Podcasts about state department

Ralph welcomes international human rights lawyer Craig Mokhiber to discuss the U.S. and Israel's illegal war on Iran. Then, Ralph speaks to investigative reporter David Cay Johnston about the finances of Donald Trump.Craig Mokhiber is an international human rights lawyer and activist, and a former senior United Nations human rights official. A human rights activist in the 1980s, he would go on to serve for more than three decades at the United Nations, with postings in Switzerland, Palestine, Afghanistan, and UN Headquarters in New York. In October of 2023, he left the United Nations, penning a widely read letter criticizing the UN's human rights failures in the Middle East, warning of unfolding genocide in Gaza, and calling for a new approach to Palestine and Israel based on international law, human rights, and equality.Anyone who pays attention knows that Iran wasn't attacked because it has nuclear weapons. It was attacked because it doesn't have nuclear weapons, and was therefore viewed by Israel and the U.S. as being a state that could be overcome militarily. But what really is, I think, most telling about this is the hypocrisy of the claims, because the only party in the region that has stockpiles of nuclear weapons (which are entirely undeclared and unsupervised) is the Israeli regime, not the Iranian. And the Israeli regime was joined in attacking Iran by another nuclear power—the United States.Craig MokhiberIsrael (which has attacked the United Nations throughout its entire life and declared that the United Nations is an anti-Semitic terror organization) fights like hell to stay in the United Nations, pays its dues every year to make sure that it stays in…and renews its treaty obligations as a member of the United Nations (that, of course, it violates with impunity). So it's very funny that Israel calls the UN an anti-Semitic terror organization, yet it insists on being a member and paying its dues to fund that so-called anti-Semitic terror organization.Craig MokhiberI don't think that putting Iran in an existential crisis is the best way to tell them you don't need nuclear weapons. I think stopping attacking them, their economy, their currency, their scientists, their political leaders, their military personnel, their civilians, their girls' schools—if you want a country to believe that it doesn't need to arm itself, this is not the way to go about it.Craig MokhiberDavid Cay Johnston is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter, specialist in economics and tax issues, and a professor of practice teaching law, public policy, and journalism at Rochester Institute of Technology. He is the author of several books, including The Making of Donald Trump and It's Even Worse Than You Think: What The Trump Administration Is Doing To America. He is also the co-founder of DCReport, a nonprofit news service that reports what the President and Congress DO, not what they SAY.Convicting Donald Trump of tax fraud would be very easy. You establish these corporations [reporting major losses] don't exist. You establish that he took tax losses from these multiple corporations (in all, about 60 entries over the six years of tax returns). And there's no defense for that. It's flat-out fraud. It's blatant fraud. So Trump has gotten away with this because we don't seriously treat high-level tax fraud in this country.David Cay JohnstonNews 3/20/26* Our top story this week concerns a new study titled “Inequality, not regulation, drives America's housing affordability crisis.” As summarized in Hell Gate, this study demonstrates that the precipitous rise in rent prices are not primarily the result of insufficient housing supply or of vacancy rates. Moreover, contrary to the claims of the so-called Abundance movement, reducing regulations to spur new construction is unlikely to create significantly more housing. Even if it did, that would probably fail to bring down rents, because the real cause of the rental spike is “Steep national inequality.” So, what can be done to bring down rents? Maximilian Buchholz, the lead author of the study, puts it bluntly in this interview: “rent control, tenant protection policies like just cause eviction, and income supports for people toward the bottom.” Simply put, the best policies to lower rents are policies that lower rents. This has been demonstrated time and time again in different policy areas, yet on the whole, Democrats still seem to prefer byzantine policy formulae instead of straightforward policy solutions to the glaring issues facing the American people. * Speaking of rising costs, Washingtonian magazine is out with a new story on the Washington Post hiking prices for subscribers. Yet apparently not all subscribers are created equal. According to this story, these increases are accompanied by a simple yet insidious message: “This price was set by an algorithm using your personal data.” This is the latest deployment of what has become known as algorithmic – or “surveillance” – pricing. This piece notes other examples of surveillance pricing, ranging from the Princeton Review charging more for the same SAT tutoring package in areas with higher Asian populations (they called it the “tiger mom tax”) to Amazon charging local school districts vastly different prices for the same supplies. However, this new policy from the Post is especially brazen given the straits the paper has recently found itself in, declining by a million subscribers between 2021 and 2026 and hemorrhaging key reporters to a new rival paper sponsored by Robert Albritton, including Dana Milbank, Jeff Stein, Paul Kane and Paige Cunningham, among others, per the Hill.* In more media news, Variety reports that ratings for CBS Evening News are cratering, falling back to where executives at the news division behind the show “hoped never to return.” The nightly news program, anchored by Tony Dokoupil, has fallen below 4 million viewers; when the previous iteration of the program anchored by Maurice DuBois and John Dickerson fell to this nadir, Paramount Skydance pulled the plug. While this is perhaps just a symptom of the collapse of cable news, Variety notes that ABC's “World News Tonight,” averaged nearly 8 and a half million viewers and “NBC Nightly News” scored just over 6 and half million. Dokoupil did score a slight uptick in viewership when he took over the Evening News, but that seems to have been nothing more than a flash in the pan. This pathetic showing seems to confirm what seemed obvious all along: there is simply little audience for the editorial viewpoint espoused by CBS's new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss.* The bad news for Bari doesn't end there, either. According to the Wrap, the new chief is locked in contentious negotiations with the unionized staff of CBS, specifically the 60-person unit behind the network's streaming service, “CBS News 24/7.” These workers staged a 24 hour walkout earlier this week. Their grievances include everything from new grueling 12-hour weekend shifts – despite no weekend-specific live programming – as well as CBS News' reported plans to lay off 15% of staff. CBS News already laid off roughly 100 people in October after Paramount merged with Skydance and many believe more layoffs will come if the merger with CNN, which is not unionized, goes through as part of the Paramount Warner Bros. deal.* In other news, a recent study reveals a fascinating disconnect between the self-description of Democrats and their policy preferences. The study, conducted on behalf of the New Republic by Embold Research, gave respondents five choices to describe their ideology: conservative, moderate, moderate-to-liberal, liberal, and progressive. Only 12% identified as moderate, but another 21% called themselves moderate-to-liberal. Yet, among this combined group, approximately 70% said Democrats are “too timid” on taxing the rich and corporations, and cracking down on corporate criminals. Fewer than 5% of moderates said Democrats are “too aggressive” on these issues. In a word, even the moderates among the Democratic base think the party should take a more strident economic populist line. This tracks with polling conducted during the Texas Democratic Senate primary which found that 47% of voters who identified as socialists also identified as moderates.* Our next several stories this week have to do with the intersection of foreign policy and energy. The AP reports that on Tuesday, Cuba reconnected its energy grid following a 29-hour long nationwide blackout. This story notes that this reconnection will only provide scant and temporary relief, because not enough power is being generated. The energy crisis in Cuba has gotten progressively worse since the beginning of the year, as the new government in Venezuela and the newly reinforced sanctions regime have both served to cut off the island from energy imports. That said, cracks in this blockade are beginning to form. Bloomberg reports that a “tanker carrying more than 700,000 barrels of Russian crude is expected to arrive in Cuba by the end of the month,” and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced that her administration is “looking into different possibilities” to resume fuel shipments to Cuba as well. Sheinbaum stressed that Mexico is “sovereign” and able to “have trade agreements with any country in the world,” per the Latin Times. The U.S. government has already eased sanctions on Russian oil sales to India, but has now announced that they will not allow the Russians to send oil to Cuba, per Bloomberg. As the ship is already on its way, it is an open question of how far the U.S. will go to prevent Russia from sending lifesaving resources to the country that has held out against American pressure for so long.* Next, a stunning story in the Wall Street Journal documents how the Trump administration settled on their final course of action in Venezuela. According to this piece, the Central Intelligence Agency consulted former Chevron executive Ali Moshiri, described as the oil company's man in “Man in Venezuela—and a CIA Informant.” Apparently, Moshiri warned that if the U.S. government tried to oust the Chavista government of Nicolás Maduro and install María Corina Machado and her exile comrades in its place, the country would turn into “another quagmire like Iraq.” Moshiri specifically warned that Machado did not have the support of the country's security services or control of its oil infrastructure. For their part, Chevron issued a statement claiming that “between spring of 2025 and the removal of Maduro, Chevron did not authorize anyone working for, or on behalf of, the company to engage with the CIA related to Venezuela's leadership, including assessments of government officials or opposition leaders.” Moshiri, formally left Chevron in 2017 and ended his consulting relationship with the company in 2024. Unlike many other oil companies, Chevron maintained a presence in Venezuela over the years, positioning the company to benefit most from the new extraction political environment under the leadership of upjumped Vice President Delcy Rodríguez.* Meanwhile, a story from NOTUS highlights why this kind of outside advice is likely more heeded than ever in the halls of power: the publication reports that six months ago, the State Department under the leadership of Secretary Marco Rubio, fired its in-house oil and gas experts, including laying off staff who “would have been responsible for gaming out possible scenarios if the Strait of Hormuz was closed” and “staffers with close professional relationships at oil and gas companies in the Middle East and experts tasked with maintaining diplomatic contacts at foreign energy bureaus.” This is a final nail in the coffin for the misguided logic of Elon Musk's DOGE initiative and serves as a crystal clear example of why it is so dangerous to purge experts with significant institutional knowledge from the federal bureaucracy.* Another consequence of this lack of diplomatic expertise is the ultimate cost to the taxpayer – $200 billion in additional Pentagon funding, to be exact, per CNBC. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, defending the request in typically childish terms, said “It takes money to kill bad guys.” In similarly childish terms, President Trump, asked why the Pentagon is seeking so much money, said, “We're asking for a lot of reasons,” and while he told a reporter he would not send U.S. troops to the region, he added, “If I were, I certainly wouldn't tell you.” Beyond the flippant attitude towards the immense sums of taxpayer money they are requesting from Congress, to say nothing of the cost in American and Iranian lives, the American people would do well to remember how casually the political class treats $200 billion when it is to be spent on war instead of social programs. All this as gas prices spike, with price increases rippling out to all other consumer goods.* Finally, the BBC reports a Belgian court has ruled that a former diplomat, Etienne Davignon, can stand trial in connection with the 1961 killing of Congo's first prime minister, Patrice Lumumba. Davignon, 93, is the “only surviving member of the 10 Belgians accused in a criminal case brought by Lumumba's family in 2011.” At the time, Davignon was a diplomat in training. He would go on to become a vice-president of the European Commission. Lumumba meanwhile was ousted in a Belgian and U.S.-backed coup led by Mobutu Sese Seko, who would rule Congo (renamed Zaire) until 1997. In 1961, Lumumba was executed by a Belgian-backed Congolese firing squad and his body was dissolved in acid. Lumumba's grandson, Mehdi Lumumba, is quoted saying “We are all relieved…Belgium is finally confronting its history.” Many have remarked that while this has taken over 50 years, it sets a powerful precedent that justice can be found even after so many decades. Many of the war criminals that walk the Earth today are far younger than Mr. Davignon.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Today's Headlines: The Iran war's bill just got a lot bigger — the Pentagon is asking Congress for $200 billion, on top of the $12 billion already spent, while Trump insists he's "not putting troops anywhere" in a statement that inspired exactly zero confidence. Israel struck the South Pars Gas Field — the largest natural gas field in the world, shared by Iran and Qatar — damaging Qatari energy infrastructure, hitting an American F-35, and triggering retaliatory Iranian strikes across the region. Trump posted that the U.S. "knew nothing" about the attack, Israel immediately said that wasn't true, then Trump said he'd actually warned them not to do it — so he did know — and then threatened to blow up the entire gas field himself if Iran touches Qatar. Oil and gas prices climbed further, the stock market dropped, and seven allies — the UK, Japan, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, and one more — announced they'd help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump accepted graciously by screaming in all caps that he doesn't need anyone's help. Also, Trump told Japan's prime minister "who knows better about surprise than Japan, why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor" — an actual thing he said out loud. Elsewhere in global chaos: Hungary's Viktor Orban blocked a $100 billion EU loan to Ukraine, potentially threatening the country's ability to keep its government running. Canada announced it's building its own sovereign space program to reduce dependence on Starlink. Two Iranian citizens were charged in the UK with spying on Jewish institutions on behalf of Iranian intelligence. And in one of the most cold-blooded moves yet, the U.S. State Department is reportedly considering withholding HIV medication from 1.3 million people in Zambia as leverage to extract a minerals deal — because apparently that's a negotiating tactic now. Markwayne Mullin's DHS nomination cleared committee 8-7, with Rand Paul voting no and John Fetterman voting yes, because nothing means anything anymore. Full Senate vote is next, outcome predictable. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: Pentagon Seeks Additional $200 Billion to Fund Iran War NYT: Israeli Officials Said U.S. Was Told About South Pars Attack Axios: After Tehran strikes, Trump says Israel won't attack Iran gas fields anymore Axios: Seven U.S. allies back potential Strait of Hormuz coalition NBC News: Trump makes Pearl Harbor joke during meeting with Japanese prime minister NYT: 2 Men Charged With Spying for Iran on Jewish Institutions in UK WSJ: Ukraine Suffers Money Setback After Hungary Blocks $100 Billion From Europe NYT: Canada Takes Its Sovereignty Push to Space NYT: U.S. Considers Withholding H.I.V. Aid Unless Zambia Expands Minerals Access AP News: Mullin's DHS nomination advances to full Senate despite opposition from Republican Rand Paul Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: ⁠⁠⁠betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John's monologue is about Trump taking fees from immigrants and US sponsors for services that it has no plans to provide. The government took their money, and now it won't even adjudicate their applications—in many cases, it refuses even to issue denials. The State Department is actually telling consular officers not to notify future applicants that the government has banned them. He also talks about Trump telling reporters he “isn't sending troops anywhere” in Iran, adding that even if he was, he wouldn't tell the press – whom he hates. Even as Trump denies it, national defense insiders in DC report DoD is close to deploying thousands and thousands of troops to the region to take and hold Iranian territory near the Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon has also asked Congress for $200Billion in supplemental war funds so it can keep escalating conflict with Iran. John then interviews Hans Charles & Menelek Lumumba who are the hosts & co-creators of podcast The A Building, which was launched by Imagine Entertainment and iHeartPodcasts back in February. It is a tale of protest that will hopefully spark the fight in all of us for the next No Kings protests on March 28th. The A Building tells the story of the 1969 student protest at Morehouse College in Atlanta where students (including Samuel L. Jackson) took board of trustee members (including Martin Luther King Sr.) hostage. The event was a pivotal moment in the modern era of student protests, and the podcast explores how the climate of the 60's and 70's reverberates today.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The idea that white people — and white men in particular — face discrimination has become something of an obsession on the American right. It's a view that my guest this week shares. Jeremy Carl was nominated to a State Department post by the Trump administration, which sparked a lot of controversy. Carl is the author of “The Unprotected Class,” in which he makes the case that white Americans are in danger of becoming “second-class citizens.”  I wanted to know what he thinks constitutes anti-white discrimination and whether focusing on it inevitably leads to white nationalism. After we taped this interview, Carl withdrew his nomination, acknowledging that he lacked enough support to be confirmed. 0:00 - Intro 01:59 - Jeremy Carl's trajectory and State Department Nomination 05:24 - The Civil Rights Act and rise of anti-white Discrimination 12:20 - The impact of immigration on white Americans 24:53 - The "radicalization" of D.E.I. 37:37 - Carl's provocative language and controversial tweets 51:06 - “White culture” vs. “civic nationalism” 01:01:00 - The fours pillars of “Americanness” (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

20 year old University of Alabama student James “Jimmy” Gracey never made it back to his Air-Bnb Tuesday after going out with friends in Barcelona, Spain. Gracey was on a spring break trip visiting friends studying abroad and was last seen on surveillance video at 3am after leaving with an unidentified person. Now his family, friends and the State Department are asking for the public’s help.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

20 year old University of Alabama student James “Jimmy” Gracey never made it back to his Air-Bnb Tuesday after going out with friends in Barcelona, Spain. Gracey was on a spring break trip visiting friends studying abroad and was last seen on surveillance video at 3am after leaving with an unidentified person. Now his family, friends and the State Department are asking for the public’s help.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

20 year old University of Alabama student James “Jimmy” Gracey never made it back to his Air-Bnb Tuesday after going out with friends in Barcelona, Spain. Gracey was on a spring break trip visiting friends studying abroad and was last seen on surveillance video at 3am after leaving with an unidentified person. Now his family, friends and the State Department are asking for the public’s help.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

March 17, 2026Trump's demand for help in reopening Strait of Hormuz goes unanswered, Russia expands support of Iran in war against US, Trump administration lacks expertise because of cuts at State Department and decision to decommission minesweepers, Splits in MAGA support for Iran war, Trump appears to be attempting to remove leadership of Cuba, Trump goes after the media and the Supreme Court, demanding actions that will suppress the vote, Senate votes to take up SAVE Act.Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ-Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribeYou can also find me:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

Donald Trump's case for invading Iran took a big blow Tuesday when top counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigned. Though Kent is a crazed extremist with vile views, his letter directly undermined the core rationale Trump has offered for his war and made big news in doing so. This comes as MAGA figures are splitting badly over the conflict. Some (Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson) are raging that the United States is doing Israel's bidding, and others (Ben Shapiro) are denouncing them for blaming Israel for the war, and their battle has grown truly vicious. We talked to Emily Horne, a former National Security Council official under Joe Biden who also worked at the State Department and writes the Spin Class Substack. She explains what Kent might know about the weaknesses of Trump's case for war, why that case is collapsing, and how the deepening MAGA fractures suggest the bottom is falling out under Trump's adventure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thousands of Bigfoot sightings span centuries, credible witnesses include police and forest rangers, and the most famous film footage has never been debunked — yet not a single bone, skeleton, or verified piece of physical evidence has ever been found. So what are we supposed to think?*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*Take the Weird Darkness Survey: https://weirddarkness.com/SURVEYIN THIS EPISODE: Does a giant bipedal mammal unknown to science exist in the United States? (Legend of Sasquatch) *** 
A mother and daughter go camping with the Girl Scouts – but what they experienced was not part of the fun, age appropriate itinerary. (Terror at Girl Scout Camp) *** Kirk Anderson said that Joyce McKinney tied him to a bed for three days and raped him repeatedly. She said that wasn't possible. (The Case of the Manacled Mormon) *** Those interested in the paranormal likely already have heard of black eyed kids, or shadow people – but one person came across a being that inhabited the body of a co-worker – and turned the face completely black. (Was It Real?) *** If you lived in Illinois in 1977, you might have looked to the skies to see something terrifying – as Illinois was under siege by winged weirdness in the form of giant feathered fowls. (Thunderbirds Over Illinois) *** A perimeter search revealed blood stains in the yard, and bloody prints on the nearby garage. What Happened to Evelyn Hartley? (The Babysitter Who Vanished) **** A woman searches in vain for important papers, and gets a little help from a deceased grandparent. (Grandpa's Guns) *** Did a Nikola Tesla experiment cause the Tunguska Blast? (Tesla's Death Ray) *** The U.S. State Department has evacuated even more Americans due to a sickness that is spreading when people hear strange sounds. What could be causing the noise? (Sickening Strange Sounds) *** Do the ghosts of doomed lovers haunt a jagged cliff in Hot Springs, North Carolina? (The Ghosts of Lovers Leap) *** We'll take a look at Bhangarh Fort – one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of India. (Bhangarh Fort: The Most ‘Haunted' Place In India) *** A lifelong medium comes across a smiling entity. (Smiling) *** People in in the southwest of the United States are reporting sightings of giant birds, monsterous batlike creatures, even winged humanoids. What are they seeing? (Bizarre Bird Monsters of the Rio Grande) *** Were a murderer's actions driven by a mental disorder, was he feigning mental disability, or did he in fact make an evil pact with Satan himself? (Contract With The Devil) *** Jack the Ripper. Who was the man (or woman) behind history's grisliest unsolved murders? (Six Chilling Theories About Jack The Ripper)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding00:00:57.476 = Show Open00:04:01.465 = Legends And Lies of Sasquatch00:09:13.025 = Was It Real?00:11:28.473 = Manacled Mormon00:18:25.387 = Babysitter Vanished ***00:27:39.124 = Grandma's Guns00:29:22.766 = Thunderbird Over Illinois ***00:40:15.693 = Terror at Girl Scout Camp00:44:16.680 = Six Chilling Theories About Jack The Ripper00:50:06.467 = A Contract With The Devil01:00:29.940 = The Ghosts of Lovers Leap01:03:10.783 = Bizarre Big Bird Monsters01:17:13.927 = Bhangarh Fort01:23:11.001 = Sickening Strange Sounds ***01:30:16.007 = Smiling01:31:58.724 = Tesla's Death Ray01:40:58.958 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakHELPFUL LINKS & RESOURCES…https://WeirdDarkness.com/MUSIC = Songs and Videos by our Weird Darkness punk band, #DarkWeirdnesshttps://WeirdDarkness.com/STORE = Tees, Mugs, Socks, Hoodies, Totes, Hats, Kidswear & Morehttps://WeirdDarkness.com/HOPE = Hope For Depression or Thoughts of Self-Harmhttps://WeirdDarkness.com/NEWSLETTER = In-Depth Articles, Memes, Weird DarkNEWS, Videos & Morehttps://WeirdDarkness.com/AUDIOBOOKS = FREE Audiobooks Narrated By Darren Marlar SOURCES and RESOURCES:“Terror at Girl Scout Camp” by an unknown author: (website no longer exists) “The Case of the Manacled Mormon” by Gina Dimuro for All That's Interesting: https://tinyurl.com/w9o8coy“Thunderbirds Over Illinois” by Troy Taylor: https://tinyurl.com/sm4zvqd“Was It Real” by Zaruje for YourGhostStories.com: https://tinyurl.com/rs7s2zw“Legend of Sasquatch” posted at The Unredacted: https://tinyurl.com/v3rokfm“The Babysitter Who Vanished” by Gary Sweeney for The Line Up: https://tinyurl.com/qmez2p3“Grandpa's Guns” written by Amanda Rummel, submitted directly to Weird Darkness “Tesla's Death Ray” posted at The Unredacted: https://tinyurl.com/v7scbe7“Six Chilling Theories About Jack The Ripper” by Jessica Ferri for The Line Up: https://tinyurl.com/r3e32vu“Sickening Strange Sounds” by Micah Hanks for Mysterious Universe: https://tinyurl.com/uy5tfjb“Smiling” by Rachael West, submitted directly to Weird Darkness“The Ghosts of Lovers Leap” by an unknown author (website no longer exists) “The Bizarre Bird Monsters of the Rio Grande” by Brent Swancer for Mysterious Universe: https://tinyurl.com/varh42j“Bhangarh Fort: The Most ‘Haunted' Place In India” posted at Tripoto.com: https://tinyurl.com/tw4muoy“A Contract With The Devil” by Robert Willhelm for Murder By Gaslight: https://tinyurl.com/ha7dhzh=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: September 12, 2018EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/IsBigfootRealABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: #WeirdDarkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all things strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold cases, conspiracy theories, and more. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “20 Best Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a blend of “Coast to Coast AM”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Unsolved Mysteries”, and “In Search Of”.DISCLAIMER: Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.

It's a proper News Day Tuesday today on the Majority Report   On today's program:   Today is primary day in Illinois and AIPAC is pouring millions in as the scramble to beat the anti-genocide candidates.   Trump claims no expert could have known that Iran would retaliate by targeting neighboring countries' infrastructure. But Nate Swanson, a 20-year State Department veteran focused on Iran, had already outlined this exact scenario. Swanson was later pushed out after Laura Loomer urged Trump to remove officials she viewed as disloyal.   Trump Claims to have predicted that Iran would weaponize the strait of Hormuz, just like he "predicted" that Osama Bin Laden would knock down the World Trade Center towers.   We take a look back at when Michael Moore was booed at the Oscars for speaking out again Bush and his illegal war in Iraq.   Trump says that it will be his honor to "take" Cuba saying whether he "frees it or just takes it...I can do whatever I want".   Trump is asked about Israel's planned ground invasion in Lebanon to which he responds with a rambling story about how he is confused about how people live in places that get bombed so much.   In the Fun Half:   Tim Pool attempts a hit piece on Mamdani but falls flat. He claims Mamdani is telling the working class they're no longer welcome in New York, a fundamental misreading of Zohran's platform, which has centered on affordability from the very beginning.   Trump unleashes a HIPPA violation on a Florida congressman by revealing gruesome details about his health issues during a press conference at the Kennedy Center.   RFK, Jr releases an AI generated video of him wrestling a twinkie. Very cool.   all that and more   To connect and organize with your local ICE rapid response team visit ICERRT.com The Congress switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. You can use this number to connect with either the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives. Follow us on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! https://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: https://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 10% off your purchase Check out today's sponsors: ZOCDOC: Go to Zocdoc.com/MAJORITY and download the Zocdoc app to sign-up for FREE and book a top-rated doctor COZY EARTH: Go to cozyearth.com/MAJORITYREPORT for up to 20% off. SUNSET LAKE:  30% off all CBD tinctures for people and pets with code Spring26 at  SunsetLakeCBD.com  Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech On Instagram: @MrBryanVokey Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on YouTube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com

The aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has seen a resurgence of interest in the topic of transatlantic security. Discussions of why the war in Ukraine began often focus on debates over the wisdom of NATO expansion in the post-Cold War era; the rise of a revisionist, increasingly imperialist Russia under Putin; and the escalating security dilemma entailed by these two dynamics. While these factors are certainly important in explaining how the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine came about, the story of how U.S. and NATO-Russia relations evolved in the post-Cold War period is one with considerably more nuance than is often represented in contemporary geopolitical commentary. To try and enhance the depth of public discourse on this critical subject, Dr. Stephen Flanagan joins host Mark McGuire on this episode of the Precision Guided Podcast to offer his insights on the evolution of US/NATO-Russia relations in the post-Cold War era.Dr. Stephen J. Flanagan is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at RAND and Adjunct Professor of Security Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. His research interests include U.S. alliance and partnership relations and regional security in Europe/Eurasia, U.S. global defense strategy, and outer space security. Dr. Flanagan served in several senior positions in the U.S. Government, including at the National Security Council staff as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Defense Policy (2013-15) and earlier for Central and Eastern Europe; National Intelligence Officer for Europe; Associate Director and Member of the State Department's Policy Planning Staff; and Professional Staff Member for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He also held senior research and faculty positions at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, National Defense University, the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Dr. Flanagan has published six books and over seventy reports and journal articles on transatlantic, international security, and defense issues. His commentaries have appeared in publications including POLITICO, Foreign Policy, War on the Rocks, and Defense News. Dr. Flanagan is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the editorial board of International Security. He earned an A.B. from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

The episode details a structural shift in the technology landscape: AI models are increasingly being treated as commodity components, with operational control and procurement decisions moving to the orchestration layer. This change is illustrated by government procurement actions, specifically the Pentagon's designation of Anthropic's Claude model as a supply chain risk and the subsequent shift in model eligibility requirements. Policymaking authorities are now directly dictating which models can be used within national security supply chains, reconfiguring where power, liability, and decision-making sit. The primary development is the Department of Defense's recent disqualification of Anthropic's Claude from eligible contracts, leading to both contract cancellations and legal disputes. Anthropic has responded with lawsuits contesting its supply chain risk designation, while Microsoft has sought court intervention to block the Pentagon's ban, asserting this would prevent disruption to military AI workflows. The State Department has also moved its internal chatbot infrastructure from Claude Sonic 4.5 to OpenAI's GPT-4.1, aligning with the President's compliance directive. Supporting developments include Google's deployment of Gemini-powered AI agents within the Department of Defense, and the emergence of tools such as Perplexity's APIs, which aim to simplify workflow construction across multiple models. The episode emphasizes that model swaps by agencies are not merely technical updates, but policy-driven control decisions. These actions underscore a climate in which model eligibility and operational portability are shaped by compliance and procurement authorities rather than technical teams or vendors. Operational implications for MSPs and IT providers are profound. Single-model dependencies now present measurable contract risk, especially for clients in defense, healthcare, or finance sectors. Swapping models requires revalidation of prompts, outputs, and integrations, rather than simple API repointing. Providers are advised to audit workflows for reliance on any one model, prioritize abstraction layers that enable smooth transitions, and position model-agnostic architectures as proactive risk management. In a landscape defined by commodity models and policy-driven eligibility, model diversification now represents continuity planning rather than an engineering preference. Three things to know today: 00:00 Pentagon vs. Anthropic 02:19 Beyond the Model 05:07 Why Do We Care?  Supported by:  ScalePad, Small Biz Thoughts Community

The U.S. State Department has slashed the price3 of filing the paperwork to renounce your U.S. Citizenship, Minnesota is selling historic bridge for just $1...but you'll need to pick it up and move it, They latest online outrage topic has to do with semi-accurate story about Target and their plans that include stocking less toy inventory

The U.S. State Department has slashed the price3 of filing the paperwork to renounce your U.S. Citizenship, Minnesota is selling historic bridge for just $1...but you'll need to pick it up and move it, They latest online outrage topic has to do with semi-accurate story about Target and their plans that include stocking less toy inventorySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the PFC Podcast, Jesse Tafoya, a Senior Strategic Medical Planner at the US Department of State, discusses the complexities of medical planning within the State Department, particularly in crisis situations. He shares insights on the challenges of reopening embassies, the importance of evaluating local healthcare infrastructure, and the necessity of building relationships with local hospitals. The conversation highlights the critical role of communication and collaboration between military and State Department personnel in ensuring effective crisis response and medical planning.TakeawaysMedical planning is situationally dependent and varies by location.Reopening embassies involves extensive planning and coordination.Local medical staff play a crucial role in embassy operations.Evaluating hospitals requires understanding local healthcare systems.Building relationships with local hospitals is essential for effective medical planning.The process of hospital evaluations includes assessing capabilities and resources.Communication between military and State Department is vital for crisis response.Decision-making in the State Department is complex and consensus-driven.Collaboration between military and State Department enhances overall mission success.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Medical Planning at the State Department03:11 Navigating Medical Planning in Crisis Situations05:59 Reopening Embassies: Challenges and Strategies08:49 Hospital Evaluations: The Process and Importance11:58 Understanding Local Medical Infrastructure15:01 Engaging with Local Hospitals: Building Relationships17:50 Assessing Medical Facilities: A Detailed Approach21:12 The Role of Medical Staff in Crisis Management23:56 Evaluating Diagnostic and Surgical Capabilities26:46 Post-Surgery Care and Patient Management30:09 Communication and Coordination with Military33:12 Decision-Making Dynamics in the State Department36:13 Facilitating Interactions Between Military and State Department39:05 Conclusion: The Importance of CollaborationFor more content, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.prolongedfieldcare.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Consider supporting us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ProlongedFieldCareCollective⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lobocoffeeco.com/product-page/prolonged-field-care⁠⁠

To understand the significance of the sweeping military purges in China and how Beijing is reacting to America's war with Iran, I'm sitting down with eminent China scholar Robert Suettinger, a former CIA and State Department intelligence analyst, a senior advisor at The Stimson Center, and author of “The Conscience of the Party: Hu Yaobang, China's Communist Reformer.”“There's no question of the fact that Xi Jinping is now less of a dominant leader than he was six or eight months ago,” Suettinger says.Earlier this year, Xi purged two top generals from the CCP's military brass, on the heels of earlier purges last year. Now, only two of the originally seven members of the Central Military Commission remain. One of them is Xi himself; the other one, General Zhang Shengmin, is a political commander and has, like Xi, no combat experience.After the January purges, Xi issued an order to the military demanding that everyone acknowledge him as the head of the military commission. “The silence from all those military commands has been deafening and has been noticed by everybody,” Suettinger says.In the Chinese Communist Party itself, Xi is also facing trouble.The CCP is not a monolithic party, he told me, but a complex entity with many competing factions: “There's a Shanghai group, there's a Shandong group, there's a Shaanxi group, and they all don't like each other,” Suettinger says.Suettinger believes that Xi's many purges have unified opposition against him not only in the military but also within the Communist Party. “Xi is hated by almost everybody in China,” he said.Another reason the cracks in the system, as he put it, are beginning to be more evident, is that the Chinese economy hasn't been doing well in many years: “The Chinese people are very unhappy that their wealth opportunities are disappearing. Graduates coming out of colleges are not able to find good jobs. People who have good jobs are losing them. People who are operating in the gig economy are losing their jobs. The farmers don't have anything to do when they go back home.”People outside of China don't usually know how poor vast numbers of Chinese citizens still are, Suettinger told me. China's Premier Li Keqiang himself stated in May 2020 during a press conference that 600 million people live below the poverty line and don't even earn enough to rent a room in mid-sized Chinese cities.Where is China's totalitarian system headed? The system, Suettinger argued, is way more fragile than it looks. “It is brittle, and when it breaks, it tends to break hard, and it tends to melt in ways that are not predictable,” he said.Notably, the CCP has not come out to meaningfully support its longtime ally, Iran. The CCP has long utilized Iran to distract America and keep its focus on the Middle East, Suettinger says, but now, to Beijing's chagrin, America is effectively neutralizing this longtime CCP proxy.Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

Larry C. Johnson is a veteran of the CIA and the State Department's Office of Counter Terrorism. He talks war in the Middle East, what's next for Iran, Israel picking a fight it cannot win, Russia, Ukraine, China, and much more. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE LIKE AND SHARE THIS PODCAST!!!    Watch Show Rumble- https://rumble.com/v771916-why-iran-is-holding-back-larry-johnson.html YouTube- https://youtu.be/ln9YRICjsVc   Follow Me X- https://x.com/CoffeeandaMike IG- https://www.instagram.com/coffeeandamike/ Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/CoffeeandaMike/ YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@Coffeeandamike Rumble- https://rumble.com/search/all?q=coffee%20and%20a%20mike Substack- https://coffeeandamike.substack.com/ Apple Podcasts- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-and-a-mike/id1436799008 Gab- https://gab.com/CoffeeandaMike Locals- https://coffeeandamike.locals.com/ Website- www.coffeeandamike.com Email- info@coffeeandamike.com   Support My Work Venmo- https://www.venmo.com/u/coffeeandamike Paypal- https://www.paypal.com/biz/profile/Coffeeandamike Substack- https://coffeeandamike.substack.com/ Patreon- http://patreon.com/coffeeandamike Locals- https://coffeeandamike.locals.com/ Cash App- https://cash.app/$coffeeandamike Buy Me a Coffee- https://buymeacoffee.com/coffeeandamike Bitcoin- coffeeandamike@strike.me   Mail Check or Money Order- Coffee and a Mike LLC P.O. Box 25383 Scottsdale, AZ 85255-9998   Follow Larry Website- https://sonar21.com/ YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@counter_currents_channel Substack- https://larrycjohnson.substack.com/   Sponsors Vaulted/Precious Metals- https://vaulted.blbvux.net/coffeeandamike McAlvany Precious Metals- https://mcalvany.com/coffeeandamike/

On the latest episode of Now, Appalachia, Eliot speaks with author Van Jensen about his new novel GODFALL. Van Jensen is an author of novels, comic books and graphic novels, as well as a writer of film and TV. He is the creator of the GODFALL trilogy (Grand Central), in development as a TV series from Imagine Entertainment with Academy Award-winner Ron Howard attached to direct. Previously, he served as a Comic Book Ambassador for the U.S. State Department. Jensen was born and raised in a village in Western Nebraska. He lives in Atlanta.

Thursday, March 12th, 2026 Today, an investigation shows it was the US that bombed the school in Iran killing over 150 children; Trump has questioned aides about whether Cory Lewandowski profited off Kristi Noem's $220M ad deal; white nationalist Jeremy Carl has withdrawn from his nomination to the State Department; Hegseth spent $9M on crab legs, lobster, and steak at the end of the fiscal year; Democrat Shawn Harris forces a runoff in the Georgia special election for Marjorie Taylor Greene's old seat; Democrats deliver a stunning flip in a New Hampshire special election; the Pentagon bars press photographers over unflattering pictures of Hegseth; and Allison reads your Good News. Dana is out and about. Thank You, Smalls For a limited time, get 60% off your first order, plus free shipping, when you head to Smalls.com/DAILYBEANS. Thank You, 3DayBlinds For their buy 1 get 1 50% off deal, head to 3DayBlinds.com/DAILYBEANS. Thank You, LumiGummies Go to LumiGummies.com and use code DAILYBEANS for 30% off your order.   The LatestEpstein/Trump Blackmail Discussion Reported to FBI Days Before Epstein's Death StoriesU.S. at Fault in Strike on School in Iran, Preliminary Inquiry Says | The New York Times US military spent $9 million on crab legs and lobster in the months before Iran war: report | The Independent Trump has questioned aides about Corey Lewandowski's role in DHS ad campaign, sources say | NBC News Trump nominee withdraws after senators press him on remarks about Jews, Israel and 'white culture' | NBC News Democrat Shawn Harris to face Trump-endorsed Republican Clay Fuller in runoff to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene | CNN Politics Democrats deliver ‘stunning' flip in New Hampshire special election, latest in series of 28 upsets Good Trouble Find out more about H.R.7481 here: Pass Rep. DeLauro's bill to end TSA chaos - Jess Craven Call Your Representative - tell them to support the Bill, and tell your Senators to pass something like it right away- Find Them Here:Find Your Representative | house.govContacting U.S. Senators Or Use 5 Calls5calls.org   →NoKings March 28th →2026 Primary Election Calendar: All the Dates Ahead of Midterms →Public Comment Period Open: White House Ballroom Proposal →Standwithminnesota.com →Tell Congress Ice out Now | Indivisible →Defund ICE | 5Calls →Congress: Divest From ICE and CBP | ACLU →ICE List  →iceout.org →2026 Trans Girl Scouts To Order Cookies From! | Erin in the Morning Good NewsADOPT A PET | Pope Memorial SPCA Residents begin cleanup, recovery after tornado leaves trail of damage near Edwardsburg Tyranny Tuesday - Who Really Benefits From This War? - Mobilize Reclaim Our Vote →Share your Good News & Good Trouble - The Daily Beans →Beans Talk audio -beans-talk.simplecast.com Subscribe to the MSW YouTube Channel - MSW Media - YouTube Our Donation Links Pathways to Citizenship link to MATCH Allison's Donationhttps://crm.bloomerang.co/HostedDonation?ApiKey=pub_86ff5236-dd26-11ec-b5ee-066e3d38bc77&WidgetId=6388736 Allison is donating $20K to It Gets Better and inviting you to help match her donations. Your support makes this work possible, Daily Beans fam. Donate to It Gets Better / The Daily Beans Fundraiser Join Dana and The Daily Beans with a MATCHED Donation http://onecau.se/_ekes71 More Donation LinksNational Security Counselors - Donate

Subscribe to Bad Faith on Patreon to instantly unlock our full premium episode library: http://patreon.com/badfaithpodcast Dr. Annelle Sheline resigned from the State Department under Joe Biden because she refused to be complicit in his administration's genocide. Now a research fellow at the Quincy Institute, she returns to Bad Faith to discuss her latest New Republic piece on Iran, former U.N. Ambassador Samatha Powers being questioned on her genocide denialism, and the likelihood of World War III. Subscribe to Bad Faith on YouTube for video of this episode. Find Bad Faith on Twitter (@badfaithpod) and Instagram (@badfaithpod). Produced by Armand Aviram. Theme by Nick Thorburn (@nickfromislands).

Josh opens the show by discussing the SAVE America Act and the misinformation surrounding the bill coming from Democrats. He explains why the legislation—focused on strengthening election integrity and voter ID requirements—continues to receive strong support from the American public, while questioning why some Republicans appear reluctant to fully embrace the will of voters. Josh also breaks down what options Republicans have if they want to move the bill forward without Democratic support.Josh then turns to the latest developments involving U.S. strikes against Iran, discussing why the ultimate definition of “victory” remains unclear to many Americans. He also examines the administration’s efforts to stabilize global energy markets and calm fears about rising energy prices amid the ongoing conflict.Later in the program, Josh welcomes Ellie Cohanim, former Deputy Special Envoy at the State Department, to discuss the situation in Iran, the strategic goals behind the recent strikes, and why she believes the actions taken by the United States were the right move.To close the show, Josh addresses the media coverage of the strikes on Iran, arguing that much of the reporting has focused on worst-case scenarios while overlooking key progress being made.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological condition – a prion like mad cow disease or scrapie – that affects members of the deer and elk family, known as cervids or cervidae. In February, the Idaho Conservation League sent a letter to state lawmakers and the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, outlining concerns with documented biosecurity lapses at several domestic elk farms across the state, flagging the possibility of chronic wasting disease transmission between wild and domestic cervids. ICL Wildlife Program Associate Jeff Abrams sat down last week to discuss in depth. State Department of Agriculture Director Chanel Tewalt laid out ISDA's view of the situation in a letter of her own that Friday responding to Abrams and ICL's concerns, which Idaho Reports obtained through a public records request.

Bonus episode discussing advocacy, with a 2026 update. How can family physicians, students, and residents best advocate for our specialty, our patients, and our communities? Special guests American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) President Dr. Sarah Nosal; former state legislator, Representative Kelli Butler; former state legislator, Senator Heather Carter; and former Director of State Department of Health Services, Will Humble join the podcast for discussion around advocacy. Topics include the first steps for becoming an advocate, using your voice, five types of advocacy, engaging with your legislators, AAFP advocacy priorities, the role of professional associations, and the most important issues decided on a state level. The 2026 update includes new interviews with Dr. Nosal and Mr. Humble to understand the most critical issues for advocacy in 2026.

Josh opens the show by discussing the SAVE America Act and the misinformation surrounding the bill coming from Democrats. He explains why the legislation—focused on strengthening election integrity and voter ID requirements—continues to receive strong support from the American public, while questioning why some Republicans appear reluctant to fully embrace the will of voters. Josh also breaks down what options Republicans have if they want to move the bill forward without Democratic support.Josh then turns to the latest developments involving U.S. strikes against Iran, discussing why the ultimate definition of “victory” remains unclear to many Americans. He also examines the administration’s efforts to stabilize global energy markets and calm fears about rising energy prices amid the ongoing conflict.Later in the program, Josh welcomes Ellie Cohanim, former Deputy Special Envoy at the State Department, to discuss the situation in Iran, the strategic goals behind the recent strikes, and why she believes the actions taken by the United States were the right move.To close the show, Josh addresses the media coverage of the strikes on Iran, arguing that much of the reporting has focused on worst-case scenarios while overlooking key progress being made.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Michael discusses the bureaucratic hurdles hindering the implementation of direct-to-cell technology to aid the Iranian people. He dives into the complexities of the US government's agencies, including the FCC, State Department, and Treasury Department, and how their competing priorities and risk tolerances are causing delays. Michael also touches on the Iranian regime's efforts to build a "barracks internet" and the potential of direct-to-cell technology to bypass their digital isolation. He also explores the story of Elon Musk's Starlink and its impact on Iran, highlighting the power of private initiative in shaping geopolitical outcomes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Larry C. Johnson is a former CIA intelligence analyst and deputy director in the State Department's Office of Counterterrorism who left government service in 1993 to found BERG Associates, a private international security consulting firm. A co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS), he gained prominence in the early 2000s as a media commentator on terrorism and intelligence issues. You can find his work through his Substack blog Sonar21 where he commentates on the Russia-Ukraine war and the general theme of geopolitics.Silver Gold Bull Links:Website: https://silvergoldbull.ca/Email: SNP@silvergoldbull.comText Grahame: (587) 441-9100Bow Valley Credit UnionBitcoin: www.bowvalleycu.com/en/personal/investing-wealth/bitcoin-gatewayEmail: welcome@BowValleycu.com Get your voice heard: Text Shaun 587-217-8500

As the US-Israeli strikes on Iran continue and the death toll continues to rise, so too does the war of words. President Trump has described Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's choice for new supreme leader, as "unacceptable". He has also said he believes the war will be over “pretty quickly”, but it's not clear how - or when. Nate Swanson, a former State Department official who spent nearly two decades in the US government working on American policy towards Iran, answers our questions on how the next stage of the conflict is likely to unfold - and whether a negotiated peace with Iran is still an option. Producers: Chris Benderev, Cat Farnsworth and Valerio Esposito Executive producer: Bridget Harney Studio managers: James Piper and Mike Regaard.Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Photo: People walk past a banner depicting the Iran's supreme leaders since 1979. The late supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini; the late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; and his son, the new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters.

In part two of Red Eye Radio with Gary McNamara and Eric Harley, a Congressman grills a State Department official over ‘embarrassing' Biden-era grants to make maps 'more gay'. Rep Brian Mast questioned Sarah Rogers during a House committee hearing on public diplomacy and DEI regarding 'queering' the World Map. Also the LA Marathon has left some runners bent out of shape after announcing that participants can receive “finisher” medals even if they don't complete the 26.2-mile race. The McCourt Foundation, which hosts the Los Angeles Marathon, noted on its website that runners having a “tough day” can still go home with a medal if they can make it to the 18-mile mark during Sunday's race. For more talk on the issues that matter to you, listen on radio stations across America Monday-Friday 12am-5am CT (1am-6am ET and 10pm-3am PT), download the RED EYE RADIO SHOW app, asking your smart speaker, or listening at RedEyeRadioShow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump fires Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and chooses Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin to take her place. Then, a parent from Georgia is convicted of second degree murder and involuntary manslaughter after giving his son a gun with which he shot four individuals at his school. And, the son of the assassinated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been chosen as the next supreme leader of Iran. Mike Cosper and Clarissa Moll discuss the headlines, and then Clarissa sits down with Knox Thames to talk about the conflict between Pakistan and the Taliban and religious freedom in the region. REFERENCED IN THE EPISODE: Blood and Water: The Life and Martyrdom of Shahbaz Bhatti GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Join the conversation at our Substack. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE GUESTS: Knox Thames is a diplomat and international human rights lawyer who served for 20 years in the US government across multiple administrations, most recently in the Obama and Trump administrations as a State Department special envoy for religious minorities in the Middle East and South/Central Asia. He is the executive director of the new Center for Global Religious Freedom, an initiative of Dallas Baptist University. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today's editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more. The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more. “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today Producer: Clarissa Moll Associate Producer: Alexa Burke Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps Executive Producer: Erik Petrik Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, host Mark Ledlow is joined by Robert Lamm, a Montana rancher, Marine veteran, and security professional they met on a confidential Northern California disaster project. Robert recounts joining the Marine Corps in 1999, deploying with 2/1 and a special-operations-capable unit, then serving in a security platoon supporting special operations across Southeast Asia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. After leaving the Marines, he guided hunts, then entered State Department contracting with Blackwater and Triple Canopy, later working nearly 10 years in Afghanistan, including base security, threat assessments, and training local nationals; he describes attacks, a VBIED blast injury, and concerns about TBI. He discusses executive protection work, industry backstabbing, and the importance of networking and teamwork. Now lead instructor at Tactic MT and director of training for Veterans Covert Protection Group, he focuses on mindset, firearms safety, soft skills, and raising security standards amid COVID, unrest, and ammo shortages.Learn about all this and more in this episode of The Fearless Mindset Podcast.KEY TAKEAWAYSSecurity industry success depends on networking and consistent performance - every detail is an interviewTeamwork and supporting colleagues during difficult times is essential in high-stress environmentsMindset determines survival - refusing to "go quietly" and maintaining mental resilience is criticalThe security industry needs to evolve beyond 1980s-90s standards with better training and professionalismTraining should cover both hard skills (firearms) and soft skills (communication, medical, client service)Families and clients increasingly want consistency in security personnel rather than constant turnoverAmericans need to take personal responsibility for their safety and not rely solely on authoritiesLiving each day as if it's your last is both a strength and challenge for veterans transitioning to civilian lifeReal security training must include mindset preparation, not just technical skillsUnity and helping each other matters more than political divisionsQUOTES"You're only as good as your last detail" - on reputation in executive protection"Your network is your net worth in this industry""Every firearm made is to kill another person easier than they can kill you" - on honest mindset training"One mind, any weapon" - Marine Corps philosophy on adaptability"If any politician's mouth is moving, he's lying""It boils down to your team - that's what you're really there for""We've gone from love to hate" - on social media and division"I'm not gonna go quietly" - on survival mindset"If you don't have the mindset, all you're doing is learning to sport shoot""We're social creatures - they're playing us from both sides"Get to know more about Robert Lamm through the links below.https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddiegarciava/To hear more episodes of The Fearless Mindset podcast, you can go to https://the-fearless-mindset.simplecast.com/ or listen on major podcasting platforms such as Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, etc. You can also subscribe to the Fearless Mindset YouTube Channel to watch episodes on video.

There’s a course being taught at the University of Oregon that’s unlike any class offered there before — and possibly the first of its kind in the nation, according to UO. Now in its second year, the course on hostage diplomacy is attracting undergraduates interested in pursuing careers in journalism, public relations and advertising.    The students hear from guest speakers, including family members of current and former hostages and experts who’ve helped negotiate the release of hostages and journalists who have been wrongfully detained by foreign governments. In the spring, students travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with Congressional staffers, U.S. State Department officials and NGOs like The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation and HostageUS.    The course is being co-taught by Jason Rezaian, the 2026 Eric W. Allen Faculty Fellow at UO and The Washington Post’s Director of Press Freedom Initiatives. While reporting in Tehran for The Washington Post, Rezaian was arrested by Iranian authorities in 2014 and wrongfully imprisoned for 544 days before the U.S. government secured his release in January 2016.   Rezaian joins us, along with three UO students who share their experiences with the course: Maren Fullerton, a senior double majoring in advertising and political science; Taylor Parker, a sophomore double majoring in advertising and cinema studies; and Aishiki Nag, a senior double majoring in political science and global studies.  

Scott interviews Matthew Hoh about an article he just wrote debunking the old lie, that is being pushed once again, that the Iranian government helped kill hundreds of American soldiers by supplying critical parts for armor-piercing roadside IEDs. He and Scott also discuss how insane Trump's decision to attack Iran is. Discussed on the show: “They Are Still Lying About Iraq” (Antiwar.com) The Occupation: War and Resistance in Iraq by Patrick Cockburn “Iraq War II, Part 10: Soda Straws and EFPs” (Substack) Matthew Hoh is associate director at the Eisenhower Media Network and formerly worked for the U.S. State Department. Hoh received the Ridenhour Prize Recipient for Truth Telling in 2010. Subscribe to his Substack and follow him on Twitter @MatthewPHoh Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! For more on Scott's work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott's other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott's books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0 Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Download Audio. Scott interviews Matthew Hoh about an article he just wrote debunking the old lie, that is being pushed once again, that the Iranian government helped kill hundreds of American soldiers by supplying critical parts for armor-piercing roadside IEDs. He and Scott also discuss how insane Trump's decision to attack Iran is. Discussed on the show: “They Are Still Lying About Iraq” (Antiwar.com) The Occupation: War and Resistance in Iraq by Patrick Cockburn “Iraq War II, Part 10: Soda Straws and EFPs” (Substack) Matthew Hoh is associate director at the Eisenhower Media Network and formerly worked for the U.S. State Department. Hoh received the Ridenhour Prize Recipient for Truth Telling in 2010. Subscribe to his Substack and follow him on Twitter @MatthewPHoh Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! For more on Scott’s work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott’s books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0 Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

When the U.S. ignited a war with Iran last weekend, the State Department issued a plea to Americans to "depart now" from several countries in the region. But airspace closures left thousands of Americans suddenly stranded, and regions typically considered safe for travel became targets of Iranian missile strikes. We spoke with some of the Americans who were impacted. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

On today's UNCOVERED Ron & Anthony discuss the Texas Primary, the Trump regime's changing rationale for war with Iran, the attitude of allies and the bungled response from the State Department. Plus, Kristi Noem's testimony over ICE abuses and much more! Mack Weldon: Go to https://MackWeldon.com and get 25% off your first order of $125 or more, with promo code UNCOVERED Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at https://shopify.com/uncovered Former Federal Prosecutor Ron Filipkowski and British journalist Anthony Davis expose the epidemic of false propaganda pushing Republican politics to the extreme far-right. A new episode every Wednesday. Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meida... Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-p... The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-i... The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-w... The Ken Harbaugh Show: https://meidasnews.com/tag/the-ken-ha... 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/major... On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-de... Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the weekend, U.S. and Israeli forces struck hundreds of sites across Iran and killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Large crowds of Iranians took to the streets, some to mourn, others to celebrate. The Islamic Republic has retaliated and launched strikes of its own across the Middle East.  Much about the joint U.S.-Israeli operation remains unclear—was it meant to eliminate Iran's nuclear capabilities after failed negotiations? Was it meant to force regime change? With no path to de-escalation in sight, Washington may end up in a larger conflagration than it bargained for. In this two-part episode, Executive Editor Justin Vogt spoke with two experts to help make sense of the situation.  First, Nate Swanson, the director of the Iran Strategy Project at the Atlantic Council and a former Iran policy adviser to the Trump and Biden administrations. He was director for Iran at the National Security Council between 2022 and 2025 and he served on the Trump administration's Iran negotiating team in the spring and summer of 2025. Vogt spoke with him on Wednesday, March 4 about the situation on the ground in Iran, Iran's strategy in the wake of the U.S.-Israeli attacks, and how Iran policy gets made in the Trump administration.  Then, Richard Haass, the president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations. Toward the end of his long career in government, Haass served as the director of policy planning in the State Department during the George W. Bush administration, at a time when the United States was carrying out a war aimed at regime change in Afghanistan and planning another such war in Iraq. Vogt spoke with Haass on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 3, about the history of regime change operations and how the current war on Iran fits into it. Both Swanson and Haass make clear that this is a watershed moment for the United States, Iran, and the Middle East more broadly. You can find sources, transcripts, and more episodes of The Foreign Affairs Interview at https://www.foreignaffairs.com/podcasts/foreign-affairs-interview.

The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran is sowing death and chaos, surely, but with ship traffic avoiding Iran's shores, the war's also threatening the global economy through higher oil prices. Miles Taylor explains why all this is happening. Taylor served as the chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security in the first Trump administration, where he made waves for writing an Op-ed in the New York Times headlined, “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration.”And in headlines, the State Department scrambles to help thousands of Americans stuck in the Middle East, Iran continues to retaliate against the U.S.-Israeli attacks, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faces tough questions in the Senate.Show Notes: Miles Taylor's writing on whether Trump is creating a financial crisis  Call Congress – 202-224-3121  Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy  What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast   Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/   For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Trump Administration has announced its vision for America's future in the second half of the decade, starting in 2026, and running beyond his presidency. Given the cast of characters comprising the Trump White House, it is hard to believe that anything would be of interest to them which doesn't prioritize Israel, though they claim to be “America First”.In the State Department's “Strategic Plan 2026-2030”, Little Marco Rubio lays out a plan for the American Empire to dominate Latin America through exclusionary trade deals, predatory loans, and outright threats. The American Empire is announcing to the world that it has set its sights on South America for domination. Prepare accordingly.—Video ChannelsWatch the video version of Macroaggressions:Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/Macroaggressions YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MacroaggressionsPodcastBrighteon: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/macroaggressions/—MACRO & Charlie Robinson LinksHypocrazy Audiobook: https://amzn.to/4aogwmsThe Octopus of Global Control Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3xu0rMmWebsite: www.Macroaggressions.ioMerch Store: https://macroaggressions.dashery.com/ Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/macroaggressionspodcast—Activist Post FamilySign up for the Activist Post Newsletter: https://activistpost.kit.com/emailsActivist Post: www.ActivistPost.comNatural Blaze: www.NaturalBlaze.com —Support Our SponsorsGround Luxe Grounding Mats: https://GroundLuxe.com/MACROReplace Your Mortgage: www.WipeOutYourMortgageNow.comC60 Power: https://go.ShopC60.com/PBGRT/KMKS9/ | Promo Code: MACROChemical Free Body: https://ChemicalFreeBody.com/macro/ | Promo Code: MACROWise Wolf Gold & Silver: https://Macroaggressions.Gold/ | (800) 426-1836LegalShield: www.DontGetPushedAround.comEMP Shield: www.EMPShield.com | Promo Code: MACROChristian Yordanov's Health Program: www.LiveLongerFormula.com/macroAbove Phone: https://AbovePhone.com/macro/Van Man: https://VanMan.shop/?ref=MACRO | Promo Code: MACROThe Dollar Vigilante: https://DollarVigilante.spiffy.co/a/O3wCWenlXN/4471Nesa's Hemp: www.NesasHemp.com | Promo Code: MACROAugason Farms: https://AugasonFarms.com/MACRO—

The State Department wants Americans to leave the Middle East but won't provide transportation, President Trump says the biggest bombs have yet to fall, and U.S. commanders are telling troops that Trump was appointed by Jesus to bring about Armageddon by starting a war in Iran. Oscar-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal reaches between the cushions of The Late Show's guest chair to find a note left for him by his big sister and lifelong director, Maggie Gyllenhaal. Their new film “The Bride!” is in theaters this Friday.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With U.S. embassies and consulates under attack from Iran, Ian Pannell reports on on the Americans currently stranded in 14 countries while the State Department says it's working to get them out of the region on military and charter aircraft; Elizabeth Schulze has the latest on the growing fears of a prolonged war as the stock market tumbles and oil prices surge; Steve Osunsami has details after a jury in Georgia found the father of a suspected school shooter guilty of murder and involuntary manslaughter; and more on tonight's broadcast of World News Tonight with David Muir. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

The State Department is urging Americans in the Middle East to leave as Iranian attacks continue, including a drone strike on the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia.Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed Congress on the war and lawmakers walked out split, as both chambers prepare to vote on measures that would curb the president's war powers.And voters in Texas and North Carolina are casting ballots in two expensive Senate primaries that could offer an early read on where both parties are headed in November's midterm elections.Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Miguel Macias, Kelsey Snell, Padma Rama, Mohamad ElBardicy and Alice Woelfle.It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ana Perez and Nia DumasOur director is Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.And our Supervising Senior Producer is Vince Pearson.(0:00) Introduction(01:55) Middle East At War(5:51) Congress Briefed On War(09:35) Texas and North Carolina PrimariesTo manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A.M. Edition for Mar. 3. The State Department is expanding its diplomatic pullback from the Middle East after the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia was attacked by an Iranian drone. Plus, with tourists and expats looking on, Persian Gulf nations have thus far managed to intercept the majority of drones and missiles directed at them by Iran. But Oxford Analytica's Rawan Maayeh explains that the countries are struggling to balance a tough response to Iran's attacks with the desire to end fighting and restore a sense of calm. And limited flight operations resume in Dubai, even as airspace across much of the Middle East remains shut. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ween America and Iran.Preview for later today: Mary Kissel discusses the State Department's resource shortages and the complex planning required to secure Venezuela, release political prisoners, and coordinate with international allies.1930

President Trump defends his decision to launch strikes in Iran, thrusting the Middle East into a regional war as the State Department works to evacuate Americans still in the region. NBC News Chief Data Analyst Steve Kornacki previews tonight's midterm primaries as voters in Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas head to the polls. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss the high-stakes 2026 midterms in Texas. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's Headlines: The Middle East conflict has rapidly expanded to 12 countries in under 72 hours, with six U.S. troops killed after an Iranian strike hit an operations center in Kuwait. President Donald Trump signaled the fighting is far from over, saying Operation “EPIC FURY” could last four to five weeks and will continue “as long as necessary.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that “the hardest hits are yet to come,” while Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine cautioned the operation will be “difficult and gritty” and likely involve additional U.S. losses. The State Department is urging Americans to evacuate more than a dozen countries, and U.S. cities are on heightened alert, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. In a twist, the Pentagon reportedly used Anthropic's Claude AI model in the Iran strikes — despite the administration recently clashing with the company and canceling contracts. Abroad, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Ukrainian drone experts will assist Gulf nations in intercepting Iranian drones, as Russia ramps up missile attacks on Ukraine. In Epstein news, federal prosecutors under Trump in 2019 reportedly took over New Mexico's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch. The state's attorney general has now reopened the probe, and the House Oversight Committee released video testimony from Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. Meanwhile, the Justice Department is also expected to drop appeals defending Trump-era executive orders that targeted major law firms. And finally, Rep. Nancy Mace is under House Ethics Committee investigation over nearly $9,500 in alleged excess reimbursements. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNN: Live updates: US Gulf allies fend off attacks as Trump warns Iran of ‘big wave' of strikes The Guardian: Ukraine war briefing: Starmer says Ukrainian experts will help shoot down Iranian drone attacks in Gulf Axios: US cities step up security amid Iran tensions WSJ: U.S. Strikes in Middle East Use Anthropic, Hours After Trump Ban NYT: Epstein's New Mexico Ranch Gets Scrutiny at Last. It May Be Too Late. YouTube: The Deposition of President Bill Clinton on the Epstein Probe WSJ: Trump Administration Drops Defense of Law Firm Sanctions Axios: Nancy Mace under House Ethics Committee investigation Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: ⁠⁠⁠betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us in Vegas for Podjam 3! Subscribe and Watch Interviews LIVE : On YOUTUBE.com/StandUpWithPete ON SubstackStandUpWithPete Stand Up is a daily podcast. I book,host,edit, post and promote new episodes with brilliant guests every day. This show is Ad free and fully supported by listeners like you! Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 750 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous souls Aaron David Miller is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, focusing on U.S. foreign policy. He has written five books, including his most recent, The End of Greatness: Why America Can't Have (and Doesn't Want) Another Great President (Palgrave, 2014) and The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace (Bantam, 2008). He received his PhD in Middle East and U.S. diplomatic history from the University of Michigan in 1977. Between 1978 and 2003, Miller served at the State Department as an historian, analyst, negotiator, and advisor to Republican and Democratic secretaries of state, where he helped formulate U.S. policy on the Middle East and the Arab-Israel peace process, most recently as the senior advisor for Arab-Israeli negotiations. He also served as the deputy special Middle East coordinator for Arab-Israeli negotiations, senior member of the State Department's policy planning staff, in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, and in the office of the historian. He has received the department's Distinguished, Superior, and Meritorious Honor Awards. Miller is a member of the  Council on Foreign Relations, and formerly served as resident scholar at the Georgetown Center for Strategic and International Studies. He has been a featured presenter at the World Economic Forum and leading U.S. universities. Between 2003 and 2006 he served as president of Seeds of Peace, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young leaders from regions of conflict with the leadership skills required to advance reconciliation and coexistence. From 2006 to 2019, Miller was a public policy scholar; vice president for new initiatives, and director of the Middle East program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Miller is a global affairs analyst for CNN. His articles have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Politico, Foreign Policy, USAToday, and CNN.com. He is a frequent commentator on NPR, BBC, and Sirius XM radio.   Bill Boyle is a well sourced and connected businessman who lives in Washington DC with his wife and son. Bill is a trusted friend and source for me who I met after he listened and became a regular and highly respected caller of my siriusxm radio show. Bill is a voracious reader and listeners love to hear his take. I think his analysis is as sharp as anyone you will hear on radio or TV and he has well placed friends across the federal government who are always talking to him. As far as I can tell he is not in the CIA. Follow him on Blue Sky and park at his garages.    

Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, joins Offline to talk about the horrifying trends his team has unearthed across social media platforms…and how it's put him in the crosshairs of the Trump Administration. To date, Imran has weathered multiple lawsuits, stood up to Elon Musk, and won. But now, the State Department is trying to get him deported back to the UK—just for publicizing how platforms are hotbeds of bigotry and self harm content. He and Jon talk about how Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act is a cancer on our democracy, why Tech Oligarchs view the rest of us as NPCs, and how the “things" Silicon Valley is moving fast and breaking are actually our own children.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Megyn Kelly begins the show by calling out Bill Clinton ahead of his forced deposition related to Jeffrey Epstein, revisiting his long history of connections to Epstein, his obvious lies and spin in public statements over the past couple months, and more. Then Mike Benz, Executive Director of the Foundation for Freedom Online, joins to discuss the critical gaps in the Jeffrey Epstein files between 1999 and 2001, why Epstein's earlier Bear Stearns years are critical to understanding the whole picture, why full declassification of CIA and State Department records is essential to understand Epstein's role and relationships, claims that Alex Acosta said Jeffrey Epstein “belonged to intelligence,” what Acosta has said publicly since, why Epstein's intel connections are so crucial to understanding the truth about him, and more. Then Jim Fitzgerald and Maureen O'Connell, former FBI agents, join to discuss Savannah Guthrie's latest Instagram plea emphasizing that the cash reward can be claimed anonymously, whether her appearance was strategically crafted to appeal directly to the abductors, new Ring camera footage showing a white car leaving Nancy Guthrie's neighborhood around the estimated time of her disappearance, conflicting reports about whether the vehicles could be connected to the case, and more. Then Megyn dives into Megan Rapinoe trashing Team USA men's hockey for taking a call from President Trump, her critique of Kash Patel being in the locker room, her constant hate and hypocrisy, the wild story of a top SCOTUS lawyer gambling millions and now going to jail, and more.   Benz- https://x.com/MikeBenzCyber O'Connell- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/best-case-worst-case/id1240002929 Fitzgerald- https://www.youtube.com/@ColdRedPodcast-tb2lb/featured   Done with Debt: https://www.DoneWithDebt.com & tell them Megyn Kelly sent you! SaunaSpace: Discover why SaunaSpace's infrared FireLight tech is redefining at‑home wellness—visit https://Sauna.Space/MEGYN and use code MEGYN for 10% off your entire order. PureTalk: Tired of big wireless prices? Switch to PureTalk for unlimited talk and text for $25/month—dial #250 and say MEGYN KELLY for 50% off your first month. Birch Gold: Text MK to 989898 and get your free info kit on gold     Follow The Megyn Kelly Show on all social platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MegynKelly Twitter: http://Twitter.com/MegynKellyShow Instagram: http://Instagram.com/MegynKellyShow Facebook: http://Facebook.com/MegynKellyShow  Find out more information at:https://www.devilmaycaremedia.com/megynkellyshow Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.