Podcasts about venezuelan president nicol

AP correspondent Ben Thomas reports President Trump has delivered a new warning to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Tensions between Venezuela and the United States are rising as Trump cracks down on drug trafficking, illicit oil shipments, and hostile foreign influence in Latin America. With talk of confrontation swirling in the media, questions are mounting about how far the U.S. should go—and what lessons history offers. Victor Davis Hanson puts Trump's standoff with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro into historical perspective and explains why a military invasion of Venezuela would be a strategic mistake on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In a Few Words.” “Something that the world is looking at. And for the United States to go in there and have a ground removal, I think would be unwise at this point. So, what would be the alternative? It's sort of what we're doing now. We're isolating all drug shipments, illegal transportation of embargoed oil out of Venezuela. It's kind of a quasi-blockade/embargo. And they're going to tighten the screws.” (0:00) Introduction (0:50) US Interdiction Efforts (2:18) Historical Context: The Invasion of Grenada (5:24) Challenges of a Venezuelan Invasion (6:21) Political Ramifications (7:37) Final Thoughts

The U.S. seized a Venezuelan oil tanker, in an escalation in tensions between Caracas and Washington. Bloomberg’s Eric Martin explains how the move further ramps up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Indiana is the latest state in the spotlight over redistricting, as lawmakers there prepare to vote on a new congressional map requested by President Trump. Indianapolis Star reporter Kayla Dwyer joins to discuss why the measure is dividing Republicans in the state. A nationwide initiative called Vision Zero was supposed to stop pedestrian traffic deaths. Rachel Weiner of the Washington Post details why it didn’t work. Plus, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the third consecutive time, the U.S. might require visa applicants to show their social-media history, and how In-N-Out Burger entered the “6-7” conversation. Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.

The U.S. has seized a large Venezuelan oil tanker, intensifying Washington's pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and raising new questions about whether the administration is moving closer to a ground strike in the region. Plus, a relentless atmospheric river is flooding the Pacific Northwest, causing dangerous water levels across Washington state. And a blockbuster battle for Warner Bros. Discovery heats up as President Donald Trump says he may help decide who wins. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, December 11, 2025.

President Trump has announced the U-S has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, a move that comes amid rising escalations with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's government. United States Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has praised the AUKUS defence pact in a ministerial meeting at the Pentagon with Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles and his British counterpart John Healey. Anti-nuclear campaigners are raising significant concerns that Australia could soon play host to nuclear weapons carried on military assets from the United States as part of the AUKUS agreement. - アメリカのドナルド・トランプ大統領は10日、ベネズエラ沖で石油タンカーを拿捕したことを発表しました。ピート・ヘグセス米国防長官は、アメリカの国防総省で、オーストラリアのリチャード・マールズ国防相、と英国のジョン・ヒーリー国防相と閣僚協議を行い、AUKUS防衛協定を高く評価しました。AUKUS協定の一環として、今後オーストラリアの基地を利用するアメリカ軍の装備に、核兵器が搭載されている可能性があるとして、反核団体の活動家達が深刻な懸念を示しています。

The U.S. has seized a large Venezuelan oil tanker, intensifying Washington's pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and raising new questions about whether the administration is moving closer to a ground strike in the region. Plus, a relentless atmospheric river is flooding the Pacific Northwest, causing dangerous water levels across Washington state. And a blockbuster battle for Warner Bros. Discovery heats up as President Donald Trump says he may help decide who wins. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, December 11, 2025.

As U.S. military forces pile up in the Caribbean, pressuring Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to run, the obvious comparison comes up with the 1989 invasion of Panama to take out dictator Manuel Noriega. This makes perfect timing for a remarkable new book by journalist Cillian Dunne about Noriega through the eyes of his right hand man, and as Cillian says “attack dog,” Carlos Wittgreen. A young writer from Dublin, Cillian gained extraordinary access to Carlos and to his trove of documents, right before Carlos died a few months ago. The story of Noriega is fascinating and complex, how he was a CIA and DEA asset yet also worked with the Medellín Cartel, how he played off Washington and Cuba, and had a personal dispute with George H. W. Bush who took him down with a shower of bombs and rock music. Carlos is at the center of this drama while leading his own crazy life in the shadow world, getting training from the United States and Mossad and ending up in a Peruvian prison. Sometimes the world chooses you to tell these surreal stories, and it did with Cillian, who makes a great guest on the CrashOut Podcast and takes us down some jaw dropping avenues. You can find Cillian's book and info at: https://www.therighthandmanbook.com/ Check out more on Ioan Grillo and CrashOut Podcast at: www.crashoutmedia.comSupport the show

Today on the show, tensions between the US and Venezuela are reaching a boiling point, as President Donald Trump warned that US strikes on land targets in Venezuela could come "very soon." Fareed speaks with two former top officials on Venezuela: former US ambassador to Venezuela James Story, and former special representative for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams about what's likely to happen next, and the potential fallout if Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is ousted.Then, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week about the war in Ukraine for a lengthy five hours session — and in the end, there's still no peace deal. Fareed is joined by Ukrainian journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk for a conversation about what Ukrainians make of the impasse, allegations of corruption in that country, and Witkoff's relationships with the Russians. Finally, the Trump administration intensified its immigration crackdown after last week's attack in Washington that left one National Guard member dead and another critically injured. The shooter was an Afghan national who had worked with the CIA and had come to the US in 2021 through a visa program designed to resettle vulnerable Afghans in the wake of the US withdrawal. Fareed talks with The New York Times' Thomas Gibbons-Neff—a former Kabul bureau chief who had twice deployed to Afghanistan as a US Marine—about the role Afghan allies played in America's war, and the challenges of resettlement. GUESTS: Elliott Abrams, James Story, Nataliya Gumenyuk (@ngumenyuk), Thomas Gibbons-Neff (@Tmgneff) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ralph welcomes Judith Enck (founder and president of Beyond Plastics, whose goal is to eliminate plastic pollution everywhere) to discuss her new book “The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It's Too Late.” Then, Ralph reflects on the 60th anniversary of “Unsafe at Any Speed.”Judith Enck is the founder and president of Beyond Plastics, whose goal is to eliminate plastic pollution everywhere. In 2009, she was appointed by President Obama to serve as regional administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and served as deputy secretary for the environment in the New York Governor's Office. She is currently a professor at Bennington College, where she teaches classes on plastic pollution. She is co-author (with Adam Mahoney) of The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It's Too Late.I support recycling…But the sad reality is that plastic recycling has been an abysmal failure. Always has, always will be…You cannot really accomplish high levels of recycling with plastics because you would literally have to do hundreds, if not thousands of different sorting. The people who know this the most are the plastic manufacturers. Yet they have spent hundreds of millions of dollars confusing and deceiving the public into thinking: “Don't worry about all your plastic, just toss it in your recycling bin,” knowing that most plastic never gets recycled.Judith EnckA lot of people feel overwhelmed and that it's hopeless and what can one person do? And that fails to acknowledge that the reason we're not making more progress on climate change is because of the political power of fossil fuel companies. On the plastics issue, we're taking on fossil fuel, chemical, and consumer brand companies and plastics companies. So it's a lot. It's amazing we get anything done. But people around the country are coming together and they're getting victories.Judith EnckI do think if you start paying attention to plastic in your own life, you see that there are alternatives. And then you climb the civic ladder. So you try to reduce plastic in your own home. Then you look at your kid's school. Then you look at your faith community. Then before you know it, you're at your city council asking what can the city do to reduce plastics. You're going to get a couple victories there. And then you find the statewide environmental groups that are working on this. This is for the long haul.Judith EnckThe important thing about [Unsafe at Any Speed] now is: sure, it saved millions of lives and the laws are still on the books, and even Donald Trump can't tear seatbelts and airbags out of our cars. But if we tried to do this again today, it wouldn't happen. And that's because the concentration of corporate power over Congress and the media is so much more intense now. And it's also because the decline of civic institutions and democratic institutions has been very pronounced over the last few decades. And that is sobering us up.Ralph NaderNews 12/5/251. Our top stories this week are on Venezuela. First, the BBCis out with a report on the American military build-up around the Latin American nation, which includes “air and naval forces…a nuclear-powered submarine and spy planes...a range of aircraft carriers, guided-missile destroyers, and amphibious assault ships capable of landing thousands of troops.” So far, the Trump administration has sent mixed messages on whether they plan to launch a full-scale invasion of the Bolivarian Republic, but Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro shows no signs of stepping down without a fight, having declared a “massive mobilisation” of 200,000 military personnel throughout the country. Most ominously, on November 29th, President Trump declared Venezuela's sovereign airspace closed, per the Wall Street Journal.2. However, American bellicosity towards Venezuela is unpopular at home. A CBS poll found that only 30% of Americans would favor the U.S. taking military action in Venezuela, compared to a whopping 70% opposed. Another question in this same poll found that only 13% of Americans consider Venezuela a “major threat” with 48% considering the country a “minor threat” and 39% report they don't think Venezuela is a threat at all. Unfortunately, the lack of popular support for war is unlikely to constrain the Trump administration much, but it is a notable difference from the lead-up to the Iraq War, when 70% of Americans favored an invasion. The American people want peace, even if the government does not. 3. Another key detail from the CBS poll is that “Three in four Americans…say Trump would need congressional approvalbefore taking military action in Venezuela, including just over half of Republicans.” In light of this fact, it is significant that a bipartisan group in Congress is pushing a War Powers resolution to “block strikes on Venezuela,” per the Intercept. This new push in the House is sponsored by stalwart progressive Congressman Jim McGovern and co-sponsored by dissident Republican Thomas Massie along with other progressives like Reps. Ro Khanna, Lloyd Doggett, and Joaquin Castro, among others. As the Intercept piece notes, this resolution must be acted on in the House within 15 days, but by then the administration may have already acted, pre-empting the resolution. A similar resolution has also been introduced in the Senate, primarily backed by Senators Tim Kaine and Rand Paul, with backing from other Senate Democrats, per the Hill.4. Of course, American aggression towards Venezuela is reverberating out into the international community in myriad ways. Generally speaking, while United Nations officials decry the actions, America's European allies have kept quiet – with many speculating that these countries would prefer Maduro's ouster in order to get ready access to Venezuelan oil and decrease their dependence on Russia. China however, has issued a stiff condemnation of American actions. The Iranian Students News Agencyquotes Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian's statement at a Beijing press conference, which where in he stated, “China opposes any action that violates the purposes and principles of the UN Charter or infringes upon the sovereignty and security of other countries…[and] opposes foreign forces interfering in Venezuela's internal affairs under any pretext.” He added, “We urge all parties to keep the Latin American and Caribbean region a peaceful zone and not allow the situation to escalate further.” However, beyond these condemnations, it remains unclear what, if anything, China will do to check American aggression.5. Despite all of this however, House Democratic leadership is typically feckless. In a corollary to the increasing likelihood of strikes against Venezuela directly, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has stepped up the campaign of striking boats off the country's coast. Recently, the Washington Post revealed that after a strike in September which left survivors clinging to life, Hegseth ordered a second strike, directing Admiral Frank Bradley to “kill everybody.” This revelation led to calls for House Democrats to pursue impeachment against Hegseth on charges that he violated the laws of war. However, Axiosreports House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will not pursue a Hegseth impeachment. While true that such a push would likely be DOA, it sends a dark signal that the administration can do something like this and face virtually zero official condemnation. 6. Nevertheless, Republicans have taken such unpopular actions that it seems Democrats will retake the House, perhaps by a wide margin, in the 2026 midterms – or perhaps before. So far, 31 House Republicans have announced they will not seek re-election, with some retiring and others running for other offices. Still others however are signaling that they will resign their offices before the midterms, shaving the slim House GOP majority ever slimmer. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has announced she will retire in January 2026. Now, Congresswoman Nancy Mace is reportedly considering resigning early as well, though she has denied such rumors, per KOMO News. Either way, Democrats should be taking this moment to prepare an agenda for if and when they retake control of the chamber. 7. Turning to consumer protection news, Jalopnik reports Senate Republicans are seeking to rollback decades of automobile safety regulations. In a recent hearing held by the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation ostensibly to put the CEOs of the Big Three American car manufacturers, as well as Tesla, on the record as to why cars have become so expensive, Republicans on the committee used the opportunity to blame safety regulations. Jalopnik notes that Republican Senators specifically targeted “automated emergency braking, the requirements for which will not come into effect until 2029 and have no bearing on current car prices…[and] back-seat alarms to remind you if you've left a child or pet back there. According to Kids and Car Safety, since 1990 at least 1,165 children have sweltered to death in hot cars, and another 7,500 survived with varying degrees of injury.” The cost of these sensors will amount to about $50 per vehicle. In short, while there are many reasons cars have become considerably more expensive in recent years – including everything from tariffs to data centers buying up all electronic parts – blaming safety regulations is a tired canard. 8. Meanwhile, RFK Jr. is moving to kill a proposed Food and Drug Administration rule to test for asbestos in talc-based cosmetics, the Guardian reports. As this report notes, cosmetics companies have known about potential asbestos contamination of talc since the 1950s, but that fact, like so many other corporate secrets, was suppressed, only coming to light in the 1970s. Asbestos is a highly carcinogenic substance. It has been banned in over 50 countries and “No…level of exposure is considered safe.” However, attempts to ban the substance in the U.S. have been stymied by industry, beginning with the overturning of the EPA's 1989 ban.9. In more legal news, Reuters reports the British government has announced plans to “remove the historic right to trial by jury,” for defendants in criminal cases carrying potential sentences of under three years in jail. The government argues that this will help alleviate the tremendous backlog of cases before the British courts, despite the fact that the right to a jury trial in Britain dates back to the Magna Carta itself. Barbara Mills, chair of the Bar Council, which represents trial lawyers in the U.K., decried this move, stating ”there is no evidence that [the] removal [of jury trials] would reduce the backlog, nor has it been set out how an alternative system would be resourced…We urge the government to reconsider pursuing radical changes under the mistaken belief that radical equals effective.” 10. Finally, in local news, Washington D.C. Councilmember and Democratic Socialist Janeese Lewis George has officially launched her campaign to be the next mayor of the District of Columbia. Lewis George is the first serious candidate to announce a campaign to succeed unpopular three-term Mayor Muriel Bowser, who is retiring this cycle. Like Zohran Mamdani, Lewis George is prioritizing affordability in the increasingly expensive District as well as an emphasis on fixing city services like traffic safety improvement. According to the Washington Post, “Within hours of launching her campaign Monday morning, Lewis George's campaign said it had received enough money from enough D.C. residents to qualify [for the District's matching fund program], which provides public financing for campaigns that agree not to accept large-dollar donations and corporate contributions.” Within hours, “they had netted more than $110,000 in individual donations from 1,500 D.C. residents,” which after being combined with the matching funds, will total over $750,000.” However, many expect her main challenger to be Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, an ally of corporate interests and developers in the District, who will likely be bankrolled by those same interests. Whatever the future holds, this will surely be the most competitive citywide race the District has seen in decades. This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

In this episode of The Yard Sign, Florida's most important relevant podcast, hosts Johnny Torres and "Evil" David Cabrera welcome back veteran correspondent Travis Horn for a lively post-Thanksgiving deep dive into global and domestic hot topics. Kicking off with lighthearted banter on Florida's overlooked role in the first Thanksgiving—courtesy of Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés in 1565—the trio quickly pivots to the explosive rumors swirling around Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. With Trump signaling aggressive action against narcoterrorism, including potential strikes on Maduro as an enabler of drug trafficking, the hosts speculate on the dictator's flight risks, possible escapes to Russia or Cuba, and the billions siphoned by the Chávez family. They dissect the U.S. military's "double-tap" boat interceptions in the Caribbean, mocking media portrayals of narco "fishing vessels" as high-speed death traps, and question the timing of Admiral Alvin Holsey's abrupt retirement amid reported clashes with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the strikes' legality—dismissing Democratic outrage as desperate deflection from real border threats like Mexican cartels. The conversation heats up on foreign policy ripple effects, from China's stake in Venezuelan oil to a potential domino for right-leaning regimes across Latin America, with calls for guests like Josh Bergen for deeper analysis. Shifting gears, they roast Rep. Emmanuel Sánchez's (D-OH) push to ban dual citizenship for lawmakers, branding it performative red meat unlikely to sway voters despite echoes from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. Wrapping with the Tennessee special election, where a Democrat who once trashed Nashville's party scene won 72% in the district she now represents, the hosts lament blue-state transplants turning red strongholds purple, joking about balkanizing Virginia or annexing Canadian provinces to balance the electoral map. The episode closes with bold wagers on resolutions to Venezuela and Ukraine-Russia by year's end, underscoring Trump's troll-mastery in global chess. Packed with unfiltered hot takes, historical nods, and Florida flair, this installment reminds listeners why socialism crumbles and why backing the right strongman matters—now more than ever. Topic Segments: Intro & Thanksgiving Banter: 00:00:25 - 00:04:12 Maduro's Flight & Trump Threats: 00:04:12 - 00:16:58 Narco Boat Strikes & Admiral Resignation: 00:16:58 - 00:23:00 Venezuela's Broader Impacts & Guest Ideas: 00:23:00 - 00:29:28 Dual Citizenship Bill Debate: 00:29:28 - 00:31:36 Tennessee Special Election & Statehood Satire: 00:31:36 - 00:48:00 Closing Bets on Global Crises: 00:48:00 - 00:49:11 The Yard Sign is a weekly political podcast presenting a different perspective on the week's local, state, and national news and politics. In addition to the revolving cast of panelists, The Yard Sign will feature political candidates, subject matter experts, and elected officials. The Yard Sign is The Most Important Irrelevant Political Podcast based out of Florida, featuring conservatives discussing the political news of the day. The show airs weekly on Thursdays at 5pm.    Visit our website: http://theyardsignshow.com  Like The Yard Sign on Facebook: http://facebook.com/theyardsign  Follow The Yard Sign on Twitter: http://twitter.com/theyardsign   Subscribe: http://youtube.com/@theyardsign  Subscribe to the audio version of the podcast:  @Apple  : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-yard-sign/id1495113397?ls=1  @Google Play  : https://play.google.com/music/m/Inqmpbo3vwel3ty4vxwfj7yenja?t=The_Yard_Sign ​ @Spotify  : https://open.spotify.com/show/0DhWX6twVGllPAdTIQ4Ljg 

This week on One Decision, hosts Christina Ruffini and Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of Britain's MI6, are joined by Venezuela expert Phil Gunson, Senior Analyst for the International Crisis Group.  In this conversation, the hosts discuss the new pressure campaign the Trump administration has placed on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his regime, including the recent air strikes on drug boats off the Venezuelan coast. Gunson, who lives in Caracas, Venezuela, explains how Cuban intelligence continues to help Maduro maintain control over Venezuela and its military, why the military sees no benefit in turning against Maduro, and how gold mining and evading sanctions keep the regime financially afloat. The conversation explores why Maduro's dictatorship continues to endure, the divided Venezuelan opposition, and the risks of the next dangerous power struggle if Maduro falls. Gunson also shares vivid insights into daily life in Caracas, from blackouts to food shortages, and shares his thoughts on what it would take for Venezuela to move toward democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey BillOReilly.com Premium and Concierge Members, welcome to the No Spin News for Monday, December, 2025. Stand Up for Your Country.  Talking Points Memo: Bill argues that Christmas is politicized, with some on the far left tying their anti–immigration-enforcement stance to criticism of Christian white men. The latest on the incident involving an Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard members last Wednesday. Otis Sanford, Memphis political analyst and columnist, joins the No Spin News to explain why he opposes the National Guard in Memphis, arguing they aren't contributing to the crackdown on crime. What we know about President Trump's conversation with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Final Thought: An AI Santa weighs in on Bill's latest book, Confronting Evil. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

High-stakes peace talks begin in Geneva as questions mount over a US-proposed peace plan. The United States prepares a new phase of military operations against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. More than 300 children and staff are taken from a Catholic school in Nigeria. Japan tests barking drones to fight off bear attacks. Plus Jim Henson's props and puppets go up for auction. On Assignment: Europe's left gets tough on immigration Sign up for the Reuters Econ World newsletter here.  Listen to the Reuters Econ World podcast here. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices.  You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt out of targeted advertising. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress voted overwhelmingly to authorize the release of the Epstein files. President Donald Trump welcomed the decision, signing the bill on Wednesday.ICE activity in Charlotte, North Carolina, ramped up this week; authorities reportedly made some 250 arrests.The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the economy added 119,000 jobs in September, while the unemployment rate edged up to 4.4%. It is the only jobs report the BLS will release until December. On Wednesday, the agency canceled the October jobs report for the first time in 77 years.And, in global news, US President Donald Trump said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “knew nothing” about the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in direct contradiction of U.S. intelligence. The president welcomed the kingdom's de facto ruler to the Oval Office where they announced military and investment deals between the two nations.In Gaza this week, some of the deadliest Israeli airstrikes since the U.S. brokered ceasefire took effect on October 10. On Monday, the UN Security Council endorsed Donald Trump's plan for Gaza, including the deployment of an international stabilisation force.And the war of words between Trump and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is heating up. However, both sides have indicated they'd be willing to meet face to face.We cover the most important stories from around the world in the News Roundup.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's Tuesday, November 18th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson Nigerian Muslims abduct 7 people in Borno State, Nigeria Persecution.org reports that seven people have been abducted in Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria, Africa. Boko Haram, the Muslim terrorist group, is suspected of involvement in this kidnapping of mothers and their children, including two daughters of a local pastor and an infant.   One resident described the atmosphere in the area as shock and fear.  She said, “I'm shocked and saddened by the attack. … My heart goes out to the families of the abducted. It's heartbreaking that this is happening weekly in Chibok. The silence is deafening — we must demand action from our leaders and support our troops to bring an end to this senseless violence.” 25 girls kidnapped in Kebbi State, Nigeria And this just in. The Associated Press reports that 25 girls were kidnapped yesterday morning from a high school in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Nigerian military opened fire on police in Benue State, Nigeria Meanwhile, the Nigerian military opened fire on a police patrol in Benue State last week. The patrol was offering protection to villagers from Fulani Muslim terrorists. Just another incident marking the unravelling of the social and political state of the Nigerian nation.  Congress might impose sanctions on Nigeria The United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa has scheduled an open hearing this Thursday on the President's recent designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern. If ratified by the Senate, the designation would allow the U.S. to impose sanctions on Nigerian government officials found complicit in religious persecution. German authorities targeting homeschooling and Christian schooling Homeschooling and Christian schooling are under attack in Germany, again. The Dietrich Bonhoeffer International School in Germany is a part-homeschool and part-Christian school hybrid. After three court hearings over the last six years, education authorities are not forcing school closure. Two partner schools have been denied accreditation by German authorities.   Alliance Defending Freedom International is appealing the case to the European Court of Human Rights.  In 1920, Germany introduced public school compulsory attendance, By 1939,  almost all denominational  or confessional schools in the Reich were converted into “community schools” under state control or they were closed. Keep in mind, God is in control. In Isaiah 43:15-17, God says, “I am the Lord, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King.” Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters, who brings forth the chariot and horse, The army and the power, they shall lie down together, they shall not rise; They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick.” Marco Rubio to designate Venezuelan cartel as terrorist group Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Sunday that the State Department would designate Cartel de los Soles or Cartel of the Suns as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. It will take place within a week. The cartel is believed to be headed by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his cronies.   The State Department press release promised that the United States would use “all available tools to protect our national security interests and deny funding and resources to narco-terrorists.” Since September, the U.S. military has completed 21 attacks on boats thought to be carrying drugs in the Caribbean seas.  As of Saturday, 83 people aboard ships have been killed, and 22 ships sunk.  State Department called Maduro “one of largest narco-traffickers” Not only has the State Department referred to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as "one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world,” but also the U.S. government has offered a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest.  Venezuela's Gross Domestic Product has sunk from $371 billion in 2013, when Madura was elected, to an estimated $107 billion this year.   HIs government is known for having killed thousands of political enemies. In his early years, Maduro was trained as a communist in Cuba, and leads the United Socialist Party of Venezuela. Venezuela, once rich oil-based country, no relies on illegal drugs Venezuela was one of the most prosperous states in South America back in the 1980s and 1990s, that is, until a left-wing politician named Hugo Chávez was elected as President in 1998. Since then, the country has shifted from an oil-based economy to a drug-based economy. Venezuelan oil production has dropped off by 75% since the late 90s. Proverbs 28:16 speaks to this: “Like a roaring lion and a charging bear Is a wicked ruler over poor people. A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor, but he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.” African, Muslim & Eastern countries vs West on trust in governments The Edelman International Survey finds that the people of African, Muslim, and Eastern countries are far more optimistic about the future of their nations than the people in Western countries. Those who live in Kenya, Indonesia, India, China, and Saudi Arabia are very optimistic — over 50% believe the next generation will be better off. By contrast, the population of France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Australia, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Canada are extremely pessimistic — barely 9-20% could say the same thing. In terms of distrust of governments, the people of Japan, Germany, Spain, Colombia, and South Africa were highly distrustful. But those who live in Saudi Arabia, China, India, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia registered high trust in governments. Hollywood's economic slump And, finally, Hollywood has gone into an economic tailspin — now sporting the worst summer season in 44 years. At $3.67 billion, Tinseltown's summer box office season registered a 43% decrease from the peak year of 2013, adjusted for inflation.  Pagan worldview of How to Train Your Dragon 2025 In case you missed it, How to Train Your Dragon 2025 featured a pagan worldview with ample references to the ancient demonic gods of Odin and Thor, not to mention the witch consulting bones and magic. Jurassic Park Rebirth advocated the evolution of man, environmentalism, and the woke of feminism.   And Superman 2025 got a little political and wokey around the edges, once more setting the worldview of existentialism against the polytheism of the superheroes. Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, November 18th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

In this episode of One Decision In Brief, hosts Kate McCann and Sir Ben Wallace, former UK Defence Secretary, break down President Donald Trump's latest moves in Venezuela, including threatening military strikes and offering Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro a chance for talks. The two consider the regional consequences of military action, including Cuba's political reliance on Venezuela and the Latin American drug supply chain. Sir Ben shares how Venezuelan and Colombian drug operatives are now learning high-stakes defense technology. Plus, Kate asks Sir Ben whether the UK Prime Minister should ask Trump not to sue the BBC, and if Trump should be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.  Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States is planning to designate the Venezuelan ‘Cartel of the Suns' a foreign terrorist organization. The move expands federal authority to target the group, which the Trump administration says is led by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. U.S. forces are continuing strikes on suspected narcotics-smuggling vessels, including one this weekend in which three suspected drug traffickers died.President Donald Trump is considering ways to allow Americans to directly feel the benefits of his tariffs. The measures include a plan to send a $2,000 check to low- and middle-income Americans next year, to be paid for by revenue gained from tariffs. The plan would need approval from Congress to take effect. Some conservative Republicans have expressed openness, but others say tackling the national debt should come first.With the federal government back in business, the Federal Aviation Administration says its order to reduce flights ended at 6 a.m. on Monday morning, allowing normal air traffic operations to resume. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the agency will now refocus on hiring more air traffic controllers and modernizing U.S. air traffic control systems. SNAP benefits are also now being paid again under updated federal rules. However, beneficiaries must meet new work and citizenship requirements to continue receiving food assistance.

Changing course on the release of the Epstein files, President Trump says he would sign legislation compelling the Department of Justice to release the files of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein if such a bill passes the House and Senate and reaches his desk. He's also calling on House Republicans to vote in favor of releasing the files, saying Republicans have nothing to hide.The Trump administration is also touting its economic agenda. The president announced that he will likely issue tariff dividend checks sometime in the middle of next year. Meanwhile, he says he's open to speaking directly with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as he weighs a decision on whether to launch strikes in Venezuela.The Supreme Court says it will hear a case deciding whether the U.S. must process asylum claims from people attempting to cross the U.S.–Mexico border. The case will examine whether the wording in federal law—requiring claims to be heard from someone who “arrives in” the United States—extends to individuals who arrive at the border but have not yet crossed over.

This week on Hold Your Fire!, Richard talks with Crisis Group experts Phil Gunson and Renata Segura about U.S. military build-up off Venezuela's coast, strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats and whether Washington could depose Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Crisis Group's Venezuela and Andes expert Phil Gunson and Latin America & Caribbean director Renata Segura about the escalating tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela. They assess the large-scale military build-up off Venezuela's coast, officially framed as a counter-narcotics operation but widely seen as part of a broader campaign to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. They unpack U.S. strikes on suspected drug smuggling boats and how effective such measures are in curbing the narcotics trade. They talk about the evolution of U.S. policy toward Venezuela, divisions within Donald Trump's team over policy and how Venezuelans view the latest escalation. They look at the role of Venezuela's military and armed groups and how they might respond to foreign intervention. Finally, they consider Washington's next steps and assess Trump's approach to the Western hemisphere more broadly and how Latin American leaders view his policies. Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more, check out our statement “Beware the Slide Toward Regime Change in Venezuela” and our Latin America & Caribbean regional page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:   A new report exposes an extraordinary U.S. plot to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro—by allegedly trying to convince his personal pilot to reroute his plane mid-flight into U.S. custody.   Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders fresh strikes on Gaza after losing patience with Hamas' efforts to recover the remains of Israeli hostages.   Russia's second-largest oil producer, Lukoil, says it's selling off its overseas holdings—a sign that Western sanctions are beginning to bite.   And in today's Back of the Brief—President Trump secures a new trade deal with Japan's Prime Minister, strengthening Washington's hand in Asia.   To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com.   Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.   YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybriefAmerican Financing: Call American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org . APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1881 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/PDB .Birch Gold: Text PDB to 989898 and get your free info kit on gold Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Tuesday, October 28th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson South African government regulating churches Earlier this month, the South African government agency, known as the Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights Commission, launched a committee to regulate churches in the country. The new committee will most likely make determinations as to “what qualifies as a religion,” who may be recognized as a religious leader, and where churches may worship. The concern is also that this governmental power would force churches to come under State-approved umbrella bodies. The nation's churches have scheduled a march to the Parliament building in Cape Town, the capital of South Africa, on November 13th. South Africa rejects self-defense as reason to own a gun The South African Parliament is also considering additional restrictions on firearms to remove “self-defense” as a valid reason to own a gun. This would remove meaningful protection for families, farms, and churches from violent criminals, in one of the most violent nations on Earth. The Communists and the left-leaning African National Congress have 51% control of the South African parliament. Turmoil in Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist government is still in turmoil. At this moment, 38 of the 205 members of the central committee failed to appear for the big Plenum session last week. Of the 33 generals on the Committee, 22 were missing. Trump to meet with Chinese president Xi Jinping on Asian tour President Donald Trump met with Japan's newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi yesterday. This week, he will move on to high level meetings in South Korea and China, with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday.  The White House announced that President Trump has signed historic peace deals with Cambodia and Thailand, trade deals with Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, and minerals deals with Malaysia and Thailand. Javier Milei's mid-term election triumph in Argentina The results for Argentina's mid-term elections are in.  And Javier Milei's Libertarian Party crushed it, reports Reuters. Now, Milei's party has 41% control of the legislature which is up from 26% in 2023. The left wing party dropped off from 44% to 32% which is an 11% decline. Milei's agenda will have stronger legislative backing for more reforms in tax reduction and deregulation of business for the country. Bolivia rejects socialism And, by God's sovereign order of things, Bolivia has a new president as of last week, reports CBS News. Rodrigo Paz is more centrist — a change after 20 years of socialism in this mountainous country of South America. Not surprisingly, socialist countries like Venezuela and Bolivia are the poorest countries in all of South America. King Charles III glorified sodomy King Charles III of England glorified homosexuality yesterday by placing flowers at a newly constructed memorial to homosexuals serving in the nation's military, reports The Times. Prince Charles's mentor and uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten, served as Britain's Chief of Defense in the 1960s, and was reported in 2019 as “a homosexual with a perversion for young boys.” King Charles III joined Pope Leo XIV for worship King Charles III made other news headlines last week, when he participated in a public worship service with the Roman Catholic Pope Leo XIV.   This was the first time a reigning British monarch joined the Pope for such events since the Reformation. King Charles and his wife, Camilla, sat on golden thrones under Michelangelo's "Last Judgment" fresco in the Sistine Chapel for the ecumenical service.  Joel 3 reminds us of God's judgement.   “Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow — for their wickedness is great.” Putin celebrates successful test of missile Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrated a successful test for the Burevestnik missile over the weekend, reports CBS News. Putin announced that the armament was ready for deployment, after it completed a 10,000-mile flight. Plus, according to the Russian military, the missile “successfully performed all designated vertical and horizontal maneuvers, demonstrating its strong ability to evade anti-missile and air defense systems.” Hurricane Melissa: Biggest one to hit Caribbean Category 5 Hurricane Melissa is barreling down on Jamaica. It's the strongest hurricane to hit the Caribbean nation in recorded history.  America's most lethal aircraft carrier off Venezuelan coast Meanwhile, the U.S. Military is sending its most lethal aircraft carrier from European waters into the Caribbean for the ongoing drug war, now heating up somewhere off the shores of Venezuela, reports TheHill.com. The main target for the flurry of activity appears to be Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom the Trump administration has called an “illegitimate leader.” Appearing on CBS's Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina was asked about possible land strikes in Venezuela. BRENNAN: “Are land strikes planned?” GRAHAM: “Yeah, I think that's a real possibility. I think President Trump's made a decision that [Venezuelan President Nicolás] Maduro, the leader of Venezuela, is an indicted drug trafficker, that it's time for him to go. Venezuela and Colombia have been safe havens for ‘narco terrorists' for too long.” Oil likely will cost less in 2026 America's oil wells are pumping it out.   Chevron CEO Mike Wirth told Fox Business host Maria Bartiroma, that gas prices in 2026 may very well be lower than they were this year. BARTIROMA: “Can you give us a sense of what you would expect for 2026?” WIRTH: “Yeah, I think we see supply growing, particularly from the OPEC-supplying countries, and demand growing steadily. But as this supply comes back, it's weighing on commodity markets. So, we're prepared for prices in ‘26 to be lower than they were in ‘25.” Christian pastors arrested for child p*rn And finally, assorted national news stories report that Christian pastors and leaders have been recently arrested for possession of extreme evil forms of pornography involving children.   Singer and worship leader Jon Paul Sheptock, of First Montgomery Baptist Church, is under arrest, reports the Baptist Press.  The Idaho Statesman reports that the senior pastor at Sovereign Grace Fellowship in Nampa, Idaho was arrested for handling images of a “horrific” nature. Another Baptist youth pastor from Greenville, South Carolina was just sentenced to twenty years for a similar offense. A pastor of the House of Prayer Christian Church in Georgia has been indicted by a federal court for similar offenses. And another former youth pastor at the Southcoast church in Goleta, California has been arrested on related charges. Jeremiah speaks of religious scandals in the churches. The prophet wrote, “My heart within me is broken because of the prophets. . . For the land is full of adulterers; For because of a curse the land mourns. The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up. Their course of life is evil, and their might is not right. “For both prophet and priest are profane; Yes, in My house I have found their wickedness,” says the Lord. I will bring disaster on them, the year of their punishment.” (Jeremiah 23:9-12) Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, October 28th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Since the start of September, President Donald Trump has ordered a series of lethal strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea, killing dozens of people. His administration has justified the attacks by accusing the boats of carrying drugs. But, we're more than two months in, and we still haven't seen any substantial evidence that the people killed were involved in trafficking narcotics. Meanwhile, Trump appears to be focused on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and last week, Trump acknowledged he authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. So, to talk more about Venezuela and the legality- or lack thereof- of the Trump administration's ongoing campaign in the Caribbean Sea, we spoke with Tess Bridgeman, co-editor-in-chief of Just Security and Senior Fellow and Visiting Scholar at the Reiss Center on Law and Security at NYU School of Law. She previously served as Special Assistant to the President, Associate Counsel to the President, and Deputy Legal Adviser to the National Security Council (NSC), and at the U.S. State Department in the Office of the Legal Adviser.And in headlines, Vice President JD Vance visits Israel as Hamas continues to return the bodies of hostages, ICE recruits are going up against fitness testing, and the government is as shutdown as ever.Show Notes:Check out Tess's work – justsecurity.org/author/bridgemantess/Call Congress – 202-224-3121Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ralph welcomes Professor Roddey Reid to break down his book “Confronting Political Intimidation and Public Bullying: A Handbook for the Trump Era and Beyond.” Then, we are joined by the original Nader's Raider, Professor Robert Fellmeth, who enlightens us on how online anonymity and Artificial Intelligence are harming children.Roddey Reid is Professor Emeritus at the University of California, San Diego where he taught classes on modern cultures and societies in the US, France, and Japan. Since 2008 he has researched and published on trauma, daily life, and political intimidation in the US and Europe. He is a member of Indivisible.org San Francisco, and he hosts the blog UnSafe Thoughts on the fluidity of politics in dangerous times. He is also the author of Confronting Political Intimidation and Public Bullying: A Handbook for the Trump Era and Beyond.I think we still have trouble acknowledging what's actually happening. Particularly our established institutions that are supposed to protect us and safeguard us—many of their leaders are struggling with the sheer verbal and physical violence that's been unfurling in front of our very eyes. Many people are exhausted by it all. And it's transformed our daily life to the point that I think one of the goals is (quite clearly) to disenfranchise people such that they don't want to go out and participate in civic life.Roddey ReidWhat's broken down is…a collective response, organized group response. Now, in the absence of that, this is where No King's Day and other activities come to the fore. They're trying to restore collective action. They're trying to restore the public realm as a place for politics, dignity, safety, and shared purpose. And that's been lost. And so this is where the activists and civically engaged citizens and residents come in. They're having to supplement or even replace what these institutions traditionally have been understood to do. It's exhilarating, but it's also a sad moment.Roddey ReidRobert Fellmeth worked as a Nader's Raider from 1968 to 1973 in the early days of the consumer movement. He went on to become the Price Professor of Public Interest Law at the University of San Diego (where he taught for 47 years until his retirement early this year) and he founded their Children's Advocacy Institute in 1983. Since then, the Institute has sponsored 100 statutes and 35 appellate cases involving child rights, and today it has offices in Sacramento and DC. He is also the co-author of the leading law textbook Child Rights and Remedies.I think an easy remedy—it doesn't solve the problem totally—but simply require the AI to identify itself when it's being used. I mean, to me, that's something that should always be the case. You have a right to know. Again, free speech extends not only to the speaker, but also to the audience. The audience has a right to look at the information, to look at the speech, and to judge something about it, to be able to evaluate it. That's part of free speech.Robert FellmethNews 10/17/25* In Gaza, the Trump administration claims to have brokered a ceasefire. However, this peace – predicated on an exchange of prisoners – is extremely fragile. On Tuesday, Palestinians attempting to return to their homes were fired upon by Israeli soldiers. Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed those shot were “terrorists” whose attempts to “approach and cross [the Yellow Line] were thwarted.” Al Jazeera quotes Lorenzo Kamel, a professor of international history at Italy's University of Turin, who calls the ceasefire a “facade” and that the “structural violence will remain there precisely as it was – and perhaps even worse.” We can only hope that peace prevails and the Palestinians in Gaza are able to return to their land. Whatever is left of it.* Despite this ceasefire, Trump was denied in his bid for a Nobel Peace Prize. The prize instead went to right-wing Venezuelan dissident María Corina Machado. Democracy Now! reports Machado ran against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in 2023, but was “barred from running after the government accused her of corruption and cited her support for U.S. sanctions against Venezuela.” If elected Machado has promised to privatize Venezuela's state oil industry and move Venezuela's Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and in 2020, her party, Vente Venezuela, “signed a pact formalizing strategic ties with Israel's Likud party led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.” Machado has also showered praise on right-wing Latin American leaders like Javier Milei of Argentina and following her victory, praised Trump's “decisive support,” even telling Fox News that Trump “deserves” the prize for his anti-Maduro campaign, per the Nation.* Machado's prize comes within the context of Trump's escalating attacks on Venezuela. In addition to a fifth deadly strike on a Venezuelan boat, which killed six, the New York Times reports Trump has ordered his envoy to the country Richard Grenell to cease all diplomatic outreach to Venezuela, including talks with President Maduro. According to this report, “Trump has grown frustrated with…Maduro's failure to accede to American demands to give up power voluntarily and the continued insistence by Venezuelan officials that they have no part in drug trafficking.” Grenell had been trying to strike a deal with the Bolivarian Republic to “avoid a larger conflict and give American companies access to Venezuelan oil,” but these efforts were obviously undercut by the attacks on the boats – which Democrats contend are illegal under U.S. and international law – as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeling Maduro a “fugitive from American justice,” and placing a $50 million bounty on his head. With this situation escalating rapidly, many now fear direct U.S. military deployment into Venezuela.* Meanwhile, Trump has already deployed National Guard troops to terrorize immigrants in Chicago. The Chicago Sun-Times reports Pope Leo XIV, the first American Pope and a Chicago native, met with Chicago union leaders in Rome last week and urged them to take action to protect immigrants in the city. Defending poor immigrants is rapidly becoming a top priority for the Catholic Church. Pope Leo has urged American bishops to “speak with one voice” on the issue and this story related that “El Paso bishop Mark Seitz brought Leo letters from desperate immigrant families.” Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, also at the meeting with Leo and the union leaders, said that the Pope “wants us to make sure, as bishops, that we speak out on behalf of the undocumented or anybody who's vulnerable to preserve their dignity…We all have to remember that we all share a common dignity as human beings.”* David Ellison, the newly-minted CEO of Paramount, is ploughing ahead with a planned expansion of his media empire. His next target: Warner Bros. Discovery. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Ellison already pitched a deal to WB CEO David Zaslav, but the $20 per share offer was rejected. However, Ellison is likely to offer a new deal “possibly…backed by his father Larry Ellison or a third party like Apollo [Global Management].” There is also talk that he could go directly to the WBD shareholders if the corporate leadership proves unresponsive. If Ellison is intent on this acquisition, he will need to move fast. Zaslav is planning to split the company into a “studios and HBO business,” and a Discovery business, which would include CNN. Ellison is clearly interested in acquiring CNN to help shape newsroom perspectives, as his recent appointment of Bari Weiss as “editor-in-chief” of CBS News demonstrates, so this split would make an acquisition far less of an attractive prospect. We will be watching this space.* In another Ellison-related media story, Newsweek reports Barron Trump, President Trump's 19-year-old son, is being eyed for a board seat at the newly reorganized Tik-Tok. According to this story, “Trump's former social media manager Jack Advent proposed the role at the social media giant, as it comes into U.S. ownership, arguing that the younger Trump's appointment could broaden TikTok's appeal among young users.” Barron is currently enrolled in New York University's Stern School of Business and serves as an “ambassador” for World Liberty Financial, the “Trump family's crypto venture.” TikTok U.S., formerly owned and operated by the Chinese company ByteDance, is being taken over by a “consortium of American investors [including Larry Ellison's] Oracle and investment firm Silver Lake Partners,” among others.* As the government shutdown drags on, the Trump administration is taking the opportunity to further gut the federal government, seeming to specifically target the offices protecting the most vulnerable. According to NPR, “all staff in the [Department of Education] Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), with the exception of a handful of top officials and support staff, were cut,” in a reduction-in-force or RIF order issued Friday. One employee is quoted saying “This is decimating the office responsible for safeguarding the rights of infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.” Per this report, OSERS is “responsible for roughly $15 billion in special education funding and for making sure states provide special education services to the nation's 7.5 million children with disabilities.” Just why exactly the administration is seeking to undercut federal support for disabled children is unclear. Over at the Department of Health and Human Services, headed by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., HHS sent out an RIF to “approximately 1,760 employees last Friday — instead of the intended 982,” as a “result of data discrepancies and processing errors,” NOTUS reports. The agency admitted the error in a court filing in response to a suit brought by the employees' unions. Even still, the cuts are staggering and include 596 employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and 125 at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to name just a few. This report notes that other agencies, including the Departments of Justice, Treasury and Homeland Security all sent out inaccurately high RIFs as well.* The Lever reports Boeing, the troubled airline manufacturer, is fighting a new Federal Aviation Administration rule demanding additional inspections for older 737 series planes after regulators discovered cracks in their fuselages. The rule “would revise the inspection standards…through a regulatory action called an ‘airworthiness directive.'...akin to a product recall if inspectors find a defective piece of equipment on the plane…in [this case] cracks along the body of the plane's main cabin.” The lobbying group Airlines for America is seeking to weaken the rule by arguing that the maintenance checks would be too “costly” for the airline industry, who would ultimately have to bear the financial brunt of these inspections. Boeing is fighting them too because such a rule would make airlines less likely to buy Boeing's decaying airplanes. As this report notes, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy – who oversees the FAA – “previously worked as an airline lobbyist…[and] Airlines for America recently selected the former Republican Governor of New Hampshire, Chris Sununu to be their chief executive officer.”* In more consumer-related news, Consumer Reports has been conducting a series of studies on lead levels in various consumer products. Most recently, a survey of protein powders and shakes found “troubling levels of toxic heavy metals,” in many of the most popular brands. They write, “For more than two-thirds of the products we analyzed, a single serving contained more lead than CR's food safety experts say is safe to consume in a day—some by more than 10 times.” Some of these products have massively increased in heavy metal content just over the last several years. CR reports “Naked Nutrition's Vegan Mass Gainer powder, the product with the highest lead levels, had nearly twice as much lead per serving as the worst product we analyzed in 2010.” The experts quoted in this piece advise against daily use of these products, instead limiting them to just once per week.* Finally, in a new piece in Rolling Stone, David Sirota and Jared Jacang Maher lay out how conservatives are waging new legal campaigns to strip away the last remaining fig leaves of campaign finance regulation – and what states are doing to fight back. One angle of attack is a lawsuit targeting the restrictions on coordination between parties and individual campaigns, with House Republicans arguing that, “because parties pool money from many contributors, that ‘significantly dilutes the potential for any particular donor to exercise a corrupting influence over any particular candidate' who ultimately benefits from their cash.” Another angle is a lawsuit brought by P.G. Sittenfeld, the former Democratic mayor of Cincinnati – who has already been pardoned by Trump for accepting bribes – but is seeking to establish that “pay-to-play culture is now so pervasive that it should no longer be considered prosecutable.” However, the authors do throw out one ray of hope from an unlikely source: Montana. The authors write, “Thirteen years after the Supreme Court gutted the state's century-old anti-corruption law, Montana luminaries of both parties are now spearheading a ballot initiative circumventing Citizens United jurisprudence and instead focusing on changing state incorporation laws that the high court rarely meddles with.The measure's proponents note that Citizens United is predicated on state laws giving corporations the same powers as actual human beings, including the power to spend on politics. But they point out that in past eras, state laws granted corporations more limited powers — and states never relinquished their authority to redefine what corporations can and cannot do. The Montana initiative proposes to simply use that authority to change the law — in this case, to no longer grant corporations the power to spend on elections.” Who knows if this initiative will move forward in Montana, but it does provide states a blueprint for combatting the pernicious influence of Citizens United. States should and must act on it.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

The volume of U.S. military hardware headed to Puerto Rico suggests an escalation of the Trump administration's military campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The president says land strikes might follow. Also: today's stories, including a look at the state of Indigenous rights in Bolivia; how some French voters still have faith in government despite turmoil; and a review of Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi's latest movie, “It Was Just an Accident.” Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

President Donald Trump tells Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a White House meeting that if the U.S. gives Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles, it would escalate the war between Ukraine & Russia; President Trump expresses confidence his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary will go a long way to ending the war in Ukraine; President Trump also talks about Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and recent military tensions; John Bolton, former Trump WH National Security Adviser, turned critic, pleads not guilty today in federal court in Maryland to felony charges of mishandling classified materials; Day 17 of the federal government shutdown, and with House & Senate not in for business, the shutdown will extend into the weekend; Saturday there will be mass protests around the country against the Trump Administration, what organizers call "No Kings" rallies; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gives an update on U.S.-China trade negotiations; former Secretaries of State Mike Pompeo & Anthony Blinken tell jokes at the annual Alfred E. Smith Foundation charity dinner in New York City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

US President Donald Trump has confirmed a report that he authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, provoking outrage from the South American nation's leader. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro says 'no to regime change'Also in the programme: As more Palestinians return to what is left of their homes in Gaza City, we talk to one university student who's just taken his exams in the street; and the story of Oscar Wilde's library card -- it's now being returned, 130 years after it was cancelled when he was sent to prison. We speak to his grandson.(Photo: Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro speaks during an event commemorating Indigenous Resistance Day in Caracas, Venezuela, 12 October 2025. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez/ EPA/Shutterstock)

Truth Under Siege: MintPress News Needs YouThis is an urgent call to action. One of our main funding lines has been cut and MintPress News could be forced to shut down without your support.Support the fundraiserThe Trump administration is beating the drums of war in Latin America. Washington has placed a $50 million bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of running a cocaine empire called the Cartel of the Suns.But experts say the cartel barely registers on the DEA's radar. Instead, the U.S. is inflating it into a narco-state menace — a pretext for regime change and invasion.MintCast hosts Mnar Adley and Alan MacLeod are joined by:Diego Sequera, journalist with Misión Verdad in CaracasLeonardo Flores, co-founder of the Venezuela Solidarity Network and former analyst at Venezuela's embassy in WashingtonTogether, they expose how Washington is weaponizing myths about drug trafficking to justify intervention — and why Venezuela remains at the heart of Latin America's anti-imperialist struggle.

Court Rules Trump Cannot Use Wartime Law For Deportations; Nations Hostile to U.S. Meet in China | NTD Good MorningAn appeals court ruling has dealt a blow to the Trump administration's deportation efforts. A three-judge panel at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan gang members is illegal. Meanwhile, the Defense Department is assigning military attorneys to serve as immigration judges. Officials say they were requested by the Justice Department to assist in reducing immigration court backlogs, which now total 3.4 million cases.Nations hostile to the United States are meeting in China this week, including leaders from North Korea, Cuba, Iran, and Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the strong relations Russia has been building with China. Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping challenged the United States and the West, and called for closer cooperation among non-western leaders. However, President Donald Trump said he's not worried about a possible axis forming against the United States.U.S. forces have sunk a suspected Venezuelan drug boat in the Caribbean, killing what Trump said were eleven members of the Tren de Aragua gang. The operation comes weeks after Washington doubled its reward for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's arrest. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says U.S. patrols will stay in the region to confront cartels.

U.S. Military Deployment: The U.S. Navy has increased its presence in the Southern Caribbean with 7–8 warships (including cruisers, amphibious assault ships, and a nuclear submarine), along with 4,000+ personnel and surveillance aircraft. The mission is presented as a crackdown on drug cartels. Targeting Maduro: The U.S. government labels Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro a “narco-trafficker” and has raised the bounty for his capture to $50 million. His government is described as a “narco-state” producing large amounts of cocaine. Maduro’s Response: Maduro has mobilized troops, armed citizens, and accused the U.S. of using anti-drug rhetoric as a cover for regime change and “gunboat diplomacy.” He warns of a “constitutional republic in arms” if attacked. Public Reactions: Some Venezuelans, especially opposition members, express cautious optimism and even “silent euphoria” at U.S. pressure, though fear retaliation at home. Venezuelans abroad are more openly celebratory, praising Trump as a strong ally for democracy and regime change. Wider Context: The administration seeks to redefine drug cartels as terrorist organizations, allowing broader military and intelligence operations against them. Commentary contrasts Trump’s proactive measures with Biden’s presidency, citing fentanyl deaths and cartel-related violence as urgent crises. Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast and Verdict with Ted Cruz Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening X: https://x.com/benfergusonshow #Maduro #PresidentMaduro #Venezuela #Cartels #USMilitary #PresidentNicolásMaduro #DonaldTrump #warondrugsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Jess, Les, and Amy break down the U.S. deployment of three Navy destroyers off the coast of Venezuela—a move the Trump administration says is aimed at countering drug cartels and fentanyl trafficking. President Trump has also labeled Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro a “narco-terrorist,” doubled the reward for his arrest, and authorized the Pentagon to use military force against cartels, some of which his administration now classifies as terrorist organizations.Is this naval deployment about cartel crackdowns, Maduro, or something else? Does this show of naval power risk escalating tensions, or does it provide the deterrence Washington needs against drug trafficking operations? Does this move help counter China, Russia, and Iran's growing influence in the hemisphere?Check out these stories that helped shape our Fellows' discussion: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-warships-venezuela-trump-nicolas-maduro-tension-drug-cartel-accusations/ https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-destroyers-maduro-drug-cartels-e33794ebc24d9031e536d132ce205b4c https://www.foxnews.com/us/u-s-warships-patrol-international-waters-venezuela-trump-vows-stop-cartels@NotTVJessJones@LesterMunson@amykmitchellLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. And don't forget to follow @faultlines_pod and @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/m_OIkqBvppg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. military is sending three destroyers, thousands of Marines, and submarine support toward international waters around Venezuela as President Trump promises to take on deadly drug cartels head-on. The U.S. and Venezuela have long clashed over international issues across many issues including President Trump labeling the regime in Venezuela a "narco-terror cartel." Attorney General Pam Bondi last week also announced a historic $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, indicted in New York in 2020 on narco-terrorism and cocaine importation conspiracy charges. Fox's John Saucier speaks to Bryan Stern, former Navy officer and Founder and Chairman of 'Grey Bull Rescue', a non-profit group who helps extract Americans from war zones and other hotspots all over the world including Afghanistan Ukraine, who says he is not surprised by the move and it could bring much needed stability on multiple problem fronts. For more information and to donate to the 'Grey Bull Rescue Foundation', visit:  https://greybullrescue.org/pledge-your-support/ Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The U.S. military is sending three destroyers, thousands of Marines, and submarine support toward international waters around Venezuela as President Trump promises to take on deadly drug cartels head-on. The U.S. and Venezuela have long clashed over international issues across many issues including President Trump labeling the regime in Venezuela a "narco-terror cartel." Attorney General Pam Bondi last week also announced a historic $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, indicted in New York in 2020 on narco-terrorism and cocaine importation conspiracy charges. Fox's John Saucier speaks to Bryan Stern, former Navy officer and Founder and Chairman of 'Grey Bull Rescue', a non-profit group who helps extract Americans from war zones and other hotspots all over the world including Afghanistan Ukraine, who says he is not surprised by the move and it could bring much needed stability on multiple problem fronts. For more information and to donate to the 'Grey Bull Rescue Foundation', visit:  https://greybullrescue.org/pledge-your-support/ Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The U.S. military is sending three destroyers, thousands of Marines, and submarine support toward international waters around Venezuela as President Trump promises to take on deadly drug cartels head-on. The U.S. and Venezuela have long clashed over international issues across many issues including President Trump labeling the regime in Venezuela a "narco-terror cartel." Attorney General Pam Bondi last week also announced a historic $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, indicted in New York in 2020 on narco-terrorism and cocaine importation conspiracy charges. Fox's John Saucier speaks to Bryan Stern, former Navy officer and Founder and Chairman of 'Grey Bull Rescue', a non-profit group who helps extract Americans from war zones and other hotspots all over the world including Afghanistan Ukraine, who says he is not surprised by the move and it could bring much needed stability on multiple problem fronts. For more information and to donate to the 'Grey Bull Rescue Foundation', visit:  https://greybullrescue.org/pledge-your-support/ Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss President Trump's directive allowing the U.S. military to employ military force against Latin American drug cartels, and Attorney General Pam Bondi's announcement of a doubling of the bounty to $50 million for the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. They also talk about James Carville's contention that Democrats should pack the Supreme Court and give statehood to The District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, if and when they regain power. Plus, they give up their “You Cannot Be Serious” stories of the week. Next, Andrew talks to Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) about redistricting in Maryland and nationwide, and whether his seat (the only Republican seat in the state) would be jeopardized if Maryland decides to redraw its district lines. Then lastly, Tom talks to actor and director Dean Cain, who portrayed Superman in the 1990s, about his plans to join US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as an agent.

First up, Ralph welcomes the co-founders of Doctors Against Genocide, Dr. Karameh Hawash-Kuemmerle and Dr. Nidal Jboor, to discuss their dedication to succeeding where global governments have failed in confronting genocide—particularly the acute genocide in Gaza. Then, Ralph speaks to Marcus Sims, who turns felled and fallen trees into sustainable-harvested lumber with his company Treincarnation. Finally, Ralph has co-written an open letter to Barack Obama, urging him to step up and do his part to fight against Donald Trump.Dr. Karameh Hawash-Kuemmerle is a clinical pediatric neurologist who specializes in traumatic brain injury and epilepsy at Boston Children's Hospital. Dr. Nidal Jboor is a doctor of internal medicine and geriatrics working in Michigan. They are co-founders of Doctors Against Genocide.We think: as American people, we are good people. We don't stand for these crimes. We don't accept that any child, any mother, any father, any elderly in the world will be starved to death—no matter where they are, no matter who they are, no matter who is committing this crime. And we are especially appalled to know that all these crimes are being done in our name, with our tax money. They are cutting the funding from our basic programs here, from our neighborhoods, to send more billions to mass slaughter children. So that's why we're going to DC. We're going to talk to the people who are enabling this. We think they already failed their constituents, they failed their country, they are putting our country on the wrong side of history.Dr. Nidal JboorAnyone who did not call this a genocide yet—and did not demand full accountability for genocide, both for the United States and for Israel—is enabling and allowing this crime to continue further.Dr. Nidal JboorWe are committed to having our eyes open whenever and wherever there is a genocide or there are war crimes, crimes against humanity—no matter who commits them. And it's very important for us to stand with the victims, with the community that is suffering, and never take the side or give a platform for the perpetrators.Dr. Karameh KuemmerleOur focus on the situation in Gaza comes from the simple fact that our country is complicit. And because of that, we actually have the moral obligation and the practical obligation to speak up. So it is not because we think that other genocides are not happening or are not important. We actually think every genocide should never happen. It's anti-human to commit genocide. And we always ask our colleagues to come to us to help uplift the voices of the communities of genocide and hopefully we will have more bandwidth to do a lot more. But the situation in Gaza is unique because there is almost a collusion of all these powerful players to complete this genocide in Gaza and basically oppress every resistance to it. There are many things that make what is happening in Gaza unique—for example, the inability to leave, using food as a weapon, having complete siege on the population, having a major superpower supported by another major superpower bombing a population of two million people in a very small area, constantly, nonstop for two years.Dr. Karameh KuemmerleAll professions have their own specialized civic duties…And I want to tell the listeners that the people who are peace-loving all over the world vastly outnumber, vastly outnumber the warmongers and the cruel and vicious interests that have taken advantage of the situation.Ralph NaderMarcus Sims is the owner of Treincarnation, which creates sustainably-harvested lumber and builds custom furniture from trees felled by storms or removed to make way for development.I think there's a lot of support for what I'm doing, but my work is contrasted to the industrial lumber system, which is “chop them down and cut them up,” a lot of it done by huge machines. So it takes a lot more attention and care to do the kind of work that I'm doing. And of course the finances—as you know, finances play a big part in any kind of industry and how they can manage to make money. So I'm certainly making a living, a good living with what I'm doing. I don't know exactly how we can get from the current system into one that was probably used in the past, where the intelligence of human beings is more engaged and we're not slaves to industrial processes.Marcus SimsNews 7/25/25* This week, Israel shelled the Holy Family Church in Gaza. During the last months of his life, Pope Francis was in constant communication with this church and its pastor, Father Gabriel Romanelli, calling them every single night. Three people were killed in this strike and Father Romanelli was injured, as were other congregants. In a speech after the strike, Pope Leo called for an immediate ceasefire and decried the “barbarity of war,” Reuters reports. He added, "I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, of indiscriminate use of force and forced displacement of the population.” According to the National Catholic Reporter, Pope Leo XIV spoke with Palestinian president Mahmood Abbas following this attack and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called to “express Israel's regret for what he called an accidental attack.”2. In Belgium, the Hind Rajab Foundation – named for the five-year-old girl in Gaza killed along with six of her family members and the paramedics coming to her rescue – reports, “Belgian federal police have arrested and interrogated two Israeli soldiers credibly accused of war crimes in Gaza. The action came in response to an urgent legal complaint filed by the Hind Rajab Foundation and the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) earlier this week.” The soldiers, who had come to Belgium to attend the Tomorrowland music festival were, “formally interrogated and released. The Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office has confirmed that a criminal investigation is now underway.”3. In a shameful, undemocratic move, the Executive Committee of the National Education Association has voted to reject the member-approved resolution to boycott materials promulgated by the ADL, Axios reports. This helps keep the ADL entrenched as the arbiter of what is and is not antisemitism, a charge they have weaponized and used as a cudgel again and again to silence any criticism of the state of Israel.4. In New York, disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo continues to campaign in his increasingly long-shot independent bid for Mayor of New York City. Recently, Cuomo held a campaign breakfast attended by 450 at the Hampton Synagogue, where he said, “I would wager that in the primary, more than 50% of the Jewish people voted for Mamdani.” If true, this would be a stunning victory not only for Zohran himself but for the pro-Palestine movement, which has been maligned in bad faith as antisemitic. Cuomo added that many younger Jewish voters are, “pro-Palestinian, and they don't consider it being anti-Israel.” This from the Forward.5. Another intra-ethnic cleavage is emerging among voters in New York City – this time, Italian-Americans. While Mamdani visited Uganda, the country of his birth, anti-Zohran Italians rallied in front of his Assembly district office in Queens. The New York Times reports this protest, “ostensibly led by the Italian American Civil Rights League, a group that took its name from but had no apparent ties to a defunct organization founded by [Mafia boss] Joseph A. Colombo Sr,...until recently, when Mr. Colombo's grandson, Anthony E. Colombo Jr….joined the group's board in May.” As the Times notes, this protest was held in response to a, “recently resurfaced social media photo from 2020 showing Mr. Mamdani giving the middle finger to a Columbus statue.” However, a large group of pro-Zohran Italian-American counterprotestors rallied across the street, carrying signs that read “Paisans for Zohran!” and “You Eat Jar Sauce!”6. In Minneapolis, many are drawing parallels between Mamdani and insurgent Democratic Socialist candidate Omar Fateh, who won the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party's endorsement for the mayoralty over incumbent Jacob Frey. Fateh, a state senator, won “at least 60% of the Minneapolis DFL delegate vote Saturday…in the party's first endorsement of a mayoral candidate in 16 years,” per the Minnesota Star Tribune. This endorsement gives Fateh a major boost in his campaign and indicates that the Zohran phenomenon is not confined to New York City.7. Last week, Paramount – one of the largest media conglomerates and parent company of CBS – canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert less than 48 hours after Colbert called CBS News's $16 million settlement with Trump a, “big fat bribe,” implying it would help curry favor with the administration regarding the proposed merger between Paramount and Skydance. Incensed, the Writers Guild of America East issued a statement calling on New York State Attorney General Letitia James, to, “launch an investigation into potential wrongdoing at Paramount…[and for]…our elected leaders to hold those responsible to account…demand answers about why this beloved program was canceled and to assure the public that Colbert and his writers were not censored due to their views or the whims of the President.”8. At the same time, CNN reports Paramount's “owner-in-waiting,” David Ellison is in talks to acquire Bari Weiss's publication The Free Press. According to the Financial Times, Weiss is seeking over $200 million for the purchase. However, this goes further than a potential acquisition. Puck reports that if brought in, Weiss would serve as an “ideological guide” for CBS News. This, paired with the recent piece in the Hollywood Reporter stating that Skydance “promised to eliminate all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives,” at Paramount, gives a fuller picture of the “anti-woke” direction CBS would take under the new leadership. With news Thursday that federal regulators have approved the merger, it seems fair to conclude that these moves mollified the president.9. Turning to Latin America, AP reports the U.S., Venezuela and El Salvador have successfully concluded an intricate tripartite prisoner exchange. This deal includes the release of 10 Americans jailed in Venezuela and 252 Venezuelans held in El Salvador's notorious and dystopian CECOT prison complex. The freed Americans include some who were accused of participating in a U.S.-backed coup attempt against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in 2024 and one who was convicted of a triple homicide in Madrid, according to EL PAÍS. All parties seem satisfied with this agreement, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying “Every wrongfully detained American in Venezuela is now free and back in our homeland,” while President Maduro pronounced the occasion “a day of blessings and good news…the perfect day for Venezuela.”10. Finally, prominent British tech writer Ed Zitron is out with “The Hater's Guide To The AI Bubble.” In this piece, Zitron – a noted critic of AI writ large – details tech companies' expenditures on AI as compared to the revenues, and the numbers are stark. Microsoft has reaped $13 billion, with $10 billion from OpenAI, sold at “a heavily discounted rate that essentially only covers costs for operating the servers," while expenditures total $80 billion. Amazon AI revenues In 2025 amount to $5 billion, while capital expenditures total $105 billion. Google AI revenue stands at $7.7 billion, with capital expenditures standing at $75 billion. Meta AI revenue in 2025 is a paltry $2-3 billion. Their capital expenditures: $72 billion. Perhaps most deliciously, while Tesla has spent around $11 billion on AI in 2025, the company “Does Not Appear To Make Money From Generative AI” at all. Hopefully these numbers serve as a wakeup call for companies to stop dumping money down the AI drain, since clearly the immense adverse impact on the environment is not dissuading them.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

The Senate's vote-a-rama continues, as members offer and vote on amendments to the Republican's tax and spending cuts bill. But passage of the bill isn't a sure thing. Republicans Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina have both said they're voting "no", while Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska haven't said how they'll vote. Congressional Republicans and President Trump have said they want the bill passed and signed into law by July 4th. Last night on the floor, Sen. Tillis criticized both the bill's Medicaid cuts and the president for breaking a campaign promise to not interfere with Medicaid benefits. That prompted responses from the president on social media, including one announcing he'd said he would back a primary challenge against the senator. Not long after, Sen. Tillis announced he would not seek reelection next year. A federal appeals court heard arguments today on the president's use of the Alien Enemies Act. Lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union say the Trump administration is unlawfully using the law to take away due process for possible deportees. The administration maintains that a Venezuelan gang is carrying out an invasion of the US at the direction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jordan Goudreau, a Canadian-American former special forces soldier, founded Silvercorp USA, a private security firm. After serving in both the Canadian and U.S. military, including deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq, he left military service in 2016 due to injuries.   He gained notoriety for orchestrating "Operation Gideon," an unsuccessful coup attempt against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in 2020, which resulted in deaths and arrests. Goudreau claimed the operation had U.S. government backing, though this was denied by officials.

Dual wellness checks on Josh's influenza and Tim's state of being in the fiery epicenter of Los Angeles. Joseph Rword Biden's wild ass narcissism knows zero bounds.DEI is the most prolific arsonist of all time, while Mother Nature just wants a very specific and pampered form of liberty.Cast a pox of schadenfreude upon Woods, Gibson, Corolla, et al. Long live the new skin grafts!Fresh out the Romanian clink, Andrew Tate creates the BRUV PARTY with his catatonically "masculinized" brother in order to run for Prime Minister of the UK.The Donroe Doctrine's bare proclamations about the landgrabs of Greenland, the Panama Canal, the Gulf of America, and the 51st state of the land of Jordan Peterson's fainting sofa.EeeeMusk blusters and digitally stamps his uncoordinated feet about Pakistani grooming gangs, tries to manipulate the King of England into codifying the UK as a US vassal, and pals around with the rising Nazi star of the Alternative for Deutschland and drops harsh truth-memes about Hitler ackshully being a communist after all.Alex Jones is ushering in a new Becoming. Ozempic, goatee dyed black as pitch, and a full body Red Dragon tattoo is likely to appear next. Trump threatens Palestinians with "all hell" because they've had it too easy for too long now.Human-shaped spiritual skidmark, Anthony Blinken, subliminally begs to be put out of his misery in an exit interview with the NYT. Lend him a helping hand, folks.Give the IDF a Nobel Peace Prize, says local British idiot. / Using the hum of death squad drones to help kids learn about music. / From the river to the sea, etc, inshallah.Venezuela still sits on the world's largest oil deposits, so of course they continue to be endlessly fucked with and in the most pathetic and transparently stupid ways.Recorded on Saturday, January 11th, 2025 around 12:00 PM Korea Standard TimeCommiserate on Discord: discord.gg/aDf4Yv9PrYSupport: patreon / buzzsproutNever Forget: standwithdanielhale.orgGenral RecommendationsJosh's Recommendation: Watch this video: Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro challenges Elon Musk to fight on national television (VIDEO)Tim's Recommendation: Being a great-grandfatherFurther Reading, Viewing, ListeningShow notes + Full list of links, sources, etcMore From Timothy Robert BuechnerPodcast: Q&T ARE / violentpeople.co Tweets: @ROHDUTCHLocationless Locationsheatdeathpod.comEvery show-related link is corralled and available here.Twitter: @heatdeathpodPlease send all Letters of Derision, Indifference, Inquiry, Mild Elation, et cetera to: heatdeathodtheuniversepodcast@gmailSend us a textSupport the show

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro landed himself on the naughty list for stealing an election. He's hoping an early Christmas will improve his standing. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Miles Bryan, engineered by Rob Byers and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members A man takes a selfie in front of giant Christmas decorations in Caracas. Photo by JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tom Limoncelli is an LGBTQ organizer, trainer, and speaker from New Jersey. His speaking and training repertoire includes time management for activists and support group facilitation skills. He is the recipient of several activism awards including the Brenda Howard Award for bisexual activism. Tom spoke about Time Management for Busy Activists on Leftscape Episode 86 almost exactly four years ago in 2020. In this episode he shares about the easy-to-do activism he's been taking part in to get out the vote as we approach yet another incredibly important presidential election. In a new/modified segment, Why Is This Not Awesome?, co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée look over a report on Project 2025 and its Consequences for Libraries. In This Fortnight I Learned, Robin and Wendy both bring animal facts (cats and giraffes, respectively). News includes Kamala Harris' kickass debate performance, flooding in Eastern Europe, an accusation of a CIA plot to assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, another potential Trump assassination attempt, a Trump court case roundup, the Ig Noble Awards, and Wendy's Rahway Library Action Update. Robin names Conspirituality co-host Derek Beres Lefty of the Week. Things to do: Register to vote or confirm your voter registration today. Get addresses to GOTV for Democratic candidates. Get postcards to send to Democratic voters. Find volunteer activities (remote and in-person) all over the US: Mobilize! Read Tom Limoncelli's blog post about postcarding, "Postcards for Democracy." Read Project 2025 and its Consequences for Libraries. Check out The Daily Beans podcast. Check out the Conspirituality podcast.

Ralph welcomes former TV writer turned grass roots organizer, Jason Berlin, who explains how his group, Field Team 6, uses the latest data and analytics to identify and reach out to potential Democratic voters in order to register them to vote and how that could turn the tide in purple, flippable states.Jason Berlin is a former TV writer and co-founder of Field Team 6, a national voter-registration project that organizes voter drives to register Democrats in the most flippable states across the country.The fact is you can't get out the vote if those voters don't exist to begin with. It's like no one had a talk with people about where a voter comes from. So we concentrate on that first half of the equation—getting people over that biggest hurdle, getting them registered, generating this river of new Democrats and Independents who can then get into the system and be targeted by the massive get-out-the-vote machinery.Jason BerlinThe Democratic Party over the years has exhibited serious symptoms of masochism. It's like they've written off half the country, where they don't even compete.Ralph NaderIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantisNews 9/4/241. On August 28th, the Israeli Defense Forces targeted United Nations World Food Programme vehicles with “repeated gunfire,” per CNN. According to the agency, “Despite being clearly marked and receiving multiple clearances by Israeli authorities to approach, the vehicle was directly struck by gunfire as it was moving toward an…IDF…checkpoint.” Photos show at least ten bullet holes in the vehicle windows. As this piece highlights, “ongoing airstrikes and repeated evacuation orders by Israeli forces have forced many of the agency's food warehouses and community kitchens to shutter…The IDF-designated ‘humanitarian zone' in Gaza is also steadily shrinking; in the past month alone, the IDF has reduced this zone by 38%.” This incident is reminiscent of the Israeli strike on World Central Kitchen workers in April, when the IDF killed three Britons, a Palestinian, a US-Canadian dual citizen, an Australian, and a Pole via multiple airstrikes. Two days after the World Food Programme incident, CNN reported that the IDF killed four in a humanitarian aid vehicle affiliated with the American Near East Refugee Aid organization.2. On Monday, the Israeli labor federation, Histradrut, called a general strike in order to “pressure Netanyahu's government into changing its approach to cease-fire negotiations,” per NPR. This action was taken in response to the death of six hostages who would have been released had Israel agreed to the ceasefire proposed in early July. According to NPR, “Many schools and government buildings were shut…[and]…Ben Gurion airport…paused flights for several hours.” Yet, Israel's Labor Court quickly ordered the strike to end and the union obeyed; the action lasted less than one business day. This incident illustrates the deep discontent with the Netanyahu government's handling of the hostage negotiations, but also the impotence of Israeli civil society to change course.3. In more positive news related to labor and Israel, Democracy Now! reports Jimmy Williams Jr. president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, says his union is “directing its massive international pension fund to divest from the Gaza genocide.” According to left-wing British outlet Skwakbox, the Painter's Union receives $330 million dollars in new contributions from union members each year.4. The Middle East Monitor reports “Ray Youssef, CEO of the Bitcoin marketplace platform, Noonesapp…[alleges that cryptocurrency giant Binance] ‘has seized all funds from all Palestinians as per the request of the IDF. They refuse to return the funds. All appeals denied.'” Responding to this allegation, a Binance spokesperson claimed that this seizure of assets only covers a limited number of accounts linked to “illicut funds,” though “Binance did not specify the extent or value of the ‘illicit funds' involved.” Boosters of cryptocurrency, like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have framed it in terms of “transactional freedom,” per Axios. Not so for the Palestinians, it seems.5. Jeremy Corbyn, former leader of the U.K. Labour Party, has united with four other independent, pro-Gaza MPs to form the Independent Alliance, per the BBC. This new parliamentary bloc will “use their…platform to campaign for scrapping the two-child benefit limit and against arms sales to Israel.” With five MPs in this alliance, it already outnumbers the Green Party and is equal to Reform UK, the far-right party formed by Brexit champion Nigel Farage. In their first move since forming the Independent Alliance, the MPs issued a statement in response to Foreign Minister David Lammy's announcement that the U.K. will suspend a small number of arms export licenses to Israel. This statement reads “For months, we have called for an immediate and full suspension of arms sales to Israel. The government has finally admitted there is a clear risk of weapons being used to commit violations of international law…This announcement must be the first step in ending all arms…used by the Israeli military to commit genocide in Gaza.”6. According to the ACLU of Indiana, “[Indiana University] has approved a new policy that prohibits all expressive activity if it takes place between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., even if the activity is not at all disruptive, such as standing silently, holding a sign, wearing a t-shirt with a communicative message, or discussing current events with friends.” This policy, which “carries harsh punishments, including suspension or expulsion for students, and suspension or termination of staff,” was adopted in response to campus pro-Palestine demonstrations last year. The ACLU of Indiana has already filed a lawsuit to overturn this chilling policy. And at New York University, Palestine Legal reports “In a dangerous escalation of repression, [NYU] announced new student conduct policies last week that appear to prohibit criticism of Zionism. If implemented, these policies risk creating a hostile environment for Palestinian and anti-Zionist Jewish students and severely curtail…free expression.” This statement notes that NYU does not afford protected status to any other political ideology and that this decision “opens the door for other ethno-nationalist ideologies to claim protection from criticism. With Zionism enshrined as a protected class, there's no reason why Hindu nationalism, Christian nationalism, white nationalism or similar ideologies wouldn't be afforded the same.” Palestine Legal has vowed that it will “continue to monitor and combat institutional attempts to punish and censor students organizing for Palestinian rights.”7. In a major escalation of tensions, the United States seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's plane in the Dominican Republic and transferred it to Florida, per the BBC. According to this report, “US officials said the plane was seized for suspected violations of US export control and sanctions laws,” while Venezuelan officials have denounced this move as an act of “piracy,” and “reserves the right to take any legal action to repair this damage to the nation.” Foreign Minister Yván Gil said the US had justified itself “with the coercive measures that they unilaterally and illegally impose around the world.” This is just the latest case of western governments seizing Venezuelan state assets; in 2018, the Bank of England seized nearly $2 billion worth of Venezuelan gold and has refused to return those assets despite urging from the United Nations special rapporteur on sanctions, per Declassified UK.8. The Miami Herald is out with a stunning new report on the dubious “Havana Syndrome” which finds that patients were “coerced” to join an NIH study on the supposed illness. According to this piece, “An internal review board at the National Institutes of Health…decided to shut down a long-term study of Havana Syndrome patients that found no signs of brain injuries, after several participants complained of mishandled medical data, bias and pressures to join the research. [Jennifer George] A spokeswoman for NIH said the internal review found that ‘informed consent' policies to join the study ‘were not met due to coercion.” Though George insists the coercion was not on the part of the NIH, she declined to identify who coerced the patients.9. Daniel Nichanian of Bolts Magazine reports “[Arizona Democratic Senate nominee Ruben] Gallego, fresh off of a police union endorsement, just penned a letter to the US [Department of Justice] asking them to stand down in its investigations against the Phoenix police and its effort to bring the department under a consent decree.” The proposed consent decree in question stems from a DOJ investigation that found “[Phoenix PD] uses excessive force, including unjustified deadly force… unlawfully detain, cite, and arrest people experiencing homelessness and unlawfully dispose of their belongings…discriminates against Black, Hispanic, and Native American people when enforcing the law…violates the rights of people engaged in protected speech and expression…[and] discriminate against people with behavioral health disabilities when dispatching calls for assistance and responding to people in crisis.”10. Finally, in more positive Senate-related news, a new Split Ticket poll shows populist Independent candidate Dan Osborn running neck-and-neck with incumbent Republican Senator Deb Fischer in Nebraska. While Donald Trump leads Kamala Harris 54 to 37, the same poll shows Senator Fischer leading by only 1 point – 39% to Osborn's 38%, with 23% undecided. Osborn, a union leader who organized the 2021 Kellogg strike, has been favorably profiled by the American Prospect. There is no Democrat running for this seat.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

The United States, Egypt, and Qatar prepare another cease-fire proposal after Hamas killed six Israeli hostages and Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu demanded control of the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border; Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump hold their first presidential debate; the Toronto International Film Festival showcases independent films spanning from Hungary to Georgia and more; and the United States seizes Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's plane.     What to Watch at Toronto International Film Festival   Edward Berger, Conclave   William Bridges, All of You   Brady Corbet, The Brutalist   Dea Kulumbegashvili, April   Mentioned on the Podcast   Brett Goldstein, Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel, Shrinking   Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Bill Lawrence, Ted Lasso   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/gazas-troubled-cease-fire-efforts-harris-and-trump-debate-toronto-international-film-fest 

Today's Headlines: The Israeli military recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, who were executed by Hamas just hours before their rescue. Among the victims were three individuals set to be released under a humanitarian deal. The executions were reportedly ordered by Hamas following a prior Israeli rescue mission. The incident led to widespread protests in Israel against Prime Minister Netanyahu, accusing him of delaying a deal to maintain his political power. In related news, the UK temporarily suspended some arms export licenses to Israel over concerns of violations in Gaza. Additionally, the U.S. government seized a plane belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, escalating tensions following a disputed election. In Brazil, Elon Musk's refusal to comply with legal requirements led to a suspension of X. Finally, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a warning about the mental and physical health impacts of parenting, advocating for cultural support, and the U.S. economy saw 3% growth in the second quarter of 2024. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WA Post: Israelis stage mass protests, general strike as hostages laid to rest  Reiters: UK suspends 30 of its 350 arms export licences to Israel AP News: US government seizes plane used by Venezuelan president, citing sanctions violations AP News: Venezuelan judge issues arrest warrant for opposition's former presidential candidate WA Post: Brazilian judge orders suspension of X in dispute with Elon Musk HHS: U.S. Surgeon General Issues Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents NBC News: The U.S. economy grew 3% in the second quarter — faster than initially thought Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage alongside Bridget Schwartz and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Titanic Striking images reveal depths of ships slow decay Sheikh Hasina poses a Bangladesh conundrum for India Israeli outpost settlers rapidly seizing West Bank land Netanyahu asks Israelis for forgiveness over hostage deaths Maharashtra Collapse of Shivaji statue shakes up politics in the state Protests in Seville as West Nile virus kills five Tim Walz unharmed after motorcade vehicles involved in crash US seizes Venezuelan President Nicol s Maduros plane M laga tourism People feel the city is collapsing Man accused of recruiting strangers to rape his wife

Monitor correspondent Sara Miller Llana got a text from Bangladeshi journalist Sina Hassan overnight. It contained a picture of people thronging the streets of Dhaka after weeks of violent protest against an increasingly authoritarian government drove the unexpected resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Our correspondent saw hope fill the streets. Also: today's stories, including how Ukrainians fend off Russia awaiting new US military aid, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's cling to power, and Olympian track and field races inspiring awe.

Plus: the U.S. increases pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to step down, saying his opponent won the presidential election. And, weak economic data causes market jitters amid questions about the health of the U.S. economy. Kate Bullivant hosts. Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Duke University researchers say gun control has no impact on homicide rates. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro challenged Elon Musk to a fight. The Algerian boxer who was deemed to have male chromosomes won a fight in the 66-kilogram women's division at the Paris Olympics after Italy's Angela Carini abandoned her match.  August 1st 2024 – Hour 1   --- Please Like, Comment and Follow 'The Ray Appleton Show' on all platforms:   ---    'The Ray Appleton Show' is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts.    ---  'The Ray Appleton Show'   Weekdays 11 AM -2 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 KMJ    | Website  | Facebook | Podcast |   -  Everything KMJ   KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A.M. Edition for July 30. Federal Reserve officials are kicking off their latest rate-setting meeting today against the backdrop of a weakening labor market that's strengthening the case for future rate cuts. Plus, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro cuts ties with Latin American countries raising concerns about fraud in last weekend's elections. And WSJ foreign correspondent Stephen Kalin describes how Palestinian exile Mohammed Dahlan has emerged as a potential postwar leader for Gaza. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GOOD EVENING: The show begins in Gaza with the report that the US knows where the gangsters are hiding and yet has not shared the information with Israel. To the conditions for a Palestinian State. To Doha and the Trump Administration negotiation that ended the US deployment and established again a terror state, including Al Qaeda camps and madrasas. To Jerusalem, to the UNGA, to Xi's trip in Europe: Paris, Budapest, and Belgrade. To Rio Grande do Sul floods, to Caracas and the Argentine embassy sheltering six fugitives from Maduro. To Gaza, to Lebanon, to no easy ending for Gaza. 1894 Andes Claude opinion and observation: The text provides an overview of the topics that will be covered in the show, including: 1. The US allegedly withholding information about the location of gangsters in Gaza from Israel. 2. Conditions for a Palestinian State. 3. The Trump Administration's negotiation in Doha that led to the end of the US deployment and the reestablishment of a terror state with Al Qaeda camps and madrasas. 4. Updates from Jerusalem and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). 5. Chinese President Xi Jinping's trip to Europe, including visits to Paris, Budapest, and Belgrade. 6. Severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. 7. The Argentine embassy in Caracas sheltering six fugitives from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's government. 8. The ongoing situation in Gaza and Lebanon, with no easy resolution in sight for Gaza. The show appears to cover a wide range of current events and geopolitical issues, focusing on the Middle East, South America, Europe, and the United Nations.