Podcasts about state department

Martha Raddatz talks to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott about rescue and aid efforts in Nepal; Plus, the latest on the tariff tit-for-tat between the US and Canada Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, we do a round up of three stories. First, a former acting U.S. attorney was found dead in his office in a federal building in California. Second, the USPS just issued new rules regarding mail-in ballot envelopes. Last, the State Department has issued travel advisories regarding three countries. Let's go through it all together.

The State Department says it's busted a global terror network that has funded the disruptions and protests by Antifa, Twitter says it's cracked a Chinese bot farm and the FBI busts a Chinese hacking operation that tried to get into the computers at NASA. Pete Hegseth rights a 5-year wrong and gives Bronze Stars to soldiers who acted heroically during the deadly US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Good News will leave every parent with tears.    

Holly Koehler has spent almost thirty years in rooms most people never think about: windowless UN offices in New York, the FAO in Rome, and what she calls "oftentimes very boring hotel ballrooms around the world," where countries hash out how the ocean actually gets managed. She's the Vice President of Policy and Outreach at the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), and before that she spent thirteen years at the U.S. State Department's Office of Marine Conservation, chairing international fisheries negotiations. In this episode, she walks Andrew through how a grad-school internship on sea turtles turned into a career built entirely around one question: how do you manage a species that ignores every border humans have drawn? Andrew and Holly cover what a Regional Fisheries Management Organization (RFMO) actually is and why nearly the entire ocean is already covered by one, why she says listening, not legal expertise, is the most important skill she's ever used at the negotiating table, and the story behind an all-night Thanksgiving session that produced a landmark UN resolution protecting deep-sea corals and seamounts from bottom trawling. Holly also explains why ISSF treats governance as being just as important as fishing practices, drawing a direct line from her anthropology background to her belief that governance is what civilization itself is built on, and breaks down exactly how ISSF's audits and public compliance data connect to the eco-labels shoppers see on a can of tuna. This is the episode the whole week has been building toward. If you've been following along with Monday through Thursday's solo episodes, you've already heard the RFMO explainer, the bottom-trawling story, and the High Seas Treaty history. Here, Holly connects all of it, in her own words, including a memorable detail that resolves a question left open earlier in the week: which UN resolution she was actually in the room for. Takeaways: International fisheries governance runs through treaty-based RFMOs that nearly every country with a stake in a fishery has legally bound itself to join and follow. The negotiating skill Holly says matters most isn't legal expertise, it's listening for what a country means behind what it says, since "where you stand depends on where you sit." The all-night Thanksgiving session that produced UN Resolution 61/105, the landmark bottom-trawling and seamount protections covered in this show's Tuesday companion episode, was chaired by Holly herself. Holly measures negotiating success by getting an agreement strong enough to matter while keeping every country that needs to ratify or implement it "inside the tent." ISSF doesn't certify fisheries itself. It builds the audited evidence trail, through annual company audits and public vessel compliance data, that feeds into the Marine Stewardship Council certification a shopper actually sees on a label. Support Independent Podcasts: https://www.speakupforblue.com/patreon Need help with your ocean non-profit, company, or project? Get the help you need with Pisces Oceans Inc.: https://www.piscesoceans.ca Connect with Speak Up For Blue Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speakupforblue Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc YouTube: www.speakupforblue.com/youtube  

It's Friday, August 28th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Nigerian Christian farmers are being targeted by Fulani Muslims For many Christian farmers in the Plateau State of Nigeria, traveling to their own farms has become dangerous, reports International Christian Concern. Some have stopped going altogether. Others now move in groups, hoping that numbers will offer some protection. But for families who depend on agriculture for survival, abandoning their land is not an easy choice.  The fear has grown following a series of attacks by armed men suspected to be Fulani Muslim militias which have targeted farmers traveling to and from their fields.  On July 30, according to Christian leader Joseph Yonkpa, 60-year-old Christian farmer Bulus Turu was “attacked and macheted while returning from his farm.”  At least 27 people have been killed in ambushes, many of whom were Christian farmers traveling to their farms.  Yohana Boh, a community leader, said, “We received early warning, but the Nigerian Army ignored it. We can't sleep. We can't farm. We're calling for help.” Send a polite, 4-sentence note to Lateef Kayode, the Nigerian Ambassador to America, asking him to urge his government to protect the Christian farmers there. Address your letter to the Nigerian Embassy, 3519 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008. You can find that address, and the spelling of the Nigerian Ambassador's name, in our transcript today at www.TheWorldview.com. Flash flood in Nepal killed 360 The deadly flash flood in Nepal on August 26th has killed 360 people and left 1,400 missing including 90 Americans, reports Weather.com. The flood was likely caused by a huge chunk of a glacier that broke off and temporarily dammed a river.  That may have led to the backed-up water surging downstream with enormous force a few hours later. In fact, water levels in rivers across the flood-affected region rose by as much as 29.5 feet in 30 minutes. The U.S. State Department said it is not aware of any U.S. deaths, but three Americans have been rescued. Hundreds have lost their homes across the Himalayan region, and officials reported large-scale damage to critical infrastructure, including hydropower dams, roads, buildings and bridges in the region. US Patriot missile stocks in Europe are ‘beyond critical' due to Iran war An unnamed U.S. defense official in Europe and an unnamed NATO official told the Associated Press that the U.S. military is experiencing a “beyond critical” shortage of advanced missile interceptors in Europe largely driven by President Donald Trump's war with Iran. This raises concerns about vulnerabilities in NATO countries to a potential Russian attack. The U.S. defense official said the most concerning shortfall involves Patriot missile interceptors, which can shoot down Russia's high-speed ballistic missiles. The NATO official confirmed the low inventories of Patriots among American and NATO forces in Europe. President Trump renames Lake Ontario to Lake America On August 27th, President Donald Trump said he is renaming Lake Ontario to be known as “Lake America” in the United States as he escalates his trade war with Canada, reports the Associated Press. The president signed an executive order directing the Interior Department to update the lake's name in the U.S. geographic naming service. Girl Scouts promotes Islam The Girl Scouts organization in America already has plunged neck-deep into transgenderism and abortion, with ideologies that support such leftist agendas. Now, the group is jumping into Islam, reports WorldNetDaily.com. An online report confirmed the Girls Scouts are offering "badges" that are earned by little girls when they visit mosques and learn the "Pillars of Islam." Not surprisingly, social media commenters were outraged. Turning Point USA, founded by Charlie Kirk, tweeted, “Nothing says Girl Scouts of AMERICA like learning the pillars of Islam.” And another wrote, “Never buy Girl Scout cookies again.” According to a new investigation by Natalie Winters, the White House correspondent for Steve Bannon's War Room, she documented that, "Girl Scout troops across the U.S. are incorporating Islamic religious instruction, prayer and activities, [like wearing the hijab head covering and participating in the Ramadan fast] into scouting programs.” Winters reported, "Girl Scouts Heart of Central California knew about the Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims' religious integration years earlier. The council's 2009 annual report said that four troops with 30 girls began …  [incorporating] Girl Scouting into the mosque's youth programming. It highlighted a Ramadan sleepover involving fasting and girls 'praying through the night.'" The examples appear to involve individual troops and local councils rather than a nationwide requirement imposed on all Girl Scouts. However, there is a "nationwide pattern of Girl Scout troops based at mosques incorporating Islamic prayer, Quranic instruction, and lessons on hijab into activities conducted under the Girl Scouts banner." In Exodus 20:3, God said, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” And, to be sure, Allah, the Islamic god, is not the one true God. Mom banned from school after protesting push of sexual perversion And finally, an Oregon mother is suing Portland Public Schools for banning her from her children's elementary school for protesting its promotion of homosexual transgender “pride,” reports LifeSiteNews.com. The Oregonian reports that Allison Roberts, who has two children at Meriwether Lewis Elementary School, took issue with benches painted with “Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride” rainbow designs. She also objected to an assignment in which one of her kids was tasked with filling out an “identity flower” exercise including gender. After a meeting with school officials to discuss her concerns, she began distributing letters about the situation outside the school, leading to a “heated exchange” with one parent. That led to a one-year trespass order keeping her off the grounds ostensibly for “threatening and intimidating members of the school community” with “harmful, unlawful and/or disruptive behavior.” As a result, Roberts was forced to miss one of her children's graduations from elementary school. Now, she is suing to reverse the trespass order and secure her rights to engage in free speech about her children's education.  Mrs. Roberts should prayerfully consider pulling her children out of the pro-perversion government schools and homeschool them instead. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Close And that's The Worldview on this Friday, August 28th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ

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 episode of The Wright Report, Bryan breaks down Meta's massive $18 billion settlement over claims it deliberately hooked kids on social media, including new daily time limits, overnight blackouts, and tougher age verification rules. Bryan covers the State Department's terrorism designation on an Italian tech collective that provided encrypted infrastructure to Antifa, Hamas, and the IRGC, a push by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna to force social media influencers to disclose foreign cash, and Senator Josh Hawley's growing rebellion against his own party's embrace of AI and data centers. He also breaks down a combative Fox News interview with Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed on Sharia law, defunding police, and trans medicine for kids. Plus, Bryan covers a horrific glacier collapse and flash flood in Nepal, new confirmation that Iranian strikes have killed CIA officers and destroyed intelligence facilities, China's new Arctic shipping route skirting the Middle East war, and a new Louisiana phosphate plant aimed at cutting America's fertilizer dependence on China. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32   Keywords: Wright Report, Bryan Dean Wright, Meta, social media settlement, kids online safety, Antifa, terrorism designation, Josh Hawley, AI regulation, data centers, Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan Senate, Sharia law, Hillary Clinton, Nepal flood, CIA, Iran, IRGC, China, Arctic shipping, phosphate, Louisiana

Antifa was just revealed as having ties to Hamas and to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to a State Department memo targeting an organization that runs digital tools used by Antifa as well as other violent terror groups.We'll discuss this topic and others in this episode of “Crossroads.”Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

In today's massive compilation, we break down the biggest stories breaking across the nation!

The U.S. State Department just sanctioned an Italian AI tech group for enabling far-left terror networks like Antifa and Jane's Revenge to organize violent operations! Plus, the debate heats up over local Flock cameras—why are people outraged over license plate readers while ignoring massive NSA surveillance and Ring doorbell tracking? We break down the hypocrisy, the risks, and the power of government monitoring!

From major national security updates to sweeping Big Tech regulations and border enforcement milestones, today's breakdown covers the biggest developments shaping the political landscape!

From foreign tech group sanctions to historic ICE numbers, today's show breaks down the biggest stories breaking across the nation!

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

Virginia Hall wanted to be a diplomat, but the State Department kept shutting doors in her face …and then she lost her leg in a hunting accident, which seemed like she'd reached a dead end. Never one to accept defeat, she learned how to walk again on a wooden leg nicknamed “Cuthbert,” and headed straight into the world of espionage.Once she got to France, she ran circles around the Nazi intelligence services during WW2. The Gestapo actually called her “the most dangerous Allied agent in France”; her actions, and those of her compatriots, changed the course of the war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John breaks down the news of the day, including judicial actions affecting President Trump's policies, a Maryland judge's ruling against Democrats' attempts to eliminate a Republican House seat, the indictment of Massachusetts State Representative Francisco Paulino, and the State Department's new immigrant visa screening initiative. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BREAKING: The State Department just uncovered disturbing ties between Antifa extremists and networks linked to Hamas, Iran's IRGC, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sweeping sanctions against the international tech organizations and professionals (a tech collective) accused of providing encrypted tools to these radical groups. The Sekulow team discusses the Trump Administration's latest crackdown on far-Left terrorism and much more.

A.M. Edition for Aug. 25. Two lawmakers detail their bipartisan bill to end personalized dynamic pricing in grocery stores, where AI is increasingly deciding whether Shopper A should pay more for the same product than Shopper B. Plus, the Supreme Court helps clear the way for President Trump's restrictions on mail-in voting. WSJ supreme court reporter James Romoser explains what it could mean for the midterms. And, more companies are preparing to join Wall Street's IPO bonanza. And Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Washington Stand's Casey Harper reviews the latest primaries, the influence of Democratic Socialists of America, preliminary approval from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding President Trump's vote-by-mail restrictions, and a State Department

Canada is set to announce retaliatory trade measures on Tuesday in response to the United States' latest tariffs, with the finance minister and senior officials unveiling the moves in Ottawa.The Trump administration is working to revoke the visas of foreign nationals who entered the United States as short-term visitors and then sought asylum. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on Monday that the department will work with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the process but did not say how many visas would be revoked.

Jon Herold digs into the unfolding Data Republican controversy, walking through how the prominent conservative data analyst faced backlash after admitting she's a paid special government employee at the Department of War, despite previously framing a State Department document handoff as an entrapment attempt. He argues the real issue isn't her politics but the lack of disclosure, and plays a clip of Rep. Anna Paulina Luna discussing her push for legislation requiring paid influencers to disclose government ties. Other topics include CIA Director Ratcliffe's surprise trip to Moscow, Canada's retaliatory tariffs set for September 8th, a batch of fiery Trump Truth Social posts on renaming Lake Ontario and reducing joint military exercises with South Korea, a Supreme Court ruling allowing Trump's election integrity order to proceed, and a viral story about anti "Flock camera" vandals. Sponsor reads, birthday shoutouts, and some fun personal stories round out a newsy Tuesday show.

A grad student faces a simple choice: write another term paper, or take a summer internship. She takes the internship, gets assigned to sea turtles, and thirty years later she is in the room for some of the most consequential ocean policy agreements ever negotiated. This episode traces that career from the beginning, and it starts with a realization that shapes everything that follows: sea turtles do not read maps. They cross every border humans have drawn, which means protecting them requires countries to cooperate, not compete. Andrew walks through the arc of this career step by step. It starts with an anthropology degree and a grad-school detour into public policy, an internship with an NGO in Washington, D.C., then called the Center for Marine Conservation, and a growing understanding that migratory ocean species force international cooperation whether countries want it or not. From there the story moves through the State Department, more than a decade on international tuna negotiations, and eventually a role at the International Sustainable Seafood Foundation (ISSF). Along the way, Andrew connects the story to his own winding path from marine biology researcher to ocean communications manager, and makes the case that careers in ocean conservation rarely move in a straight line. This episode kicks off a five-part week on How to Protect the Ocean. Tuesday looks at corals nearly as old as the pyramids and the fight to save them. Wednesday covers the High Seas Treaty and the moment the gavel dropped. Thursday breaks down seafood policy and what retailers need to know about what shoppers actually want. Friday brings the full interview with the person at the center of this week's story. Takeaways: Careers in ocean conservation rarely move in a straight line. This one started with choosing an internship over a term paper and grew into three decades of international policy work. Migratory species that ignore national borders, like sea turtles, are the practical reason international cooperation and multilateral ocean agreements exist at all. Green sea turtle populations are showing real improvement, a genuinely hopeful data point inside an episode that's otherwise about policy and negotiation. This is episode one of five leading into Friday's full interview with the guest whose career this episode traces. Support Independent Podcasts: https://www.speakupforblue.com/patreon Need help with your ocean non-profit, company, or project? Get the help you need with Pisces Oceans Inc.: https://www.piscesoceans.ca Connect with Speak Up For Blue Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speakupforblue Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc YouTube: www.speakupforblue.com/youtube  

A federal judge is putting a stop to the Trump administration's freeze on immigrant visas affecting applicants from 75 countries. U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that Secretary of State Marco Rubio exceeded his legal authority by ordering visa denials for applicants who had otherwise been found eligible to enter the United States. The policy, introduced in January, suspended immigrant visa issuance to nationals from countries the State Department considered at high risk of public-benefit dependency. The affected nations span regions including Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. It's a star studded guest line up today: Sarah Kendzior joins us. She is a best selling author and scholar. Find her on The Mark Thompson Show Mondays at noon Pacific/3pm Eastern, check sarahkendzior.com for a quick way to buy her books and find more of Sarah on Substack at: https://substack.com/@sarahkendzior Emmy award winning news anchor David Shuster joins the Monday line-up. Find more of David: https://substack.com/@davidshuster Skye Perryman, CEO of Democracy Forward, will wrap it up with an update on the battle to uphold the Constitution . https://democracyforward.org The Mark Thompson Show 8/24/26 Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you'd like to help, here's our Patreon Link: https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshow Maybe you're more into PayPal. https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24 And you'll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.com The Mark Thompson Show has an official new Facebook page. Please join! Here's the link: https://m.facebook.com/TheMarkThompsonShow/ Show sponsors: coachellavalleycoffee.com - use code MarkT at check out to save 10%

Today on the show: Shannon Kingston from ABC News at the State Department updates the Canadian tariffs. Tyler Kendall from Bloomberg live in D.C. on "economic D-Day." Erick Erickson following the latest on the midterms. Plus, A Grand for Groceries! 9am-noon on 95.5 WSB.

Today on the show: Shannon Kingston from ABC News at the State Department updates the Canadian tariffs. Tyler Kendall from Bloomberg live in D.C. on "economic D-Day." Erick Erickson following the latest on the midterms. Plus, A Grand for Groceries! 9am-noon on 95.5 WSB.

Today on the show: Shannon Kingston from ABC News at the State Department updates the Canadian tariffs. Tyler Kendall from Bloomberg live in D.C. on "economic D-Day." Erick Erickson following the latest on the midterms. Plus, A Grand for Groceries! 9am-noon on 95.5 WSB.

We've launched Minimum Competence CLE, and our first course is now available completely free. Researching Federal Tax Issues After Loper Brightlooks at how the Supreme Court's decision ending Chevron deference changes the way lawyers should research and evaluate Treasury regulations, IRS guidance, and other federal tax authorities.Take the course and earn CLE credit at cle.minimumcomp.com.This Day in Legal History: Communist Control ActOn August 24, 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Communist Control Act, a law that did something extraordinary in a country built around the First Amendment: it effectively outlawed a political party. The Act declared the Communist Party of the United States an instrument of a conspiracy to overthrow the government. It stripped it of “all rights, privileges, and immunities” available to legal organizations, and made knowing membership in the party potentially criminal.Perhaps more remarkable is how little resistance any of this encountered. This was the height of the McCarthy era, when the political cost of appearing insufficiently hostile to communism was enormous. The bill passed the Senate 79-0 and the House 265-2. Those margins tell you something important about the moment: liberals and conservatives alike had strong incentives to demonstrate their anti-communist bona fides, and almost no one had much incentive to be the person standing up for the constitutional rights of communists. Eisenhower signed the bill, and, at least on paper, an American political party ceased to have any legal existence.The significance of August 24, 1954 is mostly as a lesson in what happens to civil liberties when they are placed under enough political pressure—and in the messier ways our constitutional system often corrects itself. The Communist Control Act was constitutionally dubious from the start; punishing someone for just belonging to a political organization runs directly into the freedoms of speech and association. But the law was rarely enforced, courts largely avoided confronting its most sweeping provisions head-on, and it gradually withered into a stricture approaching a dead letter, though it technically remains on the books. Later Supreme Court decisions made considerably clearer that the government can't punish mere association or abstract advocacy, as opposed to incitement to imminent lawless action.That makes this a fitting anniversary for a day when we also have a story about protesters sentenced for their political activity. The point captured in today's opening quote from Justice Brandeis is easy to endorse when the speaker and the cause are popular. The real test of the freedom to think and speak as you will comes when neither is.A federal judge has struck down one of the administration's broader immigration policies, vacating a State Department decision that suspended immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries.The policy, announced in January, halted immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries—including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, and Somalia—on the theory that applicants from those countries were likely to require public assistance. U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan called the policy “patently unlawful,” but the interesting part of the decision is less the rhetoric than the relatively straightforward statutory problem she identified: Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not have the power Congress gave someone else.Federal immigration law expressly limits the Secretary of State's authority over how consular officers process immigrant visas. The administration therefore could not use the Secretary's general authority to accomplish something Congress had specifically placed beyond his reach. It is a theme we have seen repeatedly this summer: not some enormous constitutional confrontation over presidential power, but the considerably more mundane question of whether the executive branch can point to a statute that actually authorizes what it is doing.Vargas's order also does more than stop the policy going forward. She vacated visa denials based solely on the suspended-processing policy, meaning applicants who were turned away under it can have their applications reconsidered. The lawsuit was brought by immigrant-rights organizations, visa applicants, and U.S. citizens seeking visas for family members.The broader point is that immigration and foreign affairs may be areas in which the executive branch enjoys substantial discretion, but discretion is not the same thing as unlimited authority. The government still needs to identify where Congress gave it the power it claims to possess. Here, the court concluded Congress had done essentially the opposite.US judge strikes down policy suspending immigrant visa processing for 75 nations | ReutersWashington Post · Al JazeeraSeven pro-Palestinian protesters who shut down the Golden Gate Bridge in 2024 have now been sentenced, and the result is a useful little illustration of how the law handles civil disobedience.The seven were among 26 protesters who drove onto the bridge in April 2024, stopped their vehicles, and chained themselves together to protest the war in Gaza, blocking traffic for hours. They were convicted in July of misdemeanor false imprisonment, obstruction of a thoroughfare, and unlawful assembly. On Friday, they were sentenced to 30 days in jail—with an option that could cut that time in half—along with six months of probation and roughly $1,000 in fines and restitution.The First Amendment line here is not especially mysterious. Protest is protected; physically preventing other people from leaving is not. That is the significance of the false-imprisonment charge: motorists were stuck on a bridge with nowhere else to go. You can stand alongside the road holding a sign. You do not acquire a First Amendment right to chain the road shut merely because your reason for doing it is political.But the sentence is interesting in the other direction. The defendants potentially faced years in prison and received 30 days, while prosecutors dropped the most serious felony conspiracy charge after the jury deadlocked on it. That gap illustrates just how much calibration occurs after we decide that conduct is criminal. Prosecutors and judges can recognize both that the protesters deliberately interfered with the rights of hundreds of other people and that they did so as part of nonviolent political expression rather than for personal gain or predatory purposes.That is more or less how a legal system metabolizes civil disobedience: the political motivation does not erase the underlying offense, but neither must the law pretend that motivation is irrelevant when deciding how severely to punish it. On the anniversary of the Communist Control Act, it is an especially useful reminder that the legal treatment of dissent rarely comes down to a simple choice between “protected” and “illegal.” Much of the real work happens in between.Pro-Palestinian protesters sentenced over blocking Golden Gate Bridge traffic | ReutersKQED · Mission LocalAnd finally, TikTok and parent company ByteDance have agreed to pay $400 million to settle the Justice Department's lawsuit accusing the platform of violating federal children's privacy law—an enormous number for a case built around a statute passed before TikTok, or really modern social media, existed.The Justice Department filed the lawsuit in 2024 on behalf of the Federal Trade Commission, alleging that TikTok allowed millions of children under 13 to create accounts without their parents' knowledge or consent and then made it unnecessarily difficult for parents to have those accounts deleted. The statute at issue is COPPA, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, which generally requires online services covered by the law to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13.There is an especially interesting wrinkle in how the $400 million settlement is structured. TikTok will pay $300 million now and another $100 million once a court vacates an earlier consent decree entered against Musical.ly, TikTok's predecessor. That matters because this is not the first time the platform has encountered the government over children's privacy. Musical.ly had already been penalized over COPPA violations, and the government's latest case alleged that the problems continued afterward.TikTok is settling without admitting wrongdoing and says it has made substantial changes to its age controls and parental-oversight systems. But whatever one thinks of the underlying allegations, $400 million is a fairly substantial reminder that COPPA is not merely a disclosure statute sitting around from the early Internet.And this case fits into the larger fight over children and social media from a somewhat different direction than the addiction and product-design litigation we have been following. Those cases ask what platforms may design for children and what harms those designs may cause. COPPA asks the considerably less glamorous but foundational question that comes before all of that: who gets to collect information about children in the first place, and on what terms? Four hundred million dollars suggests the government still thinks the answer matters quite a bit.US Justice Department, TikTok settle $400 million children's privacy suit | ReutersAxios · Justice Department This is a public episode. 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In this episode of Business Legacy Podcast, Paul Dio sits down with Daniel Boettcher, founder of The Intrepid Wendell, for one of the most quietly extraordinary conversations the show has produced. Daniel is an attorney, a gemologist, a polyglot, and a jeweler — not because he planned to be, but because an illness redirected a career pointed at the U.S. State Department, and a bitterly cold February day in Antwerp introduced him to the diamond trade through a private club above a cigar lounge. Daniel explains what he actually does, and it takes a minute to fully land. He doesn't just make jewelry. He listens to someone's history — their loves, their losses, their origin stories, the things they want to reach across time to say — and then he represents that history in an object. The pilot who wanted to divide his ring into four pieces, one for each child, so that the thing that touched his skin every day could touch theirs after he was gone. The couple who met in a sunflower field in Kansas and knew immediately — her engagement ring is a sunflower, because sunflowers always point toward the light even on an overcast day. The conversation moves through Daniel's remarkable range. Growing up a polyglot and the way different languages carry different flavors — Spanish for emotion and poetry, English for calendars and formulas, and the Spanglish of Puerto Rico squishing both together into something new. The challenge of getting clients to trust him with their histories, because the histories are where the real work begins. The ocean crossing from Tokyo to Anchorage he took in May that gave him the vertical perspective he needs to stay functional in a scatterplot life. The episode closes on legacy — both the one Daniel builds for others and the one he's quietly building for himself. A mentorship philosophy. A preservation organization he's starting in Old San Juan to privately fund the repair of bronze sculptures and 1892 tablets that the politics of historic preservation keep leaving unattended. He doesn't need his name on it. He just wants the statues to still be there. Timestamps 00:00 — Welcome and introduction 00:45 — The plan that was interrupted by illness 02:30 — Antwerp, a cigar lounge, and the diamond bourse 04:00 — Jewelry as representation of personal history 06:00 — Paul's wife's ring turned into a daughter's necklace 07:00 — The pilot's ring that comes apart in four pieces 10:00 — The challenge of earning client trust and opening the well 12:30 — What it means to make a piece that could only belong to one person 14:00 — The sunflower ring and the Kansas City couple 17:00 — Being a polyglot and the flavors of different languages 20:00 — Spanglish in Puerto Rico 22:00 — Languages as keys to legacy 23:00 — Motivation and the scatterplot life 24:30 — The Pacific Ocean crossing as a vertical reset 26:00 — Only control what's yours 27:00 — Legacy as professing love and treating people well 28:00 — Mentorship and the cost of short job tenures 29:30 — San Juan Preserva and the 1892 tablets 31:00 — Where to find Daniel and The Intrepid Wendell Episode Resources Discover how Daniel helps clients turn personal histories, origin stories, and the people they love into one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry that could only belong to one person — and carry on long after they do: www.theintrepidwendell.com Legacy Podcast: For more information about the Legacy Podcast and its co-hosts, visit https://businesslegacypodcast.com Leave a Review: If you enjoyed the episode, leave a review and rating on your preferred podcast platform. For more information: Visit https://businesslegacypodcast.com to access the show notes and additional resources on the episode.  

Wednesday, August 21st 2024 We're headed into day two of the Democratic National Convention set to feature Republican speakers; Biden's State Department gets Netanyahu to agree to a cease fire; we have more details on the Biden impeachment report; The Eighth Circuit DENIES DOJ's request to clarify the SAVE student loan plan injunction; former Republican Rep George Santos pleads guilty to wire fraud and identity theft; the FBI concludes Iran did try to hack both the Trump and Biden campaigns; Biden's Justice Department says Trump was acting within the scope of his job when he forcibly removed racial justice protestors from Lafayette park in 2020; the Georgia Election Board continues to try and re-write election law in the state; plus Allison delivers your Good News.   Our Guest: Washington State Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad wa-democrats.org Reminder - you can see the pod pics if you become a Patron. The good news pics are at the bottom of the show notes of each Patreon episode! That's just one of the perks of subscribing! patreon.com/muellershewrote Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:https://apple.co/3XNx7ckWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?https://patreon.com/thedailybeanshttps://dailybeans.supercast.com/https://apple.co/3UKzKt0 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We must now defend our government from all attacks both internal and foreign. Here's a stark reveal on what we now face. Our country is under assault by China, with well funded internal players here. Don't take the bait. Leave the infighting alone. Data Republican texts and info have stirred the pot. She is fed information and then paid to spread it. Marco Rubio is now in the crosshairs. This is because Vance will never be President. Reports and white papers abound on what China is funding. Other people are targeting our special envoys. The huge problem for the enemy is lost connections and profitable corruption. Our own people are fighting us. Political funding is corrupt. Act Blue donates in other people's names. Diplomat Christopher Landau in the money and thick of it. Our country has no news media. We have to stick together and defend our people. This is the war we are facing. Now is the time to pray and fight.

Casey Lucius, City Manager for the City of Marco Island, Florida joined the podcast to discuss her transition into the City Manager role and into local government. She talked about her career path which has included time as a Naval Intelligence Officer and in the State Department as well as serving as a City Council Member. She discussed her transition from being Assistant City Manager to the City Manager, changes she is implementing as City Manager, and the City's upcoming bond election. Host: Ben Kittelson

‘If there were a university delivering degrees in strategic malpractice, Donald Trump would without a doubt graduate summa cum laude.'On today's episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant gets a damning assessment of the US-Iran war from one of America's most seasoned Middle East diplomats, Aaron David Miller. A former State Department analyst and negotiator across six Republican and Democratic administrations and now a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Miller delivers a blunt verdict on Washington's strategic failures. As the Middle East conflict hits the six-month mark and the Strait of Hormuz remains officially closed, he explains why he can see no clear exit options for Trump. Despite Washington unleashing an "economic D-Day" and the "toughest sanctions in history," Tehran shows no sign of backing down. Plus, why Secretary of State Marco Rubio is MIA and how a “serious retrenchment” of US forces in the Gulf is likely, amid news that some bases may not be fully rebuilt after the war. Highlights‘Trump would graduate summa cum laude in strategic malpractice'Veteran US diplomat Aaron David Miller on the US-Iran war CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantAaron David Miller, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace @aarondmiller2WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkWinner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Audio Producer: David Dargahi Video Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Americans visiting beaches, neighborhood pools, summer camps, and resorts this summer are likely to encounter foreign workers filling jobs as lifeguards, ice-cream scoopers, housekeepers, counselors, and restaurant workers. Many may not realize that these workers are in the United States on J-1 exchange visas—a program the State Department promotes as an instrument of cultural exchange […]

10 months since Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli attacks continue, and Palestinians are dying. This comes amid a push by President Trump to advance his peace plan. Bassem Naim is a senior leader of the Hamas political bureau. In an exclusive interview with Christiane Amanpour, he says Hamas is still committed to making Trump's peace plan work.  Also on today's show: Richard Haass, former Director of Policy Planning, US State Department    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Washington Watch Reporter Mary Stackhouse reports on President Trump's declaration that it's "economic D-Day" for Iran, the U.S. State Department's claim that Minister Zin was wrongfully detained in China, and the news of the national debt reaching

The campaign against international justice is no longer taking place behind closed doors. The U.S. State Department has explicitly outlined plans to dismantle the International Criminal Court (ICC) and disable its operational capacity. With executive orders imposing aggressive financial sanctions against judges, prosecutors, and human rights investigators, international law is facing an unprecedented existential challenge. Independent media has never been more important. Please support this channel by subscribing here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkbwLFZhawBqK2b9gW08z3g?sub_confirmation=1 Join this channel with a membership for exclusive early access and bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkbwLFZhawBqK2b9gW08z3g/join Five Minute News is a MeidasTouch Podcast, covering politics, inequality, health and climate - delivering independent, unbiased and essential news for the US and across the world. Visit us online at http://www.fiveminute.news Follow us on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/fiveminutenews.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram http://instagram.com/fiveminnews Support us on Patreon http://www.patreon.com/fiveminutenews You can subscribe to Five Minute News with your preferred podcast app, ask your smart speaker, or enable Five Minute News as your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing skill. CONTENT DISCLAIMER The views and opinions expressed on this channel are those of the guests and authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Anthony Davis or Five Minute News LLC. Any content provided by our hosts, guests or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything, in line with the First Amendment right to free and protected speech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show: Political Analyst Stephen Lawson live on the primary results and the Trump/Ossoff feud. Shannon Kingston at the State Department updates naval issues. Peter Charalambous from ABC News on the crazy Penn State cocaine bust. Plus, we'll talk to the director of No Kid Hungry. 9am-noon on 95.5 WSB.

Today on the show: Political Analyst Stephen Lawson live on the primary results and the Trump/Ossoff feud. Shannon Kingston at the State Department updates naval issues. Peter Charalambous from ABC News on the crazy Penn State cocaine bust. Plus, we'll talk to the director of No Kid Hungry. 9am-noon on 95.5 WSB.

Today on the show: Political Analyst Stephen Lawson live on the primary results and the Trump/Ossoff feud. Shannon Kingston at the State Department updates naval issues. Peter Charalambous from ABC News on the crazy Penn State cocaine bust. Plus, we'll talk to the director of No Kid Hungry. 9am-noon on 95.5 WSB.

Who owns a symbol? And who gets to decide what it means? This week, we look at how symbols can be stolen, reclaimed, transformed, or ruined, from the swastika and pink triangle to the rainbow and the cross. Also this week: the sky evangelist picks a fight with Alaska Airlines, Canada's military makes room for nonbelievers, halal barbecue takes off in Texas, a Christian influencer says aliens harvested her eggs, the State Department sends billions through faith-based aid groups, and the White Sox celebrate their hometown pope.

Subscribe at patreon.com/badfaithpodcast to catch Monday premium episodes every week. Watch all episodes at Bad Faith YouTube, and don't forget to like and subscribe Palestinian-American journalist Sam Husseini is known for his press conference confrontations and willingness to hold power to account. He recently went viral for confronting Chuck Schumer at an anti-corruption event over Israel's genocide in Gaza, and during the Biden administration, suffered injuries after being hauled out of a State Department briefing where he confronted Antony Blinken. Now, as DSA candidates win elections and quickly distance themselves from the DSA platform, the independent journalist has announced his campaign to run as a Green Party candidate in Maryland's 4th Congressional District. He breaks down the limits of DSA Democratic Party entryism, and how he plans to win. Find Bad Faith on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts. Or subscribe to our RSS feed. Follow Bad Faith on Twitter (@badfaithpod) and Instagram (@badfaithpod). .Theme by Nick Thorburn (@nickfromislands). Produced by (@armandaviram)

Bob Zimmerman details the robotic mission by startup Catalyst to rescue NASA's Swift Space Telescope, utilizing innovative software to maneuver a servicing craft despite thruster failures. He highlights SpaceX's massive Starshipproduction line in Boca Chica, noting that four prototypes are ready for monthly launches and upcoming orbital refueling tests. Zimmerman also discusses Lockheed Martin's strategic investments in rocket startups like Firefly to secure launch capabilities. On the international front, he reports on Poland's successful protest against Starlink roaming restrictions and Vietnam's first satellite contract with an American company, SpaceX, signaling a shift toward U.S. ties. Additionally, Zimmerman covers the State Department's efforts to pull India away from Russian space partnerships and NASA's collaboration with the Department of Energy on nuclear propulsion for Mars. He concludes with breathtaking imagery of stars orbiting the Milky Way's central black hole. (5)

TABLE OF CONTENTS THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW 8-14-2026.Jeff Bliss discusses the severe threats posed by a potential "super El Niño," which could lead to massive coastal erosion, mudslides, and heavy rains in Los Angeles, similar to the damage seen in previous severe weather years. He also reports on active wildfires in California, such as the Timber Fire in Monterey County and the Bug Fire near the Nevada border, noting that humans cause roughly 90 to 95% of these blazes. Shifting to entertainment, Bliss describes the highly anticipated opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which features the "Skywalker Grill"—a restaurant causing excitement among Los Angeles foodies for its Michelin-star potential. Additionally, Bliss covers the landmark $12.8 billion purchase of the Los Angeles Lakers by a group involving Jared Kushner and Bob Iger. Finally, he touches on the legal controversy surrounding the Paramount-Skydance merger and David Ellison's threat to move production out of Hollywood. (1)Gene Marks shares insights from White House advisor Kevin Hassett regarding the validity of government economic data, with Hassett favoring durable goods orders and unemployment claims over revised surveys. Marks reports a generally positive outlook for small businesses, citing an uptick in optimism and a four-year high in manufacturing activity driven by the AI and data center explosion. He notes that while tariffs and $4 gasoline remain concerns, many businesses are absorbing costs without significant impact on sales. Marks characterizes the United States as an "entrepreneur's paradise" because of the ease of starting a business and the high availability of capital. He highlights that nearly half a million new business applications are filed monthly, supported by record levels of private debt and venture capital. Marks concludes that despite various uncertainties, the small business sector remains resilient and is continuing to hire. (2)Jim McTague provides a report on the "mixed" economy of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, observing that retail activity is picking up due to back-to-school shopping despite inflationary pressures. He notes that discount giants like Costco are packed as shoppers seek relief from high prices, while tourism traffic at local hotels and amusement parks has lightened midweek. McTague also highlights local opposition to data centers, making them a contentious political issue for upcoming elections. A central focus is the "Heritage Paris" patisserie at Park City Mall, where a French chef sells premium handcrafted pastries. McTague describes high-end offerings like the "Popcorn Illusion" pastry priced at $17.95, illustrating a market for luxury food even in a cautious economy. He humorously recounts his own difficulty resisting these treats while on a low-carb diet, emphasizing that the shop is a significant draw for local residents. (3)Lorenzo Fiori describes a "disaster" situation in Europe caused by severe drought and record heat, with water restrictions implemented in Swiss towns and critically low levels in northern Italy's Po River. The drought has turned the normally green Alps brown and disrupted lake navigation. Simultaneously, Sicily's Mount Etna has entered a prolonged eruption phase, spewing ash for seven days and forcing the cancellation of 700 flights at Catania airport during the peak tourist season. Fiori notes the chaos caused by tourists seeking "eruption selfies" in dangerous areas. For a cultural reprieve, he recommends the Bernina Express rail journey, which reaches the highest railway point in Europe. He also shares a traditional recipe for polenta with Gorgonzola cheese, paired with local Valtellina wine, though he expresses concern that the drought may soon impact milk production from Alpine cows. (4)Bob Zimmerman details the robotic mission by startup Catalyst to rescue NASA's Swift Space Telescope, utilizing innovative software to maneuver a servicing craft despite thruster failures. He highlights SpaceX's massive Starshipproduction line in Boca Chica, noting that four prototypes are ready for monthly launches and upcoming orbital refueling tests. Zimmerman also discusses Lockheed Martin's strategic investments in rocket startups like Firefly to secure launch capabilities. On the international front, he reports on Poland's successful protest against Starlink roaming restrictions and Vietnam's first satellite contract with an American company, SpaceX, signaling a shift toward U.S. ties. Additionally, Zimmerman covers the State Department's efforts to pull India away from Russian space partnerships and NASA's collaboration with the Department of Energy on nuclear propulsion for Mars. He concludes with breathtaking imagery of stars orbiting the Milky Way's central black hole. (5)Alex Wright, author of Empire of Ink: The Printers, Rogues, and Radicals Who Invented the American Newspaper, Part Two: Wright recounts the history of American newspapers, focusing on the Civil War's impact on journalism. He highlights George Smalley's groundbreaking combat reporting at Antietam, where Smalley wrote a vivid account on a night train to secure the "scoop of all scoops" for the Tribune. Wright also explores "soldier-published" newspapers that provided a slice of camp life and the origins of Stars and Stripes. Moving west, he describes the dangerous life of frontier editors, such as Mark Twain, who carried revolvers to defend against aggrieved readers and occasionally fled town to avoid duels. Wright explains how newspapers became "gold mines" by discovering the revenue potential of patent medicine advertising, which once accounted for half of all ads. He concludes by drawing parallels between the fragmented, anything-goes media landscape of the 19th century and today's digital era of content creators and AI. (6)Henry Sokolski examines the "Golden Dome," a proposed $185 billion space-based missile defense project that mirrors the Cold War-era SDI. He warns that the program's lack of transparency is "suicidal" for its funding, as Congress remains in the dark about its primary mission. Sokolski notes that while technology is closer to practicality than 40 years ago, current threats are often low-cost drones rather than intercontinental missiles. In the energy sector, he highlights Elon Musk's $10 billion "Project Crystal Sun" solar factory in Texas, which Musk frames as capturing the "fusion reactor" of the sun. Sokolski observes that even conservative states are voting with their pocketbooks for renewables as battery storage investments double. Finally, he touches on a mutual defense pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, suggesting a "Sunni NATO" is emerging due to a lack of confidence in U.S. security guarantees. (7)Angela DiFulvio explains a theoretical method for detecting nuclear weapons in low Earth orbit to prevent catastrophes like the 1962 Starfish Prime experiment, which destroyed a third of existing satellites. She describes an "inspector" satellite designed to induce a unique radioactive signature from fissile material using high-energy protons. DiFulvio details technical challenges, such as "pulse shape discrimination," to distinguish weapon-related neutrons from background cosmic radiation in the harsh space environment. She suggests that an international agency like the IAEAmight oversee these inspectors to ensure space remains weapon-free. DiFulvio emphasizes that while tests can occur in classified environments, more research is needed on the survivability of sensing electronics. She warns that a modern orbital nuclear detonation would be catastrophic for global infrastructure, specifically mentioning the vulnerability of massive constellations like Starlink. (8)

As part of their mandate to stop 'waste, fraud and abuse' in federal government spending, DOGE, the department of Government Efficiency, made large cuts to the amount of money the US spent on foreign aid. The task force, headed by Elon Musk, effectively dismantled the US's largest foreign aid agency, USAID - cancelling many of its programmes and absorbing the remainder into the State Department. This has caused controversy in some circles, with researchers estimating that the cuts could result in the loss of 14 million lives by 2030. Musk strenuously denies this, stating that cuts made by DOGE has resulted in 'zero' deaths. But who is right, and what are the problems with these sorts of estimates? We speak to Dr Hannah Ritchie to find out more. If you see numbers that you want us to look into contact moreorless@bbc.co.ukPresenter/Producer: Lizzy McNeill Series Producer: Tom Colls Editor: Richard Vadon Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Mix: Neil Churchill

Evan Ellis, US Army War College and a State Department voice: Professor Evan Ellis provides a comprehensive update on Latin American stability, starting with Chile's President Kast, who is tackling immigration and the rise of gangs such as Tren de Aragua while balancing economic ties with China. In Colombia, President De la Espriella is implementing a hardline approach against narco-terrorists following a devastating 7.4 earthquake. The situation in Venezuela remains critical; while oil production has increased to 1.16 million barrels per day, there is zero transparency regarding the $13 million in monthly profits allegedly flowing to the Rodríguez gangsters. Opposition leader Dinora Figueroa is negotiating a gradual return to trust, but the regime shows no intention of relinquishing power. Finally, Ellis notes that El Niño poses a severe threat of drought to the Panama Canal, which will likely disrupt international shipping and further strain regional economies. (7)

TABLE OF CONTENTS THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 8-23-3036.Anatol Lieven: The discussion highlights a dystopian shift in modern naval combat, where the Russian ghost fleet employs Mad Max tactics, using netting and spikes, to defend against Ukrainian drone attacks. Anatol Lieven describes a global spread of drone technology that threatens energy prices and international stability. Both Russia and Ukraine suffer from the illusion of an imminent total victory, despite a grinding stalemate in which Russia holds a stronger economic position because of its self-funded war effort while Ukraine remains dependent on precarious European aid. Lieven warns of a potential sea war escalation if Russia retaliates against the seizure of its ships, potentially drawing NATO and the US into a direct naval clash. The conversation also touches on British politics, noting that Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces immense pressure regarding immigration and military spending despite his desire to focus on domestic issues. (1)Mary Anastasia O'Grady, Wall Street Journal editorial board: Venezuela is grappling with the aftermath of severe earthquakes while navigating a complex political transition under the Trump administration's influence. Despite increased oil production, major oil companies are hesitant to invest because of a lack of contractual assurances, bureaucratic overreach, and the absence of a legitimate rule of law. Mary Anastasia O'Grady explains that the current provisional government, led by Delcy Rodríguez, is associated with the previous narco-terror regime, creating a transparency crisis regarding oil profits held in US escrow accounts. While the administration pursues a three-phase plan of stabilization, recovery, and a return to democracy, O'Grady argues the regime is simply buying time to stay in power. As long as oil prices remain high and the US is preoccupied with conflicts in the Middle East, the illegitimate regime has little incentive to hold the free and fair elections demanded by popular opposition leader María Corina Machado. (2)Veronique de Rugy: Veronique de Rugy critiques the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the Jones Act, which requires cargo moved between American ports to be transported on ships that are US-built, US-owned, and US-crewed. Originally intended to protect the American merchant marine after World War I, the act has instead caused domestic shipbuilding costs to skyrocket, making American vessels four to five times more expensive than those built in Asia. Consequently, the US fleet has dwindled, and consumers face higher prices for goods as transportation shifts to more polluting methods such as trucking. Despite its failure to achieve its stated goals, the act is sustained by special interests, including unions and specific shipyards, which exert significant political influence. Current efforts to maintain waivers for energy and fertilizer transportation are facing strong opposition from 52 House Republicans. (3)Craig Unger: Craig Unger explores a sidetracked FBI counterintelligence investigation into Donald Trump's decades-long ties to Russian interests. Unlike criminal inquiries, counterintelligence investigations focus on national security breaches and the laundering of influence, even when no explicit crime is proven. Unger asserts that Russian mafia figures, acting as adjuncts to state intelligence, began bailing out Trump's failing real estate ventures as early as 1984. These transactions, often involving cash purchases of condominiums in Trump Tower, allegedly turned the former president into an asset of Russian intelligence. Unger argues that the Robert Mueller investigation was a dud because it focused narrowly on criminal acts rather than this broader compromise. The discussion concludes by noting Trump's consistent, long-standing hostility toward NATO, which Unger says mirrors Soviet-era talking points and raises ongoing concerns regarding US national security. (4)Graham McAleer: Pope Leo has issued a bold encyclical addressing the ethical and social threats posed by artificial intelligence. Graham McAleer explains that the Pope uses the biblical image of Nimrod and the Tower of Babel to characterize AI as a manifestation of human darkness and godlike pride. A primary concern is the asymmetry of wealth, in which a small, secretive class of Silicon Valley oligarchs controls a technology that operates largely outside state law. While the Church acknowledges AI's potential benefits in medicine and education, it warns that the oligarchic structure of the industry challenges state power and treats users as livestock for data farming. The Pope explicitly calls for government regulation to protect human dignity, yet McAleer notes the fundamental contradiction of expecting the state to control private entities that have already become more powerful than many governments. (5)Alex Wright — Multi-Part, Part One: Alex Wright, author of Empire of Ink: The Printers and Radicals Who Invented the American Newspaper, details the uniquely American invention of the newspaper, beginning with Mary Katherine Goddard's printing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Early printing was a grueling, high-status trade where printer's devils, or apprentices, worked with lead and ink balls. Technological evolution was driven by necessity; rag shortages in the nineteenth century led to bizarre experiments, including turning imported Egyptian mummy linen into paper. The Penny Press, pioneered by Benjamin Day, revolutionized the industry by catering to the working class with tabloids and hoaxes, much to the horror of elitists such as Charles Dickens. Wright emphasizes that early American journalism thrived on a sharing economy in which newspapers were exempted from copyright and postal subsidies encouraged editors to cut and paste each other's work, effectively networking the young nation together. (6)Evan Ellis, US Army War College and a State Department voice: Professor Evan Ellis provides a comprehensive update on Latin American stability, starting with Chile's President Kast, who is tackling immigration and the rise of gangs such as Tren de Aragua while balancing economic ties with China. In Colombia, President De la Espriella is implementing a hardline approach against narco-terrorists following a devastating 7.4 earthquake. The situation in Venezuela remains critical; while oil production has increased to 1.16 million barrels per day, there is zero transparency regarding the $13 million in monthly profits allegedly flowing to the Rodríguez gangsters. Opposition leader Dinora Figueroa is negotiating a gradual return to trust, but the regime shows no intention of relinquishing power. Finally, Ellis notes that El Niño poses a severe threat of drought to the Panama Canal, which will likely disrupt international shipping and further strain regional economies. (7)Wright's Part Two runs tomorrow and takes its own tail in that day's sequence.

On today's program, the State Department funnels $2 billion to Christian ministries to provide health and humanitarian aid in more than a dozen countries. We'll have details. And, new regulations make it harder for Christian ministries to operate in India — but one ministry we talked with remains committed to preaching the gospel there. Plus, a cybersecurity breach exposes donor date.  But first, the Southern Baptist Convention is facing a new federal lawsuit. Parents in South Carolina have filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against the SBC and its Executive Committee. They’re also suing Pawleys Island Community Church, its academy, and several former leaders.  The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get editorial, database, and other technical support from Christina Darnell, Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, Heidi Allums, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Henry Durand, Adelle Banks, Yonat Shimron, Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Neva Piombino, Aaron Earls, Michaela Gordoni, Makella Knowles, and Jessica Eturralde. A special thanks to the Christian Index and Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Bill Burns says it best: "This is exactly the moment when you need to attract the best in our society to lives in public service, whether it's in the State Department, the US military or elsewhere. I am a passionate believer in that." We are, too! Uncle Sam needs you. (This is a repost from 2019, with a message that has never mattered more than it does today.)

About this episode:   Over four million children in the United States are uninsured, while many more lack health insurance that adequately meets their care needs. A proposed bill aims to fix that by providing universal health coverage for everyone aged zero to 26. In this episode: Senator Andy Kim, sponsor of the MediKids Act, on why now is the right time for this bill to become law and how it can be implemented by building on the existing Medicaid framework. Guest:  Andy Kim, PhD, is a U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He previously held roles at the Pentagon, State Department, and White House. Host:  Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.  Show links and related content:  MediKids Act—Congress.gov U.S. and State-by-State Child Health Coverage Trends—Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy Underinsurance Among Children in the United States—Pediatrics Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌PublicHealthPod on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

Bioweapons are cheaper and deadlier than nukes — and we're not ready. Biological War author Annie Jacobsen breaks down how close we are to catastrophe.Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1367What We Discuss with Annie Jacobsen:The Soviet bioweapons program was not dismantled after the Cold War — it was absorbed. The State Department says Russia and North Korea run active illegal programs; China and Iran are of concern.Bioweapons have a low barrier to entry, needing no uranium or missiles. Experts say one could be made in a basement with basic biology and AI help. The Pentagon rates bio the greatest overall WMD threat.Pneumonic plague is 100% fatal without antibiotics within 24 hours. The US has roughly 100 special-pathogen beds for 340 million people, so hospitals would be overwhelmed on day one.Soviet scientists inserted a euphoria gene into plague so the infected feel good, stay social, and spread it widely instead of staying home in bed.Annie Jacobsen's message is pressure, not panic — a human-made problem has a human solution. Pause risky gain-of-function research, depoliticize the threat, and communicate clearly so leaders can act in time.And much more...And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom!Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger!This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: Article: Visit article.com/jordan for $50 off your first purchase of $100 or moreBetterHelp: 10% off first month: betterhelp.com/jordanBoll & Branch: 15% off first set of sheets: bollandbranch.com, code JORDANProgressive Insurance: Free online quote: progressive.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Alyson and Breht examine the Trump administration's emerging campaign against what it calls "far-left terrorism." We begin with NSPM-7, the presidential directive encouraging federal agencies to investigate not only alleged political violence, but the organizations, funders, media networks, and ideological communities surrounding it. We then look at two distinct examples of this framework in practice: the sweeping Prairieland prosecutions in Texas, where defendants received extraordinarily severe terrorism-related sentences, and the separate crackdown in Minnesota following anti-ICE mobilizations and political unrest. From there, we analyze Marco Rubio and Stephen Miller's international counterterrorism summit, the effort to redirect the machinery of the War on Terror toward the anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist left, and the State Department's Cuba document, which portrays socialism, anti-imperialism, Palestine solidarity, and antifascism as parts of a foreign-influenced revolutionary network. Finally, we ask whether the United States has entered a new Red Scare, what may come next, and how left-wing individuals, media outlets, and organizations can protect themselves without abandoning their political work.   Check out our new merch designs and support the show HERE Learn more here: https://revleftradio.com/ Check out Unlearning Capitalism for more political educational resources

Over 70,000 migrants try crossing into Spain, the US is running out of precision missiles, and Jared Kushner's brother almost bought FIFA.Tommy and Ben break down the mass crossing of migrants from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta and why right-wing politicians are frothing at the mouth over it. While Trump's ultimatums and claims of a deal on Iran make us all feel like it's Groundhog Day, reports that the US has burned through virtually all of its precision strike missiles and that Iranian hackers have infiltrated water systems in at least seven states are genuinely alarming. Trump announces a "historic" Gaza disarmament deal, but Hamas says he's lying, the guys explain why the Japanese yen is suddenly America's problem, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino's corrupt plan to sell off the most lucrative parts of the World Cup might cost him his job. Finally, the State Department displays an inaccurate map of Africa at an international AIDS conference, and a Spider-Man screening in Cartagena is evacuated due to a gassy incident of epic proportions. At the end of the show, Tommy speaks with Casey Michel, author of United States of Oligarchy: How America's Wealthiest Ally with Dictators, Weaken the U.S., and Destroy Democracy, about our home-grown oligarchs, why they pose a threat to national security, and what to do about it.Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends, on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel.To watch this episode with subtitles, click here and turn on closed captions (CC).You can also request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com. Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.