni ya watu wakiendelea kuvuta hewa chafu inayosababisha zaidi ya vifo vya mapema milioni 4.5 kila mwaka, wataalamu wa hali ya hewa wa Umoja wa Mataifa leo Ijumaa (5 Septemba) wamebainisha madhara ya chembe ndogo ndogo za moshi kutoka katika moto wa nyika ambazo husafiri umbali mrefu duniani kote. Philip Mwihava na maelezo zaidi.(Taarifa ya Mwihava)“Ubora wa hewa hauheshimu mipaka,” anasema Lorenzo Labrador, Afisa wa Kisayansi wa Shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la Hali ya Hewa Duniani (WMO). Anaendelea kueleza kwamba, “moshi na uchafuzi unaotokana na moto wa nyika katika msimu huu wa kihistoria katika Rasi ya Iberia tayari umepatikana Ulaya Magharibi, kwa hiyo athari zake hazibaki tu kwenye Rasi ya Iberia, bali zinaweza kusambaa kote barani Ulaya.”Akiwasilisha taarifa ya WMO kuhusu Hewa Safi na Tabianchi, ambayo inakusanya data kutoka vyanzo mbalimbali vya kimataifa, leo jijini Geneva, Uswisi Bwana Labrador ametangaza mwendelezo wa mwenendo wa kuzorota kwa ubora wa hewa duniani.Ameonyesha ramani ya dunia ya mwaka 2024 iliyoonesha alama za chembechembe ndogo zinazojulikana kama “PM 2.5” kutokana na moto wa nyika, zikionekana kwa alama nyekundu kwenye maeneo ya Chile, Brazil na Ecuador, pamoja na Canada, Afrika ya Kati na Siberia. Takwimu hizo zinathibitisha mwenendo wa kuendelea kwa kuzorota kwa ubora wa hewa duniani kama ilivyoonekana katika miaka iliyopita.Kwa upande wa habari njema, mwanasayansi huyo wa WMO amesisitiza kupungua kwa uzalishaji wa hewa chafuzi katika baadhi ya maeneo ya dunia.(Sauti ya Labrador) - sauti ya kiume“Tunaona mwenendo wa kuzorota kwa ubora wa hewa hasa kwa kuhusiana na PM 2.5, na pia tunaona kupungua kwa uzalishaji wa hewa chafuzi katika maeneo fulani ya dunia, hasa mashariki mwa China na Ulaya, mwaka baada ya mwaka.”Mfano mzuri uliotolewa katika taarifa ya leo mashariki mwa China, katika miji kama Shanghai, ambako kumepigwa hatua katika kuboresha ubora wa hewa kwa kufungua bustani zaidi na kupanda miti mingi. Na ingawa bado kuna msongamano mkubwa wa magari, mengi sasa ni ya umeme.Hata hivyo WMO inasema licha ya mafanikio hayo, miji michache tu duniani ina viwango vya ubora wa hewa chini ya vile vinavyopendekezwa na Shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la Afya Duniani (WHO). Hii inamaanisha kuwa, licha ya maboresho ya karibuni, ubora wa hewa bado ni changamoto kubwa kwa afya ya umma.Umoja wa Mataifa unaongoza juhudi za kupambana na uchafuzi wa hewa majumbani ambao ni mojawapo ya vitisho vikubwa zaidi kwa afya ya umma duniani na hasa ni hatari kwa watoto.

Russlands Präsident Wladimir Putin und Chinas Staatschef Xi Jinping haben in Peking mehr als 20 Kooperationsabkommen unterzeichnet – darunter das lange blockierte Pipelineprojekt „Power of Siberia 2“. Der Besuch Putins beim SCO-Gipfel gilt als geopolitisches Signal: Moskau und Peking rücken enger zusammen, während der Westen an Einfluss verliert.

ZIGOR ALDAMA: Mucho cuidado con China: estas son los grandes daños que puede provocar a OccidenteZigor Aldama ha analizado la situación geopolítica actual, poniendo especial atención al reciente discurso de Xi Jinping durante el desfile por la victoria de la Segunda Guerra Mundial en China, así como a las reacciones de Donald Trump y la respuesta de Usakov. Aldama ha señalado que el mensaje de Xi, “China no tiene miedo a la violencia”, se enmarca dentro de una estrategia más amplia de consolidación de China como potencia global y de fortalecimiento de bloques internacionales liderados por países en vías de desarrollo, incluyendo Rusia y Corea del Norte.El analista destaca que este bloque emergente, percibido desde Occidente como un nuevo eje estratégico, refleja la creciente influencia del sur global y el papel central de China en la creación de un orden mundial alternativo, especialmente a través de los BRICS y acuerdos energéticos como el gasoducto Power of Siberia 2. Aldama subraya que, aunque China exhibe su poderío militar y económico, no busca la guerra directa, sino estabilidad interna y consolidación del bienestar social, reforzando su legitimidad política.#eeuu #rusia #putin #trump #china #defence #defensa #military #army #geopolitica #brics #usa #negociostv Si quieres entrar en la Academia de Negocios TV, este es el enlace:   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwd8Byi93KbnsYmCcKLExvQ/join Síguenos en directo ➡️ https://bit.ly/2Ts9V3pSuscríbete a nuestro canal: https://bit.ly/3jsMzp2Suscríbete a nuestro segundo canal, másnegocios: https://n9.cl/4dca4Visita Negocios TV https://bit.ly/2Ts9V3pMás vídeos de Negocios TV: https://youtube.com/@NegociosTVSíguenos en Telegram: https://t.me/negociostvSíguenos en Instagram: https://bit.ly/3oytWndTwitter: https://bit.ly/3jz6LptFacebook: https://bit.ly/3e3kIuy

With China and Russia agreeing to build a new gas pipeline through Siberia, we take a look at its global economic impact and what it could mean for the two countries as they become ever more reliant on each other.Elsewhere, Ed Butler discusses the economic forces driving the brutal civil war in Myanmar while visiting a rehabilitation centre inside Thailand where wounded rebel soldiers go to recover.We hear from farmers in Nigeria investing in solar power to keep water running to their farms.And Hannah Mullane hears how a supermarket in France is upsetting bakeries by undercutting them on price.

Jon Herold kicks off the week with sharp analysis of Trump's announcement to move U.S. Space Command headquarters from Colorado to Alabama, calling it a “devoproof” that reinforces how Biden's reversal never truly stuck. He then breaks down a federal judge's ruling against Trump's National Guard deployment in Los Angeles, framing it as lawfare that will inevitably reach the Supreme Court. From there, Jon digs into ODNI reforms under Tulsi Gabbard, including the disbanding of the Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center, tying it to Russiagate abuses and Durham's ignored whistleblower evidence. The episode also covers Treasury bond turmoil after tariff rulings, the Russia-China “Power of Siberia 2” pipeline deal, Trump's comments on Israel's weakening lobby, Nadler's retirement, Giuliani's Medal of Freedom, Lisa Cook's mortgage fraud scandal, and the Pentagon sending 600 military lawyers to serve as immigration judges. Blending news, personal anecdotes, and sponsor shout-outs, Jon weaves together geopolitics, lawfare, and cultural battles in his signature no-nonsense style.

Guido Santevecchi traccia un bilancio degli incontri al vertice di Tianjin: un successo del presidente cinese Xi Jinping ma anche e soprattutto di quello russo e del dittatore nordcoreano. Paolo Ottolina spiega come difendersi se i propri dati finiscono online, tipo sulla pagina web di cui la Polizia postale avrebbe scoperto il gestore. Antonella Mollica racconta il caso dell'ex capogruppo di FdI al Comune di Prato, tra foto osé e massoneria.I link di corriere.it:Putin «mano nella mano» con Xi incassa un nuovo accordo sul gas: annunciata la firma per il «Power of Siberia 2»Sito sessista, trovato il gestore di Phica.eu: indagini su un 45enne italiano, usava i nickname «Phica Master» e «Boss Miao»Prato, ricatti sessuali all'ex consigliere Tommaso Cocci: sette le denunce arrivate agli inquirenti

Xi Jinping et Vladimir Poutine ont affiché leur proximité lors du sommet de l'Organisation de coopération de Shanghai à Tianjin, en Chine. Le président russe a parlé d'une relation à un "niveau sans précédent", Xi Jinping a lui salué une relation de "collaboration stratégique complète" entre les deux pays. Sur le plan économique, ils ont signé un accord pour augmenter les livraisons de gaz à la Chine. Un protocole a aussi été conclu pour construire le gazoduc "Power of Siberia 2".

Russia, Cina e Mongolia hanno firmato, in occasione del vertice trilaterale avvenuto a Pechino, un memorandum vincolante per la costruzione del gasdotto Power of Siberia 2, destinato a trasportare gas russo nella Repubblica Popolare, e del gasdotto di transito Soyuz Vostok, destinato ad attraversare il territorio di Ulan Bator. In occasione della visita di Vladimir Putin a Pechino, Russia e Cina hanno firmato poi oltre venti accordi di cooperazione in settori quali l'intelligenza artificiale, l'energia, l'aerospazio, la medicina, l'agricoltura, la ricerca scientifica, l'educazione e i mass media. Nel corso del suo incontro con il presidente russo Vladimir Putin Il presidente cinese Xi Jinping, ha elogiato il rapporto di "cooperazione strategica globale" tra i due Paesi.Iscriviti e segui "Notizie dall'Ucraina": YouTube: https://bit.ly/3FqWppn Spreaker: https://bit.ly/42g2ONG Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3JE1OMi Spotify: https://spoti.fi/40bpm0v Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/40HVQ37 Audible: https://bit.ly/4370ARc    Adnkronos: podcast/adnkronos.com 

Josh Gates investiga la maldición de la tumba de Tutankamón, la muerte de unos estudiantes en Siberia y la desaparición de un hombre en el desierto.Josh Gates estudia la desaparición de los habitantes de Roanoke en el siglo XVI, el supuesto hallazgo de Sodoma y los secretos de Stonehenge.

The Pasuk says in Parashat Re'eh: "וברכך ה' אלוקיך בכל אשר תעשה"-Hashem your G-d will bless you in everything you do. Our Rabbis learn from here our obligation to put in our Hishtadlut, our effort, to accomplish what we want. Along with this obligation comes a very big test that everyone faces on a daily basis- to be able to put in the effort, yet realize the whole time that Hashem is really the One getting everything done. Hashem wants the world to run בדרך הטבע , through nature, so in order to camouflage His presence, He makes it look like we are the ones accomplishing. But in truth, it is all Hashem. The Mesilat Yesharim calls our Hishtadlut a tax to pay. Once we have fulfilled the quota, Hashem sends His blessing down. Shlomo Hamelech summed it up in a Pasuk in Mishle: "סוס מוכן ליום מלחמה" We have to get the horse ready to go out and fight in battle. An army cannot go out to war expecting a miracle. Rabbenu Bachya says that if they do, they will lose. They have to make all of the necessary preparations to fight. But the Pasuk concludes: "לה' התשועה" The victory of the war is entirely in the hands of Hashem. The'בוטח בה- one who trusts in Hashem, knows that once he puts in his effort he can feel comfortable with the knowledge that he did his part. Then, whatever happens is the will of Hashem for his best. A person should never feel that his efforts were wasted , even if he didn't see his desired results. For example, a man worked on a sale for six weeks, and then it all fell through. His time was not wasted, he paid six weeks' worth of tax, and that opened the pipeline for Hashem to send blessing when He sees fit. If a person went to three doctors and didn't yet come up with a solution for his health issue, he didn't waste his time. He did his Hishtadlut, he paid his tax, and now he should feel great knowing that he did his part. If there is ever a situation where a reasonable Hishtadlut is not possible, then the person becomes exempt from Hishtadlut, and he can totally rely on Hashem. For example, if a person had an ailment, and tried one method to cure it, yet it didn't work, and then tried another, and a third, and still no results, and the doctors say that there is nothing else to try. At that moment, the person becomes exempt from Hishtadlut, and he can totally rely on Hashem for a cure. Rabbi Yechezkel Abramsky, זכר צדיק לברכה, used to tell over the following story which happened to him. He was taken to Siberia against his will along with a group of people. They were told to remove their shoes, their jackets and their shirts. They had to walk on snow and ice for miles. The Rabbi had a condition from a very young age that he was very sensitive to the cold, and he would frequently get sick from being exposed to even moderately cold temperatures. His mother, he recalls, used to send him to school in many layers of clothing to protect him. He still had this condition now, and he knew that many people had died in Siberia from being exposed to the frigid temperatures. On his first walk on the ice, he turned to Hashem and said, "The Gemara tells us: '-הכל בידי שמים חוץ מצינים ופחים"Everything is in the hands of Heaven except for cold and hot," which means that if a person goes outside in the winter without a jacket and gets sick, he brought that upon himself. Hashem commanded us to guard our health; we are not allowed to act recklessly. The Rabbi continued. "When I had extra layers and jackets I put them on to protect myself. But now, I don't have that ability, so I am exempt from that obligation. All that is left is the בידי שמים part. Now Hashem, it is only in Your hands. Please, save me from getting cold here." The Rabbi testified, that for over a year and a half in Siberia, he never felt cold even once. It is not the clothing that warms us up, it is Hashem. When we have the ability to help ourselves, we are obligated to. But when there is nothing for us to do, we can totally rely on Hashem. Those who are able to see through nature and recognize that everything is really Hashem, will not only pass this very big test, but they will reap the rewards both in this world and in the next.

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.0:00 Crop Tour Update4:21 CME / Fanduel Casino7:32 Russia Wheat Update10:21 Cattle Surge Again12:14 Fed Minutes13:59 Ethanol Production14:46 Flash Sale

En El Faro 'hola/ola' entrevistamos al grupo extremeño que está en la cresta de la ola. Salieron del pueblo a la capital para estudiar, pero se dieron cuenta de que su sitio estaba en Extremadura. Ahora, hacen canciones sobre ello desde la Siberia extremeña.

Диалог с Юлей о том, какая бывает зима в России — от мягкого юга до Крайнего Севера. Обсуждаем мороз, слякоть, гололёд и долгую темноту в Петербурге. Пополняем словарный запас и тренируем аудирование на уровне B1+.A dialogue about the Russian winter — regions, weather, and real-life vocabulary—from Moscow & St. Petersburg to Siberia, to boost your listening.

Some remarkable music highlights Siberia's annual Tun Payram festival. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In August 1993, veteran hiking instructor Lyudmila Korovina led six young trainees into Siberia's Khamar-Daban mountains. After good initial progress, the group was caught in days of freezing rain, leaving them soaked, cold, and exhausted. On August 6, during their descent from 2,396 meters, 23-year-old Alexander Krysin suddenly collapsed, bleeding from the eyes and mouth, convulsing, and dying within minutes. Korovina attempted to help but soon suffered the same symptoms and died. One by one, the remaining hikers—Tatiana Filipenko, Viktoriya Zalesova, Timur Bapanov, and Denis Shvachkin—collapsed violently, some clawing at their throats, vomiting blood, tearing at their clothes, or bashing their heads against rocks. Valentina Utochenko, the only survivor, fled the scene and wandered for four days before kayakers rescued her.Contact us at: weeknightmysteries@gmail.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/weeknightmysteriesTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@weeknightmysteries

Militó desde su juventud en la izquierda política revolucionaria. Durante sus estudios universitarios fue arrestado y exiliado durante tres años en Siberia. Luego huyó a varios países de Europa occidental, y llegó a convertirse en un destacado teórico del partido

Eugene Buchanan drops by for a deep dive into a life built around rivers, paddling, and epic adventure. He's a former editor-in-chief of Paddler magazine, founder of Paddling Life, a Fellow of the Explorers Club, a renowned author, and a man whose stories span over 30 countries and six continents. Show Notes WHAT HAPPENED: I never planned to make a living from rivers. In fact, if you had asked me back in college, I was more focused on seasonal raft guiding and avoiding any “real job” that required shoes. But then a friend called. He had a permit for the Grand Canyon. I packed up, strapped a kayak to my car, and drove down the Alcan Highway. That trip changed everything. I met my wife on that river. Then I quit my job. Took freelance writing gigs. Burned my vacation time to chase rivers in Peru and Ecuador. Eventually, I found myself editing a national paddling magazine... and later, starting my own. I've paddled in Siberia with Latvians who made rafts from military gear and soccer balls. I've seen the rise of pack rafts, drone scouting, and GPS maps. I've watched river communities form in the unlikeliest places. And I've learned the hard way—like, “class V in the Colombian jungle, middle-of-nowhere, CPR-on-the-rocks” kind of hard—that rivers don't care about your itinerary. PRINCIPLE: The river doesn't just test your skills. It reveals your priorities. It reminds you that life—like paddling—isn't about control. It's about choosing the current that calls to you… and having the right crew with you when it all goes sideways. TRANSITION: Too many people think paddling is just about adrenaline. But the truth is, most folks never get beyond the weekend warrior stage—not because they lack passion, but because they don't have a crew, a guide, or a map for what's next. They want to explore more, but they don't know where to start. Or worse—they overestimate what they can handle and end up burned out, discouraged, or worse. THAT'S WHY: That's why this episode with Eugene Buchanan is such a gift. It's not just a story about rivers—it's a deep dive into how adventure becomes a lifestyle, a career, and a calling. From Siberia to the Yampa, Eugene shows what's possible when you follow your curiosity and stay in the current long enough to let it shape you. CALL TO ACTION: If you've ever wondered if you have what it takes to go from weekend paddle trips to something bigger—this is the episode you need. Don't wait for perfect weather. Don't wait until you “feel ready.” The river's already flowing. Jump in.

Alternate Current Radio Presents - Boiler Room - Learn to protect yourself from predatory mass mediaOn this episode, Hesher and Spore are joined by Ruckus, Bazed Lit Analyzer, Jay Dyer, Jamie Hanshaw and Sam Chaney. The gang is discussing a TX company that proposes to put boxes of weaponized drones in schools for use in event of a shooting. The Boiler Room is also talking about the now infamous 'DC Sandwich Slinger' who's lost his job in the DoJ and potentially being charged with a crime, Jeffrey Epstein is in the news again as the Obama's sell their Martha's Vineyard property to one of Jeff's billionaire buddies, updates on Haiti and Erik Prince's plans for staffing in the country, Grok's new ADL sponsored ability to make anything into a 'white supremecy dog whistle,' and the formation of AI.gov... all this and more on this episode of Boiler RoomReference Links:Ice Breaker: GUARDIAN ANGELS: School drone can confront active shooters within seconds - YouTube (Fox)Russia does the Hunger Games for real in Siberia but no guns are allowed - BBC 2016DC sandwich slinger (Video) - X (Roy Rogue)Bondi fires DOJ employee facing felony charge over throwing sandwich at federal agent - PBSBillionaire with ties to Jeffrey Epstein nabs $37M Martha's Vineyard home where Obama vacationed - FoxTrump ally Erik Prince plans to keep personnel in Haiti for 10 years to fight gangs and collect taxes - Reuters“The Fort Bragg Cartel”: Book Exposes U.S. Special Forces' Involvement in Drug Trafficking & Murder - DNTrump Directs Military to Target Foreign Drug Cartels - NYTGrok has ingested the ADL handbook and if you ask it to "find the far-right dog whistle" - X (Kingbingo_)Comparing the Compensation of Federal and Private-Sector Employees in 2022 - CBOAI.gov - USASupport:Support BOILER ROOM & ACRPatreon (Join and become a member)Shop BOILER ROOM Merch Store

If you look at flight maps you can see small stipulated lines with magnetic field direction - on the map. The journalist was told that these lines were moving over time, so as a pilot he had to buy new maps once in a while. The magnetic lines are not static they are moving. This means that the magnetic north is moving too and in fact there has been a movement of the magnetic North of more than 40 km/year, moving north from Alaska to Siberia. In this podcast science journalist Jens Degett is asking Professor Chris Finlay questions on how the magnetic field is created on our earth. Why it may shift or reverse and what importance magnetic fields are protecting our planet from having our atmosphere blown away by the solar wind particles. There is a lot of interesting stories on how we can use manometers in mobile phones to measure direction and finally Chris Finlay reveal how different the magnetic fields are on other planets. in our solar system and beyond.

Huge stuff is happening in this 'season finale' book; Anji and Fitz leave the Doctor, explosive action, time windows in Siberia, lost expeditions, a walking black hole and the arc villain revealing his plan...

Recorded live at Tanglewood with Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians and a star-studded cast, this tale with roots in India, Mongolia, Siberia and the Philippines is all about thinking outside the box... and inside the jar.

The story begins on August 2, 1993, in the Khamar Daban mountains of southern Siberia. A group of students visiting from Petropavl in Kazakhstan planned to hike from the shores of Lake Baikal and summit Kang-Ula.The seven hikers were Aleksander Kyrsin, 23; Tatyana Filipenko, 24; Denis Shvachkin, 19; Valentina Utochenko, 17; Viktoriya Zalesova, 16; Timur Bapanov, 15; and leader Lyudmila Korovina, 41. They were reportedly a tight-knit bunch of good friends. The group had done difficult hikes before, and all were physically fit. They also had a hiking legend in their midst. Lyudmila Korovina was a well-known survivalist with a strong will and excellent problem-solving skills. She even had the nickname of Master among those she led on expeditions. The event has been likened to the Dyatlov Pass incident, earning it the name "Buryatia's Dyatlov Pass".Help us buy a camera:https://ko-fi.com/monsterfuzzSupport the pod:www.patreon.com/monsterfuzz Check out our merch:https://monster-fuzz.creator-spring.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monster-fuzz--4349429/support.

This week we cover 3 recent archaeology news stories. First up, Near-infrared photography of a 2,300-year-old Pazyryk culture mummy in Siberia has revealed exquisitely detailed tattoos on her forearms and hands. Then, archaeologists excavating the Roman fort of Magna along Hadrian's Wall in northern England have uncovered an unusually high proportion of oversized leather shoes. And finally, we discuss a few of the newest additions to the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.Links2,300-year-old arm tats on mummified woman reveal new insights about tattooing technique in ancient Siberia (Live Science)High-resolution near-infrared data reveal Pazyryk tattooing methods (Antiquity)Archaeologists Keep Finding Massive Shoes at an Ancient Roman Fort—and They Have No Idea Why They're So Big (Smithsonian)New Inscribed Properties 2025Here are some of the newest UNESCO World Heritage sitesContactChris Websterchris@archaeologypodcastnetwork.comRachel Rodenrachel@unraveleddesigns.comRachelUnraveled (Instagram)ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN Discord: https://discord.com/invite/CWBhb2T2edAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN ShopAffiliatesMotion

This week we cover 3 recent archaeology news stories. First up, Near-infrared photography of a 2,300-year-old Pazyryk culture mummy in Siberia has revealed exquisitely detailed tattoos on her forearms and hands. Then, archaeologists excavating the Roman fort of Magna along Hadrian's Wall in northern England have uncovered an unusually high proportion of oversized leather shoes. And finally, we discuss a few of the newest additions to the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.Links2,300-year-old arm tats on mummified woman reveal new insights about tattooing technique in ancient Siberia (Live Science)High-resolution near-infrared data reveal Pazyryk tattooing methods (Antiquity)Archaeologists Keep Finding Massive Shoes at an Ancient Roman Fort—and They Have No Idea Why They're So Big (Smithsonian)New Inscribed Properties 2025Here are some of the newest UNESCO World Heritage sitesContactChris Websterchris@archaeologypodcastnetwork.comRachel Rodenrachel@unraveleddesigns.comRachelUnraveled (Instagram)ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN Discord: https://discord.com/invite/CWBhb2T2edAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN ShopAffiliatesMotion

Hello Interactors,It's been awhile as I've been enjoying summer — including getting in my kayak to paddle over to a park to water plants. Time on the water also gets me thinking. Lately, it's been about what belongs here, what doesn't, and who decides? This week's essay follows my trail of thought from ivy-covered fences to international borders. I trace how science, politics, and even physics shape our ideas of what's “native” and what's “invasive.”INVASION, IVY, AND ICEAs I was contemplating this essay in my car at a stop light, a fireweed seedling floated through the sunroof. Fireweed is considered “native” by the U.S. Government, but when researching this opportunistic plant — which thrives in disturbed areas (hence it's name) — I learned it can be found across the entire Northern Hemisphere. It's “native” to Japan, China, Korea, Siberia, Mongolia, Russia, and all of Northern Europe. Because its primary dispersal is through the wind, it's impossible to know where exactly it originated and when. And unlike humans, it doesn't have to worry about borders.So long as a species arrives on its own accord through wind, wings, currents, or chance — without a human hand guiding it — it's often granted the status of “native.” Never mind whether the journey took decades or millennia, or if the ecosystem has since changed. What matters is that it got there on its own, as if nature somehow stamped its passport.As long time Interactors may recall, I spend the summer helping water “native” baby plants into maturity in a local public green space. A bordering homeowner had planted an “invasive species”, English Ivy, years ago and it climbed the fence engulfing the Sword Ferns, Vine Maples, and towering Douglas Fir trees common in Pacific Northwest woodlands. A nearby concerned environmentalist volunteered to remove the “alien” ivy and plant “native” species through a city program called Green Kirkland. Some of the first Firs he planted are now taller than he is! Meanwhile, on the ground you see remnants of English Ivy still trying to muster a comeback. The stuff is tenacious.This is also the time of year in the Seattle area when Himalayan Black Berries are ripening. These sprawls of arching spikey vines are as pernicious as they are delicious. Nativist defenders try squelching these invaders too. But unlike English Ivy, these “aliens” come with a sugary prize. You'll see people walking along the side of roads with buckets and step stools trying their darnedest to pluck a plump prize — taking care not to get poked or pierced by their prickly spurs.This framing of “invasive” versus “native” has given me pause like never before, especially as I witness armed, masked raids on homes and businesses carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. These government officials, who are also concerned and deeply committed citizens, see themselves as removing what they label “invasive aliens” — individuals they fear might overwhelm the so-called “native” population. As part of the Department of Homeland Security, they work to secure the “Homeland” from what is perceived as an invasion by unwanted human movement. In reflecting on this, I ask myself: how different am I from an ICE agent when I labor to eradicate plants I have been taught to call “invasive” while nurturing so-called “native” species back to health? Both of us are acting within a worldview that categorizes beings as either threats or treasures. At what cost, and with what consequences?According to a couple other U.S. agencies (like the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture) species are considered native if they were present before European colonization (i.e., pre-1492). The idea that a species is “native” if it was present before 1492 obviously reflects less a scientific ecological reality than a political opinion of convenience. Framing nativity through the lens of settler history rather than ecological process ignores not only millennia of Indigenous land stewardship, but prehistoric human introductions and natural migrations shaped by climate and geology. Trying pin down what is “native” is like picking up a squirming earthworm.These little critters, which have profoundly altered soil ecosystems in postglacial North America, are often labeled “naturalized” rather than “native” because their arrival followed European colonization. Yet this classification ignores the fact that northern North America had no earthworms at all for thousands of years after the glaciers retreated. There were scraped away with the topsoil. What native species may exist in North America are confined to the unglaciated South.What's disturbing isn't just the worms' historical presence but the simplistic persistent narrative that ecosystems were somehow stable until 1492. How is it possible that so many people still insist it was colonial contact that supposedly flipped some ecological switch? In truth, landscapes have always been in motion. They've been shaped and reshaped by earth's systems — especially human systems — long before borders were drawn. Defining nativity by a colonial decree doesn't just flatten ecological complexity, it overwrites a deep history of entangled alteration.MIGRATION, MOVEMENT, AND MEANINGIf a monarch butterfly flutters across the U.S. border from Mexico, no one demands its papers. There are no butterfly checkpoints in Laredo or Yuma. It rides the wind northward, tracing ancient pathways across Texas, the Midwest, all the way to southern Canada. The return trip happens generations later — back to the oyamel forests in the state of Michoacán. This movement is a marvel. It's so essential we feel compelled to watch it, map it, and even plant milkweed to help it along. But when human beings try to make a similar journey on the ground — fleeing drought, violence, or economic collapse — we call it a crisis, build walls, and question their right to belong.This double standard starts to unravel when you look closely at the natural world. Species are constantly on the move. Some of the most astonishing feats of endurance on Earth are migratory: the Arctic tern flies from pole to pole each year; caribou migrate thousands of miles across melting tundra and newly paved roads. GPS data compiled in Where the Animals Go shows lions slipping through suburban gardens and wolves threading through farmland, using hedgerows and railways like interstates. Animal movement isn't the exception; it's the ecological norm.And it's not just animals. Plants, too, are masters of mobility. A single seed can cross oceans, whether on the back of a bird, in a gust of wind, or tucked into a canoe by a human hand. In one famous case, researchers once proposed that a tree found on a remote Pacific Island must have arrived via floating debris. But later genetic and archaeological evidence suggested a different story: it may have arrived with early Polynesian voyagers — people whose seafaring knowledge shaped entire ecosystems across the Pacific.DNA evidence and phylogeographic studies (how historical processes shape the geographic distribution of genetic lineages within species) now support the idea that Polynesians carried plants such as paper mulberry, sweet potato, taro, and even some trees across vast ocean distances well before the Europeans showed up. What was once considered improbable — human-mediated dispersal to incredibly beautiful and remote islands — is now understood as a core part of Pacific ecological and cultural history.Either way, that plant didn't ask to be there. It simply was. And with no obvious harm done, it was allowed to stay. We humans can also often conflate our inability to perceive harm with the idea that a species “belongs.” We tend to assume that if we can't see, measure, or immediately notice any negative impact a species is having, then it must not be causing harm — and therefore it “belongs” in the ecosystem. But belonging is contextual. It can be slow to reveal and is rarely absolute. British ecologist and writer Ken Thompson has spent much of his career challenging our tidy categories of “native” and “invasive.” In his book Where Do Camels Belong?, he reminds us that the “belonging” question is less about biology than bureaucracy. Camels originated in North America and left via the Bering land bridge around 3–5 million years ago. They eventually domesticated in the Middle East about ~3,000–4,000 years ago to be used for transportation, milk, and meat. Then, in the 19th century, British colonists brought camels to Australia to help explore and settle the arid interior. Australia is now home to the largest population of feral camels in the world. So where, exactly, do they “belong”? Our ecological borders, like our political ones, often make more sense on a map than they do in the field.Even the language we use is steeped in militaristic and xenophobic overtones. Scottish geographer Charles Warren has written extensively on how conservation debates are shaped by the words we choose. In a 2007 paper, he argues that terms like invasive, alien, and non-native don't just describe, but pass judgment. They carrying moral and political weight into what should be an ecological conversation. They conjure feelings of threat, disorder, and contamination. When applied to plants, they frame restoration as a battle. With people, they prepare the ground for exclusion.Which is why I now hesitate when I yank ivy or judge a blackberry bramble. I still do it because I believe in fostering ecological resilience and am sensitive to slowing or stopping overly aggressive and harmful plants (and animals). But now I do it more humbly, more questioningly. What makes something a threat, and who gets to decide? What if the real harm lies not in movement of species, but in the stories we tell about it?MIGRATION, MYTHS, AND MATTERThe impulse to define who belongs and who doesn't isn't limited to the forest floor. It echoes in immigration policy, in the architecture of the border wall, and in the sterile vocabulary of "population control." Historians of science Sebastian Normandin and Sean Valles have examined how science, politics, and social movements intersect. In a 2015 paper, they show that many conservation policies we take for granted today — ostensibly about protecting ecosystems — emerged from the same ideological soil that nourished eugenics programs and early anti-immigration campaigns. What began as a concern for environmental balance often mutated into a desire for demographic purity.We see this convergence in the early 1900s, when the U.S. Dillingham Commission launched an exhaustive effort to classify immigrants by race, culture, and supposed “fitness” for American life. Historian Robert Zeidel, in his 2004 account of U.S. immigration politics, details how the Dillingham Commission's findings hardened the notion that certain groups — like certain species — are inherently better suited to thrive in the nation's “ecological” and cultural landscape. Their conclusions fueled the 1924 Immigration Act, one of the most restrictive in U.S. history, and laid groundwork for a century of racialized immigration policy.These ideas didn't stay in the realm of policy. They seeped into science. Carl Linnaeus, the father of modern taxonomy, built racial categories into the very fabric of biological classification. Historian of science Lisbet Koerner, in her 1999 study of Carl Linnaeus, shows how his taxonomy reflected and reinforced 18th-century European ideals of empire and control. His system sorted not only plants and animals, but people. Nature, under his framework, was not only to be known but to be ordered. As Linneaus often said, "God created, Linnaeus organized." Brad observes that Carl also spoke in the third person.The Linnaeus legacy lingers. Legal scholar and sociologist Dorothy Roberts and anthropologist Robert Sussman both argue that modern science has quietly resurrected racial categories in genetic research, often under the guise of ancestry testing or precision medicine. But race, like “nativity,” is not a biological fact — it's a social construct. Anthropologist Jonathan Marks and geneticist David Reich reach the same conclusion from different directions: the human genome tells a story not of fixed, isolated groups, but of constant migration, mixing, and adaptation.This is why defining species as “native” or “invasive” based on a colonial timestamp like 1492 is more than just a scientific shortcut. It's a worldview that imagines a pristine past disrupted by foreign intrusion. This myth is mirrored in nationalist movements around the globe — including the troubling MAGA blueprint: Project 2025.When we talk about securing borders, protecting bloodlines, or restoring purity, we're often echoing the same flawed logic that labels blackberry and ivy as existential threats, while ignoring the systems that truly destabilize ecosystems — like extractive capitalism, industrial agriculture, and global trade. But even these forces may not be purely ideological. As complexity theorist Yaneer Bar-Yam, founder of the New England Complex Systems Institute, has argued, large-scale societal and ecological patterns often emerge not through top-down intent, but through the bottom-up dynamics of complex systems under stress.These dynamics are shaped by entropy — not in the popular sense of disorder, but as the tendency of energy and influence to disperse across systems in unpredictable ways as complexity increases. In this view, what we experience as exploitation or collapse may also be the inevitable result of a world growing too intricate to govern by simple, centralized rules.Consider those early Polynesians. Perhaps we best think of them as complex, intelligent, tool-bearing animals who crossed vast oceans long before Europe entered the story. They didn't defy nature, they expressed it. They simply scaled up the same dispersal seen in wind-blown seeds or migratory birds. Their movement, like that of camels, fireweed, or monarchs, reminds us that life is always pushing outward, but because it can. This outward motion follows physics.Even in an open system like Earth, the Second Law of Thermodynamics holds sway. Energy flows in and life finds ever more complex ways to move it along. A sunbeam warms a rock, releasing energy into the air above. That warmth lifts air, forming wind. The wind carries seeds across fields and fence lines, scattering the future wherever friction allows. Seeds take root, drawing in sunlight, water, and minerals. They build structure to move energy forward. Muscles twitch as animals rise to consume that energy then follow warmth, water, or instinct. Wings of the bird lift so it may fly. Herds of the plain press so they may migrate. These patterns stretch across microseconds, minutes, and millennia — creeks, crevices, and continents. And eventually, humans launch canoes in the ocean tracing the same thermodynamic pull, riding currents of wind, wave, desire, and need. None of it defies nature. It is nature. It can be seen as different forms of energy dispersing through motion, life, and relationship at different scales.One of the first scientists to recognize this was a Belgian chemist in the 1970s who saw something radical in the chaos of fluctuations and energy flows in nonequilibrium chemical systems: that complexity could arise not despite entropy, but because of it. Ilya Prigogine called these emergent forms dissipative structures — systems that spontaneously self-organize to transform and disperse energy more efficiently. A familiar example is a snowflake, which forms highly ordered crystal structures as water vapor crystallizes under just the right conditions. This beautiful pattern represents order emerging directly from the molecular chaos of a winter storm.Extending this idea, we might begin to see migration, dispersal, and adaptation not as disruptions or disturbances, but as natural expressions of complex systems tirelessly working toward order. These processes are ways in which living systems unfold, expand, and improvise — dynamically responding to the flows of energy they must transform to sustain themselves and their environments.To call such movement unnatural is to forget that we, too, are part of nature's restless patterning. The real challenge isn't to freeze the world in place, but to understand these flows so we might shape them with care, rather than react to them with fear.To be clear: not all movement is benign. Some species — like kudzu or cane toads — have caused undeniable ecological damage. But the danger lies not in movement itself, but in the conditions of arrival and the systems of control. Climate change, habitat destruction, and globalization create the disturbances that opportunistic species exploit. They don't “invade” so much as arrive when the door is already open.And entropy doesn't mean indifferent inevitability, and complexity doesn't mean plodding passivity. Living systems are capable of generating counter-forces like cooperative networks, defensive alliances, and feedback loops. This form of collective actions resists domination and reasserts balance. Forests shade out overzealous colonizers, coral fish guard polyps from overgrazers, microbial webs starve out pathogens. Agency, be it a fungus or a human community, operates within the same flow of energy, shaping it toward persistence, resilience, and sometimes justice.So, when I pull ivy or water a fern, I do it with a different awareness now. I see myself not as a border guard, but as one actor in a much older drama — a participant in the ceaseless give-and-take through which living systems maintain their balance. My hands are not outside the flow, but in it, nudging here, ceding there, trying to tip the scales toward diversity, reciprocity, and resilience. It's not purity I'm after, but possibility: a landscape, human and more-than-human, capable of adapting to what comes next. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit interplace.io

Today's word of the day is ‘Siberia' as in the Mets as in hitting as in terrible as in Soto as in Lindor as in Alonso. What happened to the Mets? It's been over a month now and they are the worst hitting team in baseball. They have fallen in the standings. And the excuses keep piling up. (12:00) The Boston Red Sox signed Roman Anthony to a longterm deal. Huge pre arbitration deal for him. Boston has now locked up its core all through at least 2030. Major moves! (22:00) Nathan Eovaldi is having a career-year at 35 years old. What a season. (29:12) Review: Up in the Air. (33:00) Shohei Ohtani is the greatest. Just watching him in awe every day. We are so lucky. We also have an update on Roki Sasaki. Do you even remember him? (42:30) We have history in the making. Jen Pawol will become the first female umpire to call a Major League Baseball game! (47:00) NPPOD. (48:30) No more position player pitching. The Rockies catcher gave up 8 runs to the Blue Jays yesterday. Toronto outscored the Rockies 45-6 over 3 games. Cmon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's word of the day is ‘Siberia' as in the Mets as in hitting as in terrible as in Soto as in Lindor as in Alonso. What happened to the Mets? It's been over a month now and they are the worst hitting team in baseball. They have fallen in the standings. And the excuses keep piling up. (12:00) The Boston Red Sox signed Roman Anthony to a longterm deal. Huge pre arbitration deal for him. Boston has now locked up its core all through at least 2030. Major moves! (22:00) Nathan Eovaldi is having a career-year at 35 years old. What a season. (29:12) Review: Up in the Air. (33:00) Shohei Ohtani is the greatest. Just watching him in awe every day. We are so lucky. We also have an update on Roki Sasaki. Do you even remember him? (42:30) We have history in the making. Jen Pawol will become the first female umpire to call a Major League Baseball game! (47:00) NPPOD. (48:30) No more position player pitching. The Rockies catcher gave up 8 runs to the Blue Jays yesterday. Toronto outscored the Rockies 45-6 over 3 games. Cmon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Evgenii Pokidaev, born in Siberia, Russia is traveling the world and doing pottery.  In addition to making pottery, Evgenii also teaches pottery throwing online in which he teaches starting with the very basics and students from around the world. https://ThePottersCast.com/1156

Jessi saw The Backstreet Boys at The Sphere and she WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. But what happened in Vegas is NOT staying in Vegas! That's why she is phoning her High School Best Friends and lifelong Backstreet Boys fans Anji, Kelsey and Laura (AKA Brian, Kevin and AJ) - to relive the entire concert with YOU Phonies. The Highs, The Lows, The Botox, The Bulges, Kevin's jawline, B-Rock's voice, Nick's raw sex appeal and So.Much.More. If you'd like to know what we discussed in our hotel room at 4am after the concert… this episode is basically that. Plus! Jessi issues a formal apology to Justin Timberlake, has questions about Kim Kardashian's ‘Ultimate Face' and has NEW INTEL on Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry… come for The Backstreet Boys, stay for the Hot Newfoundland goss… I know you WANT IT THAT WAY! Jessi is freezing in Siberia, waiting for your voicemail about ANYTHING: 323-448-0068 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's show, Lian is joined by Nicholas Breeze Wood. Nicholas has practiced shamanism for over 40 years, combining it with the 'earthier' end of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as with 'medicine' teachings from Native North American peoples. He has worked with many gifted medicine people and shamans over the years, and is deeply apprenticed to his own spirit helpers, whose teachings never fail to awe and surprise him. Nick's shamanism is a fusion of traditional Himalayan and Mongolian forms, combined with teachings from his own spirits. He works especially deeply with ritual objects - such as bronze shaman's mirrors, phurba daggers and many other Mongolian and Tibetan shamanic and Buddhist ritual objects - for which he holds traditional teachings and, where required, traditional initiations. Despite being a ‘rather uneducated Buddhist,' he is an ordained Tibetan Buddhist lama, a type called a ngakpa, whose role is similar to a shaman's. Ngakpas are non-monastic, non-celebrate lamas who live in the community, specialising in ritual and magic for people within their community. Nick is the editor of Sacred Hoop Magazine - a leading international magazine about shamanism - which has been published since 1993. He is also a musician and artist. He is the author of several books including, 'Walking with the Tiger,' 'Sacred Drums of Siberia,' 'A Little Book of Revealing,' 'Voices From The Earth,' 'The Book of the Shaman,' 'The Shaman Box,' and 'The Resplendent Other'. He runs the large Facebook group 3Worlds Shamanism, has done a podcast called the 3Worlds shamanism podcast on and off since 2006 and also has a somewhat neglected YouTube channel, also called 3Worlds Shamanism. In this episode, Lian and Nicholas explore what it means to walk the path of shamanism in the modern West. Together, they trace the winding threads of Nicholas' life… from the windswept fields of his Midlands childhood to the birth of Sacred Hoop magazine, through encounters with medicine wheel teachings, Mongolian and Himalayan shamans, and the long shadow of Castaneda. What unfolds is not a how-to or a prescription… but a living braid of animism, discipline, and devotion. Nicholas reflects on the unexpected gift of dyslexia and how neurodivergence shaped his initiatory path, as a different kind of perception… one that enabled a direct, embodied relationship with the unseen. He and Lian explore the tension between psychotherapeutic frameworks and authentic shamanic practice, and the danger of mistaking surface form for deep structure. What makes a shaman, he says, is not sensitivity or interest, but being chosen by the spirits themselves. Woven through the conversation is the question of lineage. What does it mean to carry teachings from other lands onto this one? How do we honour both the transmission and the soil we stand upon? From the cosmology of the medicine wheel to the pitfalls of cultural appropriation, from core shamanism to the necessity of cosmological bone… this episode offers a rare encounter with an elder who has walked the shamanic path for many decades. We'd love to know what YOU think about this week's show. Let's carry on the conversation… please leave a comment wherever you are listening or in any of our other spaces to engage. What you'll learn from this episode: Why the word “shaman” is often misused… and how understanding deep structure versus surface form can clarify what is truly sacred. How neurodivergence can shape perception in ways that become part of our gift, especially when navigating the unseen or the unknown. What it might mean to birth a Western lineage… one rooted not in imitation, but in integration, initiation, and real relationship with land and spirit. Resources and stuff spoken about: Visit Nick's websites: Sacred Hoop Magazine 3Worlds Podcast Buy Nick's books Join Nick on YouTube Join UNIO, the Academy of the Soul. This is for the old souls in this new world… Discover your kin & unite with your soul's calling to truly live your myth. Be Mythical Join our mailing list for soul stirring goodness: https://www.bemythical.com/moonly Discover your kin & unite with your soul's calling to truly live your myth: https://www.bemythical.com/unio Go Deeper: https://www.bemythical.com/godeeper Follow us: Facebook Instagram TikTok YouTube Thank you for listening! There's a fresh episode released each week here and on most podcast platforms - and video too on YouTube. If you subscribe then you'll get each new episode delivered to your device every week automagically. (that way you'll never miss a show).

Taming Wild Hearts: The Siberian Fox Experiment, Evolution, and the Power of Curiosity—A Conversation with Lee Alan Dugatkin The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series

Born in Russia in 1836, he became one of the great Orthodox missionaries of modern times. As a boy, he resolved to become a missionary in the far East. With the counsel and blessing of Bishop Innocent of Siberia and Alaska, he went to Japan in 1861 and joined a small Russian mission there. Though the mission's official purpose was to minister to the Russian consular community, the consul-general who invited Hieromonk Nikolai hoped to bring the light of the Orthodox Faith to the Japanese people as well. Realizing that he could only hope to convert the Japanese people if they understood one another well, Fr Nikolai immersed himself in the study of Japanese thought, culture and language. Over the course of his life he translated most of the Bible and most of the Orthodox services into Japanese, and became a fluent speaker of the language. He encountered much resistance: Preaching of Christian doctrine was officially banned in Japan, and a Samurai once approached him with the words "Foreigners must die!" It was this same Samurai who later became his first Japanese priest. In 1880 he was elevated to Bishop of Japan. During the Russo-Japanese war he remained in Japan and labored successfully to overcome nationalist strife that might have harmed or destroyed the Church in Japan. He encouraged all his Japanese faithful to pray for the Japanese armed forces, though he explained that as a Russian he could not do so, and excluded himself from all public services for the duration of the war. He sent Russian-speaking Japanese priests to the prison camps to minister to Russian prisoners of war. At the time of his repose in 1912, after forty-eight years in Japan, St Nikolai left a Cathedral, eight churches, more than 400 chapels and meeting houses, 34 priests, 8 deacons, 115 lay catechists, and 34,110 Orthodox faithful. The Church of Japan is now an autonomous Orthodox Church under the mantle of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Here's what we know... Spoiler: we don't know much

Our friendly building security; Famous twins; Tsunamis; Living in Siberia; Ducks go tie-dye; Which QB will the Browns trade?; In The News!; Jrue Holiday's odd press conference; Portland wants to keep The Blazers; The Lloyd Center; Dan Lanning is a meathead nerd; The Club Hour

TOS #294 | Big Strange Vacation Week 9 Detour! Unlocked from BCC: The Other Side: Recent headlines reveal a CIA document that details an attack on Russian soldiers by Alien Grays in Siberia during the Cold War. Could it be true? And what do other CIA documents reveal about UFO in the USSR? Plus: is Michael on the verge of a fictional incursion?? Watch this episode on YouTube. Join the BCC Clubhouse on SupercastPARACON KC LIVE SHOW Alien Attack in SiberiaUFOs in the USSR⁠New BCC Merch ⁠⁠Michael's eBay Shop⁠ -- SHOW INFORMATION Bigfoot Collectors Club is produced by Riley Bray. Bonus and Ad-Free episodes on Supercast: https://bcc.supercast.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@bigfootcollectorsclub Merch:https://bigfoot-collectors-club-podcast-shop.fourthwall.com/collections/all Listener-Files Submissions: BigfootCollectorsClub@gmail.com. Instagram: https://bit.ly/3W7izlL | Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/bccpodcast.bsky.social Our theme song is “Come Alone,” by Suneaters, courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Follow Suneaters on Spotify https://bit.ly/3XnD4vS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last time we spoke about Operation Downfall. The Allies, under General Krueger, initiated a decisive campaign to clear the Japanese from Luzon. As they faced the entrenched Shobu Group, challenges included treacherous terrain and a resilient enemy. Simultaneously, Japan braced for an invasion, mobilizing reinforcements and devising defensive strategies to ward off the impending Allied assault. As July approached, General Yamashita's forces prepared to execute a final breakout, but progress was hampered by relentless guerrilla attacks and adverse weather conditions. With Operation Downfall looming, Allied troops focused on strategic landings in Kyushu and Honshu, driven by a relentless determination to defeat the Japanese militarily. The intense battles of Luzon became a precursor to this monumental operation, marking a turning point in the Pacific War.  This episode is The Siege of Japan Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  Boy I have been waiting a long time to come to this point. One of the most significant events in human history that deeply affects us to this very day. Nuclear war is as much a threat today as it was during the cold war. The dropping of the Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were deeply complicated events fraught with issues of morality. It goes without saying whether or not the bombs needed to be dropped, their actual impact on the surrender of Japan and so forth are still issues hotly debated to this very day. I have spoken on the issue countless times on my personal channel and podcast, but I figure to do this subject justice I will create a full episode for it. Thus in this episode we are going to just cover what happened, but rest assured I will come back to this later on. As we last explored, following the successful invasion of Luzon in the Philippines, along with the fall of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, American forces began preparing for the final invasion of the Japanese Home Islands. This operation was codenamed Operation Downfall. One key initiative leading up to this invasion was a comprehensive air-sea blockade and bombardment campaign against Japan itself. Previously, we detailed the extensive firebombing and precision bombing efforts executed by General LeMay's 21st Bomber Command. However, during this crucial period, the B-29 Superfortress bombers undertook a distinct operation under the codename Starvation. This single operation would be one of the largest factors that contributed to the surrender of Japan and its one most people have never heard of. In July 1944, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz proposed a bold plan to use B-29 Superfortress bombers to mine the waterways surrounding the Japanese Home Islands. Although Generals Henry H. Arnold and Walter Hansell expressed concerns that this mining campaign could distract from the B-29's primary role as a strategic bombardment aircraft, they eventually agreed to assign one bomber group to focus on aerial mining when conditions permitted. On December 22, Hansell's 21st Bomber Command was directed to formulate a naval mining program aimed at executing between 150 to 200 sorties each month, which was set to begin in April 1945. However, by this time, General Curtis LeMay had taken command of the 21st Bomber Command. LeMay was notably enthusiastic about the idea and successfully recommended to Washington an upgraded mining program that aimed to deploy up to 1,500 mines each month using a full B-29 wing. LeMay viewed aerial mining in a different light than Arnold or Hansell, seeing it as a vital extension of strategic bombing. He recognized that most of Japan's war production materials, as well as a significant portion of its food supplies, were imported from regions such as China, Southeast Asia, and the Dutch East Indies. Japan's industrial heartland is primarily found on Honshu, its largest and most industrialized island, while Shikoku, another island, also lacks essential resources such as iron ore and high-quality coal. These crucial materials were sourced from Kyushu and Hokkaido, both of which are other Japanese islands. All these resources were transported by sea, so without easy access to raw materials, Japan's industrial output would come to a grinding halt. The only aircraft capable of deploying mines effectively where they were needed were the B-29s. Areas such as the Inland Sea, the Sea of Japan, and the Korean Peninsula were out of reach for other Allied aircraft. Additionally, Allied submarines could only venture into these perilous waters with great risk. Notably, about 80% of Japan's merchant fleet utilized the Shimonoseki Strait, a critical waterway that separates Kyushu from Honshu. Understanding the strategic advantage of closing this strait, LeMay decided to allocate an entire wing of B-29s specifically to mine this vital route. Brigadier General John Davies commanded the 313th Bombardment Wing, tasked with deploying approximately 2,000 naval mines each month into Japanese waters. The primary goals of this operation were to prevent essential raw materials and food supplies from reaching the Home Islands, hinder the supply and mobilization of Japanese military forces, and disrupt transportation routes in the Inland Sea of Japan. Between March 27 and April 12, Davies' bombers targeted key enemy shipping bases located in Kure, Sasebo, and Hiroshima. They also focused on the Shimonoseki Strait, a narrow and strategically important waterway that links the Inland Sea with the Tsushima Strait. Notably, after these attacks, this strait was successfully closed for two weeks. On May 3 and 5, the 313th Bombardment Wing laid down a total of 1,422 mines in the waters surrounding the Shimonoseki Strait, as well as near major urban centers like Tokyo, Nagoya, Kobe, and Osaka. These efforts aimed to severely disrupt maritime commerce between Japan's major industrial areas. Just a week later, the minefields expanded from the Shimonoseki Strait to include Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands, and northwest Honshu, the largest island containing Tokyo. By the end of that month, these mines were proving remarkably effective, accounting for the sinking of more ships than Japanese submarines. In fact, within the Shimonoseki Strait alone, 113 ships had been sunk. Between June 7 and July 8, American forces expanded and fortified minefields along the western coast of Japan while also replenishing the existing minefields in the Shimonoseki Strait and the Inland Sea. During this effort, they successfully laid a total of 3,542 mines across 14 missions. The "total blockade" officially commenced on July 9 and continued until the end of the war. Throughout this period, American forces executed 474 sorties, dropping another 3,746 mines that replenished existing minefields and extended coverage to harbors in Korea. In total, Brigadier General Davies conducted 46 missions that laid down 26 minefields containing 12,135 mines. Remarkably, only 15 B-29s were lost during these operations. In turn, the mines accounted for the sinking or damaging of 670 Japanese ships, with a total loss of 1.25 million tons. This mining campaign effectively strangled Japanese industry, as the denial of essential raw materials to factories proved more disruptive than the direct bombing of the plants themselves.  Despite the clear vulnerability of Japan's economy to disruptions in coastal shipping, Japanese authorities were alarmingly unprepared to address the threat posed by air-dropped mines. By August 1945, Japan had committed 349 ships and 20,000 personnel to counter the Starvation campaign, but these efforts were overwhelmingly ineffective. The shipping crisis escalated to such a degree that searchlights and anti-aircraft batteries were redeployed from urban centers to defend expected mining targets. Additionally, suicide boats were employed in desperate attempts to clear the minefields. Royal Navy historian S.W. Roskill commented on the situation, stating, “The blockade had, in fact, been far more successful than we realized at the time. Although submarines initially played a critical role in enforcing the blockade, it was the air-laid mines that ultimately strangled Japan.” Japanese officials shared this assessment. A director from a Tokyo steel company reflected on the situation, noting that the denial of essential raw materials to factories caused far greater disruption than the direct bombing of the plants themselves. This contradicted the views of US Army Air Forces experts back in Washington. In a striking remark after the war, a Japanese minesweeping officer told American forces, “The result of B-29 mining was so effective against shipping that it eventually starved the country. You could have likely shortened the war by starting this campaign earlier.” Meanwhile, General LeMay continued his firebombing campaign against Japan. By the end of May, urban areas around Tokyo Bay had been devastated, prompting the 21st Bomber Command to shift focus westward toward the densely populated industrial complexes lining Osaka Bay. On June 1, 521 B-29s were dispatched to bomb industrial targets situated along the Yodo River, with an escort of 148 P-51 fighters. Unfortunately, an undetected thunderstorm struck en route, which meant only 27 P-51s reached Osaka, while another 27 crashed, and the remaining fighters had to return to Iwo Jima. Despite these complications, the B-29s bombed from altitudes ranging between 18,000 and 28,500 feet, successfully dropping 2,788 tons of incendiary bombs on Osaka. The attack resulted in the burning of 3.15 square miles, destroying 136,107 houses and 4,222 factories. Four days later, on June 3, 530 unescorted B-29 Superfortresses launched a bombing raid on the city of Kobe. Of those, 473 aircraft targeted the city, resulting in the destruction of 4.35 square miles. This devastating strike led to the demolition of 51,399 buildings, while another 928 suffered significant damage. The raid, however, came with losses, as 11 bombers were downed, and 176 were damaged in the operation. On June 7, 449 B-29s returned to Osaka. Despite facing heavy cloud cover that restricted visibility, they managed to burn an additional 2.21 square miles of the city, destroying another 55,333 buildings.  By the conclusion of General Curtis LeMay's maximum-effort area bombing campaign, the six most significant industrial cities in Japan, Tokyo, Nagoya, Kobe, Osaka, Yokohama, and Kawasaki, had been left in ruins. Major factories were either destroyed or severely damaged, while thousands of smaller household and feeder industrial units were consumed by flames. Casualty figures surged into six figures, leaving millions of people homeless. The evacuation of survivors further complicated efforts to secure labor for the factories that remained operational. Japan's air-raid protection system proved woefully inadequate to withstand a protracted siege by very heavy bombers. The system lacked sufficient organization, trained personnel, shelters, fire-fighting equipment, and facilities for relief and evacuation. Additionally, there was a significant deficiency in civilian indoctrination regarding emergency procedures. Under the relentless pressure of repeated major attacks, local Air Raid Precaution organizations collapsed, adding strain to an already overburdened imperial government. Japanese civilians, who had been conditioned by victory propaganda, displayed little of the discipline that helped German citizens endure years of aerial bombardment. As news of military defeats and the impact of B-29 precision strikes filtered into the great cities, residents began to lose confidence in their leaders' ability to protect them or care for the victims of the attacks. Abe Motoki, the Minister of Home Affairs at the time, later remarked, “I believe that after the raids on Tokyo on May 23-24, 1945, civilian defense measures in that city, as well as in other parts of Japan, were considered a futile effort.” Regarding the operational cost of this campaign for the 21st Bomber Command, it was not considered excessively burdensome. Over the course of 17 maximum-effort incendiary attacks, LeMay dispatched a total of 6,960 B-29s, which dropped 41,592 tons of bombs. The losses amounted to 136 B-29s, averaging only 1.9% of the sorties, a rate significantly lower than what had been endured in earlier months, and quite acceptable by the standards of conventional strategic bombing. Meteorologists predicted that the summer monsoon would keep Japan's skies covered with clouds for most of the upcoming months, from June to August. As a result, LeMay shifted strategies under what became known as the Empire Plan. This approach prioritized targeting industrial and military sites during daylight hours when the weather permitted, while secondary cities that had sufficient industrial capability became targets for nighttime area attacks. This change meant that since no single target warranted a full four-wing maximum effort, multiple missions could be scheduled in a single day. Accordingly, on June 9, 110 B-29s attacked three aircraft factories located in Narao, Atsuta, and Akashi. The strikes successfully destroyed the factories in Narao and Atsuta, but an unfortunate miscalculation led to the bombing of the town near Akashi. The following day, June 10, a force of 280 B-29s, escorted by 107 P-51 Mustang fighters, targeted six distinct sites in the Tokyo Bay area. The mission yielded significant results, with all targets sustaining heavy damage. Finally, on June 15, 516 B-29s were dispatched for one last firebombing raid against Osaka and the neighboring city of Amagasaki. In this combined assault, 444 bombers dropped over 1,350 tons of incendiary bombs, incinerating an additional 1.9 square miles in Osaka and more than half a square mile in Amagasaki. Starting on June 17, General Curtis LeMay's firebombing campaigns began to focus on medium-sized secondary cities across Japan. On that day, 477 B-29 Superfortresses targeted the cities of Omuta, Hamamatsu, Yokkaichi, and Kagoshima, burning a combined total of six square miles in these urban areas. The success of this initial multi-target mission ensured the continuation of the program, establishing an operational pattern that would remain standard during the final weeks of the war. In total, multiple incendiary attacks were conducted on sixteen occasions, averaging about two missions per week. Between June 17 and August 14, American forces carried out 8,014 sorties, dropping a staggering 54,184 tons of incendiaries across 58 secondary cities. On June 22, 446 B-29s were dispatched to strike six targets located in southern Honshu, including the crucial Kure Naval Arsenal. In this mission, 382 bombers released 2,103 tons of bombs, inflicting heavy damage to these essential manufacturing facilities. Just four days later, on June 26, a force of 510 B-29s, accompanied by 148 P-51 Mustang escorts, targeted locations in southern Honshu and the nearby island of Shikoku. However, dense clouds over much of the area complicated assembly and forced many aircraft to attack targets of opportunity individually or in small groups. As a result, adverse weather conditions would delay subsequent daytime raids until July 24.  In the coordinated strike program that commenced in June, the decision to focus on either the Empire Plan or urban industrial targets was largely influenced by weather conditions. As the program took shape, the 315th Bombardment Wing (VH) became available for combat operations. This wing operated somewhat independently from the other bomber units, with its activities significantly guided by the specialized equipment of its aircraft. Authorized for deployment in the Pacific in December 1944, the 315th settled at Northwest Field, Guam, during May and June. Its commander, Brigadier General Frank A. Armstrong, Jr., was a seasoned veteran of the strategic air offensive against Germany. The B-29s of the 315th Wing differed in two key respects from those of other units. They were equipped with the AN/APQ-7 (Eagle) radar, a sophisticated radar system designed for bombing, instead of the conventional AN/APQ-13 radar. The latter had primarily served as a navigational aid. While crews had become adept at using the AN/APQ-13 for night or poor-weather bombing, it lacked the precision necessary for accurate strikes. The Eagle radar, however, offered significantly greater definition and, although it required a long bomb run averaging seventy miles, this was not considered a serious hindrance in the tactical context of Japan. To further enhance its night-bombing capabilities, the Superfortresses had been stripped of all armament except for the tail gun. This modification, along with the Eagle radar, clearly marked the 315th as a dedicated night-bombing unit. There were various proposals for the use of these specially equipped B-29s, including high-altitude bombing, area bombing, and aerial mining. However, by the time the 315th Wing was ready for combat, the 313th Bombardment Wing had already gained proficiency in aerial mining, while all wings had become adept at area bombing using the AN/APQ-13. Training for the 315th had focused heavily on night radar tactics, with less emphasis on visual bombing and daytime formation flights. It was evident that if the Eagle radar was to undergo a thorough scientific evaluation, it should be tested against a specific set of targets that were preferably large in size and located along the coastline. In the view of the 21st Bomber Command, the oil industry met these requirements perfectly. The 315th Bombardment Wing initiated its specialized campaign on June 26 with a targeted strike against the Utsube Oil Refinery in Yokkaichi, the top-priority target. By August 14, the wing had conducted 15 additional missions against a total of 10 targets, which included various petroleum refineries and synthetic plants, such as the Maruzen Oil Company in Wakayama, Mitsubishi Oil Company in Kawasaki, and Nippon Oil Company plants spread across Akita, Kansai, Kudamatsu, and Amagasaki, as well as the Imperial Fuel Industry Company in Ube and Toa Fuel Industry in Wakayama. During the campaign, the 315th Wing dispatched a total of 1,200 B-29s, 1,095 of which successfully bombed their primary targets, dropping 9,084 tons of 500-pound general-purpose bombs deemed particularly effective against the scattered installations. The increase in bomb load capacity was made possible by stripping the planes of unnecessary equipment and conducting bombing missions individually at night. As the crews gained experience, they were able to increase the average weight carried from 14,631 pounds during the first mission to 20,684 pounds by August 9. Despite concerns about safety from removing most of the aircraft's armaments, only four planes were lost and 66 sustained damage throughout the campaign. The 20th Air Force estimated that the B-29 attacks led to the destruction of approximately 6 million barrels of tank storage capacity, and the United States Strategic Bombing Survey (USSBS) reported that refining capacity had been reduced from 90,000 barrels a day in December 1941 to around 17,000 barrels. However, the strategic impact was more apparent than real, as many storage tanks were empty and refinery production had fallen to just 4% of capacity before the very heavy bomber campaign began. The lack of precise intelligence regarding the state of Japan's economy had justified the emphasis on the oil program as a form of reinsurance. Nevertheless, the blockade had effectively severed the nation's oil resources, resulting in tankers remaining idle at the docks. On July 1, Admiral Halsey's 3rd Fleet departed San Pedro Bay to initiate the first preliminary strikes in preparation for Operation Olympic. This operation involved battleships and heavy cruisers conducting surface bombardments of industrial targets in eastern Japan, while lighter forces performed anti-shipping sweeps along the coast. Additionally, a fleet of submarines advanced ahead of Admiral McCain's Task Force 38 to eliminate picket boats and establish lifeguard positions. At 18:15 on July 9, the force began its 25-knot approach toward the Home Islands, launching its first strikes against the Tokyo area at 04:00 on July 10. A total of 1,732 sorties were executed, targeting locations from Koriyama to Hamamatsu, dropping 454 tons of bombs and 1,648 rockets over Honshu with negligible opposition. American airmen reported the destruction of 109 enemy aircraft and damage to 231 during these strikes.   Following this, Halsey's fleet moved north to bombard Hokkaido and northern Honshu, which were beyond the effective range of the B-29s and had previously evaded attack. At 05:59 on July 14, Rear-Admiral John Shafroth's Bombardment Group Able, consisting primarily of three battleships and two heavy cruisers, was tasked with attacking the Kamaishi Works of the Japan Iron Company. By midday, Shafroth's forces had opened fire on Kamaishi, marking the first surface bombardment of Japan by a hostile fleet in over 80 years. Between 12:10 and 14:19, a total of 802 16-inch shells, 728 8-inch shells, and 825 5-inch shells were expended, setting the town ablaze as key industrial and residential targets were hit and resulting in the sinking of one oil tanker, two barges, and one small ship in the harbor. Simultaneously, McCain's carriers closed to within 80 nautical miles of Japan, launching 1,391 sorties against Hokkaido and northern Honshu to target railways, shipping, and airfields, again facing only light resistance. In the ensuing strikes, American planes sank over 50,000 tons of shipping and naval craft, including the destroyer Tachibana, four minesweepers, eight naval auxiliaries, and around 20 merchant vessels, with significant losses occurring at Muroran and Hakodate. In addition, 25 enemy planes were destroyed, while American losses totaled 24 aircraft and 17 airmen, about half of whom were lost in combat. Task Force 38 launched another assault on July 15, executing 966 combat sorties that dropped 355 tons of bombs and expended 2,093 rockets. This operation resulted in the sinking of 65 vessels and damaging 128 others, as well as the destruction of 48 locomotives and damage to 28. Widespread destruction was inflicted on several facilities, particularly the Aomori–Hakodate railcar ferry system, which transported 30% of the coal between Hokkaido and Honshu. The strikes devastated the ferry system, sinking eight ferries, beaching eight more, and damaging two. In total, 70 auxiliary sailing colliers were sunk, and 11 were damaged, along with 10 steel freighters lost and 7 damaged. The ferry strikes were the brainchild of Halsey's operations officer, Captain Ralph “Rollo” Wilson. “When the first action reports began to sift in,” Halsey related: He snatched them up and pored over them; the ferries were not mentioned. Later reports also ignored them. Rollo was sulking and cursing when the final reports arrived. I heard him whistle and saw him beam. “Six ferries sunk!” he said. “Pretty soon we'll have ‘em moving their stuff by oxcarts and skiffs!”  Additionally, 20 city blocks in Kushiro were razed. The most significant outcome of these operations was the virtual severance of Hokkaido from Honshu. By the end of the raids, Halsey's 3rd Fleet had achieved the sinking of 140 ships and small craft, damaging 235 others, and destroying 38 planes while damaging 46. Meanwhile, Rear-Admiral Oscar Badger's Bombardment Group Baker, composed of three battleships, two light cruisers, and eight destroyers, was assigned to bombard Muroran. Between 09:36 and 10:25, this group fired 860 16-inch shells at the Nihon Steel Company and the Wanishi Ironworks, targeting both the coal liquefaction plant and coke ovens. This bombardment inflicted severe damage on those facilities and resulted in the destruction or damage of 2,541 houses in Muroran. As Hasley recalled “These sweeps and bombardments accomplished more than destruction. they showed the enemy that we made no bones about playing in his front yard. From now on, we patrolled his channels and shelled his coast almost every night that the weather permitted.” Additionally, Rear-Admiral James Cary Jones' four light cruisers conducted a sweep along the east coast of Honshu to hunt for Japanese shipping; however, they reported no contacts during their mission. Early on July 16, Task Force 38 retired east of Honshu to begin refueling and rendezvoused with Admiral Rawlings' Task Force 37, which agreed to operate closely as an additional task group for Admiral Halsey. At 03:50 on July 17, the two task forces began launching strikes against central Honshu despite adverse weather conditions. The American forces executed 205 sorties targeting the Mito area, while British aircraft flew 87 sorties against airfields and railyards along the northwest coast of Honshu. Despite the bad weather, several small craft and locomotives were destroyed, though the operation resulted in the loss of nine aircraft and four airmen. Later that afternoon, Halsey detached Badger's augmented Bombardment Group to attack Hitachi, a significant industrial and electronics-producing city. The 53-minute bombardment commenced in fog and rain at 23:14, during which 1,207 16-inch shells, 267 14-inch shells, and 292 6-inch rounds were expended against the Tago and Mito Works of the Hitachi Manufacturing Company, as well as the Yamate Plant and copper refining facilities of Hitachi Mine, resulting in severe devastation. On July 18, McCain's two leading carriers launched a total of 592 sorties against Yokosuka, specifically targeting the heavily camouflaged battleship Nagato at the naval base. The attacks resulted in the sinking of one old cruiser, one minesweeper, one submarine, one incomplete destroyer, and three patrol vessels, in addition to damaging one subchaser, one old destroyer, and one old battleship. Although Nagato was hit multiple times and suffered heavy damage, it managed to stay afloat. Meanwhile, three carriers also targeted airfields and other opportunities in Tokyo, while Task Force 37 attacked a seaplane base at Kitaura and airfields at Nobara, Naruto, Chosi, Kanoike, Natori, and Kitakawa. The recent raids resulted in the destruction of 43 enemy planes and damage to 77 others on the ground, along with the destruction of three locomotives and the derailing of four electrified train cars by rockets. However, the American forces incurred losses of 14 aircraft and 18 aircrew, as the 3rd Fleet flyers reported encountering the fiercest anti-aircraft fire they had yet experienced. Additionally, Rear-Admiral Carl Holden's four light cruisers were detached during the night to sweep shipping off Sagami Bay and to target the radar site at Cape Nojima. On July 21, Captain Thomas Hederman's Destroyer Squadron 61, consisting of nine destroyers, was assigned to conduct another anti-shipping sweep off Sagami Bay. Pursuing four radar contacts, the destroyers engaged targets at midnight on July 22, firing guns and torpedoes from 7,000 yards. This action resulted in the sinking of the 800-ton freighter No.5 Hakutetsu Maru and damaging the 6,919-ton Enbun Maru. In response, Japanese coastal artillery, the minesweeper W-1, and subchaser Ch-42 returned fire, but Hederman's squadron successfully retired without damage. Although minor in scale, the Battle of Sagami Bay would ultimately be the last surface action of the war. Meanwhile, as part of Operation Barney, a planned submarine penetration of the Sea of Japan, nine submarines succeeded in sinking 27 Japanese merchant vessels and one submarine, totaling 54,786 tons.  On June 8, the submarine Barb commenced her twelfth patrol, tasked with terrorizing the Sea of Okhotsk using her newly installed 5-inch rocket launchers. Over the following weeks, Skipper Commander Eugene “Luckey” Fluckey executed successful rocket bombardments on Shari, Hokkaido, and targets in Shikuka, Kashiho, and Shiritoru on Karafuto (southern Sakhalin), also employing the submarine's deck guns to destroy 35 sampans in the town of Kaihyo To. Observing Karafuto trains transporting military supplies to ports, Fluckey devised a plan to intercept these trains. Engineman Third Class Billy Hatfield recalled how, as a child, he had placed nuts on railroad ties and watched as the weight of passing trains cracked them between rail and tie. Realizing this principle could be adapted, he suggested rigging an automatic detonator. Fluckey had many volunteers for the mission, including a Japanese POW, and carefully selected Hatfield and seven others, deciding against leading the shore party himself. Just after midnight on July 23, 1945, Fluckey maneuvered Barb to within 950 yards of the Karafuto coast. Led by Lieutenant William Walker, the team launched two rubber rafts at 00:30. Before they left, Fluckey instructed them, “Boys, if you get stuck, head for Siberia, 130 miles north, following the mountain ranges. Good luck.” Upon reaching the shore, the Americans located the tracks and buried a 55-pound scuttling charge and battery beneath the rails, positioning it under a water tower they planned to use as a lookout. As Motor Machinist's Mate First Class John Markuson climbed up, he unexpectedly found he was scaling a sentry tower, causing him to retreat without alerting the sleeping guard. When a train passed, the team dove for cover before resuming their work after it had gone by. Shortly after 01:30, Walker's team signaled their return to Barb, which was now just 600 yards offshore. Fifteen minutes later, while the boats were halfway back, Fluckey heard the rumble of an approaching train. He hoisted a megaphone and urged the crew to “Paddle like the devil, boys!” At 01:47, a 16-car Japanese train struck Hatfield's detonator, resulting in a massive explosion that sent debris soaring 200 feet into the air and reportedly killed 150 Japanese. Minutes later, all eight Americans were safely aboard Barb, which then slipped back into the night, having successfully executed the only amphibious invasion of Japan during World War II. Returning to the main action, Halsey aimed to eliminate the remnants of the Combined Fleet at the heavily fortified Kure Naval Base. Consequently, Task Force 38 began launching the first of 1,363 sorties against ships and airfields in Kyushu, Shikoku, and Honshu, ringing the Inland Sea at 04:40 on July 24. A total of 599 tons of bombs and 1,615 rockets were unleashed over Kure, resulting in the sinking or damaging of 22 warships, which totaled 258,000 tons. Among the affected vessels were the battleships Hyuga, Ise, and Haruna; fleet carriers Amagi and Katsuragi; the escort carrier Kaiyo; heavy cruisers Tone and Aoba; as well as light cruisers Oyodo and Kitakami. In addition, another 53 vessels amounting to 17,000 tons were sunk at various locations, including Hiroshima Bay, Niihama, Bungo Channel, and Kii Channel. At Kobe, the incomplete fleet carrier Aso was also attacked and damaged. American Hellcats and Corsairs effectively swept aside Japanese aerial opposition, shooting down 18 enemy planes while destroying 40 aircraft and damaging another 80 on the ground. Furthermore, around the Inland Sea, 16 locomotives were destroyed and five were damaged, while 20 hangars sustained damage. Three oil tanks were set ablaze at Kure and one at Tano. Additionally, four electric trains and a roundhouse were strafed at Hamamatsu, and various military installations, including barracks, warehouses, power plants, and factories around the airfields, received significant damage. Simultaneously, Rear-Admiral Rawlings' Task Force 37 conducted 257 sorties against targets in Japan and the surrounding offshore areas, sinking the escort carrier Shimane Maru in Shido Bay, along with a number of destroyers, small escorts, and coasters. Meanwhile, Jones' light cruisers swept through the Kii Channel before bombarding the Kushimoto seaplane base and airfields at Cape Shionomisaki during the night. Supporting these efforts, General LeMay dispatched 625 B-29s against seven targets in the Nagoya and Osaka areas, successfully inflicting heavy damage on all of them despite the spotty weather, marking this as the last major attack on the Japanese mainland during the war, as two weeks of cloudy weather ensued. In the early hours of July 25, McCain's aircraft carriers resumed launching strikes against airfields and shipping in the Inland Sea and the Nagoya-Osaka areas. During this operation, they executed a total of 655 sorties, expending 185 tons of bombs and 1,162 rockets, successfully sinking nine ships totaling 8,000 tons and damaging another 35 vessels. The strikes also resulted in the downing of 21 Japanese planes, with an additional 61 aircraft destroyed on the ground and 68 damaged. After refueling on July 27, Halsey's carrier forces moved to launch points located 96 nautical miles off Shikoku. At 04:43 on July 28, they resumed strikes over the Inland Sea, focusing on targets from northern Kyushu to Nagoya, as well as airfields across Honshu along the Sea of Japan. This resulted in McCain flying a total of 1,602 sorties, dropping 605 tons of bombs and expending 2,050 rockets. These attacks sank 27 ships, amounting to 43,000 tons, including the battleships Ise and Haruna, the fleet carrier Amagi, and the Combined Fleet flagship Oyodo. Additionally, 78 vessels totaling 216,000 tons were reported damaged, among them the fleet carrier Katsuragi, heavy cruiser Tone, and light cruiser Kitakami. American pilots reported the destruction of 21 Japanese aircraft in the air and claimed 115 destroyed on the ground across 30 area airfields. They also successfully destroyed 14 locomotives, four oil cars, two roundhouses, three oil tanks, three warehouses, one hangar, and a transformer station. In support of these efforts, Task Force 37 conducted 260 sorties against the eastern Inland Sea, targeting the dockyard at Harima and sinking or severely damaging four corvettes at Maizuru. Meanwhile, the 7th Air Force's 11th and 494th Bombardment Groups carried out a day-long raid on Kure, successfully sinking the heavy cruiser Aoba. By sunset that evening, the Imperial Japanese Navy had effectively ceased to exist, though the cost for the Americans was steep, with losses amounting to 101 planes and 88 men since July 24. As Halsey moved east to target the Osaka-Nagoya area, Shafroth's reinforced Bombardment Group was detached on July 29 to bombard Hamamatsu. During the night, they successfully unloaded 810 16-inch shells, 265 14-inch shells, and 1,035 8-inch shells, damaging the Imperial Government Railway locomotive works, igniting a blaze at the Japanese Musical Instrument Company, and wreaking havoc on infrastructure along the critical Tokaido main line. The following day, McCain's carriers conducted 1,224 sorties against airfields in Osaka, Kobe, Maizuru, and Nagoya, expending 397 tons of bombs and 2,532 rockets. These strikes resulted in the sinking of 20 vessels totaling 6,000 tons and damaging another 56 ships. The pilots also claimed destruction of 115 enemy aircraft on the ground, while inflicting severe damage on numerous industrial targets, including aircraft factories and naval docks in Maizuru. In Miyazu Bay, the destroyer Hatsushino struck an air-dropped naval mine, marking the final loss of 129 Japanese destroyers sunk during the war. That night, seven destroyers advanced deep into Suruga Bay, unleashing 1,100 5-inch shells on Shimizu within seven minutes, successfully destroying or damaging 118 industrial buildings. Typhoon weather would impede the operations of the 3rd Fleet for the next two weeks, as Admiral Nimitz ordered Halsey to steer clear of southern Japan, which was set to become the target of a new and deadly weapon: the atomic bomb. The U.S. Army had begun its project to develop an atomic bomb on August 16, 1942, under the auspices of the Manhattan Project. The project was directed by Major-General Leslie Groves and involved renowned scientists such as Robert Oppenheimer, Enrico Fermi, Niels Bohr, Richard Feynman, and Albert Einstein. Over time, it expanded to include a design center at Los Alamos and two production facilities at Hanford and Clinton. By August 1945, the teams at Los Alamos had successfully designed, developed, and built a gun-type atomic bomb capable of forcing five pounds of uranium-235 against another 17 pounds at high speed, thereby achieving critical mass and releasing immense heat, light, blast, and radiation. The team was also experimenting with an even more powerful device: the plutonium bomb, which utilized an implosion method whereby a sphere of plutonium was compressed by conventional explosives to reach criticality. By early August, scientists had managed to produce enough nuclear material to create only one uranium device, known as Little Boy, and one plutonium bomb, referred to as Fat Man. Each weapon had the potential to annihilate an entire city, and American leaders were prepared to use them if it could compel the Japanese Empire to surrender without necessitating an invasion of Japan. A Targeting Committee led by Groves, consisting of Manhattan Project and Air Force personnel, recommended Hiroshima, Niigata, Kokura, and Nagasaki as primary targets.  Groves' Targeting Committee employed several criteria to select sites for atomic bomb targets. The chosen targets had to possess strategic value to the Japanese and be situated between Tokyo and Nagasaki. Additionally, the target needed to feature a large urban area with a minimum diameter of three miles and must be relatively untouched by previous bombings, ironically spared for potential atomic destruction at a later stage. A crucial condition was that, to the best of their knowledge, these areas should harbor no concentrations of Allied prisoners of war. However, this requirement was challenging to ascertain accurately due to a lack of reliable information about the locations of prisoners. Initially, the committee considered 17 candidates and selected five primary targets: Hiroshima, Yokohama, Kokura, Niigata, and Kyoto. On May 28, they narrowed the list to three: Kyoto, Niigata, and Hiroshima. Hiroshima was significant as it housed Hata's 2nd General Army headquarters and featured a large shipyard, while Niigata was a major industrial city with an important port. Moreover, Kyoto held considerable cultural and religious significance for the Japanese. Secretary of War Stimson, having previously cautioned General Arnold about the humanitarian consequences of targeting cities with incendiary bombings, insisted on removing Kyoto from the list after intense discussions with Groves. On July 21, President Truman concurred with Stimson during their meetings in Potsdam, deciding that Kyoto should be spared. Subsequently, Kokura, known for its large arsenal and ordnance works, replaced Kyoto. Additionally, LeMay's staff reportedly included Nagasaki as an alternate target due to potential weather issues, as it was home to Mitsubishi's arms factories, electric production facilities, ordnance works, and extensive dockyards, making it a valuable target. Meanwhile, a high-level civilian Interim Committee, under Secretary of War Henry Stimson, ultimately advised President Truman on the use of nuclear weapons, reasoning that their deployment would be no worse than the current incendiary bombing campaigns against Japan. The committee also recommended that an atomic bomb be deployed as soon as possible, without warning, to maximize shock value and target a "war plant… surrounded by workers' houses." Following a successful operational test of the experimental plutonium bomb conducted at Trinity on July 16, President Truman authorized General Spaatz to prepare for the bomb drops before August 3. Colonel Paul Tibbets' 509th Composite Group had been specially organized in secret since September 1944 to deliver nuclear weapons, and by June, it had arrived at Tinian under the command of LeMay's 21st Bomber Command. General Twinning replaced LeMay as commander of the 21st on August 1, and he would ultimately issue the direct orders for Tibbets to drop the atomic bomb. The atomic bomb mission had a convoluted command structure. The Joint Chiefs of Staff were largely left out of the chain of command. LeMay was Tibbet's nominal commander; however, Groves still had extensive control over the operation through his deputy Brigadier General Thomas Farrell on Tinian. The 21st Bomber Command would determine when the atomic bomb mission was launched, based on suitable weather conditions. Even at this stage, General of the Air Force Henry "Hap" Arnold and LeMay were still skeptical about the Manhattan Project; they thought B-29 incendiary and high-explosive bombing operations would suffice to end the war soon. LeMay even questioned the 509th CG pilots' ability to conduct the mission; he wanted seasoned Pacific B-29 veteran crews to drop the nuclear cargo. While the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) and Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) prepared for an impending invasion, the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) continued its bombing campaign against Japan. The crews of the 509th Composite Group needed to acclimate to the navigational challenges, varied weather conditions, extensive distances, and the geography of the region, all while becoming accustomed to combat situations. Training commenced at Tinian on June 30, with conventional operational missions over Japan beginning on July 20. To prepare for their atomic missions, the crews trained with "pumpkins," which were specially constructed bombs designed to mimic the appearance and weight of nuclear weapons. This allowed them to practice handling and releasing the bombs. They also rehearsed navigational procedures, visual bomb release techniques, and dropping the weapon at an altitude of approximately 30,000 feet. Following the drop, the crew conducted high-speed, radical turns to evade the nuclear effects after detonation. During their first mission, a B-29 from the 509th sought an alternative target in Tokyo. The crew aimed to drop their 10,000-pound "pumpkin" on the Imperial Palace, but unfortunately, they missed their target. Had they succeeded in killing the emperor, it could have significantly impacted Japan's decision-making process, potentially fortifying the Japanese people's resolve to continue the war. Military leaders might have seized control in the aftermath, pushing their forces to keep fighting. Throughout their training, the units of the 21st Bomber Command intentionally avoided targeting Hiroshima, Niigata, Kokura, and Nagasaki during these practice runs. In total, Tibbets directed his crews on numerous combat missions that targeted 28 cities and involved the dropping of 49 "pumpkins." Remarkably, the 509th lost no aircraft during these operations. While Tibbets focused on perfecting the delivery method, the weapons Little Boy and Fat Man were being transported to Tinian. Some weapon assemblies were delivered by C-54 and B-29 aircraft from Kirtland Field near Albuquerque, while the cruiser Indianapolis delivered the fissionable material for Little Boy from San Francisco on July 26. Four days later, the submarine I-58 unexpectedly attacked the Indianapolis with six torpedoes while the cruiser was en route to Guam, successfully sinking it. Of the crew, 850 Americans survived the sinking, and another 316 were belatedly rescued by August 8. By July 31, most of the assembly of Little Boy had been completed. However, a detonation expert would need to emplace the cordite charges to fire the uranium "bullet" through the gun device to the uranium core after take-off, minimizing the risk of an inadvertent nuclear explosion in the event of a B-29 crash. Additionally, the crew carrying the atomic bomb had to exercise caution when descending once Little Boy was armed because the primary radar or a backup barometric fuse could potentially trigger an explosion if the aircraft descended too rapidly with the fuses in place. On August 2, B-29 crews arrived at Tinian with the assemblies for Fat Man. On that same day, General Twinning and President Truman approved the plan to bomb Hiroshima. Two days later, Colonel Tibbets briefed the crews about the mission, confirming that he would pilot the aircraft carrying the atomic bomb. Tibbets' B-29 No. 82, later named Enola Gay, was supported by three weather reconnaissance aircraft that reported conditions at Hiroshima, Kokura, and Nagasaki, as well as two additional B-29s assigned to conduct scientific and photographic missions. At 02:45 on August 6, Enola Gay took off from Tinian, with diversionary attacks by 604 B-29s throughout Japan also scheduled for that day, as coordinated by Twinning. After passing through Iwo Jima at approximately 05:55, Captain William Parsons and Second-Lieutenant Morris Jeppson armed the bomb at 07:30. Throughout the journey, the B-29s ascended slowly, reaching an altitude of over 30,000 feet as they crossed Shikoku and Honshu, finally reaching Hiroshima at 31,060 feet. At 09:12, Tibbets executed his final approach from the 'initial point', flying east-west over the city towards the intersection of the Ota and Motoyasu Rivers. Approximately at 09:15, Little Boy was released, and Enola Gay immediately began its turn away to escape the impending explosion. However, the bomb mistakenly descended towards the Shima Surgical Hospital rather than the intended target, the Aioi Bridge. At 09:16, Little Boy detonated at an altitude of 1,890 feet, just as Tibbets was about six miles away from the blast point. As a result of the atomic blast, the immediate area around the epicenter was heated to an astonishing 1 million degrees Celsius, instantly incinerating or vaporizing all people, animals, buildings, and other items within that zone. Hiroshima police officials estimated that immediate casualties amounted to 71,379 individuals who were either killed or reported missing. In the surrounding areas, the blast effects crushed unreinforced structures before igniting them, resulting in an additional 68,023 wounded, with 19,691 of those injuries classified as serious. Subsequent assessments, potentially incorporating the impacts of radiation sickness or more precise accounting, recorded 30,524 individuals as seriously wounded and 48,606 as slightly wounded. Just two minutes after detonation, a growing mushroom cloud of highly radioactive dust and debris soared to a height of 20,000 feet. Within eight minutes, Tibbets' crew could observe the mushroom cloud from 390 miles away. Ultimately, the dust cloud peaked at approximately 60,000 feet in altitude. Soon after, a thick, black, radioactive rain fell upon the areas beneath the cloud. The center of the city was utterly devastated; over four square miles of the urban center, which encompassed seven square miles in total, were completely flattened, resulting in about 60% of the city's area being destroyed. An additional 0.6 square miles suffered damage, while more than 75% of the city's 90,000 buildings were obliterated. The ensuing fires compounded the devastation, contributing to countless deaths and injuries. Tragically, some American prisoners of war were present in Hiroshima and lost their lives in the explosion. Meanwhile, Enola Gay safely returned to Tinian at 14:58, where Tibbets was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, while the rest of the crew received Distinguished Flying Crosses for their participation in the mission. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Japan was broken. To be perfectly honest she had been broken long ago. Her leadership had been spending months trying to figure out the best possible way to surrender, while the civilians and troops were suffering horribly. Aerial mining strangled her of food, high explosive and incendiary bombs, killed untold scores of people, and then the Atomic weapons were let loose upon her. It was over.

The first story Dan gives us this week was posted online by a man claiming to have recently resolved a  haunting from his childhood apartment. It's bizarre and twisted. Next up,  we are off to Siberia to explore the Tunguska Event. Then, we go with Lynze on a DoorDash delivery from hell. Lastly, we head to Africa for an all new kind of doppleganger, witch, thingy! Scared To Death Merch: Exciting new merch is up in the store! Inspired by various Scared to Death episodes, fan and designer, Alex Reed brought to life so many amazing fears! Get your new merch at badmagicproductions.com Cummins Family Scholarship: Congrats to Alyssa Cramblette, Peyton Hoyt, Josephine Carey and Taylor Karizma who have each been awarded $5,000 in scholarships! HUGE thanks to our Patrons who make this possible each year! Want to be a Patron? Get episodes AD-FREE, listen and watch before they are released to anyone else, bonus episodes, a 20% merch discount, additional content, and more! Learn more by visiting: https://www.patreon.com/scaredtodeathpodcast.Send stories to mystory@scaredtodeathpodcast.comSend everything else to info@scaredtodeathpodcast.comPlease rate, review, and subscribe anywhere you listen.Thank you for listening!Follow the show on social media: @scaredtodeathpodcast on Facebook and IG and TTWebsite: https://www.badmagicproductions.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scaredtodeathpodcastInstagram: https://bit.ly/2miPLf5Mailing Address:Scared to Deathc/o Timesuck PodcastPO Box 3891Coeur d'Alene, ID 83816Opening Sumerian protection spell (adapted):"Whether thou art a ghost that hath come from the earth, or a phantom of night that hath no home… or one that lieth dead in the desert… or a ghost unburied… or a demon or a ghoul… Whatever thou be until thou art removed… thou shalt find here no water to drink… Thou shalt not stretch forth thy hand to our own… Into our house enter thou not. Through our fence, breakthrough thou not… we are protected though we may be frightened. Our life you may not steal, though we may feel SCARED TO DEATH." Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Scared to Death ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

Jesús Callejo nos ofrece datos sobre algunos amuletos sorprendentes en España.Carmen Arnau Muro, antropóloga, nos lleva a conocer la historia de los chamanes de Siberia.Escuchar audio

Mel Giedroyc is Gyles's special guest on this episode; and she talks about her amazing family story. Her father and his family were taken from Eastern Poland to Siberia by the Russians in 1939 - Mel's grandfather was shot, but her grandmother, dad and aunts made an extraordinary journey and eventually reached London, where Mel's father settled and met her mother. It's a fascinating, moving and sometimes shocking tale, and a very special edition of Rosebud. Mel also talks about meeting Sue Perkins at Cambridge, about being flashed at in Italy, and about her love of walking holidays. Mel Giedroyc is the host of the brilliant Where There's a Will There's a Wake podcast, in which guests plan their perfect funeral and talk about the manner in which they're going to meet their maker. It's a surprisingly uplifting podcast about death and is highly recommended. Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

July 17, 1918. Following the Russian Revolution, the Romanov royal family are executed by Bolshevik revolutionaries in the basement of Ipatiev House, in Yekaterinburg, Siberia. This episode originally aired in 2023.Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more.History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.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, Professor Andrei Lankov and NK News' Anton Sokolin discuss the fascinating story of the Yankovskys — a Russian family whose journey took them from Siberian exile to colonial Korea, and ultimately, to the heart of North Korea's tumultuous 20th-century history. The discussion centers on the family's time in what became the DPRK after relocating from Siberia, where they ran a tiger hunting resort in the northern region, near Chongjin.  They also explore how the family's story intersects with the shifting allegiances of North Korea, highlighting their relationship with the regime and how it shaped their survival in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment. Andrei Lankov is a professor at Kookmin University in Seoul and the director at Korea Risk Group. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists. NK News subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.

Ambient Songs:By CoAghttps://www.youtube.com/@co.agmusic1823Intro Theme by Swift Junai:https://www.instagram.com/swiftjunai/?hl=enhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6hf5nMJ8s6LJJfFR4OQ3lghttps://open.spotify.com/artist/1PoG2b18MHocWZA8zQgWjOWriters and researchers: Jay Adamshttps://instagram.com/jayadamsdigital?igshid=MzMyNGUyNmU2YQ==Jordan Gottschick https://www.youtube.com/@DerpsWithWolves/playlists

To sign up for our Patreon go to-> Patreon.com/cultofconspiracypodcast To Join the Cajun Knight Patreon---> Patreon.com/cajunknight To Find The Cajun Knight Youtube Channel---> click hereTo Invest In Gold & Silver, CHECK OUT—-> Www.Cocsilver.com 10% OFF Rife Machine---> https://rifemachine.myshopify.com/?rfsn=7689156.6a9b5c To find the Meta Mysteries Podcast---> https://open.spotify.com/show/6IshwF6qc2iuqz3WTPz9Wv?si=3a32c8f730b34e79 50% OFF Adam&Eve products---> :adameve.com (promo code : CULT) To Sign up for our Rokfin go to --> Rokfin.com/cultofconspiracy Cult Of Conspiracy Linktree ---> https://linktr.ee/cultofconspiracyBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/cult-of-conspiracy--5700337/support.