Podcast appearances and mentions of Sierra Leone

Garveyite Brother Senghor Baye will report from Washington, D.C, while Chief Foday joins us live from Freetown, Sierra Leone. Together, they will lead a dynamic discussion—Black August & Garveyism: Honoring the Soledad Brothers & Marcus Garvey—shedding light on the legacies that continue to empower our community. After this powerful opening, Black political expert James Taylor will take the mic. Dr. Taylor will break down the National Urban League's State of Black America report and what the upcoming midterm elections mean for our future. This is your chance to gain invaluable insight and be part of a movement dedicated to progressSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

M2i Global CEO Alberto Rosende joined Steve Darling from Proactive to discuss the company's signing of a non-binding strategic collaboration agreement with Evrensel Impact Group (EIG) to explore the identification, evaluation, and potential development of critical mineral projects across Africa. Rosende said the collaboration will leverage EIG's expanding network of government relationships, strategic partnerships, and commercial engagements to help identify opportunities aligned with M2i Global's critical minerals strategy. The agreement establishes a framework for evaluating and advancing future projects across the continent. EIG has recently expanded its presence in Mozambique, Nigeria, Botswana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic, while also pursuing new opportunities in Sierra Leone, Ghana, Togo, Cameroon, and other African jurisdictions. According to Rosende, EIG's discussions with governments have revealed strong demand for experienced international partners capable of delivering responsible resource development, long-term investment, and commercially viable critical minerals projects, creating opportunities that align with M2i Global's growth objectives. The collaboration is non-binding and serves as a strategic framework for future cooperation. Any specific commercial transactions or project agreements will be subject to further due diligence, negotiations, definitive documentation, and customary regulatory approvals. #proactiveinvestors #m2iglobalinc #otcqb #mtwo #SecurityMatters #CriticalMinerals #ResourceDevelopment #EnergyTransition #StrategicPartnership #CriticalMaterials #MiningNews #SustainableMining

In the second of two episodes, Ed Butler tracks the whereabouts and connections of one of Europe's most wanted drug criminals. Despite denials from the President's family, law enforcement agencies say Jos Leijdekkers is enjoying privileged status in Sierra Leone. The country's Justice Minister responds.

Ed Butler investigates how one of Europe's most wanted drug smugglers, Jos Leijdekkers, ended up in Sierra Leone while evading justice. He also explores reports linking Leijdekkers to the family of Sierra Leone's president, including claims that he has married the president's daughter.for more programmes like this search Business Daily wherever you get your BBC PodcastsPresenter/producer: Ed Butler

For the final two parts of CONTRA VIII, Dimitri and Khalid shift their focus to the origins of the Russian Mafiya in the 1980s and 1990s, as depicted in Robert I. Friedman's 2000 book “Red Mafiya: How The Russian Mob Has Invaded America”. Topics include: Friedman getting threatened by the “brainy don” Semion Mogilevich after his Village Voice exposé, Vyacheslav Ivankov, Monya Elson, the cattle prod wielding gangster Evsei Agron, and the long strange career of deeply sus Rabbi Ronald Greenwald… Jacob Bogatin (and his “Crime Nerd” brother David), ex-IDF cocaine dealer to the stars Boris Goldberg and his gf Tonya Biggs (Bob Guccione's daughter), Russian crimelord Marat Balagula and the Long Island gasoline bootlegging boom of the 1980s, Russian mob cutouts buying Getty Oil, NY Governors Hugh Carey and Mario Cuomo getting bootleg oil cash for their campaigns, ultra-sus double (triple?) agent Shabtai Kalmanovich and the Sierra Leone blood diamond trade, Efim Laskin smuggling weapons to the Red Brigades in Italy (GLADIO ALERT), and more. Original air date: 11/11/2024 For access to weekly premium SJ episodes, upcoming installments of DEMON FORCES, and the Grotto of Truth Discord, subscribe at https://patreon.com/subliminaljihad.

In the first of two episodes, Ed Butler investigates how one of Europe's most wanted drug smugglers, Jos Leijdekkers, ended up in Sierra Leone while evading justice. He also explores reports linking Leijdekkers to the family of Sierra Leone's president, including claims that he has married the president's daughter.Presenter/producer: Ed Butler You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Welcome back to Good Morning BSS World podcast! In this episode, we travel back to Africa to explore the latest developments in the global business services (GBS) and business process outsourcing (BPO) landscape across the continent. Our recurring guest, Rod Jones, Patron at the Africa Federation of GBS Associations, shares a comprehensive update on how North, West, East, Central, and Southern Africa are evolving into prime global delivery destinations. Key Topics Covered in This Episode:·         Strategic Growth & Government Backing: How public-private partnerships, infrastructure investments, and direct government support are driving BPO expansion across countries like Egypt, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Nigeria. ·         Regional Highlights: Discover key updates including Egypt's continued global dominance, Rwanda's BPO job expansion and UN AI initiative leadership, Ethiopia's BPO Park developments, and the upcoming BPESA conference in Cape Town. ·         Emerging Outsourcing Hubs: Growth updates from Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, and Eswatini. ·         AI & The Future of African Talent: A discussion on the global debate surrounding AI's impact on job creation, automation, and operational efficiency in the BPO industry. ·         Building Industry Associations: How the Africa Federation of GBS Associations is providing frameworks and blueprints to help new regions establish national industry bodies and partner with governments. Whether you are an investor, industry executive, or outsourcing practitioner, this episode provides essential insights into Africa's rapid emergence on the global GBS map.Links:Rod Jones on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodjonessouthafrica/The federation: https://africafederation.org    ****************************  My name is Wiktor Doktór and on daily basis I run Pro Progressio Club - https://proprogressio.com/en/activity/pro-progressio-club/1 - it's a community of many private companies and public sector organizations that care about the development of business relations in the B2B model. In the Good Morning BSS World podcast, apart from solo episodes, I share interviews with experts and specialists from global BPO/GBS industry.If you want to learn more about me, please visit my social media channels:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/wiktordoktorHere is also link to the English podcasts Playlist - https://bit.ly/GoodMorningBSSWorldPodcastYTLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wiktordoktorYou can also write to me. My email address is - kontakt(@) wiktordoktor.pl  ****************************  This Podcast is supported by Patrons:Marzena Sawicka https://www.linkedin.com/in/marzena-sawicka-a9644a23/Przemysław Sławiński https://www.linkedin.com/in/przemys%C5%82aw-s%C5%82awi%C5%84ski-155a4426/Damian Ruciński https://www.linkedin.com/in/damian-ruci%C5%84ski/Szymon Kryczka https://www.linkedin.com/in/szymonkryczka/Grzegorz Ludwin https://www.linkedin.com/in/gludwin/Adam Furmańczuk https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-agilino/Igor Tkach - https://www.linkedin.com/in/igortkach/Damian Wróblewski – https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianwroblewski/Paweł Łopatka - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pawellopatka/Ewelina Szindler – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ewelina-szindler-zarz%C4%85dzanie-mark%C4%85-osobist%C4%85-0497a0212/Wiktor Doktór Jr - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wiktor-dokt%C3%B3r-jr-916297188/Agata Stolarz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/agata-stolarz/Hubert Antczak - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hubert-antczak/  Once you listen, give a like, subscribe and join Patrons of Good Morning BSS World as well. Here are two links to do so:Patronite - https://patronite.pl/wiktordoktor  Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/wiktordoktor Or if you liked this episode and would like to buy me virtual coffee, you can use this link https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wiktordoktor - by doing so you support the growth and distribution of this podcast.P.S. this time we faced some technical issues with recording, but I hope this will not disturb too much the listening of this episode.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/good-morning-bss-world--4131868/support.

Anthropic treft een schikking van 1,5 miljard dollar, nadat het bedrijf miljoenen boeken zonder toestemming gebruikte om AI-modellen te trainen. Uit onderzoek van techredacteur Niels Kooloos blijkt dat ook bekende Nederlandse titels, zoals ‘Het diner’ van Herman Koch en ‘De ontdekking van de hemel’, in de gebruikte databanken voorkomen, waardoor Nederlandse auteurs via het Amerikaanse systeem aanspraak kunnen maken op een vergoeding. Minister van Justitie en Veiligheid David van Weel voert de druk op om topcrimineel Jos Leijdekkers, alias Bolle Jos, uitgeleverd te krijgen uit Sierra Leone. Samen met Ghana en Liberia werkt Nederland aan een regionale coalitie tegen cocaïnesmokkel, met scanners op luchthavens en een permanent secretariaat, maar volgens Afrika-correspondent Sophie van Leeuwen staan corruptie en lokale belangen in de weg bij een snelle uitlevering. Goed nieuws voor alle koffie liefhebbers. Uit nieuw onderzoek van de American Heart Association blijkt namelijk dat 400 milligram cafeïne per dag - zo'n 5 kopjes per dag - goed voor je is. De wetenschappers leggen zelfs een verband tussen cafeïne en een betere gezondheid van het hart Deze omschrijving is met AI gemaakt en gecontroleerd door een BNR-redacteur. Over deze podcast BNR Nieuws Vandaag is de podcast met daarin BNR Ochtendnieuws en BNR Avondnieuws. Je krijgt ’s ochtends vroeg en aan het einde van de werkdag in 20 minuten het belangrijkste nieuws van de dag. Abonneer je via bnr.nl/podcast/bnrnieuwsvandaag, de BNR-app, Spotify en Apple Podcasts. Of luister elke dag live via bnr.nl/live.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“We all need to be speaking up about it. Not just the survivors. And we put so much burden on the people who've actually suffered the most, the most vulnerable among us.”Naga Munchetty speaks to Amy Wallace, co-author of Virginia Giuffre's memoir Nobody's Girl. Giuffre accused the then Prince Andrew, and late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, of sexual abuse. The former prince, now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, told Newsnight in 2019 that he did not remember meeting Giuffre, and he has strenuously denied any wrongdoing. Virginia Giuffre's father has also denied all allegations of abuse.The memoir, published six months after Giuffre took her own life, describes her encounters with Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Amy Wallace says she expected to be a ghostwriter in the shadows, but after Giuffre's death, she decided to step forward and speak up for her.If this programme has affected you there are people who can give you support. If you're in the UK search for the BBC's Actionline or befrienders.org Thank you to the team at BBC Radio 5 Live with Naga Munchetty for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with writer Maggie O'Farrell, Sierra Leone's first lady Fatima Bio and head of the World Health Organisation Dr Tedros. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Naga Munchetty Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Amy Wallace. Credit: Patricia Shields)

The story behind this episode The story I relate in this episode emerged when, in September 2019, I walked some of the World War I battlefields in Belgium and France with my guide, Iain McHenry. As we walked along where a trench had existed during the war, Iain told me the story of an archaeological dig that recovered and eventually identified the remains of a British soldier who was killed there in November 1914 in a German mortar attack. The story has stayed with me because of how the soldier, Richard Lancaster, was finally identified and because there are literally thousands of other Richards who've never been found. Rather than tell the story as a straight historical narrative, I wanted the piece to have a distinct voice, so I chose to write it from the perspective of Richard's unique dog tag, which led to his identification. After we visited the site where Richard was found, we visited where he was later buried. (see the photo) Our final stop on this part of the journey was the nearby Principals Cindy House is the author of Mother Noise, a memoir in essays and a regular opener for David Sedaris on his tours across the country. She teaches nonfiction at the Gotham Writers Workshop. She also offers private writing classes. Cindy is my writing coach, and our Friday meetings are a high point of my week. This essay came out of a prompt she suggested: "Write about a headline that never left you." She epitomizes good teaching: she is quick to challenge me to "dig deeper for my real story," offers sound suggestions, and then praises me when I hit a strong note. I can't imagine taking this writer's journey with anyone else. When we had completed the essay, I asked her for her thoughts on producing an audio version. Unexpectedly, she was quick to offer her voice. You can't see me smiling, but trust me, I still am. Iain McHenry was born in Belfast and, after leaving school, joined the British Army, embarking on a career that took him all over the world. He was stationed in Germany, Northern Ireland, Canada, the Falkland Islands, and Belgium, and he has completed operational tours in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Sierra Leone. He has always had a passion for WW1, and after leaving the army, he started his own business in Belgium, working as a WW1 researcher, battlefield guide, and published author.

In this episode of the ZenRUN Podcast, I chat with the wonderfully adventurous Jos Middleton - mental health leader, ultra runner, traveller, volunteer, reluctant road marathoner and someone who seems genetically incapable of doing anything by halves. Jos grew up in Scarborough in the north of England, surfing in the freezing North Sea, playing sport and dreaming of one day living in Australia. Her early adventures weren't exactly uneventful. At just 13, Jos broke two bones and fractured and displaced another in her neck after hitting a sandbar while surfing. She somehow paddled back to shore, sat on the beach for several hours, carried half the family's belongings back to the car - and only then went to hospital. Years later, a climbing fall at the You Yangs left her with three fractures in her heel, four pins and weeks unable to walk. Two enormous accidents. Two reminders that Jos is very lucky to be both alive and moving. And moving is something she has always loved. Jos trained as a mental health nurse after growing up in a rather unusual home - quite literally inside the nursing home her mum purchased so she could care for Jos's father, who had Alzheimer's disease. After moving to Australia in 2009, Jos spent five years working in Melbourne before heading off with her partner to find “Australia”. They lived in a tent, climbed, mountain biked, worked on sheep stations and travelled their way around the country. While working on a remote South Australian property, a farmer told Jos that he believed she had saved his life. Jos hadn't been consciously working as a mental health nurse. She had simply spent time beside him, listened, helped and joined him in the daily work of the property. That experience planted the seed for what would become Jos's career in rural and remote mental health. Today, she leads a mental health and wellbeing program across Far North Queensland, with a strong focus on supporting First Nations communities. So where does running fit into all of this? Jos arrived at running later. A few occasional parkruns and a relaxed 21-kilometre trail “picnic with friends” eventually led to plans to travel to Sierra Leone and complete a half marathon. COVID stopped the trip - but it didn't stop the ripple effect. Instead, Jos and her friends created Makeways Foundation (https://makewaysfoundation.org/) , which collects second-hand sporting clothing and equipment from around Australia and sends it to Sierra Leone. The foundation has now shipped multiple containers, opened Sierra Leone's first second-hand sportswear store, employed local staff and a running coach, supported young athletes and created running opportunities within local communities. Last year, Jos finally made it to Sierra Leone and completed the marathon alongside the people the foundation supports. And because Jos doesn't do things by halves, her first ultramarathon wasn't exactly a gentle local event. She chose the 50-kilometre Simpson Desert Ultra in Birdsville. Naturally. Since then, Jos has completed events including Three Marathons in Three Days, Run Larapinta, Surf Coast Century, Margaret River Ultra, Kuranda to Port Douglas, the Sierra Leone Marathon and the Wheelbarrow Race - an event where competitors push an empty wheelbarrow over multiple days. She is now stepping temporarily away from the trails after “falling into” the Melbourne Marathon ballot, while also dreaming of taking on Marathon des Sables in 2028. We talk about adventure, running later in life, surviving injuries, fitting training around constant work travel, the Cairns heat, strength training, community and why Jos wants to continue running forever. Jos's approach to events is wonderfully refreshing. She isn't chasing a particular placing or allowing a finishing time to determine whether the experience was worthwhile. She wants to enjoy the adventure, dig deep, feel grateful for every step and bring some joy to the experience. And when things become difficult? Jos doesn't want to quit while sitting comfortably in the chair. She wants to stand up and give it another go - even if she only manages two more steps. Jos's Running Tips Plan around real life Jos travels regularly for work, so she asks for her training plan early and works out where each session can realistically fit. She packs her running gear before travelling rather than hoping an opportunity appears. Include strength work When knee pain appeared during a run, Jos realised she had a choice: ignore it and potentially follow a path of ongoing problems, or actively strengthen her body. She now includes personal training, physio exercises and strength sessions alongside her running. Find the right support Working with a coach who understood injury recovery helped Jos rebuild her running and improve her form. Be flexible when injured Running is important to Jos, but it isn't her entire identity. When she can't run, she cycles or finds another way to move rather than believing everything has been taken away. Stop comparing hot-weather pace Running through a Cairns summer slows Jos down, but she reminds herself that the conditions are temporary. Training in the heat can also create an endurance advantage when racing in cooler conditions. Choose an experience-based goal Rather than judging every event by time or placing, Jos focuses on enjoying the adventure, embracing the challenge, digging deep and finding gratitude along the way. Stay grateful for movement Jos's body has been through some enormous challenges. Even when it struggles, she remains grateful that it continues to let her move, explore and run. Pass the Baton Jos answers Nagiska Mayes's question: “When you eventually look back on your running life, what's one thing you'd love to know you gave a go - whether it's a race, a challenge, an experience, or something deeply personal?” Her answer takes us into backyard ultra thinking, endurance and why she never wants to quit while still sitting in the chair. Jos then passes a thoughtful new question to the next ZenRUN Podcast guest. What did she ask? You'll need to listen to the episode to find out. This is a beautiful conversation about running, adventure, community, purpose and what can happen when we remain curious enough to keep giving things a go.

Welcome back to Latte with a Lawyer—the dynamic podcast for attorneys tracking the industry's boldest legal disruptors. In this episode, David Zimmer, co-founder of Zimmer, Citron, and Clark, explains how his firm is completely shattering the status quo of elite appellate litigation by throwing out traditional billing metrics in favor of radical collaboration and true work-life balance. David shares how this refreshing culture fueled their explosive growth from three to seven attorneys in just their first year, proving you don't need a sweatshop environment to build a powerhouse practice.But stripping away the billable hour doesn't mean lowering the stakes. David pulls back the curtain on how his team partners with trial firms nationwide to act as a "verdict shield"—defending blockbuster, multi-million dollar product liability and medical malpractice awards from aggressive Big Law appeals. He breaks down his elite legal pedigree, from working at the World Bank in Sierra Leone to clerking for Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, and gives a candid look into how his startup firm leverages cutting-edge tech tools like Claude to safely generate sharp courtroom analogies without losing human authorship.Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-zimmer-7858222Zimmer, Citron, and Clark Website: https://www.zimmercitronclarke.com/Learn more about EmotionTrac and our AI-driven Emotional Intelligence Platform: ⁠https://legal.emotiontrac.com/

Artisanal mining accounts for around 20% of global gold production and generates an estimated $30 billion a year for some of the world's poorest communities. But the trade is also linked to criminal networks and environmental damage. Ed Butler explores the forces behind the global gold rush and who is bearing the cost. Presenter/producer: Ed Butler You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Gold miner Kelly Mbayo in Sierra Leone. Credit: Ed Butler/BBC News)

Hawa (17) is net als veel andere tieners in Sierra Leone ongewenst zwanger: wat nu? Verslaggever Carlijn van Esch volgt Hawa tijdens haar zwangerschap en de obstakels die zij tegenkomt. Dit verhaal verscheen eerder in de Volkskrant Voorgelezen door: Carlijn van EschMontage en sounddesign: Pleuntje ValkhoffEindredactie: Jasper VeenstraFoto: Saidu Bah voor De VolkskrantSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Higher Marks, Lower Learning? AI's Favourite Magic Trick This week, Ray and Dan unpack a bumper collection of AI in education news and research, all pointing to one critical question: Is AI helping students learn…or just helping them score higher? The episode begins with a striking case from Brown University, where a take-home exam averaged 96%, only for the same cohort to average 48% in a supervised final. From there, Ray and Dan explore what the latest research says about AI-assisted assessment, automated marking, AI tutors, critical thinking, and the growing importance of student agency. They also discuss: New evidence on AI marking compared with human examiners Research showing how guided AI tutoring can improve maths learning Why critical thinking is the biggest predictor of successful AI use The risks of "never-skilling" when students rely too heavily on AI AI detectors: what they can (and can't) reliably tell us New Australian data on AI's impact on employment The latest Digital Education Council survey of university students Online safety and the growing challenge of AI-assisted image abuse As always, the episode is packed with practical insights, research summaries, and plenty of discussion about what all this means for educators, schools and universities. Links - News Voice got an upgrade https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-live/ Inside Higher Ed article: Brown Professor Suspects Majority of His Class Used AI to Cheat https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty/learning-assessment/2026/07/08/brown-professor-suspects-most-his-class-used-ai-cheat Digital Education Council AI in Higher Education Global Survey https://www.digitaleducationcouncil.com/resource-library-items/ai-in-higher-education-global-survey-2026 One in 25 teens affected by AI-assisted online abuse, study finds. Read Lee Barrett's opinion: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lee-barrett-a7624923b_boys-major-victims-of-ai-assisted-online-share-7480417534723244033-OjWU/ AI and employment in Australia - report from Department of Education and Workplace Relations https://www.dewr.gov.au/download/17666/ai-and-employment-australia/43205/ai-and-employment-australia/pdf   Links - Research AI in University Assessment: Evaluating the Opportunities and Risks of Automated Marking https://www.emotional-cognition.psychol.cam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/OpRaise%20Report_DIGITAL.pdf LLM Performance on a Real, Double-Marked GCSE Benchmark https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.24973 Teaching with Gemini: Measuring the impact of Guided Learning on student mathematics progress in Sierra Leone https://deepmind.google/blog/measuring-the-impact-of-learning-with-ai-in-sierra-leone-and-beyond/ https://storage.googleapis.com/deepmind-media/LearnLM/learnLM_sierraleone_may26.pdf Access is Not Enough: Human Support Improves Engagement with AI Tutoring https://nssa.stanford.edu/studies/access-not-enough-human-support-improves-engagement-ai-tutoring The Generative AI Learning Penalty: Evidence from Chinese Secondary Education https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6868618 The agency gap: perceived human AI agency, reflection and generative AI learning across UK and China based higher education contexts https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03075079.2026.2686986 How Do Autonomy, Critical Thinking, and Artificial Intelligence Value Perception Affect University Student Self-regulated Learning? https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11528-026-01203-3 The cognitive impact of ChatGPT in higher education: A systematic review of critical and creative thinking outcomes https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666920X26000330 AI-induced never-skilling in medical education https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-026-04438-y (Paywalled) Who wrote this? Evaluating the reliability of AI detection tools in higher education https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40979-026-00226-w  .

Sierra Leone's government has dropped its charges, including treason, against ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma, who was arrested in connection with an attempted coup nearly three years ago. The charges had been dropped on health grounds, Information Minister Chernor Bah told the BBC. The 72-year-old former president has always denied involvement in the November 2023 attempted coup when gunmen broke into a military armoury and several prisons, freeing almost 2,000 inmates. We hear what this move means for the country's politics. And how female sports commentators are excelling in a male dominated field while using local languages to bring the World Cup closer to African audiences. Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Blessing Aderogba Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Technical Producer: David Nzau Editors: Rhoda Odhiambo and Maryam Abdalla

Medical missionaries are often called upon to provide care that is beyond the scope of their training and previous experience. This interactive case presentation looks at the realities of clinical decision-making in a critically ill snakebitten patient, and offers suggestions on how to navigate similar challenging situations.

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he dives into today's top stories shaping America and the world. In this daily briefing of The Wright Report, Bryan opens with a growing political and medical mystery around Senator Mitch McConnell, followed by a disturbing update on Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner facing a new rape allegation that is finally splitting his Democrat support. From there, Bryan covers a quiet but aggressive surge in deportations under the Trump Administration, new pardons for diesel mechanics caught up in Clean Air Act prosecutions, and an immigration fraud case involving a California teacher who married for political reasons. He also breaks down the FBI's deep dive into Fulton County election records, Toyota's decision to bring truck production back to Texas, and the backlash over Hollywood's casting choices in its new Odyssey remake. Plus, China flexes a new submarine-launched missile test in the Pacific, African fishermen cry out against Chinese trawlers destroying their livelihoods, a possible new US and Israeli drone base takes shape in Somaliland, and fresh research links blood sugar levels to brain aging and disease. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32   Keywords: Mitch McConnell health, Graham Platner rape allegation, Maine Senate race, Susan Collins, Trump deportations, ICE, DHS Markwayne Mullin, diesel mechanic pardons, Clean Air Act, Laura Pinho immigration fraud, Fulton County Georgia FBI investigation, 2020 election, Toyota Tacoma Texas, reindustrialization, tariffs, The Odyssey movie backlash, Hollywood DEI, Xi Jinping missile test, Pacific nuclear triad, Australia Pacific security, China fishing fleet Africa, Sierra Leone fishermen, Somaliland drone base, US Israel military base, Red Sea Houthis, Ilhan Omar, blood sugar brain aging, keto diet brain health

This week on Tell Me More, host Katy sits down with Curt and Ashley Berryhill to unpack the fruit of the Spirit "Goodness"—the sixth stop in a nine-week series through Galatians 5:22-23. The conversation traces the word from the Hebrew tov in Genesis (where God calls His creation "good") to agathosune, a term the Apostle Paul appears to have coined by fusing the Greek word for "good" with a suffix meaning "intimately knit together." Using Barnabas—Scripture's "son of encouragement"—as a case study, Kurt explores how real goodness isn't about staying clean and uninvolved; it risks, protects, and proclaims, showing up in messy, no-win situations on behalf of other people. They also connect goodness to restoration, discipleship, and what it looks like to raise kids who bear good fruit rather than just "healthy" lives.Before diving into the theology, the team catches listeners up on a busy summer of ministry: 41 students serving at the Texas border with Texans on Mission, a small team encountering God's work among refugee communities in Southeast Asia, college students serving a church plant in Denver, and international partners visiting from Spain, Sierra Leone, and beyond. Ashley also shares an update on the church's growing pathway of student mission trips. The episode wraps with a teaser for next week's study on Faithfulness through the life of Mary Magdalene, plus details on Summer Clusters (women's Bible studies) starting soon. Learn more and get connected at fbca.org/summer.

More than seven billion of us are expected to be living in urban areas by 2050. So what are the world's great cities doing about climate change? Humans are now city creatures – with more than half the world's population already living in urban environments, and huge growth expected in cities in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa during the rest of the 21st century. So mayors are on the front line of dealing with climate change – whether it's keeping people cool during heatwaves or redesigning cities to cope with floods. In this edition of The Climate Question, Host Jordan Dunbar hears about inspiring solutions from cable cars in Colombia to water parks in the Netherlands and city gardens in the Philippines. His guests are Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, the mayor of Freetown in Sierra Leone and Co-Chair of the C40 Cities Coalition, and Rogier van den Berg, an architect and urban planner who's Global Director at the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. Jordan, Yvonne and Rogier also discuss the crucial role that cities need to play in reducing carbon emissions by making buildings more energy-efficient and rethinking transport. Got a question or comment? You can email the team: theclimatequestion@bbc.comProducers: Jordan Dunbar, Diane Richardson, Melanie Stewart-Smith Sound Mix: Dave O'Neill and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts

Mambadu was a witch doctor and animist priest in Sierra Leone for 11 years and was overseer of 13 villages and their priests for six of those years. When Mambadu lived in darkness, he was involved in sacrificing children, calling down curses, and using dark powers to control the natural elements.Mambadu tells how the Gospel arrived in his village for the first time and how the power of Christ transformed his life. Mambadu has now committed his life to reaching his own people with the Gospel.To support the work of Mambadu and other missionaries, click here.To learn about the audio Bibles Mambadu uses, and to give an audio Bible to believers who don't have access to Scripture, click here.This is the 326th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought.Sign-up for our monthly email newsletter which contains new and featured content!Join us on Patreon or become a website partner to enjoy bonus content!Visit our YouTube channel or connect on Facebook.Read essays from our blog or listen to them on our podcast, Essays for King JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

Understanding how values and communication styles differ across cultures is key to succeeding internationally. That’s why training in cross-cultural communication has become commonplace in the international business world. In this session, we’ll look at 6 dimensions of cross-cultural communication and their application to medical scenarios.

Waihiga Mwaura speaks to former US Secretary of State John Kerry about why he thinks governments are retreating from efforts to deal with climate change. He spoke to the BBC during this year's Our Ocean Conference, an international forum which Kerry launched in 2014 to help protect the world's oceans.He was the first US special presidential envoy for climate from 2021 to 2024, and since then has continued his work in climate solutions.With other world events in mind, Kerry helped negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran as President Barack Obama's secretary of state and we get his take on the current US-Iran conflict and subsequent peace plan. Thank you to the Focus on Africa team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with one of Africa's youngest billionaires Mohammed Dewji, former Sudanese leader Aisha Musa and Sierra Leone's First Lady Fatima Bio. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Waihiga Mwaura Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon Rose(Image: John Kerry smiles and wears a black jacket, white shirt and bow tie. Credit: Reuters)

Have you ever started something with the best intentions, only to run out of steam? In this message, Pastor Dan Edmondson digs into 2 Thessalonians 3:13, where the apostle Paul gives a short but powerful charge to the church: "Do not grow weary in doing good." Drawing from personal stories of missionary work in Sierra Leone and his son's journey through Papua New Guinea and rural Mexico, Pastor Dan identifies four real obstacles that cause people to give up: disappointment, lack of planning, lack of vision, and lack of faith. He closes with a simple, unforgettable challenge involving a napkin and a Sharpie.Whether you're burned out from helping people who don't seem to change, unsure if your vision is big enough to matter, or quietly wondering if God is even paying attention, this message speaks directly to where you are. Naples Community Church meets Sundays at 10:00 AM at 849 7th Ave S, Naples, FL. Join us in person or online. Learn more and plan your visit at naplescommunitychurch.org.

In 1976, the Bikecentennial became the first organized bike tour across the U.S. Around 4,000 bicyclists pedaled to celebrate the Bicentennial, or America's 200th anniversary. Tom Ewing breaks down the spirit of the Bikecentennial, its grassroots nature, and lessons to be learned for America's upcoming 250th celebration. Later in the show: At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, 87 enslaved people on the Willoughby Plantation in Norfolk, VA escaped under the cover of night. Ervin Jordan traces their remarkable journey from Norfolk to New York to Nova Scotia and then to Sierra Leone in Africa. Plus: The Revolutionary War is often framed as a righteous fight for liberty and representative government. But Mark Boonshoft says those same ideals didn't always make their way into our state constitutions. His forthcoming book is, The Violent Origins of Constitutional Democracy in Revolutionary New York.

With nearly 1.3 billion disabled people in the world, we assume that the medical community focuses on physical health. But who is helping people with the emotional and spiritual impact of disability? In this session, we will explore the emotional and spiritual impact of disability and how the church and global workers can effectively support the disabled community with this critical need.

Selena Freisens, Head of Global Medical Affairs at Merz Therapeutics, is focused on increasing access to tools to support neurological health. They have developed a digital app iFlexo, which is designed to provide at-home physiotherapy for stroke survivors.  The app has been tested in Nigeria and Sierra Leone in partnership with the World Stroke Organization and is designed to operate offline as well, to serve users in rural areas with limited internet connectivity. Selena explains, "Our company is family-owned and in its fifth generation, so we have a rather long-term legacy, and the newer part is Merz Therapeutics, and our focus in Merz Therapeutics is on neuroscience. So we practically cover the number of movement disorders such as Spasms, Dystonias. We also have a focus on Parkinson's and Multiple Sclerosis."   "We continuously work on building this awareness and knowledge. One example is Parkinson's disease. And when I started working with Parkinson's disease, most of the patients would have off episodes, which are exacerbations of their symptoms, but many of these off episodes are underdiagnosed, and they're not really treated optimally. So it's really a lot of attention is needed to educate not only HCPs and, of course, some other stakeholders, but particularly patients."   "So the time also matters for stroke survivors. So it's very important that they start as soon as possible all the therapies, but also the physiotherapy at the same time. What this digital tool does is give two options. One is education on the one side, and on the other hand, a guided exercise that will enable people and stroke survivors to exercise at home. And with that, obviously, the personalized goals have been worked out together with the experts and HCPs so that they can achieve those goals faster, while working from home." #MerzTherapeutics #StrokeRehab #DigitalHealth #NeuroRehab #AccessToHealth #WorldStrokeOrganization #Physiotherapy #HealthEquity #TeleRehab #HCPs #Africafirst #AccesstoHealth #EquitableAccess #PostStrokeRehabilitation #PatientDrivenInnovation Merztherapeutics.com Download the transcript here

Selena Freisens, Head of Global Medical Affairs at Merz Therapeutics, is focused on increasing access to tools to support neurological health. They have developed a digital app iFlexo, which is designed to provide at-home physiotherapy for stroke survivors.  The app has been tested in Nigeria and Sierra Leone in partnership with the World Stroke Organization and is designed to operate offline as well, to serve users in rural areas with limited internet connectivity. Selena explains, "Our company is family-owned and in its fifth generation, so we have a rather long-term legacy, and the newer part is Merz Therapeutics, and our focus in Merz Therapeutics is on neuroscience. So we practically cover the number of movement disorders such as Spasms, Dystonias. We also have a focus on Parkinson's and Multiple Sclerosis."   "We continuously work on building this awareness and knowledge. One example is Parkinson's disease. And when I started working with Parkinson's disease, most of the patients would have off episodes, which are exacerbations of their symptoms, but many of these off episodes are underdiagnosed, and they're not really treated optimally. So it's really a lot of attention is needed to educate not only HCPs and, of course, some other stakeholders, but particularly patients."   "So the time also matters for stroke survivors. So it's very important that they start as soon as possible all the therapies, but also the physiotherapy at the same time. What this digital tool does is give two options. One is education on the one side, and on the other hand, a guided exercise that will enable people and stroke survivors to exercise at home. And with that, obviously, the personalized goals have been worked out together with the experts and HCPs so that they can achieve those goals faster, while working from home." #MerzTherapeutics #StrokeRehab #DigitalHealth #NeuroRehab #AccessToHealth #WorldStrokeOrganization #Physiotherapy #HealthEquity #TeleRehab #HCPs #Africafirst #AccesstoHealth #EquitableAccess #PostStrokeRehabilitation #PatientDrivenInnovation Merztherapeutics.com Listen to the podcast here

Each Monday, Ed Butler takes you around the globe to the heart of the stories and meeting those living through them. West Africa is currently the global epicentre for illegal fishing, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation. An estimated 40% of the world's illegal industrial fishing occurs in its waters, costing the region up to 10 billion dollars a year in lost revenue, and severely depleting stocks essential for the food security and livelihoods of over 7 million people. Ed Butler has been hearing about the practice in Sierra Leone, trying to ascertain who is behind it, and finding out how much the government is doing to help. To hear more, search Business Daily wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

Off the coast of Sierra Leone, Sherbro Island has been earmarked for an ambitious transformation: a new centre for international business and investment, designed to rival cities like Singapore or Hong Kong. The BBC's Ed Butler travels to the island to investigate the project and speaks to developer Siaka Stevens, who is leading the effort alongside supporters including film-star Idris Elba, about the vision and what it will take to deliver it. But how realistic is the ambition, and can it become more than a promise?Presenter/producer: Ed Butler Editor: Stephen RyanEach Monday on Business Daily, we take you around the globe to the heart of the stories and meeting those living through them.You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Half a century on from Pele's infamous prophecy that an African nation would win the World Cup before the year 2000, could the continent finally deliver its first World Cup in 2026? In a special bonus episode from the More than the Score podcast, the BBC's Lee James is joined by former Democratic Republic of Congo captain Gabriel Zakuani and former Sierra Leone captain Steven Caulker to discuss the hopes of the ten African sides competing in the tournament. They discuss the impact Morocco reaching the semi-finals in 2022 has had, the strength of Senegal and give their thoughts on when an African nation could win a World Cup.Senegal's Iliman Ndiaye tells the podcast they're going to the tournament with the aim of winning it and they never fear anyone. Former Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh tells us it's possible an African team could go one better than Morocco did in 2022 and that he wants to see an African team win the tournament in his lifetime. Plus, we also hear from Ghanian legend Micheal Essien. More than the Score brings you more than the men's football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don't show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

Ebola is a frightening and deadly disease, killing on average one half of people infected and spreading rapidly without containment measures. So how do BBC journalists report from the centre of an epidemic? BBC West Africa journalist Emery Makumeno has been reporting from Kinshasa in DR Congo on the Ebola outbreak; Musa Sangarie, Country Director for Sierra Leone for BBC Media Action, led public information campaigns in Sierra Leone in the 2014-16 Ebola epidemic; Camilla Mota, journalist with BBC News Brasil, has reported on the fall-out from the country's Zika virus outbreak in 2015 and 2016; and Mattias Zibell Garcia, producer at BBC Mundo, reported on the recent Hantavirus outbreak in Ushuaia, Argentina. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich)

Today we'll introduce you to Betsy Small, and we'll take you on Betsy's moving saga in Sierra Leone, exploring the tribulations and elations of her Peace Corps experience in the West African country, as told in her book, Before Before: A Story of Discovery and Loss in Sierra Leone.

This episode is an invitation to rethink what we mean by orphan care and how Christians can best support vulnerable children around the world. I sat down with Elli Oswald, Executive Director of Faith to Action, for a conversation about orphan care and global missions. Elli brings over a decade of experience in global child welfare and shares why many organizations are shifting focus from institutional care toward strengthening families. Key takeaways: The majority of children in orphanages worldwide have living family, poverty separates them, not death Children thrive when they stay with family or in family-based environments Elli's story of Knabs shows how family tracing efforts reunited nearly every child in a Sierra Leone orphanage with their families The church's role is ensuring our giving creates the best outcomes Strengthening families before separation happens is more effective than caring for children after crisis This episode isn't about criticizing generosity, it's about channeling our compassion toward lasting stability, healing, and belonging. Whether your heart is for international missions, foster care, adoption, or serving vulnerable families, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on what effective compassion looks like.

Content warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual violence, sexual assault, imprisonment, and intimate partner violence. This episode is the second installment of our mini-series on love and anthropology. What happens when love and violence are not experienced as opposites but as deeply entangled? In dialogue with Dr. Luisa Schneider, whose work examines love, violence, and legal intervention in Sierra Leone, we explore how intimate relationships are negotiated under conditions of insecurity, inequality, and post-conflict rebuilding. Through the striking local metaphor of teeth and tongue jammed together, Dr. Schneider reveals how love operates as something frictional, relational, and irreducible to simple narratives, and what is at stake when legal systems attempt to govern it. Her research also reveals how laws designed to protect can, without local grounding, produce new forms of harm by criminalizing the relationships they claim to safeguard and silencing the voices they intend to amplify. We hope this conversation deepens the investigation of love within our discipline begun in our first episode, and illuminates the importance of grounded and contextual understandings of love and its entanglements.

A BBC investigation has found that more than 300 migrants heading to the UK last summer were kidnapped, tortured and threatened with forced organ removal. The young men, all from Iraqi Kurdistan, were captured in Libya by a militia which demanded a ransom of $5,000 from each of their families. Newshour hears from Libya expert Tim Eaton.Also in the programme: the chief executive of US Soccer on the coming World Cup, and illegal fishing off the coast of Sierra Leone.(Photo: Iraqi people smuggler Noah Aaron who is now serving a 10-year jail sentence in France)

“I do want to make money, but I want to make money in the right way, ethically. But more importantly, I want use this money to be able to give back.”Charles Gitonga speaks to entrepreneur and businessman Mohammed Dewji about becoming one of Africa's youngest billionaires and how he wants to use his wealth.Mohammed Dewji is a Tanzanian businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist who has primarily accumulated his wealth from his family business, an East African conglomerate founded by his grandparents and expanded by his father in the 1970s. It deals with textile manufacturing, flour milling, beverages and edible oils. About twenty-five years ago, Africa had no dollar billionaires. Today, there are still only 23, not a huge number for a continent rich in mineral wealth and an abundance of relatively cheap labour. Their combined wealth has grown to more than 100 billion US dollars.Dewji signed the Giving Pledge in 2016 promising to donate at least half his fortune to philanthropic causes. He explains why he believes billionaires have a responsibility to give back.Thank you to the Focus on Africa team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Sierra Leone's first lady Fatima Bio, former Sudanese leader Aisha Musa, and SungAh Lee from the International Organisation for Migration. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Mohammed Dewji. Credit: Getty)

If the apocalypse happens tomorrow and Piet gets one phone call, it's going to Andy McKenzie. Ex-British military, parachute regiment veteran, rehabilitation specialist, strength coach, and one of the most quietly brilliant minds in the health and performance space.Andy joined the military at 16, passed P Company at 17 — one of the hardest physical courses in the British armed forces — and served across Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Iraq before a three-story fall fractured his neck and three parts of his spine. Instead of ending his career, that injury sent him down the path of rehabilitation, and he never looked back.In this conversation Andy and Piet cover what real coaching actually looks like — why the job of a great coach is subtraction not addition, how to train an injured athlete without treating them like they're broken, and why smashing people into exhaustion is the laziest and most counterproductive thing a coach can do. Andy shares the philosophy he built over 30 years working with special forces soldiers, professional rugby players, polar explorers, world class ultra marathon runners and everyday people who've been bounced around between doctors, physios and coaches and never got better — until they found him.They also get into fatherhood, the business of coaching, AI, community, and why the biggest predictor of longevity isn't your VO2 max — it's the quality of your relationships.This one is a masterclass.

We have a lot going on here in YNOP country, and in Africa! Thank you for your support and prayers of all the projects that are going on. In this Network Update from Roger Lonnquist, he gives us more information on the upgrade coming soon to Radio Fry Fry in Sierra Leone. Also, more exciting news coming out of Salt Lake City... a brand new format is going to be kicking off June29th on Utah's Hope! Pray that we will continue to have the opportunity to reach out to more and more people, right where they're at. God is so good and He gets all the glory for everything that is coming and all that is getting done.  Thank you for praying!

June is National Immigrant Heritage Month. And that brings us to another legacy Bay Area arts institution was founded by immigrants from west Africa: Diamano Coura West African Dance Company in Oakland. Founded by award winning artistic directors,  Zakarya and Naomi Diouf,  They've been performing and teaching dance from Western and Central Africa since 1975. Over the decades, Diamano Coura dancers have hailed from countries like Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo… Next we'll share one of our favorite stories, from my first years at KALW - about one of their dancers who immigrated from Liberia.Karsumo Massaquoi loved, and lived, to dance. But, he almost didn't survive to do either. 

Each Monday, Ed Butler takes you around the globe to the heart of the stories and meeting those living through them. West Africa is currently the global epicentre for illegal fishing, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation. An estimated 40% of the world's illegal industrial fishing occurs in its waters, costing the region up to 10 billion dollars a year in lost revenue, and severely depleting stocks essential for the food security and livelihoods of over 7 million people. Ed Butler has been hearing about the practice in Sierra Leone, trying to ascertain who is behind it, and finding out how much the government is doing to help. Presenter/producer: Ed Butler(Picture: Thomas Turay, Sierra Leone Artisinal Fishermens Union. Credit: BBC/Ed Butler)Our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

At 16, after seven years of isolation, pain and physical and emotional abuse Christine Sadry reached a breaking point. She was battered, bruised, and could no longer see a way forward. In that moment of deep despair, she attempted to take her life. As she was slipping into unconsciousness, something deep within her stirred — a spark of life that refused to go out. She called a friend just to thank her for her friendship. Her friend heard something in Christine's voice and sensed something was wrong. That phone call saved her life. And it also became a turning point. That moment of hopelessness became the beginning of her strength.   Christine Sadry was born in Poland, behind the Iron Curtain, and was adopted in 1964 by a Polish American couple living in the United States. After graduating from West Catholic Girls High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she worked at the United States Social Security Administration from 1973 to 1979. She started her 31-year career with the United Nations in 1979, working on international conferences. Later, she began working with the United Nations peacekeeping missions in Angola, Mozambique, former Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.    13 Years Lost was selected as a finalist for the Independent Book Publishers Award! The ceremony in St. Paul, Minnesota, was a beautiful celebration of literary voices and creative spirits.                                       Grab your copy NOW Christine had a deep need to give voice to her story that was buried for so long to help others who have endured pain in silence. She wanted to show that even in the face of abandonment, trauma, and isolation, it is possible to heal, to rise and to live a life with hope and meaning. Standing alone in the baggage claim of JFK International Airport, nine-year-old Christine Sario anxiously awaited the arrival of her new parents. After the untimely death of her beloved mother and the abandonment by her father, Christine was sent by her grandmother to the United States and the hope of a better future. Her resilience led her to New York City, where she started over with her daughter, Dana. There, she will begin a remarkable, exciting career at the United Nations. This is the extraordinary story of a Polish immigrant who overcame unthinkable challenges and embraced the American dream. Follow Christine as she defies the odds, travels the world, is blessed by the Pope, and finds true love. C

The thirteen colonies that became the United States were just half of the British colonies that existed in the 18th century. The empire stretched from New England, south to Georgia and Florida and the islands of the West Indies, east to India, Scotland, and Ireland, and south again to British forts on the West coast of Africa. Because of this, the revolution of 1776 wasn’t isolated to the North American eastern seaboard. It was a world-historical crisis that swept up American Indian nations, Caribbean islands, West African forts, Indian cities, Scottish drawing rooms, German principalities, Cuban harbors, Chinese trading houses, and a fledgling colony in Sierra Leone. The result is a Revolution that was on the one hand a political struggle for the 13 colonies, but it was also a genuinely global catastrophe in which Indigenous nations, enslaved Africans, German soldiers, French philosophes, Caribbean planters, Indian merchants, and Spanish generals all fought for their own competing visions of what "freedom" actually meant. Today’s guest is Sarah Pearsall, author of Freedom Round the Globe. We see how the fight for liberty went far outside the borders of the American colonies. When the British Parliament imposed the Stamp Act in 1765, the protests and violent crowd actions that erupted were not confined to Boston or Virginia, they broke out with equal fury in St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, and other Caribbean colonies. But they chose to stay loyal because they feared slave uprisings more than they resented Parliament. The French alliance that saved American independence at Yorktown drove France itself toward bankruptcy and revolution. And there were at least two would-be fourteenth colonies (British Florida and Quebec) courted by Americans but believed their fortunes were better served in other places than the Revolution. The Revolution was not a contained colonial rebellion. It was a world war, and the Treaty of Paris in 1783 settled the claims of dozens of nations, most of whom had nothing to do with the thirteen colonies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US says it's launched new strikes on Iranian missile sites and boats, despite the ongoing ceasefire and diplomatic moves towards a peace deal. Meanwhile, Tehran says it will lift the nationwide internet shutdown today. Also: Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon exchange fire; Ukraine calls Russian strike threats "shameless blackmail"; WHO warns the Ebola spread in central Africa is outpacing response efforts, and we hear from a journalist in Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo; Europe swelters in "climate whiplash" heatwave; Saudi Arabia scales back ambitious megaprojects as funding dwindles; an update from the controversial Enhanced Games; and the diamond that saved a thousand lives in Sierra Leone.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

In 2017, five men digging in an open pit found the third largest diamond ever unearthed in West Africa. It was dubbed the Peace Diamond, in memory of the brutal civil war that had ravaged large parts of the region in the 1990s – a war driven in part by factions competing for control of the diamond trade. When the Peace Diamond sold for $6.5 million at auction in New York, the government pledged some of the profits would provide solar power, a clinic, a school and a road connection for the Sierra Leonean village where it was found. Each of the diggers and the pit's owner also got a small share of the spoils. Nine years on, Ed Butler returns to Sierra Leone to see how much the government kept their promise and to what extent the discovery really did transform the lives for those involved for better, or for worse. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Assignment.

Iran accused the United States of breaching their ceasefire on Tuesday. It warned it was ready to retaliate after overnight US strikes targeting Iranian missile sites and mine-laying boats. Newshour hears from a UAE political scientist and from former US state department negotiator Aaron David Miller.Also in the programme: NASA announces moon base plans; and the man who discovered Sierra Leone's 700 carat diamond.(Picture: An Iranian woman holds a flag bearing portraits of late Iranian supreme leaders Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, during a memorial ceremony for those killed in the Iran-US-Israel war. Credit: EPA)

The Church's Expanding Global Identity & $25M UNICEF Donation The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has donated $25 million to UNICEF's Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), a global initiative aimed at preventing and treating childhood malnutrition. • Doubled Impact: Thanks to a matching challenge announced in 2025, the Church’s donation will generate an additional $25 million, bringing the total financial impact to $50 million. • Target & Scope: The contribution is part of an ongoing partnership with UNICEF that began in 2013. The funds will support nutritional programs for mothers and young children—specifically targeting areas like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Sierra Leone—with the broader goal of helping the fund reach 320 million women and children annually by 2030. The First Presidency Tours the New Humanitarian Center Ahead of Dedication This facility is part of the Church's effort to follow the second great commandment: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” On Friday, May 22, 2026, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints toured the Church's new Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake City, ahead of its upcoming dedication. Purpose: Built to support the commandment to “love thy neighbour,” the center serves a dual purpose: providing job training, language courses, and employment counseling to help individuals overcome employment barriers, while also preparing and distributing global humanitarian supplies. Public Open House: Runs from June 1 through July 23, 2026 (Monday–Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.). Visitors can participate in hands-on service, such as assembling kits or sorting clothes. Attendance: Visitors are encouraged to schedule a time via the Temple Square app or by calling 801-240-5954, though walk-ins are welcome. Harvard Global Flourishing Study Compares Latter-day Saints Internationally The recently released Harvard Global Human Flourishing Study, which surveyed over 200,000 people across 22 countries, reveals that religious service attendance is globally linked to higher levels of overall well-being—and Latter-day Saints are no exception. When analyzing the U.S. data, the study found that Latter-day Saints scored highly on the overall “flourishing index” (which measures happiness, health, meaning, character, relationships, and financial stability), while those with no religious affiliation scored the lowest. • Highest Church Attendance: Latter-day Saints reported the highest rate of weekly religious service attendance at 65%, outperforming Evangelicals (59%) and Pentecostals (53%). • Mental Health and Happiness: The group demonstrated remarkably low levels of depression (8.5%) compared to atheists and agnostics (19%). Additionally, 30% of Latter-day Saints reported being “highly happy,” which is roughly double the rate of those distant from faith. • Family and Spiritual Support: Latter-day Saints reported the highest rates of feeling loved by their mother (94%) and father (90%) while growing up. Furthermore, 89% reported finding immense strength and comfort from their religion. • The Challenge of Community Criticism: On the flip side, 11% of Latter-day Saints reported feeling that their religious community was critical of them. While this number is statistically identical to other high-expectation faiths (like Baptists and Evangelicals), the article notes it highlights an ongoing need for the culture to shift from judgment to Christlike love, a priority recently emphasized by Church leadership. Diplomatic Relations: Elder Bednar Meets With the President of Chile Elder David A. Bednar, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, held an official meeting with Chilean President José Antonio Kast at the La Moneda Presidential Palace on Monday, May 18, 2026. • Core Topics: The discussion centered on strengthening families, supporting youth, protecting religious freedom, and fostering cooperation between governments and faith communities. • Church Initiatives: Elder Bednar highlighted several Church programs designed to help the rising generation develop faith, purpose, and practical skills. These included the For the Strength of Youth program, various youth service and leadership experiences, and the BYU–Pathway Worldwide educational program. Women Leaders Discuss Discipleship and Service at Annual Luncheon On Monday, May 11, 2026, roughly 200 current and former women leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered for their annual emeritus luncheon at the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City. The meeting brought together past and present general presidencies and advisory councils from the Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society organizations to discuss discipleship, service, and organizational updates. • Young Women Age-Group Names: Leaders discussed the spiritual meaning behind the newly introduced Young Women age-group names. Former Young Women General President Elaine S. Dalton praised the change, noting that the titles—Builders of Faith (ages 12–13), Messengers of Hope (ages 14–15), and Gatherers of Light (ages 16–17)—give young women a strong identity rooted directly in Jesus Christ. • Enduring Sisterhood: Attendees, including 93-year-old Joy Sansom (who served on the Young Women general board from 1961 to 1972), celebrated the lifelong bonds, shared memories, and enduring sense of community fostered by their years of joint church service.  Bishops and Youth: One-on-One Ministering Supports Better Relationships During a recent Instagram Live broadcast, the Young Men General Presidency addressed the common question of whether ward-level Young Men presidencies—discontinued in 2020—will ever return. Led by General President Timothy L. Farnes and his counselors, Brother David J. Wunderli and Brother Sean R. Dixon, the presidency clarified that the change is permanent and explained the spiritual and structural reasons behind keeping the responsibility on local bishoprics. Church Communications Releases Inside Look Video of Provo MTC With the rise in full-time missionary applications and the creation of more missions worldwide, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has produced a video offering prospective missionaries and their families an inside look at how missionaries are trained. The 21-minute video, titled “What It's Really Like at the Missionary Training Center,” was released on YouTube on May 17. short, fun, and heartfelt interviews with missionaries. Volunteers and Performers Needed for Salt Lake Temple Celebration SALT LAKE CITY— Temple Square volunteer applications are opening ahead of the highly anticipated Salt Lake Temple Celebration and the LDS Church Visitors' Center opening, where the SLC Temple open house reservation date will be announced. Temple Square is seeking “exceptional volunteers who want to help guests feel welcomed, supported, and inspired throughout the celebration.” • When to Apply: Volunteer applications will be available starting in June 2026. When the application window opens, Temple Square will share the link and additional details for the application process.. • Eligibility & Shifts: Volunteer roles are open to anyone 16 years old and older from all backgrounds and experience levels, with some assignments requiring specific skills. Some roles are able to accommodate accessibility needs. Volunteers are asked to serve for a minimum of eight weeks. Most roles require standing for many hours. Shifts will last between three and four hours. A variety of shifts are available for people to choose from, but specific roles and requirements will be announced in June. • Performers Needed: In addition to general assignments, Temple Square is in need of specialized performers for the celebration. Some experiences will include opportunities for young musicians, vocalists, or cultural performers. Details will be shared as plans develop. The post Salt Lake Temple Performers Needed! AoN 1044 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

When David George lay sick with smallpox in Savannah during the Revolutionary War, he faced three possible outcomes: death, re-enslavement, or freedom. Greg O'Malley, Professor of History at UC Santa Cruz, follows David George across six decades and three continents, from enslaved Virginia to the Muscogee Creek nation, and from British-occupied Georgia to Nova Scotia to Sierra Leone, in his new book, The Escapes of David George: An Odyssey of Slavery, Freedom, and the American Revolution. It's a story that will change how you think about what the Revolution actually delivered, and for whom. Greg's Website | Book Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/403 EPISODE OUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:14 Welcome to Ben Franklin's World 00:02:31 Introducing Greg O'Malley and David George 00:05:43 David George's Odyssey Begins 00:08:12 The Rare Narrative of David George 00:11:07 Authenticating David George's Voice 00:13:39 David George's Multiple Escapes from Slavery 00:20:30 David George's Conversion to Christianity 00:24:53 Why Baptist? The Appeal of Evangelical Faith 00:29:52 David George's Family and Name 00:37:12 Life in Nova Scotia as a Refugee Preacher 00:42:03 Journey to Sierra Leone 00:54:44 Piecing Together David George's Later Years 00:59:49 Discovering the Silver Bluff Baptist Church 01:06:24 Time Warp: What If David George Stayed? 01:10:29 Reflections and TakeawaysRECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES

When David George lay sick with smallpox in Savannah during the Revolutionary War, he faced three possible outcomes: death, re-enslavement, or freedom. Greg O'Malley, Professor of History at UC Santa Cruz, follows David George across six decades and three continents, from enslaved Virginia to the Muscogee Creek nation, and from British-occupied Georgia to Nova Scotia to Sierra Leone, in his new book, The Escapes of David George: An Odyssey of Slavery, Freedom, and the American Revolution. It's a story that will change how you think about what the Revolution actually delivered, and for whom. Greg's Website | Book Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/403 EPISODE OUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:14 Welcome to Ben Franklin's World 00:02:31 Introducing Greg O'Malley and David George 00:05:43 David George's Odyssey Begins 00:08:12 The Rare Narrative of David George 00:11:07 Authenticating David George's Voice 00:13:39 David George's Multiple Escapes from Slavery 00:20:30 David George's Conversion to Christianity 00:24:53 Why Baptist? The Appeal of Evangelical Faith 00:29:52 David George's Family and Name 00:37:12 Life in Nova Scotia as a Refugee Preacher 00:42:03 Journey to Sierra Leone 00:54:44 Piecing Together David George's Later Years 00:59:49 Discovering the Silver Bluff Baptist Church 01:06:24 Time Warp: What If David George Stayed? 01:10:29 Reflections and TakeawaysRECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES

Kate Adie introduces stories on President Trump's visit to China, the Palestine marathon, the Venice Biennale boycott, a young woman's search for her mother in India, and living in the fast lane with Sierra Leone's First Lady.Laura Bicker has been in Beijing where military parades, red carpets and singing choirs of children greeted Donald Trump as he arrived for talks with President Xi. So what progress was made in China-US relations after a frosty period?Wyre Davies has been in Bethlehem watching on as runners from around the world took part in the 10th Palestine Marathon - a burst of positivity after the race was postponed amid the war between Hamas and Israel, following the October 2023 attacks.The Venice Biennale and the Eurovision song contest were both founded with the intention of bringing nations together through art - but Kirsty Lang finds, upon visiting Venice, an art festival swept up in a clash with global politics. In the Indian state of Maharashtra, Tanya Datta travels with a young woman in search of her birth-mother after she was adopted by a French family and grew up in France. As she goes to the place of her birth, she finds an unexpected connection.And Megha Mohan recounts a hair-raising journey travelling in the motorcade of Sierra Leone's first lady, Fatima Bio - en route to interview her in the Presidential Palace. Series Producer: Serena Tarling Production Coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith