Podcast appearances and mentions of Victoria Park

Damien Nguyen interview.  Damien will co-chair with Luna Choo the annual Mardi Gras Street Rally organised by Pride In Protest, Sunday, 15 February in Sydney.  Begins 1 pm at Pride Square in Newtown and finishes at Victoria Park at Fair Day. Pride in Protest | Facebook

The Federal Government’s decision to sell the historic Victoria Barracks offers Brisbane a once-in-a-generation chance to transform a closed military site into a vibrant, mixed-use precinct. Urban strategist Peter Edwards joined Dean & Sofie on 4BC Breakfast to describe the development as the essential "connective tissue" that will finally link Suncorp Stadium, Roma Street Parklands, and Victoria Park into a seamless pedestrian corridor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police say any protestors attemping to cross Auckland Harbour Bridge tomorrow will be stopped, but they are warning motorists of potential delays. NZTA has declined an application by the Freedom and Rights Coalition to walk the bridge - the group is an off shoot of Brian Tamaki's Destiny Church. But Brian Tamaki is still encouraging people to gather at Victoria Park, which is a short distance from the motorway on-ramp. Waitemata District Commander, Superintendent Naila Hassan spoke to Lisa Owen.

Brian Tamaki says he is still planning to protest by walking across Auckland's harbour Bridge tomorrow despite a police promise to stop it. He's urging crowds to meet him at Victoria Park in the central city tomorrow for a protest in opposition to the COVID-19 restrictions. Police Superintendent Naila Hassan told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the police are unsure if the march will actually go ahead, but that doesn't mean they are unprepared. "We'd prefer to keep the operational details close to our chest, but we will be ready to respond to that group if they decide to march onto the harbour bridge." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Alan Patching delivered the world’s largest Olympic stadium on time and on budget, but he warned that Brisbane is currently facing a "vertical" climb in construction costs. Find out why the next six months are the most critical milestone for the Victoria Park project and what happens if we miss the deadline.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt explained why he ruled that preliminary drilling at Victoria Park doesn’t pose an "immediate threat" to Indigenous heritage sites. He detailed the discovery of significant burial grounds and how a new federal mediator plans to balance Olympic progress with cultural preservation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What a stellar year

Josie Dooley, former Melbourne Renegades wicketkeeper, joins Corbin Middlemas and Darren Lehmann to talk about the her recovery from a stroke in Hawaii. Corbin also chats to the Queensland Premier David Crisafulli about the planned stadium at Victoria Park.

Tony Curr and Gareth Le Prevost head to Victoria Park to speak to Guernsey FA director of football Tony Vance and academy manager Ross Allen about the latest developments in the island pathway, plus a new initiative set to revolutionise minis play, and the recent off-field investment in Guernsey FC and how it is helping the club become more competitive week in, week out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The native eels that throng in Sydney's waterways, including the ponds of Centennial Park, the Botanic Gardens and Victoria Park, compete eagerly for any scrap of food. But did you also know that there comes a time in every eel's life when it feels the call to, well, mate. Then, it slithers out of the [...]Read More... from THE SECRET SEX LIFE OF SYDNEY’S EELS

How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? This week's episode is popping off! There's a Yesvember dichotomy, San Francisco says welcome back to parkrun, there's maybe flies on wood and seals in waterfalls, concerns on changes to parkrun culture, and Danny learns all about Newbury with his visit to Victoria Park parkrun.

Dan Jennings' podcast ‘Desperately Seeking Paul' is so successful he's used 250 of the interviews in a best-selling oral history. ‘Dancing Through The Fire' has voices from right across the spectrum – family members, band members, writers, pluggers, label bosses, collaborators and famous fans. He talks to us here about … … Weller's real name and when he changed it by deed poll … a theory about bands formed in towns not cities … the handbrake turn from the Jam to the Style Council – one minute the intense young man cutting out his press clippings, the next espadrilles, singing in French and “nibbling Mick's ear on the River Cam” … Weller's “very English” need to be heard and respected - but not loved … the role of his manager father in the Jam's success, the days when the family phone number was in the Fan Club ads ... how Noel Gallagher engineered a Bono/Weller photo op … Paul's glorious chippiness – Band Aid, the pop press, “offering a journalist out for a fight in Victoria Park” ... John and Paul Weller and echoes of Only Fools And Horses … when the Jam played ice rinks and swimming pools … the cab-driver gossip grapevine … cutting 1.5 million words to 250,000 and the book's biggest revelations and surprises. Order a copy of Dancing Through The Fire here: https://geni.us/dancingthroughthefireHelp us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dan Jennings' podcast ‘Desperately Seeking Paul' is so successful he's used 250 of the interviews in a best-selling oral history. ‘Dancing Through The Fire' has voices from right across the spectrum – family members, band members, writers, pluggers, label bosses, collaborators and famous fans. He talks to us here about … … Weller's real name and when he changed it by deed poll … a theory about bands formed in towns not cities … the handbrake turn from the Jam to the Style Council – one minute the intense young man cutting out his press clippings, the next espadrilles, singing in French and “nibbling Mick's ear on the River Cam” … Weller's “very English” need to be heard and respected - but not loved … the role of his manager father in the Jam's success, the days when the family phone number was in the Fan Club ads ... how Noel Gallagher engineered a Bono/Weller photo op … Paul's glorious chippiness – Band Aid, the pop press, “offering a journalist out for a fight in Victoria Park” ... John and Paul Weller and echoes of Only Fools And Horses … when the Jam played ice rinks and swimming pools … the cab-driver gossip grapevine … cutting 1.5 million words to 250,000 and the book's biggest revelations and surprises. Order a copy of Dancing Through The Fire here: https://geni.us/dancingthroughthefireHelp us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dan Jennings' podcast ‘Desperately Seeking Paul' is so successful he's used 250 of the interviews in a best-selling oral history. ‘Dancing Through The Fire' has voices from right across the spectrum – family members, band members, writers, pluggers, label bosses, collaborators and famous fans. He talks to us here about … … Weller's real name and when he changed it by deed poll … a theory about bands formed in towns not cities … the handbrake turn from the Jam to the Style Council – one minute the intense young man cutting out his press clippings, the next espadrilles, singing in French and “nibbling Mick's ear on the River Cam” … Weller's “very English” need to be heard and respected - but not loved … the role of his manager father in the Jam's success, the days when the family phone number was in the Fan Club ads ... how Noel Gallagher engineered a Bono/Weller photo op … Paul's glorious chippiness – Band Aid, the pop press, “offering a journalist out for a fight in Victoria Park” ... John and Paul Weller and echoes of Only Fools And Horses … when the Jam played ice rinks and swimming pools … the cab-driver gossip grapevine … cutting 1.5 million words to 250,000 and the book's biggest revelations and surprises. Order a copy of Dancing Through The Fire here: https://geni.us/dancingthroughthefireHelp us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1954, in the conservative city of Christchurch, New Zealand, two teenage girls—16-year-old Pauline Parker and 15-year-old Juliet Hulme—committed one of the country’s most notorious crimes by brutally murdering Pauline’s mother, Honorah Rieper, in Victoria Park. Bound by an intense, obsessive friendship forged in shared illnesses and elaborate fantasies, the pair had created a fictional … Continue reading Episode 479: The Parker-Hulme Murder Case

The most valuable commodity is information. Flera stora insiderskandaler har avslöjats på kort tid. I veckan har rättegången startat mot en tidigare anställd på Stockholmsbörsen. Även SEB:s hantering av miljardaffärer i EQT är under lupp. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radio Play. Nasdaq-fallet i Stockholms tingsrätt“Vid flera tillfällen var stämningen irriterad”, säger Ekonomiekots Philip Ramqvist, som var på plats när rättegången startade i veckan. Fallet är extra känsligt eftersom den huvudåtalade själv har jobbat med att upptäcka och stoppa insiderbrott på börsen. “Det blir som när en polis begår ett brott”, säger Sverre Linton, chefsjurist på Aktiespararna. ”För Nasdaq innebär det enorm förtroendekris”, säger Sverre Linton, som varnar för att allmänheten får en bild av att börsen är “en girig marknad, som bara är ute efter att sko sig själv”.Långt från den enda stora skandalenFingerprint cards, Victoria Park, ICA, Tethys oil och Fortnox – det är bara några av de andra stora fall som uppmärksammats de senaste åren. I vissa av dem har höga chefer misstänkts vara inblandade. “Det senaste decenniet har det varit ett antal rättsprocesser mot kända företagsledare”, konstaterar Knut Kainz Rognerud, ekonomikommentator på Ekot.”Spelplanen blir ojämn”Experterna är ense om att brotten skadar förtroendet för att handeln på börsen sköts på rätt sätt och att den är rättvis. Men inte nog med det. “Insiderbrott riskerar att skada förtroendet för hela samhällsekonomin”, säger åklagare Jonas Myrdal.”Statistiken är tydlig”År 2002 anmäldes 7 misstänkta insiderbrott, enligt Brottsförebyggande rådet. Nu är anmälningarna betydligt fler. År 2020 kom det in knappt 350 anmälningar till Finansinspektionen. Förra året kom det in 475 stycken. Fram till sista september i år hade det kommit in drygt 351. ”The most valuable commodity is information”Det var först på 90-talet som det blev olagligt att handla på hemlig information. Innan dess var reglerna betydligt mer tillåtande. “Många blev rika på det vi idag kallar insiderinformation”, säger Knut Kainz Rognerud.Kryptomarknaden – en fristad för insiderhandlareMen delar av finansmarknaden är fortfarande oreglerad. För en vecka sedan var det någon som gjorde ett osedvanligt vältajmat val att blanka bitcoin strax innan Trump meddelade att han överväger nya tullar. På kort tid tjänade en okänd handlare nästan 2 miljarder kronor. “Det är ett laglöst land”, säger Sverre Linton.Programledare och producent:Hanna MalmodinMedverkande och röster i programmet:Knut Kainz Rognerud, ekonomikommentator EkotPhilip Ramqvist, reporter EkonomiekotSverre Linton, chefsjurist på AktiespararnaThomas Hertz, åklagare EBMJonas Myrdal, åklagare EBMFredrik Åkerblom, advokatLjud från Di, CNBC, Youtubeekonomiekotextra@sverigesradio.se

Although there wasn't a trace of racing in Clare Lindop's family background, the little girl from Warrnambool was hellbent on becoming a jockey from age 10. Her parents finally relented and  bought their youngest daughter a pony called Annie- the pony destined to teach her young companion the rudiments of riding. Whenever either of her parents could find the time to drive her to the St. Mary's Pony Farm at Wangoom, little Clare would spend every available minute putting Annie through her paces. From these unpretentious beginnings, Clare Lindop forged a career that would take her to racing's biggest stage. She quit the saddle in 2018 with 1432 winners on her CV, including 4 Gr 1's and another 50 stakes races. Now in a full time role with Racing South Australia, Clare takes time out to revisit her stellar career for our podcast regulars. She admits to the occasional nostalgic flutter when she watches Adelaide's feature races each year. Clare says she went to great pains to play her retirement down in 2018. She didn't want the fuss. She does admit that she gradually weaned herself off horses by riding trackwork for quite some time. Clare reaffirms that nobody in her family had the slightest connection to horses. Her parents were not overly impressed with her persistent pleas to invest in a pony, but finally relented.  The four time Gr 1 winning jockey looks back on her initial apprenticeship to Warrnambool trainer Frank Byrne. She recalls her first race ride at Warrnambool and her first winning ride at Dunkeld. Clare vividly recalls her first metropolitan win on Mondilibi at Moonee Valley. She talks about a transfer of her indentures to Jack Barling at Hamilton in 1997. The retired jockey looks back on her life changing relocation to Adelaide in 1999 and the beginning of a long time association with trainer Byron Cozamanis. Clare recalls the thrill of her first Adelaide metro win on Odysseus at Cheltenham. She remembers with affection her first metro win as a fully fledged jockey at the famous Victoria Park track. The horse was one of her all time favourites. Clare looks back on the occasion of her first Adelaide stakes win for great supporter Leon McDonald.   She looks back on an amazing sequence of wins- four timers at three consecutive race meetings. Clare remembers with great clarity the unforgettable experience of her first Melbourne Cup ride. The former top lightweight is proud of her three Adelaide jockeys premierships. She remembers her first Gr 1 win- an all the way victory in the 2006 Adelaide Cup.. Lindop takes us back to her second Melbourne Cup appearance in 2007. Not surprisingly Clare takes great pleasure in looking back on her association with outstanding 2YO filly Augusta Proud. She takes us back to her Magic Millions win in 2008. Now to the horse who took the talented rider to racing's biggest stage with a Victoria Derby win at odds of $101. She takes us through the Rebel Raider story. Like most Adelaide based jockeys Clare wanted to win a Goodwood Hcp. Her turn came in 2011 when Robert Smerdon chased her services for Lone Rock in the famous sprint. She got the job done. Clare managed to fit in two separate trips to the UK in 2009 and again in 2011. She looks back on a great experience and the four winners she landed on some famous tracks. She talks of the multiple injuries sustained in a fall at Morphettville in 2014. Clare looks back on a business meeting with leading jockey manager Damian Wilton who is now her husband of seven years. This is a reminiscent chat with one of Australia's most successful female jockeys.

Richard 'Ricky' Palmer is a regular guest on The Local Showcase. The local musician took part in the Baton of Hope relay as it passed through Portsmouth. It’s part of a national initiative to reduce the stigma of talking about suicide & Richard wanted to share his own experience with us. He talks to Jo Gray in Victoria Park.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simon De La Rue and Gareth Le Prevost round up a goal-packed weekend at the new home of Guernsey football as GFC's men trounce their previously-unbeaten visitors and the women grab a point at the death to remain undefeated in the Southern Region Division One South.Plus James Falla joins to look back at a Malaya Cup win for the island U21s. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Saturday, roughly 20,000 marched in the pro-Palestine rally, the ‘March for Humanity,' with protesters walking from Aotea Square to Victoria Park in Auckland's CBD.  For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party's Simon Court, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Simon about the rally and what protestors are calling on the government for, regarding their response to Israel's war on Gaza, as the death toll in Gaza reaches over 64,000, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health. As well as this, Regulations Minister and ACT Party Leader, David Seymour, has not ruled out changes to the labelling of alcohol, nicotine, and tobacco products. However, firstly, they discussed the ‘March for Humanity' rally.

Police say protest organisers made the right call, by postponing tomorrow's Auckland Harbour Bridge protest due to weather. Southbound lanes were to close to accommodate the tens of thousands of pro-Palestine protestors.. The march will now take place from Aotea Square to Victoria Park, while a new bridge crossing date is decided. Acting Waitemata District Commander Stefan Sagar told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he acknowledges the organisers for heeding their advice. Saga says with winds potentially reaching over 70-kilometres an hour, it's not a feasible environment for pedestrians. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've got to talk about Cornwall Park. So over the weekend, it was quite windy in Auckland. If you're in Auckland, you know what I mean - that was some crazy-ass wind that was going on out there, definitely found the drafts of my house. If you're out of Auckland, it was kind of like a day in Wellington, but in Auckland. So it was unusual for us. Now, I don't know where we got to in the end, but the forecast was for gusts of up to 120 km per hour. So the people who run Cornwall Park closed it on Sunday because of flying wood. They were worried that staff and punters might be struck by flying wood, so they shut the gates and they closed the toilets and they closed the café and they closed the creamery, and they closed everything - closed the big store, closed everything - because of the flying wood. Meanwhile, on Sunday, when Cornwall Park was closed, I went to another park, which was Victoria Park in the central city - which is also actually incidentally full of really old trees, and therefore bits of wood, lots of branches and twigs and stuff lying around. And despite the fact that there were three of us at the park and it was quite windy, none of us was struck by flying wood, remarkably. We also walked to the park down a road which is lined with old plane trees that have been there for at least 100 years. So if you're going to be struck by a flying tree - you know, like one of them falling down on your head - it'd be one of those. None of them fell on our heads, nor did any of their branches or any of their flying wood. Now, obviously, it's their park. So the Cornwall Park Trust board can shut the park if they like. And probably what they will say is that they didn't want to put their staff at risk. And there'll be a lot of people in this country who'll nod their heads and say - “Look, that is the wise thing to do. After all, it is windy and there could be wood flying all around, and it might hit a staff member right in the eye and blind them forever. You never know. Better to take care.” I look at this and think that's ridiculous that we are so worried and anxious - and frankly neurotic - that even wind is freaking us out now. I would urge the people who run Cornwall Park to get a grip. Farmers, they may be shocked to discover, often work outside in the wind, and there are lots of bits of wood flying around. The Department of Conservation probably want to reconsider this, but at the moment, they still allow us to walk around in the bush in high wind. There are definitely lots of bits of wood lying around in the bush, if you know what I mean. I mean, some people also have old trees in their backyards, and they're still there when it's windy, shockingly, and the trees don't always fall down in the wind. This, I think, is the perfect example of how we are getting to be ridiculous over safety. Yes, of course, you should reduce your extreme risks. Don't take unnecessary risks. But you don't want to be reducing every single risk. Otherwise, you're just gonna be sitting in your house all day. I don't think flying wood in a park on a windy day in Auckland is so extremely risky that staff must be sent home and members of the public must be banned from entry. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

408: Cam Myers | National Cross Country Championships | Lausanne & Brussels DL  This week's episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration,  their free online planner has you covered! It calculates exactly how much carb, sodium, and fluid you need to smash your goals. Listen to the show for an exclusive discount. Cam Myers guest hosts to share his season on the European circuit and his training in the lead up to the World Championships in Tokyo. Brad prioritises recovery this week. Brady feels the intensity increase with a double threshold session. This week's running news is presented by Axil Coffee. On a rainy Lausanne Diamond League, Claudia Hollingsworth ran 1:58.81 in the 800m. In the B race, Catriona Bisset ran 2:01.18 and Bendere Oboya ran 2:03.22. Jack Rayner ran 13:31.22 in the Men's 5000m with Isaac Kimeli winning in 13:07.67. Lausanne Diamond League Results Linden Hall second in Brussels Diamond League 3:56.33 PB, just behind winner NIkki Hiltz in 3:55.94. Neils Laros won the Men's 1500m in 3:30.58, while Agnes Ngetich won the Women's 5000m in 14:24.99. Brussels Diamond League https://runnerstribe.com/latest-news/australian-athletes-shine-at-brussels-diamond-league/    Bronte Oates led from the start to win her first National Cross Country Championships at Victoria Park, Ballarat. Jenny Blundell placed second for NSW, with Georgia Hansen third for Victoria. In the women's team competition New South Wales were the winners, followed by Victoria and Queensland in third. Zach Facioni won the National Championship making a break in the final stages of the race, with Aiden Veltan and Matt Buckell representing Victoria rounding out the podium. Victoria won the Men's Teams, with NSW in second and the ACT in third. Moose joins as a correspondent reporting on the results and vibes of the day. Official Results https://runnerstribe.com/latest-news/facioni-and-oates-claim-breakthrough-wins-at-2025-australian-cross-country-championships/    Abbey Caldwell came second in the B 800m in 1:58.02, with Georgia Griffith running 1:59.22 and Tess Kirsop-Cole breaking two minutes in 1:59.95. Lauren Ryan won the 1500m in 4:03.79, Maudie Skyring ran 4:04.51 for third place. Jack Anstey ran 3:34.23, Oli Hoare ran 3:36.45 with Narvre Nordas of Norway winning in 3:30.26 Results via World Athletics xNew York Marathon Elite Fields announced, Pat Tiernan NYRR Press Release Enjoy 50% off your first Axil Coffee order! Use code IRP50 at checkout. Shop now at axilcoffee.com.au Whispers makes note of athletes preparing for the heat of Tokyo, as well as some absences to be made around the Sydney Marathon. This episode's Listener Q's/Training Talk segment is proudly brought to you by Precision Fuel & Hydration. Is there a right way to do strides and are they important? Visit precisionhydration.com for more info on hydration and fuelling products and research, and use the discount code given in the episode.  Check out the IRP socials to get onto the events, panels and activations around the Sydney Marathon weekend - featuring a free beer from Better Beer. Len Johnson comes on to chat about his upcoming book “Past Times of Changing Champions” with Brian Lenton and John Gilbert, compendium of the training and running of the modern era. Patreon Link: https://www.patreon.com/insiderunningpodcast Opening and Closing Music is Undercover of my Skin by Benny Walker. www.bennywalkermusic.com Join the conversation at: https://www.facebook.com/insiderunningpodcast/ To donate and show your support for the show: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=9K9WQCZNA2KAN

New World is denying allegations it's passing over workers who lost their jobs after a fire destroyed a flagship store in supermarket. 189 people employed at the Victoria Park supermarket get their last pay cheque on Monday. Foodstuffs said it was optimistic about finding jobs for the workers at a new store in Point Chevalier but Workers First Union said that of the 80 positions on offer at the new store only half are being filled with staff from Victoria Park. It's also raised concerns about older and disabled workers missing out on positions. Organiser with Workers First Union, Jas Giri spoke to Lisa Owen.

402: Monaco Diamond League | State XC Championships | Road To Sydney This weeks episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration,  their free online planner has you covered! It calculates exactly how much carb, sodium, and fluid you need to smash your goals. Listen to the show for an exclusive discount. Brad comes off the Gold Coast well rested. Julian commences his road to this year's Sydney Marathon. Brady sets out to rebuild momentum. This week's running news is presented by Axil Coffee. Monaco Diamond League Peter Bol set a new National Record of 1:42.55 at the Monaco Diamond League, placing fourth with a strong kick finish in the last 150m with Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya winning in World Leading time of 1:41.44. Jess Hull also set a new National Record in the 1000m with 2:30.96, while Sarah Billings also ran a personal best of 2:33.17. Monaco Diamond League Results Stewart McSweyn clocked a 3:53.15 in the mile, ahead of Jackson Sharp 53.20 and Matthew Ramsden in 3:55, with Zatopek winner Andrew Coscoran winning in 3:51.12. Jack Bruce ran 13:48.15 in the 5000m, while Klara Dess ran 4:07.05 in the 1500m. Results via World Athletics Alex Stitt won the 1500m in 3:37.13, just ahead of Seth O'Donnell 3:37.82 who kicked off his European season at the Moore-Guldensprenmeeting in Belgium. Results via World Athletics Lauren Ryan ran 14:55 at the 5000m at the Sound Running Sunset Tour in Los Angeles while Ben Buckingham ran an 8:32.96 and Amy Cashin a 9:44.45 in their respective 3000m Steeplechases. Results Ballarat XC Victorian State Cross Championships held at Victoria Park in Ballarat for the first time with Ed Marks for Glenhuntly taking home the state title ahead of teammate Aidan Veltan and Gedefaye Ashenif of Essendon winning. Knox Athletics were the winning team ahead of Melbourne University and Western Athletics. Katherine Dowie took the Victorian State title on her home course with Charlotte Wilson for Essendon in second and Donve Viljoen for Box Hill in third. Sandringham were the top team in Women's Premier Division ahead of Western Athletics and South Melbourne. AthsVic ResultsHub Kate Spencer for UTS and Ben Bishop for Sydney University were the respective winners of NSW Short Course Championships out at Kembla Joggers Track in Dapto. Athletics NSW Results Dezmond Cutter and Chloe Pateman took out the Queensland State Cross Championships out at Toogoolawah Golf Club Queensland Athletics Results Ben Stevens and Madeline Heiner won the Run Melbourne half marathon, while Jake Barraclough of Ran To Japan fame and Madison Caulfield won the 10k event. Run Melbourne Results Enjoy 20% off your first Axil Coffee order! Use code IRP20 at checkout. Shop now at axilcoffee.com.au This episode introduces our runners for the Road to Sydney patreon series launching next week, all of which have had the honour of representing their respective countries. Moose on the Loose on coaches pumping up their athletes instead of addressing the hard truths, then Whispers keeps the Seth watch streak alive then froths at some of elite females dropping their long runs. This episode's Listener Q's/Training Talk segment is proudly brought to you by Precision Fuel & Hydration. This week's question asks how to mentally prepare for the marathon. Visit precisionhydration.com for more info on hydration and fuelling products and research, and use the discount code given in the episode. Patreon Link: https://www.patreon.com/insiderunningpodcast Opening and Closing Music is Undercover of my Skin by Benny Walker. www.bennywalkermusic.com Join the conversation at: https://www.facebook.com/insiderunningpodcast/ To donate and show your support for the show: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=9K9WQCZNA2KAN

SEGMENTS00:00 Taste of the episode 01:52 Introduction to Greg Dingizian 04:22 How intentional was Greg's success? 06:07 Where the name “Agharta” came from 07:18 How Armenian roots influenced Greg 08:52 What Armenian and Swedish cultures can learn from each other 10:33 Suffering, grace and victimhood 12:40 Creating life experience from inside out 14:29 Gyurjieff and the mental prisons we cannot escape 14:52 Seeing through illusions 17:17 The illusion of “getting there” with money 18:28 Many ways spiritual understanding can evolve 23:41 Greg warns: too much focus on the external 26:58 How to set business goals 29:51 Finding qualified critics and idea meritocracy 31:31 Find what feels like play to you, but seems like work to others 34:05 Taking daring action and what prevents it 37:06 The role of mentors and how to find them 39:15 “Going to get it” vs “allowing it to come to you” 39:58 Mutual factors behind Esabelle and Greg's success 42:32 “Who am I”? 44:28 Techniques, thoughts, emotions 46:21 Emptying the mind 48:24 Intuition and not following conventions 49:51 Transcending the intellect and touching wisdom 50:47 The most demanded skill in 10 years52:14 Artificial intelligence 53:54 Bigger shifts to come 55:53 Hope for a global awakening 58:22 Word association game with Greg (from politics to meditation) 01:00:15 Reminder: just chop wood and carry water--My podcast guest is what some might call a "hippie billionaire," a man who attributes his success to quieting the mind, meditation, intuition and taking daring action inspired by stillness.While in Malmö, I had the chance to interview Greg Dingizian, a visionary Swedish-Armenian investor and one of our nation's most affluent sons.Greg is behind some of Sweden's most significant real estate deals, including Victoria Park, a company he helped build and later sold in a landmark acquisition valued at nearly €1 billion.The real reason I wanted to interview Greg is the source of his success - accessing the stillness within, as he attributes it, in very simple terms. For example, he shares how the idea for Victoria came "as a download" when he was swimming.Greg says mindfulness and meditation gave him his life back, which is why he donated 6 million SEK to Malmö University, to fund research on mindfulness. We covered a lot in an hour: → the illusions he had to give up to become what he has, → his techniques and core principles, → AI, → Armenia, Sweden and being an immigrant,→ mentorship, money and company culture,→ compassion, forgiveness and suffering, → finding critics, intuition and transcending the intellect, → meditation on "I am," → what Greg hopes for and anticipates: a global awakening and the collapse of dominant structures.Greg is also the founder of "Bridge to Armenia," now led by his sister, Ezabelle Dingizian, the former Deputy Speaker of the Swedish Parliament. I just loved co-creating this episode. It was honest. Joyful. Deep. I think you'll feel it too.Thank you for tuning in, prioritizing your self-realization and listening beyond the word.Razmik#podcast #mentalhealth #success #GregDingizian #consciousleadership #meditation #Armenia #Sweden #mindfulness #coaching #marketing #money #productivity #entrepreneurship #personalgrowth #spiritualbusiness #business

The fire at an Auckland supermarket is now under control, but has sent thick black smoke out across the city. 20 fire trucks have been on the scene at the New World Supermarket by Victoria Park. Fire and Emergency NZ sent out a cellphone alert warning that smoke is travelling southwest across the city and to close all windows and doors. Reporter Lucy Xia spoke to Lisa Owen from the scene.

A major fire has ripped through a supermarket in central Auckland. Emergency services were called to the blaze at New World supermarket near Victoria Park in Freemans Bay, where 20 crews battled the blaze. While the fire is now contained, firefighters are expected to continue fighting the blaze for some time. Amy Williams reports from the scene.

The blaze at New World Victoria Park has been extinguished while five Fire and Emergency crews remained on Tuesday night to deal with hotspots. Fire and Emergency Assistant Commander Phil Larcombe spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

World renowned stadium designer Paul Henry from Populous explains why Victoria Park is the perfect location for the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Stadium - and shares what he has learned from othersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special episode of the Brisbane Property Podcast, Scott and Melinda Jennison unpack the major infrastructure announcements for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games—and what they could mean for Brisbane's property market in the years ahead.   Unlike past Olympic setups, Brisbane is taking a unique approach: most of the venues will be built within a 5km radius of the CBD. This centralised model will significantly reshape inner-city precincts like Victoria Park, Bowen Hills, Spring Hill, and Woolloongabba.   In this episode, you'll learn: Which suburbs are set to benefit from new or upgraded venues How changes in infrastructure may impact supply, demand, and pricing What investors need to consider before jumping into these “Olympic precinct” zones The long-term impact of projects like the Cross River Rail, Brisbane Metro, and the proposed Sunshine Coast rail link Why strategic timing and planning—not speculation—are critical when making property decisions around Olympic-related announcements Melinda shares expert insights into zoning, density constraints, flood risks, and future planning scheme shifts that could influence opportunities in key locations.   If you're an investor or homeowner curious about how the Olympic legacy will shape Brisbane's growth story, this episode is packed with practical guidance to help you make informed, future-focused decisions.   Connect with Us: Subscribe on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW30uBCnHQ2YllnwGKHNfxg Streamline Property Buyers Website https://streamlineproperty.com.au/ Ready to work with us directly? https://streamlineproperty.com.au/contact/   If you liked this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, tune in, and share this podcast with others you know will benefit from the information we share!

The parents of a young girl who broke her neck after falling from a zipline in Ashford say it's 'too dangerous' for children.Lois Crook had gone to Victoria Park in the town with her mum and older brother and fell head first after being thrown into the air.Also in today's podcast, religious leaders across Kent have been paying tribute to the Pope following his death at the age of 88.Francis passed away yesterday morning after having a stroke and heart failure. Hear from the Archdeacon of Canterbury, Will Adam.There are calls for more to be done to help people who have been fined for speeding on the A20 after the limit was changed.A temporary 40-mile-per hour limit was in put place in October 2023, but many drivers say there weren't enough signs. Hear from Coleen Blackburn who is part of the A20 Justice Alliance.Hundreds of schools across England, including 11 in Kent and Medway, are launching free breakfast clubs this week.It's part of efforts to make sure no child goes hungry - and to help parents save money on childcare costs.We've been speaking to the headteacher of Chilmington Green Primary in Ashford which is among those taking part in the trial.Football legend Tony Adams has been visiting Margate to see the work being done to help recovering addicts.The former England captain struggled with an alcohol problem during his career and is now chair of The Forward Trust charity.And in sport, Gillingham have now gone 10 games unbeaten after a 1-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon.Joe Gbode scored the winning goal in the second half at Priestfield yesterday.

Victoria Park, còn được biết đến với tên gọi truyền thống là Barrambin, từng là một khu định cư của người bản địa có tầm quan trọng lớn và là nơi gặp gỡ của các hoạt động văn hóa, nhưng nơi đây vẫn là một trong những địa điểm có ý nghĩa văn hóa nhất trong thành phố. Chính quyền tiểu bang Queensland xác nhận sẽ xây dựng Sân vận động Olympic Brisbane tại đó, nhưng những chủ sở hữu truyền thống cho biết, họ rất đau buồn trước thông báo này.

The Queensland government has now confirmed it is going to build Brisbane's Olympic Stadium at the Victoria Park, also known for its traditional name Barrambin, that is one of the most culturally significant sites in the city. - Pemerintah Queensland telah mengonfirmasi bahwa Stadion Olimpiade Brisbane akan dibangun di Victoria Park, yang juga dikenal dengan nama tradisionalnya Barrambin, yang merupakan salah satu situs yang paling penting secara budaya di kota tersebut.

Victoria Park, znany również jako Barrambin, był kiedyś ważnym miejscem dla rdzennych mieszkańców, pełniącym rolę osady i miejsca spotkań kulturowych. Dziś wciąż ma duże znaczenie kulturowe dla Brisbane. Rząd stanu Queensland niedawno ogłosił, że chce zbudować tam Stadion Olimpijski, co wywołało rozgoryczenie u tradycyjnych właścicieli tej ziemi.

Victoria Park, also known for its traditional name Barrambin, used to be an Indigenous settlement of great importance and a meeting place for cultural practices - but it remains one of the most culturally significant sites in the city. The Queensland state government has now confirmed it is going to build Brisbane's Olympic Stadium there. Traditional owners say they are devastated by the announcement.

AFL legend and proud Noongar man, Nicky Winmar, has been announced as the official ambassador for Ngarra Jarra Noun 2025, an annual cultural event grounded in truth-telling, remembrance and community healing. The event will return to Victoria Park in Naarm (Melbourne) on Sunday, April 13 and promises to be a powerful day of ceremony, reflection and unity.

Last year's fast starters have become this year's comeback kings! On this week's show, we review a really impressive win against the Cats that sees us ending March undefeated, with the Lions now preparing to return to the MCG for the first time since last year's Grand Final.There's equally good news off-field too, with the stadium saga finally resolved. The club's future officially lies at Victoria Park, with an extraordinary 63, 000 seat stadium on the way to revolutionise Brisbane and set the club up for the next fifty years. We both share our top three hopes for the new home of the Lions.Also this week:-Dom wants Bruce to be the first-choice sub-Mike gives an update on Kiddy Coleman's progress-Is there a path to peace for the Roar Deal & David King?And much more!

The biggest news of the week was the locked in plans for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics so with a new stadium and more on the cards we hear from Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg, Brisbane Lions CEO Greg Swann and ABC broadcaster Quentin Hull on what it all means and who wins or loses.Joining Declan Byrne on 'The Saturday Sledge' we chat about the vision, the state wide promises, plans for the future of the Brisbane Test, why QLD want to pinch AFL's 'Gather Round' and who pays for it all.

Victoria Park is a go! Luttsy breaks down the major announcement made yesterday surrounding the Brisbane Olympics, Ash plays 'Budgety Blanks' and Nikki goes completely rogue in Mystery VoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Games Delivery Plan has been unveiled — featuring a new $3.8 billion stadium to be controversially built in Victoria Park. - 2032年ブリスベン五輪の大会運営計画が発表され、6万3000席規模の新たなスタジアムが、CBDからほど近いビクトリア・パークに建設されることが発表されました。

With race day just around the corner on March 16, 2025, at Victoria Park, we're in full prep mode! In this episode, I take a lighthearted look at the Kendrick Lamar Not Like Us train that is is not slowly down at all. And how he flips the script on the whole “don't be a hater” thing and shows us that sometimes, being a little bit of a hater can actually get you ahead. And let's be real—some many people are jumping on trends, from endless videos of the Not Like Us shuffle to everyone trying to replicate that swagger. Plus, a quick chat about the new half marathon world record.I also give an update of the race from organising volunteers, pacers, sponsors, and the race financials, and the various scenario planning. I'll be running the route this Sunday 23 February, come join me. Along with my co-founder Brad Farrant, we're building an event that brings runners together for East London that is performance focused. Listen in for a blend of serious race talk and fun insights on community building!Tickets are available click this link, via @letsdothis.com_ search Hackney Legacy Half

Today, Sam Cooper, founder of the news outlet The Bureau, guest hosts Christopher Meyer, a former U.S. official and China expert during the Bush One and Two Administrations. Meyer currently serves as the head of the U.S. Micronesia Council and founded Wide Fountain, a platform for in-depth geopolitical analysis.  In this the second of a two-part episode, Sam and Christopher discuss PRC strategic corruption and political warfare. So, let's get started.  Sam Cooper's The Bureau: https://www.thebureau.news/ Christopher Meyer's Wide Fountain platform: https://widefountain.substack.com/ --- One CA is a product of the civil affairs association a and brings in people who are current or former military, diplomats, development officers, and field agents to discuss their experiences on the ground with a partner nation's people and leadership. We aim to inspire anyone interested in working in the "last three feet" of U.S. foreign relations.  To contact the show, email us at CApodcasting@gmail.com  or look us up on the Civil Affairs Association website at www civilaffairsassoc.org --- Great news! Feedspot, the podcast industry ranking system rated One CA Podcast as one of the top 10 shows on foreign policy. Check it out at: https://podcast.feedspot.com/foreign_policy_podcasts/ --- Special thanks to Cozy Ambience for a sample of "February Cafe Jazz - Instrumental Bossa Nova Music for Work, Study and Relax - Background Music" retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmq8Ht-sNwQ --- Today, Sam Cooper, founder of the news outlet The Bureau, guest hosts Christopher Meyer, a former U.S. official and China expert during the Bush One and Two Administrations. Meyer currently serves as the head of the U.S. Micronesia Council and founded Wide Fountain, a platform for in-depth geopolitical analysis.  In this the first of a two-part episode, Sam and Christopher discuss PRC strategic corruption and political warfare. So, let's get started.  Sam Cooper's The Bureau: https://www.thebureau.news/ Christopher Meyer's Wide Fountain platform: https://widefountain.substack.com/ --- One CA is a product of the civil affairs association a and brings in people who are current or former military, diplomats, development officers, and field agents to discuss their experiences on the ground with a partner nation's people and leadership. We aim to inspire anyone interested in working in the "last three feet" of U.S. foreign relations.  To contact the show, email us at CApodcasting@gmail.com  or look us up on the Civil Affairs Association website at www civilaffairsassoc.org --- Special thanks to Cozy Ambience for a sample of "February Cafe Jazz - Instrumental Bossa Nova Music for Work, Study and Relax - Background Music" retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmq8Ht-sNwQ --- Transcript 00:00:01    Introduction Welcome to the One CA Podcast. This is your host, Jack Gaines. One CA is a product of the Civil Affairs Association and brings in people who are current or former military, diplomats, development officers, and field agents to discuss their experiences on ground with the partner nation's people and leadership. Our goal is to inspire anyone interested in working the last three feet of foreign relations. To contact the show, email us at capodcasting@gmail.com. or look us up on the Civil Affairs Association website at www.civilaffairsassoc.org. I'll have those in the show notes. Today we welcome Sam Cooper, founder of the news outlet The Bureau, as he interviews Christopher Meyer, a former U.S. 00:00:44    SAM COOPER official and China expert during the Bush I and II administrations. Meyer currently serves as the head of the U.S. Micronesia Council and is the founder of Wide Fountain. a platform for in -depth geopolitical analysis. This is the first of a two -part episode. Sam and Christopher discuss PRC strategic corruption and political warfare. So let's get started. 00:01:07    SAM COOPER Today I'm excited to introduce Chris Myers. Chris is a longtime China expert and former U .S. government diplomatic and economic issues officer, and he explains how military intelligence and influence networks embedded deeply with organized crime are a central feature of the global strategy employed by the families that really are running communist China. And when I say that, we're going to discuss your research on the family of Xi Jinping, the Xi family, and you call it the Yezi clique. But first, tell our viewers your background in getting into China and your career. 00:01:46    CHRISTOPHER MEYER Thank you very much, Sam. I started a keen interest in China when I was 16. And I read the history of the opium wars and I was outraged. And I decided I wanted a career to be involved in business and diplomacy between the U .S. and China. And then as an undergrad student, I did research on the special economic zones. This was in the early 80s and the special economic zones were just announced. And my research led me to see the geopolitical aspects. There were some. across from Macau, across from Hong Kong, and across from Taiwan. So I sort of had an eye to that. And then I did business. I was, for five years, I was with a Fortune 500 company. And I had the opportunity to do some business in Xiaomon. And I saw some things that set off alarm bells in my mind. And I kind of filed that. And I had some experiences that informed my research later. I worked in the government in Bush 1 and Bush 2. I was involved in Indo -Pacific affairs. really helping American companies do business in the region, and then became a consultant to part of the government that administered our territories in the Pacific. So I saw some things there that, again, set off alarm bells in my mind. And in 2016, I happened to cross an old colleague who kind of gave me some more information. And basically from 2016 until 2022, I conducted a lot of independent research. I decided I wanted to know exactly what was going on because proxies in the region seemed emboldened to take on the U .S. And they didn't have a government portfolio, but they acted like they did. And so my research sort of started in Micronesia. I had the great opportunity to come across your book. You totally informed. parts of what I was looking at and kind of put the spotlight on what happened in Canada. And I kind of worked the two sides to the middle and conducted most recently research that kind of takes us from Mao Zedong's death until the 90s. And I believe that there was a click. I call it the yes, she click. There were scores to settle. There were powerful families that were on the cusp of greatness or recognition for all their good work, and they were purged. And it led some individuals to become extremely militant in their conduct of political warfare against the U .S. So that sort of sets the table for what we might be talking about. 00:04:28    SAM COOPER Yeah. So to get into this, let's start with the Ye family. They're mysterious, but for experts, they're very clearly a clan that has tremendous kingmaking power in China. So maybe let's start with who they are and then bridge into how they connect with Xi's father. 00:04:46    CHRISTOPHER MEYER So the patriarch, Lie Jianying, was literally the kingmaker of Mao Zedong. He came from Guangdong province, and he was involved in the very earliest movements of the Communist Party in China. And he fled one of those, I think it was the Guangzhou uprising, with Zhou Enlai, and they escaped to Hong Kong. So Ye Jianying is one of the original revolutionaries in China, and he had the title of Marshal Ye. And when he crossed paths with Mao Zedong, he was actually the aide -de -camp to a very powerful Communist Party operator out of Beijing who had an army of tens of thousands. And he rolled up to Mao and his very small group of long marchers and said, follow us, we're going to Sichuan province. And Mao was like, no, I don't think that's a safe bet. The locals are going to tear you up. And Ye Jianying kind of heard a truth in Mao and he deserted this powerful general and with him brought the code books. So Mao gets Ye Jianying and the code books and he's able to communicate with the Comintern. And lo and behold, that general did get wiped out in Sichuan. He returned to Mao's base. With a few thousand troops from then, Mao became the most powerful leader in the communist ecosystem. So Ye Jianying had a very high regard for Mao. Mao called him the savior of the Communist Party and the Communist Revolution. And so fast forward it right through the revolution. Ye gets a very top position as the party secretary for Guangdong province, the largest and economically most powerful province in the country. And Mao wants to conduct his land reform in Guangdong, just as he does everywhere. And it's a violent thing where landowners are hunted down and put to death. Yeah, because he was a native Cantonese, understood that the landowners in Guangdong were not of the same ilk as those throughout China. They actually worked the lands. They had a very cooperative relationship with labor. And he tried to resist. But Mao forced Lin Biao into Guangdong. And Ye lost his government role. And if he hadn't been in the military, he would have been completely out of power. But because he had a military portfolio, he was able to stay on the peripheries. And he was actually part of the small group that brought down the Gang of Four and ended the Cultural Revolution. So Ye Jianying went through the Mao Zedong grinder, but he did it so early in the 50s that he was able to... maintain power and have it going forward. Another Long March hero was Xi Jinping's father, Xi Zhong Chun. And his claim to fame in the Communist Party was he maintained security over the area where Mao was camped in Yan 'an. And he was able to provide Mao and his group with enough security that they could camp there through a winter and survive. Not only that, but he negotiated and he conducted diplomacy with the tribesmen in the Northwest, in Qinghai, in Xinjiang, and in Tibet. And he was loved. And he got a lot of rebels and insurgents among these minority populations to join the Communist Party. And Mao gave him great profs for that and referred to him as one of the heroes of the Three Kingdoms period. brilliant statesman who was able to ingratiate with the minorities and make them part of the Chinese nation. Unfortunately, though, Xi Jinping's father, Xi Zhongchun, he was purged, but he was purged later. He was purged in 1962. And from Xi Jinping's age nine until he was 25, Xi Jinping's father was under arrest. Without trial, it was just the culture revolution. He was under arrest because his office published a book that was deemed not flattering to Mao Zedong. Basically, he was promoting some thought within the Communist Party that Mao didn't like. So Xi's father is in jail from 62 to 78. And because Ye Senior and Xi Zhongchun had a relationship, Ye Jianying kind of became a godfather of sorts for Xi Jinping. Xi was sent to work in the countryside and he escaped and he tried to get back to Beijing and it wasn't safe for him to be reunited with his family. And Ye intervened. And Ye made sure that Xi joined the Communist Party, even though these tragedies were all around him, and made sure that he got the semblance of an education, although he really never did. He was a guide for Xi Jinping throughout his younger years. in place of his father. 00:10:02    Sam Cooper Before we continue how those families dovetail together, can you describe in China's political economy, what is the power of Marshal Ye? 00:10:13    CHRISTOPHER MEYER So in the 50s, he was jettisoned out of the political arena. His main work was in the PLA. He was a marshal and he became minister of defense in China. And he was responsible for procurement. And to sort of give you a sense, when the Korean War started, the United Nations put a blockade on trade with China because they were arming the North Korean army. Marshal Yeh was responsible for making sure that supplies got to North Korea. And that was a big role that he fulfilled. And his sons kind of brought that along. So it's curious because Marshal Yeh was one of the most powerful stars in the communist lineup, but he was also a minority. He was from Guangdong and he was a Haka Chinese. So some people would say that Haka Chinese within China, there's a lid sometimes on their ability to move up. And so perhaps he was never considered for the echelon, but he did arise very high. But in some ways, and his sons adopted this even more so, they had to become very combative. in their political dealings. But no doubt about it, Marshal Yeh had a chance to handle huge volumes of military supplies, and there was an opportunity to skim and generate great wealth, which probably was the case. The way that Marshal Yeh fulfilled the supply chains for the North Korean army was through organized crime. And it just happened that two of The individuals, Henry Falk and Stanley Ho, were also Hakka Chinese. And they became the kingpins of organized crime in Hong Kong and Macau. Both of them are on record as saying they made their fortunes supplying the Korean War. 00:12:15    SAM COOPER Right. So people that read my book are very familiar with Stanley Ho, according to U .S. government intelligence. the absolute king of Chinese international mafia with connectivity to casinos, banking, political influence operations in Canada, triad leadership in Canada. So I think we've set the table for the 90s in Guangdong, Fujian. Xi Jinping is now starting to come on the scene politically there. The Ye family, who were partners essentially of Xi's father. had a little bit of a godfather eye on Xi's movements within the party. We can say that they're the power behind a throne that they want to see continue to rise. So can you take us into the 90s, the sort of Stanley Ho connectivity to Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and how that combines the Hong Kong tycoons slash triad leaders with the communist powers in Fujian? 00:13:21    CHRISTOPHER MEYER Yes. Mao passed away in 78. Deng Xiaoping came to power. And Deng was all about economic reform and catching up to the West. So in southern China, Fujian and Guangdong province, Deng looked to Ye Jenying and his sons. His sons were in their 30s now. And he also looked to Xi Zhongshan. Xi Zhongshan became party secretary for Guangdong province. in the early 80s. And Deng kind of put together this group. The Ye's and the Xi's were family friends. They celebrated Chinese holidays together. The Xi's were northern Chinese, but they kind of encamped in Guangdong province after a certain amount of time. And that's where Xi's father retired. But in Guangdong, the son of Ye, his name was Ye Xuanping. Basically, he was mayor of Guangzhou and the governor of Guangdong. And very quickly, he was referred to as the emperor of the south. So in the 80s, he was running Guangdong province. And he became so powerful that the CCP sought to have him step down. And he actually threatened to withhold tax to Beijing from the province of Guangdong unless they negotiated with him. He wanted a vice chair of the CPPCC, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee. And he wants to be a vice governor of the CPPCC. And he wanted to be allowed to maintain his power base in Guangdong. And this is a rare case where the CCP actually deferred to these wishes. Just to get him out of running the most powerful province in China, they said okay. So he goes over the CPPCC. And he takes with him the kingpins of organized crime in Hong Kong and Macau. Stanley Ho never had a position, but Henry Falk and the other top lieutenants in these organized crime entities all wound up on the CPPCC. And to give you a sense of like, what was some of the magic Stanley Ho had when he won the monopoly on gaming in Macau? He devised this VIP room concept where... He owned the casino, but the VIP rooms were run by basically triads and junkets, powerful friends from mainland China and triads. And the triads conducted all kinds of crime that the Vancouver model got in a very big dose. So it was racketeering and prostitution and all kinds of things, but also collections. So Stanley Ho didn't have to work on collections because his muscle did it for him. But the strongest of these triad operators wound up in the CPPCC, as long as they were effective in what they were doing for the government. And 14K is dominated by Hakka Chinese. Most of the most powerful triads have a very strong Hakka element to it. And I don't mean to suggest that this wonderful race of Chinese called Hakkas is all bad. Lee Kuan Yew, the premier of Singapore, was Hakka Chinese. phenomenal Chinese, but there were also some very nefarious and very effective in their criminal activities that were Haka Chinese. So the Ye's were in the middle of this. And Chinese language social media accounts in Hong Kong will talk about the Ye's dominance over these gaming operators in Macau. 00:17:07    SAM COOPER Let's get into that and explore that more. I just want to ask a side question. As I'm aware of a very important figure, in what we call the Hoag Commission in Canada. I'm just going to leave it at that. This is our inquiry into foreign interference that stemmed from my investigative reporting. And there is a politician at the center of that that my sources close to them said went off to a haka conference in China for weeks or something like that, you know, while being an elected politician in Canada. Knowing what you know, and I'm just coming out of the blue with this question, is there anything good for Canada that they could be doing on that trip? 00:17:45    CHRISTOPHER MEYER There could be a lot of normal cultural activity, but I'll say one thing, that the powers that are doing the kinds of things that I'm concerned with are definitely represented in those groups. There might be a wink and a nod and things look very normal on the surface, but there's no free lunch in China. Everybody has to pay the piper, and the piper is the communist party of China. 00:18:11    SAM COOPER So let me ask you this. Viewers of the Bureau know that I've pressed away in journalism in explaining that the United Front Work Department and international money laundering and organized crime are synonymous. They're one and the same. The CIA says the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference is really the core unit of the United Front. So what you're getting at... I think the Ye family, these power brokers that are behind Xi and his power in southern China, you're saying they essentially formed this United Front and organized crime compact as sort of a political tool, a smuggling tool, a military tool? 00:18:55    CHRISTOPHER MEYER Yes. And I want to say that the United Front was an early Communist Party creation. And the thing about the Communist Party... They infiltrated the Kuomintang. When the Kuomintang had more power and they were the power base in China, the communists used political warfare to infiltrate them and really become their undoing. And the United Front is basically one way to get all parts of society under the control of the CCP. So within the United Front, the CPPCC is sort of the big leagues. And all the other organizations are the feeder groups. So if you get in a small united front group and you deliver in a big way, you can get promoted all the way to this PCC. And Ong Lapsung is an example of that. So the whole idea of the united front is to harness and control all the resources from academia, the private sector. from all aspects of society and to make them work for the Communist Party. And I feel that any united front operation, and there's so many in Canada and the U .S., they should just be called assets of the Chinese government. That's one way for the Chinese to increase their headcount of diplomatic officers within any given country. 00:20:26    Close Thanks for listening. If you get a chance, please like and subscribe and rate the show on your favorite podcast platform. Also, if you're interested in coming on the show or hosting an episode, email us at capodcasting@gmail.com. I'll have the email and CA Association website in the show notes. And now, most importantly, to those currently out in the field working with a partner nation's people or leadership to forward U.S. relations, thank you all for what you're doing. your host. Stay tuned for more great episodes of One CA Podcast.   Episode 2 00:00:01    Introduction Welcome to the 1CA Podcast. This is your host, Jack Gaines. 1CA is a product of the Civil Affairs Association and brings in people who are current or former military, diplomats, development officers, and field agents to discuss their experiences on ground with the partner nation's people and leadership. Our goal is to inspire anyone interested in working the last three feet of foreign relations. To contact the show, email us at capodcasting@gmail.com. or look us up on the Civil Affairs Association website at www.civilaffairsassoc.org. I'll have those in the show notes. Today we welcome Sam Cooper, founder of the news outlet The Bureau, as he interviews Christopher Meyer, a former U .S. 00:00:44    Introduction official and China expert during the Bush 1 and 2 administrations. Meyer currently serves as the head of the U .S. Micronesia Council and is the founder of Wide Fountain. a platform for in -depth geopolitical analysis. This is the second of a two -part episode. Sam and Christopher discuss PRC strategic corruption and political warfare. So let's get started. 00:01:08    SAM COOPER I feel that any United Front operation, and there's so many in Canada and the U .S., they should just be called assets of the Chinese government. That's one way for the Chinese to increase their headcount of diplomatic officers within any given country. And they should be labeled that way and they should be treated that way. And they're conducting operations for China. So to get back to the Ye family, I just want to say very briefly, so Deng Xiaoping taps the older brother, Ye, and he's in the government and he has a nine, 10 -year run in Guangdong. The younger brother, his name is Ye Xuanning. He's the dangerous one. He's a real interesting cat. So, yeah. was in college during the Cultural Revolution. And just to give you an idea of the thin ice that you could be skating on in China, he graduated from college and he was thrown in jail. And he was thrown in jail because, you know, Mao wanted to send a signal to the Ye family, I'm in control here. You're not in control. He got out of jail and he had a job in a radio factory or something like that. And he must have been so distraught, he lost his arm in an accident. throwing boxes into a crusher and he lost his arm. So he became a calligrapher with his left hand. And if you know Chinese, like every time you write calligraphy, your hand is going across what you're writing. If you're left -handed, I don't know how he did it. I'm left -handed. And he became an accomplished calligrapher with his left hand. So it just gives you a sense of the spirit of this guy. He's not your normal. person. I think he was a genius. I think he was extremely hardworking. And one of his first positions, he was involved in a small United Front operation in Beijing. Then he became secretary for Kang Xian, who was sort of the head of the oil faction in China. And he was a very powerful individual. And then he found himself in Guangdong. And when his brother was appointed head of the province and the city of Guangzhou, He got into Espionade, and he became the spymaster for the PLA, working in the GDP. And he really had it. He sort of hit his stride there, and that's how he ended his career. The spymaster for the PLA. I think any other rival couldn't even hold a candle to him. He was totally gifted. And his brother and he were able to leverage all of their... contacts with organized crime because he used them in operations around the world. And I think he's the one who weaponized it to the point where, number one, organized crime figures were making money for the military, a lot of it. And number two, they were almost pre -trained in operations. They were bold. They would go anywhere and do anything. And Aung La Pseung is a good example of that. 00:04:11    CHRISTOPHER MEYER I was going to say, because not everyone knows these names like you and I do, but Enlap Sang, nominally a real estate developer from Macau. My Files, he's a huge international organized crime figure known for the so -called Clinton Gate or White House visits. He's the guy that got next to the Clinton White House or got inside, you know, maybe five to ten times. He ends up getting done, as they say, in a United Nations corruption case, which of course connects to a very important guy in Australia that successfully sued my colleague, John Garneau, and yet is at the top of Chinese organized crime funding Australian politics. He was involved in that FBI case. So to bring it back, what I've picked up in my book and in my repeated reporting efforts at the Bureau is these international Chinese businessmen in real estate and casinos, tech these days, they go around the world, they get next to our politicians, and that's their job. They're being tasked by whoever the Ye family spymaster of today is, is sending them abroad to do that. At some point, Xi Jinping comes into this and says it's okay. 00:05:30    SAM COOPER okay. And it's still evolving. I mean, I came on to this. When I read your book and I saw your story of Lai Changxin, I said, holy shit, I have to get into this. You see the level of danger that it brings to a country like Canada and North America. But I think that Ye Xuen Ning created the mechanism for the CCP to use and leverage organized crime to, 00:05:51    SAM COOPER mechanism for the CCP to use and leverage organized crime to, number one, fund military operations. and other things, and to extend influence operations. Like the United Front is all about influence operations. But if you introduce organized crime elements into parts of the United Front, you can weaponize it and you can get a lot more bang for your buck using these nefarious creatures that you're managing, you're controlling them. And I want to mention something. How does the CCP have control over organized crimes? So I want to say, In the late 90s, Macau No. 1 was about to be returned from Portuguese administration to Chinese. And 2, the kind of monopoly of the casinos license was coming up in 2002. And what happened was these triad operators were starting to push back against Stanley Ho. Stanley Ho's right -hand man was shot in the face in Victoria Park during this period. And the Portuguese sent an official to try to calm down the situation. And that individual was shot when he arrived. And the Communist Party kind of went in and took control. When the monopoly came up, Stanley Ho and his family, they got the coverage. But that's because he's completely loyal to the CCP. And so the CCP has so much leverage over these entities. Completely, he devised the strategy to integrate organized crime. And then he passed away in 2016. And then the institutional steps took place after that. They had to transfer from sort of a control of one man to the government running it. And you can see examples around 2016 of a lot of large -scale Chinese operations having disruption during this period. One of the reasons they were able to do this for so long was that Ye Xuanning was completely secretive. I mean, he managed these operations in a very keen and brilliant way, and he was never identified. Xi Jinping's role is interesting. Ye Xuanning told his brothers to help Xi Jinping. And you can kind of see like an increase in their efforts when Xi's father... He was in Beijing, and he had a very high role. He pulled a bureau standing committee, and he was sent down because of Tiananmen. He was on the reformer side, and he publicly admitted it. He was a very admirable individual, and he said he was supporting Hua Guofeng. So he faced early retirement in 1993, and the Ye brothers were so upset about this, and probably Xi too. They sort of doubled down on their efforts on behalf of this political warfare. It's almost as if they were pissed off at the Communist Party, but they took it out on North America. It's like they had to become more radical in what they were doing because in order to get power in China, you had to outflank Li Peng and the hardliners. So there's an interesting element there. 00:09:13    CHRISTOPHER MEYER You talk about this combination of military intelligence and organized crime. and political warfare and global influence operations. Trade is obviously involved. Explain what you mean by radicalization of that tool in operations. 00:09:31    SAM COOPER So there were about 10 operations in the 1990s that I believe were masterminded by the Yeshi Clay and primarily Yeshi Ning. The most outrageous, there was one and probably several. smuggling of military -grade machine guns into the U .S. from China. And one of the groups that was set up, helped finance the military, was the Poly Group. And the Poly Group, they were on the bill of lading for these. They were labeled as something else, but they came into the port of Oakland. And the interesting thing was the CEO of Poly Group, who was a princeling himself, was meeting in the White House and had his photo taken with President Clinton. At the time, these machine guns were on the water. That's bold. Yes. And when I ponder this, it's like I know how much the Chinese love photographs. That photo shown by Xi Jinping to all the cronies in Beijing would get him a lot of brownie points. And these machine guns were being distributed to gangs in the area. Street gangs in California. So this kind of thing, right? Right. And so that one was uncovered. But how many others slipped by? And there have been cases similar magnitude in Tennessee and Florida. 00:10:57    CHRISTOPHER MEYER Yeah, and this is where it gets into the leaked Sidewinder report that I touched on in the book. But yeah, that report refers to Pauley Group laundering 2 ,000 AK -47s into California. You're saying you believe that not only is Xi Jinping supported by this Ye family intelligence, who I have no problem believing are behind the United Front organized crime nexus. You're saying you think Xi Jinping is a mind involved in this kind of thing as well. 00:11:30    SAM COOPER Originally, as I was doing my research, I thought Xi was the mastermind. But as I did a deep dive to what his contemporaries said of him, The big knock on Xi was that he wasn't educated. Like age nine to age 25, his dad has been persecuted and locked up without trial. And he's forced to work in the countryside and he's not happy about it. I mean, he wasn't educated. And that's the biggest knock on Xi Jinping. And when you look at the history of Xi in Fujian, first of all, he goes to the Ministry of Defense and then doesn't do... anything of note there as a young man. But then he goes into Hebei province and he's working in Hebei province as a middle level provincial official. And he's not doing much. I mean, his big contribution was suggesting that they film a TV show in that province and kind of burned out. He wasn't favored by the Communist Party officials there. You know, he's brought to Fujian. Communist Party officials bounce around provinces and each time they have an increasing role. Well, he stays in Fujian for 17 years. And it's almost like he's being babysat by the Yehs. And I mean, the Yeh family compound was a two and a half hour drive from where she was in Fujian. And so I don't think he was the mastermind, but he was definitely the beneficiary. And I think that it was a long term project. And the Yeh brothers. put the pieces on the table to help promote Xi Jinping. And here's an interesting thing. In 1997, there was a big Central Party conclave, the 15th Central Party plenary meeting. And Ye wasn't even named as an alternate delegate. So you've got hundreds of delegates coming from all over the country. And he's a princeling. And he's been in provincial government for 12 years. And he's not even named. Somebody forced him onto the list of alternate delegates. There were 150. He was the 151st alternate delegate. He didn't receive one vote. He was pushed on. And I think somebody in the realm said, you know what? We're running all these operations and we're doing it so secretively. Nobody knows that this is for Xi Jinping. So they started gradually to kind of promote Xi as. the mastermind of this. And the years were okay with that. But Xi Jinping was on his way to becoming the leader of China by 2002. 00:14:08    CHRISTOPHER MEYER And I was over in Taiwan, invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over a year ago with international journalists. And we had kind of a dinner talk where their political intelligence expert was going to talk about some of this Klan details and things like that. And they said, yeah, within the princelings, Xi Jinping was the least likely, the least talented to reach chairman. 00:14:37    CHRISTOPHER MEYER And so, OK, you know, I'm not the expert. If someone from Taiwan is telling me that, you're saying that. So if true, and you're saying the power behind the throne is this Ye family that boosts him. And they're the ones you're saying that are the masterminds of what I'm going to call modern political Chinese communist warfare using proxies, organized crime, dirty tycoons. So this is where we're going. 00:15:06    SAM COOPER Yep, this is where we're going. And let me just touch on a few of the operations in the 1990s, just to give you a sense for what was going on and the fact that the Chinese were never completely called out on the carpet for it. Just let them continue doing it. And one of the themes of my research is it's time to call the Chinese out. And to do that, you have to be very specific. I think there needs to be a large group of countries that has their research done and they call out Xi Jinping for this political warfare that absolutely is hyper -destructive. 00:15:41    CHRISTOPHER MEYER So you're saying this is an intelligence operation? Yeah. For the last 10 minutes or so, In direct relationship to this network you're talking about, the 90s, 2000, aggressive combination of international organized crime, Hong Kong tycoons, Macau tycoons, in Chinese military influence operations, also people smuggling, also drug smuggling, illegal migration and, you know, fentanyl. There is a basis that Chinese triads and Mexican cartels are working together on those things and that Canada is a, you could call it, if this is a company, the controlling minds of a lot of this are in Vancouver and Toronto. Canadian ports are very deeply infiltrated by China, along with some Iranian mafia and intelligence. It's a fact. So where do we go from there? I myself, as a Canadian, the good countries of the world need to get together to combat this approaching, if not already into early stages of the access of China, Iran, Russia, North Korea. We're at loggerheads and they're using Canada, I believe, unfortunately. 00:17:01    SAM COOPER Right. And I do believe that Yeshua Ning is a genius and he looked at North America and he wants to inflict pain on the U .S. When he set up these plans in the early 90s, the Chinese GDP was a fraction of the U .S. So he had a lot of ground to make up. And he chose Vancouver because the resources to combat his efforts were probably deemed to be significantly less than the resources in the U .S. So I feel that the attack on Canada, the Vancouver model. if you will, which spread right across to Toronto and then down into Queens and across to LA and permeates everything. I believe that the US and Canada should try to get on the same page about this and to the extent possible, Mexico as well. And then the UK and Australia haven't been unaffected by this. There should be a big effort to get on the same page with the West because this is a totalitarian regime doing its level best to take us out. 00:18:07    CHRISTOPHER MEYER The controlling mind, I'm saying, of the Mexican cartels, I think it's Chinese triads. That's the real power there. 00:18:15    SAM COOPER I think we're both in agreement. If you want to draw a word picture that says what this is, picture that there's a really bad actor and he's throwing a really illegal party and selling drugs and he's bringing it all in. And the U .S. is going after the people who own the land where all of this took place. You have to go after China. And I believe that China is making 98 % of the precursors for fentanyl, and then they're laundering the money. That's the other piece. They're laundering it. They're operating this massive money laundering operation for the cartels. So I say the gloves do come off, but I would love to see them come off in unison. And all of these, at least in North America, Mexico, Canada, and the U .S., we're all on the same page. And we speak with one voice. And I'll add to this. Xi Jinping has been as painful towards his own population as he has been externally and internationally. So he's inflicted pain on the Chinese and he's about to go down. I mean, he's got his wings clipped in the last few months and he may not be in power very long. There's some serious movement in China. 00:19:30    CHRISTOPHER MEYER You sound like my friend Harry Tsang, the ambassador for Taiwan and Ottawa. He's bearish on Xi Jinping in a big way. 00:19:38    SAM COOPER Yeah. Well, I think it's a good time for the West to approach China and say, look, we got off on the wrong foot. Let's reboot. And by the way, there's some reparations needed here. 70 ,000 people have been dying a year from this, and it's a Chinese operation. You know, the cartels are definitely part of it, but... I think there's good reason for the West to get on the same page. 00:20:02    CHRISTOPHER MEYER Absolutely. So we will end it there for a first great chat. And I think next time we'll get into the juicy story of Lai Cheng Zing, the bigot China's supposed most wanted. Or what was he? So I'll leave it at that and we'll pick it up next time. You have to say, 00:20:21    SAM COOPER have to say, I'm sitting there doing my research. I get your book. And all of a sudden, within 50 pages, the lights are going off because you wrote about Lai Changxin and it just completed some thoughts that I was mulling over. And yeah, we're going to have an interesting conversation about Lai Changxin. 00:20:40    CHRISTOPHER MEYER That touches my heart because I've always been a brother of the United States and I've felt so disheartened that bad people have gotten in between us and we have to stop that. And as you say, we need to get together on this. I've reached some good thinkers in the US and there's now things brewing. So let's keep it going. You got it. 00:21:01    Close Thanks for listening. If you get a chance, please like and subscribe and rate the show on your favorite podcast platform. Also, if you're interested in coming on the show or hosting an episode, email us at capodcasting@gmail.com. I'll have the email and CA Association website in the show notes. And now, most importantly, to those currently out in the field, working with a partner nation's people or leadership to forward U .S. relations. Thank you all for what you're doing. This is Jack, your host. Stay tuned for more great episodes, One CA Podcast.

What does it really take to bring a brand-new race to life? In this episode, race director Marcus Brown takes you behind the scenes of the Hackney Legacy Half Marathon, sharing the highs, the lows, and the countless moving parts of organising a major community-driven race. From securing permits to selling tickets, building hype, and making sure race day is one to remember, we dive into the journey so far.With just weeks to go until race day on March 16th, 2025, at Victoria Park, we reflect on the challenges, the wins, and the incredible support from Victoria Park Harriers and the team around us. Alongside fellow cofounder Brad Farrant, we're working to make this event truly special—one that brings together runners of all backgrounds and helps them build confidence ahead of their big goals.It's been a little while since my last episode, as this new role has taken up a huge part of my time but I'm back, and over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing my journey as we head towards race day. Tune in, get inspired, and be part of the movement!Click here to purchase tickets head via let's do this

Today, Sam Cooper, founder of the news outlet The Bureau, guest hosts Christopher Meyer, a former U.S. official and China expert during the Bush One and Two Administrations. Meyer currently serves as the head of the U.S. Micronesia Council and founded Wide Fountain, a platform for in-depth geopolitical analysis.  In this the first of a two-part episode, Sam and Christopher discuss PRC strategic corruption and political warfare. So, let's get started.  Sam Cooper's The Bureau: https://www.thebureau.news/ Christopher Meyer's Wide Fountain platform: https://widefountain.substack.com/ --- One CA is a product of the civil affairs association a and brings in people who are current or former military, diplomats, development officers, and field agents to discuss their experiences on the ground with a partner nation's people and leadership. We aim to inspire anyone interested in working in the "last three feet" of U.S. foreign relations.  To contact the show, email us at CApodcasting@gmail.com  or look us up on the Civil Affairs Association website at www civilaffairsassoc.org --- Special thanks to Cozy Ambience for a sample of "February Cafe Jazz - Instrumental Bossa Nova Music for Work, Study and Relax - Background Music" retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmq8Ht-sNwQ --- Transcript 00:00:01    Introduction Welcome to the One CA Podcast. This is your host, Jack Gaines. One CA is a product of the Civil Affairs Association and brings in people who are current or former military, diplomats, development officers, and field agents to discuss their experiences on ground with the partner nation's people and leadership. Our goal is to inspire anyone interested in working the last three feet of foreign relations. To contact the show, email us at capodcasting@gmail.com. or look us up on the Civil Affairs Association website at www.civilaffairsassoc.org. I'll have those in the show notes. Today we welcome Sam Cooper, founder of the news outlet The Bureau, as he interviews Christopher Meyer, a former U.S. 00:00:44    SAM COOPER official and China expert during the Bush I and II administrations. Meyer currently serves as the head of the U.S. Micronesia Council and is the founder of Wide Fountain. a platform for in -depth geopolitical analysis. This is the first of a two -part episode. Sam and Christopher discuss PRC strategic corruption and political warfare. So let's get started. 00:01:07    SAM COOPER Today I'm excited to introduce Chris Myers. Chris is a longtime China expert and former U .S. government diplomatic and economic issues officer, and he explains how military intelligence and influence networks embedded deeply with organized crime are a central feature of the global strategy employed by the families that really are running communist China. And when I say that, we're going to discuss your research on the family of Xi Jinping, the Xi family, and you call it the Yezi clique. But first, tell our viewers your background in getting into China and your career. 00:01:46    CHRISTOPHER MEYER Thank you very much, Sam. I started a keen interest in China when I was 16. And I read the history of the opium wars and I was outraged. And I decided I wanted a career to be involved in business and diplomacy between the U .S. and China. And then as an undergrad student, I did research on the special economic zones. This was in the early 80s and the special economic zones were just announced. And my research led me to see the geopolitical aspects. There were some. across from Macau, across from Hong Kong, and across from Taiwan. So I sort of had an eye to that. And then I did business. I was, for five years, I was with a Fortune 500 company. And I had the opportunity to do some business in Xiaomon. And I saw some things that set off alarm bells in my mind. And I kind of filed that. And I had some experiences that informed my research later. I worked in the government in Bush 1 and Bush 2. I was involved in Indo -Pacific affairs. really helping American companies do business in the region, and then became a consultant to part of the government that administered our territories in the Pacific. So I saw some things there that, again, set off alarm bells in my mind. And in 2016, I happened to cross an old colleague who kind of gave me some more information. And basically from 2016 until 2022, I conducted a lot of independent research. I decided I wanted to know exactly what was going on because proxies in the region seemed emboldened to take on the U .S. And they didn't have a government portfolio, but they acted like they did. And so my research sort of started in Micronesia. I had the great opportunity to come across your book. You totally informed. parts of what I was looking at and kind of put the spotlight on what happened in Canada. And I kind of worked the two sides to the middle and conducted most recently research that kind of takes us from Mao Zedong's death until the 90s. And I believe that there was a click. I call it the yes, she click. There were scores to settle. There were powerful families that were on the cusp of greatness or recognition for all their good work, and they were purged. And it led some individuals to become extremely militant in their conduct of political warfare against the U .S. So that sort of sets the table for what we might be talking about. 00:04:28    SAM COOPER Yeah. So to get into this, let's start with the Ye family. They're mysterious, but for experts, they're very clearly a clan that has tremendous kingmaking power in China. So maybe let's start with who they are and then bridge into how they connect with Xi's father. 00:04:46    CHRISTOPHER MEYER So the patriarch, Lie Jianying, was literally the kingmaker of Mao Zedong. He came from Guangdong province, and he was involved in the very earliest movements of the Communist Party in China. And he fled one of those, I think it was the Guangzhou uprising, with Zhou Enlai, and they escaped to Hong Kong. So Ye Jianying is one of the original revolutionaries in China, and he had the title of Marshal Ye. And when he crossed paths with Mao Zedong, he was actually the aide -de -camp to a very powerful Communist Party operator out of Beijing who had an army of tens of thousands. And he rolled up to Mao and his very small group of long marchers and said, follow us, we're going to Sichuan province. And Mao was like, no, I don't think that's a safe bet. The locals are going to tear you up. And Ye Jianying kind of heard a truth in Mao and he deserted this powerful general and with him brought the code books. So Mao gets Ye Jianying and the code books and he's able to communicate with the Comintern. And lo and behold, that general did get wiped out in Sichuan. He returned to Mao's base. With a few thousand troops from then, Mao became the most powerful leader in the communist ecosystem. So Ye Jianying had a very high regard for Mao. Mao called him the savior of the Communist Party and the Communist Revolution. And so fast forward it right through the revolution. Ye gets a very top position as the party secretary for Guangdong province, the largest and economically most powerful province in the country. And Mao wants to conduct his land reform in Guangdong, just as he does everywhere. And it's a violent thing where landowners are hunted down and put to death. Yeah, because he was a native Cantonese, understood that the landowners in Guangdong were not of the same ilk as those throughout China. They actually worked the lands. They had a very cooperative relationship with labor. And he tried to resist. But Mao forced Lin Biao into Guangdong. And Ye lost his government role. And if he hadn't been in the military, he would have been completely out of power. But because he had a military portfolio, he was able to stay on the peripheries. And he was actually part of the small group that brought down the Gang of Four and ended the Cultural Revolution. So Ye Jianying went through the Mao Zedong grinder, but he did it so early in the 50s that he was able to... maintain power and have it going forward. Another Long March hero was Xi Jinping's father, Xi Zhong Chun. And his claim to fame in the Communist Party was he maintained security over the area where Mao was camped in Yan 'an. And he was able to provide Mao and his group with enough security that they could camp there through a winter and survive. Not only that, but he negotiated and he conducted diplomacy with the tribesmen in the Northwest, in Qinghai, in Xinjiang, and in Tibet. And he was loved. And he got a lot of rebels and insurgents among these minority populations to join the Communist Party. And Mao gave him great profs for that and referred to him as one of the heroes of the Three Kingdoms period. brilliant statesman who was able to ingratiate with the minorities and make them part of the Chinese nation. Unfortunately, though, Xi Jinping's father, Xi Zhongchun, he was purged, but he was purged later. He was purged in 1962. And from Xi Jinping's age nine until he was 25, Xi Jinping's father was under arrest. Without trial, it was just the culture revolution. He was under arrest because his office published a book that was deemed not flattering to Mao Zedong. Basically, he was promoting some thought within the Communist Party that Mao didn't like. So Xi's father is in jail from 62 to 78. And because Ye Senior and Xi Zhongchun had a relationship, Ye Jianying kind of became a godfather of sorts for Xi Jinping. Xi was sent to work in the countryside and he escaped and he tried to get back to Beijing and it wasn't safe for him to be reunited with his family. And Ye intervened. And Ye made sure that Xi joined the Communist Party, even though these tragedies were all around him, and made sure that he got the semblance of an education, although he really never did. He was a guide for Xi Jinping throughout his younger years. in place of his father. 00:10:02    Sam Cooper Before we continue how those families dovetail together, can you describe in China's political economy, what is the power of Marshal Ye? 00:10:13    CHRISTOPHER MEYER So in the 50s, he was jettisoned out of the political arena. His main work was in the PLA. He was a marshal and he became minister of defense in China. And he was responsible for procurement. And to sort of give you a sense, when the Korean War started, the United Nations put a blockade on trade with China because they were arming the North Korean army. Marshal Yeh was responsible for making sure that supplies got to North Korea. And that was a big role that he fulfilled. And his sons kind of brought that along. So it's curious because Marshal Yeh was one of the most powerful stars in the communist lineup, but he was also a minority. He was from Guangdong and he was a Haka Chinese. So some people would say that Haka Chinese within China, there's a lid sometimes on their ability to move up. And so perhaps he was never considered for the echelon, but he did arise very high. But in some ways, and his sons adopted this even more so, they had to become very combative. in their political dealings. But no doubt about it, Marshal Yeh had a chance to handle huge volumes of military supplies, and there was an opportunity to skim and generate great wealth, which probably was the case. The way that Marshal Yeh fulfilled the supply chains for the North Korean army was through organized crime. And it just happened that two of The individuals, Henry Falk and Stanley Ho, were also Hakka Chinese. And they became the kingpins of organized crime in Hong Kong and Macau. Both of them are on record as saying they made their fortunes supplying the Korean War. 00:12:15    SAM COOPER Right. So people that read my book are very familiar with Stanley Ho, according to U .S. government intelligence. the absolute king of Chinese international mafia with connectivity to casinos, banking, political influence operations in Canada, triad leadership in Canada. So I think we've set the table for the 90s in Guangdong, Fujian. Xi Jinping is now starting to come on the scene politically there. The Ye family, who were partners essentially of Xi's father. had a little bit of a godfather eye on Xi's movements within the party. We can say that they're the power behind a throne that they want to see continue to rise. So can you take us into the 90s, the sort of Stanley Ho connectivity to Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and how that combines the Hong Kong tycoons slash triad leaders with the communist powers in Fujian? 00:13:21    CHRISTOPHER MEYER Yes. Mao passed away in 78. Deng Xiaoping came to power. And Deng was all about economic reform and catching up to the West. So in southern China, Fujian and Guangdong province, Deng looked to Ye Jenying and his sons. His sons were in their 30s now. And he also looked to Xi Zhongshan. Xi Zhongshan became party secretary for Guangdong province. in the early 80s. And Deng kind of put together this group. The Ye's and the Xi's were family friends. They celebrated Chinese holidays together. The Xi's were northern Chinese, but they kind of encamped in Guangdong province after a certain amount of time. And that's where Xi's father retired. But in Guangdong, the son of Ye, his name was Ye Xuanping. Basically, he was mayor of Guangzhou and the governor of Guangdong. And very quickly, he was referred to as the emperor of the south. So in the 80s, he was running Guangdong province. And he became so powerful that the CCP sought to have him step down. And he actually threatened to withhold tax to Beijing from the province of Guangdong unless they negotiated with him. He wanted a vice chair of the CPPCC, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee. And he wants to be a vice governor of the CPPCC. And he wanted to be allowed to maintain his power base in Guangdong. And this is a rare case where the CCP actually deferred to these wishes. Just to get him out of running the most powerful province in China, they said okay. So he goes over the CPPCC. And he takes with him the kingpins of organized crime in Hong Kong and Macau. Stanley Ho never had a position, but Henry Falk and the other top lieutenants in these organized crime entities all wound up on the CPPCC. And to give you a sense of like, what was some of the magic Stanley Ho had when he won the monopoly on gaming in Macau? He devised this VIP room concept where... He owned the casino, but the VIP rooms were run by basically triads and junkets, powerful friends from mainland China and triads. And the triads conducted all kinds of crime that the Vancouver model got in a very big dose. So it was racketeering and prostitution and all kinds of things, but also collections. So Stanley Ho didn't have to work on collections because his muscle did it for him. But the strongest of these triad operators wound up in the CPPCC, as long as they were effective in what they were doing for the government. And 14K is dominated by Hakka Chinese. Most of the most powerful triads have a very strong Hakka element to it. And I don't mean to suggest that this wonderful race of Chinese called Hakkas is all bad. Lee Kuan Yew, the premier of Singapore, was Hakka Chinese. phenomenal Chinese, but there were also some very nefarious and very effective in their criminal activities that were Haka Chinese. So the Ye's were in the middle of this. And Chinese language social media accounts in Hong Kong will talk about the Ye's dominance over these gaming operators in Macau. 00:17:07    SAM COOPER Let's get into that and explore that more. I just want to ask a side question. As I'm aware of a very important figure, in what we call the Hoag Commission in Canada. I'm just going to leave it at that. This is our inquiry into foreign interference that stemmed from my investigative reporting. And there is a politician at the center of that that my sources close to them said went off to a haka conference in China for weeks or something like that, you know, while being an elected politician in Canada. Knowing what you know, and I'm just coming out of the blue with this question, is there anything good for Canada that they could be doing on that trip? 00:17:45    CHRISTOPHER MEYER There could be a lot of normal cultural activity, but I'll say one thing, that the powers that are doing the kinds of things that I'm concerned with are definitely represented in those groups. There might be a wink and a nod and things look very normal on the surface, but there's no free lunch in China. Everybody has to pay the piper, and the piper is the communist party of China. 00:18:11    SAM COOPER So let me ask you this. Viewers of the Bureau know that I've pressed away in journalism in explaining that the United Front Work Department and international money laundering and organized crime are synonymous. They're one and the same. The CIA says the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference is really the core unit of the United Front. So what you're getting at... I think the Ye family, these power brokers that are behind Xi and his power in southern China, you're saying they essentially formed this United Front and organized crime compact as sort of a political tool, a smuggling tool, a military tool? 00:18:55    CHRISTOPHER MEYER Yes. And I want to say that the United Front was an early Communist Party creation. And the thing about the Communist Party... They infiltrated the Kuomintang. When the Kuomintang had more power and they were the power base in China, the communists used political warfare to infiltrate them and really become their undoing. And the United Front is basically one way to get all parts of society under the control of the CCP. So within the United Front, the CPPCC is sort of the big leagues. And all the other organizations are the feeder groups. So if you get in a small united front group and you deliver in a big way, you can get promoted all the way to this PCC. And Ong Lapsung is an example of that. So the whole idea of the united front is to harness and control all the resources from academia, the private sector. from all aspects of society and to make them work for the Communist Party. And I feel that any united front operation, and there's so many in Canada and the U .S., they should just be called assets of the Chinese government. That's one way for the Chinese to increase their headcount of diplomatic officers within any given country. 00:20:26    Close Thanks for listening. If you get a chance, please like and subscribe and rate the show on your favorite podcast platform. Also, if you're interested in coming on the show or hosting an episode, email us at capodcasting@gmail.com. I'll have the email and CA Association website in the show notes. And now, most importantly, to those currently out in the field working with a partner nation's people or leadership to forward U.S. relations, thank you all for what you're doing. your host. Stay tuned for more great episodes of One CA Podcast.   Episode 2 00:00:01    Introduction Welcome to the 1CA Podcast. This is your host, Jack Gaines. 1CA is a product of the Civil Affairs Association and brings in people who are current or former military, diplomats, development officers, and field agents to discuss their experiences on ground with the partner nation's people and leadership. Our goal is to inspire anyone interested in working the last three feet of foreign relations. To contact the show, email us at capodcasting@gmail.com. or look us up on the Civil Affairs Association website at www.civilaffairsassoc.org. I'll have those in the show notes. Today we welcome Sam Cooper, founder of the news outlet The Bureau, as he interviews Christopher Meyer, a former U .S. 00:00:44    Introduction official and China expert during the Bush 1 and 2 administrations. Meyer currently serves as the head of the U .S. Micronesia Council and is the founder of Wide Fountain. a platform for in -depth geopolitical analysis. This is the second of a two -part episode. Sam and Christopher discuss PRC strategic corruption and political warfare. So let's get started. 00:01:08    SAM COOPER I feel that any United Front operation, and there's so many in Canada and the U .S., they should just be called assets of the Chinese government. That's one way for the Chinese to increase their headcount of diplomatic officers within any given country. And they should be labeled that way and they should be treated that way. And they're conducting operations for China. So to get back to the Ye family, I just want to say very briefly, so Deng Xiaoping taps the older brother, Ye, and he's in the government and he has a nine, 10 -year run in Guangdong. The younger brother, his name is Ye Xuanning. He's the dangerous one. He's a real interesting cat. So, yeah. was in college during the Cultural Revolution. And just to give you an idea of the thin ice that you could be skating on in China, he graduated from college and he was thrown in jail. And he was thrown in jail because, you know, Mao wanted to send a signal to the Ye family, I'm in control here. You're not in control. He got out of jail and he had a job in a radio factory or something like that. And he must have been so distraught, he lost his arm in an accident. throwing boxes into a crusher and he lost his arm. So he became a calligrapher with his left hand. And if you know Chinese, like every time you write calligraphy, your hand is going across what you're writing. If you're left -handed, I don't know how he did it. I'm left -handed. And he became an accomplished calligrapher with his left hand. So it just gives you a sense of the spirit of this guy. He's not your normal. person. I think he was a genius. I think he was extremely hardworking. And one of his first positions, he was involved in a small United Front operation in Beijing. Then he became secretary for Kang Xian, who was sort of the head of the oil faction in China. And he was a very powerful individual. And then he found himself in Guangdong. And when his brother was appointed head of the province and the city of Guangzhou, He got into Espionade, and he became the spymaster for the PLA, working in the GDP. And he really had it. He sort of hit his stride there, and that's how he ended his career. The spymaster for the PLA. I think any other rival couldn't even hold a candle to him. He was totally gifted. And his brother and he were able to leverage all of their... contacts with organized crime because he used them in operations around the world. And I think he's the one who weaponized it to the point where, number one, organized crime figures were making money for the military, a lot of it. And number two, they were almost pre -trained in operations. They were bold. They would go anywhere and do anything. And Aung La Pseung is a good example of that. 00:04:11    CHRISTOPHER MEYER I was going to say, because not everyone knows these names like you and I do, but Enlap Sang, nominally a real estate developer from Macau. My Files, he's a huge international organized crime figure known for the so -called Clinton Gate or White House visits. He's the guy that got next to the Clinton White House or got inside, you know, maybe five to ten times. He ends up getting done, as they say, in a United Nations corruption case, which of course connects to a very important guy in Australia that successfully sued my colleague, John Garneau, and yet is at the top of Chinese organized crime funding Australian politics. He was involved in that FBI case. So to bring it back, what I've picked up in my book and in my repeated reporting efforts at the Bureau is these international Chinese businessmen in real estate and casinos, tech these days, they go around the world, they get next to our politicians, and that's their job. They're being tasked by whoever the Ye family spymaster of today is, is sending them abroad to do that. At some point, Xi Jinping comes into this and says it's okay. 00:05:30    SAM COOPER okay. And it's still evolving. I mean, I came on to this. When I read your book and I saw your story of Lai Changxin, I said, holy shit, I have to get into this. You see the level of danger that it brings to a country like Canada and North America. But I think that Ye Xuen Ning created the mechanism for the CCP to use and leverage organized crime to, 00:05:51    SAM COOPER mechanism for the CCP to use and leverage organized crime to, number one, fund military operations. and other things, and to extend influence operations. Like the United Front is all about influence operations. But if you introduce organized crime elements into parts of the United Front, you can weaponize it and you can get a lot more bang for your buck using these nefarious creatures that you're managing, you're controlling them. And I want to mention something. How does the CCP have control over organized crimes? So I want to say, In the late 90s, Macau No. 1 was about to be returned from Portuguese administration to Chinese. And 2, the kind of monopoly of the casinos license was coming up in 2002. And what happened was these triad operators were starting to push back against Stanley Ho. Stanley Ho's right -hand man was shot in the face in Victoria Park during this period. And the Portuguese sent an official to try to calm down the situation. And that individual was shot when he arrived. And the Communist Party kind of went in and took control. When the monopoly came up, Stanley Ho and his family, they got the coverage. But that's because he's completely loyal to the CCP. And so the CCP has so much leverage over these entities. Completely, he devised the strategy to integrate organized crime. And then he passed away in 2016. And then the institutional steps took place after that. They had to transfer from sort of a control of one man to the government running it. And you can see examples around 2016 of a lot of large -scale Chinese operations having disruption during this period. One of the reasons they were able to do this for so long was that Ye Xuanning was completely secretive. I mean, he managed these operations in a very keen and brilliant way, and he was never identified. Xi Jinping's role is interesting. Ye Xuanning told his brothers to help Xi Jinping. And you can kind of see like an increase in their efforts when Xi's father... He was in Beijing, and he had a very high role. He pulled a bureau standing committee, and he was sent down because of Tiananmen. He was on the reformer side, and he publicly admitted it. He was a very admirable individual, and he said he was supporting Hua Guofeng. So he faced early retirement in 1993, and the Ye brothers were so upset about this, and probably Xi too. They sort of doubled down on their efforts on behalf of this political warfare. It's almost as if they were pissed off at the Communist Party, but they took it out on North America. It's like they had to become more radical in what they were doing because in order to get power in China, you had to outflank Li Peng and the hardliners. So there's an interesting element there. 00:09:13    CHRISTOPHER MEYER You talk about this combination of military intelligence and organized crime. and political warfare and global influence operations. Trade is obviously involved. Explain what you mean by radicalization of that tool in operations. 00:09:31    SAM COOPER So there were about 10 operations in the 1990s that I believe were masterminded by the Yeshi Clay and primarily Yeshi Ning. The most outrageous, there was one and probably several. smuggling of military -grade machine guns into the U .S. from China. And one of the groups that was set up, helped finance the military, was the Poly Group. And the Poly Group, they were on the bill of lading for these. They were labeled as something else, but they came into the port of Oakland. And the interesting thing was the CEO of Poly Group, who was a princeling himself, was meeting in the White House and had his photo taken with President Clinton. At the time, these machine guns were on the water. That's bold. Yes. And when I ponder this, it's like I know how much the Chinese love photographs. That photo shown by Xi Jinping to all the cronies in Beijing would get him a lot of brownie points. And these machine guns were being distributed to gangs in the area. Street gangs in California. So this kind of thing, right? Right. And so that one was uncovered. But how many others slipped by? And there have been cases similar magnitude in Tennessee and Florida. 00:10:57    CHRISTOPHER MEYER Yeah, and this is where it gets into the leaked Sidewinder report that I touched on in the book. But yeah, that report refers to Pauley Group laundering 2 ,000 AK -47s into California. You're saying you believe that not only is Xi Jinping supported by this Ye family intelligence, who I have no problem believing are behind the United Front organized crime nexus. You're saying you think Xi Jinping is a mind involved in this kind of thing as well. 00:11:30    SAM COOPER Originally, as I was doing my research, I thought Xi was the mastermind. But as I did a deep dive to what his contemporaries said of him, The big knock on Xi was that he wasn't educated. Like age nine to age 25, his dad has been persecuted and locked up without trial. And he's forced to work in the countryside and he's not happy about it. I mean, he wasn't educated. And that's the biggest knock on Xi Jinping. And when you look at the history of Xi in Fujian, first of all, he goes to the Ministry of Defense and then doesn't do... anything of note there as a young man. But then he goes into Hebei province and he's working in Hebei province as a middle level provincial official. And he's not doing much. I mean, his big contribution was suggesting that they film a TV show in that province and kind of burned out. He wasn't favored by the Communist Party officials there. You know, he's brought to Fujian. Communist Party officials bounce around provinces and each time they have an increasing role. Well, he stays in Fujian for 17 years. And it's almost like he's being babysat by the Yehs. And I mean, the Yeh family compound was a two and a half hour drive from where she was in Fujian. And so I don't think he was the mastermind, but he was definitely the beneficiary. And I think that it was a long term project. And the Yeh brothers. put the pieces on the table to help promote Xi Jinping. And here's an interesting thing. In 1997, there was a big Central Party conclave, the 15th Central Party plenary meeting. And Ye wasn't even named as an alternate delegate. So you've got hundreds of delegates coming from all over the country. And he's a princeling. And he's been in provincial government for 12 years. And he's not even named. Somebody forced him onto the list of alternate delegates. There were 150. He was the 151st alternate delegate. He didn't receive one vote. He was pushed on. And I think somebody in the realm said, you know what? We're running all these operations and we're doing it so secretively. Nobody knows that this is for Xi Jinping. So they started gradually to kind of promote Xi as. the mastermind of this. And the years were okay with that. But Xi Jinping was on his way to becoming the leader of China by 2002. 00:14:08    CHRISTOPHER MEYER And I was over in Taiwan, invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over a year ago with international journalists. And we had kind of a dinner talk where their political intelligence expert was going to talk about some of this Klan details and things like that. And they said, yeah, within the princelings, Xi Jinping was the least likely, the least talented to reach chairman. 00:14:37    CHRISTOPHER MEYER And so, OK, you know, I'm not the expert. If someone from Taiwan is telling me that, you're saying that. So if true, and you're saying the power behind the throne is this Ye family that boosts him. And they're the ones you're saying that are the masterminds of what I'm going to call modern political Chinese communist warfare using proxies, organized crime, dirty tycoons. So this is where we're going. 00:15:06    SAM COOPER Yep, this is where we're going. And let me just touch on a few of the operations in the 1990s, just to give you a sense for what was going on and the fact that the Chinese were never completely called out on the carpet for it. Just let them continue doing it. And one of the themes of my research is it's time to call the Chinese out. And to do that, you have to be very specific. I think there needs to be a large group of countries that has their research done and they call out Xi Jinping for this political warfare that absolutely is hyper -destructive. 00:15:41    CHRISTOPHER MEYER So you're saying this is an intelligence operation? Yeah. For the last 10 minutes or so, In direct relationship to this network you're talking about, the 90s, 2000, aggressive combination of international organized crime, Hong Kong tycoons, Macau tycoons, in Chinese military influence operations, also people smuggling, also drug smuggling, illegal migration and, you know, fentanyl. There is a basis that Chinese triads and Mexican cartels are working together on those things and that Canada is a, you could call it, if this is a company, the controlling minds of a lot of this are in Vancouver and Toronto. Canadian ports are very deeply infiltrated by China, along with some Iranian mafia and intelligence. It's a fact. So where do we go from there? I myself, as a Canadian, the good countries of the world need to get together to combat this approaching, if not already into early stages of the access of China, Iran, Russia, North Korea. We're at loggerheads and they're using Canada, I believe, unfortunately. 00:17:01    SAM COOPER Right. And I do believe that Yeshua Ning is a genius and he looked at North America and he wants to inflict pain on the U .S. When he set up these plans in the early 90s, the Chinese GDP was a fraction of the U .S. So he had a lot of ground to make up. And he chose Vancouver because the resources to combat his efforts were probably deemed to be significantly less than the resources in the U .S. So I feel that the attack on Canada, the Vancouver model. if you will, which spread right across to Toronto and then down into Queens and across to LA and permeates everything. I believe that the US and Canada should try to get on the same page about this and to the extent possible, Mexico as well. And then the UK and Australia haven't been unaffected by this. There should be a big effort to get on the same page with the West because this is a totalitarian regime doing its level best to take us out. 00:18:07    CHRISTOPHER MEYER The controlling mind, I'm saying, of the Mexican cartels, I think it's Chinese triads. That's the real power there. 00:18:15    SAM COOPER I think we're both in agreement. If you want to draw a word picture that says what this is, picture that there's a really bad actor and he's throwing a really illegal party and selling drugs and he's bringing it all in. And the U .S. is going after the people who own the land where all of this took place. You have to go after China. And I believe that China is making 98 % of the precursors for fentanyl, and then they're laundering the money. That's the other piece. They're laundering it. They're operating this massive money laundering operation for the cartels. So I say the gloves do come off, but I would love to see them come off in unison. And all of these, at least in North America, Mexico, Canada, and the U .S., we're all on the same page. And we speak with one voice. And I'll add to this. Xi Jinping has been as painful towards his own population as he has been externally and internationally. So he's inflicted pain on the Chinese and he's about to go down. I mean, he's got his wings clipped in the last few months and he may not be in power very long. There's some serious movement in China. 00:19:30    CHRISTOPHER MEYER You sound like my friend Harry Tsang, the ambassador for Taiwan and Ottawa. He's bearish on Xi Jinping in a big way. 00:19:38    SAM COOPER Yeah. Well, I think it's a good time for the West to approach China and say, look, we got off on the wrong foot. Let's reboot. And by the way, there's some reparations needed here. 70 ,000 people have been dying a year from this, and it's a Chinese operation. You know, the cartels are definitely part of it, but... I think there's good reason for the West to get on the same page. 00:20:02    CHRISTOPHER MEYER Absolutely. So we will end it there for a first great chat. And I think next time we'll get into the juicy story of Lai Cheng Zing, the bigot China's supposed most wanted. Or what was he? So I'll leave it at that and we'll pick it up next time. You have to say, 00:20:21    SAM COOPER have to say, I'm sitting there doing my research. I get your book. And all of a sudden, within 50 pages, the lights are going off because you wrote about Lai Changxin and it just completed some thoughts that I was mulling over. And yeah, we're going to have an interesting conversation about Lai Changxin. 00:20:40    CHRISTOPHER MEYER That touches my heart because I've always been a brother of the United States and I've felt so disheartened that bad people have gotten in between us and we have to stop that. And as you say, we need to get together on this. I've reached some good thinkers in the US and there's now things brewing. So let's keep it going. You got it. 00:21:01    Close Thanks for listening. If you get a chance, please like and subscribe and rate the show on your favorite podcast platform. Also, if you're interested in coming on the show or hosting an episode, email us at capodcasting@gmail.com. I'll have the email and CA Association website in the show notes. And now, most importantly, to those currently out in the field, working with a partner nation's people or leadership to forward U .S. relations. Thank you all for what you're doing. This is Jack, your host. Stay tuned for more great episodes, One CA Podcast.

In this powerful and uplifting episode, recorded live at Yabun Festival 2025, we celebrate Survival Day on January 26. Join me as I connect with incredible voices from across the community in a spirit of resilience, pride, and joy. Set on Gadigal Country at Victoria Park in Sydney, guests share their reflections on the significance of January 26, the challenges faced by First Nations people, and the importance of coming together as a community to celebrate survival, connection, and black excellence. Highlights include stories of thriving Indigenous businesses, the growth of Yabun over the years, and the safe, joyful energy that defines the festival. Whether you’re a regular attendee or someone new to Yabun, this episode invites you to feel the love, solidarity, and vibrancy that make this gathering truly special. Don’t miss this celebration of culture, connection, and community! ✨ Links & Resources: Yabun FestivalLearn more about Yabun, its history, and upcoming events:Yabun Festival Official Website 13 YARNAustralia’s first 24/7 national crisis support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Call 13 92 76 or visit:13 YARN Official Website Support Indigenous BusinessesExplore and support Indigenous businesses like those featured at Yabun: Clothing the Gaps Merchandise: Clothing the Gaps Store Gammin Threads: Gammin Threads Instagram Watch '88' DocumentaryThe documentary capturing the 1988 Bicentennial protests and Aboriginal rights movements. Follow the ArtistsKeep up with some of the incredible talent featured at Yabun: JK-47: JK-47 Instagram The Walkabout BarberLearn about their incredible work in mental health, trauma recovery, and community building:The Walkabout Barber Website Deadly MentorsExplore mentorship programs and resources by First Nations people:https://www.instagram.com/deadly_mentorz/reels/ Website: www.blackmagicwoman.com.au Follow us on Instagram - @blackmagicwomanpodcast The Black Magic Woman Podcast is hosted by Mundanara Bayles and is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly Aboriginal guests and explores issues of importance to Aboriginal people and communities. Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do. If you enjoyed this episode, please ‘Subscribe’ on Apple Podcasts or ‘Follow’ on your Spotify app and tell your friends and family about us! If you’d like to contact us, please email, info@blackmagicwoman.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, words by First Nations people on January 26, Sovereignty and Identity. 'Australia Day' In our first story, people at the 2012 Yabun festival speak about what so-called ‘Australia day’ means to them. That story was produced by Lauren Carroll Harris, with interviews gathered by Lauren Carroll Harris, Carly Anne Kenneally & Jesse Cox. Unwelcome to Country by Dominic Guerrera Written and performed by Dominic Guerrera, with production by Mel Bakewell. Unwelcome to Country is featured in a poetry and story collection co-edited by Dominic and Karen Wyld, called The Rocks Remain, available through Wakefield Press. Music: Submerging Green by Podington Bear. Murrumu - Selena Shannon Produced by Selena Shannon in 2015. Murrumu’s goal was to return to his Country, return to his Elders, and to the law of Yidindji Nation. In many ways he has been successful, and as of 2023, there were 200 citizens of Yidindji Sovereign Nation. Finally, a piece about lost language and the difficulty of reconnecting to culture. Bigger than School Stuff - Declan Furber Gillick Written and performed by Declan Furber Gillick in 2020. Sound design was by Ryan Pemberton. All The Best is recorded on stolen Gadigal land and we pay our respects to Gadigal elders past and present and also recognise that the area where fbi.radio is situated, Redfern, has long been a place of storytelling, strength, resistance and resilience for First Nations communities. Yabun Day Broadcast Bigger than ever, Yabun Festival is back January 26 live from Victoria Park, Gadigal Country. This year, fbi radio is teaming up with Koori Radio, National Indigenous Radio Service, One Mob Radio, and the Community Radio Network to bring you a special live broadcast of the largest community led, one-day festival of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander cultures. Join us from the Yabun main stage to hear knockout performances from Barkaa, Electric Fields, Miss Kanina, JK-47, Dameeela and many more. Yabun Festival, live on-air! This January 26 from 12pm on fbi radio. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, sat in the Sherrin Stand at Victoria Park, Adam goes back to Napoleonic times for one of the most unpleasant characters in the history of the game then Geoff dives into the huge numbers of Imran Khan and Mike Hussey. Also featured, Ben Holioake's magical start and tragic passing. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 3.54 - Jon Lansdell 2.27 - Greg Upon Thames 6.30 - Andrew Cooper 4.13 - Rooto Come to our live shows! Adelaide December 5 Brisbane December 12 Melbourne December 22 Sydney January 7 Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get your Nord VPN discount - nordvpn.com/tfw Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

367: Izzi Batt-Doyle | parkrun World Best | Lisa Weightman at Beijing This episode is brought to you by On. Last year's On Track Nights: Zatopek was called "one of the best track meets" Australia's ever seen. This year's? Even better. Probably. With some epic races, and a DJ set by The Jungle Giants, the vibes are unbeatable. Get your tickets at ontracknights.com.   Izzi Batt-Doyle is this week's guest host and recaps her Melbourne Half Marathon and her training week for Valencia Marathon. Brad rubs shoulders with running legends past and present. Brady continues his Summer of Malmö    This week's running news is presented by Axil Coffee https://axilcoffee.com.au/   Nick Griggs of Ireland sets a new parkrun world best of 13:39 at Victoria Park, Belfast. Athletics Weekly Article   Night of the 10000m PBs announces it will not run in 2025, citing to give volunteers a rest. Athletics Weekly Article   Lauren Ryan runs her debut at the Boston Half Marathon in 1:11:40, placing 11th. Official Results   Lisa Weightman placed 4th at the Beijing Marathon in 2:28 https://www.instagram.com/lisaweightman/p/DB8iR61PqWg/?img_index=1    Matt Fox of Sweat Elite runs 2:18:41 at Indianapolis Monumental Marathon following his maiden sub-2:20 at the Chicago Marathon. Official Results Listener Question asks about whether to approach a marathon with shorter, faster races or with training at race pace, then Brady on the Loose wants to claim naming rights to his workout. The whispers swirl around several athlete movements between groups and races.  Patreon Link: https://www.patreon.com/insiderunningpodcast Opening and Closing Music is Undercover of my Skin by Benny Walker. www.bennywalkermusic.com Join the conversation at: https://www.facebook.com/insiderunningpodcast/ To donate and show your support for the show: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=9K9WQCZNA2KAN

//The Wire//1900Z August 19, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: UNREST CONTINUES THROUGHOUT ENGLAND. KURSK OFFENSIVE CONTINUES. SMALL ARMS SKIRMISHES REPORTED AT TEXAS MILITARY BASE.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-United Kingdom: Violent attacks continue as before. In Manchester, three people were stabbed Sunday night. One woman was killed in the attack, and two others wounded with life-threatening injuries. An unidentified male was arrested in conjunction with the attacks.In Kent, a man (who has been identified as Ernestas Juska) fatally stabbed a woman Saturday night. Authorities have also charged the assailant with committing crimes (which are too graphic to describe) against the victim after her murder.In Bristol, a man was stabbed in Victoria Park over the weekend, resulting in the arrest of two unidentified men.Throughout England, authorities continue to prioritize the policing of speech crimes among the indigenous English population. So far, over 1,100 arrests have been made, most of which appear to involve alleged speech crimes. In response to this increase in detainees, the British Ministry of Justice has activated Operation EARLY DAWN, a plan to allow British police to detain captives in temporary holding cells for longer periods of time than normally allowed by law, until space in a prison is made available. This operation also authorizes cutting most currently incarcerated prisoners' sentences by up to 50%, to free up space for those convicted of speech crimes. Local media reports that up to 5,500 convicts currently serving their sentences are expected to be released over the next month under this program.Russia: The Kursk offensive continues to remain kinetic. Ukrainian forces have gained some ground over the past week, though the front line remains fluid. On the western axis of advance, Ukrainian forces took the town of Visnevka over the weekend. Ukrainian forces have also prioritized targeting the bridges over the Seym River, greatly impacting the Russian freedom of maneuver throughout the area.-HomeFront-Texas: Saturday morning, multiple small arms attacks were reported at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. The first pre-dawn engagement took place at approximately 0215S via a drive-by shooting targeting the Entry Control Point (ECP) at the Chapman Training Annex. A few hours later, at approximately 0430S another vehicle approached the same gate, engaging security personnel with small arms fire. During the second skirmish USAF Security Forces reacted to contact, engaging with small arms, before the attackers broke contact and egressed from the area. No arrests have been made regarding either engagement. No casualties were reported on either side.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Many details regarding the JBSA-Lackland attack remain unknown. It is not clear as to if two separate vehicles were involved, or how many militants were in each of the vehicles. It's also not clear as to if this is a reflection of routine crime resulting in protracted small arms engagements with security forces, or if this was a higher-level terrorist attack. Of note, following this first shooting the security posture of the installation was raised, and additional Security Forces deployed to the installation ECPs. This did not deter the second, more protracted assault indicating that if this was a terror incident (and not a local gang shooting), it probably wasn't an instance of Recon by Fire, but rather a more deliberate assault. Of note, the Chapman Annex gate is located across the street from an Elementary School.In Ukraine, though somewhat obvious to most parties at this juncture, the American involvement in the Kursk Offensive is palpable. Ukrainian forces, after years of warfare, suddenly did not become experts in combined arms and maneuver warfare without substantial help, nor did Ukrainian forces suddenly become ex