Podcasts about Wales

For months Lucy Godley documented the abuse she suffered at the hands of her former partner. Secretly, she photographed injuries, gathered evidence and sent it to the one person she trusted to keep it safe: her mum, Sharon. The evidence would ultimately help secure his conviction and a 23-year prison sentence. For the first time, Lucy Godley and her mother Sharon join Nuala McGovern to tell their story together. The Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing calls to set a national waiting-time target for dementia care in England. A proposal for an 18‑week referral‑to‑treatment target has been backed by Baroness Louise Casey, who's leading a major review of adult social care. Women account for roughly two thirds of dementia cases. Baroness Casey joins Nuala to talk about what needs to change. The play Tits Up! follows four very different women who bond while being treated for breast cancer. Set in an oncology waiting room, the play begins a 23 day UK tour in October. One of the writers, Leah Bell who also stars with actor and comedian Crissy Rock join Nuala to discuss the play, friendships and using humour as a way to get through difficult times.Specialist courts to handle cases of rape and other sexual offences will be introduced across England and Wales over the next two years. Each crown court will have at least one courtroom set up to hear such cases, while alleged victims will be able to view proceedings remotely and give evidence from a separate room via video link. Nuala gets reaction from Chief Executive of Rape Crisis England & Wales, Ciara Bergman. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

Chris and CdawgVA hang out in leafy Wales and chat about their most and least favourite Japanese spots! Abroad in Japan is the podcast devoted to the most unique country in the world. Subscribe for new podcasts twice a week, every week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura has interviewed Princess Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, who has defended his claims about a phone call with King Charles.He says the then-Prince of Wales said "we'll forget her soon enough" during an argument over whether Princes William and Harry should walk in Diana's funeral procession.The Palace released a statement questioning his version of events, saying “grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory.”So, what does the Earl Spencer say to that? And has this row become about integrity, and the right to tell Princess Diana's story?Laura takes us behind the scenes of the interview. We will publish the full version at 16:00 on Sunday, as well as an analysis episode.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers.You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXdNewscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenters were Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O'Connell. It was made by Chris Flynn with Eleanor Harrison-Dengate. The social producer was Gabriel Purcell-Davis. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Kehinde opens with a tribute to Bonnie Greer and a recap of the vote over whether he should still keep the title of 'professor'. Then he is joined by new regular contributor to the pod, Busayo Twins for a wide ranging conversation. Reparations, Reform, and respectability politics get dragged into the light in this wide-ranging conversation. Kehinde and Busayo Twins discuss Jamaica's push to challenge the King and bring the case for reparations into UK law, while asking a much bigger question: what does real justice look like when the system you're appealing to is the same system that caused the harm? The conversation explores the symbolism of Jamaica petitioning the Crown, the role of the Privy Council, and why asking Britain for reparations may reveal the deeper contradictions of colonial power. They also discuss: Jamaica's reparations campaign and the political meaning behind it Why reparations must go beyond symbolic gestures or one-off payments - The continuing legacy of the British Empire across the Caribbean and the UK Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the future of the United Kingdom Reform UK's multimillion-pound donations from wealthy crypto investors How propaganda and racism shape far-right politics Why voters are encouraged to blame immigrants instead of billionaires David Lammy's potential mayoral ambitions and the limits of representation Black politics, respectability, and the manipulation of Black communities Whether HBCUs provide a model for Black education in Britain The need for independent Black Studies institutions and community-led education The episode also examines the relationship between titles, academia, power, and self-esteem. What does it mean to be called "Professor" within an institution shaped by colonial traditions? And can Black education create genuinely liberatory alternatives, rather than simply reproducing white institutional models? Subscribe for more discussions on Black politics, reparations, education, Britain, and the global African diaspora. RIP Bonnie Greer. Check out this clip of her taking on the ugly racist Nick Griffin on BBC Question Time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afE05e6n4Zk Jamaica's Culture Minister, Olivia Grange make a PLEA to the King!! https://www.theguardian.com/news/2026/sep/09/jamaica-slavery-reparations-king-charles Join us for the Harambee OBU Annual General Meeting 21st October 2.30pm https://HarambeeOBUAGM26.eventbrite.co.uk Join Harambee OBU: www.blackunity.org.uk Written and hosted by: Kehinde Andrews Edited by: Kadiri Andrews Artwork by: Assata Andrews

Greg Jenner is joined by Professor Viv Gardner and comedian Morgan Rees in 19th-century Wales to learn about the fabulous, theatrical life of Henry Cyril Paget. Born into an important aristocratic family – his ancestor had been Wellington's second-in-command at Waterloo – Henry had a very different approach to his wealth and social status. After a childhood spent in Paris, he moved to Anglesey, and after inheriting his title and fortune, set about spending it on his passions: jewels, clothes and the theatre. He remodelled the family home, Plas Newydd, renaming it Anglesey Castle and making it the home of his theatre troupe. But after just a few years he was bankrupt, and forced to auction off many of his extravagant possessions. This episode explores his fabulous life, taking in his difficult relationship with his father, his brief marriage and questions about his sexuality, and just what he blew his enormous fortune on, before his tragic early death. If you're a fan of fabulous theatrical performances, forgotten queer figures from history, and past gossip and scandals, you'll love our episode on Henry Paget, the dancing marquess of Anglesey. If you want more performers from history, we've got episodes on Sarah Bernhardt and Josephine Baker. And for more LGBTQ biographies, check out our episode on Philippe, duc D'Orleans. You're Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past. Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Lily Tidman Written by: Lily Tidman, Dr Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Dr Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Dr Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Gill Huggett Senior Producer: Dr Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: Philip Sellars

Today I had Neil on the R2Kast

With borrowing costs and inflation rising, are the UK's finances worse than Burnham and Healey thought? Host Lucy Fisher is joined by FT colleagues George Parker, political editor, and Stephen Bush, columnist, to discuss the tightening fiscal outlook ahead of the October Budget, and whether scrapping the triple lock on pensions would cost the government more politically than it would save in cash terms.Plus, Reform's week of mega-donations — and the Labour government's response, and the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland begin a new push for independence from the UK.Follow Lucy: @LOS_Fisher; George: @georgewparker.bsky.social, @GeorgeWParker; Stephen @stephenkb Want more? Britain, Burnham and tax: the walls close inHealey prepares UK for ‘really challenging' budgetNigel Farage refuses to say if Reform UK's £72mn gifts would comply with new capUK state pension will surpass income tax threshold next yearBank of England says rates likely to rise as it overhauls gilts salesIt's time to scrap the triple lockScrapping triple lock on pensions need not wreak political damageA ‘lucky' chancellor must also be a resolute oneSign up here for Stephen Bush's morning newsletter Inside Politics for straight-talking insight into the stories that matter, plus puns and tongue (mostly) in cheek. Get 30 days free.Our email address is politicalfix@ft.comPresented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Persis Love. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. Broadcast engineers are Andrew Georgiades and Petros Gioumpasis. The FT's head of audio is Flo Phillips. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us Fan MailLife is a parable, so what can you learn from the Krewe of Implicit Bias Radio? We'll dive into how Paul Finebaum was the obvious propagandist in chief for the SEC, How POLITICO wasn't really what it appears to be.What can we learn from fraud, the President of the United States solo inspection of another country's military and the desire for Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales desire to leave the UK.We'll even start a new segment of the show, What's your favorite Conspiracy Theory? We'll ask for yours on social media!Please like, follow, share your IMPLICIT BIAS!Support the show

We have a lighter weeknd of fights but there is a prominent WBC interim title doubleheader in San Diego and we've got lots and lots of fight news to go over on the newest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"Host T.J. Rives returns with insider Dan Rafael with their insight and takesFirst, a preview of Saturday's PBC card on DAZN at Pechanga Arena in San Diego(First non PPV PBC card with DAZN)Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz vs. Nestor Bravo, 12 rounds, for Cruz's WBC interim junior welterweight title. Pitbull is seemingly always in entertaining fights. Will Bravo give him a challenge?In the co feature- Jesus Ramos Jr. vs. Meiirim Nursultanov, 12 rounds, for Ramos's WBC interim middleweight title. Ramos looking for bigger things in the division. Plus, Daniel Blancas vs. Sergio Jimenez, 8 or 10 rounds, super middleweights and, Marco Verde vs. Guillermo Hernandez, 8 rounds, middleweights Then, some fight newsRyan Garcia says he wants to do a rematch with Gervonta Davis... What are we doing here?! Dan has more and T.J. tries not to lose his mind on this scenario. Per Dan's reporting, the date Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury has been narrowed down to December 11th. Organizers are working city officials in Cardiff, Wales, to get necessary permits in place to stage the event at Principality Stadium. Next, as expected, WBC strips Noel Mikaelian and elevates Michal Cieslak from interim to full and lays out the path to David Benavidez-Jai Opetaia More Dan reporting, WBC interim junior middleweight titlist Vergil Ortiz Jr.'s return could come on the potential Dec. 12 card that would be headlined by a Benavidez-Cieslak three-belt cruiserweight unification fight in the works. On Wednesday, Queensberry outbid Top Rank to win rights to promoter WBO super middleweight titlist Hamzah Sheeraz's mandatory defense against former unified middleweight titlist Janibek Alimkhanuly. Wait until why Queensberry had a quirky amount that they bid!  Dan is also reporting that a deal in place for Top Rank heavyweight Bakhodir Jalolov to fight Queensberry's Solomon Dacres in the co-feature of the rematch between WBO heavyweight titlist Daniel Dubois and former titleholder Fabio Wardley on October 17th at The O2 Arena in London. And, finally, even more Dan reporting, former IBF junior middleweight titlist Bakhram Murtazaliev will return to action on the Dmitry Bivol-Callum Smith card on December 12 in Ekatirinburg, Russia.It's all part of the "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.! 

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that the threat of hybrid attacks by Russia against Europe and France has intensified. In a news conference at the Elysee Palace, Macron said he had ordered a plan to protect critical infrastructure and defence industry sites in the face of this threat. We get the view from Paris.Also on the programme: why are attacks against LGBT people in Turkey intensifying?Earl Spencer, the brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, stands by claims that the King told him she would be forgotton "soon enough".And we explore how science fiction writers anticipated artificial intelligence.

How many evangelicals are there in the UK? Should we slow down the development of AI? Can anyone simply become independent?In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss stories in the news and lessons we can learn for church leadership.Show notesPlanters 2027 conference (FIEC)Church Planting support (FIEC)Understanding UK Evangelicals (EA UK)Anthropic boss Dario Amodei calls for AI development to slow down (BBC)A Christian's Guide to AI (The Good Book Company)Rising Lights 2027 (Rising Lights)Social Issues Bulletin (Affinity)Village votes to leave UK over asylum housing plan (BBC)The Proclaimers - Knock It Down (Official Video) (YouTube)About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.Podcast music: Drifting by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Future Infinite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - FIEC update: affiliations and church plants09:55 - EA's Understanding UK Evangelicals survey17:16 - Should AI development slow down?27:28 - Piddington and independency30:38 - The Proclaimers and honouring unsung heroes

We have a lighter weeknd of fights but there is a prominent WBC interim title doubleheader in San Diego and we've got lots and lots of fight news to go over on the newest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"Host T.J. Rives returns with insider Dan Rafael with their insight and takesFirst, a preview of Saturday's PBC card on DAZN at Pechanga Arena in San Diego(First non PPV PBC card with DAZN)Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz vs. Nestor Bravo, 12 rounds, for Cruz's WBC interim junior welterweight title. Pitbull is seemingly always in entertaining fights. Will Bravo give him a challenge?In the co feature- Jesus Ramos Jr. vs. Meiirim Nursultanov, 12 rounds, for Ramos's WBC interim middleweight title. Ramos looking for bigger things in the division. Plus, Daniel Blancas vs. Sergio Jimenez, 8 or 10 rounds, super middleweights and, Marco Verde vs. Guillermo Hernandez, 8 rounds, middleweights Then, some fight newsRyan Garcia says he wants to do a rematch with Gervonta Davis... What are we doing here?! Dan has more and T.J. tries not to lose his mind on this scenario. Per Dan's reporting, the date Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury has been narrowed down to December 11th. Organizers are working city officials in Cardiff, Wales, to get necessary permits in place to stage the event at Principality Stadium. Next, as expected, WBC strips Noel Mikaelian and elevates Michal Cieslak from interim to full and lays out the path to David Benavidez-Jai Opetaia More Dan reporting, WBC interim junior middleweight titlist Vergil Ortiz Jr.'s return could come on the potential Dec. 12 card that would be headlined by a Benavidez-Cieslak three-belt cruiserweight unification fight in the works. On Wednesday, Queensberry outbid Top Rank to win rights to promoter WBO super middleweight titlist Hamzah Sheeraz's mandatory defense against former unified middleweight titlist Janibek Alimkhanuly. Wait until why Queensberry had a quirky amount that they bid!  Dan is also reporting that a deal in place for Top Rank heavyweight Bakhodir Jalolov to fight Queensberry's Solomon Dacres in the co-feature of the rematch between WBO heavyweight titlist Daniel Dubois and former titleholder Fabio Wardley on October 17th at The O2 Arena in London. And, finally, even more Dan reporting, former IBF junior middleweight titlist Bakhram Murtazaliev will return to action on the Dmitry Bivol-Callum Smith card on December 12 in Ekatirinburg, Russia.It's all part of the "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.! 

RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey is joined again by Vidar Hjardeng MBE, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant for ITV News across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands for another audio described theatre review.This week we step into the dressing room of three comedy heroes - Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse as the current tour of ‘The Last Laugh' visited the Wolverhampton Grand theatre with description by Professional Audio Describer Nicola Williams.About ‘The Last Laugh' The Last Laugh is a “brilliant” (The Telegraph) smash-hit, West End play which imagines three of Britain's all-time greatest comedy heroes – Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse, in a dressing room, discussing the secret of life, death, comedy and what it means to be funny… really funny!“Lovingly written and directed” (Sunday Times) by the award-winning Paul Hendy, The Last Laugh features Damian Williams as Cooper, Simon Cartwright as Monkhouse and Britain's Got Talent finalist Steve Royle as Morecambe.The show consists of an 80-minute first act, a 20-minute interval, and a 30-minute post-show Q&A with the cast – the full 2 hour and 10 minute experience includes the Q&A.For more about the tour of ‘The Last Laugh' do visit the productions' website - https://thelastlaughplay.co.ukImage shows the RNIB Connect Radio logo. On a white background ‘RNIB' written in bold black capital letters and underline with a bold pink line. Underneath the line: ‘Connect Radio' is written in black in a smaller font.

This week, journalist and friend of the show Will Hayward joins to unpack a landmark summit between the leaders of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. With pro-independence parties joining forces and declaring that “Westminster's time is coming to an end” – bold words, but what does it really mean? Plus, Jordan Stephens, musician, writer and one half of Rizzle Kicks, joins Nish and Coco to discuss the rise of hyper-masculine figures online, and whether human connection can offer a healthier model and an alternative to the politics of division.USEFUL LINKSSubscribe to Will Hayward's substack hereWatch Jordan Stephens ‘In Search Of Peace' here CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS BETTERHELP: https://www.betterhelp.com/psuk    SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk Pod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.Don't forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: podsavetheuk@crooked.com if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings! Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk X: https://x.com/podsavetheuk

We have a bumper pod for you ahead of the new season, as Chris and Ashy chat to some of the biggest stars in the Prem. First up is England fly-half Fin Smith, who tells us he wants Northampton to become one of the greatest teams in Premiership history. But just how many more titles would they need to achieve that? And is Henry Pollock really worth a million pounds? Ashy gives his thoughts and shares an interesting take on the Pollock contract saga. Finn Baxter tells us what it's like to watch a game of rugby with the Princess of Wales, Jack van Poortvliet discusses his England contract and holidaying in Rio, while Dafydd Jenkins talks to us about mauling up sand dunes on the beach in Devon. Louis Rees-Zammit speaks openly about his struggles last season after returning to the sport. Plus, we discuss his love of kicking and whether he's going to become a long-distance kicker like Elliot Daly. We also hear about Ashy meeting the Queen, an awkward case of mistaken identity involving Dylan Hartley and Sir Jackie Stewart, and the most brutal pre-season fitness sessions.

Gareth Rhys Owen and Lauren Salter spend the day at Welsh Rugby's Centre of Excellence for URC Media Day and speak to Gareth Anscombe on the role he'll play at the Scarlets, Ryan Woodman on how he's bulked up for this season at the Dragons and Cardiff's Josh Adams on his hopes for a third World Cup next year. Dual-code international Ffion Lewis also joins the podcast to preview Wales' WXV opener against South Africa.

Það var ýmislegt á dagskrá Heimsgluggans á Morgunvaktinni á Rás 1 í dag. Fyrstu ráðherrar Norður-Írlands, Skotlands og Wales, sem öll hafa sjálfstæði á dagskránni, hittust í Cardiff og samþykktu að „tími Westminster væri senn á enda“. Þá ræddu Þórunn Elísabet Bogadóttir, Björn Þór Sigbjörnsson og Bogi Ágústsson um nýja skýrslu um öfugþróun lýðræðis, kosningar í Rússlandi og Serbíu og stjórnmálastöðuna í Svíþjóð. Þar er ljóst að hægri stjórn Ulfs Kristersson hefur misst meirihluta sinn og að Magdalena Anderson, formaður Jafnaðarmanna, reynir að mynda stjórn. Það verður ekki auðvelt því flokkarnir sem hún þarf að fylkja að baki sér eru ósammála um mjög margt.

How did Meghan Markle's phone number reportedly end up circulating online? Screenshots said to come from a school parents' WhatsApp group have raised fresh privacy concerns after Prince Harry and Meghan moved Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to another school.What went wrong on the Sussex school run? ITV's Chris Ship reports that heavy traffic separated the family's vehicle from its private security escort. Could a less conspicuous approach have worked—and why are former royal protection officers questioning the arrangements?Plus, four copies of Earl Spencer's forthcoming Princess Diana memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, have reportedly been stolen from a delivery truck. Was the tightly guarded book deliberately targeted?We also examine reports that King Charles, Prince William and Princess Catherine could seek a face-to-face meeting with Harry to discuss his future in Britain. What assurances would William want? Meanwhile, William and Kate visit the Isle of Bute as Harry prepares for an Invictus appearance, and the Prince of Wales calls for “urgent optimism” ahead of the Earthshot Prize in Mumbai.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/palace-intrigue-harry-meghan-the-crown-royal-family-news-and-gossip--4522904/support.Palace Intrigue is a daily British royal family podcast covering King Charles, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Kate Middleton and the House of Windsor. New episodes every day. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network.

Joining Philip Clark on Nightlife is Rob Watson, Political Correspondent for BBC World Service Radio and BBC TV

Buckingham Palace has hit back at claims made by Earl Spencer, the brother of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, in his new book. He alleges that King Charles said the UK would forget about Diana “soon enough” after her funeral. For more details on this Anton heard from Enda Brady, International TV Anchor with TRT World.

Today, Samara Hawthorn shares the birth of her three children and the birth of her grand daughter. Samara is a doula and traditional birth companion with decades of experience and the founder of WellMama, a community interest company based in Pembrokeshire, Wales. She offers courses for Mothers, families and birthkeepers. Her new 4-week online birth preparation programme "Body, birth & beyond" starts in October 2026. You can find and connect to her on Instagram. *** Den kostenlosen Guide zur nicht-medikamentösen Schmerzlinderung kannst du dir hier runterladen. Melde dich hier zum Geburtsgeschichten Newsletter an. Zur Schwangerschaftsyoga Online Videothek geht es hier entlang. Hier kannst du eine Google Review für den Podcast schreiben und damit dazu beitragen, dass mehr Frauen authentische Geburtsgeschichten hören können. Den Geburtsgeschichten Instagram Kanal findest du hier. Folge direkt herunterladen

Michael Moritz led Sequoia Capital for nearly two decades and backed some of the defining companies of the internet era.  In his new memoir, Ausländer, he turns his attention to his own family, Jewish refugees who fled Nazi Germany and rebuilt their lives in Wales.  We discuss the imprint his parents left on him, the method he used for decades of asking founders about their childhoods and the Time profile that ended his relationship with Steve Jobs.  We also also cover Lee Iacocca, why Don Valentine hired him, Alex Ferguson's approach to managing players, Elon Musk, and why Mike still struggles to feel proud of anything he has done. Please enjoy my conversation with Michael Moritz. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  ----- Become a Colossus member to get our quarterly print magazine and private audio experience, including exclusive profiles and early access to select episodes. Subscribe at ⁠colossus.com/subscribe⁠. ----- ⁠Ramp's⁠ mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Go to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ramp.com/invest⁠⁠ to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus. ----- Trusted by thousands of businesses, ⁠Vanta⁠ continuously monitors your security posture and streamlines audits so you can win enterprise deals and build customer trust without the traditional overhead. Invest Like the Best listeners get a special offer of $1,000 off Vanta when you go to ⁠vanta.com/invest⁠.  ----- WorkOS⁠ is the infrastructure B2B and AI-native companies use to sell to enterprise. It covers everything enterprise security requires: SSO, SCIM, RBAC, Audit Logs, AI governance, and more. Trusted by 2,000+ fast-growing companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Cursor, and Vercel. ----- Rogo is the AI platform for finance. They're building agents for Wall Street that are trained to understand how bankers and investors actually do work: from diligence and modeling, to turning analysis into deliverables. To learn more, visit rogo.ai/invest. ----- ⁠Ridgeline⁠ has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. Visit⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ridgeline.ai⁠. ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant. Timestamps: (00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like The Best (00:02:16) Where Does One Person End? (00:11:15) The State of the World Today (00:15:08) The Unlived Life of Parents (00:17:33) Lee Iacocca, Eternal Outsider (00:21:03) His Most Revealing Question (00:26:03) Resisters, the Silent, and Collabos (00:33:30) The Profile of Steve Jobs (00:38:04) Frank Auerbach's Total Obsession (00:41:04) Why Don Valentine Hired Michael (00:46:44) Building Sequoia (00:49:49) What Michael Learned from Alex Ferguson (00:52:57) The Great Man Theory (01:00:36) Defining Extraordinary Writing (01:03:40) Stepping Back From Sequoia (01:06:54) A Philosophy of Parenting (01:09:00) The Next Book: Iran (01:11:44) The Kindest Thing

Photo: A “Vote Here” sign outside an election polling place at Woodbury City Hall in Woodbury, Minnesota, during the 2020 general election. (Tony Webster / Wikimedia) Indigenous people continue to face barriers throughout the election process. That is according to a new report that says those challenges can begin well before a voter reaches the ballot box. For the Mountain West News Bureau, Daniel Spaulding has more. The report from the Native American Rights Fund says voting disparities have deep historical roots. NARF analyzed federal data from 2020 through 2024 and found issues ranging from voter registration rejections to difficulties with mail-in ballots. In counties where Native Americans make up at least a quarter of the population, rejected voter registration applications increased by an average of 200%. Allison Neswood (Navajo) is a senior staff attorney at NARF. “Voting is not just one act. It's a series of steps and the report illustrates that Native people are more likely to get hung up every step along the way.” Neswood says addressing those issues will require greater investment in voting infrastructure across Indian Country. The study focused on counties with high Native populations, including Arizona's Apache and Navajo counties – and New Mexico's Cibola, McKinley, and San Juan counties. Young drummers from the Kingikmiut Dance Group wait to perform at the 25th Annual Kingikmiut Dance Festival. (Photo: Margaret Sutherland / KNOM) Dance groups from across the Bering Strait region gathered in Wales, Alaska last weekend for the Kingikmiut Dance Festival. The event marked a quarter century of teaching and sharing songs and dances that leaders say had been absent from some communities for decades. KNOM's Margaret Sutherland traveled to the remote village for this story. On the first night of the Kingikmiut Dance Festival, fog settles over the runway in Wales. Three of the five scheduled visiting groups are grounded: Gambell, Savoonga, and Brevig Mission. But inside the Kingikmiut School gym, the festival began anyway with groups from Wales and Unalakleet. The Kingikmiut Dance Group from Wales takes its place in the center of the gym. Frank Komonaseak, center, dances during the 25th Annual Kingikmiut Dance Festival. (Photo: Margaret Sutherland / KNOM) Drummers sit in a line, holding skin drums in front of them as they sing together while dancers move out front, following the songs. Sixteen-year-old Cain Seetook is one of the younger Kingikmiut drummers. “It heals my hurt and makes me happy. And I don't know. That's just it.” Seetook says he has been drumming since he was about one year old and practices with the Kingikmiut group once or twice a week. His cousin, 15-year-old Frank Komonaseak, is also part of the group, rotating between the drum line and the dance floor. “It feels good to be dancing again. It's an honor to be in this dance group again, to be singing and dancing. I grew up doing it, and I'm proud of who I am, and I'm proud of my cousins because they're all good dancers too.” Komonaseak moved back to Wales about a year ago after living in Anchorage for several years. He says he stopped dancing while he was away. When he returned, he went to practice and began relearning the songs. “It is really sad to not have dancing, because I don't think I can go a week without Eskimo dancing, because that's how much I love it.” Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Wednesday, September 16, 2026 — Native advocates assess barriers to upcoming elections

This week the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland signed a joint memorandum declaring that Westminster’s time is “coming to an end”. But is there a clear path to independence?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this briefing I respond to the unrelenting promotion of what I call the "two-state delusion" by the British government and several of its international allies. I challenge proponents of the moribund two-state "solution" in several ways.  Poses Four Direct Questions For Them To Answer: Via these I challenge the blatant impracticability, security liabilities, and sheer hypocrisy of the land-for-peace fantasy. Western Appeasement: I outline the pandering of international leaders to their domestic agitators by punishing the State of Israel. People In Glass Houses: With calls from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to cede from union, I suggest Britains's leadership would do better to get their own house in order before voicing their unwanted counsel to Israel. Support the showThe MirYam Institute. Israel's Future in Israel's Hands.Subscribe to our podcast: https://podfollow.com/1493910771Follow The MirYam Institute X: https://bit.ly/3jkeUyxFollow Benjamin Anthony X: https://bit.ly/3hZeOe9Like Benjamin Anthony Facebook: https://bit.ly/333Ct93Like The MirYam Institute Facebook: https://bit.ly/2SarHI3Follow Benjamin Anthony Instagram: https://bit.ly/30m6uPGFollow The MirYam Institute Instagram: https://bit.ly/3l5fvED

In a week where:Trump promises $5,000 for US citizens if Republicans win midterms.MPs vote against Assisted Dying in England and Wales.Thousands protest across Germany after AfD wins 44% in Saxony-Anhalt.The leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland sign a joint declaration calling for all three nations to gain independence from the UK.Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran tour following venue bans over Palestine remarks.In Society: (9:17) Unless you're in the sector, there's little reason for the typical person to know about Children's Care Homes. Turns out there's an illegal network worth £255m. (Article By Tom Wall) In Politics: (29:24) It's been 50 years since the death of Mao Zedong, the architect of modern-day China. But whilst China will no doubt hail Mao, the China he started and the China now are very different things. (Article By Teemu Ruskola) In the 1st of two Life segments: (42:08) As an adult that won't be having children anytime soon, I get why people are not having children. But whilst it's a logical decision, it does come with an odd sense of grief. (Article By Allie Volpe) Lastly, in the 2nd Life segment: (56:31) Tiny mics, opinions and background music. If you're on social media in any capacity, you've seen an explainer about some topic of interest. Have we reached peak explainer? (Article By Laura Pitcher) Thank you for listening! If you want to contribute to the show, whether it be sending me questions or voicing your opinion in any way, peep the contact links below and I'll respond accordingly. Let me know "What's Good?"Rate & ReviewE-Mail: the5thelelmentpub@gmail.comTwitter & IG: @The5thElementUKWebsite: https://the5thelement.co.ukPhotography: https://www.crt.photographyIntro Music - "Too Much" By VanillaInterlude - "Charismatic" By NappyHighChillHop MusicOther Podcasts Under The 5EPN:Diggin' In The Digits5EPN RadioBlack Women Watch...In Search of SauceThe Beauty Of Independence

Tuesday, September 15, 2026Today, Donald Trump Jr's Bahamian wedding was bankrolled by the Kremlin; a whistleblower says federal agents may have broken the law in search of voter fraud; an IG report details abhorrent conditions at the Alligator Alcatraz concentration camp; the President is holding the Kennedy Center hostage threatening to close it if he can't put his name on it again; a Trump-appointed judge has issued a second block on the Postal Service's mail ballot rule and the DOJ has appealed it to the Supreme Court; Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Ireland held rare talks Monday to break away from the United Kingdom; the EPA has revoked the rule limiting greenhouse gas emissions; staffers say Mitch McConnell will return to the Senate this week; plus Allison and Dana deliver your Good News.Thank You, Smalls | For a limited time, get 60% off your first order, plus free shipping and free treats for life, when you head to Smalls.com/DAILYBEANSThank You, UpWork |Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free. Blue Wave Nation | https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mswbluewave The Trump Epstein Memorial BookmobileThe Daily Beans is proud to partner with Miles Taylor and our friends at DEFIANCE.org For a limited time, members of the Daily Beans community can receive a FREE 3-month full membership to DEFIANCE.org and gain access to one of the fastest-growing pro-democracy movements in America. Join here: https://www.defiance.org/beansGuest: Adam KlasfeldAll Rise News@allrisenews|Bluesky, @klasfeldreports.com|BlueSky, @KlasfeldReports|Twitter, @senecaprojectus - InstagramThe Latest Breakdown →Trump's DOJ Just Blew Up Its Own Story In My LawsuitNew Unjustified →The Grand ConspiracyDiamond Dames → Diamond Dames - YouTube Diamond Dames - A Ted Lasso PodcastPatreon → The Daily Beans | PatreonStories‘Time to get back to work': Mitch McConnell returns to Senate | POLITICODOJ asks Supreme Court to lift second order against Trump's mail voting restrictions | Democracy DocketKennedy Center could close as early as Tuesday, warns of bankruptcy, documents show | Washington PostScottish, Welsh, Northern Irish parties to hold independence summit | Le MondeEPA eliminates rule that limits planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants | AP NewsDHS watchdog finds immigrants were held at ‘Alligator Alcatraz' in outdoor cages the size of phone booths | NBC NewsWhistle-Blower: Federal Agents May Have Broken State Laws in Search For Voter Fraud | NYTGood Trouble→Battleground Support Hub - Democrats.org→Get Out The Vote: Volunteer Info Session→Voter Registration Deadlines - Vote.org→Hands Off Our Vote! 2026 Toolkit | Indivisible→Help staff your local polling place - Power The Polls→Voter Registration Volunteer Opportunities · Mobilize→Helpline Orientation- Spanish Speakers Needed! - VoteRiders→Help save Texas from Ken Paxton! →NO HATE in WA State→Stand With Minnesota →iceout.org Good NewsCoastal WildsVision To LearnDana Goldberg: Outrageous - Sep 23 - Den Theater - Chicago Dana Goldberg's Southwest FunnyFest Oct 9 - City of Albuquerque→Share your Good News & Good Trouble - The Daily Beans→Beans Talk audio -beans-talk.simplecast.comSubscribe to the MSW on YouTube - MSW Media - YouTubeOur Donation LinksThe Trevor Project - trevorproject.org/beansBlue Wave California - ActBlue.com/donate/msw-bwcDonate to Public Citizen - https://citizen.org/beans/National Security Counselors - Donate, WhistleblowerAid.org/beansDonate to It Gets Better / The Daily Beans FundraiserPathways to Citizenship - boomerang - pathways Dana and The Daily Beans support of Human Rights Campaign ONE CAUSE HRCThe Daily Beans supports It Gets BetterDr. Allison Gill - The Breakdown | Allison Gill, Mueller, She Wrote @muellershewrote.com - Bluesky, MSW & The Daily Beans Podcast @muellershewrote - Instagram, MSW Media - YouTube →Federal workers email AG - fedoath@pm.meDana Goldberg - Dana is on Patreon! At Dana's Dugout, @dgcomedy - Bluesky, @dgcomedy - IG, Dana Goldberg - Facebook, DanaGoldberg.comMore from MSW Media - Shows, Cleanup On Aisle 45 pod, The Breakdown | Allison Gill Reminder - you can see the pod pics if you become a Patron. The good news pics are at the bottom of the show notes of each Patreon episode! That's just one of the perks of subscribing! patreon.com/muellershewrote Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:https://apple.co/3XNx7ckWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?https://patreon.com/thedailybeanshttps://dailybeans.supercast.com/https://apple.co/3UKzKt0 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

TITANIC THEIL.0 - 09.14.2026 - #973 BestPodcastintheMetaverse.com Canary Cry News Talk #973 - 09.14.2026 - Recorded Live to 1s and 0s Deconstructing World Events from a Biblical Worldview Declaring Jesus as Lord amidst the Fifth Generation War! CageRattlerCoffee.com SD/TC email Ike for discount https://CanaryCry.Support Send address and shirt size updates to canarycrysupplydrop@gmail.com ——————————————————————————————————————————————————— Join the Canary Cry Roundtable This Episode was Produced By: Executive Producers Sir LX Protocol***  Sir Marty B*** William T*** Producers of TREASURE (CanaryCry.Support) Producer Marti Not Sir K Julie S Timothy S Christopher B Dawson E Rosalia G Rebecca T Sir Darrin Knight of the Hungry Panda's Sir Casey the Shield Knight Monica Producers of TIME Timestampers: Jade Bouncerson, Morgan E Clankoniphius Links: JAM ——————————————————————————————————————————————————— TRUMP/BURNING MAN Northhern Ireland, Scottland, Wales, to sign a deal to leave the UK Memorandum Document (X) CCR Parallel Troubles Apple Podcast EXEC PRODUCERS  AI/BEAST SYSTEM/THIEL The Great American Ai freakout (MSN)  Clip: "Peter Theil Called it!" (X) Peter Theil Antichrist Lectures in Nashville get tickets now! → Sam Altman says Trump/Xi can win Nobel Peace Prize (Polymarket/X) BIBLE STUDY Archetype of 10 Kings Prophecy is much closer to the current situation than a singular antichrist narrative presented by Thiel.  PRODUCERS END

As Lithuania investigates a drone incursion, the country's defence minister tells us Nato is effectively at war with Russia.Also in the programme: President Trump lashes out at the judges he appointed to the US Supreme Court; the renewed civil war in Yemen causes huge numbers to flee, including over the sea to north Africa; and how an actor from Wales conquered US TV.(IMAGE: An Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet of the kind that shot down a drone that crossed the border from Belarus into Lithuania, at the Siauliai air base in Siauliai, Lithuania on September 15, 2026 / CREDIT: Reuters)

A public inquiry has found a "complete failure to protect babies" at the hospital where Lucy Letby murdered seven babies and attempted to kill seven others. Also: Reform's leader in Wales, Dan Thomas, quits after being arrested at the weekend. And the value of the state pension is set to go up above the cost of living, thanks to the triple lock. (Image: Cheshire Police)

Today's guest is one of Britain's funniest, most distinctive and most beloved writers, Caitlin Moran.Caitlin began writing her first book at just 13, was published at 16, and became an award-winning Times columnist and the bestselling author of books including How to Be a Woman, More Than a Woman and What About Men?Her brilliant new book is called How to Be Hopeful, and it begins with a feeling I think many of us will recognise: that the world has become overwhelming and the only reasonable solution might be to run away and start an entirely new life somewhere else. In Caitlin's case, that meant fantasising about a self-sufficient farmhouse in the Welsh mountains, until she discovered quite how expensive Welsh farmhouses actually are. So what happens next? From her wonderfully feral childhood summers she spent living with her seven siblings in a tiny caravan in Wales to a romantic road trip through the Scottish Highlands; the lavish trip to Antigua that taught her luxury travel wasn't necessarily for her; and why Corfu remains the island she returns to again and again, and much much more, here are the Travel Diaries of Caitlin Moran.Destination Recap:Tregaron, WalesStrata Florida Abbey, WalesYnyslas, WalesUllapool, ScotlandRannoch Moor, ScotlandCornwall, EnglandAntigua and BarbudaTenby, WalesKassiopi, Corfu, GreecePaxos, GreeceAntipaxos, GreeceIcelandJapanese Alps, JapanTokyo, JapanAbergavenny, WalesBannau Brycheiniog, WalesFlorida, USAAustriaScandinaviaThanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to find out who's joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok, I'm @hollyrubenstein and I'd love to hear from you. I'll be back on Sunday with The Travel Diaries: Unpacked and our guest, World's 50 Best Hotels European chair, and travel journalist, Lauren Ho.If you'd like to find out who's joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok, I'm @hollyrubenstein and I'd love to hear from you. With thanks to...Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/hostHotels with History podcast - Hotels with History is a podcast hosted by actor Richard E. Grant and travel & hospitality expert Jules Perowne, uncovering the scandals, legends and surprising stories behind the world's most legendary hotels. Search Hotels with History wherever you get your podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ghost jumps on for a surprise live show and finds a lot to unpack. He opens with Trump's off the cuff comments on Irish unification during his Ireland trip, which somehow snowballs into Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland signing a joint pact toward independence from the UK, something Ghost frames as a genuine win for local sovereignty rather than the doom certain corners of the internet are selling. He also digs into the Falkland Islands controversy and a wave of Israeli influencer pressure campaigns, plus a Fox Business hypocrisy moment involving Macklemore and Robert Kraft. But the real story is MBS. Houthi forces have seized Saudi coastline, hit an oil pipeline and a refinery, and reportedly pushed MBS to call Trump twice asking for military strikes. Ghost walks through the reporting and lays out why he is skeptical of the narrative that MBS is quietly turning to Israel for help.

United Kingdom on Verge of Breaking into 4 | Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales Sign MoU

Die Themen: Peta-Protest bei der Fashion Week; Rund 30 Abgeordnete planen offenbar Putsch gegen Merz; Benzin in Deutschland so teuer wie nie; Unabhängigkeitsbestrebungen von Wales, Schottland und Nordirland; Viele Freiwillige sind nicht fit genug für die Bundeswehr; Psychische Krankheiten der Mittelschicht und der ewige Streit um Poolliegen Hosts der heutigen Folge sind Markus Feldenkirchen (DER SPIEGEL) und Yasmine M'Barek (Zeit Online) Du möchtest mehr über unsere Werbepartner erfahren? Hier findest du alle Infos & Rabatte: https://linktr.ee/ApokalypseundFilterkaffee Du möchtest Werbung in diesem Podcast schalten? Dann erfahre hier mehr über die Werbemöglichkeiten bei Seven.One Audio: https://www.seven.one/portfolio/sevenone-audio

Die Arktis gewinnt geopolitisch an Bedeutung. Darum will die EU stärker Einfluss auf diese Weltregion nehmen. An der Arktis-Konferenz in Finnland hat sie ihre Strategie präsentiert. Über die Hintergründe spricht Nordeuropa-Korrespondent Bruno Kaufmann. Weitere Themen: In Schottland, Wales und Nordirland kämpfen verschiedene Parteien seit Jahrzehnten für mehr Selbstbestimmung. Jetzt rücken diese Parteien, die die Unabhängigkeit von England wollen, bei einem Treffen enger zusammen. Grossbritannien-Korrespondentin Fiona Endres über die Forderungen und Chancen. Es ist die grosse Frage: Wird nach der Niederlage der CDU in Sachsen-Anhalt die Landtagswahl in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern am nächsten Sonntag zur Schicksalswahl für Bundeskanzler Merz? Eine Einschätzung von Auslandredaktor Stefan Reinhart. Auch in den USA gibt es grosse Fragen: Könnte KI tatsächlich stärker reguliert werden? Was hätte das für Folgen, weil KI derzeit als Wirtschafts-Motor gilt? Börsenkorrespondent Jens Korte gibt Antworten. Es ging viral: Ein 9-Jähriger Bub aus Italien hat den Mont Blanc bestiegen, einen der höchsten Berge Europas. Sein Vater hat das auf Social Media gepostet und viel Kritik geerntet. SRF-Journalist Frank Senn beschäftigt sich als Dokfilmer seit Jahrzehnten mit der Bergwelt. Er ordnet den Fall ein.

In 1950s America, airlines refused to hire Black women as stewardesses. When Patricia Banks Edmiston is repeatedly rejected, she refuses to stay silent. By calling in civil rights leaders and taking on Capital Airlines, Patricia launches a landmark discrimination case that reshapes the skies and the industry. The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/ SUPPORT ORGANISATIONS United States Mental Health 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – call or text 988, or chat online - https://988lifeline.org/ NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) – education, support groups, and helpline: 1-800-950-6264 - https://www.nami.org/ Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) – hotline 1-800-656-HOPE; also online chat - https://rainn.org United Kingdom Mental Health Samaritans – 24/7 phone support at 116 123 - https://www.samaritans.org/ Mind – mental health information and support - https://www.mind.org.uk/ Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence Rape Crisis England & Wales – national helpline and local support centres - https://247sexualabusesupport.org.uk/ The Survivors Trust – specialist sexual violence support https://thesurvivorstrust.org/ Australia Mental Health Lifeline Australia – 24/7 crisis support: 13 11 14 - https://www.lifeline.org.au/ Beyond Blue – mental health support and helpline: 1300 22 4636 - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence 1800RESPECT – national sexual assault, domestic & family violence counselling service: 1800 737 732 - https://1800respect.org.au/ Canada Mental Health Talk Suicide Canada – call or text 988 (nationwide) - https://988.ca/ Crisis Services Canada – nationwide crisis support network - https://thelifelinecanada.ca/ Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence The Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres (CASAC) – directory of local crisis centres. Ending Violence Association of Canada – provincial crisis lines - https://endingviolencecanada.org/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's Headlines: Trump skipped the 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York to fall asleep at the Pentagon's 9/11 ceremony. He then flew to Ireland where the Irish president seated him behind a notably small desk, protests featured an inflatable Trump being inflatable-Netanyahu'd in the streets, and he called Irish reunification "fantastic" and "a cool thing," breaking 28 years of official US neutrality on an issue that has historically caused quite a bit of conflict. This landed at an awkward moment given that Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland are meeting today to discuss potentially dissolving the United Kingdom entirely. Trump also lunged at ABC reporter Rachel Scott when she asked about his $5,000 check promise and pointed out the national debt is $40 trillion, the White House called journalist Aaron Rupar a "sick, deluded freak" for noting Natalie Harp was in Ireland, and Trump blamed Zelensky for global energy prices and told him to stop hitting Russian diesel. It was quite the weekend for the President. While we're on that, a Russian drone strike near the Polish border may have targeted a train carrying Boris Johnson and David Petraeus, prompting air raid warnings in Poland. In other news, An American diplomat accused of possessing child sex abuse material was quietly flown out of London on a secret military flight before police could question him. France expanded its Epstein investigation, identifying 13 new potential victims and multiple potential recruiters, one of whom was found dead in his home right before he was set to be questioned. On AI, Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and Dario Amodei all posted this weekend calling for AI regulation and a slowdown — simultaneously — very sketchy. And finally, ectopic pregnancy deaths have nearly doubled since the pandemic and increased even more in states with abortion bans, and Texas responded by simply deciding not to analyze maternal mortality data from 2022 and 2023 — the years the abortion ban went into effect — making it impossible to measure its impact. Resources/Articles mentioned: WaPo: At the Pentagon, Trump ties the legacy of 9/11 to his Iran war NYT: In Doonbeg, Trump's Irish Open Visit Prompts Protests and Praise NYT: Trump Says Irish Unification Would Be ‘Fantastic,' Breaking With Precedent Telegraph: Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish leaders meet to plan break-up of United Kingdom The New Republic: Trump Lunges at Female Reporter Asking About Those Supposed $5K Checks Newsweek: White House Calls Journalist ‘Sick, Deluded Freak' Over Natalie Harp Post NYT: Trump Blames Ukraine for Global Diesel Shortage The Guardian: Train carrying Boris Johnson and ex-CIA chief may have been targeted in Russian strike, officials say | Ukraine Sky News: US officials 'secretly flew diplomat out of UK' after indecent image allegations NYT: France Widens Sex-Trafficking Investigation Linked to Jeffrey Epstein WaPo: Top AI leaders unite to warn the technology is advancing too fast Fortune: Sam Altman confirms OpenAI won't go public this year, saying an IPO now would come at an 'ill-advised moment' given AI safety concerns CNN: Ectopic pregnancy deaths have nearly doubled. It's worse in states with abortion bans Texas Observer: Texas Maternal Mortality Committee's Next Report Will Skip Post-'Roe' Deaths. Lawmakers Suspect Political Influence. Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last time we spoke about the fall of Hong Kong. As dawn broke on December 20, 1941, Japanese battalions tightened their grip on Hong Kong Island. While the defenders fought desperately at Repulse Bay Hotel, Wongneichong Gap, and the heights around Mount Nicholson and Mount Cameron, piecemeal counter-attacks by exhausted Canadians, Royal Scots, Rajputs, and Hong Kong Volunteers were shattered by rain, darkness, and poor coordination.Resistance stiffened at Stanley Peninsula, but ammunition ran low and hope faded. On Christmas Eve, the Japanese stormed St Stephen's College hospital. They bayoneted wounded soldiers in their beds, murdered doctors, and raped nurses in an orgy of horror that became known as the St Stephen's Massacre.On Christmas morning—forever "Black Christmas"—Governor Young surrendered the colony after seventeen days of fighting. As white flags rose, Rear-Admiral Chan Chak and a small party made a daring escape by sea under fire, eventually rescued by Chinese Communist guerrillas of the East River Column who would save hundreds more lives in the months ahead.   #219 The Malayan Campaign Part 1: Bicycle Blitzkrieg   Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Now in the last episode we spoke about the battle of Hong Kong, which of course was fought on Chinese territory and did involve Chinese participation. I took some time to think about what aspects of the early Pacific War should be covered in depth here, ie: what pertains the most to the Chinese experience. We are not going to talk about the Philippines or Dutch East Indies, but the Malayan campaign and fall of Singapore I would argue need to be dived into. There was a lot of ethnic Chinese participation in this campaign. No worries after this brief series on the Malayan Campaign we will be jumping back to China. Following World War One, Britain sought to counter growing Japanese ambitions by establishing a major naval base in Singapore during the 1920s. The location offered strategic advantages, particularly its exemption from the Washington Naval Treaty's non-fortification clause, making it ideal for housing a powerful deterrent fleet. The plan was straightforward: maintain overwhelming naval superiority to discourage Japanese expansion. Yet this calculation proved dangerously optimistic. Japanese aggression accelerated throughout the 1930s, while the European war's outbreak in 1939 drained Britain's resources, leaving its Far Eastern colonies—Malaya, Burma, and Hong Kong—dangerously exposed. Churchill remained convinced that Japan would not strike in 1941, prompting him to channel reinforcements toward the Mediterranean theater. The defensive strategy hinged on buying time; should Japan attack, British forces would delay the enemy while holding Singapore as a fortress until relief arrived. This plan contained a fatal flaw: Britain lacked the capacity to actually send reinforcements to the region. Commander-in-Chief Robert Brooke-Popham led Britain's Far Eastern Command from Malaysia, acutely aware of the challenge ahead. Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival commanded ground forces comprising 31 poorly trained infantry battalions—approximately 88,600 personnel total—largely untrained for jungle warfare. These troops were distributed across three divisions. Air defense proved equally problematic. With only fourteen squadrons flying outdated aircraft, the RAF faced a critical shortfall. Squadrons were scattered across multiple airfields: Vickers Vildebeest and PBY Catalina aircraft at Seletar; Bristol Blenheims at Tengah; Brewster Buffalos at Sembawang and Kallang; further Buffalos and Blenheims at Sungei Patani; Lockheed Hudsons at Kota Bharu; and additional Blenheims at Kuantan and Alor Setar. Allied units occupied three strategic zones. The Indian 11th Infantry Division under Major General David Murray-Lyon held northern Malaya, defending airfields and the Thai frontier from positions near Kota Bharu, Jitra, and Alor Setar. These installations remained lightly garrisoned and vulnerable. The Indian 9th Infantry Division occupied central Malaya, tasked with holding delaying positions at Jitra and Gurun—positions themselves poorly constructed and uncoordinated. Australia's 8th Division under Gordon Bennett anchored the south near Mersing and Johor, forming the last line before Singapore's fortress. Singapore itself bristled with coastal defenses and commanded a substantial naval garrison, expected to repel any Japanese approach. A week before Japan's offensive erupted, Churchill sent Force Z to Singapore—the battleship Prince of Wales, battlecruiser Repulse, and four destroyers. Despite vigorous objections from admirals, particularly Captain William Davis, who warned the Prince of Wales without air cover would be "a hostage to fortune," Churchill overruled them, seeking to project confidence and maintain American goodwill. Admiral Sir Tom Phillips commanded Force Z. Known as "Tom Thumb" for his diminutive stature, Phillips sparked controversy—critics labeled him a "desk admiral"—yet Field Marshal Smuts called him "an admirable choice" and American Admiral Thomas Hart praised his administrative acumen. Phillips' record was mixed. He advocated astutely for tank deployment in Malaya and correctly questioned the Brewster Buffalo's effectiveness, urging Hurricanes instead. Yet he fatally underestimated the threat aircraft posed to capital ships, believing the Prince of Wales' anti-aircraft batteries could defend a maneuvering vessel. An unnoticed handicap compounded this: tropical humidity had disabled the Prince of Wales' fire-control computer before she ever fired. Force Z reached Singapore on December 2, 1941, amid misplaced confidence. Nineteen-year-old Richard Smith recalled: "Everyone believed the Japanese fleet was made of rice paper and string. We assumed we would crush them effortlessly." Churchill's public declaration seemed to goad Japan into action. Admiral Yamamoto responded decisively, dispatching thirty-six Mitsubishi bombers to reinforce existing aircraft and ordering intensive training for "ship-killing"—specialized torpedo and bombing attacks. Three air groups, led by Miyauchi, Nakanishi, and Shoji, trained relentlessly in low-level runs and ocean navigation. Phillips, stripped of air cover, commanded only aging destroyers alongside his capital ships. The stage was set for disaster. In November 1940, the German raider Atlantis captured the British steamer Automedon in the Indian Ocean, seizing documents destined for Air Marshal Brooke-Popham that exposed Singapore's vulnerabilities. The Germans shared this intelligence with Japan in December. By January 1941, the Japanese had also broken British Army codes, revealing the weakness of Singapore's defenses and enabling them to plan an invasion accordingly. The invasion of Malaya followed an audacious strategy devised by Colonel Tsuji Masanobu. Japanese forces would conduct amphibious landings in southern Thailand and northern Malaya, then push 400 miles through jungle terrain toward Singapore. The 25th Army, commanded by Lieutenant-General Yamashita Tomoyuki and initially comprising two divisions, led this operation, supported by Admiral Kondō Nobutake's 2nd Fleet, which provided convoy escort. Thailand's strategic position was crucial; the British could not defend it, offering Japan a favorable staging ground. Marshal Plaek Phibun, Thailand's leader, had informally agreed to allow Japanese passage but simultaneously negotiated with British and American diplomats, creating uncertainty. A second force, the 15th Army under Lieutenant-General Iida Shōjirō, was preparing to invade Burma through Thailand. If the Thai withheld passage by December 7, these forces would advance directly from Indochina. Brooke-Popham devised Operation Matador to counter the Japanese threat. This ambitious plan called for the 11th Indian Division to preemptively seize Singora and Patani—critical Thai ports essential to Japanese invasion plans. The operation's centerpiece was capturing the Ledge, a key terrain feature south of Patani. Control of the Ledge would allow British forces to block roads from Patani, securing retreat routes for the 11th Division and denying the Japanese access to rear areas. Failure would expose the British to encirclement and force withdrawal from Perak and Kedah. However, Matador faced insurmountable obstacles. Britain was uncertain whether Thailand would resist or accommodate Japan, and invading neutral Thai territory risked driving the Thai government into Japanese arms. Command hesitation, combined with poor intelligence, created fatal delays. Matador was never approved. Instead, authorities authorized Operation Krohcol, a scaled-down alternative named after the town of Kroh. This operation tasked a small British-Indian force with advancing into southern Thailand to capture the Ledge, destroy bridges and roads, and delay Japanese movements. Though far less ambitious than Matador, Krohcol represented Britain's final attempt at preemptive action. It would be activated only after Japan opened hostilities, but by then, opportunity had already slipped away.   On December 4, Japanese transport ships escorted by Admiral Kondō's fleet departed Hainan Island toward their objectives. Two days later, British reconnaissance spotted the fleet, but Brooke-Popham lacked authorization to intervene—he could only alert his forces. At 23:00 on December 7, Japan issued an ultimatum to Thailand, demanding passage and giving a two-hour response window. Unable to locate Prime Minister Phibun until late morning, Thailand was invaded hours later. From Indochina, Japanese Imperial Guards and the 55th Division landed at Phra Tabong and pushed northwest toward Aranyaprathet. The 5th Division's regiment landed at Patani while the division's main force seized Singora, quickly overwhelming Thai defenders. From Saigon, elements of the 15th Army conducted additional naval landings across Thailand but encountered unexpectedly fierce Thai resistance that stalled their progress. Just before Pearl Harbor came under attack, the Japanese 18th Division landed at Kota Bharu. The defenders—the 8th Indian Infantry Brigade under Brigadier B.W. Key, supported by artillery from the 21st Mountain Battery and the 73rd Field Battery—faced a daunting task. The 3/17th Dogra Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel G.A. Preston, held a 10-mile coastal stretch fortified with mines, barbed wire, and pillboxes overlooking the narrow beaches of Badang and Sabak, separated by estuaries and surrounded by creeks, lagoons, and swamp islands. The Dogras unleashed devastating fire as Japanese landing craft approached at midnight. Colonel Masanobu Tsuji observed that enemy pillboxes "responded with such overwhelming force that our men lying on the beach, partially submerged in water, could not lift their heads." The first waves were pinned down, with casualties mounting from artillery, machine gun fire, and Allied aircraft from nearby airfields. British Hudsons bombed the invasion fleet and stranded soldiers, sinking one Japanese transport and destroying seven of their own aircraft in the process. The defenders inflicted heavy casualties, but intense hand-to-hand combat eventually breached the line's center by 03:45, threatening the nearby airfield. Simultaneously, 17 Japanese bombers attacked Singapore with minimal damage and 61 casualties, surprising the British with evidence of enemy long-range aircraft. Japanese fighters and bombers dominated the skies over Kota Bharu and northern Malaysian airfields, demonstrating clear air superiority. Amid the chaos, counterattacks by Malayan battalions failed, forcing the British to destroy northern airfields to prevent capture. The defenders retreated from the beaches to Kota Bharu itself that night. As confusion engulfed British headquarters, Operation Krohcol commenced at 15:00. This scaled-down preemptive operation aimed to delay the Japanese invasion by securing and destroying the Ledge—a six-mile road carved through steep hillside with a sheer drop into a river. Blowing this section would severely impede enemy advance. The force consisted primarily of the 3/16th Punjab Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Henry Moorhead, supplemented by engineers, traveling in Marmon-Herrington trucks provided by the Australian Motor Transport Company. Krohcol was undermanned from the start; the 5/14th Punjab Regiment and artillery battery failed to arrive on schedule, forcing the column to proceed without them. Crossing the border at Kroh, Indian troops encountered determined resistance from Thai police under Major Prayoon Rattanakit in Betong. These roadblocks delayed the Indian advance for two full days while Prayoon's officers simultaneously engaged Japanese forces at Patani. After several hours of combat, Japan and Thailand reached an armistice by midday, with Phibun granting Japan passage, though Thai forces remained neutral. Japanese forces at Patani, navigating poor roads but facing no opposition, began their advance toward the Ledge—approximately 60 miles distant—initiating a critical race against Krohcol to determine who would occupy this vital position first. Meanwhile, renewed fighting erupted at Kota Bharu as Japanese forces infiltrated around British strongpoints, causing alarm among commanders. By December 10, with the situation deteriorating, defenders received authorization to abandon Kota Bharu and withdraw south to Machang.   Just hours after the Pearl Harbor attack, Admiral Phillips ordered Force Z to intercept Japanese invasion forces in the South China Sea without air support. Phillips believed he could "finish quickly and escape to the east before the Japanese could organize a significant attack." Ten Brewster Buffaloes were assigned to support the fleet, but he departed without requesting their cover. Force Z failed to locate the Japanese fleet, which had moved northwest into the Gulf of Siam. By afternoon on December 9, Japanese submarine I-65 detected Force Z, followed by reconnaissance aircraft. When Phillips altered course toward Kuantan, crews grew complacent. Bert Wynn recalled shipboard conversation centered on sinking Japanese warships. A flag officer remarked to CBS correspondent Cecil Brown, "Oh, but they are Japanese. There's nothing to worry about." That evening, Brown questioned whether the British were overconfident given Pearl Harbor. Officers conceded theoretically but remained dismissive. One replied, "We just don't think the enemy is much good. They could not beat China for five years." At 11:00 AM on December 10, Japanese aircraft struck. Three waves of Nell and Betty bombers from Indochina, after more than five hours aloft, approached from the horizon. With no air support—Phillips had maintained radio silence—defense rested entirely on anti-aircraft batteries. Nells attacked at 12,000 feet, dropping 250 kg bombs. Repulse twisted violently, evading most, but one struck her seaplane deck, killing two dozen men instantly. At 11:30, seventeen Nells attacked at wave-top level, focusing on Prince of Wales. Nine aircraft divided their approach, flying below 100 feet from both bows. The ship's inexperienced anti-aircraft crews, hampered by inoperable radar from tropical humidity, struggled to track targets. Once torpedoes were released, the planes sped away, losing only one aircraft.   A single torpedo struck Prince of Wales near the outer propeller shaft. When restarted, water flooded engine room B. Auxiliary power failed, halting drainage and causing an 11.5-degree list to port. Her 5-inch guns became powerless; she slowed to 15 knots, severely crippled. At 12:20, twenty-six Bettys attacked in coordinated "anvil" assaults with simultaneous torpedo drops on both bows. Repulse evaded initially but two or three torpedoes found their mark. One crew member recalled, "Suddenly there was a massive explosion. I immediately knew we'd lost Repulse, for within seconds she took on a frightening list to port, so rapid no amount of counter flooding would save her." Captain's last order: "You've put up a good show, now save yourselves." At 12:23 PM, Repulse rolled over and sank stern-first, her enormous hull protruding vertically from the water. Men jumped into oil-blackened water; many drowned during hours of waiting while destroyer escorts frantically retrieved survivors. Cecil Brown described it as "a confusing, macabre game"—orange flames, white tracers, and gray aircraft "astonishingly close, like butterflies pinned on blue cardboard." With Repulse gone, bombers concentrated on the damaged Prince of Wales. At 12:44, a 500 kg bomb struck between her stacks where wounded crew sheltered, causing devastating casualties. Men ordered to abandon ship faced drowning if trapped below deck. Destroyers rushed in to save swimmers, though HMS Express nearly capsized in rescue efforts. Ten Buffaloes arrived as Prince of Wales sank—too late. One pilot recalled, "After an hour, lack of petrol forced me to leave, but during that hour I had seen many men in dire danger waving, cheering and joking, as if they were holiday-makers waving at a low-flying aircraft. It shook me, for here was something above human nature." In just over an hour, the battleship era ended: 47 British officers and 793 men perished, including Admiral Phillips. Repulse's captain later acknowledged, "The enemy's attacks were undoubtedly carried out magnificently and pressed home effectively. The high-level bombers maintained tight formation and did not veer off course." By December 10, Krohcol reached Betong, just 26 miles from the Ledge. However, a Japanese ambush caught them off-guard near the target, forcing retreat when they were only a mile away. The 5th Division's regiment reached the Ledge by midday, dealing the Indians significant casualties. By December 13, Krohcol was pushed back to Kroh, the operation failed. Meanwhile, the 5th Division advanced south from Singora toward Jitra. Major-General David Murray-Lyon commanded the 11th Indian Division's weak defensive positions at Jitra's road junction, unaware that the critical Alor Setar airfield had already been abandoned. His forces—6th Indian Brigade holding a 10-mile coastal sector, 15th Brigade covering the road, and 28th Brigade in reserve—had sent two delaying detachments on December 9. On December 11, Japanese tanks overwhelmed these covering battalions, inflicting heavy casualties. Murray-Lyon committed his reserves prematurely, leaving Alor Setar lightly defended. That night, Japanese tanks reached the main position north of Jitra, with the 5th Division following. Heavy fighting ensued between Japanese armor and demoralized Indian troops. British defenses penetrated around 06:00, forcing successive Indian units to be overrun. Murray-Lyon repeatedly requested withdrawal permission. At 19:30 on December 12, General Percival finally approved. Due to poor communication and confusion, the 11th Indian Division suffered heavy casualties but disengaged by December 13, withdrawing to Gurun. The primary British defenses in northern Malaya had been breached, the 11th Division severely weakened, and the Japanese advance down the peninsula had begun unstoppably. Percival's first significant defense occurred at Jitra on December 11th, intended to push the Japanese as far north as possible and protect remaining Allied airfields. The Japanese quickly overwhelmed the Indian defenders, and Colonel Tsuji observed the engagement firsthand: "Our tanks were ready on the road, and the twenty or so enemy armored cars ahead were literally trampled underfoot. The enemy armored cars could not escape by running away, and were sandwiched between our medium tanks. It was speed and weight of armor that decided the issue." Major General Murray-Lyon commanded the 11th Indian Division. A World War I veteran, he had served with distinction in the Highland Light Infantry, earning the Military Cross for bravery in Flanders and the Distinguished Service Order for his actions at Moeuvres. The citation stated: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When the enemy attacked and penetrated the line after intense fighting and continual bombing attacks, by his courage and personal example he succeeded in driving them out and held his position against further heavy attacks with splendid coolness and determination." This was no desk officer, but a frontline commander faced with an impossible task. Murray-Lyon's division appeared formidable on paper but was severely compromised. It contained only two regular British battalions—the Leicestershire and East Surrey Regiments—with the remainder consisting of four newly raised Indian Army battalions and three inexperienced Gurkha battalions. The Gurkhas, though renowned as elite soldiers, were primarily composed of 18-year-old recruits fresh from deployment. Like all Allied forces in Malaya, the division lacked tanks while facing an enemy flush with armor. After only days of intense combat, Murray-Lyon sought permission to withdraw, convinced the Japanese forces greatly outnumbered him. Ironically, Yamashita's army was outnumbered two to one. The Japanese commander employed Blitzkrieg tactics inspired by his time as a military attaché in Berlin, coordinating air and ground forces with remarkable precision. His approach involved fast-moving tanks, bomber aircraft deployed as mobile artillery, and—most unusually—bicycle-mounted infantry. Prior to the invasion, Japanese planners decided bicycles were ideal for the tropical jungle terrain. Rather than shipping thousands, they seized bicycles from the local population. The offensive typically began with bombing raids on Allied defensive positions, followed by tanks smashing through. As defenders retreated, bicycle infantry continuously harassed and attacked, while coastal amphibious assaults flanked positions along the shore. Colonel Alfred Harrison of the 11th Indian Division reflected on the psychological toll: "Fatigue had stretched the men's mind to the limit and the moral ascendancy which the Japanese achieved in these few weeks included a psychic side. The troops were beginning to attribute almost supernatural powers to the Japanese." Yamashita had rehearsed these tactics extensively on Hainan Island, conducting exercises in amphibious landings, bridge destruction and repair, and jungle operations. The bicycle innovation proved revolutionary—troops covered greater distances more quickly with less fatigue, repeatedly outflanking British forces who found themselves pushed off roads and encircled. The rapid movements created a psychological multiplier effect; British commanders, mistaken about enemy numbers, believed they faced far larger forces than actually present. This "Bicycle Blitzkrieg," as it became known, echoed Mongol tactics—a single swift force striking multiple targets so quickly that enemies believed they faced several armies. Tanks were crucial to this success. The British had deployed no tanks to Malaya before the war, a fatal omission. Combined with bicycle infantry, Japanese armor allowed them to engage British forces before defensive positions could be established. Percival authorized withdrawal from Jitra, directing troops south to Gurun, but those defenses remained unfinished and the Japanese advance was too rapid. Percival later reflected in his memoir, War in Malaya: "This withdrawal would have been difficult under the most favorable conditions. With the troops tired, units mixed as the result of the fighting, communications broken and the night dark, it was inevitable that orders should be delayed and that in some cases they should never reach the addressees. This is what in fact occurred. The withdrawal, necessary as it may have been, was too fast and too complicated for disorganized and exhausted troops, whose disorganization and exhaustion it only increased." From the start, British forces stretched too thinly across a 14-mile front in challenging terrain—dense jungle on the right flank, monsoon-soaked rice fields and rubber plantations in the center, mangrove swamps to the left. Yamashita's concentrated attacks breached the line. Repeated retreats cost both personnel and equipment, as overrun positions offered no opportunity for evacuation and bicycle infantry prevented orderly withdrawal. The Jitra defeat exposed a fundamental strategic error: deploying under-resourced troops across Malaya's entire breadth rather than establishing a shorter, more defensible line further south, which could have shortened British supply lines while lengthening Japan's—a disadvantage the Japanese could not exploit. The Allied retreat continued southward to the Gurun area, though the chaotic withdrawal from Jitra itself inflicted more casualties than the fighting had—many frontline units never received withdrawal orders, while others became lost crossing the Bata River. Murray eventually fell back to the Muda River, establishing defensive positions along the Krian River some thirty miles south. Percival, increasingly desperate, realized his entire strategy had depended on holding the Japanese as far north as possible to minimize air threats to Singapore. The rapid Japanese advance made this impossible. Reluctantly, he ordered a general withdrawal south of the Perak River, while his field commanders pleaded for reinforcements they would never receive. Though Percival had an Australian division in Johor, he refused to commit them north, fearing a Japanese naval invasion further south could threaten Singapore itself.   As Yamashita's 25th Army advanced westward toward Penang, Japanese bombers subjected the island to daily raids. British command, recognizing the island as indefensible, evacuated European residents on December 17th—leaving the local Malay population to face the Japanese. Mrs Muriel Reilly's recollection captures the moment's bitter legacy: "it still hurts to think how the white race 'let down hundreds of similarly faithful servants who trusted in us, and looked to us for protection from the hated Japanese." The abandonment had strategic consequences. In their haste, the British left massive stockpiles of arms and supplies in Penang that fell directly into Yamashita's hands. More profoundly, local Malays turned against their former colonial rulers. Some historians now argue "the moral collapse of British rule in Southeast Asia occurred not at Singapore, but at Penang." Under subsequent Japanese occupation, Penang endured three years and eight months of hardship—food shortages, rampant hyperinflation from the "banana dollar," and systematic repression including comfort women camps and the Sook Ching massacres targeting Chinese communities the Japanese feared might become guerrillas.  The Japanese occupiers' fears about Chinese resistance were prescient. Among the Chinese communities of Malaya and Singapore, anti-Japanese sentiment had been building for over a decade. Since Japan's 1937 invasion of China, ethnic Chinese populations had viewed Tokyo with deep hostility. The Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931, followed by the escalating horrors of the Second Sino-Japanese War, had created a reservoir of determination to resist Japanese expansion wherever it might emerge. As British colonial authority crumbled, this sentiment transformed from passive resentment into active organization. The Battle of Jitra exposed a fundamental miscalculation: attempting to defend all of Malaya with an undersized army. A more strategic withdrawal to Johore would have shortened British supply lines while extending Japan's. As December ended, Murray-Lyon was dismissed from command—a casualty of circumstance. He had spent weeks preparing for the cancelled Operation Matador while neglecting proper defenses at Jitra and Gurun. At fifty-one, this decorated soldier, who had earned the Military Cross and Distinguished Service Order in the Great War, became a civilian during Britain's darkest hour. He was replaced by Brigadier Archibald Paris, equally inexperienced in jungle warfare, who paradoxically proved more effective by facilitating the retreat of Murray's division while inflicting unexpected casualties on overconfident Japanese units. By December 26th, the Japanese 5th Division and 4th Guards Regiment crossed the Perak River, preparing an assault on Kampar. This position was crucial—located halfway between Penang and Kuala Lumpur, its terrain was unsuitable for tanks and difficult to outflank, offering a rare opportunity to make a stand. Paris gathered infantry battalions, many composed of Jitra and Gurun survivors: British battalions from the Leicesters and East Surreys, along with Jat and Punjabi units including Sikhs. The 12th Brigade hastily dug trenches, strung wire, and cleared fields around Kampar's ridges to improve visibility. After three weeks of continuous fighting and retreat, the defenders' morale had collapsed. Colonel Alfred Harrison observed on Christmas Day: "fatigue had stretched the men's mind to the limit and the moral ascendancy which the Japanese had achieved in these few weeks included a 'psychic' side. The troops were beginning to attribute almost supernatural powers to the Japanese." The Japanese, by contrast, had grown accustomed to victory and approached each engagement with unshakeable confidence. Yamashita employed German-inspired tactics using aircraft as mobile artillery—vital in terrain where conventional gun placement was impossible. Engagements began with bombing raids on Allied positions, followed by frontal assaults to establish a line, then flanking maneuvers through jungle to encircle defenders. When the assault came from the western coastal roads, Japanese tanks struck the 12th Brigade along a three-mile rural stretch near Gopeng. Small arms and heavy machine gun fire erupted as infantry dismounted from trucks and spread into the brush. Some tanks advanced alone onto a bridge near Dipang, where they encountered defenders with Lanchester submachine guns and Bren gun carriers equipped with anti-tank rifles. Lt Colonel Ian Stewart noted the grim reality: "the anti-tank rifle made no impression against the Jap mediums, while their 37 mm guns went through our armour like paper." The Japanese tankers, closing their hatches in the oppressive subtropical heat—what they described as a "Turkish bath"—approached cautiously, aware of potential counterattacks. British defenders fired desperately at vision slits, their bullets ricocheting uselessly. A 2-pounder anti-tank gun destroyed a single tank, prompting Japanese armor to withdraw and wait for infantry support. Meanwhile, two hundred defenders on the opposite side prepared to destroy the bridge. Fortunately, Kampar's shallow water allowed most to wade across a mile downstream. Stewart's 12th Brigade had purchased time. The British established a strong perimeter around Kampar Hill, resembling a "goose egg" on the map. Their artillery, better supplied than the Japanese equivalent, was concealed in the jungle with two hundred rounds stacked beside each gun. The 15th/6th Brigades occupied the low ground where the road and railway ran through town. Unlike earlier battles where Japanese forces kept defenders pinned with close contact, Kampar's expansive fields of fire and terrain offered space to maneuver—a rare advantage the British would finally exploit. Major General Saburo Kawamura led the attack on Kampar with his 9th Brigade. On December 31st, he probed the 28th Gurkha Brigade entrenched on the hill. Japanese howitzer fire drew return artillery that effectively repelled their advances. At midnight on New Year's Eve, Lt. Colonel Augustus Murdoch ordered a 12-gun salute fired at the Japanese—perhaps a cheeky gesture. Seven hours later, Kawamura launched his main assault on the western side targeting the trunk road. The brunt fell on a newly formed British battalion, the Leicesters and East Surreys, under Lt. Colonel Esmond Morrison. The 48-year-old, though some dismissed him as a "polo-playing playboy," proved a serious soldier despite his peacetime reputation, frequently sharing front-line dangers with his men. Japanese infantry emerged from the mist carrying mortars. Mortar fire became intense—one casualty was a company commander whose jaw was shattered by a splinter. However, observation officers from the 88th Field Regiment pinpointed Japanese advances, unleashing devastating artillery fire. Colonel Masanobu Tsuji observed "a continuous stream of casualties coming back down the hill to safety, either carried on stretchers or supported on the shoulders of comrades who were themselves wounded." Japanese artillery pieces were covertly moved through secondary jungle to hide their positions. During the fighting, one of Morrison's lieutenants encountered Japanese soldiers in a trench, fired his revolver, and retreated. A gunnery driver named Walker, noticing a nearby Bren position overrun, exited his vehicle armed with a Thompson submachine gun and launched a surprise attack, forcing the Japanese to retreat—earning him a medal. Troop Sergeant Major Hugill, commanding an outlying observation post connected by field telephone, received a distinguished conduct medal for calmly calling in protective artillery fire while cut off. When the attack subsided, he encountered isolated Japanese soldiers who had captured a Vickers-Berthier machine gun. Hugill gathered five infantrymen and led a bayonet charge to reclaim it. Emergency commissioned officer Lt. Edgar Newland commanded a platoon of 30 men in one of the most forward positions. His platoon was surrounded for much of the battle yet successfully repelled numerous assaults over two consecutive days. General Percival specifically praised Newland and his men. Newland received a Military Cross; his platoon sergeant, Euan McDonald, received a distinguished conduct medal. After two days, Japanese forces captured part of Thompson's Ridge. Morrison ordered two platoons of Sikhs and Gujars to bayonet charge under mortar fire. Tragically, 34 soldiers died, including their 21-year-old commander, Charles Lamb, killed in the initial charge. Captain John Graham lost both legs to a grenade but continued encouraging his men, throwing grenades at Japanese trenches before bleeding to death—but they had retaken the position. Courage, artillery, and terrain proved insufficient. Yamashita decided to outflank Percival with seaborne landings on the Malayan west coast. He transported 40 small craft by rail to Alor Star and ordered landings near Telok Anson, 30 miles southeast of Kampar. If successful, he would cut off Percival's 11th Indian Division defending Kampar. Yamashita devised a three-pronged attack: the Imperial Guards Division would paddle down the Perak River into town; another force would approach from the west on landing craft entering from the opposite direction; a third would move up the Bernam River and march north toward Telok Anson. Lt. General Takuro Matsui commanded the landings. While Kampar held, 1,500 of Matsui's men crowded onto landing craft. One steamer towing ten craft went too far south, attempting the Selangor River defended by a Jat battalion with artillery. The Japanese were repelled, losing one to three craft before moving north. In Perak, four landing rafts ran aground on a sandbar and required rescue. A British patrol boat spotted them but left to report—no action followed. Percival later remarked: "unfortunately neither the navy nor the air force were able to take advantage of this unique opportunity." Despite setbacks, Japanese forces landed and advanced on Telok Anson. On January 2nd, they encountered the 3rd Indian Cavalry and 1st Independent Company under Stewart, equipped with armored cars and Thompson and Bren guns. They inflicted significant casualties but with only 250 men couldn't hold. Stewart ordered delaying actions instead. Telok Anson fell, leaving Kampar defenders at risk of encirclement. Although Kawamura's forces showed no signs of breaking after four days of fighting, Paris feared his main supply route had been cut. He requested permission from Percival to withdraw to the Slim River defensive line. Paris prioritized preserving troops over territory: "With no reserves in hand, we were still in a position of being unable to accept major losses." The 12th Brigade held while Paris organized the division's withdrawal. An unusual discovery emerged during delaying actions: Brigadier Stewart found the body of a dead European cyclist in British uniform. Earlier, a Punjabi sentry had shot a man on a bridge attempting to grab his Thompson. Both were likely German deserters from Vichy Indo-China's Foreign Legion, in contact with the Nazi embassy. The British Legation in Bangkok had warned of such infiltrators offering sabotage and espionage assistance. Percival was particularly struck by the German who tried single-handedly to disarm a sentry and seize a bridge. The 12th Brigade discovered another European body—a German political refugee and former mining engineer who had disappeared weeks earlier. Exhausted after three weeks of near-constant combat, the 12th Brigade continued delaying actions. Japanese air forces wreaked havoc on vehicles; Stewart estimated half his casualties—around 90 killed and wounded from 4,000 troops—resulted from aerial attacks. Stewart expressed satisfaction: "It had been an eminently successful battle," though it was more a series of brief skirmishes than traditional battle. Kampar fell when Telok Anson was captured. Percival might have committed Australian brigades from Johore or garrison battalions from Singapore, but concentrating forces at Kampar risked prompting Yamashita to attack elsewhere. The Kampar defenders retreated 30 miles to the Slim River. Tsuji reluctantly acknowledged Yamashita's breakthrough was impressive, if risky. On the east coast, defenders faced more resistance at Kuantan. Percival clung to the airfield, determined to deny the Japanese RAF facilities and limit their ability to strike at reinforcement convoys approaching Singapore. The first convoy from Bombay, carrying the half-trained 45th Brigade under Brigadier Horatio Duncan, was 24 hours away. The 22nd Indian Brigade, led by Brigadier George Painter, defended Kuantan against the Takumi detachment of the 18th Division. One battalion, commanded by a veteran of Kota Bharu, fortified the airfield with barbed wire and trenches. When Takumi's forces approached, the Japanese encountered 4.5-inch howitzer fire inflicting significant casualties. The defenders fought fiercely, each equipped with six grenades instead of two, creating deadly chaos. Tsuji noted the airfield "was obstinately defended," particularly at night when grenades rolled into confined trenches with devastating effect. Word reached the defenders that General Barstow's entire 9th Indian Division was retreating through Kuala Lipis-Jerantut-Raub. The 22nd Brigade demolished installations and prepared to withdraw, though their rearguard risked encirclement. One night, investigating his southern flank with Captain Ian Grimwood, battalion commander Cumming spotted Japanese soldiers climbing barbed wire meters away. Armed with a .455 Webley revolver, Cumming and Grimwood faced seven Japanese soldiers charging with bayonets. They fired as they were knocked down, killing all attackers, but Cumming suffered two bayonet wounds to his stomach. Grimwood dragged him to battalion HQ for first aid. As the airfield was overrun, Cumming ordered withdrawal. A grenade or mortar round knocked him unconscious. He regained consciousness in a vehicle where Private Albel Singh reported a Japanese roadblock ahead. Spotting a fallen tree creating passage, Cumming ordered Singh to charge through. Machine gun fire rained down; Cumming was hit again with a shattered arm, possibly from an anti-personnel mine, while Singh endured a .256 armor-piercing bullet through both thighs yet maintained control, driving 30 miles per hour. The vehicle arrived at brigade HQ covered in blood from six occupants. Cumming would receive the Victoria Cross for his heroism. Painter held the airfield long enough for reinforcements to approach, though it cost much of one of the best Indian battalions. Painter, fixated on flanking fears, believed it "better to lose half a battalion than an entire brigade." The 22nd Indian Brigade lost a third of its strength but retreated by January 3rd. While this unfolded eastward, Yamashita's forces advanced south. Defenders prepared a new defensive line at Trolak, five miles north of Slim River. Reinforcements had arrived; the 45th Brigade was immediately dispatched to repel the enemy's advance on Kuala Selangor, which held another crucial airfield. Whether defenders could withstand Yamashita's onslaught remained to be seen.   While British forces retreated in disarray toward Singapore, another chapter was quietly beginning in the shadows of the collapsing colonial order. On December 25, 1941—Christmas morning, even as Governor Young raised the white flag over Hong Kong—Chinese volunteers in Singapore formalized their resistance. That day, the Singapore Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army, officially known as Dalforce, was established under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Dalley. Dalforce emerged from urgent necessity. As the Japanese invasion accelerated and British defenses crumbled, recruitment of local Chinese volunteers escalated dramatically. What had begun as an informal volunteer effort in 1939 now crystallized into organized military structure. The initial cadre of 200 volunteers swelled to 4,000 members as the invasion reached Singapore's doorstep. These were not professional soldiers—Dalforce members came from the Chinese civilian population, motivated by the knowledge that Japanese occupation would target them specifically. Many lacked military training; some were armed only with sporting firearms due to critical shortages of military weapons. Supply ships intended for Dalforce, such as the SS Empress of Asia, were sunk before their cargo could reach Singapore. Yet the volunteers pressed forward, organizing themselves despite severe handicaps: makeshift uniforms, inadequate equipment, and internal divisions between Communist and Kuomintang factions, each trained separately by British officers. Dalforce would soon earn the nickname "Dalley's Desperadoes" from British forces—a name reflecting both affection for their fierce combat effectiveness and incredulity that such a hastily assembled, poorly equipped force could fight with such determination. Unlike the demoralized British and Indian troops retreating southward, these Chinese volunteers were not defending a colonial order they had experienced as oppressive. They were fighting for their homes, their families, and their survival against an enemy they had every reason to fear and oppose. As the Malayan Campaign entered its final phase and the focus shifted to Singapore itself, Dalforce would play a role that British military historians had largely overlooked but that Chinese participants would never forget. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me.   In December 1941, Japan invaded Malaya. British commanders placed their faith in "impregnable" Singapore, but disaster struck immediately. On December 10, Japanese bombers sank Force Z—battleships Prince of Wales and Repulse—in a stunning air attack.Using tanks and bicycles in a lightning "Bicycle Blitzkrieg," Japanese troops shattered Allied lines at Kota Bharu and Jitra, sending exhausted British, Indian, and Australian forces reeling southward in chaos.  

Carl Roberts, Nathan Blake and Lee Trundle step inside the mind of a struggling striker on this week's episode. Yousef Salech has had plenty of opportunities in from of goal this season, but a combination of factors means it's been a frustrating start for the Cardiff City front man. What can he do to end the goal drought? What can his team-mates and coaching staff do to help him?There's no such problem at Swansea City as front pair Adam Idah and Zan Vipotnik are finding the back in their continued strong start. Is the competition between the two one major factor in their success?And we couldn't let a discussion about strikers pass without asking Nathan and Lee for their favourite number nines, and getting them to build their perfect goalscorer. Is the pressure is mounting on Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson after a sobering defeat at West Ham, and how will Wales manager Craig Bellamy react to questions about his links with Burnley over the summer?

What will happen to Queen Camilla when Prince William becomes King? A new report claims Camilla is trying to improve her relationship with Catherine, Princess of Wales, because she fears losing her royal role, patronages and privileges after King Charles III's reign ends. Could Kate become Camilla's best hope of influencing William—and are old tensions between the two women finally being set aside?Meanwhile, Catherine returns to the Royal Marsden Hospital to thank the team who treated her for cancer and support a new holistic recovery center. Why did nature, nutrition and therapeutic care matter during Kate's treatment? We also examine her surprise appearance with Prince William, the headlines surrounding her lighter hair and their first official visit to the Isle of Bute.Plus, could King Charles revive Queen Elizabeth II's private Eton tradition by inviting Prince George to Windsor for afternoon tea—and quietly begin preparing his grandson to become King?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/palace-intrigue-harry-meghan-the-crown-royal-family-news-and-gossip--4522904/support.Palace Intrigue is a daily British royal family podcast covering King Charles, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Kate Middleton and the House of Windsor. New episodes every day. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network.

This week Gavin has been to see friend of the podcast Welsh Oli for the worlds longest game of golf. Dan is worried that AI will kill us all but already knows what he wants to be done with his remains. We praise Macklemore and hear about a pet alligator. We learn about sportsman who might become a king and have a quiz about sober people.   This weeks recommendations: I'll Be There_PINK : Reason, Mudy Tears of a Stoic : Sylvan LaCue Pure : The Lightning Seeds Hinds Hall 2 : Macklemore   Talk to us here : www.betherewithbelson.com Email : betherewithbelson@gmail.com Instagram : @betherewithbelson X : @therewithbelson TikTok : @betherewithbelson

Welcome back to Brave Bold Brilliant, the podcast where we talk to incredible people about their experiences in business and in life, gaining first-hand insight into how they've unleashed their potential to become brave, bold, and brilliant.  In this episode, host Jeannette Linfoot sits down with a genuine legend of Welsh rugby, Jonathan "Jiffy" Davies CBE, one of only a handful of players in history to captain his country in both rugby codes, Union and League. From his beginnings in Trimsaran, Carmarthenshire, Jonathan became one of the most gifted fly-halves of his generation, before making the bold decision to walk away from a successful Union career to reinvent himself in League, and then coming back to do it all again. ABOUT THE EPISODE Jonathan and Jeannette unpack 10 lessons in leadership and life shaped by his extraordinary journey: vision and values, working hard and loving what you do, failure and self-belief, resilience and mental toughness, teamwork and communication, adaptability and reinvention, treating people right, embracing diversity and inclusion, work-life balance, and the legacy he wants to leave behind. It's a conversation about what it really takes to reinvent yourself again and again, on the pitch, on air, and in business, while staying true to your values. ABOUT THE GUEST — Jonathan Davies CBE Jonathan Davies CBE (born 24 October 1962) is one of Wales' most celebrated dual-code rugby players, having achieved international success in both rugby union and rugby league. He played for Neath, Llanelli and Cardiff in Union, winning 37 caps for Wales, before his shock 1989 move to rugby league with Widnes, one of the biggest transfer stories in world rugby at the time. He went on to play for Warrington, the Canterbury Bulldogs and North Queensland Cowboys, representing both Wales and Great Britain, before returning to Union with Cardiff. Since retiring from the pitch, "Jiffy" has become one of the most recognisable voices in rugby broadcasting, working with BBC Sport, S4C, and covering the Six Nations, Rugby World Cup and British & Irish Lions tours. He also hosts his own Welsh-language chat show, "Jonathan," on S4C. Alongside his media career, Jonathan has moved into business development, and his long-standing charity work, particularly as President of Velindre Cancer Centre, for whom he has helped raise over £50 million,  earned him an OBE in 2015 and a CBE in the 2026 King's New Year Honours for his services to broadcasting and cancer charities. ABOUT THE HOST — Jeannette Linfoot Jeannette Linfoot is a highly regarded senior executive, property investor, board advisor, and business mentor with over 25 years of global professional business experience across the travel, leisure, hospitality, and property sectors. Having bought, run, and sold businesses all over the world, Jeannette now has a portfolio of her own businesses and also advises and mentors other business leaders to drive forward their strategies and their own personal development. She is a down-to-earth leader, a passionate champion for diversity & inclusion, and a huge advocate of nurturing talent so every person can unleash their full potential and live their dreams. ABOUT BRAVE BOLD BRILLIANT Brave Bold Brilliant is the podcast where Jeannette Linfoot talks to incredible people about their experiences of being brave, bold, and brilliant — experiences that have allowed them to unleash their full potential in business, their careers, and life in general. From the boardroom tables of big international business to the dining room tables of entrepreneurial start-ups, it's about overcoming challenges, embracing opportunities, and taking risks, while staying true to yourself. The podcast is listened to in over 90 countries worldwide and features founders, CEOs, athletes, and leaders sharing the real stories behind their success. ABOUT THE CHANNEL This channel brings you the full video episodes of the Brave Bold Brilliant podcast, in-depth, honest conversations with entrepreneurs, executives, athletes, and inspiring people from all walks of life, unpacking the lessons behind their success. Subscribe for new episodes on leadership, reinvention, resilience, and building a brilliant career and life on your own terms.

Something much bigger is being built around XRP, and the pieces are getting harder to ignore. RLUSD is expanding its liquidity and distribution through Spark's Stablecoin FX Layer. At the same time, the XRP Ledger Foundation is talking openly about writing TradFi primitives directly into the XRPL, including lending, infrastructure and agentic payments. Flare is experimenting with new ways to generate XRP rewards. Canton continues advancing institutional settlement infrastructure. And while all of this is happening, another XRPL project bites the dust. Then Washington enters a critical week for crypto as the CLARITY Act heads toward a major Senate vote. And we're going around the world: Trump in Ireland, the growing conversation around a reunited Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland challenging the future of the UK, Putin warning about Europe and Russia, and Trump declaring that whoever wins the AI race wins. The financial system is changing. The infrastructure is being built. And XRP keeps showing up in places that matter. At some point you have to ask: What are they building... and why does XRP keep ending up in the middle of it?

De regeringsleiders van Schotland, Wales en Noord-Ierland komen vandaag bij elkaar om plannen te bespreken hoe te breken met het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Daarmee is de onafhankelijkheidsdiscussie weer in full swing. Hoe kansrijk is deze nieuwe poging om zelfstandigheid te bereiken? En in hoeverre heeft premier Andy Burnham dit vuurtje zelf aangewakkerd? Daarover correspondent Anne Saenen vanuit Londen. (07:16) Dreigende blokkade Rode Zee De Houthi's namen de westkust van Jemen in en kondigden een blokkade af tegen Saoedische scheepvaart bij Bab el-Mandeb, de nauwe doorgang door de Rode Zee, waar een groot deel van de wereldhandel doorheen vervoerd wordt. Maar niet alleen de Houthi's zorgen voor dreiging: er is ook een opvallende opleving van piraterij die de doorgang naar de Rode Zee in gevaar brengt. Toeval, of hangt dit samen? Hierover arabist Leo Kwarten en Mirjam van Reisen, expert op het gebied van de Hoorn van Afrika. Presentatie: Sophie Derkzen

Everybody is talking about revival right now. But history shows the same pattern every time God moves, whether in Wales in 1904, on Azusa Street in 1906, or in Ephesus in Acts 19: the presence of God, the fear of the Lord, sin confessed, and idols dropped. You can't manufacture revival. You meet the conditions and God sends the fire.In this first week of a six-part look at Acts 19, we step into first-century Ephesus, a city where to belong was to worship Artemis. She was the goddess of security, health, wealth, and blessing, and the temple was the bank of Asia. When the Ephesian believers finally dragged their hidden scrolls of sorcery into the light and burned them, the word of God outpowered every other power in the city. These weren't new converts. They were established Christians who had kept old spells in the drawer just in case Jesus didn't come through. That's most of us. We don't throw out the old operating system; we install Jesus on top of it. Every hidden idol is a confession that we haven't trusted God with that part of our lives, and secrecy is the oxygen that keeps it alive.Pastor Darren names the idols of Southern California, including wellness, image, sexuality, entertainment, and money. The question isn't what to cut back on or put boundaries around. It's what God is asking you to burn. Name it, burn it, and fear the Lord.Part of our series Church on Fire: A Journey Through Acts. 

What happens when two storytellers from opposite sides of the Atlantic meet to talk about one of the world's greatest mysteries?In this very special episode of Time between Times storytelling with Owen Staton, I am joined by Natalie Huber Rodriguez, host of the Monstress podcast, for a fascinating journey into the world of Bigfoot and Sasquatch.But this isn't simply a conversation about whether Bigfoot exists.We delve much deeper.Together, Natalie and I explore the cultural, spiritual and folkloric significance of Bigfoot, looking at the very different ways this mysterious figure has found a place in the traditions and stories of Wales and among the Indigenous peoples of North America.What does it mean when generations of people tell stories about a mysterious figure living beyond the edge of civilisation?Why do stories of wild, human-like beings appear in cultures separated by thousands of miles?And perhaps most importantly…why do these stories still matter to us?Natalie brings her own perspective and experiences, while I explore the Welsh connection and the mysterious figure of Y Brenin Llwyd — the Grey King, a shadowy being associated with the mountains, forests and mist of Wales.And, of course, this is Time between Times…So we don't just talk about the stories.We tell them.Both Natalie and I share a tale associated with Bigfoot, allowing two very different storytelling traditions to meet around the same fire.What follows is a lively, thoughtful and sometimes wonderfully spooky conversation about folklore, belief, wilderness, spirituality, storytelling and our own personal fascination with these mysterious beings.Perhaps Bigfoot is a creature.Perhaps he is a legend.Perhaps he is something older — something that lives in the space between the known world and the wild places beyond it.Whatever you believe…there is something strangely powerful about standing at the edge of a forest and wondering whether you are truly alone.So come and sit with us for a while.Listen to the stories.Listen to the conversation.And perhaps, when you next walk beneath the trees…you might find yourself looking a little more carefully into the shadows.Because sometimes the oldest stories are the ones that refuse to disappear.And sometimes…the things we are searching for…have been watching us all along.Welcome to another journey into the Time between Times.Monstress Podcast With Natalie https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/monstress/id1857484552?i=1000789042917www.ko-fi.com/owenstatonOwen's website and contact www.welshstoryteller.com

In Sunday's edition of The Daily T, Camilla Tominey and Tim Stanley are joined by former education secretary Lord Gove, who explains how woke ideas and lazy trade unions have conspired to hurt the education of an entire generation. Lord Gove also dissects the latest Pisa rankings showing English students outperforming those of other home nations, including Wales and Scotland, and expresses his concerns that the current Labour Government will undo this progress.► Subscribe to our new Daily T YouTube channel: youtube.com/@dailytpodcast► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditorThe Telegraph is the Publisher Podcast Awards' Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026Producer: David LeveneSenior Producer: Emma WilliamsSocial Producer: Nada AggourVideo Producer: Jim SpencerExecutive Producer: Charlotte SeligmanEditor: Camilla TomineyHighlights:Michael Gove discusses England, Wales and Scotland's latest Pisa rankingsMichael Gove expresses his concerns the current Labour Government will undo the progress of England's Pisa rankings Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, MPs have voted against a fresh move to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. The bill would have allowed adults with fewer than six months to live to apply to be given help to end their life.It followed hours of debate and the result was close with 286 against and 270 in favour. Adam is joined by Ailbhe Rea, Political Editor of the New Statesman and Lara Spirit, Deputy Political editor of the Sunday Times to unpack the politics of the result and to reflect on the other big events in Westminster this week. Including the moment the new Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced a fundamental shift on the government's approach to Israel. Also, they discuss the news that Zack Polanski has been confirmed as the Green Party candidate for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election taking place next month, and whether the greens think they can win.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Cordelia Hemming. The social producer was Jem Westgate. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

In this edition of the award-winning podcast, Pod Save The King, Russell Myers, Royal Editor at the Daily Mirror, and Jennifer Newton, Deputy Royal Editor, discuss the tense fallout of the unprecedented letter issued on behalf of the King reiterating Harry and Meghan are ‘private citizens'. They also look at the differences between Prince George's first day at Eton and compared to his father Prince William's 31 years ago and how the Prince and Princess of Wales are raising their children away from the royal spotlight. Stay informed with the British monarchy, from the latest news to expert commentary, with the Mirror's Royal newsletter: https://www.mirror.co.uk/newsletter-preference-centre/?view=Solus&mailingListId=4b0cbed5-3f37-4486-86b2-57afe268814e&utm_source=solusarticle Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What a belter of a guest for our Second Helpings finale! The wonderful, charming and funny Rob Brydon came to see us midway through his huge UK tour back in 2021; he popped over to mum's for some spatchcock chicken, pecan pie (we recorded this episode on thanksgiving), a right old gossip and sing song. We spoke about Rob growing up in Wales, eating his grandma's custard tarts, his comedy heroes, favourite food spots in London, ‘The Trip', ‘mucus' topping ‘moist' as the worst word & life with 5 children! We end the episode with the biggest sing song we've ever had; mum's favourite way to spend an evening!Listen & watch Table Manners here - https://tablemanners.komi.io/Follow Table Manners on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tablemannerspodcast/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tablemannerspodcastFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/tablemannerspodcastYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TableMannersPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.