Podcasts about Taiwan

3. Steve Yates analyzes Taiwan's security, noting that Beijing should be deterred by US displays of capability in Venezuela and Iran. He observes Taiwanese skepticism toward CCP dialogue and peace overtures.1521

4. Steve Yates critiques China's unsustainable plan to subsidize tech sectors to revive its economy. He highlights the strategic importance of Taiwan's semiconductor industry and its shift away from Mainland market investments.1572 HORMUZ CASTLE

SCHEDULE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 4-15-2026.1705 PERSIAN EMPIRE1. Captain James Fanell discusses Iran using Chinese commercial satellites for targeting US bases. He notes the US Navy's successful and complete blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to pressure Tehran's oil economy.2. General Blaine Holt suggests China may have allowed its satellite technology transfer to Iran to be discovered. He highlights the US Air Force's successful air campaign doctrine and impressive technological capabilities.3. Steve Yates analyzes Taiwan's security, noting that Beijing should be deterred by US displays of capability in Venezuela and Iran. He observes Taiwanese skepticism toward CCP dialogue and peace overtures.4. Steve Yates critiques China's unsustainable plan to subsidize tech sectors to revive its economy. He highlights the strategic importance of Taiwan's semiconductor industry and its shift away from Mainland market investments.5. Mary Kissel reports on ceasefire talks between Israel and Hezbollah at the State Department. She discusses the US Navy's blockade on Iran and regional support for neutralizing Tehran's long influence.6. Mary Kissel examines the stalling of Venezuela's transition by the Rodriguez family. She notes a significant regional shift toward right-of-center, pro-US governments in South America, including Brazil, Chile, and Colombia.7. Annie Fixler details Iranian cyber strikes against critical infrastructure, including Jordanian wheat silos and US medical firms. She explains how Tehran pairs digital attacks with psychological operations to maximize disruption.8. Annie Fixler warns of sophisticated cyber threats from China and Russia. She highlights the danger of AI discovering software vulnerabilities and China's Volt Typhoon prepositioning within US critical infrastructure.9. Colonel Jeff McCausland assesses the Strait of Hormuz blockade and China's military resupply of Iran. He notes Vladimir Putin's strategic losses in Ukraine and the impact of Viktor Orbán's electoral defeat.10. Colonel Jeff McCausland discusses the stalling of Venezuela's transition by the Rodriguez family. He questions if oil production can increase quickly enough to impact US gas prices before Labor Day.11. Jack Burnham warns about security risks in Huawei, ZTE, and Hikvision equipment. He notes Hikvision's role in the Uyghur genocide and the export of surveillance technology to various authoritarian regimes.12. Jack Burnham explains how Iran leveraged a Chinese commercial satellite for precise military strikes on US targets. He warns that rogue nations can now easily purchase advanced orbital capabilities off-the-shelf.13. Michael Bernstam explains why the Strait of Hormuz blockade has not caused an oil price spike, citing diverted pipelines in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. He notes China's impending shortfall due to the blockade.14. Michael Bernstam details Russia's exhausted budget deficit and declining oil production caused by sanctions and technological backwardness. He highlights Viktor Orbán's electoral defeat as a major democratic victory for the EU.15. Ken Croswell describes the landmark discovery of a lone black hole in the Milky Way. Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers identified this massive object by its gravitational effect on light.16. Ken Croswell calculates that a black hole likely exists within fifty light-years of Earth. He reassures that the galaxy's vastness makes a catastrophic encounter with our solar system extremely unlikely.

STREAMING MAKING SHOW, FEATURING CHANG, FANELL, HOLT, YATES.1750 PERSIA COURTThis transcript from a broadcast of The John Bachelor Show features a roundtable discussion with experts regarding China's involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts and its broader strategic goals. The participants examine a report alleging that Iran utilized Chinese satellite data to coordinate strikes against American military positions, leading to a debate over whether President Trump should proceed with a planned visit to Beijing. Military analysis suggests that while the U.S. Navy is effectively maintaining a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, China and Russia may be providing tactical support to rogue actors to undermine American interests. The conversation also addresses the internal political climate of Taiwan, noting that the public remains skeptical of Beijing despite efforts by opposition leaders to forge closer ties. Finally, the panel critiques China's economic strategy, characterizing its recent pivot toward heavily subsidized manufacturing and robotics as a desperate attempt to solve deep-seated financial instability. Together, these experts conclude that while China aims for global dominance, it faces significant economic vulnerabilities and a resurgent American military presence.

Blayne Alexander sits down with Andrea Canning to discuss her latest episode, “The Gorge,” about the 2019 disappearance of Alice Ku, a private tutor from California, and her family's desperate search to find her.  With the help of Andrew Watters, a civil attorney with investigative experience, Alice's siblings soon learn she had been keeping a secret: she had married a man named Harald Herchen. Harald claims he last saw his wife while on a trip to Taiwan, when he dropped her off at a train station. The family doesn't believe him, and after retracing Alice's steps, they become convinced Harald killed her in Taiwan's Taroko National Park. Harald denies any wrongdoing, but after the family files a wrongful death lawsuit, a civil jury finds him liable for Alice's death.  Andrea shares a podcast-exclusive clip with attorney Watters. She also tells Blayne about getting caught in an earthquake in Taiwan, as well as the challenges of filming in the mountains of Taroko National Park, which included fleeing an aggressively hungry group of monkeys that tried to steal the team's lunch. Plus, they answer your questions from social media. Help Dateline's “Missing in America” win a Webby award! Vote here by April 16th: https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/shows/crime-justice Listen to the full episode of “The Gorge” on Apple: https://apple.co/4sDJXIC Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1P9KbCSYOSGHlyiHttztiG Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Military Purges and the Taiwan Threat Guest: Gordon Chang and Piero Tozzi Piero Tozzi and Gordon Chang analyze Xi Jinping's military purges, specifically the removal of General Zhang Youxia1906 drum tower

Military Purges and the Taiwan Threat Guest: Gordon Chang and Piero Tozzi Piero Tozzi and Gordon Chang analyze Xi Jinping's military purges, specifically the removal of General Zhang Youxia1945 USS ANZIO arrival Shanghai

SCHEDULE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 4-14-2026.1874 MONET1. US Economic Resilience Amid Global Conflict. Elizabeth Peek and John Batchelor discuss the surprisingly strong US economy despite Middle East instability. Consumer spending remains robust, wages are rising, and the Trump agenda of deregulation and tariffs is encouraging domestic investment.2. Russia and China's Strategic Calculations. Gregory Copley explains how Russia benefits from rising oil prices and expanded influence in Central Asia. Conversely, China fears regime collapse in Iran and seeks to diminish US global prestige during the conflict.3. The Risks of Puppet Government Models. John Batchelor and Gregory Copley critique the Trump administration's attempt to use Delcy Rodriguez as a model for Iran. They discuss how hardline leaders in Venezuela and Iran prioritize personal survival over national interests.4. King Charles III's Diplomatic Mission to Washington. Gregory Copley discusses King Charles III's upcoming visit to address Congress. The King aims to heal diplomatic rifts between Donald Trump and Keir Starmer, particularly regarding the Chagos Archipelago and Diego Garcia strategic nodes.5. Naval Challenges and Maritime Chokepoints. Grant Newsham asserts that the US Navy can successfully blockade the Strait of Hormuz and manage the Bab-el-Mandeb. He notes China and Russia are encouraging Iran to test American resolve through maritime provocations.6. The Resurgence and Failure of Industrial Policy. Veronique de Rugy criticizes the resurgence of industrial policy, noting past failures in Japan and China. She warns that World Bank recommendations for government-led industry protection often result in economic distortions and higher costs.7. Purges and Divisions within the Chinese Military. Piero Tozzi and Gordon Chang analyze Xi Jinping's recent military purges, including Zhang Youxia. These internal divisions and the removal of operational commanders may hinder China's ability to coordinate a successful invasion of Taiwan.8. Nuclear Deterrence and Battlefield Realities. Peter Huessy warns about the lack of nuclear education among modern policymakers. He discusses Russia's potential use of battlefield nuclear weapons in Ukraine to reverse military losses and Iran's acquisition of Russian missile technology.9. The California Gubernatorial Jungle Primary. Elizabeth Peek details the collapse of Eric Swalwell's campaign following misconduct allegations. The jungle primary system in California creates a risk for Democrats that two Republicans, like Steve Hilton, could face off in November.10. The Electoral Defeat of Viktor Orbán. Judy Dempsey explains how Peter Magyar defeated Viktor Orbán in Hungary by uniting a divided opposition. Hungarian voters rejected corruption and Russian interference, signaling a desire for rule of law and European integration.11. Populism and Energy Subsidies in Germany. Judy Dempsey observes the rise of the AfD party in Saxony, fueled by nationalist fervor among young voters. Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces pressure to address high energy costs and immigration while maintaining transatlantic relations.12. The Strategy of Economic Siege against Iran. Jonathan Schanzer describes the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as part of a wider economic war. This strategy aims to deplete regime revenue by hundreds of millions daily through heightened sanctions.13. Escalation and Unprecedented Diplomacy in Lebanon. Jonathan Schanzer discusses the IDF's efforts to establish a security zone in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah. Simultaneously, unprecedented direct talks between the Lebanese and Israeli governments are occurring at the US State Department.14. Dismantling Information Warfare in Hungary. Ivana Stradner celebrates Peter Magyar's victory over Viktor Orbán, emphasizing the need to dismantle the state-controlled media apparatus. She warns that Russia continues to use influence operations to support authoritarian leaders in Eastern Europe.15. Iran's Nuclear Ambitions and Fissile Material Extraction. Andrea Stricker outlines the challenge of extracting Iran's 60% enriched uranium from deeply buried sites like Fordo. She emphasizes that permanent peace requires the complete removal of fissile material and centrifuges to prevent breakout.16. Geopolitics of the Strait of Hormuz Blockade. Gregory Copley analyzes the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and its impact on global oil markets. He argues the US must ensure the Red Sea remains viable while managing pressure from Saudi Arabia.

Our Global Chief Economist Seth Carpenter concludes the two-part discussion with chief regional economists Michael Gapen, Jens Eisenschmidt and Chetan Ahya on the second order effects of the energy shock from tensions in the Middle East.Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript -----Seth Carpenter: Welcome to Thoughts in the Market. I'm Seth Carpenter, Morgan Stanley's Global Chief Economist and Head of Macro Research. And once again, I am joined by Morgan Stanley's chief regional economists: Michael Gapen, Chief U.S. Economist, Chetan Ahya, the Chief Asia Economist, and Jens Eisenschmidt, our Chief Europe Economist. Yesterday we focused on the immediate impact of the Iran conflict, how the energy shock is feeding through into inflation, and, as a result, shaping central bank decisions across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.Today we're going to go a level deeper and talk about some structural issues in the global economy. It's Wednesday, April 15th at 10am in New York. Jens Eisenschmidt: And 3pm in London. Chetan Ahya: And 10pm in Hong Kong. Seth Carpenter: So, even as we're waiting to see whether or not oil prices stabilize following a temporary ceasefire – or not – the broader effects are still working their way through the global economy. Labor markets, supply chains, and then, of course, back to the more longer-term structural themes like AI driven growth. So, the question, I think, has to be: what does this shock mean, if anything, for the next phase of global growth? And does it reshape it? Does it change it, or do we just wait for things to go through? Mike, let me come to you first. One risk that we've been focusing on is whether this kind of shock really changes some of the structural positives in the U.S. economy. The U.S. has been, I would say, outperforming in lots of ways. We've had this AI driven CapEx cycle. We've had rising productivity; we've had strong consumer spending. What are you seeing in the data about those more structural trends? Michael Gapen: I think what we're seeing in the data right now is evidence that oil is not disrupting the positive structural trends in the U.S. I think AI CapEx spending is largely orthogonal to what we've seen so far. It doesn't mean that we can't see negative effects, particularly if oil rises to say $150 a barrel or more where we think you might see significant demand destruction. But with oil where it is right now, I would say the evidence is it will probably weigh on consumption. Gasoline prices are higher. It's going to squeeze lower- and middle-income households that way. But so far, the labor market appears to be holding up. And business spending around CapEx seems to be holding up. And the productivity story remains in place. So right now, I'd say this is more of a break on consumer spending, maybe a modest headwind. But not an outright hard stop. And I think those positive structural elements and AI-related CapEx spending are going to stay with us in 2026. Seth Carpenter: I hear in your answer part of what for me is always the most uncomfortable part of these conversations. Where I have to come back to say, ‘But of course it depends on how things evolve…' Michael Gapen: Of course, It depends… Seth Carpenter: So, then let me push you on AI specifically. You and your team have published a few pieces recently about AI. How AI is affecting the labor market, and maybe some hints as to how AI is likely to affect the labor market. So how should we think about that? Michael Gapen: While it's still too early, I think, to draw firm conclusions, Seth, we do find that there's some evidence that AI is pushing unemployment rates higher in specific occupations that are exposed to task replacement. So, what we did do is we broke down the data by occupation, and it's clear that the unemployment rate has been rising. But that's just a general feature of the economy at this point in time. Over the last 18 to 24 months, the unemployment rate has gone higher. So, what we did is a second-round effort at kind of controlling for cyclicality. And when you control for those, we do find evidence that the unemployment rate for occupations that have high exposure to AI is higher than you would expect, given the cyclical performance of the economy. But the effect is really small. It's maybe about 1/10th on the unemployment rate. So, I don't want to be too Pollyannish and say, ‘Oh, there's no evidence here that AI is disrupting the labor market.' We'd say that there is some evidence there. But, so far, it's mild and it's modest. It's a little more micro than it is macro. So, we'll see how this evolves. But that would be our initial conclusion so far. Seth Carpenter: So, Mike, that's super helpful. When I think about the AI investment cycle, though, I have to come back to Asia because a lot of the AI supply chain is there in Asia, especially with semiconductors and others. But there's lots of supply chain around the world. So, Chetan, if I think about different supply chains, different industries in Asia that are at risk, potentially being disrupted by the current shock, where do you focus? And then take a step further and tell me if you see a risk that there's a structural dislocation going on here in any of these sectors? Chetan Ahya: So, Seth, there are two relevant points here from Asia supply chain perspective, particularly the tech sector. Number one, there are some concerns on the supply side issues in the context of helium and sulfur. But from what we see as of today, these companies who need that helium and sulfur are able to pay up. As you would appreciate, this is a sector which is, you know, making a lot of money for those economies, i.e. Korea and Taiwan. And they are able to bid up on gas prices, sulfur, and helium, and still managing their production lines. So, we don't see a supply constraint as of now for their production, but there will be an implication for them if you do see damage on U.S. growth, which is quite meaningful. At the end of the day, these sectors are deep cyclical sectors. But if you do see that, you know, scenario of $150 of oil price and it brings global economy to near recession, then there will be implication for these companies and sectors in Asia as well. Seth Carpenter: All right, so Jens, let me bring it to you then. Because when I think about Europe, I think about a couple things. One, kind of, the intersection of energy vulnerability now markets pricing in tighter policy, industrial exposure, which has been going on for a long time. Takes us back in lots of ways to the energy price shock that started in 2021 and went through all of 2022, where we did see, I think, a hit to European manufacturing that had kind of a long tail to it. So, when you think about the current situation, what do you think this shock means for the medium term? How much of an effect do you think this energy price shock could have on the European economy going out a couple of years?Jens Eisenschmidt: Yeah, I mean, just listening to you guys, I mean, really makes me a little bit more depressed still, in terms of being European economist here. Because I mean, it seems America, well, they have the same energy shock, but at least they have AI. In Asia while they have the same energy shock, but at least they have something to deliver into AI. Europe just has the shock, right? So, in some sense there could be one summary.No, but I mean, going back to the comparison and the question. Of course, we have downgraded, as I said yesterday, our growth outlook. And that's predominantly on simply inflation high that is not great for consumption. Consumption is 50 percent of GDP. So, you want to take down a little bit your forecast and your optimism. And then – to your point – where does this leave Europe? We do have already less energy intense manufacturing than before. So, not sure if you'll see much more, or much further downward pressure on this sector. But, of course, it is an uphill battle from here to get back. To get this industrial renaissance back that to some extent the Germans at least are hoping for. In our growth outlook and our growth revisions, we looked into differentiated impacts. And, of course, one of these impacts is through trade. And again, the backdrop here probably globally is not great for trade – as at least you would not want to be super optimistic in that current backdrop. And that will hurt again Europe. So, to your question, we have an outlook, which is still positive growth; but much more muted than say, a month ago or two. Seth Carpenter: Can I push you then a little bit and say that this shock to the European economy then isn't just a cyclical hit. There's probably an additional sort of structural headwind that might get introduced on the heels of, say, the earlier 2021-2022 energy shock? Jens Eisenschmidt: I would say it's the same thing. It's just a reminder that this is still there, right? Europe needs to, kind of, find ways… I think it's best exemplified by the German economy, who was exporting to the rest of the world. And now it looks like as if China has taken over that role. And so, you have to find a new business model, simply speaking, because the ice cream shop next door is just better than you. And so, this is something, what the European economy has just gotten another reminder, and it came through energy, in particular. So, this is where the similarities are. So that was a [20]22 shock. In the meantime, oil prices had nicely retraced, gas prices had nicely retraced. We have new contracts with different suppliers. But still, I mean, the high energy prices expose us here. Because we are already a continent with very high electricity prices, which are derived from the fossil fuels. And so that is not going to end. And so, the continent really urgently has to address that weakness, that structural weakness. And so yeah, in that sense it's structural. Seth Carpenter: Let me pull this together for maybe a final question for each of you. And I'd love it if you could just answer really quickly. Quick fire answers here. We've got a baseline scenario where energy prices are high. Oil is back up a little bit over $100 a barrel. But I think we, and most of the market, are assuming oil prices gradually come down later this year. Mike, what's the prognosis for the U.S. economy? If instead oil prices skyrocket, say they go through $150 a barrel for a couple of months in a row. Michael Gapen: So, the risk there, Seth, is that you do get significant demand destruction. It's not just a gasoline price story for the consumer. It's about weak asset markets. It's about a pullback in hiring. So, at $150 a barrel or more, I would be afraid about recession risk in the U.S. The U.S. is well positioned to handle an oil price shock, but it also has limits. Seth Carpenter: Got it. Jens, suppose instead we had a rapid de-escalation and all of a sudden in the next two months, oil prices are backed down to say $80 a barrel or so. How much of the damage that you envision for the European economy is already baked in the cake? And how much of it goes away if oil prices retrace over the next two months? Jens Eisenschmidt: I would say a lot for this year is baked in the cake to use your words. While next year, we would be basically back to where we had been before in numbers. 1.2 instead of the 0.9 we are seeing currently. And importantly, the ECB could stay. It would not have to hike into that crisis. Seth Carpenter: So, Chetan, , let me come back to you then to wrap up this whole conversation. We've talked about energy mostly in terms of price, but as we've discussed there is the quantity side of things. So, do you think there's a non-linearity? Is there something that's going to just fundamentally change if instead of the rationing being done by price, we get to a point where there's just simply no supply coming to Asia? Chetan Ahya: Yeah, I think that's a very real risk, and that's particularly more important for Asia because there's a lot of dependence on Middle East, and both gas and oil coming in through the Strait of Hormuz. So yeah, I think there is a risk of non-linearity on Asia's growth dynamics if you see supply shortages. Seth Carpenter: Super helpful. I think that's a great place to leave it. What started as a geopolitical shock is now evolving into something broader, touching everything from inflation, interest rates, possibly productivity and technology investment, and clearly global trade. So, Mike, Chetan, Jens, thank you all for coming to help connect these dots. And to the listener, thank you for listening. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts and share Thoughts on the Market with a friend or a colleague today.

This week I'm sharing the next installment from the terrific day-long conference convened by the Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs (ACF) at Johns Hopkins SAIS on April 3rd in Washington — "The China Debate We're Not Having: Politics, Technology, and the Road Ahead." Last week's episode featured Jessica Chen Weiss's opening remarks and the first panel, "What China Wants." This week, I've got the companion panel — "What Does the United States Want?" — which I think pairs beautifully with that first session, and which takes up a question that's arguably harder and more uncomfortable to answer. The panel is moderated by SAIS Dean James Steinberg, who served as Deputy National Security Advisor in the Clinton administration and Deputy Secretary of State under Obama — and who keeps this moving with real sharpness. He's joined by Matt Duss, Executive Vice President at the Center for International Policy, who starts things off with a bracing observation: the United States does not know what it wants. The old foreign policy consensus has shattered, he argues, and neither the Trump administration nor the Democratic establishment has produced a coherent replacement. He locates the most interesting thinking in the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, where he hopes the 2028 primary will force some of these hard questions into the open. Katherine Thompson, a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute who previously served in the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill, brings a military-strategic lens. She makes a sharp case that the new National Defense Strategy, for all its imperfections, at least opens the door to an honest conversation about trade-offs — something Washington has been allergic to. If you're going to prioritize deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, she argues, you have to actually give things up elsewhere, and the Iran situation is making that tension impossible to ignore. Jonas Nahm, the Andrew W. Mellon Associate Professor at SAIS who served in the Biden administration, reframes economic competition with China in refreshingly concrete terms. Rather than abstract great-power framing, he identifies three specific buckets — affordability and energy, technological catch-up, and manufacturing competitiveness — where Chinese capacity could actually help solve American problems, if we had the political imagination to let it. And Leslie Vinjamuri, president and CEO of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, brings striking new polling data showing a 40-percentage-point swing in American favorability toward China since 2024 — now at 53 percent — driven largely by Democrats but with movement among Republicans too. She situates this in the fading of pandemic-era hostility and the absence of sustained anti-China rhetoric from the current administration, and adds an invaluable perspective on how utterly confused America's allies are about what Washington actually expects of them. The conversation ranges across Taiwan and strategic ambiguity, whether allies arming up in the Indo-Pacific helps or hurts, the collapse of U.S. credibility on human rights, the future of dollar dominance, and whether the 2028 election will finally force a reckoning with these questions. It's a rich, candid discussion — and a reminder that the hardest debates in U.S.-China policy may not be about China at all. Panelists:— Matt Duss, Executive Vice President, Center for International Policy— Katherine Thompson, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute— Jonas Nahm, Andrew W. Mellon Associate Professor, Johns Hopkins SAIS— Leslie Vinjamuri, President and CEO, Chicago Council on Global Affairs Moderator: James Steinberg, Dean, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International StudiesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

SPONSORS: 1) AMENTARA: Try Amanita muscaria from Amentara at https://amentara.com/go/JULIAN and use code JD22 for 22% off your first order. 2) PRIZE PICKS: Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/JULIAN and use code JULIAN and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! 3) PROTECT MY DATA: Go to https://protectmydata.com and use code JULIAN for 30% off all annual plans. JOIN PATREON FOR EARLY UNCENSORED EPISODE RELEASES: https://www.patreon.com/JulianDorey CLIPPERS DISCORD: https://discord.gg/8QmWEKJ3BT (***TIMESTAMPS in description below) ~ Brandon Tseng is a former Navy SEAL and drone expert. He attended the US Naval Academy before getting his MBA from Harvard business school and becoming the Co-Founder of Shield AI, a drone company that currently has a $12 Billion Valuation. BRANDON's LINKS: X: https://x.com/brandontseng2 Website: https://shield.ai/ FOLLOW JULIAN DOREY IG: https://www.instagram.com/julianddorey/ X: https://x.com/juliandorey JULIAN YT CHANNELS - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Clips YT: https://www.youtube.com/@juliandoreyclips - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Daily YT: https://www.youtube.com/@JulianDoreyDaily - SUBSCRIBE to Best of JDP: https://www.youtube.com/@bestofJDP ****TIMESTAMPS**** 0:00 - Not building the AntiChrist, Dream of being Navy SEAL, Not selected at first, 1st Ship 12:32 - Leading Ship w/ energy, reapplying for Navy SEALs, Going into BUD/S 21:47 - Prepping for SEALs, Sleep Deprivation, VGE & Neurovirus, Hell Week, SEAL Team 7 33:46 - Shipped to Afghanistan w/ Team 7, Bin Laden, #1 Military Operation of all time 44:21 - Working next to SEAL Team 6, Kill Chain, IEDs, “a wild story” 54:59 - Red Alert & Trust, “You're already dead,” Iran, Speaking Farsi, Julian disagrees 1:06:15 - Afghanistan pullout and armchair QB, Action vs Inaction, Taliban 1:16:45 - Taking Firefights personally, Brandon's first shootout, Platoon Commander 1:29:15 - Laying waste to ISIS, Arabian Peninsula Leaving SEALS, Harvard, Shield AI Born 1:39:15 - AI vs. Internet, $4.5 Quadrillion Impact, Sentience, Fears & Safeguards 1:49:42 - Technocratic Elite, Julian's Biggest AI Fear, Brandon's Hero, Fleeing China 1:58:15 - Brandon on China & Taiwan as Taiwanese American, China as a threat 2:06:35 - How Shield Ai came to be, Warfare, V-Bat 2:17:58 - V-Bat gathers intel for Oil Rig in Ukraine, Indo-Chinese Conflict Help, Targeting 2:31:19 - X-Bat, First Flights, AI Pilot w/ Claude like software, Dealing w/ Pentagon 2:42:40 - Anthropic & Pentagon, NextGen Warfare, Drone Armies, Robots fighting 2:52:40 - Using drones to solve Mexican Cartel Problem, Cartel Terrorism Designation 3:01:31 - Power of words, not afraid of losing, $12 Billion Valuation, Working w/ Taiwan 3:07:03 - Brandon's Work CREDITS: - Host, Editor & Producer: Julian Dorey - COO, Producer & Editor: Alessi Allaman - https://www.youtube.com/@UCyLKzv5fKxGmVQg3cMJJzyQ - In-Studio Producer: Joey Deef - https://www.instagram.com/joeydeef/ Julian Dorey Podcast Episode 409 - Brandon Tseng Music by Artlist.io Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Daniel A. Bell joins the podcast to discuss his new book, Why Ancient Chinese Political Thought Matters: Four Dialogues on China's Past, Present, and Future (Princeton UP, 2026). This isn't your standard, dusty history — it's a series of modernized dialogues that grew out of Bell's own classroom at the University of Hong Kong. In this episode, Daniel tells us about the time he spent as an academic Dean at Shandong University, and where he saw firsthand how ancient Legalist ideas about strict punishment were making everyday life, and even faculty meals, feel rigid and 'joyless'. We talk about why he chose to write the book as a 'heavyweight match' between the descendants of thinkers like Confucius and Zhuangzi, and why he believes the ancient concept of 'harmony' is actually about celebrating differences rather than enforcing sameness. Whether we're talking about the 'fire exit' of modern divorce laws or the high stakes of corruption in Beijing, Daniel shows why these ancient voices are still the most relevant ones in the room. The book is an entertaining introduction to ancient Chinese thinkers, and what they can teach us about today's most pressing political questions in China and beyond. China's most original, diverse, and fascinating political debates took place more than two millennia ago, but they have profoundly shaped Chinese political thinking and practice ever since and, remarkably, their influence on the country's leaders is only growing today. Yet these timeless debates which are very likely to influence the answers to such questions as whether China should use military force to take control of Taiwan seem far too little understood in the West. In this enlightening and entertaining book, Professor Bell takes the greatest thinkers from China's past — Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Shang Yang, Han Feizi, Zhuangzi, and Mozi—and puts them in dialogue with each other in modern settings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Daniel A. Bell joins the podcast to discuss his new book, Why Ancient Chinese Political Thought Matters: Four Dialogues on China's Past, Present, and Future (Princeton UP, 2026). This isn't your standard, dusty history — it's a series of modernized dialogues that grew out of Bell's own classroom at the University of Hong Kong. In this episode, Daniel tells us about the time he spent as an academic Dean at Shandong University, and where he saw firsthand how ancient Legalist ideas about strict punishment were making everyday life, and even faculty meals, feel rigid and 'joyless'. We talk about why he chose to write the book as a 'heavyweight match' between the descendants of thinkers like Confucius and Zhuangzi, and why he believes the ancient concept of 'harmony' is actually about celebrating differences rather than enforcing sameness. Whether we're talking about the 'fire exit' of modern divorce laws or the high stakes of corruption in Beijing, Daniel shows why these ancient voices are still the most relevant ones in the room. The book is an entertaining introduction to ancient Chinese thinkers, and what they can teach us about today's most pressing political questions in China and beyond. China's most original, diverse, and fascinating political debates took place more than two millennia ago, but they have profoundly shaped Chinese political thinking and practice ever since and, remarkably, their influence on the country's leaders is only growing today. Yet these timeless debates which are very likely to influence the answers to such questions as whether China should use military force to take control of Taiwan seem far too little understood in the West. In this enlightening and entertaining book, Professor Bell takes the greatest thinkers from China's past — Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Shang Yang, Han Feizi, Zhuangzi, and Mozi—and puts them in dialogue with each other in modern settings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

Daniel A. Bell joins the podcast to discuss his new book, Why Ancient Chinese Political Thought Matters: Four Dialogues on China's Past, Present, and Future (Princeton UP, 2026). This isn't your standard, dusty history — it's a series of modernized dialogues that grew out of Bell's own classroom at the University of Hong Kong. In this episode, Daniel tells us about the time he spent as an academic Dean at Shandong University, and where he saw firsthand how ancient Legalist ideas about strict punishment were making everyday life, and even faculty meals, feel rigid and 'joyless'. We talk about why he chose to write the book as a 'heavyweight match' between the descendants of thinkers like Confucius and Zhuangzi, and why he believes the ancient concept of 'harmony' is actually about celebrating differences rather than enforcing sameness. Whether we're talking about the 'fire exit' of modern divorce laws or the high stakes of corruption in Beijing, Daniel shows why these ancient voices are still the most relevant ones in the room. The book is an entertaining introduction to ancient Chinese thinkers, and what they can teach us about today's most pressing political questions in China and beyond. China's most original, diverse, and fascinating political debates took place more than two millennia ago, but they have profoundly shaped Chinese political thinking and practice ever since and, remarkably, their influence on the country's leaders is only growing today. Yet these timeless debates which are very likely to influence the answers to such questions as whether China should use military force to take control of Taiwan seem far too little understood in the West. In this enlightening and entertaining book, Professor Bell takes the greatest thinkers from China's past — Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Shang Yang, Han Feizi, Zhuangzi, and Mozi—and puts them in dialogue with each other in modern settings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics

After a California tutor vanishes on a trip to Taiwan, her family's search for answers reveals secrets and a trail of digital evidence that contradicts everything they thought they knew. Andrea Canning reports. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What began as a fragile ceasefire has turned into a U.S.-led blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — and China is moving to capitalize. As tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalate, Beijing is quietly positioning itself as a global power broker — nudging diplomacy while sidestepping responsibility.  At the same time, Donald Trump is firing back with tariff threats, linking instability in the Middle East directly to U.S.–China tensions. Alice and James discuss whether or not the Chinese government is providing military aid to Iran, and explore why that's such a fraught question. Plus — how China is playing both sides, and what it all means for global markets and oil prices. And then, author and China scholar Eyck Freymann joins the show to talk about Taiwan — and the looming military threats that a China-led “reunification” effort would pose. From Beijing's outreach to Taiwan's opposition, to the ramifications of a potential conflict on the global semiconductor industry, Alice, James and Eyck explore what the consequences of a direct confrontation over Taiwan could be — and whether, in the threat of a Chinese invasion, the U.S. would have what it takes to deter war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this first of a two-part discussion, our Global Chief Economist Seth Carpenter leads a discussion with chief regional economists Michael Gapen, Jens Eisenschmidt and Chetan Ahya on impacts of the conflict in Iran and how central banks are responding.Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript -----Seth Carpenter: Welcome to Thoughts in the Market. I'm Seth Carpenter, Morgan Stanley's Global Chief Economist and Head of Macro Research. And today we're going to kick off our quarterly economic roundtable. And this is where we try to step back a little bit from the headlines and the day-to-day changes in markets and try to put the global picture together and frame it for you. In the first of this two-part discussion, we're going to cover the implications of the oil price shock for energy, inflation, and for central bank policy. As always, I'm joined by the Chief Regional Economists here at Morgan Stanley. I've got Michael Gapen, our Chief U.S. Economist, Chetan Ahya, our Chief Asia Economist, and Jens Eisenschmidt, our Chief Europe Economist. It's Tuesday, April 14th at 10am in New York. Jens Eisenschmidt: And 3pm in London. Chetan Ahya: And 10pm in Hong Kong. Seth Carpenter: So, let's just jump right into this. Over the past several weeks, global markets have been dominated by one story. The escalation, de-escalation, the news flow back and forth about the conflict in Iran and the ripple across energy markets, inflation, and growth. Our view has been that even if we don't see another huge leg up in the price of energy and another surge in volatility across financial markets, the persistence of the shock in terms of disrupted supply will be at least as important, if not more so for markets. So, let me start here in the U.S., Mike. You and I have each had lots of conversations with clients about how the Fed's going to react. Market pricing moved a lot before, has retraced, and now is kind of looking at no change in policy for this year, give or take. Your baseline remains that the Fed will have an easing bias and that we'll end up with a couple of cuts later this year. Can you walk us through that thinking, and also where the debate is with clients? Michael Gapen: Sure. So, the evidence in the data… This goes back, let's call it several decades now – that oil price shocks in the U.S. do tend to push headline inflation higher by definition. But they have very limited second round effects on core inflation. And the higher oil prices go, the more likely it is that you get some demand destruction, some weakness in spending, maybe even some weakness in hiring. So, there is a bit of a non-linearity here. In our baseline where oil is elevated, but let's say not excessively high, I can completely buy the argument that the Fed is on hold assessing the evolution of the data and wondering are there second round effects on inflation? Or is this weakening demand? So, Seth, our view is that the Fed is right in its assessment that tariff passed through to goods prices will eventually moderate. And that the oil price effect on headline will diminish. And later this year, core inflation moderates. That should open the door for the Fed to cut two times this year. I do think that the wrong thing to do in this situation is to raise rates into this… Seth Carpenter: I agree with you. Michael Gapen: Yeah. So, I think it's… The Fed's on hold or their cutting. If we're right on where inflation goes, that can open the door to cuts. But to your point, where is the investor debate right now? I think the knee jerk reaction from markets is – the Fed's on the sideline, for, let's call it the foreseeable future. Which as you noted in this market is day-to-day headline to headline. And the Fed will assess where to go later this year. We think they can cut. But I think in general, the Fed is either on hold or cutting. I think the wrong thing to do right now is raise rates. Jens Eisenschmidt: Yeah, let me jump in maybe here from Europe where in theory it's the same problem. Just that the answer that the central bank is likely to give in Europe is slightly different from the one in the U.S. So, the debate we have with clients is not so much about whether or not the ECB is going to hike rates. It's more about how much it will do or have to do this. I mean, again, it has a lot to do with the way oil prices in the end, end up trading. It will be a lot more inflation or less. But it has also to do with the way the mandates are constructed. So, the ECB really has a single inflation mandate and not a dual mandate like the Fed in the case of the U.S. So, there's much more attention on inflation. Next to that, we have stronger second round effects. Historically, we know that from the data. So, it's clear and understandable why ECB policy makers all came out cautioning against that inflation coming, and sort of mulling what had to be done there. We had some leaks out of the governing council meeting in March that maybe [in] April, you've already seen rate hikes. We pushed strongly back against that notion. Since then, we had other policy makers coming out agreeing to that. Yet we likely have a discussion in the June meeting that may lead to a rate hike. We currently forecast a rate hike in June and one in September. Seth Carpenter: What about the growth risks to the euro area? Is that part of why you think the hikes might come later? Is that part of why the ECB might only hike two times this year? How do you think about the growth risks for the euro area in addition to the inflation risks? Jens Eisenschmidt: Yeah, no, I think that's a fair question. We have just updated our growth outlook for this year. Next, we've downgraded growth, obviously. Again, all of that is dependent on the scenario in the end we are in. For now, we assume a scenario of elevated oil prices for this year, but then they will retrace. Now the ECB will look at that in a very similar fashion. So first of all, they will have their new projections. They will see whether there is any hope, reasonable hope that we go back to close to target inflation. Mind you, we were below target, started the year on a very good footing here. And now are projecting we will more or less come out at above 3 percent this year and 2.4 next. Both are above the 2 percent target. That already factors in a mild hit to growth. And I think here is really the crux of the matter. If the ECB has to see a more dramatic downward revision of its growth outlook, they may as well hold a little bit more back with rate hikes. At the same time, for now, all the indications are that the hit to growth will be relatively mild and herein lies if you want the basis for the rate hikes. It's a bit of a signaling device. It's a bit of lowering growth, but not really as much. It's not – we see a central bank leaning strongly against inflation. We are seeing them mildly leaning against it in a bid to stabilize inflation expectations mainly.Seth Carpenter: Alright, that's super helpful. Chetan, I'm going to come to you because we've talked with Mike and with Jens about the inflationary side of things and the growth side of things. But when I think about energy and Asia, I think of Asia as being a bit more exposed than other big economies, definitely relative to the United States. And I think about a lot of sensitivity, not just to the consumer, but also to manufacturing. So how are you thinking about the exposure across your region, across Asia to this energy shock? Where are the biggest risks? Chetan Ahya: So, Seth, first of all, I agree with you. I think Asia is the most exposed region. The best metric for assessing that is how much is the net oil imports of each of the regions in the world. And Asia is at around 2 percent of GDP. Europe is around 1.5 percent of GDP and U.S. is actually a minor surplus. Now in terms of the transmission of this shock to growth, there are two elements to be considered. One is the price of oil and gas, and second is the supply shortages. And in fact, all my life when I have been doing this work of modeling on oil shocks to growth transmission, we've never had to really think about supply shortages. We've always been considering oil price increase and its impact. But in this cycle, we have to also consider the supply shortages. So, when you consider both these factors, we think that there will be a meaningful growth damage to Asia from the evidence of oil price increase and gas supply shortages that we have seen so far. And we have just reduced our growth estimates for the region from 4.8 percent to 4.4 percent. Mind you, first quarter was fine. So, this is all on account of the last three-quarters growth damage. And we are assuming that there will some kind of normalcy that we see in ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz. And we are resuming oil prices average around $110 in second quarter and then come down to $90. So, in that sense, our base case is still expecting some kind of a resolution very soon. But if that doesn't materialize and you see oil prices rising up to $150, then we think region will take a much bigger hit and growth will come down to 3.9 percent in 2026. Seth Carpenter: So, Chetan, you've made a couple of really good points there. One I want to highlight is the difference between the quantities and the prices. I would say as economists, as people in markets, we're used to thinking about oil shocks as just about the price of oil and how that transmits through.But I do think there's a real risk now, given the virtual shutdown of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz that we see physical shortages. And across different Asian economies, we have seen rationing already come into place. So, when you look across the region, how would you rank the specific economies that are most exposed? Especially if we have to think about physical shortages. Chetan Ahya: Yeah, right. Seth. So, we've considered both the aspects, price effect as well as the supply shortages. And on that basis, we rank India, Taiwan, Thailand, Korea and Philippines are the ones which are most exposed. And on the other hand, China and Malaysia are least exposed. Japan and Australia are moderately exposed. Seth Carpenter: Yeah, and that makes a lot of sense. But I can't let you get away from the discussion on Asia without thinking about China. What are you thinking specifically about China? How exposed is it? What's going to happen with growth there? And you know, one of the themes, you and Robin Xing, our Chief China Economist, had been talking about now for over a year is the deflationary cycle in China. So how should we think about the effects in China? Chetan Ahya: So, I think, yeah, China is uniquely positioned in this cycle. We are expecting China's growth to be down by just 10 basis points. So, it almost is as if there is not much damage to China's growth estimates that we have made. And the reason why we see little damage in China's growth numbers is because of two reasons. Number one is that their net oil imports are relatively low. And second is that they have a lot of control on their supply chain. So, for example, they have coal gasification facility. So, when crude oil prices rise above $100, they can activate this coal gasification facility and use that for all the areas where you can use fuel. And they are also quite good in terms of their own electricity distribution management. They have a lot of surplus thermal power capacity. They have a lot of surplus solar electricity capacity. So, they're able to toggle between gas-based electricity supply into coal and solar. So that gives them a lot of leeway to manage the shock and not have much growth damage. Onto your second point on the impact on its deflationary situation. We think that there will be a rise in prices in China because of the input price increase. We still won't call that as winning this deflation challenge that China has been going through over the last three years. For us, if you want to have true sustainable reflation, you should see consumption demand picking up. At the same time, you should see improvement in corporate margins. And neither of those will happen when you have a rise in inflation because of rise in input prices.Seth Carpenter: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. As always China is an interesting but complicated story. So maybe this is a good place to stop for today.We focused on the immediate effects of the shock, higher energy prices, central bank reaction. Tomorrow, I think we'll be able to dig in deeper into some of the second order effects, and then also ask the question, where are we going from here? What's going to happen to labor markets productivity – the more structural questions. So, Mike Chetan, Jens, thank you so much for joining today. And to the listener, thank you for listening. And be sure to tune in tomorrow for part two of our conversation. And if you enjoy this show, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts and share Thoughts on the Market with a friend or a colleague today.

This episode of Across The Margin : The Podcast features an interview with renowned pianist and composer Kimball Gallagher. Gallagher's journey as a pianist has carried him far beyond the traditional concert hall. A Boston-raised musician trained at Juilliard, he began questioning the narrow path often available to concert pianists early in his career. That curiosity led him to launch an ambitious 88-concert tour across seven continents, funded by 88 supporters who each sponsored one key of the piano. These intimate, community-hosted performances brought classical music out of formal halls and into living rooms, cultural centers, and gathering spaces worldwide. Along the way he encountered communities where music served as a tool for leadership, inspiring him to found 88 International, a nonprofit that now runs youth-led music initiatives in Tunisia, Morocco, Senegal, The Gambia, Myanmar, and Taiwan. Its flagship program, Tunisia88, established student-led music clubs in all 592 public high schools in Tunisia, giving students space to write songs, organize concerts, and lead creative projects in their communities. Just weeks ago, that work came to life in the U.S. as the Tunisia88 Alumni Choir completed its first U.S. tour — a two-week East Coast journey where young musicians performed original songs, collaborated with university choirs, and shared how a post-revolution experiment in student voice grew into a global youth movement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May we resolve to live not by lies, political correctness, wokeness, or ‘repressive tolerance‘ by any name. May we live by the Truth alone, and may God have mercy on us. Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, nor to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better. When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is to co-operate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself. One’s standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to. — Theodore Dalrymple (Anthony Daniels) Frontpage Magazine interview (August 31, 2005) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. — Romans 10:8-13 KJV Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. — John 14:6 KJV Links Videos / Clips [x] = Played Triggered! Featuring Dave Chappelle- He Rapes But He Saves! [x] 0:47--2:23 The Problem With Feminising Society – Helen Andrews [x] 1:00--4:06 Headlines [x] = Mentioned / Discussed Featured [x] Google, Microsoft, Meta All Tracking You Even When You Opt Out, According to an Independent Audit High-Profile Deviance [x] Democrat [Kevin Cichowski] who wants to be Florida’s next governor is filmed being arrested after allegedly beating up two elderly people with a cane and phone | Daily Mail Online [x] Tony Gonzales says he will resign from House – POLITICO Eric Swalwell and curious coincidences of timing [x] Swalwell says he plans to resign from Congress amid sexual assault allegations – ABC News [x] Exclusive | Bleary-eyed Eric Swalwell wears a robe, parties with ‘yacht girls' during ‘hush hush' St. Tropez blow-out, wild video shows Double Standard…? [x] Trump, 79, Thirsts Over Woman in Front of Teenage Grandson, Donald Trump III The woman is Nina Coates, a golf content creator from Taiwan. Coates, who lives in Miami, responded to the president's affections on social media. “Yes I'm married,” she wrote alongside a laughing face emoji. A HuffPost analysis released on March 28 found that Trump's golf excursions have cost the taxpayer at least $101.2 million in travel and security expenses since his return to office in January last year. All of Trump's wives have been younger than him. He married his current wife, first lady Melania Trump, in 2005. She is 55, 24 years younger than her husband. Before Melania, there was Marla Maples, who is 62. His first wife, Ivanka Trump,[sic] died at 73 in July 2022. The Rest [x] = Mentioned / Discussed Live Not By Lies Theodore Dalrymple – Wikipedia Anthony Daniels (psychiatrist) – Wikiquote [x] FrontPage Magazine – Our Culture, What's Left Of It [x] THE MYTHOLOGY OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY – A Lecture by Carroll Quigley Ph.D. [x] Bandwagon effect – Wikipedia [x] Mob rule – Wikipedia The Deviance of Trump [x] Donald Trump sexual misconduct allegations – Wikipedia Marla marla maples donald trump rape at DuckDuckGo [x] Scandalous Details About Donald Trump And Marla Maples’ Marriage [x] Trump believed rape accuser E. Jean Carroll was wife in photo [x] ‘It’s Marla’: Donald Trump confuses rape accuser with ex-wife, trial told | US News | Sky News [x] Leaked Donald Trump tapes dredges up 1989 spousal rape accusation Ivana ivana trump, donald trump rape at DuckDuckGo [x] Donald Trump’s ex-wife’s claim he ‘raped’ her resurfaces in new documentary | The Independent | The Independent [x] Did ivana trump say Donald trump raped her Ivanka ivanka trump at DuckDuckGo [x] Ivanka Trump Believes Alleged Victims of Sexual Misconduct—Unless They're Accusing Her Father Donald Trump’s comments about daughter raise eyebrows – CNN – YouTube Donald Trump: “If Ivanka weren’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her.” – YouTube Ivanka Trump: All the times Donald Trump was inappropriate with his daughter | indy100 Donald Trump thinks Ivanka is ‘hot’ and would ‘date her if she wasn’t my daughter’ – The Mirror Donald Trump’s unsettling record of comments about his daughter Ivanka | The Independent | The Independent Behavioral Sink [x] Behavioral sink – Wikipedia [x] Population Density and Social Pathology: When a population of laboratory rats is allowed to increase in a confined space, the rats develop acutely abnormal patterns of behavior that can even lead to the extinction of the population – 1962-calhoun.pdf Beirut on the Charles GQ Article Draws Law Students’ Ire | News | The Harvard Crimson [x] Beirut on the Charles: At faction-ridden Harvard Law School, the only natural impulse that remains above suspicion is ambition itself (Feb, 1993) by John Sedgwick – GQ_BeirutOnTheCharlesFull.pdf Degenerate “Cultural Bolshevism” Herbert Marcuse – Wikipedia Joseph Goebbels – Wikipedia Cultural Marxism conspiracy theory – Wikipedia Marcusean ‘Repressive Tolerance’ at Work Sweet Cakes by Melissa – Cases – First Liberty Klein v. Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries – Wikipedia [x] Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission – Wikipedia On This Day Events April 2026 Calendar of Public Holidays | Office Holidays Holidays and Observances in the United States in 2026 What day is it today? Important events every day ad-free | United States OTD Worldwide Public Holidays Tuesday April 14th 2026 | Office Holidays On This Day – What Happened on April 14 Today in History: April 14, Abraham Lincoln fatally shot at Ford’s Theatre | AP News What Happened on April 14 – On This Day What Happened on April 14 | HISTORY April 14 – Wikipedia What Happened On April 14 In History? 14 | April | 2020 | Executed Today Holidays Dolphin Day (US) Ex-Spouse Day (US) Gardening Day (US) Library Workers Day (US) Pan American Day (US) Pecan Day (US) Reach As High As You Can Day (US) That Sucks Day (US) Yom HaShoah Day (Jewish commemoration) ‘Six million Jews in WWII’ is a grossly inflated number, which is a marginalizing disservice to victims everywhere. That’s not ‘Holocaust denial’. It’s not denying the reality of genocidal tragedy – on the contrary, it affirms the tragedy(s) everywhere. This group does not have a monopoly on tragedy, as R.J. Rummel proved in DEATH BY GOVERNMENT: GENOCIDE AND MASS MURDER in which he coined the term ‘democide’. Despite relentless attempts to denigrate him (wonder why?) David Irving‘s work is instructive, and he is an unimpeachable witness. Why would a man be banned from entire countries simply for his ideas…? There’s also Edwin Black’s IBM and the Holocaust and the subject of what it more broadly represents (i.e., fascism)… There’s also the controversy of the term ‘holocaust’; “A burnt sacrifice; an offering, the whole of which was consumed by fire, among the Jews and some pagan nations”…?? World Quantum Day (Intl) Historical Events 2015 – Archaeologists announce they have found 3.3 million-year-old stone tools at Lomekwi in Kenya, the oldest ever discovered and predating the earliest humans 2003 – The Human Genome Project is completed: The project dedicated to mapping the genes of the human genome was started in October 1990. 2002 – 66th US Masters Tournament: Tiger Woods becomes the third player to claim back-to-back Masters, three strokes ahead of Retief Goosen of South Africa 2000 – Metallica files a lawsuit against the peer-to-peer sharing platform Napster, accelerating a movement against file-sharing programs 1996 – Greg Norman blows six-shot Masters lead in epic collapse: Third-round leader Greg Norman loses a six-shot lead in the final round of the Masters golf tournament and finishes second—one of the worst collapses in sports history. Nick Faldo wins the green jacket, finishing five strokes ahead of Norman. “I played like a bunch of [expletive],” the Australian tells reporters afterward.… read more 1994 – Musician Billy Joel & supermodel Christie Brinkley announce plans to divorce 1994 – In a friendly fire incident during Operation Provide Comfort in northern Iraq, two U.S. Air Force aircraft mistakenly shoot-down two U.S. Army helicopters, killing 26 people. 1991 – The Republic of Georgia introduces the post of President following its declaration of independence from the Soviet Union. 1988 – The USS Samuel B. Roberts strikes a mine in the Persian Gulf during Operation Earnest Will. 1988 – The Soviet Union agrees to withdraw from Afghanistan: In a United Nations ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, the Soviet Union signs an agreement pledging to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan. Soviet troops had invaded the country in 1979 to support the communist rulers. They were defeated primarily by the Mujahideen, who were groups of militant Islamists sponsored by the CIA.123 1986 – U.S. bombs terrorist and military targets in Libya: In retaliation for the April 5 bombing in West Berlin that killed two U.S. servicemen, U.S. president Ronald Reagan orders major bombing raids against Libya, killing 60 people. The raid, which began shortly before 7 p.m. EST (2 a.m., April 15 in Libya), involved more than 100 U.S. Air Force and Navy aircraft, and was over within an… read more 1986 – The heaviest hailstones ever recorded hit Bangladesh: The lumps of ice weighed about 1 kg (2.2 lb). At total of 92 people reportedly died as a result. 1969 – Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand tie for Best Actress Oscar: During the first internationally televised Oscars ceremony, Ingrid Bergman exclaims “It's a tie!” upon opening the Best Actress envelope—the first tie in a major acting category in three decades. The award went to both Katharine Hepburn, for her turn as Eleanor of Aquitaine in The Lion in Winter, and Barbra Streisand,… read more 1960 – Montreal Canadiens win fifth consecutive Stanley Cup: The Montreal Canadiens defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs to win the Stanley Cup for a record fifth year in a row. The Canadiens reached the Stanley Cup Finals after sweeping the Chicago Blackhawks in four games, while the Maple Leafs defeated the Detroit Red Wings, four games to two. The championship… read more 1956 – In Chicago, Illinois, videotape is first demonstrated. 1944 – Explosion on cargo ship rocks Bombay, India: The cargo ship Fort Stikine explodes in a berth in the docks of Bombay, India (now known as Mumbai), killing 1,300 people and injuring another 3,000. As it occurred during World War II, some initially claimed that the massive explosion was caused by Japanese sabotage; in fact, it was a tragic… read more 1939 – The Grapes of Wrath, by American author John Steinbeck is first published by the Viking Press. 1935 – “Black Sunday” Dust Bowl storm strikes: In what came to be known as “Black Sunday,” one of the most devastating storms of the 1930s Dust Bowl era sweeps across the region. High winds kicked up clouds of millions of tons of dirt and dust so dense and dark that some eyewitnesses believed the world was coming to… read more Was it ‘accidentally’ engineered…?678910 1932 – Loretta Lynn is born: Loretta Lynn, a singer who greatly expanded the opportunities for women in the male-dominated world of country-western music, is born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky. Unlike some country-western stars that sang about a rural working class life but lived an urban middle class existence, Loretta Lynn's country roots were unquestionably authentic. Born Loretta… read more 1931 – First edition of the Highway Code published in Great Britain. 1927 – The first Volvo car premieres in Gothenburg, Sweden. 1918 – American pilots engage in first dogfight over the western front: Six days after being assigned for the first time to the western front, two American pilots from the U.S. First Aero Squadron engage in America's first aerial dogfight with enemy aircraft. In a battle fought almost directly over the Allied Squadron Aerodome at Toul, France, U.S. fliers Douglas Campbell and Alan Winslow succeeded in shooting… read more 1912 – Doomed passenger liner RMS Titanic hits an iceberg in the North Atlantic: The subsequent sinking of the world’s largest ocean liner of the time resulted in more than 1500 deaths. It was one of the worst peacetime maritime disasters in history. Was there more to the story…? 1910 – Taft becomes first U.S. president to throw out first pitch at MLB game: Skull and Bonesman,11 President William Howard Taft becomes the first president to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Major League Baseball game. The historic toss on opening day is to star Walter Johnson, the Washington Senators' starting pitcher against the Philadelphia Athletics at National Park in the nation's capital.… read more 1909 – Armenian Genocide: A massacre is organized by Ottoman Empire against Armenian population of Cilicia. Muslims in the Ottoman Empire begin a massacre of Armenians in Adana. 1908 – Hauser Dam, a steel dam on the Missouri River in Montana, fails, sending a surge of water 25 to 30 feet (7.6 to 9.1 m) high downstream. 1906 – The first meeting of the Azusa Street Revival, which will launch Pentecostalism as a worldwide movement, is held in Los Angeles. 1894 – The first ever commercial motion picture house opens in New York City. It uses ten Kinetoscopes, devices for peep-show viewing of films. 1894 – First public showing of Thomas Edison’s Kinetoscope (moving pictures) 1890 – The Pan-American Union is founded by the First International Conference of American States in Washington, D.C. 1890 – Painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir (49) weds Aline Victorine Charigot 1881 – The Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight occurs in El Paso, Texas. 1880 – Philosopher John Muir (41) weds Louisa Strentzel 1865 – William H. Seward, the U.S. Secretary of State, and his family are attacked at home by Lewis Powell. 1865 – Ulysses S. Grant and his wife turn down an invitation to join President and Mrs. Lincoln at Ford's Theatre to see the comedic play Our American Cousin. In doing so, he deprives assassin John Wilkes Booth of a second target. 1865 – U.S. President Abraham Lincoln is shot: President Abraham Lincoln was shot and fatally wounded during a performance of the play Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington; Lincoln was taken to a boarding house across the street and died the following morning at 7:22 am. The assassin, John Wilkes Booth, wanted to revive the Confederate cause, mere days after their surrender to the Union Army, bringing the American Civil War to an end. At least, that’s the official story…45 1846 – The Donner Party of pioneers departs Springfield, Illinois, for California, on what will become a year-long journey of hardship, cannibalism, and survival. 1828 – First Edition of Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language is printed: Noah Webster, a Yale-educated lawyer with an avid interest in language and education, publishes his American Dictionary of the English Language. Webster's dictionary was one of the first lexicons to include distinctly American words. The dictionary, which took him more than two decades to complete, introduced more than 10,000 “Americanisms.” [Because, defining terms is important! Who’s in charge; who decides…?]… read more 1775 – First American abolition society founded in Philadelphia: The Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage, the first American society dedicated to the cause of abolition, is founded in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush. The society changes its name to the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery and the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage… read more 70 – Siege of Jerusalem: Titus, son of emperor Vespasian, surrounds the Jewish capital, with four Roman legions. Births 1975 – Anderson Silva, Brazilian mixed martial artist and boxer (51) 1973 – Adrien Brody, Performer who became the youngest Best Actor Oscar winner playing a Holocaust survivor in The Pianist. (53) 1941 – Pete Rose, Baseball great nicknamed “Charlie Hustle” who topped Ty Cobb’s record for career hits. Banned from the sport in 1989 for gambling. (died 2024) 1932 – Loretta Lynn, Queen of country music who was born a coal miner’s daughter—which inspired her biggest hit and an Oscar-winning biopic. (died 2022) 1925 – Rod Steiger, American soldier and actor (died 2002) 1907 – François “Papa Doc” Duvalier, Haitian dictator (died 1971) 1889 – Arnold J. Toynbee, English historian and academic, key architect of the Third British Empire author of 12-volume A Study of History (Oxford University Press 1939). (died 1975) 1738 – William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (died 1809) Deaths 2021 – Bernie Madoff, American mastermind of the world’s largest Ponzi scheme [except for the Federal Reserve!] (born 1938) 2015 – Percy Sledge, American singer (born 1940) 2013 – George Jackson, American singer-songwriter (born 1945) 2013 – Charlie Wilson, American politician (born 1943) 2007 – Don Ho, American singer and ukulele player (born 1930) 1995 – Burl Ives, American actor, folk singer, writer, and freemason (born 1909) 1943 – Yakov Dzhugashvili, Georgian-Russian lieutenant, eldest son of Joseph Stalin (born 1907) 1759 – George Frideric Handel, German-English organist and composer (born 1685) Footnotes Wikipedia Contributors. “Operation Cyclone.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 May 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Cyclone. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026. ↩ “How Jimmy Carter and I Started the Mujahideen.” CounterPunch.org, CounterPunch, 8 Nov. 2015, www.counterpunch.org/1998/01/15/how-jimmy-carter-and-i-started-the-mujahideen/. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026. ↩ Dixon, Norm. “How the CIA Created Osama Bin Laden.” Green Left, 18 Sept. 2001, www.greenleft.org.au/2001/465/analysis/how-cia-created-osama-bin-laden. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026. ↩ Perloff, James. Exploding the Official Myths of the Lincoln Assassination. 2024, www.amazon.com/dp/0966816064. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026. ↩ Perloff, James. “Announcing James Perloff's Latest Book.” Jamesperloff.net, 2026, jamesperloff.net/announcing-james-perloffs-latest-book/. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026. ↩ FDRLibrary. “FDR and the Dust Bowl.” YouTube, 20 June 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRAbOAim8U8. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026. ↩ Wikipedia Contributors. “Dust Bowl.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Feb. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_Bowl. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026. ↩ Wikipedia Contributors. “Deforestation.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 15 Jan. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestation. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026. ↩ Wikipedia Contributors. “Desertification.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 May 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desertification. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026. ↩ Snyder, Michael. “1930s Dust Bowl Conditions Are Returning to the Middle of the United States.” Substack.com, Michael Snyder's Substack, 8 Apr. 2025, michaeltsnyder.substack.com/p/1930s-dust-bowl-conditions-are-returning. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026. ↩ Best of Danny Jones. “The Man Who Was BORN into the Deep State Finally Speaks | Kris Millegan.” YouTube, 10 Apr. 2026, youtu.be/eM8eMtcNACw. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026. 7:00--34:00 Kris Millegan on; William Howard Taft, Alphonso Taft, William Huntington Russell, Phi Beta Kappa, Skull and Bones, the (family) history of the (modern) opium trade, and American football. ↩

Orbáns blijvende invloed | Wanneer spreken we van een wereldoorlog? | Kennis weggevloeid uit de politiek Trump opent via de Straat van Hormuz een nieuw front dat de bestaande oorlogen in Oekraïne en het Midden-Oosten direct met elkaar verbindt. Ze bespreken de escalatiekansen rond de Rode Zee, Taiwan en de Baltische staten, waar een uitgeputte NAVO en schaarse Patriots de strategische rek uit het Westen halen. Europa ontwijkt bewust deelname aan een Amerikaanse blokkade in Hormuz. De Wijk legt uit hoe Zelensky zelfs het Midden-Oosten opzoekt om steun te organiseren, terwijl Europese leiders vasthouden aan geruststellende verhalen over artikel 5. Boekestijn en De Wijk analyseren hoe populisme, gratisbierretoriek en mediafragmentatie rationeel beleid uithollen, van defensie tot pensioenen. Ze laten zien hoe politici experts bewust negeren, ongemakkelijke keuzes uitstellen en kiezers producten verkopen waarvan ze weten dat ze niet deugen. De vraag blijft hoeveel geopolitieke schokken er nog nodig zijn voordat leiders en kiezers de echte rekening accepteren. [Samenvatting geschreven door AI en gecontroleerd door mens] Over de Podcast Arend Jan Boekestijn en Rob de Wijk gaan onder leiding van Hugo Reitsma op zoek naar de nieuwe wereldorde. Wat betekenen oorlog, machtspolitiek en economische verschuivingen voor Europa en Nederland? In elke aflevering duiken zij in de geopolitieke actualiteit. In 2022 werd Boekestijn en De Wijk uitgeroepen tot winnaar in de categorie Nieuws & Politiek tijdens de Dutch Podcast Awards Reageren? Op X: @ajboekestijn en @robdewijk Bluesky: @hugoreitsma.bsky.social Mail: boekestijnendewijk@bnr.nl Over de makers: Arend Jan Boekestijn is een Nederlands historicus en voormalig politicus. Hij studeerde geschiedenis en politieke wetenschappen aan de Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. Boekestijn is voormalig Tweede Kamerlid (tot 2009). Sinds 1989 is hij verbonden aan de vakgroep geschiedenis van de Universiteit Utrecht en sinds 2016 lid van commissie Vrede en Veiligheid van AIV. Rob de Wijk studeerde eigentijdse geschiedenis en internationale betrekkingen, promoveerde op kernwapenstrategieën, werd hoogleraar in Leiden en richtte in 2007 het Den Haag Centrum voor Strategische Studies op. Hugo Reitsma studeerde rechten en politicologie. Hij werkte eerder als politiek verslaggever en vanuit verschillende conflictgebieden. Hij is auteur van het boek ‘Boekestijn en De Wijk voorspellen de toekomst’ (november 2023).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 127-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 35,584 on turnover of $12.3-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed slightly up at a new closing high Monday after recouping earlier losses, despite U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to blockade the Strait of Hormuz after failing to reach an agreement with Iran. The market moved underwater during most of Monday's session in the wake of Trump's threats, but bargain hunters turned active in the late session, helping the Taiex recover its earlier downturn, with contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in focus. Analysts say investors also have high hopes that TSMC will provide positive leads at its investor conference slated for Thursday, after it reported a new high in sales for the first quarter. Tony Leung in Xinyi for Masterclass Hong Kong actor Tony Leung drew a crowd of fans and industry insiders to Taipei's Xinyi district last night for a masterclass at the Golden Horse Fantasy Film Festival. The multiple Golden Horse best actor winner was accompanied by his wife actress Carina Lau, as fans gathered outside the venue carrying movie posters and merchandise hoping for autographs. The masterclass was open only to film and television industry professionals and students in related fields. Of the one thousand people who applied, just 300 were selected to attend. Following the masterclass, Leung took part in a post-screening discussion alongside Hungarian director Ildiko Enyedi, whose new film "Stille Freundin" features (由…主演) Leung in a lead role. The two shareed their experiences preparing for the film with the audience. (NS) French cement giant Lafarge found guilty of financing terrorism A court in Paris has found the cement giant Lafarge guilty of financing terrorism. The company was ruled to have paid armed groups protection money to maintain its business in Syria after the outbreak of civil war. Ross Cullen reports. Haiti Arrests Suspects in Fatal Stampede Authorities in Haiti have arrested seven suspects, including five police officers, after a fatal stampede (獸群或人群因恐懼引發的奔逃) killed at least 25 people at a historic mountaintop fortress over the weekend. A police statement issued on Monday says that among the arrested are two employees of Haiti's Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage. The institute oversees La Citadelle, a fortress in the northern town of Milot built in the early 1800s where Saturday's stampede occurred. Dozens of people were injured, with 30 reported to still be in hospital on Sunday. It's not clear what caused the stampede. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing. Colombia to Cull Wild Hippos Colombian officials have authorized a controversial plan to cull (限量捕殺) dozens of wild hippos that are descendants of animals brought to the country in the 1980s by notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar. They have been roaming freely around one of the country's most fertile areas, threatening villagers and displacing local species. The animals are not native to South America. Escobar brought in hippos as he built a private zoo at a gigantic ranch that served as his rural abode. Colombia's authorities say previous attempts to control the hippos' population have been expensive and unsuccessful. Because Colombia's hippos come from a limited gene pool and could carry diseases, taking them back to their natural habitat in Africa has been considered unfeasible (不可行的). That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. －－－－以下為 SoundOn 動態廣告－－－－

Queenstown's asking for a bed-tax as tourist numbers roar back. Stats NZ data shows the country's now at 92% of pre-Covid levels, with February visits up more than 53 thousand annually. Chinese tourist numbers jumped the most in February, followed by Australia and Taiwan. Destination Queenstown and Lake Wanaka Tourism Chief Executive Mat Woods told Ryan Bridge a bed-tax for tourists would come in handy country-wide. He says for tourism to be our number one export, we need to be maintaining and investing in infrastructure. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PREVIEW FOR TOMORROW: Piero Tozzi discusses the military purges by Xi Jinping, specifically removing generals cautious about invading Taiwan. This restructuring of the Central Military Commission suggests a shift toward war preparation, despite lingering discontent within the army. (3)1945 SHANGHAI CELEBRATING JAPAN SURRENDER

Dan Nathan and Guy Adami discuss a volatile Friday session after a hotter-than-expected CPI, with software making multi-year lows while semiconductors push to highs, raising the idea that “something's gotta give.” They point to Microsoft's sharp drawdown as emblematic of software weakness and debate whether capitulation is near as earnings approach, while semis rally on incremental AI hardware headlines like Broadcom's TPU-related deal with Google and Anthropic. They consider a 2026 “trade” of bottom-fishing battered software and fading crowded semis, flagging Intel's rich valuation and Qualcomm's lagging performance despite an edge-AI/inference narrative. They also note security stocks selling off despite rising AI-driven vulnerability concerns, warn that any hyperscaler CapEx pullback could hit semis hard, and preview bank earnings amid mixed signals on consumer credit, deregulation/IPO optimism, and cyclical risk, alongside geopolitics affecting oil and Taiwan. Articles Mentioned Why the ‘SaaSpocalypse' doomsayers are wrong (FT) Anthropic Model Scare Sparks Urgent Bessent, Powell Warning to Bank CEOs (Bloomberg) —FOLLOW USYouTube: @RiskReversalMediaInstagram: @riskreversalmediaTwitter: @RiskReversalLinkedIn: RiskReversal Media

Wyatt Gilmore, founder of Grant Stone, joins me to talk about how the brand came together, what he learned spending years working in factories in China and Taiwan, and why quality footwear is about far more than country-of-origin clichés. We get into boots, loafers, suede, shell cordovan, and the realities of making shoes that feel good, age well, and actually earn their place in your closet. Plus, a tease of the upcoming Blamo! x Grant Stone collaboration. https://www.grantstoneshoes.com   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Archie Burnett is a foundational voice in New York's dance and club culture (House of Ninja, Check Your Body at the Door and world-renowned teacher) - someone who's lived through and contributed to the environments that shaped social dance as we know it today. In this episode, we get into the realities of the club scene, the impact of policy and tragedy on nightlife, and how dancers adapted when everything around them shifted. Archie shares what it meant to learn through observation, community, and experience (long before social media). This conversation goes beyond dance into philosophy, identity, and the mindset that's carried Archie through decades of life, work, and movement. Follow Galit: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gogalit Website - https://www.gogalit.com/ Fit From Home - https://galit-s-school-0397.thinkific.com/courses/fit-from-home You can connect with Archie on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/demoncar0007/ Listen to DanceSpeak on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The US government has pushed for years for a war with China, selling billions of dollars of weapons to separatists in Taiwan. However, those plans are falling apart, after the leader of the KMT, the Nationalist Party based in Taipei, took a historic trip to the mainland, promoting peace. Ben Norton explains the importance of Cheng Li-wun's meeting with Xi Jinping, and the complex political history of Taiwan. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiDtfdBYHBQ Topics 0:00 KMT leader visits Beijing 1:28 US "prickly porcupine" strategy 2:09 KMT, Chinese Nationalist Party 2:48 Taiwan's ruling party DPP 3:27 Nancy Pelosi visit 4:17 Taiwan's DPP supports Israel 4:42 Fears of new Ukraine 5:22 US war plans 6:22 US arms sales to Taiwan 7:09 USA uses Taiwan as proxy 8:12 (CLIP) KMT leader on Ukraine 9:08 Is Taiwan the next Ukraine? 9:28 Elections results in 2024 10:12 Lai Ching-te is unpopular 10:54 Iran war hurts Taiwan 11:48 Energy crisis 12:27 TSMC and advanced chips 13:45 Neoliberalism 14:10 Developmental state 14:54 Economic insecurity 15:14 Trump tariff threats 15:48 Beijing does not want war 17:12 Beijing opposes separatism 18:06 UN: Taiwan is part of China 18:50 One China policy 19:46 Map of Taiwan recognition 20:05 List of Taiwan recognition 20:45 Cross-strait relations 22:19 Rising trade 23:13 One country, two systems 24:31 US military bases 24:58 Peaceful reunification 25:27 Poll: Taiwan independence 26:09 Future leader of Taiwan? 26:48 Divisions within KMT 27:27 Modern history of Taiwan 29:05 Chiang Kai-shek 29:41 Democracy? 30:46 Cold War One propaganda 31:39 Sun Yat-sen 34:40 Historic step for peace 36:14 Outro

Ed Lin is the author of The Dead Can’t Make A Living: A Taipei Market Novel. Only SIX available spots for my Monday Night Novel Workshop, if you’ve been putting off writing a novel, this is your call to action to join us. Register here. Ed and I discuss Taiwan, bands we grew up seeing live, including New Order, The Sugarcubes, Public Image Ltd., and of course writing novels. The Novel Approach Workshop with Tony DuShane April 20 – May 18, 2026 Mondays at 6pm PT on Zoom. Limited to six students, register now. Subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, and other podcast outlets. It also airs every Tuesday at 4 p.m. on 92.9FM, Los Gatos and 101.9FM, Santa Cruz on Pirate Cat Radio.

“We keep getting wake-up calls and snoozing the alarm. Now is the time to actually get out of bed and confront this problem before it is too late.” — Eyck Freymann Forget Iran for a moment. The Hormuz crisis is a template for the bigger crisis of Taiwan. Eyck Freymann — Hoover Fellow at Stanford, author of the brand-new Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China — believes that the fate of the 21st century may hinge on Taiwan. And he warns that if America can't handle Iran, it's certainly not ready for Beijing. Freymann argues that China doesn't need to invade Taiwan. Xi Jinping has watched Putin discover — with horror — what happens when you send unprepared forces into a country that fights back. China's lesson from Ukraine is a strategy of quarantine rather than invasion. The United States will then face a choice between accepting Chinese checkmate or escalating a crisis with no domestic or international support. Taiwan produces 90% of the world's advanced semiconductors and 99% of the cutting-edge NVIDIA GPUs used to train frontier AI models. If those chip factories shut, there will be an instantaneous global financial crisis. Forget today's Iranian theater. Taiwan will be the real existential show. Five Takeaways •       The Hormuz Alarm Bell: Iran has no navy, no air force, and supposedly no ballistic missile arsenal anymore — and yet it took 20% of global oil supply offline. The Trump administration went in thinking overwhelming military superiority would translate to political victory. It hasn't. Strategy, Freymann says, is the art of connecting ends to means. If you don't know your ends, you'll flail. China is watching every mistake: no plan for the economic shock, no domestic legitimacy for the war, excess pain falling on oil-importing US allies like Japan, South Korea, and Europe. Beijing's conclusion: we don't have to pick a military fight with the United States. Why would we? •       The Semiconductor Chokehold: Taiwan produces 90% of the world's advanced semiconductors and 99% of the cutting-edge NVIDIA GPUs used to train frontier AI models. The CHIPS Act has tried to change this. It hasn't. The Arizona facility is two generations behind Taiwan, commercially uncompetitive, and unable to scale. Taiwan is five years ahead now and will be five years ahead in five years. If the Taiwan fabs go offline, there is an instantaneous global financial crisis: the seven companies that account for roughly 40% of the S&P 500 are all essentially the AI trade. The hyperscalers are spending $600 billion in data centers this year — the only thing keeping the US economy out of recession. This is what's at stake, before you even get to the military question. •       The Quarantine: Winning Without Fighting: Xi Jinping's plan A is not invasion. It's the quarantine: seize control of who and what comes and goes to Taiwan by declaring that anyone flying to Taipei must first clear customs in Shanghai. Impound a United Airlines flight. Let the ambiguity do the work. If China can do that and get away with it, Taiwan can't rebuild its military, the US can't send more weapons, and Beijing controls the chips. It's checkmate — without a shot fired. The United States then has to accept it, or escalate in a way that has no domestic legitimacy and drives wedges between Washington and its allies. China has figured out how to extort the West with prolonged economic pain. The alarm bells keep ringing. America keeps snoozing. •       What a Taiwan War Would Actually Look Like: It would be a war at sea — fundamentally unlike anything America has fought or prepared for in eighty years. China would need to simultaneously control the skies, the undersea, and the surface on all sides of the Taiwan Strait, then send tens of thousands of men 80 miles across in amphibious vessels to storm beaches in a Normandy-style assault. The first engagements would be decided in minutes to hours by long-range precision munitions. America's operational capabilities are exceptional: the cyber assassinations, the special forces raid, the continuous bomber sorties from the continental United States. But China has home-field advantage. And it has been building systematically for this scenario for years. We could probably win if we fought today. We need to make investments for tomorrow. •       The Four-Pillar Strategy: Freymann's integrated answer: diplomacy, military deterrence, economic resilience, and allied coordination — all working together, not in separate silos. On diplomacy: maintain the principled position that Taiwan's status must be resolved peacefully and democratically. On military: show China it can't win if it escalates to war, while keeping conventional forces credible. On economics: build enough allied resilience that authoritarian powers can't extort the West by threatening prolonged economic pain. On allies: coordinate with Japan, South Korea, the Europeans on a shared plan for what happens if things collapse. This is doable. It's been done for fifty years. We just need the resolve to keep doing it. About the Guest Eyck Freymann is a Hoover Fellow at Stanford University and a Non-Resident Research Fellow at the US Naval War College's China Maritime Studies Institute. He is the author of Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China (Oxford University Press, 2026), The Arsenal of Democracy: Technology, Industry, and Deterrence in an Age of Hard Choices (Hoover, 2025), and One Belt One Road: Chinese Power Meets the World (Harvard, 2021). References: •       Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China by Eyck Freymann (Oxford University Press, 2026). •       “The Strait of Hormuz as a Template for Taiwan,” Financial Times, April 2026. By Eyck Freymann. •       Episode 2862: Truth Is Dead — on AI, disinformation, and American strategic confusion. About Keen On America Nobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States — hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,800 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On America is the most prolific intellectual interview show in the history of podcasting. WebsiteSubstackYouTubeApple PodcastsSpotify 

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 5-points this morning from last week's close, at 35,422 on turnover of $5.9-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed at a historical high Friday with large-cap tech stocks in focus after Israel said it was seeking direct talks with Lebanon. Analysts say market sentiment improved around the region and in Taiwan, investors rushed to buy into tech stocks. Southern Taiwan Sees High Temps Southern Taiwan is seeing summer-like heat today, ahead of a series of weather fronts moving in later this week. The Central Weather Administration has issued heat advisories for Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, and Taitung, warning of temperatures at or above 36 degrees around midday. Taitung County is also on alert for foehn wind conditions. Independent meteorologist Wu De-rong says today and tomorrow will be sunny and stable (穩定) across the island, with morning fog possible in some areas and afternoon heat comparable to midsummer. Wu says a weak front is forecast to drift near northern Taiwan on the 15th and 16th, bringing occasional brief showers to the north while the rest of the island stays mostly sunny. And another weak front is expected to brush through on the 17th and 18th, bringing intermittent showers to the north and east, with the central and southern regions staying partly cloudy and hot. (NS) Easter truce that wasn't Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of violating (違反) a Kremlin-declared Easter ceasefire as Orthodox Christians gathered to celebrate the holiday. The armed forces on both sides said they had recorded thousands of ceasefire violations… Donna Warder again. Cuba President: US No Valid Reasons to Attack Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel said the U.S. has no valid reason to attack the island or to try to depose him. In an interview aired Sunday, he warned that an invasion would be costly and affect regional security. He said Cubans would defend themselves if necessary. The interview comes amid ongoing tensions between the two countries. Diaz-Canel has accused the U.S. of a hostile (敵對的) policy and expresses willingness for dialogue without conditions. Cuba blames a U.S. energy blockade for its deepening woes, with a lack of petroleum affecting the island's health system, public transportation and the production of goods and services. The arrival of a Russian tanker carrying 730,000 barrels of crude oil in Cuba in March marked the island's first oil shipment in three months. Russia has promised to send a second tanker. UK Olivier Awards The Olivier Awards have recognized top achievements in London theater, opera, and dance for 2026. "Paddington The Musical" wins big, taking home awards for New Musical, Actor-Musical, Supporting Actress-Musical, Supporting Actor-Musical, Director, Set Design, and Costume Design. "Punch" is named Best New Play, while "Oh, Mary!" wins for New Entertainment or Comedy. Rosamund Pike and Jack Holden are honored as Best Actress and Actor in a Play. The Special Award goes to Elaine Paige. The awards were handed out on Sunday, celebrating excellence across various (各種各樣的) categories in the performing arts. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. －－－－以下為 SoundOn 動態廣告－－－－ 挺你所想！與你一起生活的銀行 2026/6/30 前使用中信銀行 ATM 完成指定交易就有機會抽中 10,000 點 OPENPOINT。 了解更多>https://sofm.pse.is/8xs6bc 現在把「中信行動銀行 APP」設為桌面小工具 Widget， 出入帳金額不同會顯示不同的插畫圖示，超萌動作或搞怪迷因等你來蒐集！ -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Episode 5290: What The War In Iran Means Globally; Taiwan's Opposition Leaders Meet With China

Today’s podcast covers a wide range of topics, starting with the Pakistani “Peace Talks”, China’s motives in the Iran conflict, hacking China, a few China travel related stories including the longest flight in the world, comparing the cost of “everyday” items in China vs. US, China’s take on Taiwanese “independence”, and finallyall the Chinese cities to pray for this week. Welcome to China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast network! I'm your China travel guide in exile, Missionary Ben. Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I share a new Chinese city or county to pray for every single day. Feel free to write anytime: chinacompass@privacyport.com. All my books, substack, patreon, and everything else can be easily found at PrayGiveGo.us! The Autobiography of John G. Paton (JohnGPaton.com) Borden of Yale: The Millionaire Missionary (BordenofYale.com) Unbeaten: Arrested, Interrogated, and Deported from China (Unbeaten.vip) The Memoirs of William Milne: First Protestant Missionary to Malaysia (PrayGiveGo.us) The World's Longest One-Stop Flight Is Up To 29 Hours https://simpleflying.com/worlds-longest-one-stop-29-hours-flight-explained/ 20 flights: Some Chinese travellers stockpiled air tickets before fuel surcharge hike https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/he-booked-over-20-flights-some-chinese-travellers-stockpile-air-tickets-before-fuel-surcharge-hike The Cost of Everyday Things in China vs. the U.S. https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/cost-of-living-in-china-vs-us/ Xi declares Taiwan independence a threat to peace https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2026/04/10/beijing-ramps-up-pressure-as-xi-declares-taiwan-independence-a-threat-to-peace/215822 Xi Jinping meets new face of Taiwan's opposition as US and Japan watch https://asia.nikkei.com/politics/international-relations/taiwan-tensions/xi-jinping-meets-new-face-of-taiwan-s-opposition-as-us-and-japan-watch This coming week's Pray for China (PrayforChina.us) cities… https://chinacall.substack.com/p/pray-for-china-apr-12-18-2026 Thank you for listening! Subscribe + leave a review on your preferred podcast platform! If you’d like to support our China ministry, that, and everything else can be found @ PrayGiveGo.us. Luke 10, vs 2: the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, so let's ask the Lord for more!

Los eventos de la semana en torno al conflicto Iran/Israel/ Estados Unidos y la frágil y breve tregua pactada; las actuaciones del presidente Trump durante los pasados días; el resurgimiento politico aparente de los demócratas; la visita de la líder de la oposición de Taiwan a China; el referido al FEI de Ciary Perez; el fracaso de la Conferencia Legislativa del PNP; el contraste de la marcha contra Esencia y la pintada de la peña de la Pava.Conducido por Néstor Duprey Salgado y Eduardo Lalo.Síguenos en las redes:Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@PalabraLibrePR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Palabra Libre PR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Página web: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Palabra Libre – Más allá del bipartidismo (palabralibrepr.com)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Spreng, Eberhard www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de, Fazit

Spreng, Eberhard www.deutschlandfunk.de, Kultur heute

Islamabad warns that the gap between the negotiating positions of the US and Iran remains wide. Each has accused the other of breaking the terms of the tentative ceasefire agreed this week. Also: on the first visit by a Taiwanese opposition leader to China in a decade, Cheng Li-Wun meets the Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Her trip has provoked fierce debate back home in Taiwan with many accusing her of cosying up to the communist party on the mainland. As we've previously reported, US First Lady Melania Trump gave a surprise address at the White House, denying any links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein - we hear how survivors of his abuse have reacted. We look ahead to the polls in Hungary on Sunday, with Prime Minister Viktor Orban facing one of his toughest electoral challenges yet, after 16 years in power. A man in his sixties is going on trial in Sweden - suspected of having forced his wife to sell sex to more than 120 men. And the crew of the Artemis II mission make their final preparations to come home.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

I went to Taiwan, but the show must go on. While I was away covering the Taipei Cycle Show, Mike Levy, Lisa Charlebois, and Logan Jones-Wilkins had plenty to talk about. Predictably, things got heavily focused on gravel tire pressure, but that wasn't all. This week, the podcast crew debates why roadies need bigger gravel tires, breaks down Specialized's newest tech, and confesses to their strangest cold-weather clothing hacks. In this episode, we cover: Lisa's 300km Mission: A recap of an epic 193-mile ride through Napa and Sonoma, plus a crucial PSA on the protocol for crossing the Golden Gate Bridge late at night. Specialized's New Pathfinder TLR: Logan is currently working his way through a massive pile of test rubber. He explains why pros like Keegan Swenson opt for the slickest options, but argues the more aggressive Terra tread is actually better for the rest of us. Levy's Tire Volume Hot Take: Levy takes a firm stance that most gravel riders are severely under-tired. His advice to roadies hitting the dirt? Stop obsessing over aero, mount the biggest tires your frame clears, and run an insert. New Roval Gravel Wheels: A quick look at the newly launched Roval Terra Aero CLX and Terra CLX3 wheelsets, including a discussion on their 27mm internal width and the decision to use a wide carbon hook. Questionable Winter Kit: Inspired by Jonas Vingegaard's heavily modified, cut-up winter bib shorts, the crew shares their own extreme cold-weather survival tactics—from crotchless long underwear to the merits of baggy mountain bike pants on a drop-bar bike. Give it a listen, and let us know in the comments if you have a favorite tire or if you think Levy is wrong on his hot take. Episode Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 01:25 - Lisa's 300k 05:04 - Gravel Tires 27:54 - Specialized Wheels 34:28 - Clothing discussion

Former Japanese Ambassador to Australia Shingo Yamagami joins John for a frank conversation about the bilateral relationship between Japan and Australia. Yamagami makes the case that this relationship is essential to the stability of the Indo-Pacific region, especially in light of an assertive and expansionist China. The discussion calls for a refusal to cower beneath China's authoritarian demands, while warning that Australia may not be adequately prepared for a potential conflict over Taiwan. Yamagami argues that internal political and economic pressures within China could create a dangerous window for them to take more aggressive action in the Indo-Pacific. This is a sobering reminder that Australia must renew its commitment to its allies and remain vigilant in protecting its sovereign capabilities.Shingo Yamagami is a Japanese diplomat who served as the Ambassador to Australia from December 2020 to April 2023. Yamagami worked in Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for four decades, also serving in Washington D.C., Hong Kong, Geneva and London. He is now the special advisor to the Japanese corporate law firm TMI Associates, and is the Senior Fellow of Sasakawa Peace Foundation.

The non-ceasefire of the non-war is not holding, and we're now in the historic position of fighting a war over the terms of a ceasefire nobody can agree on. JD Vance says it never included Lebanon, the Iranians say it did, and Pakistan — which mediated the whole thing — is siding with Iran. Naturally.This week we cover Trump's latest five-D chess move (charging Iran protection money for a strait we just decided is too valuable to leave unguarded), the "Trump Eyes" segment where we view recent disasters through the optimistic lens of Donald J. Trump himself, Pam Bondi no-showing the Epstein deposition because she's "unprepared," Melania's surprise press conference distancing herself from a man she definitely never met, and the auto-enrollment draft for any young man foolish enough to get a driver's license.Plus: AI Overlord Court as a peace negotiation framework, why Anthropic should just release the unhinged version of Claude already, and Taiwan's only real path to deterrence (convert to Islam, threaten to blow the semiconductors).Support the show: RobBernsteinComedy.comSend porches: robsnewsroom@gmail.comCatch me opening for Dave Smith in Chicago this weekend.#RunYourMouth #IranWar #Epstein #Trump #PakistanTimestamps: 00:00 - Cold Open: Breaking News Headlines02:30 - Welcome Back / Intro02:54 - The Iran Non-War Ceasefire Collapses03:33 - Auto-Enrollment Draft for Young Men05:58 - The Hormuz Math: A Dollar a Barrel08:00 - Israel Can't Stop Bombing Lebanon11:30 - The Ten-Point Plan Both Sides Agreed To (Sort Of)12:18 - Pakistan Mediated the Truce12:47 - Marco Rubio on the Petrodollar (5D Chess Explained)14:25 - Trump Wants Hormuz as a Joint Venture15:51 - NEW SEGMENT: Trump Eyes17:00 - Trump Eyes: Kristi Noem's Basement Scandal18:48 - Trump Eyes: Fertilizer & Food Prices20:00 - How Trump Got Talked Into the Iran War24:00 - JD Vance's "Please Don't Ruin My Run" Plea25:00 - Ratcliffe & The Regime Change Rebrand26:00 - Sheath Underwear Ad Read28:00 - Live Comments30:00 - EPSTEIN LATEST30:00 - The Easter Bunny / Epstein Throuple Theory33:00 - Bondi Skips the Deposition34:30 - Melania's Surprise Press Conference38:00 - Was This Coordinated With Trump?44:00 - The Victims Respond49:00 - More Comments51:00 - CREATIVE SOLUTIONS: Taiwan vs. China52:00 - AI Overlord Court (Iran's ChatGPT 10-Point Plan)53:30 - Release the Unhinged Version of Claude54:00 - Let Netanyahu Retire to Miami54:57 - Outro / Chicago Show

First Lady Melania Trump denies any relationship with Jeffrey Epstein during an address from the White House. Vice President JD Vance heads to Pakistan to lead fragile talks with Iran. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte visits Washington in an effort to repair ties between the alliance and President Trump. Ukraine and Russia say they will observe a ceasefire during the Orthodox Easter holiday this weekend. Plus, Taiwan's opposition leader holds a controversial meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Listen to the Morning Bid podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Sign up for the Reuters Econ World newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Listen to the Reuters Econ World podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit the ⁠⁠⁠Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement⁠⁠⁠ for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit ⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠⁠⁠ to opt out of targeted advertising. Further Reading Melania Trump denies any Epstein connection, seeks end to ‘lies' US-Iran ceasefire under strain ahead of talks NATO's Rutte tells allies Trump wants Hormuz pledges within days, diplomats say  Russia's Putin announces Orthodox Easter ceasefire, Ukraine's Zelenskiy agrees Exclusive: Tesla is developing a new smaller, cheaper EV China will not tolerate independence for Taiwan, Xi tells island's opposition leader Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peace talks between the U.S. and Iran in Pakistan are uncertain amid disagreement on two-week ceasefire deal. The war in Iran is helping push inflation in the U.S. to its highest level in nearly two years. Canada's latest job numbers are out. Statistics Canada says the country added 14,000 jobs last month. A 12-year-old girl who was left seriously injured in the Tumbler Ridge, BC shooting is heading to the United States for rehab. A Fifth Estate investigation into last year's ostrich cull at a BC farm finds some of the claims made by people opposed don't quite add up. Taiwan's opposition leader Cheng Li-wun is in China to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Astronaut Jeremy Hansen and the Artemis II crew are expected to come back today. 50 years ago today: Peter Frampton releases one of the best selling live albums in rock music history.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored by L3Harris, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Cavas Ships podcast cohost Chris Servello, and former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the two-week Pakistan-brokered ceasefire to allow for negotiations to end the US-Israel war on Iran; what's at stake as Vice President JD Vance leads a Us delegation to Islamabad for direct talks with Iran; US and European pressure on Israel over its Lebanon strategy; NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's Oval Office meeting as President Trump continued to criticize the alliance; Vladimir Putin's proposed Ukraine ceasefire for the duration of the Orthodox Easter; Vance's rush to Budapest to boost the election prospects of Hungarian President Viktor Orban who's lagging in the polls before Sunday's election; two key polls show major shifts in the Indo Pacific sentiment towards the United States and nuclear weapons; a month before Xi Jinping's Beijing meeting with Trump, the Chinese premiere hosted Taiwan's KMT opposition leader Cheng Li-wun as China declared an exclusion zone near Taiwan Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Pyongyang; wear and tear of the Iran mission on US forces; the administration's communications strategy; and Britain monitors Russian activity near its critical seabed infrastructure.

Inmitten großer Spannungen besucht Cheng Li-wun, Chefin der Kuomintang, Xi Jinping. Was bedeutet das?

Opening Remarks & Session 1: What China WantsJohns Hopkins SAIS ACF Conference, April 3, 2026This week's episode features audio from a day-long conference hosted by the Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs (ACF) at Johns Hopkins SAIS, held on April 3rd in Washington, DC. The conference, titled "The China Debate We're Not Having: Politics, Technology, and the Road Ahead," brought together a wide range of scholars, former officials, and analysts to interrogate some of the foundational assumptions underlying US policy toward China — a conversation I found compelling enough to share directly with Sinica listeners, with the full blessing of the organizers.You'll hear two segments in this episode.Opening Remarks — Jessica Chen WeissACF's inaugural faculty director Jessica Chen Weiss opens the conference by framing its central provocation: that much of the prevailing US policy discourse assumes an intrinsically zero-sum competition with China, and that this assumption has not been adequately examined. She argues for a more rigorous, evidence-based conversation — one that takes seriously the possibility that American and Chinese interests are competitive but not necessarily adversarial, and that may even leave room for complementarity in some domains. She previews the day's three thematic sessions — on what China wants, what the United States wants, and the stakes of technological and AI rivalry — and situates the whole enterprise in what she describes as a hinge moment in world history.Session 1: What China WantsModerated by Demetri Sevastopulo of the Financial Times, the first panel takes up the deceptively simple question of what China is actually trying to achieve on the world stage — and whether its ambitions are as expansive as much US policy discourse assumes.Jessica Chen Weiss argues that China's core objectives remain relatively modest and sovereignty-focused: security, development, and legitimacy within an order long dominated by the United States. She pushes back on the idea that China is eager to assume the burdens of global leadership, noting that Chinese interlocutors are acutely aware of the domestic overextension that has constrained American power. Sevastopulo coins — with Weiss's amusement — the term "China-first" to describe Beijing's orientation.Dan Taylor, drawing on his decades in the Defense Intelligence Agency, urges the audience to take Chinese leadership statements seriously rather than projecting worst-case intentions onto them. He notes that Beijing still sees itself as a developing nation with enormous domestic work ahead, and that its articulated goals leave considerable room for interpretation before one arrives at the conclusion that China seeks to displace the United States as global hegemon.Arthur Kroeber adds an economic dimension, tracing how China's export-driven model has generated massive global surpluses — and why the resulting tensions with trading partners are, in his view, a structural problem rather than evidence of strategic malice. He argues that much of what looks like geopolitical aggression is better understood as the consequence of an economic model operating at enormous scale with insufficient domestic demand to absorb its own output.Shao Yuqun, speaking from her perch at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, offers the most pointed challenge to the panel's relatively sanguine framing. She argues that the United States' own behavior — erratic policy, withdrawal from multilateral commitments, and the disruptions of the Trump era — has itself destabilized the order that American strategists claim to be defending. She is measured but direct, and her presence gives the conversation a texture that too many Washington panels lack.The discussion ranges across China's Iran diplomacy, the prospects for a US-China summit, the question of whether Beijing is exploiting Trump-era tensions to deepen ties with traditional US allies, and — in a lively closing exchange — who the next generation of Chinese leadership looks like (with Kroeber's deadpan answer, "Xi Jinping," getting the biggest laugh of the session).Guests:Jessica Chen Weiss, David M. Lampton Professor of China Studies, Johns Hopkins SAIS; Inaugural Faculty Director, ACFDan Taylor, Adjunct Researcher, Institute for Defense Analyses; Senior Fellow, Johns Hopkins SAIS ACFArthur Kroeber, Founding Partner, Gavekal DragonomicsShao Yuqun, Director, Institute for Taiwan, Hong Kong & Macao Studies, Shanghai Institutes for International StudiesModerator: Demetri Sevastopulo, US-China Correspondent, Financial TimesRemaining sessions from the conference — on what the United States wants, tech rivalry and competing visions of the future, and a fireside chat between Henry Farrell and Alondra Nelson on the AI race reconsidered — will be released over the coming weeks.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Several countries across Asia are confirming they experienced major dollar funding losses last month amidst a cash crunch on surging demand for money to buy oil. Officials in Taiwan, Indonesia, India and in other places have had to scramble to contain the monetary pressure, causing several of them to expend significant reserves just to keep their currency values from plunging. Or, plunging more than they did. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis----------------------------------------------------------------------------------What if your gold could actually pay you every month… in MORE gold?That's exactly what Monetary Metals does. You still own your gold, fully insured in your name, but instead of sitting idle, it earns real yield paid in physical gold. No selling. No trading. Just more gold every month.Check it out here: https://monetary-metals.com/snider----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Taiwan's Foreign Reserves Drop Most Since 2011 on Interventionhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-08/taiwan-s-foreign-reserves-drop-most-since-2011-on-interventionBank Indonesia Prioritizes Stability as Rupiah Hits Record Lowshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-07/bank-indonesia-prioritizes-stability-as-rupiah-hits-record-lowsIndonesia's FX Reserves Hit Two-Year Low on Rupiah Defensehttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-08/indonesia-fx-reserves-hit-nearly-two-year-low-on-rupiah-defenceIndia's Central Bank Holds Rate, Vows to Curb Volatile Rupeehttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-08/india-keeps-key-rate-steady-as-weak-rupee-takes-center-stagehttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Episode 523 / Chenlu Hou & Chiara NoBorn in Shandong, China in 1989, Chenlu Hou is currently based in Providence, RI. She earned her MFA in Ceramics from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2019. Since then, she has completed residencies at Museum of Arts and Design in New York, Penland School of Craft, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, and Archie Bray Foundation. Her works have been included in exhibitions at Kristen Lorello, New York; YIRI Arts, Taipei City, Taiwan; the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Texas; and the Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT; among other venues. Hou is currently a resident artist at Harvard Ceramics and a Visiting Critic in Ceramics at the Rhode Island School of Design.Chiara No was born in 1981 in Key West, FL, and currently lives and works in Johnson, VT. She studied Art and Theory at the Glasgow School of Art in 2002-03 and received a BA in Art History from Towson University in 2005 and an MFA from the University of Pennsylvania in 2015. She has been on faculty at School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an instructor at University of Pennsylvania. She has shown at Spring Break New York, NY; MoCA Westport, Westport, CT; Field Projects and Bible, New York, NY; Vox Populi, Philadelphia, PA; EXILE, Vienna, Austria; Johalla Projects, Chicago, IL; and has participated Printed Matter's Art Book Fair in both New York and Los Angeles. Her works on paper are included in the Whitney Museum of American Art's Special Collection, the Walker Art Center's Library and Archives, the Art Institute of Chicago's Joan Flasch Artists' Book Library. Chenlu Hou and Chiara No: What the Hands Remember to Hear. A joint exhibition at the Aldrich Museum of two artists who use ceramic sculpture to explore storytelling and spirituality up through MAY 25, 2026. 

A local South Australian community is rallying around for a woman who could be deported to Taiwan in less than a fortnight, leaving behind her husband and 3 young children. Ying-Hsi Chou [[Ying See Choo]] is pleading with Immigration Minister Tony Burke to allow her to stay in Murray Bridge, after being told she breached her visa over a decade ago. - 南オーストラリア州在住のインシー・チョウさんは、10年以上前のビザ申請書の記入ミスにより、2週間以内にも、夫と幼い3人の子どもたちを残して台湾へ強制送還される可能性があります。

As US President Donald Trump threatens to destroy Iran's “whole civilization” we take a look back at Iran's heritage over the centuries. Also, opposition politician Cheng Li-wun visits China to bolster Taiwan's ties to the mainland as the war in Iran raises concerns about the US's military bandwidth. And, people in South India are creating mechanical elephants to replace real ones during Hindu religious services. Plus, a visit to Akira Comics in Spain, which attributes its success to immersive fantasy. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This week we talk about modems, WiFi, and kinda sorta bribes.We also discuss Huawei, government subsidies, and the FCC.Recommended Book: Replaceable You by Mary RoachTranscriptMany homes, those with WiFi connections to the internet, have two different devices they use to make that connectivity happen.The first is a modem, which is what connects directly to your internet service provider, often via an ethernet jack in the wall that connects to a series of cables webbed throughout your city.The second is a router, which plugs into the modem and then spreads that signal, derived from that network of city-wide cables around your home, either by splitting that single ethernet jack into multiple ethernet jacks, allowing multiple devices to plug into that network, or by creating a wireless signal, WiFi, that multiple devices can connect to wirelessly in the same way. Many routers will have both options, though in most homes and for most modern devices, WiFi tends to be the more common access point because of its convenience, these days.That WiFi signal, and the connection provided via those additional ethernet ports on the router, create what's called a Local Area Network of devices, or LAN. This local area network allow these devices—your phone and your laptop, for instance—to connect to each other directly, but its primary role for most people is using that connection to the modem to grant these devices access the wider internet.In addition to providing that internet access and creating the Local Area Network, connecting devices on that network to each other, routers also usually provide a layer of security to those devices. This can be done via firewalls and with encryption, which is important as unprotected networks can leave the devices plugged into them vulnerable to outside attack. That means if the router is breached or in some other way exploited, a whole company's worth of computers, or all your local devices at home, could be made part of a botnet, could be held hostage by ransomware, or could be keylogged until you provide login information for your banks or other seemingly secure accounts to whomever broke into that insufficiently protected LAN.What I'd like to talk about today is a recently announced ban on some types of routers in the US, the reasoning behind this ban, and what might happen next.—On March 23, 2026, the US Federal Communications Commission announced a ban on the import of all new consumer-grade routers not made in the United States.This ban does not impact routers that are already on the market and in homes, so if you have one already, you're fine. And if you're buying an existing model, that should be fine, too.It will apply to new routers, though, and the rationale provided by the FCC with the announcement is that imported routers are a “severe cybersecurity risk that could be leveraged to immediately and severely disrupt US critical infrastructure.”They also cited recent, major hacks like Salt Typhoon, saying that routers brought into the US provided a means of entry for some components of those attacks.This stated concern is similar to the one that was at the center of the Trump administration's 2019 ban of products made by Chinese tech company Huawei in the United States. Huawei made, and still makes, all kinds of products, including consumer-grade smartphones, and high-end 5G equipment sold to telecommunications companies around the world for use in their infrastructure.The concern was that a company like Huawei might leverage its far better prices, which were partly possible because of backing from the Chinese government, to put foreign competitors out of business. From there, they could dominate these industries, while also getting their equipment deep in the telecommunications infrastructure of the US and US allies. Then, it would be relatively easy to insert spy equipment and eavesdrop on phone calls and data transmissions from phones, or to incorporate kill-switches into these grids, so if China ever needed to, for instance, distract the US and its allies while they invaded Taiwan, they could just push a button, kill the US telecommunications grid, and that would buy them some time and fog of war to do what they wanted to do without immediate repercussions; and undoing a successful invasion would be a million times more difficult than stepping in while it's happening to prevent it.As of 2024, Huawei still controlled about a third of the global 5G market. It controlled about 27.5% back in 2019, the year it was banned in the US and in many US allied nations, so while it's possible they could have grown even bigger than that had the ban not been implemented, they still grew following its implementation.Chinese companies currently control about 60% of the US router market, and it's likely the local, US market will shift, reorienting toward US makers over the next decade or so. But it's possible these Chinese companies will grow their global footprint even further, as previous US bans have pushed them into different, less exploited markets, and that's resulted in a wider footprint for such companies, even if their profits may drop a little after leaving the spendier US market.There's also a pretty good chance we'll see deals to move more manufacturing to the US, which could allow some of these companies to make relatively small changes to their operations in order to bypass the ban entirely.This seems extremely likely, at least in the short term, as all major players in the US router market fall under the FCC's definition of not being entirely US owned and operated, and making consumer-grade routers that are designed or manufactured outside the US. Even the ostensibly more US companies, based and founded here, make their stuff primarily in Southeast Asia; so even those companies would seem to fall afoul of this new rule.The FCC has also given these companies the opportunity to apply for what's called Conditional Approval from the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security, which would require they give a bunch of details about their company and products to these entities, along with plans to manufacture more stuff in the US, and these departments can then give them permission to keep selling in the meantime.It's worth mentioning here that this kind of set up has previously given foreign entities a chance to funnel money into President Trump's properties and businesses, before then speaking with him or one of his representatives and coming to some kind of agreement, the President then instructing the relevant agencies or departments to let those companies through, the ban not applying to them or not applying in the same way.There are concerns that such bans basically operate as requests for bribes, in other words, and those who don't pay up see their customer base dwindle in the US market, while those who do get away with a slap on the wrist so long as they promise to make more stuff in the US at some point—though they're not really held to that promise in any concrete way, and often that's where their efforts stop, at the announcement of such changes.Also worth mentioning is that it's not clear why this applies only to consumer-grade routers, as it would seem like the industrial- and military-grade ones would be of even greater concern, at least based on the claims made by the FCC when announcing this ban.We also don't know why it's being applied to new models, but not models currently being sold, and not those already in our homes; all of which would seem to be just as vulnerable as newer models that haven't made it to the market yet.There's a chance those details will follow, and there's also a chance, again, that this is more about the administration maybe accumulating promises from foreign companies to move manufacturing to the US, because that looks good in an election year, and it's maybe another means of accumulating bribes from companies that would find it far cheaper to make contributions to organizations the President either controls or favors, than to build new manufacturing capacity in the US, or leave the market entirely.Show Noteshttps://www.theverge.com/tech/899906/fcc-router-ban-march-2026-explainerhttps://archive.is/20260326232922/https://www.theverge.com/tech/899906/fcc-router-ban-march-2026-explainerhttps://www.cnet.com/home/internet/i-review-routers-for-a-living-dont-buy-a-router-right-now/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Router_(computing)https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-updates-covered-list-include-foreign-made-consumer-routershttps://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/fcc-banning-imports-new-chinese-made-routers-citing-security-concerns-2026-03-23/https://www.wired.com/story/us-government-foreign-made-router-ban-explained/https://itif.org/publications/2025/10/27/backfire-export-controls-helped-huawei-and-hurt-us-firms/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 5271: Iran War Opens Up Taiwan To China; Will Todd Blanche Remain AG