Podcasts about Taiwan

In this episode, we sit down with J. Michael Waller, a senior analyst for strategy at the Center for Security Policy and author of “Big Intel,” to understand the geopolitical implications of America's capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.“For the first time in a very long time, the President of the United States has reasserted the Monroe Doctrine to keep foreign empires out of our hemisphere,” he says.By capturing Maduro, President Donald Trump sent a signal to all of America's adversaries, but first and foremost to communist China. “Trump has just pulled out a linchpin in an elaborate piece of machinery for the CCP's sprawling global empire,” he says.How did Venezuela devolve from a once prosperous country into an authoritarian hub for drug cartels and a key node of Chinese and Iranian influence? How does Maduro's capture affect Beijing's strategy and calculations when it comes to Taiwan? How will this impact Cuba and Iran? And what does the future hold for Venezuela and its people?Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

When GN Chan and Faye Chen opened Double Chicken Please, the idea of cocktails that taste like food was still a novelty in New York City. Almost immediately, the bar captured local and national attention—and soon after, international acclaim. Within a year, Double Chicken Please rocketed onto the World's 50 Best list, and today it draws lines from the moment the doors open until last call.GN and Faye sit down with Adam to share the story behind the bar's meteoric rise, tracing their journey from aspiring flair bartenders to taking a leap of faith that brought them from Taiwan to New York City. They talk about risk, creativity, and what it really took to build one of the most influential cocktail bars in the world.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastDouble Chicken Please: https://www.instagram.com/doublechickenpleasenycFaye Chen: https://www.instagram.com/fayechen_dcpGN Chan: https://www.instagram.com/ggnchanVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Timestamps00:05:00 – 5 Daily Habits to Practice in 202600:13:00 – Novo Weight Loss Pill Explained00:21:00 – Venezuela Aftermath: Stocks That Could Benefit00:42:00 – Will China Take Taiwan?00:54:00 – Top 3 Sectors to Focus on in 202600:59:00 – 2026 Stock Picks01:11:00 – Where Bitcoin Is Headed01:16:00 – Predictions for 2026 Overall01:27:00 – End-of-Year Market Outlook01:34:00 – MU (Micron) Buy Point Analysis01:36:00 – 2 IPOs to Watch01:39:00 – $1,000 Giveaway

2026: A HOLLOW SUPERPOWER Colleagues Gordon Chang and Charles Burton. Chang and Burton speculate that the US operation in Venezuela exposes China's inability to protect its allies, making Beijing appear "hollow." Chang argues this weakens China's threat against Taiwan, while Burton suggests that with China's economy failing and its allies collapsing, the regime faces internal instability and a loss of global prestige. NUMBER 4

PREVIEW FOR LATER TONIGHT: Cleo Paskal details a new US initiative to support Palau's national defense against Beijing's influence operations and visa-less entries. While headlines focus on Palau accepting 75 US deportees, the underlying deal provides this strategic ally—which recognizes Taiwan—with resources to patrol borders and secure its sovereignty.1930 PALAU

SHOW 1-5-26 THE SHOW BEGINS IN DOUBTS ABOUT VENEZUELA, NIGERIA, SYRIA, RUSSIA, CHINA 1936 KENYA 1. NIGERIA AIRSTRIKE AND THE JIHADIST SHIFT Guest: Edmund Fitton-Brown Edmund Fitton-Brown analyzes a US airstrike against ISIS in Nigeria, discussing the growing jihadist threat in West Africa's "ungoverned spaces." He highlights a strategic shift where African juntas reject Western support for Russian mercenaries, who offer security without governance conditions, inadvertently boosting local support for Al-Qaeda coalitions like JNIM,,. 2. EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN ALLIANCE VS. TURKEY Guest: Edmund Fitton-Brown Fitton-Brown examines the cooperation between Greece, Cyprus, and Israel as a necessary pushback against Turkish President Erdogan's neo-Ottoman expansionism. He argues Erdogan's aggressive rhetoric regarding Jerusalem and maritime claims threatens regional stability, necessitating a unified defense from these democracies to counter Turkish overreach in the Mediterranean,. 3. CHINA'S OIL LOSS IN VENEZUELA Guest: Gordon Chang and Charles Burton The guests discuss how the US removal of Maduro disrupts China's oil supply, leaving Beijing with billions in unpaid debt. They note that Chinese military equipment failed to detect the US operation, embarrassing Beijing. Burton suggests Canada faces a difficult choice between aligning with US hemispheric security or appeasing China,,. 4. 2026: A HOLLOW SUPERPOWER Guest: Gordon Chang and Charles Burton Chang and Burton speculate that the US operation in Venezuela exposes China's inability to protect its allies, making Beijing appear "hollow." Chang argues this weakens China's threat against Taiwan, while Burton suggests that with China's economy failing and its allies collapsing, the regime faces internal instability and a loss of global prestige,. 5. SECTARIAN WARFARE IN SYRIA Guest: Akmed Sharawari Akmed Sharawari reports on escalating violence between Syria's Alawite minority and the central government led by former jihadist Al-Shara. He explains that regime remnants and Russian influence are fueling Alawite defiance, while Druze and Kurdish factions also resist integration, complicating US hopes for a stable, unified post-Assad state,,. 6. WESTERN AIRSTRIKES ON ISIS Guest: Akmed Sharawari Sharawari discusses recent British and French airstrikes against ISIS weapons caches in Syria. He notes that despite opposing the central government, ISIS remains a universal threat. The chaos following the Assad regime's fall has allowed ISIS cells to regroup in urban areas, necessitating Western intervention to destroy their stolen arsenals,. 7. HEZBOLLAH'S LATIN AMERICAN FINANCING Guest: David Daoud David Daoud details Hezbollah's deep entrenchment in Venezuela, used to challenge US hegemony. He explains how the group exploits Latin American networks, illicit trade, and legitimate business fronts within expatriate communities to generate essential funding, compensating for losses in Lebanon and serving Iran's broader strategy in the Western Hemisphere,. 8. LEBANESE ARMY COLLUSION Guest: David Daoud Daoud highlights the compromised nature of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), citing a recent incident where an LAF soldier killed alongside Hezbollah members received a joint funeral. He argues this collusion makes the LAF an untrustworthy partner for Israel, as sectarian loyalties often supersede national duty, leading to dangerous intelligence leaks,. 9. THE FALL OF MADURO Guest: Alejandro Peña Esclusa and Ernesto Araújo Alejandro Peña Esclusa celebrates the swift US capture of Maduro as Venezuela's liberation. He argues Vice President Delcy Rodriguez must now dismantle the "Cartel of the Suns" to avoid Maduro's fate. Ernesto Araújo frames this as a decisive victory for freedom, forcing a choice between democracy and criminal syndicates,,. 10. US DEMANDS: TERRORISTS OUT Guest: Alejandro Peña Esclusa Peña Esclusa supports US demands for Iran, Hezbollah, and the ELN to be expelled from Venezuela, asserting the population shares these desires. He characterizes Maduro as a drug lord and a threat to Western security, criticizing European leftists who condemn the operation for failing to recognize the regime's criminal nature. 11. PANIC AMONG THE LATIN LEFT Guest: Alejandro Peña Esclusa and Ernesto Araújo Ernesto Araújo explains that leftist leaders like Lula and Petro fear the US action against Maduro because their power structures share similar corruption. Peña Esclusa adds that Colombian President Petro is terrified because his campaign was funded by Venezuelan drug money, making him vulnerable to the exposure of these secrets,. 12. THE RIGHTWARD SHIFT IN ELECTIONS Guest: Alejandro Peña Esclusa and Ernesto Araújo Araújo predicts the US action in Venezuela will energize the Latin American right, specifically boosting the Bolsonaro movement in Brazil. Peña Esclusa forecasts electoral defeats for the left in Costa Rica, Peru, and Colombia, arguing the region is turning away from narco-socialism toward US-aligned conservative leadership,. 13. RUSSIA'S MAXIMALIST DEMANDS Guest: John Hardie John Hardie outlines Russia's unyielding demands for peace, including territorial concessions and barring Ukraine from NATO. He notes that while Zelensky is nearing agreement with the West on security guarantees, the gap with Russia remains wide. Hardie urges the Trump administration to increase pressure to force Putin to compromise,. 14. THE IMPOSSIBLE DMZ Guest: John Hardie Hardie discusses the complexities of implementing a demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Ukraine, citing disagreements over sovereignty and administration. Regarding the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, he notes Russia is unlikely to return control to Ukraine. He concludes that peace deals requiring Ukraine to cede territory are "poison pills" likely to fail,. 15. HAMAS AND THE IMPOSSIBLE RECONSTRUCTION Guest: Peter Berkowitz Peter Berkowitz argues that Hamas, as a Muslim Brotherhood offshoot, remains committed to Israel's destruction, making peace impossible. He criticizes the "Project Sunrise" reconstruction plan, noting that US-led development is futile without first disarming and deradicalizing Gaza, a task only the IDF can currently achieve given Hamas's refusal to surrender,. 16. IRAN ON THE BRINK Guest: Jonathan Sia Jonathan Sia reports on unprecedented Iranian protests and rumors that Ayatollah Khamenei plans to flee to Moscow. He attributes the regime's panic to the recent fall of allies like Maduro. Sia notes a shift in protester sentiment toward pro-monarchy chants, suggesting a coordinated opposition now exists to replace the theocracy,.

-Rob revels in Maduro's ouster and laughs at Democrats who hate Trump so much they can't celebrate the fall of a murderous dictator. -On the Newsmax hotline, Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer breaks down Venezuela, Iran's unraveling, Cuba's shaky future, and why China's oil headaches mean Taiwan is safer than Beijing wants to admit. Today's podcast is sponsored by : RELIEF FACTOR - You don't need to live with aches & pains! Reduce muscle & joint inflammation and live a pain-free life by visiting http://ReliefFactor.com now! BEAM DREAM POWDER - Refreshing sleep now 40% off with promo code NEWSMAX at http://shopbeam.com/newsmax BIRCH GOLD - Protect and grow your retirement savings with gold. Text ROB to 98 98 98 for your FREE information kit! To call in and speak with Rob Carson live on the show, dial 1-800-922-6680 between the hours of 12 Noon and 3:00 pm Eastern Time Monday through Friday…E-mail Rob Carson at : RobCarsonShow@gmail.com Musical parodies provided by Jim Gossett (http://patreon.com/JimGossettComedy) Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at http://Newsmax.com/Listen Make the switch to NEWSMAX today! Get your 15 day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at http://NewsmaxPlus.com Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : http://nws.mx/shop Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media:  -Facebook: http://nws.mx/FB  -X/Twitter: http://nws.mx/twitter -Instagram: http://nws.mx/IG -YouTube: https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV -Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/NewsmaxTV -TRUTH Social: https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX -GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/newsmax -Threads: http://threads.net/@NEWSMAX  -Telegram: http://t.me/newsmax  -BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/newsmax.com -Parler: http://app.parler.com/newsmax Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if Venezuela wasn't the headline—but the signal?China is circling Taiwan. Iran is threatening war. North Korea is issuing warnings. And suddenly, world leaders are talking in numbers the Bible warned us about decades ago. Today, we connect the dots and ask the question no one wants to answer: Are we watching the early stages of World War 3? ⭐️: True Gold Republic: Get The Endtime Show special on precious metals at https://www.endtimegold.com 📱: It's never been easier to understand. Stream Only Source Network and access exclusive content: https://watch.osn.tv/browse 📚: Check out Jerusalem Prophecy College Online for less than $60 per course: https://jerusalemprophecycollege.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET. Brad is joined by CNN Military Analyst Cedric Leighton (USAF-Ret.). The two discuss Trump's capture of the Venezuelan President on their soil, and whether or not the action was lawful. Additionally, they posit whether this move by Trump undercuts the U.S. argument that China should keep its hands off of Taiwan. They also analyze the prospect of invading Cuba or Greenland, and the impact of a more Western Hemisphere-centric foreign policy on the security of the U.S. Lastly, the pair details Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's continued retribution against Senator Mark Kelly, a U.S. military veteran, for a video he was part of encouraging military members only to follow lawful orders. Then, Brad is joined by Sarah Jones, Editor-in-Chief of PoliticusUSA. The pair discusses the anniversary of the January 6th insurrection, as well as Jack Smith's recent testimony to Congress on how culpable President Trump is for the attack on our Capitol. Next, they preview the incoming cost increases for Americans' health insurance, thanks to the changes that Trump and Congressional Republicans have made to the Affordable Care Act. Finally, Sarah evaluates how possible it seems for Democrats to retake the House during this year's midterms, and whether the Senate could be attainable. Col. Cedric Leighton is the Founder and President of Cedric Leighton Associates, a strategic risk and leadership consultancy serving global companies and organizations. He founded the company in 2010, after serving in the US Air Force for 27 years as an Intelligence Officer and attaining the rank of Colonel. His website is www.CedricLeighton.com and his handle on BlueSky is @CedricLeighton.bsky.social. Sarah Jones' handle on BlueSky is @politicussarah.bsky.social and the website for PoliticusUSA is www.PoliticusUSA.com. Brad is on the National Journal's panel of political insiders, is an American political analyst for The Times of India TV, and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles. Brad also writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Hill.' You can read his columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His handle on BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social. 

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In this intense episode of Unleashing Intuition Secrets, Leo Zagami joins Michael Jaco to lay out a bold geopolitical forecast — including what Leo sees unfolding through 2026 as global power structures continue to fracture and realign. Leo dives deep into why Venezuela sits at the center of a much larger chessboard, how Russia's grip on Ukraine is shaping the next phase of Europe, and why China's posture toward Taiwan signals far more than a regional dispute. He explains how these flashpoints are interconnected through military leverage, financial pressure, intelligence operations, and long-standing alliances that are now being stress-tested in real time. The conversation accelerates into what Leo believes is coming next — a period where decisions made behind closed doors begin surfacing publicly, alliances harden, and global narratives rapidly shift. Michael and Leo explore how Trump's posture, past strategy, and unfinished confrontations continue to influence today's moves, even outside official office. This isn't a cautious conversation. It's a warning flare — outlining where momentum is building, where resistance remains, and why the years leading into 2026 may define the next global order.

2026-01-04 | UPDATES #088 | Let's carve up the world. It's January 3rd, 2026, and the new year has arrived with the subtlety of guided bomb. In this episode we ask – Caracas today, possibly Taiwan, The Baltics and Greenland tomorrow? The new world disorder didn't wait for Christmas trees and lights to be taken down – it's impatient to assert its power and influence and rewire the world. Overnight, explosions hit Caracas. Power outages. Panic. And then the headlines that we had half expected, but which still feel surreal: The U.S. has invaded Venezuela full-scale, and President Trump claims President Nicolás Maduro — and his wife, Cilia Flores — were captured and flown out of the country. It's being during touted as a “large scale strike” but seems to be so much more than that. (The Washington Post)----------SOURCES: Reuters (Jan. 3, 2026) — U.S. strikes / Trump claim / Venezuela response. Associated Press (Jan. 3, 2026) — strikes, capture claim, legal reservations. Washington Post (Jan. 3, 2026) — live updates, official U.S. response status. The Guardian (Jan. 2–3, 2026) — Maduro interview; strike/capture reporting. Time (Jan. 3, 2026) — escalation context; casualty figure in prior strikes. CBS News (Jan. 3, 2026) — Petro quote calling for UN meeting. The Moscow Times (Jan. 3, 2026) — Russia MFA condemnation (“armed aggression”). Kyiv Independent (Jan. 3, 2026) — recap and framing for Eastern Europe audience. ----------Silicon Curtain is a part of the Christmas Tree Trucks 2025 campaign - an ambitious fundraiser led by a group of our wonderful team of information warriors raising 110,000 EUR for the Ukrainian army. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-silicon-curtainThe Goal of the Campaign for the Silicon Curtain community:- 1 armoured battle-ready pickupWe are sourcing all vehicles around 2010-2017 or newer, mainly Toyota Hilux or Mitsubishi L200, with low mileage and fully serviced. These are some of the greatest and the most reliable pickups possible to be on the frontline in Ukraine. Who will receive the vehicles?https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-silicon-curtain- The 38th Marine Brigade, who alone held Krynki for 124 days, receiving the Military Cross of Honour.- The 1027th Anti-aircraft and artillery regiment. Honoured by NATO as Defender of the Year 2024 and recipient of the Military Cross of Honour.- 104th Separate Brigade, Infantry, who alone held Kherson for 100 days, establishing conditions for the liberation of the city.- 93rd Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar", Black Raven Unmanned Systems Battalion ----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu reviews the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro by US special operations forces, and details China's response to the operation including the impact this will have on China-Venezuela oil deals. Next, Miles breaks down the PLA's the recent Justice Mission 2025 military exercise, and what this means for the continued multilateral defense of Taiwan against mainland incursion. Finally, Miles unpacks Japan's cabinet approval for a record spending increase in the 2026 defense budget, and examines the impact this move will have on Japan's evolving security strategy toward China. China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future.

Welcome to Art is Awesome, the show where we talk with an artist or art worker with a connection to the San Francisco Bay Area. Happy New Year! Cheers to a great 2026! In today's Episode, we continue our Winter Hiatus with a Replay of EP27 from June of 2024, with Illustrator Tucker Nichols... Emily chats with NorCal based artist Tucker Nichols as he shares stories about his spontaneous move to Taiwan, where he immersed himself in a vibrant artistic community. He discusses his extensive body of work, including children's books and the initiative 'Flowers for Sick People.' He reflects on his background, including his mother's influence and his intense study of East Asian art. Tucker's journey includes struggling with Crohn's disease and a career shift to become a full-time artist, supported by his wife. He talks about influential works and places, emphasizing his lifelong passion for art. The podcast concludes with three thought-provoking questions Emily asks every guest.Stay tuned as we return in 2 weeks with a brand new Episode with featuring a new batch of Awesome Artists! About Artist  Tucker Nichols:Tucker Nichols is an artist based in Northern California. His work has been featured at the Drawing Center in New York, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Denver Art Museum, Den Frie Museum in Copenhagen, and the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. A show of his sculpture, Almost Everything On The Table, was recently on view at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. He is currently an Artist Trustee at SFMOMA.His drawings have been published in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, McSweeney's, The Thing Quarterly, and the Op-Ed pages of The New York Times. He is co-author of the books, Crabtree (with Jon Nichols) and This Bridge Will Not Be Gray (with Dave Eggers). Flowers for Things I Don't Know How to Say  was released in March 2024. Flowers for Sick People, his ongoing multimedia project, can be viewed here.Visit Tucker's Website:  TuckerNichols.comFollow Tucker  on Instagram:  @TuckerNichols--About Podcast Host Emily Wilson:Emily a writer in San Francisco, with work in outlets including Hyperallergic, Artforum, 48 Hills, the Daily Beast, California Magazine, Latino USA, and Women's Media Center. She often writes about the arts. For years, she taught adults getting their high school diplomas at City College of San Francisco.Follow Emily on Instagram: @PureEWilFollow Art Is Awesome on Instagram: @ArtIsAwesome_Podcast--CREDITS:Art Is Awesome is Hosted, Created & Executive Produced by Emily Wilson. Theme Music "Loopster" Courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 LicenseThe Podcast is Co-Produced, Developed & Edited by Charlene Goto of @GoToProductions. For more info, visit Go-ToProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Although geographically distant from Chinese shores, Latin America and the Caribbean occupy an important place in Chinese foreign policy. In the past decade, China has significantly expanded its influence in the region. The main vector of Chinese involvement has been economic, including securing access to commodities such as soybeans, copper, oil, and lithium, creating markets for Chinese companies, and deepening financial ties through trade, lending, and infrastructure investment.  On December 10, China released a new white paper on its relationship with Latin America and the Caribbean, the third such document following earlier editions in 2008 and 2016. The White Paper characterizes the region as “an essential force in the process toward a multipolar world and economic globalization.” Its release came on the heels of the Trump Administration's release of its National Security Strategy, which places unprecedented emphasis on the Western Hemisphere and asserts that the US seeks a region “free of hostile foreign incursion or ownership of key assets,” highlighting the growing strategic salience of Latin America and the Caribbean in US-China competition.  To discuss the new White Paper and the implications of China's policies in the LAC for the United States and US-China relations, we are joined by Dr. Evan Ellis. Dr. Ellis is a research professor of Latin American studies at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute. He previously served on the Secretary of State's policy planning staff with responsibility for Latin America and the Caribbean as well as international narcotics and law enforcement issues.Timestamps:[00:00] Introduction[02:07] US and China on a Collision Course? [04:50] Chinese Priorities in Latin America [08:33] U.S. Security Risks from Chinese Port Investments[11:45] How China Uses CELAC to Advance Its Agenda[14:27] How Latin Americans View China's Growing Presence[17:22] Honduras and the Republic of China[21:22] How Beijing Might Address U.S. Concerns [25:09] China's Reaction to US and Venezuela  

One of the prevailing narratives that's emerged following the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela and the detention of President Nicolás Maduro is that this is a major setback for China. Some analysts have called it a "strategic failure" on Beijing's part, while others have described it as "reality check" for China's role as a "global player." But China's ability to influence events in Venezuela and elsewhere in Latin America is extremely limited, so the assessment that what happened in Caracas was a blow to Beijing may also be overstated. Alonso Illueca, CGSP's non-resident fellow for Latin America and the Caribbean, joins Eric from Panama City to discuss whether Maduro's capture presents new risks or opportunities for China.

Abi, raised in Taiwan, now serves with YWAM in Brazil. She values the non-confrontational and conversational nature of the STS training, noting its effectiveness during their work with refugees and homeless individuals. (We apologize for the bit of wind noise).   Links: Simply the Story … Upcoming workshops … God's Story: From Creation to Eternity …  Moment for Eternity - Training for Evangelism   Follow us on Twitter ~ Feedback ~ Facebook ~ iTunes Podcast ~ Vimeo ~ STS Youtube ~ God's Story Youtube

In this episode, host Steve Yates is joined by Andrew J. Phelan, Australian med-tech entrepreneur, former government advisor, and longtime China watcher, for a wide-ranging conversation on the growing global confrontation with the Chinese Communist Party.Phelan reflects on recent events in Australia, including the Bondi tragedy, and examines how information warfare, social media platforms like TikTok, and foreign influence operations are shaping public opinion—especially among younger generations. From there, the discussion expands to Australia's China policy under Prime Minister Albanese, U.S.–Australia alliance dynamics, and the limits of appeasement.The conversation dives deep into the technology Cold War: export controls, semiconductors, AI, supply-chain dependence, Chinese overcapacity, and the role of Western capital in financing China's rise. Phelan argues that 2025 marks a true inflection point—one defined by economic bifurcation, strategic risk, and growing pressure around Taiwan.This episode offers a clear-eyed assessment of where things stand heading into 2026—and why democracies must respond by grounding strategy in values, sovereignty, and long-term discipline rather than short-term convenience. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@ChinaDeskFNW

Japan's new prime minister Sanae Takaichi made waves last fall after saying her country might intervene if China invaded Taiwan. In response, China launched state-organized boycotts against Japan — canceling concerts, restricting seafood imports, and even recalling pandas. Today on the show, what does it look like for a state to organize a boycott, and does it work? Related episodes: How Japan's new prime minister is jolting marketsWhen do boycotts work? Forging Taiwan's Silicon Shield For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he dives into today's top stories shaping America and the world. In this Special War Brief edition of The Wright Report, Bryan delivers an exclusive breakdown of the stunning U.S. operation that captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, examines the legal and strategic fallout of the mission, and warns that while the snatch was flawless, what comes next may be far more dangerous. Operation Absolute Resolve Captures Maduro: U.S. Special Forces and the CIA executed a high-risk overnight raid in Caracas, capturing Nicolás Maduro and his wife from a fortified military base and flying them to New York to face federal drug trafficking charges. The operation involved more than 150 U.S. aircraft, cyber tools that disabled air defenses and electricity, and months of CIA recruitment inside Maduro's inner circle. One U.S. helicopter took fire and one soldier was lightly injured, but the mission succeeded without American fatalities. Legal Gray Zone and Regime Change Risks: Bryan explains the central legal question now facing the Trump administration. If the operation is treated strictly as a law enforcement action, it likely falls within presidential authority. But Trump's own comments about controlling Venezuelan oil, gold, and governance blur that line and raise questions about whether this was de facto regime change, which could require congressional approval. The uncertainty is already complicating Maduro's prosecution and U.S. credibility abroad. Who Runs Venezuela Now: Despite Maduro's removal, his vice president Delcy Rodríguez remains in power and is openly defying Washington, claiming Maduro is still the legitimate leader. Bryan warns that the United States may be attempting a "puppet strategy" rather than a clean transition, relying on hardline Marxists who still control militias, gangs, and narco networks like Tren de Aragua. This creates a volatile mix of criminal, ideological, and guerrilla threats inside a country larger than Texas. Global Shockwaves and Warnings: China reacted with fury and signaled that America's action could justify similar operations against Taiwan. Democrats condemned the raid as unlawful despite years of calling for Maduro's removal. Trump and Secretary Rubio warned that Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, and even Greenland should take note. Bryan cautions that while the operation showcased American intelligence and military excellence, it also exposed U.S. vulnerabilities to retaliation through minerals, sabotage networks, and proxy violence at home. Best Case vs. Worst Case: Best case, the U.S. secures energy access, stabilizes Venezuela, and sends millions of migrants home. Worst case, Venezuela descends into chaos, guerrilla warfare erupts, Tren de Aragua launches attacks inside the United States, and China or Russia escalate through economic or covert retaliation. Bryan concludes that capturing Maduro may prove to be the easiest part of a long and dangerous chapter now unfolding.   "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32     Keywords: Operation Absolute Resolve Maduro capture, CIA Special Forces Caracas raid, Maduro drug trafficking SDNY, Trump Venezuela oil gold control, Delcy Rodríguez power struggle, Tren de Aragua retaliation risk, China Taiwan snatch precedent, Cuba Colombia Mexico warnings, regime change legal authority, Venezuela best case worst case scenario

Watch the full podcast! https://chinauncensored.tv/programs/podcast-321  The CCP's military exercises near Taiwan have never been so aggressive. What are they planning? And how close are they to the real invasion?

Here’s the big invertebrate episode I’ve been promising people! Thanks to Sam, warbrlwatchr, Jayson, Richard from NC, Holly, Kabir, Stewie, Thaddeus, and Trech for their suggestions this week! Further reading: Does the Spiral Siphonophore Reign as the Longest Animal in the World? The common nawab butterfly: The common nawab caterpillar: A velvet worm: A giant siphonophore [photo by Catriona Munro, Stefan Siebert, Felipe Zapata, Mark Howison, Alejandro Damian-Serrano, Samuel H. Church, Freya E.Goetz, Philip R. Pugh, Steven H.D.Haddock, Casey W.Dunn – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1055790318300460#f0030]: Show transcript: Welcome to Strange Animals Podcast. I'm your host, Kate Shaw. Hello to 2026! This is usually where I announce that I'm going to do a series of themed episodes throughout the coming year, and usually I forget all about it after a few months. This year I have a different announcement. After our nine-year anniversary next month, which is episode 470, instead of new episodes I'm going to be switching to old Patreon episodes. I closed the Patreon permanently at the end of December but all the best episodes will now run in the main feed until our ten-year anniversary in February 2027. That's episode 523, when we'll have a big new episode that will also be the very last one ever. I thought this was the best way to close out the podcast instead of just stopping one day. The only problem is the big list of suggestions. During January I'm going to cover as many suggestions as I possibly can. This week's episode is about invertebrates, and in the next few weeks we'll have an episode about mammals, one about reptiles and birds, and one about amphibians and fish, although I don't know what order they'll be in yet. Episode 470 will be about animals discovered in 2025, along with some corrections and updates. I hope no one is sad about the podcast ending! You have a whole year to get used to it, and the old episodes will remain forever on the website so you can listen whenever you like. All that out of the way, let's start 2026 right with a whole lot of invertebrates! Thanks to Sam, warbrlwatchr, Jayson, Richard from NC, Holly, Kabir, Stewie, Thaddeus, and Trech for their suggestions this week! Let's start with Trech's suggestion, a humble ant called the weaver ant. It's also called the green ant even though not all species are green, because a species found in Australia is partially green. Most species are red, brown, or yellowish, and they're found in parts of northern and western Australia, southern Asia, and on most islands in between the two areas, and in parts of central Africa. The weaver ant lives in trees in tropical areas, and gets the name weaver ant because of the way it makes its nest. The nests are made out of leaves, but the leaves are still growing on the tree. Worker ants grab the edge of a leaf in their mandibles, then pull the leaf toward another leaf or sometimes double the leaf over. Sometimes ants have to make a chain to reach another leaf, with each ant grabbing the next ant around the middle until the ant at the end of the chain can grab the edge of a leaf. While the leaf is being pulled into place alongside the edge of another leaf, or the opposite edge of the same leaf, other workers bring larvae from an established part of the nest. The larvae secrete silk to make cocoons, but a worker ant holds a larva at the edge of the leaf, taps its little head, and the larva secretes silk that the workers use to bind the leaf edges together. A single colony has multiple nests, often in more than one tree, and are constantly constructing new ones as the old leaves are damaged by weather or just die off naturally. The weaver ant mainly eats insects, which is good for the trees because many of the insects the ants kill and eat are ones that can damage trees. This is one reason why farmers in some places like seeing weaver ants, especially fruit farmers, and sometimes farmers will even buy a weaver ant colony starter pack to place in their trees deliberately. The farmer doesn't have to use pesticides, and the weaver ants even cause some fruit- and leaf-eating animals to stay away, because the ants can give a painful bite. People in many areas also eat the weaver ant larvae, which is considered a delicacy. Our next suggestion is by Holly, the zombie snail. I actually covered this in a Patreon episode, but I didn't schedule it for next year because I thought I'd used the information already in a regular episode, but now I can't find it. So let's talk about it now! In August of 2019, hikers in Taiwan came across a snail that looked like it was on its way to a rave. It had what looked like flashing neon decorations in its head, pulsing in green and orange. Strobing colors are just not something you'd expect to find on an animal, or if you did it would be a deep-sea animal. The situation is not good for the snail, let me tell you. It's due to a parasitic flatworm called the green-banded broodsac. The flatworm infects birds, but to get into the bird, first it has to get into a snail. To get into a snail, it has to be in a bird, though, because it lives in the cloaca of a bird and attaches its eggs to the bird's droppings. When a snail eats a yummy bird dropping, it also eats the eggs. The eggs hatch in the snail's body instead of being digested, where eventually they develop into sporocysts. That's a branched structure that spreads throughout the snail's body, including into its head and eyestalks. The sporocyst branches that are in the snail's eyestalks further develop into broodsacs, which look like little worms or caterpillars banded with green and orange or green and yellow, sometimes with black or brown bands too—it depends on the species. About the time the broodsacs are ready for the next stage of life, the parasite takes control of the snail's brain. The snail goes out in daylight and sits somewhere conspicuous, and its body, or sometimes just its head or eyestalks, becomes semi-translucent so that the broodsacs show through it. Then the broodsacs swell up and start to pulse. The colors and movement resemble a caterpillar enough that it attracts birds that eat caterpillars. A bird will fly up, grab what it thinks is a caterpillar, and eat it up. The broodsac develops into a mature flatworm in the bird's digestive system, and sticks itself to the walls of the cloaca with two suckers, and the whole process starts again. The snail gets the worst part of this bargain, naturally, but it doesn't necessarily die. It can survive for a year or more even with the parasite living in it, and it can still use its eyes. When it's bird time, the bird isn't interested in the snail itself. It just wants what it thinks is a caterpillar, and a lot of times it just snips the broodsac out of the snail's eyestalk without doing a lot of damage to the snail. If a bird doesn't show up right away, sometimes the broodsac will burst out of the eyestalk anyway. It can survive for up to an hour outside the snail and continues to pulsate, so it will sometimes still get eaten by a bird. Okay, that was disgusting. Let's move on quickly to the tiger beetle, suggested by both Sam and warblrwatchr. There are thousands of tiger beetle species known and they live all over the world, except for Antarctica. Because there are so many different species in so many different habitats, they don't all look the same, but many common species are reddish-orange with black stripes, which is where the name tiger beetle comes from. Others are plain black or gray, shiny blue, dark or pale brown, spotted, mottled, iridescent, bumpy, plain, bulky, or lightly built. They vary a lot, but one thing they all share are long legs. That's because the tiger beetle is famous for its running speed. Not all species can fly, but even in the ones that can, its wings are small and it can't fly far. But it can run so fast that scientists have discovered that its simple eyes can't gather enough photons for the brain to process an image of its surroundings while it runs. That's why the beetle will run extremely fast, then stop for a moment before running again. Its brain needs a moment to catch up. The tiger beetle eats insects and other small animals, which it runs after to catch. The fastest species known lives around the shores of Lake Eyre in South Australia, Rivacindela hudsoni. It grows around 20 mm long, and can run as much as 5.6 mph, or 9 km/hour, not that it's going to be running for an entire hour at a time. Still, that's incredibly fast for something with little teeny legs. Another insect that is really fast is called the common nawab, suggested by Jayson. It's a butterfly that lives in tropical forests and rainforests in South Asia and many islands. Its wings are mainly brown or black with a big yellow or greenish spot in the middle and some little white spots along the edges, and the hind wings have two little tails that look like spikes. It's really pretty and has a wingspan more than three inches across, or about 8.5 cm. The common nawab spends most of its time in the forest canopy, flying quickly from flower to flower. Females will travel long distances, but when a female is ready to lay her eggs, she returns to where she hatched. The male stays in his territory, and will chase away other common nawab males if they approach. The common nawab caterpillar is green with pale yellow stripes, and it has four horn-like projections on its head, which is why it's called the dragon-headed caterpillar. It's really awesome-looking and I put it on the list to cover years ago, then forgot it until Jayson recommended it. But it turns out there's not a lot known about the common nawab, so there's not a lot to say about it. Next, Richard from NC suggested the velvet worm. It's not a worm and it's not made of velvet, although its body is soft and velvety to the touch. It's long and fairly thin, sort of like a caterpillar in shape but with lots of stubby little legs. There are hundreds of species known in two families. Most species of velvet worm are found in South America and Australia. Some species of velvet worm can grow up to 8 and a half inches long, or 22 cm, but most are much smaller. The smallest lives in New Zealand on the South Island, and only grows up to 10 mm long, with 13 pairs of legs. The largest lives in Costa Rica in Central America and was only discovered in 2010. It has up to 41 pairs of legs, although males only have 34 pairs. Various species of velvet worm are different colors, although a lot of them are reddish, brown, or orangey-brown. Most species have simple eyes, although some have no eyes at all. Its legs are stubby, hollow, and very simple, with a pair of tiny chitin claws at the ends. The claws are retractable and help it climb around. It likes humid, dark places like mossy rocks, leaf litter, fallen logs, caves, and similar habitats. Some species are solitary but others live in social groups of closely related individuals. The velvet worm is an ambush predator, and it hunts in a really weird way. It's nocturnal and its eyes are not only very simple, but the velvet worm can't even see ahead of it because its eyes are behind a pair of fleshy antennae that it uses to feel its way delicately forward. It walks so softly on its little legs that the small insects and other invertebrates that it preys on often don't even notice it. When it comes across an animal, it uses its antennae to very carefully touch it and decide whether it's worth attacking. When it decides to attack, it squirts slime that acts like glue. It has a gland on either side of its head that squirts slime quite accurately. Once the prey is immobilized, the velvet worm may give smaller squirts of slime at dangerous parts, like the fangs of spiders. Then it punctures the body of its prey with its jaws and injects saliva, which kills the animal and starts to liquefy its insides. While the velvet worm is waiting for this to happen, it eats up its slime to reuse it, then sucks the liquid out of the prey. This can take a long time depending on the size of the animal—more than an hour. A huge number of invertebrates, including all insects and crustaceans, are arthropods, and velvet worms look like they should belong to the phylum Arthropoda. But arthropods always have jointed legs. Velvet worm legs don't have joints. Velvet worms aren't arthropods, although they're closely related. A modern-day velvet worm looks surprisingly like an animal that lived half a billion years ago, Antennacanthopodia, although it lived in the ocean and all velvet worms live on land. Scientists think that the velvet worm's closest living relative is a very small invertebrate called the tardigrade, or water bear, which is Stewie's suggestion. The water bear isn't a bear but a tiny eight-legged animal that barely ever grows larger than 1.5 millimeters. Some species are microscopic. There are about 1,300 known species of water bear and they all look pretty similar, like a plump eight-legged stuffed animal with a tubular mouth that looks a little like a pig's snout. It uses six of its fat little legs for walking and the hind two to cling to the moss and other plant material where it lives. Each leg has four to eight long hooked claws. Like the velvet worm, the tardigrade's legs don't have joints. They can bend wherever they want. Tardigrades have the reputation of being extremophiles, able to withstand incredible heat, cold, radiation, space, and anything else scientists can think of. In reality, it's just a little guy that mostly lives in moss and eats tiny animals or plant material. It is tough, and some species can indeed withstand extreme heat, cold, and so forth, but only for short amounts of time. The tardigrade's success is mainly due to its ability to suspend its metabolism, during which time the water in its body is replaced with a type of protein that protects its cells from damage. It retracts its legs and rearranges its internal organs so it can curl up into a teeny barrel shape, at which point it's called a tun. It needs a moist environment, and if its environment dries out too much, the water bear will automatically go into this suspended state, called cryptobiosis. When conditions improve, the tardigrade returns to normal. Another animal has a similar ability, and it's a suggestion by Thaddeus, the immortal jellyfish. It's barely more than 4 mm across as an adult, and lives throughout much of the world's oceans, especially where it's warm. It eats tiny food, including plankton and fish eggs, which it grabs with its tiny tentacles. Small as it is, the immortal jellyfish has stinging cells in its tentacles. It's mostly transparent, although its stomach is red and an adult jelly has up to 90 white tentacles. The immortal jellyfish starts life as a larva called a planula, which can swim, but when it finds a place it likes, it sticks itself to a rock or shell, or just onto the sea floor. There it develops into a polyp colony, and this colony buds new polyps that are clones of the original. These polyps swim away and grow into jellyfish, which spawn and develop eggs, and those eggs hatch into new planulae. Polyps can live for years, while adult jellies, called medusae, usually only live a few months. But if an adult immortal jellyfish is injured, starving, sick, or otherwise under stress, it can transform back into a polyp. It forms a new polyp colony and buds clones of itself that then grow into adult jellies. It's the only organism known that can revert to an earlier stage of life after reaching sexual maturity–but only an individual at the adult stage, called the medusa stage, can revert to an earlier stage of development, and an individual can only achieve the medusa stage once after it buds from the polyp colony. If it reverts to the polyp stage, it will remain a polyp until it eventually dies, so it's not really immortal but it's still very cool. All the animals we've talked about today have been quite small. Let's finish with a suggestion from Kabir, a deep-sea animal that's really big! It's the giant siphonophore, Praya dubia, which lives in cold ocean water around many parts of the world. It's one of the longest creatures known to exist, but it's not a single animal. Each siphonophore is a colony of tiny animals called zooids, all clones although they perform different functions so the whole colony can thrive. Some zooids help the colony swim, while others have tiny tentacles that grab prey, and others digest the food and disperse the nutrients to the zooids around it. Some siphonophores are small but some can grow quite large. The Portuguese man o' war, which looks like a floating jellyfish, is actually a type of siphonophore. Its stinging tentacles can be 100 feet long, or 30 m. Other siphonophores are long, transparent, gelatinous strings that float through the depths of the sea, and that's the kind the giant siphonophore is. The giant siphonophore can definitely grow longer than 160 feet, or 50 meters, and may grow considerably longer. Siphonophores are delicate, and if they get washed too close to shore or the surface, waves and currents can tear them into pieces. Other than that, and maybe the occasional whale or big fish swimming right through them and breaking them up, there's really no reason why a siphonophore can't just keep on growing and growing and growing… You can find Strange Animals Podcast at strangeanimalspodcast.blubrry.net. That's blueberry without any E's. If you have questions, comments, corrections, or suggestions, email us at strangeanimalspodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

Hello nerds.It's been a while since I sat down and did what Nerds for Humanity was originally built for. Not shorts. Not algorithms. Not rage bait. But long-form, structural analysis of how power actually works in this country, and why things that feel shocking in the moment are often the predictable outcome of rules written decades ago.This livestream was about Trump's military operation in Venezuela. But not in the way cable news framed it.I wasn't interested in relitigating whether Trump is reckless, authoritarian, or dangerous. If you're reading this Substack, you already know where you land on that. The more important question is this.How was he able to do it?How was a single president able to order a major military operation against a sovereign country, deploy massive air and naval assets, seize the country's leader from its capital, and then inform Congress afterward?The uncomfortable truth is that Trump didn't invent some new authoritarian power. He exploited one that has been sitting in plain sight for more than fifty years.And worse, he did so largely within the mechanics of existing law.The law that was supposed to stop thisIn 1973, in the shadow of Vietnam, Congress passed the War Powers Resolution. Its purpose was simple. Presidents were not supposed to be able to drag the country into war on their own.The law created two central guardrails.First, the president must notify Congress within 48 hours of introducing US forces into hostilities.Second, unless Congress authorizes the action, those hostilities must end within 60 days, with an additional 30-day period allowed for withdrawal.At the time, this seemed reasonable. Military action moved slowly. Wars took time to prepare. You could not overthrow a government in a weekend. The assumption was that Congress would have ample opportunity to intervene before anything irreversible happened.As I said on the livestream,“At that time in 1973 the thinking was well, surely no one can invade a country and capture the head of state inside of 48 hours. They would need weeks to prepare for it.”That assumption is now dangerously obsolete.We are using 1973 traffic laws for modern warfareOne analogy I used resonated with a lot of people.Trying to govern modern warfare with the War Powers Resolution is like applying 1970s traffic rules to autonomous flying cars.The law was written for an era of B-52 bombers, carrier groups, and weeks-long mobilizations. It was not written for drones, cyber operations, special forces insertions, precision strikes, and operations capable of destabilizing or decapitating a regime in days or even hours.Today, a president can dramatically alter another country's political reality before Congress has even finished debating whether the notification email landed in the right inbox.The time-based trigger is the flaw. It assumes time equals restraint. That is no longer true.As I put it during the stream,“This time-based system is flawed. It doesn't work for a world where you can basically destabilize and replace a regime in a few hours.”Trump didn't invent this powerIt is tempting to treat Trump as a unique aberration. He isn't.Modern presidents of both parties have steadily expanded executive war-making authority.George H. W. Bush built up a massive military force in the Gulf before Congress voted, and then received authorization shortly before the 1991 Gulf War began.George W. Bush secured a separate 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force to invade Iraq, and the post-9/11 era normalized expansive readings of both congressional authorizations and Article II authority.The Obama administration conducted extensive drone campaigns and the Libya intervention without a formal declaration of war, arguing that certain operations did not meet the War Powers Resolution's definition of “hostilities.”Every modern president has pushed the envelope. Trump simply sprinted through it.As I said on the livestream,“This has been a loophole that's been used by many presidents. We just relied on them to exercise judgment and honor the office. That honor code is clearly gone.”A system that relies on voluntary restraint is not a system. It is a gamble.Language laundering: from war to “kinetic action”One of the most revealing shifts has been linguistic.Presidents learned that if you do not call something a war, you do not need a declaration of war.So we get euphemisms.“Kinetic action.”“Law enforcement operation.”“Targeted strike.”As I pointed out,“They don't want to say we are conducting warfare. If you don't call it a war, then you don't need a declaration of war.”This is how large-scale military action against a sovereign state becomes a “police-like operation.”If another country flew dozens of military aircraft into Washington, DC and seized the US president, we would call it an act of war without hesitation. Euphemisms only work when we are the ones using them.The public justifications kept shiftingThe administration's public rationale for the Venezuela operation evolved quickly.Initial statements emphasized fentanyl and drug trafficking. Analysts and critics noted that available trafficking data does not identify Venezuela as a significant fentanyl source, which raised questions about that justification.Subsequent messaging emphasized cocaine trafficking and broader security threats, but those claims were also contested.What became clearer over time was that the operation was aimed at exerting decisive pressure on the Maduro regime itself.As I said during the livestream,“What some messaging from inside Trump's orbit suggested was that this was really about regime change.”Trump later publicly discussed American oil companies entering Venezuela, reclaiming seized assets, and modernizing infrastructure as part of a post-Maduro arrangement.If that sounds familiar, it should.“That sounds a little colonial to me.”Because it does.The moral high ground is not abstractEvery time the US violates the sovereignty of another nation under contested legal theories, it weakens the norms it relies on to restrain other powers.As one viewer put it during the livestream,“I'm afraid the US just gave a license to Russia to take Ukraine and China to take Taiwan.”You cannot argue that international law matters only when it constrains other countries. Either it restrains power, or it doesn't.Trump's actions did not just affect Venezuela. They further eroded America's standing in a world already drifting toward a more unstable multipolar order.This is bigger than TrumpOne of my core arguments, and the reason this livestream mattered, is simple.Trump will not be the last president to exploit this structure.Even if Trump disappears tomorrow, the authority remains.History shows that presidents, particularly lame ducks, often become more willing to take foreign risks once electoral constraints disappear.As I said,“We can't rely on Trump or any president. Every president eventually realizes how much power this office has.”This is not about stopping one man. It is about fixing a system that assumes good faith in an era where bad faith is a governing strategy.How the law could actually be fixedThe War Powers Resolution does not need cosmetic reform. It needs modernization aligned with modern warfare.I outlined several possible approaches.First, scale-based triggers. Certain actions should automatically require prior authorization, regardless of duration, such as the use of specific aircraft types, large troop deployments, or major munitions thresholds.Second, target-based triggers. Actions aimed at heads of state, national command infrastructure, or critical civilian systems should never fall under a post-hoc notification model.Third, funding enforcement. If authorization is not granted, funding freezes. No money, no mission.As I argued,“Sometimes the US will have to use force. But introducing liabilities for the whole country should not be determined by one branch alone.”In corporate governance, CEOs cannot acquire companies without board approval. Presidents should not be able to remake countries without congressional consent.A simple test for candidatesThe good news is that this is a fixable problem.Congress can change this law.And elections create leverage.As I said on the livestream,“Now is a great time to ask every candidate one simple question. Do you support updating the War Powers Resolution?”Not a detailed proposal. Not a legal dissertation. Just whether they believe the current system is acceptable.If a candidate believes any president should have a 60-day blank check to wage war, they should say so plainly.The uncomfortable truthI said this near the end of the stream, and it bears repeating.“This is a known vulnerability in the system. It's just time to patch the bug.”We like to tell ourselves that American democracy is protected by norms, traditions, and good people.But systems that rely on virtue instead of constraints always fail eventually.Trump did not invent this power. He stress-tested it.And it failed.Support the channelIf you found this analysis useful and want Nerds for Humanity to keep doing long-form work like this, consider supporting the channel directly.You can become a YouTube channel member to help cover operating costs and get a shout-out on every livestream.Thanks for sticking with the long version.Bye nerds. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nerdsforhumanity.substack.com

當外國客戶/老闆/朋友問台灣熱門新聞或景點時，你該怎麼簡單有力地回覆，同時加深雙方關係呢？ 為了幫助你強化英文社交力，新單元「三句話聊台灣 Taiwan in 3 Sentences」誕生了

Dr. Jerome Corsi delivers a sweeping analysis of a rapidly forming new global order, as international power blocs solidify, regional conflicts intensify, and economic pressures accelerate worldwide.Dr. Corsi examines the implications of renewed U.S. assertiveness in the Western Hemisphere, the re-emergence of sphere-of-influence geopolitics, and why recent events involving Venezuela, Ukraine, Russia, China, Iran, and Taiwan point toward a high-risk period that must be managed carefully to avoid global war. He explains why modern conflicts cannot be allowed to escalate unchecked in a nuclear age and why balance-of-power strategies are re-entering global diplomacy. CN 1 4 26

This is an excerpt from my podcast This Week in Geopolitics. I record new episodes every Monday so give me a follow if you would like to see more!

In today's episode we talk about, China's military drills around Taiwan. Then we'll cover the unrest in Iran and whether it may spell the end of the Islamic Republic. Afterwards we'll go in depth about the kidnapping of Nicolas Maduro and the new strategic realities surrounding this situation Venezuela. All that and more!

Peking führt eine zweitägige Militärübung in der Taiwanstraße durch und betont damit erneut, dass Taiwan Teil Chinas sei. Laut einem neuen Pentagon-Bericht sind Pläne für eine Invasion bis Ende 2027 möglich.

解放軍 Jiěfàngjūn – the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA)展開 zhǎnkāi – to launch; to carry out軍事演習（軍演） jūnshì yǎnxí (jūnyǎn) – military exercise演習 yǎnxí – drill; exercise東部戰區 Dōngbù Zhànqū – Eastern Theater Command宣佈 xuānbù – to announce; to declare正義使命－2025 Zhèngyì Shǐmìng 2025 – “Mission of Justice-2025” (name of the military exercise)裴洛西 Péiluòsī – Pelosi (Nancy Pelosi)圍台軍演 wéi Tái jūnyǎn – military drills encircling Taiwan包圍 bāowéi – to surround; to encircle史上 shǐshàng – in history; ever有感 yǒugǎn – strongly felt; noticeable離島 lídǎo – outlying islands馬祖 Mǎzǔ – Matsu (Taiwanese outlying islands)金門 Jīnmén – Kinmen往返 wǎngfǎn – to go back and forth航線 hángxiàn – air route; flight route航班 hángbān – flight延誤 yánwù – delay實質 shízhì – substantive; real學者 xuézhě – scholar; academic重點 zhòngdiǎn – key point; focus海空戰備警巡 hǎi kōng zhànbèi jǐngxún – naval and aerial combat readiness patrol巡邏 xúnluó – to patrol奪取綜合制權 duóqǔ zònghé zhìquán – to seize comprehensive control掌握 zhǎngwò – to grasp; to control主導權 zhǔdǎoquán – dominance; initiative要港要域封控 yàogǎng yàoyù fēngkòng – blockade and control of key ports and areas外線立體懾阻 wàixiàn lìtǐ shèzǔ – external layered deterrence警告 jǐnggào – to warn; warning輕易 qīngyì – easily; lightly介入 jièrù – to intervene台海情勢 Táihǎi qíngshì – cross-strait situation出售 chūshòu – to sell軍售案 jūnshòu àn – arms sale deal外力介入 wàilì jièrù – foreign intervention強硬 qiángyìng – tough; hardline軍事行動 jūnshì xíngdòng – military action船隻 chuánzhī – vessels; ships屏東 Píngdōng – Pingtung公里 gōnglǐ – kilometer臨海 línhǎi – coastal; territorial waters動用 dòngyòng – to mobilize; to deploy單位 dānwèi – unit; department軍方 jūnfāng – the military海事執法 hǎishì zhífǎ – maritime law enforcement飛航管制 fēiháng guǎnzhì – air traffic control模擬 mónǐ – to simulate封控 fēngkòng – blockade; lockdownFollow me on Instagram: fangfang.chineselearning !

A practitioner in Taiwan shares a comprehensive tale of her cultivation experience. When her practitioner mother passed away she was inspired to take up Dafa wholeheartedly. When she then made a decision to dedicate her career to The Epoch Times, she underwent many tests and tribulations. At critical junctures and during several trials, when she consistently placed saving others above all else, all challenges were benevolently resolved. This and other experience-sharing from the Minghui website.Original Articles:1. [Fahui] Dedicating Myself to Media Work, Elevating Through Truth-Clarification2. Practicing Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance to Be a Good Doctor3. Feeling Calm and Carefree After Becoming a Practitioner, Validating Dafa with a Pure and Clean Heart To provide feedback on this podcast, please email us at feedback@minghuiradio.org

The full length edition of this special Friday Focus episode is being made available to all paying and non-paying subscribers. In this special emergency episode Rudyard and Janice unpack the stunning US invasion of Venezuela and abduction and arrest of its President Nicolas Maduro. Trump's statement that the US would "run" Venezuela for some indeterminate period of time gave little to no indication of a planned transition or a commitment to a democratic outcome. Was Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, the country's new leader, part of a deal with the US prior to Maduro's extraction? If so, the US now has a client regime in Venezuela signalling that the world is indeed returning to a system of spheres of influence. Does Putin now own Eastern Europe? Can Xi Jinping do what he wants in Taiwan? This one abduction could be the green light Russia and China have been waiting for and thus has huge global implications. Meanwhile every leader in the western hemisphere who opposes Trump is now worried about the possibility of being taken in the middle of the night.

Maarten van Rossem en Tom Jessen analyseren de actie van Donald Trump in Venezuela. President Nicolás Maduro is opgepakt en wordt berecht in New York. Tom schetst de geschiedenis van Venezuela en het corrupte bewind dat het land in een crisis stortte. Maarten zet grote vraagtekens bij het olie-argument van Trump, dat volgens hem niet meer past bij deze tijd. Europa reageert afwachtend. China reageert fel. Wat is dit voor signaal aan Poetin in het licht van Oekraïne? En aan Xi Jinping met het oog op Taiwan? En wat betekent dit voor Venezuela, voor de regio en voor de machtsverhoudingen wereldwijd?Luister onze speciale live eindejaarspodcast. Daarin kijken we terug op 2025. De aflevering is te downloaden via deze link.

Delta Electronics (台達電子) is a Taiwanese company in the power management and energy efficiency space. With $14 billion in sales and a $80 billion market cap, Delta is as of this writing Taiwan's third most valuable company behind only TSMC and Foxconn. The stock has skyrocketed 150% so far this year. Guess why? Hint it starts with “A” and ends with “I”. Delta's climb to its current heights took over half a century. In this video, we talk about a quiet Taiwanese power supply giant.

Tim discusses Netanyahu visiting Donald Trump at the White House to get American support for another war with Iran, Israel rebuilding Gaza into an AI smart city, escalating tensions between Putin and Zelensky over Ukraine, China taking Taiwan, and the Trump administration garnishing wages from student loan borrowers who have defaulted. Happy New Year!  American Royalty Tour

BULLETIN: TRUMP'S ILLEGAL WAR WITH VENEZUELA Two months ago, in an interview, Trump's Chief of Staff Susie Wiles "conceded that attacking targets on Venezuela’s mainland would force Trump to get congressional approval. Quote: "If he were to authorize some activity on land, then it’s war, then [we’d need] Congress.'" She was entirely right. Yet overnight Trump invaded Venezuela and seized its leader Nicolas Maduro. To paraphrase his own chief of staff he DID authorize some activity on land, then it’s war, then [we’d need] Congress.'" AND TRUMP BROKE THE LAW AND BREACHED THE CONSTITUTION. And this morning he and his hapless Vice President JD Vance confirmed this is as much about seizing oil - as much about increasing the profits of American corporations - as any supposed "narco-terrorism." Without any Congressional consent, Trump did this - anyway - from inside his madness, from within his monomaniacal delusional fog - without any legal right to do so - without any legal right THERE and without any legal right HERE. On his own. Without congressional approval. Without the nation's approval. Without even the flimsiest of the fig leaves of democracy. Without any international consensus. Without any concern for the consequences. Without any consideration of the precedent he provides China in Taiwan and Russia in Poland and any other tyrannical bandit nation anywhere in this world.And we, thanks to Trump, we - the United States of America - are now that tyrannical bandit nation. It is important to note that on the simple, theoretical scale of who should remain as the leader of a failed rogue state, there is no defense for Nicolas Maduro. There is overwhelming evidence that he fabricated his latest quote “re-election” after first denuding the opposition and the law within his country. Again, by those tokens Trump has just put us on that identical path. And the idea that a country is suffering under a dictator who has no moral right to continue can be said even more easily of Putin. And of Xi in China. And dozens of others, many of whom Trump considers friends, about whom he makes no distinction. Maduro has no moral right to continue as president of Venezuela, and Trump has no moral right to act upon that by himself. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The threat of war with Venezuela, Ukraine on the precipice, a possible counter-revolution in Iran, China eying an invasion of Taiwan and a U.S. president with a radical new understanding of America's role in the world. Moderator Jeffrey Goldberg and Tom Friedman of The New York Times discuss how 2026 could be a dangerous year.

He Strikes Venezuela & Snatches Maduro.  Blows Past Congress and the American People. Welcome to 2026.  In this special QRP (Quick Response Pod), Independent Americans host Paul Rieckhoff rips into Trump's New Year's strike on Venezuela, the snatching of Maduro, and the dawn of America's Forever War 2.0. He breaks down how Trump blew past Congress, flaunted his power, and opened a new and dangerous chapter in American foreign policy—while U.S. troops once again carry the burden on the ground.​ Paul takes you inside the breaking news of Trump's surprise New Year's raid on Venezuela, the Delta Force capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, and Trump's declaration that America will “run the country” and take the oil. He draws sharp parallels to Iraq—without the full-scale invasion—and explains why this is a whole new 2026-style mess with Trump unleashed, Congress sidelined, and the American people kept in the dark.​ From Somalia to Yemen to Syria to now a likely occupation of Venezuela, Paul lays out the growing map of Trump's first-year strikes and why this moment marks the launch of Forever War 2.0. He calls out the failure of imagination in Washington, the hollowing out of media like CBS, and the dangerous consolidation of power that lets Trump do whatever he wants with the most powerful military in the world.​ Speaking as a combat veteran, Paul separates pride in our troops from outrage at the politicians who deploy them, reminding listeners that they execute orders no matter who is president. He warns that Cuba or even Greenland could be next, connects the dots to China watching and waiting over Taiwan, and urges independents everywhere to stay vigilant as 2026 kicks off with “Happy New War.”​ Because every episode of Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff breaks down the most important news stories--and offers light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It's independent content for independent Americans. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope. The podcast that helps you stay ahead of the curve--and stay vigilant. -WATCH video of this episode on YouTube now. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours. ‘ -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  -Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Ways to listen: Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Amazon Podcasts  Ways to watch: YouTube • Instagram  Social channels: X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: First up—new reporting from The New York Times pulls back the curtain on Russia's war machine, revealing a system built on abuse, coercion, and the ruthless exploitation of its own soldiers fighting in Ukraine. Later in the show—fresh warning signs from Beijing, as Xi Jinping uses his New Year's speech to double down on Taiwan, declaring reunification inevitable after a round of large-scale Chinese military exercises. Plus—new details from President Trump's meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu suggest Israel is already floating the idea of a second round of strikes against Iran. And in today's Back of the Brief—Finland seizes a cargo vessel suspected of damaging a vital undersea cable linking two NATO neighbors. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Glorify: Feel closer to God this year with Glorify—get full access for just $29.99 when you download the app now at https://glorify-app.com/PDB.  Stash Financial: Don't Let your money sit around. Go to https://get.stash.com/PDB to see how you can receive $25 towards your first stock purchase. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this holiday special, The World takes you to China. We visit Shenzhen, which has become the most thriving megacity in the world — without the air pollution, overcrowding and failing infrastructure that often accompany rapid expansion. Also, an unpacking of the latest diplomatic spat between China and Japan over Taiwan. And, a peek at the future of transportation innovation from the Automotive World China Exhibition, complete with electric cars and self-driving sanitation vehicles. Plus, the story of a mother who traveled with her adopted daughter to China in search of answers about her past. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Watch the full podcast! https://chinauncensored.tv/programs/podcast-320 A secret base in the Indian Ocean could be critical in the coming war with China. Because after China takes Taiwan, the real battle will begin. Guest Cleo Paskal explains how the UK-US base on Diego Garcia is critical, and how the UK is foolishly handing it to a country that is heavily influenced by the CCP's United Front. Join our fight to expose the CCP at https://chinauncensored.tv and get ALL the new full-length interviews! And check out our other channel, China Uncensored: https://www.youtube.com/ChinaUncensored Our social media: X: https://www.x.com/ChinaUncensored Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChinaUncensored Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ChinaUncensored #China

“If you have a very empty but very conscious mind…then anything can happen in that mind.” – Stan Lai, PhD. Today's featured international bestselling author is a director, legendary playwright, and the co-founder of the Wuzhen Theatre Festival and Huichang Theatre Village, China's most famous living playwright, Stan Lai, PhD. Stan and I had a fun on a bun chat about his book, “CreativitRy: Asia's Iconic Playwright Reveals the Art of Creativity”, his journey from pioneering theater in Taiwan to developing his unique philosophy of creativity, how true creativity requires breaking free from mental constraints, and more!!!Key Things You'll Learn:What inspired Stan to write a book about creativity and finally share it with the U.S.The differences between book promotion in China and the U.S.The need for both wisdom and method in creativityHow labels and preconceived notions limit creativity and authentic experienceWhat People Get Wrong About CreativityDr. Stan's Book: https://a.co/d/eM47mAEThe opening track is titled “Kirin” by Marcus D. To listen to the full track and purchase the whole album, click the following link. https://marcusd.net/album/kirinPlease support today's podcast to keep this content coming! CashApp: $DomBrightmonDonate on PayPal: @DBrightmonBuy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dombrightmonGet Going North T-Shirts, Stickers, and More: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/dom-brightmonThe Going North Advancement Compass: https://a.co/d/bA9awotYou May Also Like…960 – The Power of the Actor with Ivana Chubbuck (@ivanachubbuck): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-960-the-power-of-the-actor-with-ivana-chubbuck-ivanachubbuck/Ep. 301 – “Transformative Creativity” with Firdaus Kharas (@Culture_Shift): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-301-transformative-creativity-with-firdaus-kharas-culture_shift/Ep. 941 – South of the Yangtze with Flora Qian (@FloraQian): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-941-south-of-the-yangtze-with-flora-qian-floraqian/1 - "Burn the Box" with Shawn Purvis @shawnepurvis: https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/1-burn-the-box-with-shawn-purvis-shawnepurvis/946 – How Stories Drive Impact and Inspire Action with Autumn Karen (@autumncarrying): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-946-how-stories-drive-impact-and-inspire-action-with-autumn-karen-autumncarrying/609 - The Film Director's Bag Of Tricks With Mark W. Travis (@MarkWTravis): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/the-film-directors-bag-of-tricks-with-mark-w-travis-markwtravis/Ep. 884 – How to Go From Stuck to Unstoppable with Murielle Marie Ungricht: https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-884-how-to-go-from-stuck-to-unstoppable-with-murielle-marie-ungricht/Ep. 602 – “How to Unlock Your Creative Potential” with Robin Landa (@rlanda): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-602-how-to-unlock-your-creative-potential-with-robin-landa-rlanda/Ep. 720 – “Unleashing Your Creative Potential” with Michaell Magrutsche (@michaellart): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-720-unleashing-your-creative-potential-with-michaell-magrutsche-michaellart/Ep. 1038 – From Bulgaria to Publishing Success by Finding Your Unique Voice with Katerina Stoykova (@Katya_Stoykova): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-1038-from-bulgaria-to-publishing-success-by-finding-your-unique-voice-with-katerina-stoykova/Ep. 320 – “See Your Life As a Movie” with Bob Brill (@BobBrillLA): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-320-see-your-life-as-a-movie-with-bob-brill-bobbrillla/#Bonus Ep. - “Touched By The Music”: Dave Combs On Inspiring And Uplifting People's Lives (@DavidMCombs): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/bonus-ep-touched-by-the-music-dave-combs-on-inspiring-and-uplifting-peoples-lives-davidmcombs/Ep. 1043 – Answering the Call to Become a Multihyphenate Edutainer with Dr. Candy Campbell (@CandyCampbellRN): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-1043-answering-the-call-to-become-a-multihyphenate-edutainer-with-dr-candy-campbell-candyca/

It's time to reveal the Top 5 episodes of Talking Taiwan in 2025. What's notable about these 5 episodes is that they are among the most popular Talking Taiwan episodes of all time.   Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/talking-taiwan-top-5-of-2025-award-winner-end-of-year-review-ep-338/   But before revealing the Top 5 episodes of 2025, let's take look back on 2025, which was a busy year for Talking Taiwan! We hosted the inaugural Talking Taiwan Fundraising Gala at the elegant Eichholtz showroom in New York City in April. It was truly a magical memorable night. In April we were also invited to speak at the North American Taiwanese American Women Association's (NATWA) Annual Conference.   For sometime we've been watching what was happening with the Great Recall in Taiwan which ultimately led to 24 legislators being put up for a recall vote on July 26th and another seven on August 23. The world had not seen anything like this happen on a national level in a democracy! And after Felicia interviewed a group of highly dedicated recall campaigners, she learned firsthand about the grassroots mobilization efforts that resulted in over one million signatures being collected in support of the recall vote, and she felt this was a historic moment that Talking Taiwan should be in Taiwan to cover.   Thanks to an anonymous donor who offered to pay for our flights back to Taiwan and others who made generous donations we were able to travel back to Taiwan for a week to cover the first recall in vote on July 26th. We left shortly after returning from the Taiwanese American Conference- West Coast (TAC-WC) which was held in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was the first time we were invited to speak at TAC-WC about our work. While we were at the conference, we also set up an on-location podcasting studio where we interviewed several of the conference's speakers. We look forward to releasing those episodes very soon in the New Year.   It's been an extremely eventful year for Talking Taiwan with many ups and downs. Spending only a week in Taiwan to cover the Recall Vote in July, and trying to conduct interviews, and edit and produce them in that time period proved to be a bit unrealistic and we'll need to pace ourselves better in the future.   It was also crushing to witness the results of the Recall Vote on July 26th with none of the 24 legislators successfully recalled from office. While still recovering from that ordeal in July, we traveled to T.O. Webfest awards in September where Talking Taiwan was nominated in the Best Ensemble Cast category. While we didn't win, it was our second nomination after being shortlisted at the International Women's Podcast Awards in 2024 and winning a Golden Crane Award in 2021.   As we go into the 13th year of Talking Taiwan, I'd like take a moment to especially thank everyone who has supported Talking Taiwan over the years and made a contribution to help fund our trip to return to Taiwan to cover the Great Recall in July.   We also want to thank each and every one of all of our amazing guests for being a part of the Talking Taiwan podcast.   Special thanks to our listeners. We remain committed more than ever to producing content that matters to people who care about Taiwan.   For links to the top 5 episodes of 2025 visit our website TalkingTaiwan.com. Wishing everyone a Happy Healthy New Year 2026! I'm your host Felicia Lin.   Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/talking-taiwan-top-5-of-2025-award-winner-end-of-year-review-ep-338/

RenMac kicks off 2026 with a wide-ranging discussion on the political reality around affordability and inflation, asset allocation myths, and what to watch as ISM and employment data kick off the year. Dutta argues inflation pressures are easing faster than expected across housing, labor, and energy. deGraaf highlights emerging cyclicality beneath soft year-end trading, cautioning that extended moves in commodities and precious metals are entering bubble territory. And Pavlick outlines why tariff relief is increasingly consumer-focused, how Taiwan and China remain a central geopolitical risk, and why midterm dynamics will shape policy more than campaign rhetoric.

In Episode 121, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso welcome Craig Singleton, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former US diplomat, to examine Taiwan's critical energy vulnerability and China's gray zone coercion strategies. Singleton, co-author of FDD's recent report “Maritime Protection of Taiwan's Energy Vulnerability,” reveals how Taiwan's mere 10-day supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) creates an Achilles heel Beijing could exploit without firing a shot - and why semiconductor supply chains, global economies, and US deterrence strategy all hang in the balance.Taiwan's Energy Crisis: 10 Days to DisasterTaiwan imports 90% of its energy, with over half arriving by sea as LNG from suppliers who may be susceptible to PRC coercion. Through extensive war gaming featuring participants from Taiwan's National Security Council, Japan, Australia and former Trump administration officials including Matt Pottinger, Singleton's team discovered Taiwan would face “Sophie's Choice” dilemmas within two weeks of a Chinese quarantine. The scenario revealed that energy companies would be pressured to comply with new and onerous requirements, while diplomatic pressure to reduce just one LNG shipment per week could trigger cascading blackouts and force Taiwan to choose between powering hospitals or semiconductor fabrication plants.​Quarantine vs. Blockade: The Gray Zone AdvantageSingleton explains the critical distinction between blockades - which carry international legal consequences and can activate UN responses - and quarantines, which exist in “squishy” legal territory that China deliberately exploits. During war gaming, Singleton playing Xi Jinping accomplished every objective without triggering US red lines by characterizing aggressive actions as “safety inspections” and “counter-piracy operations,” language already familiar from South China Sea operations. This asymmetric approach keeps American responses in “off” mode while systematically degrading Taiwan's resilience through political warfare and disinformation campaigns.​Semiconductor Leverage and Allied ResponseWhen Taiwan's war game participants announced they would cut power to TSMC to force international intervention, it represented a mic-drop moment - Taiwan exercising agency by threatening global semiconductor supply chains. The scenario exposed uncomfortable truths about allied commitment, with Japan able to weather the crisis due to substantial LNG reserves, while Australia's involvement remained uncertain despite AUKUS commitments. Singleton argues classic deterrence models map poorly onto gray zone operations, and reestablishing deterrence after allowing coercion to proceed requires “outsized” responses that current political will may not support.​Solutions: From LNG Diversification to Nuclear ReactorsSingleton advocates for increased US LNG exports to Taiwan, enhanced energy storage through hardened mountain facilities and floating terminals, and reconsideration of small modular reactors (SMRs) at key government and military sites - potentially creating a deterrent effect against Chinese targeting due to nuclear fallout risks. The 2025 National Defense Authorization Act's increase from $300 million to $1 billion in foreign military financing for Taiwan represents progress, but energy resilience remains the critical vulnerability China will exploit.

This episode hits hard on the raw frustration boiling over in America as 2025 ends: fraud exposed everywhere, from massive Minnesota voter registrations processed online with zero proof of citizenship to billions siphoned off by NGOs and Somali-style scams in multiple states. President Trump calls out the injustice against Tina Peters on Truth Social, slamming Colorado for ignoring his December pardon of the Gold Star Mom jailed for nine years just for demanding honest elections yet she remains locked up while the system protects the real crooks. We're at a tipping point: only 24% of Americans are satisfied with the country's direction, a steep drop showing outrage over stolen voices, no arrests for the big players, and endless bullshit from the FBI on everything from J6 pipe bombers to election integrity.Guest geopolitical expert Halsey English joins to break it down: Who's really blocking Trump from holding treasonous actors accountable? With escalating U.S. actions against Venezuelan drug ops (tied to China), Beijing's Taiwan drills testing resolve, and Venezuela as a potential proxy flashpoint, is domestic rot deep state sabotage, weaponized agencies, and institutional defiance dooming America to fail, or can we still turn the corner before it's too late?From Elon's fraud estimates to whistleblowers in Ohio and Massachusetts, Andy Frisella's epic rant, and the growing calls to stop paying taxes altogether, this show lays bare the betrayal: hardworking Americans getting screwed while the swamp laughs. The people have had enough fraud, lies, and inaction are pushing us off the cliff. Tune in for unfiltered truth, hard questions, and no punches pulled. America First or we lose it all.

This week, Corinne Fisher discusses a pronunciation correction, some good animal news, and Chappell Roan getting grief for taking Mac money before diving into the biggest news of the week including the pipe bomber with political targets, a drone strike in Venezuella buy the CIA, Nick Shirleys investigation into Somalian Daycare places, an update on the conflict in Gaza, a look on what a year of RFK leading HHS has done for our healthcare system, Trump scaling back how much the US gives to the United Nations, tensions between China and Taiwan escalating and so much more!Original Air Date: 12/31/25You can watch Without A Country LIVE every Wednesday at 9PM on our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjP3oJVS_BEgGXOPcVzlpVw!**PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW ON iTUNES & SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL**Link To The Patreon!https://patreon.com/WithoutACountry?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkThis Week Corinne looks at Governer Hochul being set to sign controversial "Right to die" legistlation in New York!WHERE YOU CAN ANNOY US:Corinne Fisher:Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhilanthropyGalInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/philanthropygalExecutive Producer: Mike HarringtonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/themharrington/Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMHarringtonTheme Song By Free VicesWebsite https://www.freevices.com/Apple Music https://music.apple.com/us/artist/free-vices/1475846774Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/3fUw9W8zIj6RbibZN2b3kP?si=N8KzuFkvQXSnaejeDqVpIg&nd=1&dlsi=533dddc8672f46f0SoundCloud https://on.soundcloud.com/5sceVeUFADVBJr4P7YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCOsgEoQ2-czvD8eWctnxAAw?si=SL1RULNWVuJb8AONInstagram http://instagram.com/free_vicesCORRECTION: Cartagena - CARTAHENNA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvHf52qLRU8(Google pronunciation is wrong)WACO Mailbaghttps://www.wxyz.com/news/dearborn-school-board-member-speaks-out-after-arrest-by-israeli-policeCUTIES CORNER WRAPPEDhttps://www.vox.com/future-perfect/472764/good-news-animals-2025-winsGUUUURLChappell Roanhttps://www.thepinknews.com/2025/12/09/chappell-roan-mac-global-ambassador-role/Pipe Bombhttps://www.npr.org/2025/12/29/g-s1-103881/pipe-bomb-suspect-targeted-political-partiesVenezuela Drone Strike by CIAhttps://www.cnn.com/2025/12/29/politics/cia-drone-strike-venezuelaSomali Daycare Saga continuedhttps://fortune.com/2025/12/30/did-minnesota-lose-federal-funding-youtube-somali-daycare-fraud/Who Is Nick Shirley?https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/30/media/nick-shirley-minnesota-somali-videoThe Making of Mayor Mamdanihttps://archive.ph/uHbSoIsrael/Palestine update:https://www.npr.org/2025/12/30/g-s1-103986/israel-gaza-aid-ngosRFK redid healthcare, long Washington Post article. Summary in ChatGPT:https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/12/30/rfk-jr-hhs-secretary-vaccines/Adapt or Die - our prezhttps://www.cnn.com/2025/12/29/politics/un-humanitarian-aid-us-fundingCould Be Worse (Iran):https://www.thetimes.com/world/middle-east/article/masoud-pezeshkian-iran-president-regime-protests-history-economy-k80vlr3vk?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqfIvzA0VvK0pa5Oq7osJzX0-CMJxSwGVwT5kjws9-PmUL5oAloTLlfB2KgTmg%3D%3D&gaa_ts=69542f8d&gaa_sig=_7Xuut5Zf-4VTgqCZKyuguhnUh4gWGms4CecphjG641S8B1-m9b2QH4sInY7i3UXIoBQbphIqsSBcP5659unVA%3D%3DChina/Taiwan (root of this conflict explained in ChatGPT)https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-military-conduct-live-fire-exercises-around-taiwan-tuesday-2025-12-28See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Get ready for a guns blazing episode of Joe Oltmann Untamed that cuts straight to the bone. Joe rips into the Justice Department's pathetic refusal to make the big arrests, calling out the endless crumbs we're fed while the real corruption, election fraud, money laundering, and foreign influence goes untouched. He slams the “they think you're stupid” mentality, exposes Colorado's communist-style prioritization of criminals and illegals over citizens, and fires back at pieces of garbage like Kyle Clark who can't stop putting him on air (thanks for the free publicity, Kyle)Powerhouse guest Ty Smith 20-year Navy SEAL, tech founder of CommSafe AI, PhD, and leadership expert joins Joe to deliver combat-hardened truth. Ty breaks down how political leadership fails basic SEAL standards of clarity and accountability, how toxic communication is tearing society apart, and what disciplined, faith-driven leadership must look like to reverse economic collapse, open borders chaos, and moral decay. From pushing decisions down the chain to relentless debriefs, Ty shows exactly how to reclaim courage and standards in a paralyzed nation.The show closes with a global wake-up call: Trump's first-ever land strike on a Venezuelan drug facility, China's immediate blockade of Taiwan, Ukraine's drone assassination attempt on Putin, and escalating Russia-Ukraine tensions. Closer to home, Nick Shirley's fearless investigations uncover more Somali fraud in Minnesota centers getting millions despite no kids, mobs harassing truth-tellers, and Gov. Walz's weak excuses. Joe declares: the Uniparty, fraud, and global threats are real. It's time to clean house, hold traitors accountable, and fight like our country depends on it because it does. This is Joe Oltmann Untamed: raw truth, righteous anger, and the battle cry to take our country back. Tune in now!

Episode 5032: China Conducts Naval Practices Against Taiwan; Wakeup Call For America

On this episode of the MeidasTouch Podcast, Ben, Brett, and Jordy break down a truly dangerous moment on the world stage as Donald Trump instantly parrots Kremlin propaganda after Vladimir Putin spreads a blatant lie about a supposed Ukrainian attack—right after Trump's meeting with President Zelenskyy—while global tensions spike with China saber-rattling over Taiwan, Iran claiming it's at war with the U.S., Israel, and Europe, and North Korea launching new missile tests. The episode also dives into the growing MAGA media civil war after Marjorie Taylor Greene publicly exposes Trump in a new New York Times interview, raises serious questions about Trump's health amid visible injection marks on his hands, and calls out his shameful meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu. Plus, the hosts unpack Trump's latest email scams targeting his own supporters, the worsening of the cost of living crisis due to Trump's attacks on climate policy, and much more. Subscribe to Meidas+ at https://meidasplus.com Get Meidas Merch: https://store.meidastouch.com Deals from our sponsors!  BetterWild: BetterWild is offering our listeners up to 40% off your order at https://betterwild.com/MEIDAS OneSkin: Get 20% off One Skin with the code MEIDAS at https://www.oneskin.co/MEIDAS  #oneskinpod DeleteMe: Get 20% OFF your DeleteMe plan! Go to https://JoinDeleteMe.com/MEIDAS and enter code: MEIDAS at checkout! Huel: Grab Huel today in your local Target, or get my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code MEIDAS20 at https://huel.com/MEIDAS20. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steve Hassan: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United Arab Emirates says it will end its operations in Yemen, after Saudi Arabia conducts a strike on the southern port of Mukalla. Riyadh claims the target was a UAE-linked weapons shipment, intended for separatists. The attack marks the most significant escalation in a widening rift between the two Gulf powers, who once cooperated in a coalition against the Houthis. Also: protests are spreading in Iran, sparked by rising prices and the plummeting value of the currency. China has launched rockets on a second day of large-scale military exercises around Taiwan. South Korea announces steep fines for companies found guilty of price fixing. BBC analysis suggests Russian losses in the war with Ukraine have been growing faster than at any time since the start of the full-scale invasion. Nepalese authorities are scrapping a clean-up scheme that was meant to encourage climbers to bring down their waste from Mount Everest. A new search for the wreckage of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH-370 begins in the Indian Ocean. We speak to the dinosaur hunters who discovered a spiky “punk rock" dinosaur. And why the Danish Postal Service will stop delivering letters, ending centuries of service.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