Podcasts about Uzbekistan

Jackie Barzvi is a raqs sharqi (belly dance) instructor and performer originally from Queens, NY, now based in North Carolina. She has been dancing all her life and focuses on folkloric dances from Egypt, North Africa, Iraq, and the Persian Gulf. She recently created the first ever Mizrahi Dance Archive to highlight specific Jewish dances from MENA regions. She has been teaching Middle Eastern dance since 2011 and is passionate about creating environments where people can dance, connect, and build community. The Mizrahi Dance Archive's mission is to collect and organize the information we have of specific Jewish dances from MENA regions and to also bring these dances to life in fun and relevant ways to share with communities all over the world. The Mizrahi Dance Archive is an educational tool to showcase the diversity of the Jewish people and the deep connections between art, dance, and Judaism.In this episode you will learn about:- Following your heart and passion to dance- Belly dance activities in Israel- Jewish music for dancing- Understanding the differences between Mizrahi and Sephardic communities - The influence of Jewish culture on dances in Morocco, Jemen, Tunisia, Uzbekistan and EgyptShow Notes to this episode:Find Jackie Barzvi on FB, Instagram, and website. Also, visit the Mizrahi Dance Archive at www.mizrahidancearchive.com.Mizrahi music mentioned in the podcast:Sarit HadadDudu Tassa & The KuwaitisYemen BluesLala TamarDANCE CHALLENGE with Iana will be announced on December 1st! Stay tuned.Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club. New YouTube show “Artist Date” is available HERE.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Photo:  Stamp of Afghanistan - 1961 - Pomegranate Punica granatum   In general, fruit from Afghanistan, from the Osh Valley in Uzbekistan, from Iran and Azerbaijan, are sweeter, more perfumed, and greatly more delicious than fruit found in Europe or the US.  Speculation is that the summers are hotter and the water is more favorable. Two Weeks after the Tragedy: #ClassicLongWarJournal: @BillRoggio and @ThomasJoscelyn #UNBOUND the complete, forty-minute interview, August 30, 2021. @LongWarJournal.

Elena Ledoux is the definition of a multi-passionate, successful, and values driven entrepreneur. She is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and a shareholder of Boss Security Screens, a leading security screens company in Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. She's also a co-founder and CEO of Superb Maids, the #1 professional house cleaning company in Las Vegas, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, servicing over 5,000 clients. Elena is also a certified business coach with the Conquer program which helps hundreds of service businesses throughout the US and Canada to systemize and scale. Elena Ledoux has won numerous awards, including being named the 2019 SBA's Small Business Person of the Year for the State of Nevada, 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year by the National Association of Women Business Owners, Southern Nevada Chapter, and a finalist for 2020 US Chamber of Commerce's Dream Big Awards – Minority-Owned Business. For her philanthropic work, Elena has won several awards: HealthySunrise Foundation's Distinguished Humanitarian of the Year Award and NiceJob's Community Impact Award. Most recently, Elena became one of the Women Who Inspire Nevada 2021 award recipients. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Elena Ledoux enjoyed working as a defense attorney for a busy private firm in Honolulu. And prior to that, she clerked for two civil division judges in Woodbury, NJ. A first-generation immigrant from Uzbekistan, Elena holds a master's degree in International Economic Relations from Tashkent State Institute where she studied Chinese and Arabic and a juris doctorate from Widener University in Wilmington, DE. Elena is active in assisting fellow immigrants to overcome assimilation challenges, and she is the author of the book, 98 Tips for Achieving the American Dream. In my interview with Elena Ledoux, we discuss: Why Elena is driven to create opportunities for fellow immigrants and how her friendship with a fellow immigrant was the catalyst for her first multi-million dollar company The unique benefits Elena offers employees, including the ability to fire difficult clients and support with buying their first homes How Elena spends an average of 1 hour per week as CEO of Superb Maids (Hint: She uses the Entrepreneurial Organizing System (EOS) and creates a lot of videos for her teams.) How Elena does (and does not) work with business partners, including her husband, so that each leader has autonomy and can stay in their lane Why Elena's favorite question to ask herself is “Am I a cow?” or “Am I a buffalo?” Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Learn more about Elena's companies including Superb Maids, Boss Security Screens, and MommyGo. Follow Elena on Facebook and read her writing on Quora. Get Step into Your Moxie® certified and support your clients (or employees) to amplify their voices, visibility, and influence (while you do the same). Apply here. Please leave a review and subscribe to Moxielicious® via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, or Spotify so you never miss an episode!

At the start of the twenty-first century, a study was released which brought the thirteenth century starkly into the present. A 2003 study led by Chris Tyler-Smith published in the American Journal of Human Genetics simply titled “The Genetic Legacy of the Mongols,” determined that an alarming number of men across Asia, from China to Uzbekistan, carried the same haplotype on their Y-chromosome, indicating a shared paternal lineage. 8% of the studied group, just over 2100 men from 16 distinct populations in Asia shared this haplotype, which if representative of the total world population, would have come out to about 16 million men. This was far beyond what was to be expected of standard genetic variation over such a vast area. The researchers traced the haplogroup to Mongolia, and with the BATWING program determined that the most recent common ancestor lived approximately 1,000 years ago, plus or minus 300 years in either direction. The study determined that this could only be the result of selective inheritance, and there was only man who fit the profile, who had the opportunity to spread his genes across so much of Asia and have them be continually selected for centuries to come; that was Chinggis Khan, founder of the Mongol Empire. Identifying him with the Y-Chromosome haplogroup, the C3* Star Cluster, the image of Chinggis Khan as the ancestor of 0.5% of the world population has become irrevocably attached to his name, and a common addition in the comment sections on any Mongol related topic on the internet will be the fact that he is related to every 1 in 200 men in Asia today. Yet, recent studies have demonstrated that this may not be the case, and that Chinggis Khan's genetic legacy is not so simple as commonly portrayed. I'm your host David, and this is Kings and Generals: Ages of Conquest.       Inside each human being are the genes we inherit from our parents. Distinct alleles within the thousands of genes of our 23 chromosomes affect the makeup of our bodies, from our physical  appearances to blood type. Each allele is inherited from our parents, who inherited from their parents, and so on, leaving in each human being a small marker of every member of their ancestry. Due to interbreeding and mixing over time, people living in a certain region will share  alleles, given that various members of their community shared ancestors at some point. A collection of these alleles is a haplotype, and a group of similar haplotypes with shared ancestry is a haplogroup. Tracing specific haplogroups attached to the Y-Chromosome, for instance, allows us to trace paternal ancestry of selected persons. It was the haplogroup dubbed the C3*star cluster that the researchers identified as Chinggis Khan's haplotype, though later research has redefined it to the C2* star cluster. Thus, while you may see it somewhat interchangeably referred to as C3 or C2, depending on how recent the literature you're reading is. Whoever carried the markers on their chromosome associated with this haplogroup, according to the study, was therefore a descendant of Chinggis Khan. The lineage, it should be noted, does not start with Chinggis Khan; it is detectable in the ancestors of the Mongols dating back at least to the fifth century BCE, to the Donghu people in eastern Mongolia and Manchuria. It is found in high frequencies in populations which had close contact with Mongols from Siberia to Central Asia, as as the Buryats, Udeges, Evens, Evenks, Kazakhs, and in lower frequencies in places conquered by the Mongol Empire. As demonstrated by the 2003 study, a map of these haplogroups lines up rather neatly with a map of the Mongol Empire at the time of Chinggis Khan's death.        The 2003 study found that 8% of the men sampled had high frequencies of haplotypes from a set of closely related lineages, the C2*  star cluster. With the highest numbers of this cluster found in Mongolia, it was the logical origin point for this cluster. Its frequencies in so many populations of the former Mongol Empire seemed to suggest it spread with Mongol imperial expansion. The researchers therefore identified Chinggis Khan and his close male-relatives as the likely progenitors. While the public has understood this as Chinggis Khan and his family raping a massive percentage of the thirteenth century human population, this was not quite what the study implied. Rather, the selective marriage into the Chinggisid royal family, with each son having high numbers of children, and so on for generations due to prestige associated with the lineage, was the cause for the haplogroup's spread.        The study decided that, since the haplogroups showed up in high frequencies among the Hazara of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and as they were deemed to be direct descendants of Chinggis Khan, then this must have meant no one else other than the Great Khan himself was the most recent common ancestor for this haplogroup. The high frequencies across Asian populations, an origin point in Mongolia, an estimated common ancestor approximately a thousand years ago, and association with the supposed Chinggisid Hazaras was the extent of the evidence the study had to make Chinggis Khan the progenitor.       When released, this study made headlines around the world. You'll find no shortage of articles stating that “Genghis Khan was a prolific article,” with the underlying, thought generally unstated, assumption that these genes were spread by a hitherto unimaginable amount of rape, “backed up” by the medieval sources where Chinggis is described taking his pick of conquered women after the sack of a city. It's a useful addition to the catalogue of descriptions to present the Mongols as mindless barbarians, with this study being essentially the scientific data to back up this presentation.  It's now become one of the key aspects of Chinggis Khan's image in popular culture.       However, as more recent studies have demonstrated, there are a number of problems with this evidence presented in the 2003 study. Firstly, later researchers have pointed out how indirect the evidence is for the connection of Chinggis Khan to the C2 lineage. The estimates for the most recent common ancestor can vary widely depending on the methods used; while some estimates can place a figure within Chinggis Khan's epoch, other estimates put the most recent common ancestor for the C2* cluster over 2,000 year ago. Even going by the 2003 study, it still gives a 600 year window for the most recent common ancestor, who still could have lived centuries before or after Chinggis Khan.   One of the most serious assumptions in the study was that the Hazara of Afghanistan were direct descendants of Chinggis KhanThis is an assumption which rests more on misconception than medieval materials. In fact, the thirteenth and fourteenth century sources indicate that Chinggis Khan spent only a brief time in what is now Afghanistan, only from late 1221 and throughout much of 1222, which he largely spent campaigning, pursuing Jalal al-Din Mingburnu and putting down local revolts before withdrawing. There is no indication that a Mongol garrison was left in the region by Chinggis, and it is not until the 1230s that Mongol forces returned and properly incorporated the region into the empire. Still, it was not until the end of the thirteenth century were Chinggisid princes actually staying in the region, when Chagatayid princes like Du'a's son Qutlugh Khwaja took control over the Negudaris. The sources instead describe waves of Mongol garrisons into Afghanistan which began almost a decade after Chinggis Khan's death, from the initial tamma garrisons under Ögedai Khaan's orders to Jochid troops fleeing Hulegu to Afghanistan in the 1260s. Later, from the late fourteenth century onwards, Afghanistan was the heart of the Timurid realm, and while the Timurids shared some descent from Chinggis through marriage, it's not exactly the process which would have led to high percentages of Chinggisid ancestry.Together, this strongly suggests that the Hazara would not bear Chinggisid ancestry in any considerable quantity.   Perhaps most prominently, there is little evidence that connects the C2* star cluster to known descendants of Chinggis Khan. The fact that no tomb of Chinggis Khan or any other known members of his family has been found, means that there is no conclusive means to prove what haplogroups he possessed. Without human remains which undeniably belong to one of his close male relatives or himself, Chinggis Khan's own haplogroup can not ever be reliably identified. Most royal Chinggisid lineages in the western half of the empire, such as that of the Ilkhanate or Chagatais, disappeared long before the advance of genetic sciences. You might think that looking in Mongolia, you'd find a lot of Chinggisids running about, but this is not the case. Even during the empire, many members of the Chinggisid family were spread across Asia, leaving by the end of the fourteenth century largely lines only from his brothers, and of his grandsons Ariq Böke and Khubilai. In the fifteenth century, a massive massacre of the royal family was carried out by the leader of the Oirats and the true master of Mongolia, the non-Chinggisid Esen Taishi. Mongolia was reunified some fifty years later under the Khubilayid prince Dayan Khan, and it was the descendants of his sons who made up the Chinggisid nobility for the next centuries. Then, in the 1930s Soviet supported purges resulted in the near annihilation of the Chinggisid princes, Buddhist clergy and other political enemies. From 1937-1939, over 30,000 Mongolians were killed, and the Dayan Khanid nobility nearly extinguished.   While it is true that today in Mongolia, you can find many people who claim the imperial clan name of Borjigin, this is largely because after democratization in Mongolia in 1990, Mongolians were encouraged to take clan names- a fact that, as many commenters have pointed out, historically the Mongols did not do, unless they were actually members of the Chinggisid royal family. While the 1918 census in Mongolia recorded only 5.7% of the population as being Borjigid, during the recent registering of clan names some 50% chose, of course, the most famous and prestigious name for themselves. Therefore, it's rather difficult to find a lot of a Chinggisids today.   The 2003 study relied on a random selection of people from across Asia, rather than looking specifically for individuals who claimed Chinggisid descent. Other studies which have sought out people who claim Chinggisid ancestry do not support the C2* Star cluster hypothesis of the 2003 study. A 2012 study by Batbayar and Sabitov in the Russian Journal of Genetic Genealogy of Mongolian individuals who could trace their lineage back to Chinggis Khan's fifteenth century descendant, Dayan Khan, found none of them matched the Star cluster proposed by the 2003 study. To overcome the previously mentioned issues about finding Chinggisids, to quote Batbayar and Sabitov, “In this study, seven patrilineal descendants of [...] Dayan Khan and two of Chinggis Khan's brothers' descendants were chosen for Y-chromosome DNA sequencing. Rather than testing a multitude of subjects, for the sake of accuracy, the most legitimate and proven descendants of Dayan Khan were selected. The DNA donors were selected based upon their official Mongol and Manchu titles and ranks, which were precisely recorded in Mongolian, Manchu, and Soviet documents.” Essentially, as close as you can get to a definite, unbroken paternal line from Chinggis Khan, given the 800 years since his death. When they compared the Dayan Khanid descendants, the descendants of Chinggis' brothers, and those who could reliable claimed ancestry from Chinggis' son Jochi, Batbayar and Sabitov demonstrated that essentially each lineage bore different haplogroups, and none, except for a small branch of the Jochids, bore the C2* star cluster of the 2003 study.    Study of the bodies of medieval Mongol burials have likewise yielded contrasting results when their DNA has been examined.  One of the most notable burials which has been studied is the Tavan Tolgoi suit, from eastern Mongolia. Essentially it was a burial of an extremely wealthy family, dated to the mid-thirteenth century. Adorned with jewelry and buried in coffins made of Cinnamon, which would have had to be imported from southeastern Asia, the researcher suggested due to such obvious wealth and power that they must have been Chinggisid. Their bodies showed haplogroups associated, interestingly enough, with western Asia populations, with effectively no descendants in modern Mongolian populations, and most definitely, not the C2* star cluster. This led to the 2016 study by Gavaachimed Lkhagvasuren et al., titled “Molecular Genealogy of a Mongol Queen's Family and her Possible kinship with Genghis Khan,” to suggest Chinggis must have borne this haplogroup, and possibly, western Asian ancestry. He also pointed to supposed descriptions of Chinggis Khan having red hair as possible supporting literary evidence.    But this is not reliable evidence. Firstly, none of the graves conclusively can be identified as Chinggisid.  The Chinggisid's known preference for burials on Burkhan Khaldun seems unlikely to make the Tavan Tolgoi burials a close relation.  Further, the “red hair” description of Chinggis Khan comes from a mistranslation of a phrase from Rashid al-Din's Compendium of Chronicles, where Chinggis remarks that young Khubilai lacked his grandfather's ruddy features, indicating not red hair, but a face red in colour; hardly uncommon for a man who spent his lifetime in the harsh winds of the steppe. Therefore, the Tavan Tolgoi burials seem more likely to represent a family, possibly of Qipchaq origin, taken from western Asia, incorporated into the Mongol military and gaining wealth and power- hardly unusual in the Mongol army, but revealing nothing of Chinggis' haplogroups. Other wealthy burials of nobility from the Mongol Empire in Mongolia and northern China have revealed differing chromosomal haplogroups, providing no answer as of yet to the question of the Great Khan's own genetic lineage.   Much like the 2003's study erroneous identification of the Hazaras as direct descendants of Chinggis Khan, a more recent study demonstrates the pitfalls of attempting to connect historical figures to genetic data. A 2019 study by Shao-Qing Wen et al. in the  Journal of Human Genetics looked at the y-chromosomal profiles of a family from northwestern China's Gansu-Qinghai area, who traced their ancestry back to Kölgen, a son of Chinggis Khan with one of his lesser wives. Importantly, this family also backed up their claims in genealogical records, and had inhabited the same region for centuries. After the expulsion of the Mongols, they had been made local officials [tusi 土司] by the succeeding Ming and Qing dynasties. This family, the Lu, did not match the C2* Star Cluster, but actually showed close affinity to other known descendants of Chinggis Khan, the Töre clan in Kazakhstan. The Töre  trace their lineage to Jani Beg Khan (r.1473-1480), one of the founders of the Kazakh Khanate and a tenth generation descendant of Chinggis Khan's first born son Jochi. Jochi, as you may recall, was born after his mother Börte was taken captive by Chinggis Khan's enemies, and was accused, most notably by his brother Chagatai, of not being their father's son. Chinggis, for the record, always treated Jochi as fully legitimate. As the Lu family in China traced themselves to Kölgen, who shared only a father with Jochi, then the fact that the Lu and the Töre belong to the same C2 haplogroup, with a  genealogical separation of about 1,000 years, would suggest that if this is in fact the Y-chromosomal lineage of Chinggis Khan, then Jochi's uncertain paternity could be laid to rest, and that he was a true son of Chinggis Khan.   This theory is comfortable and convenient, but other scholars have noted that the connection of the Lu to Toghan, the descendant of Kölgen, is very tenuous. The sources connecting the Lu clan to Kölgen's family were not compiled until the late Qing Dynasty, some four to five centuries after Toghan's death. The sources more contemporary to Toghan's life do not match the description of his life described in the histories used by the Lu clan, leading scholars to argue that, while the Lu clan does have Mongolian origin, and likely did have an ancestor with the very common medieval Mongolian name of Toghan, it seems likely that at some point the Lu clan's family compilers decided to associate their own ancestor with the more well known Chinggisid of the same name, and therefore claim for themselves Chinggisid ancestry and prestige- hardly an unknown thing by compilers of Chinese family trees. Therefore, the matter of Jochi's paternity still remains uncertain.       Perhaps the final nail in the coffin comes in the 2018 study by  Lan Hai-Wei, et al. in the European Journal of Human Genetics. Compiling data from previous studies that found issue with the 2003 hypothesis, they looked at groups with high frequencies of the C2* Star clusters like the Hazara or the Daur, a Mongolic-speaking people from Northeastern China who, based off of historical records, make no claims of Chinggisid descent. Newer estimates also suggest the most recent common ancestor for this lineage was over 2,600 years ago. In the most recent hypothesis then, it seems more likely that the star cluster identified by the 2003 study does not represent the lineage of Chinggis Khan, but was simply an incredibly common paternal lineage among ordinary inhabitants of the Mongolian plateau. Its presence in other peoples across Asia was not evidence of selective breeding into the Golden Lineage, but simply the movement of Mongolian troops into a region, and intermixing with the local population. In the case of the Hazaras, this is the exact scenario demonstrated by the historical sources, with waves of Mongol troops rather than a host of Chinggisids descending into the Hazarajat. The possibility cannot be excluded however, that while C2* was a dominant haplotype in thirteenth century Mongolia, that before 1200 it had already been spread across Central Asia by earlier nomadic expansions of Mongolia-based empires like the Göktürk Khaghanates or the Uighur. The Mongol expansion in the thirteenth century, then, would only be another wave of the spread of C2* across Eurasia.       While it is possible that Chinggis Khan and his close male relatives did in fact, carry the C2* star cluster, there is no evidence which directly or conclusively connects him to it. His known descendants through the line of Dayan Khan are of a different Y-chromosomal haplogroup. The descendants of Dayan Khan, himself a descendant of Chinggis Khan's grandson Khubilai, and the Kazakh Töre, descendants of Chinggis Khan's son Jochi, bear haplotypes so distant that their most recent common ancestor is estimated to have lived 4,500 years ago, which does not fair well for the likelihood of Jochi being Chinggis' son. A third known and tested branch, of the Shibanids in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, does match the C2* star cluster, but has less than 1,000 known members and again, are descended from Chinggis Khan via Jochi. Chinggis Khan then cannot be said to be the ancestor of 0.5% of the world's population, since his y-chromosomal marking remains unknown. Any attempts at identifying it conclusively can never be more than mere assumptions without finding the bodies of either the Khan or any of his close-male relatives- a prospect highly unlikely, given the Chinggisids' preference for secret graves. Thus, it seems that his haplotypes are but one more secret that Chinggis will keep with him.       Our series on the Mongols will continue, so be sure to subscribe to the Kings and Generals podcast to follow. If you enjoyed this, and would like to help us keep bringing you great content, please consider supporting us on patreon at www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals, or sharing this with your friends. This episode was researched and written by our series historian, Jack Wilson. I'm your host David, and we'll catch you on the next one.  -SOURCES- Abilev, Serikabi, et al. “The Y-Chromosome C3* Star-Cluster Attributed to Genghis Khan's Descendants is Present at High Frequency in the Kerey Clan from Kazakhstan.” Human Biology 84 no. 1 (2012): 79-99.   Adnan, Atif, et al. “Genetic characterization of Y-chromosomal STRs in Hazara ethnic group of Pakistan and confirmation of DYS448 null allele.” International Journal of Legal Medicine 133 (2019): 789-793.   Callaway, Ewen. “Genghis Khan's Genetic Legacy Has Competition.” Scientific American. January 29th, 2015.   Derenko, M.V. “Distribution of the Male Lineages of Genghis Khan's Descendants in Northern Eurasian Populations.”  Russian Journal of Genetics 43 no. 3 (2007): 3334-337.   Dulik, Matthew C. “Y-Chromosome Variation in Altaian Kazakhs Reveals a Common paternal Gene Pool for Kazakhs and the Influence of Mongolian Expansions.” 6 PLoS One no. 3 (2011)   Gavaachimed Lkhagvasuren et al. “Molecular Genealogy of a Mongol Queen's Family and her Possible kinship with Genghis Khan.” PLoS ONE 11 no. 9 (2016)   Kherlen Batbayar and Zhaxylyk M. Sabitov. “The Genetic Origins of the Turko-Mongols and Review of The Genetic Legacy of the Mongols. Part 1: The Y-chromosomal Lineages of Chinggis Khan.” The Russian Journal of Genetic Genealogy 4 no. 2 (2012):    Lan-Hai Wei, et al. “Whole-sequence analysis indicates that the  Y chromosome C2*-Star Cluster traces back to ordinary Mongols, rather than Genghis Khan.” European Journal of Human Genetics 26, (2018): 230-237.   Lan-Hai Wei et al.  “Genetic trail for the early migrations of Aisin Gioro, the imperial house of the Qing Dynasty.” Journal of Human Genetics 62 (2017): 407-411.   Shao-Qing Wen et al., “Molecular genealogy of Tusi Lu's family reveals their apternal relationship with Jochi, Genghis Khan's eldest son.” Journal of Human Genetics 64 (2019): 815-820.   Ye Zhang et al. “The Y-chromosome haplogroup C3*-F3918, likely attributed to the Mongol Empire, can be traced to a 2500-year-old nomadic group.” Journal of Human Genetics 63 (2018): 231-238.   Yi Liu. “A Commentary on molecular genealogy of Tusi Lu's family reveals their paternal relationship with Jochi, Genghis Khan's eldest son.” Journal of Human Genetics 66 no. 5 (2020): 549–550.    Zakharov, I.A. “A Search for a “Genghis Khan” Chromosome.” Russian Journal of Genetics 46 no. 9 (2010): 1130-1131.     Zerjal, Tatiana, et al. “The Genetic Legacy of the Mongols.” American Journal of Human Genetics 72 (2003): 717-721.  

Central Asia is one of those regions that few international travers are familiar with, nowadays. That wasn't always the case, however, as the Silk Road was once a crossroads for the movement of people, goods, and ideas between Europe and Asia, and Central Asia was at the heart of this prosperous trade route. Geographically, Central Asia stretches east-west from the Caspian Sea to China and Mongolia, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. In between are “the ‘Stans”, including the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Today we have the benefit of an expert in the region, writer Bradley Mayhew, joining us to share a bit about everything we didn't know that we didn't even know, about one of the largest -- and least visited -- regions of Asia.

The cast for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2022 has been finalised with the conclusion of Groups D and I. - 내년 6월 우즈베케스탄에서 펼쳐지는 AFC U-23 아시안컵 본선에 진출할 16개국이 최종 확정됐다. 호주와 한국을 비롯 15개국이 예선을 통과했고, 주최국 우즈베키스탄은 자동 출전권이 주어진다.

Today's Topics: Uzbekistan Presidential Election Results, South African Municipal Elections, Ethiopia Civil War, Protecting-Waters in Ecuador-Colombia-Costa Rica-Panama, Day of the Dear Returns to Mexico Always remember that Lofi Poli Sci is more than just me, it's the “we”, that we be. Episode 56 Season 4 (series 372) Email: lofipolisci@planetmail.com Instagram: lofi_poli_sci_podcast Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lofi-poli-sci-podcast/id1513691477 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Ii0JKbsKEzkO8SA2u3796 Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xNzg1MjhjYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaLg4TOVb7nh4laDatZZ3yQ LinkedIn: Michael Pickering #lofipolisci #lofi #politicalscience #news #worldnews #globalnews #lofiGlobalNews #alwaysHope #podcast #lofipoliscipodcast #Top10 #GoodNewsFriday #PickeringUnplugged #LettersOfTheLofiPoliSci #Uzbekistan #SouthAfrica #ANC #AfricanNationalCongress #Ethiopia #Tigray #Ecuador #Colombia #CostaRica #Panama #CocosIslands #CoibaIslands #MalpeloIsland #GalapagosIslands #Mexico #DayoftheDead #DiaDeLosMeurtos

Photo:  A page in Uzbek language written in Nastaʿlīq script printed in Tashkent 1911 Uzbekistan and Central Asia at risk from Afghanistan.  @Gregory_Copley https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-takeover-spurs-central-asian-diplomatic-activity/6290950.html Gregory R Copley, @Gregory_Copley, editor and publisher of Defense & Foreign Affairs.  

This month we are delighted to host one of the most important voices in Central Asian Studies worldwide: Professor Marlene Laruelle from George Washington University in DC, to discuss her latest, Open Access book Central Peripheries: Nationhood in Central Asia (UCL Press 2021). This is a much-anticipated book, which is going to become the go-to resource for every reader interested in nationalism in Central Asia. Bringing together for the first time Laruelle's articles on Central Asian nationalism, the book offers an intriguing overview of 30 years of nation-building in the region, linking back the choices made in the different nationalising states to concepts and constructs of nationhood developed during the Soviet era. The first part of this very readable book looks comparatively at the nationalism processes as developed in the southern part of the region [Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan. Uzbekistan] while the second segment features a collection of Laruelle's writing on the many complexities associated with nation-building in Kazakhstan, Central Asia's multi-national state par excellence. Marlene Laruelle is Director of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES), Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University. Her latest books include Is Russia Fascist? Unraveling Propaganda East and West (Cornell University Press, 2021) and Memory Politics and the Russian Civil War (Bloomsbury, 2020) Luca Anceschi is Professor of Eurasian Studies at the University of Glasgow, where he is also the editor of Europe-Asia Studies. Follow him on Twitter @anceschistan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Insikt Group researchers uncovered evidence earlier this year that links several multi-year cyber espionage campaigns to a Chinese military unit operating out of the city of Ürümqi in China's western province of Xinjiang. Jon Condra, who leads the Strategic and Persistent Threats team at Recorded Future, explains to Adam how the People's Liberation Army Unit 69010 has been targeting defense-related organizations in Afghanistan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan since at least 2014.

- Tổng thống đương nhiệm của Uzbekistan Sáp-cát Shavkat Mirziyoyev) đã giành chiến thắng thuyết phục, với hơn 80% phiếu bầu trong cuộc bầu cử Tổng thống lần thứ VI ở nước cộng hòa, diễn ra hôm chủ nhật, 24/10. Tác giả : Anh Tú/VOV Moscow Chủ đề : tổng thống, Uzbekistan, chiến thắng --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/vov1thegioi/support

Photo: Uzbekistan goes to the polls with eyes on the Afghanistan crisis. Gregory Copley, Defense & Foreign Affairs https://www.upstreamonline.com/politics/uzbekistan-re-elects-mirziyoyev-to-top-post/2-1-1088370

World News in 7 minutes. Tuesday 26th October 2021.Transcript at: send7.org/transcripts Today: Sudan coup, protests and responses. Nigeria eNaira. UK facebook hate. Russia COVID. Pakistan islamists rally. Uzbekistan election. Colombia to extradite Usuga. A trillion for Tesla.Send your opinion or experience by email to podcast@send7.org or send an audio message at send7.org for us to broadcast. With Stephen Devincenzi.SEND7 (Simple English News Daily in 7 minutes) tells news in intermediate English. Every day, listen to the most important stories in the world in slow, clear English. This easy English news podcast is perfect for English learners, people with English as a second language, and people who want to hear a fast news update from around the world. Learn English through hard topics, but simple grammar. SEND7 covers all news including politics, business, natural events and human rights. For more information visit send7.org/contact

Covid certificates are a global mess, with countries operating a patchwork of incompatible systems. We look at why it's so difficult to standardise digital health passes. When the results of Uzbekistan's elections are published today, the only surprise will be the margin of victory for Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the country's autocratic leader since 2016. The question is how far he can take his agenda of economic and political reform. And Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), a way of representing ownership of digital media, have taken the art world by storm. Why The Economist is getting in the game. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Covid certificates are a global mess, with countries operating a patchwork of incompatible systems. We look at why it's so difficult to standardise digital health passes. When the results of Uzbekistan's elections are published today, the only surprise will be the margin of victory for Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the country's autocratic leader since 2016. The question is how far he can take his agenda of economic and political reform. And Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), a way of representing ownership of digital media, have taken the art world by storm. Why The Economist is getting in the game. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Photo:   Uzbekistan of long ago; Ferghana Valley.  Here:  Federal symbol of the Western Turks circa 650 CE. Eleven poles symbolizing the five Dulu tribes, the five Nushibi tribes, with the central pole symbolizing the rulership of a Yabghu-Qaghan. Afrasiab murals. @Batchelorshow #AfterAfghanistan: Uzbekistan goes to the presidential polls under the new threat of the Taliban. Gregory Copley, Defense & Foreign Affairs, in the Fergana Valley. https://menafn.com/1103027983/Presidential-elections-to-be-held-in-Uzbekistan

Jonathan Ekman and Matthew Hanson recently visited persecuted Christians in Central Asia—Christians caught between a growing wave of radical Islam and governments with a communist-style distrust of all religion. Matthew and Jonathan will share stories from believers they met. Listen to hear “the rest of the story” of one of the chapters in When Faith Is Forbidden (VOM Radio host Todd Nettleton's book), including how God has built on the legacy of a martyred pastor in Tajikistan. They'll also share the story of a woman who faced intense persecution from her own family, yet has seen God take her suffering and create something “beautiful.” Christians in Central Asia don't have protection from their governments or from families. Yet the church is growing across the region as more and more people experience the spiritual family of followers of Jesus. You can receive a free copy of When Faith is Forbidden when you make a donation to The Voice of the Martyrs. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots for October 22nd, 2021. Pfizer says a booster shot of its vaccine boosts prevention of symptomatic cases back up to 95.6%. And this data was compiled when Delta was the prevalent strain. The CDC seems to be booster backers. Yesterday we told you they've decided mixing and matching boosters and original vaccines is okay. And, after saying those who got the Pfizer vaccine months ago are already eligible for a booster, they've added Moderna and Johnson & Johnson takers to that eligibility. The government says getting first shots to the unvaccinated is still the priority. And so far, the public seems to be open to booster shots, certainly more than the number of people who are still considering getting the initial doses. The CDC reports there are 1.3 times as many boosters administered each day compared with first shots. And the FDA may soon lower the age range on its emergency use authorizations for boosters, depending on safety data. Infections and deaths in Ukraine surged to all-time highs yesterday. Its vaccine inoculations are among the lowest in Europe. With a choice of four vaccines, only about 15% of the population is fully vaccinated. Only Armenia has a lower level. Restrictions are in place for public places and public transport. Our question for today, are new variants of the coronavirus just going to keep emerging? Well, experts at Penn State say yes. But only if the virus can keep finding infectable people, because inside people is where new variants are made. Over half the world is still unvaccinated, so there are plenty of bodies to mutate in. However, these experts say that doesn't necessarily mean new variants will be more dangerous. Why? It needs to adapt to us in order to spread more widely. Killing us doesn't help it. Still, emerging variants are closely watched to see if they evade the protection we develop from vaccination and infections. In the United States cases were down 25%, deaths are down 15%, and hospitalizations are down 19% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13. There are 9,522,759 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 33%, Michigan 24%, Colorado and Minnesota 13%, and Wyoming and Montana 6%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Goshen, WY. Bethel Census Area, AK. Stark, ND. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK. Pecos, TX. Inyo, CA. Fremont, WY. Humboldt, NV. And Glacier, MT. There have been at least 733,064 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that's been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 70.6%, Connecticut at 70.1%, and Rhode Island at 70%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 40.9%, Idaho at 43%, and Wyoming at 43.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that's been fully vaccinated is 57.1%. The five countries with biggest 24-hour increases in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 4%. Uzbekistan and India 2%. And Australia and New Zealand 1%. Globally, cases were down 8% and deaths were down 9% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since October 8. There are now under 18 million active cases around the world, at 17,863,755. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 80,835. The U.K. 52,009. Russia 36,339. And Turkey 28,465. There have been at least 4,928,934 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Coronavirus 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for October 22nd, 2021. Pfizer says a booster shot of its vaccine boosts prevention of symptomatic cases back up to 95.6%. And this data was compiled when Delta was the prevalent strain. The CDC seems to be booster backers. Yesterday we told you they've decided mixing and matching boosters and original vaccines is okay. And, after saying those who got the Pfizer vaccine months ago are already eligible for a booster, they've added Moderna and Johnson & Johnson takers to that eligibility. The government says getting first shots to the unvaccinated is still the priority. And so far, the public seems to be open to booster shots, certainly more than the number of people who are still considering getting the initial doses. The CDC reports there are 1.3 times as many boosters administered each day compared with first shots. And the FDA may soon lower the age range on its emergency use authorizations for boosters, depending on safety data. Infections and deaths in Ukraine surged to all-time highs yesterday. Its vaccine inoculations are among the lowest in Europe. With a choice of four vaccines, only about 15% of the population is fully vaccinated. Only Armenia has a lower level. Restrictions are in place for public places and public transport. Our question for today, are new variants of the coronavirus just going to keep emerging? Well, experts at Penn State say yes. But only if the virus can keep finding infectable people, because inside people is where new variants are made. Over half the world is still unvaccinated, so there are plenty of bodies to mutate in. However, these experts say that doesn't necessarily mean new variants will be more dangerous. Why? It needs to adapt to us in order to spread more widely. Killing us doesn't help it. Still, emerging variants are closely watched to see if they evade the protection we develop from vaccination and infections. In the United States cases were down 25%, deaths are down 15%, and hospitalizations are down 19% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13. There are 9,522,759 active cases in the United States. With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: New Hampshire 33%, Michigan 24%, Colorado and Minnesota 13%, and Wyoming and Montana 6%. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Goshen, WY. Bethel Census Area, AK. Stark, ND. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK. Pecos, TX. Inyo, CA. Fremont, WY. Humboldt, NV. And Glacier, MT. There have been at least 733,064 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that's been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 70.6%, Connecticut at 70.1%, and Rhode Island at 70%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 40.9%, Idaho at 43%, and Wyoming at 43.2%. The percentage of the U.S. that's been fully vaccinated is 57.1%. The five countries with biggest 24-hour increases in the number of fully vaccinated people: Taiwan up 4%. Uzbekistan and India 2%. And Australia and New Zealand 1%. Globally, cases were down 8% and deaths were down 9% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since October 8. There are now under 18 million active cases around the world, at 17,863,755. The five countries with the most new cases: The United States 80,835. The U.K. 52,009. Russia 36,339. And Turkey 28,465. There have been at least 4,928,934 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Vaccine 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Photo:  Dalverzin Tepe, Head. "Termez Dalvarzin Tepe 1st-3rd century CE Head of a Prince, Archaeological Museum Termez" Journey to a newly-threatened Uzbekistan. Gregory Copley  @Gregory_Copley,, Defense & Foreign Affairs https://thediplomat.com/2021/10/quiet-presidential-campaign-nearly-over-in-uzbekistan/

In this episode of RANE's Essential Geopolitics podcast, powered by Stratfor, Emily Donahue speaks with Ekta Raguwanshi, Stratfor South Asia analyst at RANE. Afghanistan sits at the cusp of Central and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China.One country that does not share a border with Afghanistan has serious concerns about the Taliban takeover. India. Ekta Raghuwanshi explains how the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has impacted India's relation with the country.

Afghanistan: i talebani a Termez per colloqui con l'Uzbekistan. Pakistan: omicidio d'onore, un uomo uccide moglie e due figlie. Ambasciatore francese espulso dalla Bielorussia. Egitto: tre attivisti rinviati a giudizio dopo due anni di detenzione amministrativa Questo e molto altro nel notiziario di Radio Bullets, a cura di Barbara Schiavulli. Per sostenerci www.radiobullets.com /sostienici

On this week's Majlis, a discussion about the upcoming presidential election in Uzbekistan and a look at what happened during incumbent Shavkat Mirziyoev's first five years in office. What could a second term hold in store?

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken it’s toll on every family, from frustration with being stuck at home, to job loss, to loneliness and social deprivation. But for many families, those three factors have been the perfect combination to provide an environment ripe for trauma. For children, we see that trauma has an impact on the development of the brain that effects learning, relationships, and emotional regulation. This seminar will give you a greater understanding of the developmental impact of trauma and tools to help children and adults grow in resilience rather than destruction through hard circumstances.

In this episode of Russian Roulette, Heather provides a brief overview of a new CSIS report, “Russia's Climate Gamble: The Pursuit and Contradictions of its Arctic Ambitions,” which examines the implications of climate impacts for Russia's economy, internal political dynamics, and security posture. Heather then sits down with Felix H. Tschudi, the Chairman and owner of the Tschudi Group, a Norwegian-based global shipping and logistics company with a long history in the Arctic. They discuss Russia's ambitious plans for transforming the Northern Sea Route (NSR) into a major global shipping corridor, the impact of climate change and environmental activism on the NSR's viability, and the prospects of China's Transpolar route.   Check out the Center for High North Logistics to track developments in the High North and along the Northern Sea Route as well as the Marines Exchange of Alaska to track shipping traffic and emerging maritime issues in the Bering Sea as well as Alaska. For further information on the Bering Strait as a maritime passage, check out this CSIS report “Maritime Futures: The Arctic and the Bering Strait Region.”   To learn more about how climate change will reshape Russian politics, economics, and society, explore the recent work by Russian voices on climate change, civil society, and center-region dynamics here. To learn more about military and security issues related to the Arctic, follow CSIS's Arctic Military Activity tracker for latest Russia and NATO's military activities in the region.   Finally, subscribe to Russian Roulette, so you do not miss an episode. Thanks for listening!

Hey from The Big Apple I started my adventure in the Big Apple sitting in a park in Brooklyn on a Saturday morning watching small kids and grown-ups playing football – yes, as a European, this is what I call the game where someone kicks a round ball with their feet.  I'm waiting to meet up with my friend Scott Gurian. Even though we'd never met prior, we do consider each other friends.  Scott is a fellow veteran travel podcaster and one of the best in the business. He's the guy from the Far from Home podcast you must have heard me talk about many times here on the Radio Vagabond travel podcast. Scott planned to spend his Saturday with me in Brooklyn, Queens, and New York showing me around some interesting places in his hood while we chatted and got to know each other. Scott lives in nearby Jersey, just across the Hudson River, so we're Close to Home for Scott today. As we walked over to Scott's car — a nice big new Toyota — I immediately joked that it was very different from the small, old car that played a big part in the first season of his podcast. FAR FROM HOME Scott participated in the Mongol Rally and drove a tiny, beaten out Nissan Micra stick shift across Europe and Asia about five years ago for an epic 18,000 mile (29,000 km). He did this crazy adventure from the UK to Mongolia with his brother and two friends – and after that, he decided to drive back in the same car. The first season of Far from Home is outstanding and got me hooked on the podcast long before we knew each other. I highly recommend listening to it if you haven't already. Also, watch a few clips of his journey to experience the trials and tribulations first-hand. Naturally, he has so many memorable stories and anecdotes from that trip, so I wanted to find out which stand out most in his memory. "Oh, so many. Driving across Iran with my brother and two friends (as Americans and Brits) was amazing; the friendliness of the people was memorable. Also, travelling through 'untouched' countries in central Asia like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, etc., was excellent. Seeing Cappadocia in Turkey with its hot air balloons was also amazing. And, of course, Mongolia is incredible with its vast open spaces and extraordinary scenery. It took us about seven weeks to travel from the UK to Mongolia, so as you can imagine, I have many incredible memories from that trip." Scott wanted to see more of the world, so instead of flying back to Europe (like any sane human would), he decided to drive back to explore more countries and regions, like Siberia in Russia. THROAT SINGING IN SIBERIA In one of the episodes of Season 2, Scott visits the remote south Siberian Republic of Tuva to learn about the traditional instruments and the ancient art of throat singing. He even attempts to throat sing himself! Read more about this visit and see photos and videos here. "Russia is such an enormous country with so many different regions home to vastly different cultures. Tuva was a 12 hour journey out the way to visit and it is so unique. It is close to Mongolia so the Tuvans look very similar to Mongolians." HALLUCINATING ON AYAHUASCA IN PERU In another episode, he meets a medicine man who invited him to attend a hallucinogenic healing ceremony where he drank ayahuasca. All while holding his microphone. Have a listen to the episode by clicking here. CLOSE TO HOME Due to the pandemic, Scott hasn't been able to travel overseas. But he is content as he tells me that living in Jersey, there is a lot of adventure that awaits in and around New York. He started cooking and even home-brewing to keep his itchy travel feet scratched. Scott was due to meet me at AfricaBurn – the South African Burning Man just outside Cape Town when lockdown hit. Scott stayed in Jersey, and I was stuck in Cape Town for a while (so be sure to listen to my Radio Vagabond South African travel adventures). We were supposed to travel a bit of South Africa together, but alas, it was not meant to be. SCOTT GURIAN'S NEW YORK TRAVEL GUIDE One of the cool things about making friends worldwide is that they can show you places you usually wouldn't visit. Because I had visited New York several times before, Scott wanted to take me to places few tourists would know about. Here is a list of Scott's unusual but must-visit places in New York Scott took me to: DUMBO A part of Brooklyn is called DUMBO aka "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass" is a trendy neighbourhood to walk through Brooklyn Heights and Downtown Brooklyn NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT MUSEUM In an old subway station, you can visit the New York City Transit Museum. Move further down and see some 100-year-old subway cars. WILLIAMSBURG Williamsburg is a hipster neighbourhood that is cool to stroll through. QUEENS MUSEUM OF ART Next to where they hosted the World Fair, you find Queens Museum of Art, where the Panorama is now housed – a scaled model of every borough in the greater New York area in the 1960's. THE CITY RELIQUARY The City Reliquary is a not-for-profit community museum and civic organization located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It's really cool and weird – and connects visitors to both the past and present of New York. We walked around Brooklyn for a bit and found the iconic Instagram spot with the bridge in the background. You might remember it from the gangster movie 'Once Upon a Time in America' poster. Then visited a place with a lot of food trucks called Smorgesburg. As far as I know, this word comes from the Danish smørrebrød, and then Americans started saying it like the Swedish Chef from Muppet Show. Unfortunately, we didn't find any Danish smørrebrød at Smorgesburg. Another thing we couldn't find after that was… Scott's car. After a slight ordeal trying to locate his car, we eventually found it after getting help from the police. Even locals can get lost in New York. Go figure :) TAJIKISTAN POLICE Our polite encounter with the NYPD reminded me of Scott's experience with the local police in Tajikistan on his trip. I asked him to talk about his experience. "There is a lot of corruption in central Asian countries like Tajikistan. Our British friends in another Nissan Micra got pulled over by some traffic cops who actually aimed their radar gun at another car, and then tried to say it was them who was speeding. My brother's and I stopped too and heard that they demanded $100 which was a month salary here and crazy. Specially since they weren't speeding. It was clearly a scam, and we didn't want to give in to the bribe/corruption stigma. After a long time, we eventually settled on handing over a bottle of vodka, and we were back on the road." Scott secretly recorded the entire encounter that you can listen to in its entirety in Episode 16 of Far from Home, Season 1. Scott tells about more traffic cop encounters he had in central Asia. Most of the time, the cops were polite and never gave them any unnecessary issues. We exchanged stories about the amazing people we get to meet on the road. Scott paid particular mention to the wonderful Iranian popularity he experienced. Thanks to Scott for taking me around the New York area on a beautiful Saturday. I hope to team up with him soon to do some travelling together and collaborate on future episodes of both our podcasts. My name is Palle Bo, and I gotta keep moving.   NEW YORK FLASHBACKS If you want to listen to more of my travels through New York from previous visits, simply follow the link: The Radio Vagabond Travel Podcast in New York. COVID-19 TRAVEL and TOURISM RULES FOR NEW YORK (OCT 2021) This episode was from the end of August 2021, when New York was open for travel if you (like me) didn't travel to the country from Europe. Please visit New York City's official website for the latest COVID-19 travel restrictions and tourist regulations. Make sure New York is open for tourism before booking your trip.    

Fresh questions for the Conservative party today after it emerged one of its major donors was involved in structuring of a telecoms deal later alleged to be corrupt Pandora papers news and reaction – live updates See all of our Pandora papers coverage. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

In Part II of this extended interview on the history and aftermath of the 20-year US war in Afghanistan, TRNN contributor Radhika Desai and Melkulangara Bhadrakumar discuss the future of Afghanistan and how Russia, China, Iran, and Pakistan are filling the geopolitical vacuum left by US withdrawal.A former career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service for three decades, MK Bhadrakumar was stationed in the former Soviet Union as well as South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kuwait, and Turkey. After retiring from his last post, he has been a prominent writer and analyst, focusing on India's foreign policy as well as regional and global affairs, particularly relating to China, Russia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and South Asia.

For many around the world who consider the United States to be all powerful, the ignominious end to the war in Afghanistan, the harried withdrawal of US troops, and the swift takeover by the Taliban were shocking sights to behold. While horrifying images of Afghans desperately trying to flee the capital city of Kabul have gradually faded from the news cycle, many crucial questions still need to be answered. What was the 20-year war really about? How credible is the US claim that its withdrawal from Afghanistan is part of a larger foreign policy shift to focusing on the “China challenge”? What future lies ahead for the people of Afghanistan and the Taliban? And how are Afghanistan's neighbors, including Russia, China, Iran, and Pakistan, responding to the US withdrawal?In Part I of this extended interview, TRNN contributor Radhika Desai and Melkulangara Bhadrakumar dissect the history and aftermath of the US war in Afghanistan. A former career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service for three decades, MK Bhadrakumar was stationed in the former Soviet Union as well as South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kuwait, and Turkey. After retiring from his last post, he has been a prominent writer and analyst, focusing on India's foreign policy as well as regional and global affairs, particularly relating to China, Russia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and South Asia.

The Tale of Two Russian Occupations: Georgia and Ukraine – Russian Roulette Episode 115   In this episode of Russian Roulette, Heather sits down with Mykola Bielieskov, Ph.D. student at the National Institute for Strategic Studies (NISS), Ukraine, and Natia Seskuria, associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).  We discuss the effectiveness and shortcomings of Russia's hard and soft power influence tools in Georgia and Ukraine, including its “borderization” policy in Georgia, its “passportization” in Donbas, and the role of the Orthodox Church. Finally, we finish the conversation with recommendations regarding how the West can resist the challenges presented by Russia's occupation of Georgia and Ukraine's territories. Both Natia and Mykola participated in CSIS “Understanding the Russian Military Today” executive education program in June and this episode is inspired by their papers written as part of their independent research. In his paper, Mykola dissects Russia's military buildup near Ukraine's borders this spring, while in her paper, Natia focuses on Russia's “hybrid aggression” and influence tools in Georgia. Definitely check out their papers! Read Natia's bio here and follow her on Twitter @nseskuria Subscribe to Russian Roulette, so you do not miss an episode. Thanks for listening! This program was funded by the Russia Strategic Initiative U.S. European Command, Stuttgart Germany. Opinions, arguments, viewpoints, and conclusions expressed in this work do not represent those of RSI, U.S. EUCOM, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

Marie Ahmed has worked within USAID to strengthen health systems in Nepal, Rwanda, Côte d'Ivoire, and Thailand. She has a long career in the non-profit and public sector, including time with the Peace Corps in Uzbekistan and over a decade with USAID, the largest contributor of foreign aid in the world.   In this conversation, we recall what inspired Marie to work in the aid sector; her surprise placement in Uzbekistan; and the hard financial realities that constraint who can work in aid. We also peek behind the scenes to understand what it's like being someone with the responsibility of directing US Foreign Assistance overseas. In her role, Marie is constantly balancing her accountability to the American taxpayer with the unique needs of different countries which have hosted her. She needs to act according to the deadlines and the policies of the American Congress, while deeply understanding the needs of vulnerable communities that she is trying to serve elsewhere. Marie provides an honest and human perspective on what it's like navigating the aid industry. She tackles head-on some of the common pet peeves people have with aid, opening our eyes to the realities and responsibilities that come with managing public funds.   This interview is an eye-opener to the financial and political mechanisms which anyone working in the modern aid industry needs to work with.   To find out more, access the show notes at https://AidEvolved.com  Let us know what you think of this episode on Twitter (@AidEvolved) or by email (hello@AidEvolved.com)

Have you ever considered your local school board to be a rule of law hotspot? Given the wild debates happening over masking policies Josh and guest host Brian Anderson weigh the rule of law implications of those local conflicts, then they welcome international rule of law consultant and law professor Howard Fenton to explain the essential role of administrative procedure, they clean up Congressional leftovers on spending and a reconciliation ruling from the Senate Parliamentarian, and finally feel better that the US ban on international flights will be lifted soon. Whether you've been kept away from loved ones or not, we can all welcome another step back to something like normal!

This week's episode is dedicated to the fans. Few weeks back we put a poll up on the TCB Appreciation Society, asking fans which segments they wanted to see. Many of you voted and this week we bring to you an episode as decided by the fans. Before we get into it, Sen has overcome his IT issues, potentially starting a race war in the process. After 2 weeks in the wilderness, he comes back with a rant about hobby Instagram accounts and, in particular, dog Instagram accounts. Kush also revisits last week's incident featuring Miguel and his TikTok's as we will soon be bidding farewell to Miguel as he embarks on his TikTok solo journey. Our game this week, as many of you wanted, is “Bullslut.” This week the boys are tested on their geographical skills, etymological skills, knowledge of holiday's, culinary knowledge amongst other things. This is a game of intelligence, skill, bluffing and strategy - attributes none of us really have. A concerning number of you also wanted an update on Kush's learner's license logbook on "Logbook Watch" so here it is. How many kilometres has Kushagra driven in the two years since we've done this segment? How many hours has Kushagra logged in the various lockdowns that has happened since? Tune in to find out. By far the most popular segment choice is the ever reliable “TCB Debate.” This week's debate topics see Rohit's research extend only as far as Spotify, Miguel quotes his favourite artist and Kush makes a startling confession. Also this week: day drinking, all spice, Uzbekistan, xylophones and Blade Runner. Segments this week: The Logue: Tired of reaching around each other (at least on the podcast), the boys have instead decided to reach around the week's news stories, events and viral trends. Bullslut: Thought writing 3 essays in 2 hours was hard? Try naming 20 European countries in 30 seconds. This is the game where, in 30 seconds, the boys try to name as many things as they can - all within a category chosen by the host. Logbook Watch: Join us as we document Kushagra's painstaking journey to attaining a drivers licence. Listen as Kushagra recounts every kilometre he drives across this vast, beautiful continent of ours. Be amazed as Kushagra takes us on this physical, metaphysical and spiritual journey, where he discovers foreign new places, interesting people and creates a lifetime of cherished memories. TCB Debate: Inspired by the Presidential debates, the boys decide to argue like old men without the interrupting. ___________________________________________________ FULL PODCAST EPISODES

"We're ALL ambassadors." -  RafaelShimunov. Artist and organizer Rafael Shimunov's family ofBukharian Jewishrefugees from Uzbekistan learned English by watching Star Trek. Raf's read on Worf as a fellow Jew of color is eye opening. We talk all things Worf, but especially about his depiction as a Jewish person of color, directly within Star Trek's coding of his background and metaphorically as an individual who finds meaning in his multiple identities.  We answer listener questions on everything from Worf and Orthodox religious identity to his success with the ladies and his post Deep Space Nine future. And how Klingon has more in common with Jewish languages than you might think.  Follow Raf's twitter: https://twitter.com/rafaelshimunov And for more Jewish Leftism check out the organization Elana and Raf are on the steering committe of, https://twitter.com/theJewishVote.

Some mission experts estimate that up to 90% of young people who consider missions cease to pursue it because of various fears and obstacles, including the fear of fundraising. This session will help participants: 1. Identify various obstacles and fears relating to fundraising 2. Consider ways that God can help us overcome these barriers 3. Become aware of best resources and training materials used to help missionaries build and maintain a full and engaged prayer and financial support team 4. Know what questions to ask about support raising with possible mission agencies when evaluating where and how God will have you serve

Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code HOUSE20 at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod#AthletesOnlyhttps://www.weightliftinghouse.com/shopusa/athletes-only-september-2021/--04:45 - Team China08:48 - Russia, Okulov09:04 - Italy, Pizzolato09:54 - Sweden, Daniela Gherman10:23 - The Manscaped Bit14:04 - Georgia, Lasha14:51 - Uzbekistan, Nurudinov15:08 - USA, Jordan Wissinger15:40 - Canada, Shania Bedward15:58 - Egypt, Hulk Weightlifter16:49 - The People's Lifts20:20 - Outro

The Astronomy, Technology, and Space Science News Podcast.SpaceTime Series 24 Episode 106*A new look at planet changing super volcanos A new study warns that super volcano eruptions can continue with follow up events for thousands of years after the main blast.*Work underway on the Moon capsuleWork is now underway at Lockheed Martin on the Orion spacecraft that will be used on the Artemis III mission to return people to the lunar surface.*SpaceX Inspiration4 missionFour space tourists have undertaken a three day voyage in orbit. The Inspiration 4 flight aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule Resilience launched on a Falcon 9 rocket from Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.*Australia's new trilateral defence deal with America and BritainAustralia, the United States and the United Kingdom have entered into a new defence agreement designed to counter what's euphemistically referred to as the growing military threats facing the Indo-Pacific theatre.*The Science ReportThe world has a new COVID-19 variant -- the new Mu variant is taking off in South America.A third booster shot for COVID-19 lowers the rate of severe illness 20 fold.The drying climate and water resource use puts the Darling River at greater risk of fish deaths.A new apex predator dinosaur discovered at a dig site in Uzbekistan.Skeptic's guide to psychic readingsFor more SpaceTime and show links: https://linktr.ee/biteszHQ Your support is needed...SpaceTime is an independently produced podcast (we are not funded by any government grants, big organisations or companies), and we're working towards becoming a completely listener supported show...meaning we can do away with the commercials and sponsors. We figure the time can be much better spent on researching and producing stories for you, rather than having to chase sponsors to help us pay the bills.That's where you come in....help us reach our first 1,000 subscribers...at that level the show becomes financially viable and bills can be paid without us breaking into a sweat every month. Every little bit helps...even if you could contribute just $1 per month. It all adds up.By signing up and becoming a supporter at the $5 or more level, you get immediate access to over 240 commercial-free, double, and triple episode editions of SpaceTime plus extended interview bonus content. You also receive all new episodes on a Monday rather than having to wait the week out. Subscribe via Patreon or Supercast (you get a month's free trial with Supercast to see if it's really for you or not)....and share in the rewards. Details at Patreon www.patreon.com/spacetimewithstuartgary or Supercast - https://bitesznetwork.supercast.tech/ Details at https://spacetimewithstuartgary.com or www.bitesz.com Sponsor Details:This episode is brought to you with the support of NameCheap…cheap domain names is just the beginning of your own online presence. We use them and we love them. Get our special deal…just visit: https://spacetimewithstuartgary.com/namecheap and help support the show.https://bitesz.com

This session focuses on women in mission and will highlight the role of women in missions, challenges faced, and some practical ways to overcome those challenges.

For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Arrhinoceratops, and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Arrhinoceratops-Episode-355/Join us at www.patreon.com/iknowdino for dinosaur requests, bonus content, ad-free episodes, and more.Dinosaur of the day Arrhinoceratops, a ceratopsian which looks a lot like a miniature Torosaurus (or Triceratops).In dinosaur news this week:A new abelisaurid, Kurupi itaata, was named from Brazil—the first theropod named from Sao Paulo stateAn allosauroid from Uzbekistan, Ulughbegsaurus, was the apex predator over dromaeosaurids and the tyrannosaur TimurlengiaThree types of dinosaur footprints were recently found in the Thar desert of Rajasthan, IndiaDinny the dinosaur, the Brontosaurus statue at the Calgary Zoo, has been restoredTwo men in Massachusetts were arrested after being caught allegedly trying to steal dinosaur footprintsAnother fun list of dinosaur sites includes a sculpture garden in San Diego, CAMoon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is coming back as an animated series on Disney in February 2022This episode is brought to you by Indiana University Press. Dinosaur Tracks From Brazil: A Lost World of Gondwana by Giuseppe Leonardi and Ismar de Souza Carvalho, is out now. The book is the culmination of 40+ years of fieldwork, including over 200 drawings, paintings, and maps. It's available now at iupress.org use promo code save30 for 30% off your copy.Sign up for free as an I Know Dino Ambassador at refer.fm/iknowdino to get a mini-audiobook! Send your referral link to others who would enjoy our show and get rewards when they subscribe. Plus, whoever refers the most listeners in September will get a $20 Silver T. rex coin from the Canadian mint!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This weeks episode me and comedian Natan Badalov share thoughts on playing instruments, Jewish cuisine, taking a break from comedy, talking about his home country Uzbekistan and last but not least white guilt.Follow @natanbadalov

This week's Majlis podcast focuses on how the Uzbek government is dealing with the Afghan spillover since the Taliban seized control over most of the country in mid-August.

Events in Afghanistan are being closely followed in neighbouring Uzbekistan. Rustam Qobil of BBC Uzbek tells us about the strong cultural and economic ties between the two countries, and what the main concerns are for Uzbekistan and for the Afghan Uzbek population. Afghan Hazaras face persecution by the Taliban and have been fleeing over the Pakistani border in Balochistan. BBC Urdu's Saher Baloch went to Quetta to meet some of the refugees who've been welcomed by the local Hazara community, who also experience persecution. Dariush Rajabian tells us how events in Afghanistan are being reported by BBC Persian, and how they reverberate in his home country, Tajikistan, where BBC Persian also has an audience. For decades, India has hosted Afghans fleeing war or seeking education and business opportunities. BBC Hindi's Piyush Nagpal has spoken to Afghans in Delhi, some long-standing residents, and some just visiting but overtaken by events. Russian shamans seek recognition Shamans in Russia are demanding official recognition for their beliefs from the Russian state. Oleg Boldyrev of BBC Russian has been hearing their concerns, and he tells us about the heartlands of shamanism, in regions east of the Urals. Our Ancestors: Hemalata Lavanam The BBC Indian languages series Our Ancestors has been celebrating the achievements of trailblazing women from marginalised communities. BBC Telegu's Padma Meenakshi tells the story of social reformer Hemalata Lavanam from Andhra Pradesh. Image: Afghans arrive at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Chaman Credit: AFP via Getty Images

Erika Fatland talks about her long journey through the Central Asian republics and the legacy of Soviet influence there. Fatland is the author of many books and essays including Sovietistan: A Journey Through Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings In conversation with Jehad Zafar, this episode discusses what is his academic background? What was his first employment? When did he start YouTube? How long has it been necessary for him to begin to create content and sustainable money? What's the rationale behind his firm doing at this time? In his context, what's going on in Afghanistan? What was the purpose of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Uzbekistan? What is the current state of affairs in Afghanistan about America and China? The Taliban are sitting on $1 trillion worth of minerals that have yet to be discovered. What is the narrative behind it? What is Iran's narrative in the context of Afghanistan? How is the nationalist government destroying India? #thoughtbehindthings #muzamilhasan #thewideside Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan The Wide Side: https://www.youtube.com/thewideside --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/syed-muzamil-hasan-zaidi3/support

S5 Ep 10 Chapter 86 The Pincushion Man  Riverdale may be fictional but there is a real crisis going on, if you are looking to help Afghan refugees here is a charity that helps them get settled Back to the nonsense-- Betty: Official FBI Investigation - no Jugheads allowed 10 agents on the Lonely highway - where were all these people when the black hood was around? Sherwood Asylum? What is this Asylum?? Wasn't he never really captured and then Penelope used him as the Gargolye king? Oh WAIT I forgot about the hannibal lector room, how did he escape?? OMG the prom murders jesus this show is dark So his theory is that multiple killers are all in agreement to kill people around Riverdale, because all the dead bodies in the swamp span such a time. Betty thinks the killer is a man in his 50s (time to go back to the drawing board, so lame when they try and limit it who is old enough and not a murderer already, could it please be hiram so we can get him out of here) Her boyfriend is writing a dissertation about her family??!?!?!?!?!??!?!?? Dude, dude thats fucked up Fuck yeah she slaps him  This is the saddest birthday party ever, where are the other children, speaking of what happened to the elementary school? WHAT THE FUCK IS ON CHIC'S HEAD??? Is it a wig, did he stop to curl his hair before coming over? Did they call the police before sitting down? Or like text her boyfriend not boyfriend? A WEDDING, of course alice is an officiant,  The twins have had like 1 line each. Betty really needs to start actually participating in therapy because she keeps saying she is a lost cause but SHE HAS NOT KILLED ANYONE well until this episode. Alice has such a messed up relationship with her children.  So wait her boyfriend knew her brother, like biblically knew?? Whats the dynamic here because CHarles is like super pissed   Veronica isn't really divorced because of course not She wished him dead, girl same. Also did he know that and pull a hiram? Like did he fake the plane crash? Damn am i getting into the idea of chad? This is how all marriages should end, in a reverse.  Dancing to first song. I DO NOT TRUST HIM THOUGH   CHAD IS IN DEBT?!?! He is now blackmailing her? Get a Lawyer bitch, get a lawyer Cheryl yet again asking the question - is the maple syrup industry profitable? And Hiram asking the question - is riverdale making a commentary on the evils of real estate or do they also not understand how it works? Also Nana rose is now positing the theory that the blossoms only have maple syrup because they are saddddd What is this curse? WHY DOES HIRAM CARE ABOUT RIVERDALE HIGH SO MUCH WHAT IS THE ANGLE HERE?? Palladium vein - is this a red herring? Is this really the evil plot?  Hiram orchestrates a prison break, and reggie sets fire to maple grove, but Cheryl is obsessed, she will keep these groves Nana Rose says the curse could be ended by killing the interloper, really inconsistent with this curse.    Sex Dreams in the Sex Bunker with not a sex friend Jugheads agent is like really good? A spot that usually goes to Steven King Jughead is going to trip to write the book and rather than ask A) his best friend slash roommate Archie B) his alleged long term friend who was doing coke at 13 Veronica C) his pseudo step mom Alice:  he asks his boss that he is sexually attracted to and has already kissed   Later she will call herself his girlfriend which is confusing but was that just because of his ex? What trauma needs to be uncovered that is new??   I am sad the name is just maple mushrooms, also can you just cook psychedelic mushrooms with no training into a sauce, don't you have to be careful or whatever? Also why are we in charge of the bunker again, Jughead is living at Archies??   Jughead is rolling, so she chains him to the table, which seems like a BAD IDEA Betty appears in dream form “What I did to you senior year” Also what is on jughead's chest??  What was the pigtailed alien thing   Riverdale better commit fully for the first time, this better be aliens. Bloody manuscript and a missing Jughead   Archie should not be teaching War Ethics he is asking if its okay to disobey orders - and the answer is yes and for some reason a GENERAL IS THERE IN CLASS??? This town doesn't have functional fire department   THE WAR IS IN Uzbekistan!?!?!!!! Riverdale!! You can not handle this kind of current events   Why are the prisoners attacking the school? Oh because hiram is paying them? Love that Kevin is getting some action, even if it isn't from fangs.    Archie is also at odds with the GENERAL who honestly shouldn't know he exists, and if archie was in such promentate missions he should have a better position. But the NYT exists in Riverdale so thats something. Also did Archie not mention the prison break to veronica on this call?? Fact Check Corner  Palladium vein - this is real somehow, there is some in Montana Archie is getting the Silver Eagle - doesn't exist - there is the silver medal and there is a commendation medal that is bronze and has an eagle on it  Uzbekistan is a real country with some problems, we do have a military base there  Betty's death count : was zero before this episode, a reminder that Alice has killed at least 2  Derry is not in NY but in NH or in Maine While anyone can sign up to be an officiant you are not actually married until you sign and file a license with the state. 

Growing up in a small town of ~700 people made Valentina Abbona, 6th generation vintner and Export and Marketing Manager for her family's winery, Marchesi di Barolo, want to explore the world.  Stints in the US, India, and China ultimately led her back to the family business and managing wine exports.  Valentina talks about the history of Barolo exports, including becoming “The King of wine, wine of Kings,” how she approaches new markets, and the differences between markets around the world.  Explore the world through the lens of Barolo in this episode of XChateau! Detailed Show Notes: Marchesi di Barolo backgroundFounded by the last Marquis di Barolo Carlo Tancredi Falletti and French Noblewoman Giulia Colbert di MaulevrierThomas Jefferson noted that the juice from the Barolo area had potential (which was not the same as the current dry wine)The Marchesa Giulia built the cellars based on the potential of the Nebbiolo grape underground in the 1800s to create a still wineMarchesi di Barolo, and subsequently Barolo, became the “King of wine, wine of Kings”Abbona family bought the estate in 1929 (Valentina's great grandfather)Valentina's backgroundShe grew up in the town of Barolo (~700 people)Traveled and explored the world before coming back to the wine industryAfter 1 year in China with a consulting company, she missed the winery and wine industry and came back to work with the familyBarolo export historyBarolo was part of the Kingdom of Savoy - the King of Savoy in Turin requested wine from Marchesa Giulia, who sent 325 barrels to the King's Court - 1 for every day of the year except the 40 days of LentTraveled to royal courts around EuropeThere is correspondence from the 1930s showing the wine went as far as Kabul and JavaExportation of wine55% of wine exported, 45% sold in ItalyVery proud that Italy is the largest market for the wineThe entire portfolio is sold in ItalyExport to >60 countriesA selection of wines are sold to various marketsTop export markets - US, Germany, Norway, DenmarkThe US has more “geeky” wine knowledgeAsia is an emerging market - India (a historical market for Marchesi), China, Thailand, JapanHigh growth was seen in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam) - especially for the different single-vineyard wines (which is a similar trend for Barolo in general)The general trend for demand shifting to higher-end, single-vineyard bottlings vs. general Barolo (even in markets like Germany that historically bought more “classic” wines at the low - medium price points)Expanding to new marketsStrategy based on the size of the market and knowledge of the wine consumerE.g., Uzbekistan is a new market - “easy” as buyer contacted Marchesi Bigger markets, which have more diverse consumer bases - often need more education and background knowledge before market launchItaly tends to do things solo vs. as a group, though the local Consorzio is starting to promote the territory moreStrategy for larger marketsCanada - each province has a different partner, particularly with the nuances of the local government monopoliesUS - one importer with local distributors for the different states; need to have a lot of regional meetings with people in each areaItaly has >100 agents for different marketsTrade Fairs (e.g., VinItaly, Vinexpo, Prowein)Give an opportunity to change people's opinionsCan have a view of what's happening globally in 1 day“Vital for our business”VinItaly is different because of its Italy focus - also a place to bring the wineries of the country together and connectIndiaSold mainly through hotelsEvery region has its own dynamics and own taxesAverage knowledge of sommeliers is very highChinaThey had no exposure to wine on a daily basis when Valentina lived there (2011)Living there helped her understand consumer choices and preferences but did not lead to contacts for market entryDiscovered wine clubs, where there are people with great knowledge of wineBarolo/Barbaresco wines are more challenging to the Chinese palate as they don't have fruit/sweetness that Chinese palates likeIn-person vs. technology for selling wineVisiting in person is key to building and establishing relationshipsTechnology can help maintain them Tool to help importers ell wine“Have to have a glass of wine in hand” - makes the experience as concrete as possibleSometimes brings soil samples, maps (“very useful”), video, and pictures - allow people to imagine being there and have more conversationsFor business meetings - video calls work wellPreference for a combination of in-person and virtual toolsWine Allocations - some single vineyard and Barolo di Barolo may run out, trying to do more scheduling and programming of allocations by countryWomen in the wine industry - “always be yourself, don't be scared of that”The future for Marchesi di Barolo - recently purchased Cascina Bruchiata in the Rio Sordo area of Barbaresco

Stretched along the north of the Hindu Kush mountain range and the south of the Oxus river, the history of the ancient region of Bactria envelops some of the most intriguing periods of the ancient world. The land, which now straddles parts of Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, can be tracked through the Bronze Ages, the Persian Empire and the rule of Alexander the Great, Greco-Bactrian rule and the rule of the Kushites. To guide us through this history, Tristan from our sibling podcast The Ancients spoke to David Adams, the Australian photojournalist and documentary filmmaker. David has personally explored many of the archaeological sites of Bactria, he shares his experiences and explains how the evidence shows the impact of climate change on the societies who lived there. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Photo:  Khan's Palace, Kokand. The Khanate of Kokand  (Chagatay: خوقند خانليگى Khoqand Khānligi) was a Central Asian polity in Fergana Valley, Central Asia that existed from 1709–1876 within the territory of eastern Uzbekistan, modern Kyrgyzstan, eastern Tajikistan and southeastern Kazakhstan.  Gregory R Copley, editor and publisher of Defense & Foreign Affairs.  @Gregory_Copley #GreatGame : Russia gains https://www.ft.com/content/3ea7e87e-ab3a-4e14-8396-8061420942b0 .. Permissions: Русский: Дворец Худояр-Хана в Коканде, Узбекистан.فارسی: ارگ خان در خوقند، ازبکستان امروزی. کاشی‌نوشته‌های آن به فارسی است.עברית: ארמון הח'אן, קוקנד, אוזבקיסטן.Lëtzebuergesch: Khanspalais vu Kokand, gebaut 1863-1873. Date | September 2000 Source | Own work Author | User:Doron https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KokandPalace.jpg

Episode #471 If you aren't watching (or didn't watch) the Toyko Olympics you still hardly escaped the highlights. We've witnessed history in so many ways. As a 37-year fitness pro involved significantly in contributing to trainers and health coaches' education since 1998, my thoughts in this post are twofold: what it means to each of us as we age what it means to fitness owners as they try to comeback and reshape a new future post pandemic The Toyko Olympics has delivered some shock waves to some. The withdrawal of Simone Biles, the empty stands. The athletes testing positive. Some never expecting to compete, medaling. Athletes using a moment of representing their countries as a personal platform. Our opinions may differ on some of those, but some of the truths I share here are undeniable. How do the Toyko Olympics suggest lessons on aging and strength? But the bigger question I have for you is, did you see it this way too? Or did you look from a different angle? Toyko Olympics Lessons: Aging and Strength During Covid (when competition and travel was shut down) athletes who are shining in the  Tokyo Olympics hit the gym. The examples live across sports. The USA track athletes like 33-year-old Allyson Felix who gained speed and ran better than ever in their 30s. April Ross, 39-year-old Team USA volleyball player whose one of the oldest (and best) out there. Face it, for a long time we haven't seen the rail-thin Nadia Comaneci or Olga Korbut waifs in gymnastics. The winners are strong, muscular forces to recon with. Grace, poise, and the ability to tumble on a 2 x 4 in a leotard comes from owning your body and being comfortable in your own skin. Lydia Jacoby from Alaska (with a single 50-meter pool in the entire state) showed us “it's not about the pool.” Dressel, and Ledecky don't just swim. 2020 was an opportunity for the athletes that got stronger in that year, that studied film about the sand, and their competition, and precision. And so too now can be for you. For those that are inactive now, underactive, or inappropriately active or have been, it is time to comeback.  We all, every one of us have a chance to be overcomers. As we look ahead at what might be coming… surges in numbers, mask mandates, more closures, none of us know exactly what will happen. We do know this. The basics of aging and need for exercise remain the same. If you define successful aging as a healthspan that matches your lifespan, where you're independent as long as possible, then there are some truths. Successful aging requires: Muscle for strength Muscle for metabolism Muscle for agility and reaction skills Balance to avoid falls Strong bones to avoid fracture if a fall occurs Muscle to spare if bedrest is ever required Brain benefits including memory, problem solving, cognition, and mood See the common denominator? The number one way to get those (all of those) is to begin with strength training. Should you walk? Yes. There are stress-reducing benefits. There can be mild cardiovascular benefits (greater for those getting off the coach to become active). But walking alone is not enough. Your ancestors lifted, carried, did hard things and lifted heavy stuff. So should you. Yes, we outlive them. But not, necessarily does the quality of life live up to the quantity of life we've achieved. Changing that is up to you and I. The Athletes to Watch I encourage you, all of us, to watch the Paralympics later this month. Because those are the athletes we can take true inspiration from. If you have limiting beliefs about being over 50 (or insert the magical age when you think you've lost the ability to improve your life status), or in menopause, or divorced, or single, or married with children… Try watching someone who's legs were blown off or amputated, or who is legally blind compete. Watch someone whose every move from getting dressed, to toileting, to juggling books at school has been an obstacle, succeed at something you might never be willing to try. Then you can decide if it's too late, you're too old, or don't have enough motivation. Motivation is not lying on the ground waiting for you to find it. Motivation is not what you need. Not if you have a purpose, a life you love or one you want to create. You want commitment. That isn't something you find. You decide that. Simone Biles was committed. To herself and her health above all. Congratulations to her for doing perhaps one of the hardest rotations she's ever done in her athletic career. That can't have been easy. That was wisdom. What are you committed to? Who are you committed to? Along with a 66-year-old equestrian Toyko Olympic athlete, there are others defying the age-limits. From Forbes: In women's gymnastics, a sport dominated by teenagers, Uzbekistan's 46-year-old Oksana Chusovitina made history this week when she became the oldest woman to ever compete Olympic gymnastics—a longtime favorite of fans and fellow gymnasts with plans to retire after this summer's Games, Chusovitina received a standing ovation after failing to qualify for the vault finals over the weekend. Your Thoughts? It's your turn. What have you enjoyed or hated or found interesting about the Tokyo Olympics? Gymnastics, diving, and swimming and track are among my favorites. Oddly though this year, I'm drawn to most of the broadcast. I think it's still a part of the desire for connection and distraction we all share right now while we wait and watch for things to return, or move on, to a normalcy we can accept. We've done hard things this last 18 months. Pick up some weights. That, fortunately, lasts about a minute each time. You put it down and feel better, stronger, and more resilient.

Whether you're a “first returner,” a trailblazer or you're dreaming about traveling again, this one's for you: Melissa Biggs Bradley talks with four top travel experts about the trips to take now, the destinations on their wish lists—from Rwanda to Paris, Greece, Uzbekistan and beyond. Plus, their travel strategies, Covid's impact on travel, silver linings and much more.