The creator of Mueller, She Wrote, Allison Gill, and former Deputy Director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, are documenting the federal trials of Trump. With the help of expert guests, they analyze court filings, letters, strategies, and regulations to take you through the Special Counsel process that could lead to the conviction of Donald J. Trump.

Jack Smith Testifies

Jack

UnJustified

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Jack Smith's Opening Statement and Core Allegations: Former Special Counsel Jack Smith testified before the House Judiciary Committee, affirming that he developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 election and willfully retained classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. Smith emphasized he made decisions without regard to Trump's political affiliation and would prosecute anyone based on the same facts, regardless of party. He condemned Trump's retribution against career prosecutors and FBI agents who worked on the cases.

Debunking the Merrick Garland Conspiracy Theory: Smith rejected Republican suggestions that Attorney General Garland opposed bringing charges or that Smith went rogue. He testified that Garland had the ability to countermand him but never directed him not to proceed. Their meetings involved discussions of legal issues, not directives about whether to prosecute. The Solicitor General consultation was Smith's choice to discuss Trump's First Amendment defense.

No Coordination with State Prosecutors: Smith firmly denied coordinating with state officials investigating Trump, including Fulton County DA Fani Willis and Arizona Attorney General Chris Mayes. He stated he never had contact with Willis or Nathan Wade, received inquiries from some state authorities but did not share evidence with them, and obtained information from public sources.

January 6th Committee Evidence Collection: Smith revealed that he had to actively pursue evidence from the January 6th Select Committee after being appointed, and his team collected materials just before Republicans took control of the House. Significantly, Smith disclosed everything obtained from the committee to Trump's defense team in discovery, undermining Republican claims that Democrats deleted evidence to hide information.

Election Interference Claims Refuted: Republicans alleged Smith interfered in the 2024 election by moving cases too aggressively, but Smith explained his actions were driven by the public's right to a speedy trial, not the election calendar. Regarding the 165-page immunity brief filed before the election, Smith testified his office had no objection to filing evidence under seal until after the election, but the court disagreed. The DOJ policy about avoiding overt investigative steps within 60 days of elections did not apply to filing ordered briefs in already-indicted cases.

Mar-a-Lago Search and Document Security: Smith defended the court-authorized search of Mar-a-Lago as proper and necessary, rejecting claims of FBI harassment. He testified that Trump never informed the Secret Service about storing classified documents, so they weren't knowingly protecting them. Smith dismissed the notion that documents were safer at Mar-a-Lago than elsewhere, though Judge Cannon's order prevented him from fully addressing security issues.

Why Only Trump Was Charged: Responding to weaponization accusations, Smith explained he was considering charging co-conspirators in the January 6th case but hadn't made final determinations before Trump won reelection and the office closed. Trump was the central figure, and the investigation had developed so much evidence against him that the case had to be streamlined. Evidence strength, not political targeting, drove prosecutorial decisions.

Republican Phone Records Subpoenas: Smith defended obtaining toll records (not call content) from members of Congress as legal and necessary because Trump chose to contact them as part of his scheme. Using Jim Jordan and Kevin McCarthy as examples, Smith explained these records were essential to establish timelines and corroborate witness testimony about Trump's actions on January 6th, particularly Trump's refusal to help when called by allies during the Capitol attack.

Evidence of Trump's Knowledge: Smith testified that Rudy Giuliani and Trump himself did not believe their own election fraud claims. During interviews, Giuliani disavowed numerous claims as "mistakes or hyperbole," including allegations against Ruby Freeman. Trump made statements acknowledging he lost, including "Can you believe I lost to this effing guy?" referring to Biden. Trump also understood the "red mirage" phenomenon in Pennsylvania but falsely claimed it as evidence of fraud.

First Amendment Does Not Protect Fraud: Smith repeatedly explained that the First Amendment has a clear carve-out for fraud, citing Supreme Court precedent. Trump was free to say he thought he won, even falsely, but not to use knowingly false statements to target lawful government functions. Smith compared the case to affinity fraud, where Trump preyed on the trust people placed in him to defraud them and the electoral process.

Supreme Court Immunity Ruling Not Exoneration: Smith clarified that the Supreme Court's immunity decision was not an exoneration of Trump's conduct. While the Court took a more expansive view of executive power than Smith argued for, his office determined after the ruling that the evidence remained powerful enough to proceed with the case under the new legal standard.

Criticism of January 6th Pardons: Smith testified that pardoning violent January 6th rioters who assaulted over 140 law enforcement officers does not make the country safer. He predicted that some pardoned individuals would continue to commit crimes, noting this had already occurred. He found it particularly wrong to pardon those who assaulted the law enforcement heroes who defended the Capitol.

Volume Two Restrictions and Judge Cannon's Order: Smith could not discuss the classified documents case (Volume Two of his report) due to Judge Cannon's standing injunction. He chose not to review Volume Two before testifying to avoid any appearance of violating the order. This prevented him from answering questions about interviewing Kash Patel or discussing internal deliberations about removing Judge Cannon.

Trump's Retribution Campaign Against Smith and Staff: Smith emotionally described how career prosecutors and FBI agents were wrongly fired by Trump, including one agent who was terminated two weeks after his wife died. Trump issued an executive order suspending security clearances for Smith's attorneys at Covington & Burling and directed termination of the firm's government contracts. Smith stated unequivocally: "I will not be intimidated."

Willingness to Testify Publicly: Despite the behind-closed-doors format, Smith expressed willingness to appear at a public hearing to speak directly to the American people about his investigations. He wanted to correct mischaracterizations about his work and defend the career professionals who were vilified for doing their jobs, emphasizing that attacks on public servants drive people away from government service and undermine the rule of law.

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Award-winning investigative journalist John Solomon, who helped unravel the bogus Russia collusion scandal, gives you his exclusive reporting and big newsmaker interviews. To get the unvarnished truth about what’s really going on in Washington, subscribe today to John Solomon Reports. To find out more go to https://justthenews.com

Lee Zeldin's EPA Revolution: Protecting Health and the Environment Without Sacrificing the Economy

John Solomon Reports

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Regulation of Phthalates in Plastic Production: EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced a groundbreaking regulatory action against phthalates, chemicals used to make plastics flexible in building materials, paints, and adhesives. Following a risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the EPA determined these chemicals pose unreasonable risks to workers and the environment, including endocrine disruption and reproductive health impacts like infertility. This science-driven decision relied on human health data rather than just rodent studies and will lead to regulations on dozens of uses of these chemicals.

Comprehensive EPA Transformation and Deregulation: Zeldin has executed massive regulatory reform at the EPA, accomplishing more deregulation than entire past presidential administrations did across all agencies combined. His philosophy centers on proving that environmental protection and economic growth are not mutually exclusive, contrary to the previous administration's approach. The agency has achieved approximately one major environmental victory per day throughout 2025 while simultaneously reducing regulatory burden.

Cancellation of $27 Billion in Questionable Climate Grants: Zeldin canceled all $27 billion from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and Solar for All programs that came from the Inflation Reduction Act. This included $2 billion allocated to an NGO connected to Stacey Abrams. The grants involved self-dealing, conflicts of interest, and unqualified recipients, with pass-through entities taking 15-25% cuts. Nearly the entire $20 billion has been frozen during ongoing litigation, with a recent 2-1 D.C. Circuit Court decision favoring the EPA's cancellation.

Elimination of California EV Mandate Waivers: Zeldin successfully reversed three Biden-era waivers that allowed California to enact tailpipe emissions standards and electric vehicle mandates, which other states had adopted. Working with Congress through the Congressional Review Act, these waivers were permanently disapproved, meaning future administrations cannot implement anything substantially similar. This represents both immediate regulatory relief and long-term protection against similar mandates.

EPA Workforce and Budget Reduction: Through an agency-wide reorganization, Zeldin achieved $750 million in annual payroll savings while modernizing operations and focusing on core statutory obligations. This represents ongoing taxpayer savings that compound over time, demonstrating the agency can accomplish more with fewer resources and a streamlined structure.

Mexico Border Sewage Crisis Resolution: Zeldin negotiated a comprehensive agreement with Mexico to address decades of raw sewage flowing from Tijuana into Southern California. After visiting the affected area in April and conducting a 90-day sprint, he signed an agreement in Mexico City that includes firm commitments for new projects providing a 100% solution. Implementation will occur through 2028, with projects completed in phases through 2026, 2027, and 2028.

Feed It Onward Food Waste Prevention Program: Zeldin launched an innovative program to address the fact that approximately one-third of America's food production ends up in landfills. Starting at Scott Air Force Base with "imperfect" produce that's healthy but doesn't meet grocery store dimensions, the program connects surplus food with military communities, homeless populations, and food-insecure families. The initiative has expanded to multiple states including Alabama, Florida, and Kansas City, creating a network for sharing best practices.

Revolutionary Early Voting Strategy for 2024 Election: Before becoming EPA Administrator, Zeldin ran a groundbreaking get-out-the-vote operation through America First Works (AFW) called Project 47. The effort targeted low-propensity and no-propensity voters—people who hadn't voted in 2020 or longer—resulting in approximately 3-4 million additional Republican votes. His team knocked on doors in 47 counties across battleground states, having actual conversations rather than just dropping literature.

Coalition Building Among Conservative Groups: Zeldin organized unprecedented coordination among conservative organizations, hosting meetings in Washington D.C. that brought together over 50 conservative groups and 80 leaders. This created a unified "America first coalition" operating as one ecosystem rather than competing entities, focusing on ground game strategy, voter security, and litigation coordination throughout 2024.

Low-Propensity Voter Engagement Success: The AFW operation engaged 4.7 million homes through door-knocking, with 1.2 million low-propensity voters who hadn't voted since at least 2020 going to the polls, plus another 2 million engaged through texts and emails. This represented a fundamental shift in Republican strategy, making early voting and absentee voting acceptable and effective within conservative circles, partnering with organizations like Turning Point USA (Charlie Kirk), Faith and Freedom Coalition (Ralph Reed), and AMAC.

Expanded Electoral Map Opportunities: Trump's significant improvements in traditionally blue states like New York, New Jersey, and Illinois (where he cut the Democratic lead in half) suggest potential for expanding the competitive electoral map in 2026. Zeldin emphasizes the importance of maintaining relationships in these communities year-round, not just during election seasons, and converting first-time Republican voters into ambassadors who can recruit others.

Diverse Coalition Building and Voter Realignment: The 2024 election saw unprecedented Republican gains among Latino, Black, Asian, Jewish, and Arab American voters, with Trump even winning Dearborn, Michigan. Zeldin, who is Jewish, personally accepted an endorsement from Arab American leaders on Trump's behalf in the Bronx. He stresses that many of these voters aren't necessarily Republicans but voted Republican because of specific issues, making it crucial to deliver on promises to maintain and grow this coalition.

2026 Electoral Strategy and Early Preparation: Zeldin emphasizes that Republicans must immediately prepare for 2026 midterms by maintaining the ground game infrastructure developed for 2024. He stresses the importance of conducting an "after action report" even after winning to identify what worked and what needs improvement, rather than only doing postmortems after losses. The key is engaging low-propensity voters through early voting mechanisms and maintaining year-round community presence.

Accountability for Weaponized Justice System: Zeldin calls for preserving files from Jack Smith's prosecutions and the January 6th committee to ensure full transparency about how the Justice Department was weaponized against political opponents. He emphasizes the need to learn lessons and implement reforms to prevent future administrations from appointing partisan prosecutors to target political opponents, ensuring such weaponization never happens again.

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Day 821 - Will Spain's Israel boycott set precedent for other countries?

The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

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Spain Implements Unprecedented Boycott Against Israel: Spain has enacted what appears to be the largest state-level embargo of Israeli products since the Arab League boycotts. The restrictions, which took full effect on December 30, ban imports and advertising of goods from the West Bank, Golan Heights, and East Jerusalem. The boycott also prohibits weapons trade with Israel (with exceptions for "national interest"), and vacation rental sites have been warned to remove properties listed in these territories. However, Spain created an exemption for Airbus due to employment concerns and essential defense technology needs.

Economic Impact and Precedent Concerns: Spain, the sixth-largest economy in Europe, imported approximately $850 million worth of goods from Israel in the past year. The greatest concern is the precedent this sets for other countries, particularly Ireland, which is working on similar legislation and imports about $3 billion in goods from Israel annually, mostly technology from multinationals like Intel, Google, and Microsoft. Slovenia passed a similar boycott in August, though its minimal trade with Israel made it largely symbolic.

Kiryat Shmona Struggles to Recover Post-War: The largest city on Israel's border with Lebanon is facing significant challenges in revitalization. Only 60% of residents have returned, with damaged roads and closed shops still prevalent. Despite these difficulties, signs of recovery are emerging: the tennis center has reopened for returning children, and a food and agriculture high-tech incubator reports five startups planning to move back. The mayor envisions a long-term renaissance with plans for a railroad and university expansion in 10 years, though he acknowledges this doesn't address immediate needs.

Israeli Emigration Reaches Concerning Levels: More than 69,000 Israelis left the country in 2024 (counted in 2025 statistics), following 82,000 who left the previous year. These departures are attributed to two years of war, political dissatisfaction, and frustration with the 2023 judicial reforms. The statistics only count people who spent most of the year outside the country, meaning most actually left a year earlier than the numbers reflect.

Immigration Shows Mixed but Optimistic Picture: Overall immigration to Israel declined from about 32,000 in 2024 to approximately 22,000-24,000 in 2025. However, excluding Russian immigration (which dropped from 40,000 in 2022 to 8,300 in 2025 following initial Ukraine war-related departures), immigration from other countries actually rose by over 20% to more than 13,000 people. French immigration increased 45% to 3,300, US immigration rose 5% to 3,500, and increases were seen from the UK, Canada, South Africa, and Australia, attributed to both antisemitism and Zionist motivation.

Israeli Scientific Research Demonstrates Resilience: Despite the war's challenges, Israeli scientists continue producing remarkable research. The Weizmann Institute, which suffered damage from a June 2025 Iranian missile attack, has maintained operations with scientists working across different labs. Recent breakthroughs include research on tiny organisms that can revamp their own RNA to survive extreme heat (also used in laundry detergents), and Technion research exploring how cancer properties might help treat heart conditions.

Diverse Scientific Community Advances Despite Adversity: The resilience of Israeli science is exemplified by researchers from varied backgrounds, including two PhD students from Tamra (a mostly Muslim village) and For Kama (a Circassian town where only two other women hold PhDs). Additional research includes work by a Portuguese microbiologist in Eilat studying microbes on coral reefs, which could serve as early warning signs for climate change impacts on oceans as they form the basis of the Red Sea food chain.
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Interviews with world-class product leaders and growth experts to uncover concrete, actionable, and tactical advice to help you build, launch, and grow your own product.

The high-growth handbook: Molly Graham’s frameworks for leading through chaos, change, and scale

Lenny's Podcast: Product | Career | Growth

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Giving Away Your Legos: The central metaphor describes how, in rapidly scaling companies, what you build (like building houses) eventually needs to be handed off to others so you can move on to bigger challenges (like building neighborhoods). This constant cycle of becoming good at something, giving it away, and moving to the next challenge is both the torment and opportunity of hypergrowth. Fighting this transition leads to being buried under responsibilities, while embracing it enables exponential career growth.

Managing Bob the Monster: All the negative emotions that come with change and growth—fear, territoriality, imposter syndrome—should be externalized as "Bob," whose job is to make you the worst version of yourself. These emotions are normal but not useful. The key is to acknowledge them without acting on them, and use the "two-week rule": anything that bothers you for less than two weeks is just Bob; anything lasting longer deserves real attention.

J-Curves vs. Stairs Career Growth: There are two career paths—the safe "stairs" approach of predictable promotions every two years, or the scary "J-curve" approach of taking on roles you're unqualified for. The J-curve involves a painful 6-9 month fall where you feel incompetent, but then leads to growth far beyond where the stairs could take you. The key is distinguishing between fears worth listening to (like financial anxiety) versus fears that signal opportunity (like "I'm scared I can't do this").

The Waterline Model: When diagnosing team problems, "snorkel before you scuba"—start at the surface level rather than immediately blaming people. 80% of team problems stem from structural issues (unclear roles, goals, or expectations) or dynamics issues (how the team works together), not interpersonal or individual problems. The most critical structural clarity needed: clear roles and clear expectations for what success looks like.

Six Rules for Creating Strong Goals: (1) No company needs more than three company-wide goals—Facebook ran on just three (growth, engagement, revenue) for five years; (2) One goal must win in a fight to enable prioritization; (3) Goals should be explainable to a new intern; (4) "Strategy should hurt"—if you're not making painful trade-offs, you're not prioritizing; (5) One goal must have one owner with clear accountability; (6) Goals alone aren't enough—you need processes to follow up and learn from them.

You Don't Need All the Answers: A manager's job isn't to have all the answers but to get good at finding them and bringing people together to discover solutions. Saying "I don't know, let's figure it out" is a strength, not a weakness, especially in rapidly changing environments where nobody truly knows what will work.

Don't Promise What You Can't Control: Avoid making promises about things outside your control (like job stability, titles, or smooth onboarding) when hiring or managing. These "letter bombs" will explode later and demoralize high performers faster than anything else. Be honest about uncertainty rather than creating false expectations.

Firing is as Important as Hiring: Even the best hiring managers are wrong about 50% of hires, which means getting good at identifying misfits and moving them out is critical. When someone doesn't fit, the kind thing is to act quickly with direct honesty. The guiding principle: serve the business, not the people—everyone benefits more from a successful company than from avoiding difficult conversations.

Invest in High Performers, Not Low Performers: Most managers spend disproportionate time on struggling employees when they should invest energy in high performers who offer 10x returns. Run experiments with high performers—give them bigger projects, less oversight, more visibility—to unlock potential and create "rocket ships" within your organization.

Culture is 80% the Founder's Personality: You cannot shape culture through consulting firms or value exercises—it's defined by the founder's literal personality, strengths, and weaknesses. Google felt like a PhD student paradise (Larry and Sergey), while Facebook felt like a 19-year-old hacker's dorm room (Mark). The job is to articulate and extend the culture the founder creates, not to invent a new one. Culture is what you do, not what you say.

Escalation is a Tool, Not a Failure: When two people of equal power disagree, they should escalate together to someone with decision-making authority rather than debating endlessly. This isn't tattling—it's efficient problem-solving. Management exists to unblock you, so use escalation as soon as you're stuck.

Grow at 50-100% Annually, Not More: Growing headcount more than 100% per year leads to duplication, chaos, and wasted resources. The happiest growth rate is 50%; 100% is manageable; anything beyond that creates a world of pain where you can't dedupe issues fast enough. More people doesn't make you faster—it often makes you slower.

Find Immovable Compasses in the Storm: In rapidly changing companies, find the things that never change (like the customer, the core mission) to anchor yourself. Expect instability as the only stability—assume you'll have a different job and different boss in six months. Focus on the two things you truly take away from any job: relationships with people who want to work with you again, and what you learned.

The Professional Idiot Superpower: Being willing to ask "dumb" questions in meetings is a superpower because most "dumb" questions aren't actually dumb—everyone else had the same question but was afraid to ask. Embracing being a "professional idiot" accelerates learning and brings clarity to teams, especially when navigating unfamiliar territory.

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The latest news in five minutes. Updated hourly.

NPR News: 01-04-2026 9AM EST

NPR News Now

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Venezuelan President Maduro Captured and Detained in New York: Nicolas Maduro and his wife Celia Flores have been captured by U.S. military forces and are being held in New York City to face federal drug charges in the Southern District of New York. New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani contacted President Trump to voice his opposition to the military operation, citing concerns about regime change and violations of federal and international law.

Political Uncertainty in Venezuela Following Maduro's Detention: Despite Maduro's capture, his allies remain in control of Venezuela's government. The country's top court has ordered Vice President Elsie Rodriguez to assume the role of interim president, creating uncertainty for Venezuelans both in the country and abroad, particularly in Florida's large expatriate community.

New START Nuclear Treaty Set to Expire: The final arms control treaty between the United States and Russia is scheduled to expire on February 5th. The treaty currently limits both nations to deploying just over 1,500 nuclear warheads and requires data sharing and inspections. While Russian President Putin indicated willingness to observe treaty limits for another year, it remains unclear whether a new agreement can be reached amid rising nuclear arms race concerns.

Swiss Bar Fire Kills 40 in New Year's Tragedy: A devastating fire at a bar in the Swiss village of Kramantana killed 40 people during New Year's Eve celebrations, with many victims expected to be teenagers. Investigators believe sparklers ignited foam on the ceiling. The bar's French owners face criminal charges including manslaughter by negligence, and the European Union is coordinating treatment for severely injured survivors.

Coalition Airstrikes Target Islamic State in Syria: British and French warplanes conducted an airstrike on an underground facility in central Syria suspected of storing weapons for the Islamic State group. This follows recent Trump administration strikes in retaliation for an attack that killed two U.S. troops and an American civilian.

Ukrainian President Zelensky to Meet European Leaders in Paris: President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to meet with European leaders in Paris on Tuesday as part of a U.S.-led push to end the war in Ukraine, following a meeting of national security advisers from 18 countries in Kyiv.
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Take a priceless journey into your life and the life of your money with the most recognized personal finance expert in the world today.  Acclaimed for her revolutionary approach to money, Suze Orman has garnered millions of fans whose lives have been transformed by following her unique advice.  In about 30 minutes, you’ll learn how to go within yourself to see why you are doing without and that you cannot fix a financial problem with money. 
Suze brings over 40 years of experience to help you be more and therefore have more.   If you don’t have the money you want in your life, subscribe now to one of the most popular podcasts in America and find out why. The choice is up to you.
New episodes drop Thursdays and Sundays.
Join Suze’s free podcast Community by downloading the Women &amp; Money App on the <a href="https://apple.co/2KcAHbH">Apple App Store</a> or <a href="https://bit.ly/3curfMI">Google Play</a>, where you can search past episodes, ask Suze questions (that if chosen will be answered on the podcast) take classes and communicate with each other and possibly Suze herself.

Suze's Mega Retirement Plan Strategy For 2026

Suze Orman's Women & Money (And Everyone Smart Enough To Listen)

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2026 Roth IRA Contribution Limits: The contribution limit for Roth IRAs in 2026 is $7,500 for those under 50 and $8,600 for those 50 or older (including a $1,100 catch-up contribution). You can only contribute up to the amount you've actually earned, and contributions are limited by income thresholds: singles can contribute the full amount if their modified adjusted gross income is under $153,000, with phase-outs between $153,000-$168,000.

Income Limits for Married Couples: Married couples filing jointly can make full Roth IRA contributions if their modified adjusted gross income is under $242,000, with phase-outs between $242,000-$252,000. Married couples filing separately face strict limitations—if you live with your spouse even for one day, you can only contribute if you earn under $10,000.

2026 Employer Plan Contribution Limits: For employer-sponsored Roth 401(k), 403(b), or TSP plans, the employee contribution limit is $24,500 if you're under 50, and $32,500 if you're 50 or older (including an $8,000 catch-up). Those aged 60-63 qualify for a "super catch-up" of $11,250, allowing total contributions of $35,750.

Mandatory Roth Catch-Up Contributions Rule: Starting in 2026, if you're 50 or older and earned more than $150,000 in W2 wages from an employer in 2025, all catch-up contributions must go into a Roth account. This new rule effectively forces higher earners to contribute to tax-free retirement accounts rather than pre-tax ones.

Employers Must Offer Roth Options: Because of the new mandatory Roth catch-up rule, employers who don't currently offer a Roth 401(k) option will need to add one, or employees won't be able to make catch-up contributions at all. This will likely push most employers to finally add Roth options to their retirement plans.

The 415(c) Mega Retirement Strategy: For high earners who have maxed out regular retirement contributions, IRS rule 415(c) allows after-tax contributions to employer plans up to $72,000 per year (or $80,000 if 50 or older). This limit includes your employee contributions, employer match, and additional after-tax contributions. By making after-tax contributions and converting them to a Roth through in-plan conversions, you can build a massive tax-free retirement account.

Action Steps for Listeners: Check your 2025 W2 wages to see if you're subject to the new mandatory Roth catch-up rule. Contact your HR department to ask if they support Roth catch-ups, allow after-tax contributions, and permit in-plan conversions. Consider consulting a CPA or accountant to adjust withholdings and develop a new tax strategy based on these changes.
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The FOX News Rundown is the place to find in-depth reporting on the news that impacts you. Each morning, Mike Emanuel, Dave Anthony, Lisa Brady, Jessica Rosenthal, and Chris Foster take a deep dive into the major and controversial stories of the day, tapping into the massive reporting resources of FOX News to provide a full picture of the news. 
 
Plus, every night, The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition brings you even more coverage of the day's biggest stories and on the weekend, you’ll hear everything that’s going on in the beltway with The FOX News Rundown: From Washington and special uncut, unedited interviews with The FOX News Rundown: Extra. 
 
Each day The FOX News Rundown features insight from top newsmakers, along with FOX News reporters and contributors, plus a daily commentary on a significant issue of the day. Check us out twice a day, every day.

From Washington: Could the House Flip Before the Midterms?

The Fox News Rundown

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Historic Possibility of House Flipping Mid-Congress: For the first time in U.S. history dating back to 1789, the House of Representatives could flip party control in the middle of a congressional session. This unprecedented scenario is driven by mathematical realities—the Republican majority is shrinking due to planned resignations (like Marjorie Taylor Greene leaving January 5th), upcoming special elections, and the natural attrition of members. The margin could become so thin that just five or six strategic departures from one party could trigger a flip.

The Math Behind the Narrow Majority: Republicans currently hold a 220-213 advantage, but this will drop to 219-215 or narrower after Greene's resignation and special elections. A Democratic runoff in Texas guarantees one seat will go to Democrats, while special elections in New Jersey, Georgia, and New York add uncertainty. Each vacancy requires a special election rather than gubernatorial appointment, as the Constitution mandates direct elections for House seats.

Elise Stefanik's Surprising Political Pivot: New York Representative Elise Stefanik shocked observers by abandoning her gubernatorial run and deciding not to seek reelection. Trump had nominated her for UN Ambassador but then gave that position to someone else. Her future plans remain unclear—she could be positioning for another Trump administration role or possibly a future Senate run against Chuck Schumer, though speculation abounds about her political calculus.

Special Elections Create Outsized Power for New Members: Special elections can produce unexpected results and give newly elected members disproportionate influence in a closely divided chamber. Historical examples include surprising Republican wins in typically Democratic districts during special elections. New members like Robert Garcia, who became top Democrat on the Oversight Committee in just his second term after Gerry Connolly's death, demonstrate how quickly power dynamics can shift.

Mortality and Institutional Knowledge: Democrats have lost five members to death in recent years—including Gerry Connolly, Sylvester Turner, Raul Grijalva, Donald Payne Jr., and Sheila Jackson Lee—highlighting how natural attrition affects the balance of power in a body of 435 people. These losses also erode crucial institutional knowledge on key policy areas like tax policy, defense appropriations, and health care, though new members can bring fresh perspectives.

Speaker Johnson's Tenuous Position: Mike Johnson's speakership depends largely on maintaining President Trump's support, with whom he has developed a good relationship. However, managing such a slim majority means every personality and vote matters. The challenge is compounded by Republicans having put "all their eggs in one basket" by passing essentially one major bill, limiting their flexibility on other issues like government funding and health care.

Constitutional Power Shifting to Executive Branch: Over the past 40 years, there has been a significant transfer of power from Congress (Article I of the Constitution) to the executive branch (Article II). This manifests in debates over tariffs, military strikes, and other actions that constitutionally should require congressional authorization through spending bills or formal declarations—powers that originally resided with the House of Representatives as the "power of the purse."

Potential Chaos in 2027 Congress: A "doomsday scenario" could unfold on January 3, 2027, when the new Congress convenes. If control of the House is unclear due to contested elections or an exact 50-50 split, chaos could ensue since the House must first elect a Speaker before members can be sworn in. The House is constitutionally responsible for determining who sits in the chamber, but without a Speaker, the process cannot proceed—potentially recreating or exceeding the four-and-a-half-day, 18-round Speaker election of Kevin McCarthy.

Legislative Deadline Pressures for Trump's Agenda: President Trump faces a tight timeline to accomplish his legislative goals before midterm election concerns dominate in 2026. Historical precedent suggests the "die is cast" by May, though major bills have passed as late as summer before midterms. The administration will likely pursue budget reconciliation to avoid Senate filibusters, but members will increasingly pressure leadership to campaign rather than legislate as November approaches.

National Debt Crisis Reaches $38 Trillion: Former Indiana Governor and OMB Director Mitch Daniels warns that the national debt has reached $38 trillion, with the government spending $6 more on older Americans than younger ones last year and $7,300 per household just on interest payments. Despite DOGE claiming $215 billion in savings (far short of Elon Musk's $2 trillion prediction), the Congressional Budget Office projects deficits will increase another $3.5 trillion over the next decade.

Politicians Fear Electoral Consequences Over Fiscal Responsibility: Both parties understand the debt crisis but refuse to act because, as one European politician put it, "we all know what to do, we just don't know how to get elected after we've done it." Daniels suggests term limits might help by removing the incentive for lifelong public employment, potentially encouraging politicians to take necessary but unpopular actions to address what has been called "the most predictable crisis in American history."

Social Security's "Noble Lie" and Coming Bankruptcy: Social Security faces bankruptcy by 2033, potentially requiring 25% benefit cuts. Daniels explains the system's "noble lie"—that recipients are simply getting back their own money—when in reality, most people receive far more than they contributed. With the ratio declining from dozens of workers per retiree to fewer than three (heading toward two), the system is mathematically unsustainable without major reforms including means testing and reduced benefits for future retirees.

Medicare Poses Even Greater Fiscal Threat: Medicare represents an even larger fiscal challenge than Social Security, though both should have been addressed 10-15 years ago. Daniels emphasizes this is "pure arithmetic," not ideology, and both programs will require "very unpleasant changes" to preserve any safety net at all. The Bowles-Simpson Commission made common sense recommendations years ago that were ignored by politicians of both parties.

Tariff Revenue Should Address Deficit, Not Fund Dividends: While the Trump administration claims over $200 billion in tariff revenue (with projections of $3 trillion over a decade if sustained), Daniels argues any revenue should go directly toward deficit reduction rather than "tariff dividend checks" to Americans. He expresses skepticism that tariff revenue will reach projected levels but insists it should reduce the deficit and preserve safety net programs if it materializes.

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Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

Margaret Atwood, writer

Desert Island Discs

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Early Life in the Canadian Wilderness: Margaret Atwood spent eight months each year living in the remote forests of northern Quebec during her childhood while her father, an entomologist, pursued his research. The family lived without electricity, running water, or modern conveniences, with only books, drawing materials, and the natural world for entertainment. She didn't attend a full year of school until age twelve, instead completing lessons quickly at home so she could explore outdoors.

The Dual Nature of Writers: Atwood describes every writer as having two beings—"the one who lives and the one who writes"—comparing it to a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde arrangement where she is the kindly Dr. Jekyll and the writer is Mr. Hyde. She must shift between these personas quickly, especially when interrupted during the writing process.

Wartime Childhood and Interest in Totalitarianism: Born in 1939 just weeks after World War II began, Atwood developed a lifelong fascination with totalitarian regimes, their rise and fall. Reading George Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984 at a young age deeply influenced her, particularly as she belonged to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights generation that emerged after the war.

Early Career and Market Research: Before becoming a full-time writer, Atwood worked various jobs including as a market researcher, where she would secretly write her first unpublished novel on company time. She didn't earn enough from writing to support herself until 1972, sixteen years after she started writing seriously in 1956. Her experiences at the market research company, including a memorable 35-page laxative questionnaire, fed into her first published novel, The Edible Woman (1969).

Harvard and Gender Restrictions: At Harvard Graduate School in the 1960s, female students weren't allowed into the Lamont Library because they might be "distracting to hard studying male students." While the library contained all the modern poetry, Atwood couldn't browse there but instead spent time in Widener Library studying witchcraft and sorcery—knowledge that later proved useful for The Handmaid's Tale.

The Genesis of The Handmaid's Tale: Atwood wrote the novel in West Berlin in 1984, surrounded by the Wall and experiencing the oppressive atmosphere of divided Germany. She initially thought the idea was "too weird even for me" but was influenced by her time in totalitarian-adjacent spaces and her rule that everything in Gilead had to have a real historical precedent—she wanted to prove she didn't make anything up from her "twisted, weird imagination."

Setting The Handmaid's Tale at Harvard: Atwood chose Harvard as the setting because it represented liberal democracy and free thinking in her time there, but it had begun in the 17th century as a theological seminary in the theocratic New England colonies. She believed this theocratic infrastructure lurked beneath America's surface, based on the theory that every country retains elements of its origins.

Reception and Renewed Relevance: When first published in 1985, some reviewers thought Atwood was being silly about America, while others asked "how long have we got?" After 2016 and Trump's election, the book gained new resonance, with protesters at the Women's March carrying signs reading "Make Margaret Atwood Fiction Again." Atwood notes that Americans are fundamentally "ornery" and don't like being told what to do by anyone, right or left.

Creative Collaborations and Adaptations: Atwood allows others to "play in her sandbox" because "you never know" what might result. A Danish composer knelt at her feet in Copenhagen asking to write an opera of The Handmaid's Tale, which premiered in 2000 and included "the only aria you will ever hear in an opera which is about the menstrual cycle." She also created a musical performance called "Hymns of the Gods Gardeners" to launch a book during the 2008 financial crisis when her publisher had no staff.

The Future Library Project: In 2014, Atwood became the first contributor to Katie Patterson's Future Library project in Oslo, Norway. Every year for 100 years, a writer submits a secret manuscript that won't be revealed until 2114, when trees planted for the project will be cut down to make paper for printing. Atwood finds it hopeful because it assumes there will still be Norway, people, readers, and trees.

Loss of Life Partner Graeme Gibson: Atwood's partner of nearly five decades was diagnosed with dementia in 2012 and died in London in 2019 during a UK publicity tour for The Testaments. He never lost recognition of people despite losing executive function, talked the family through the process, and remained conscious until his children arrived. Atwood continued the tour afterward because being with people was preferable to being alone.

Hope as a Human Necessity: Despite writing dystopian fiction and living through politically turbulent times, Atwood maintains that hope is "a built in human thing"—not passive optimism but the belief that through work, people can either prevent terrible things or help better things happen. She notes that totalitarian regimes don't last because they become unsustainable and often crumble from within.

</answer>

<div>The Truth &amp; Justice Podcast is listener driven show, devoted to the pursuit of truth and justice. Host, Bob Ruff, investigates potential wrongful conviction and cold cases using a unique crowdsourcing approach. Bob invites listeners to participate in the investigations, as he breaks down a new case in each season in real time. Truth &amp; Justice season 15 follows and investigates the potential wrongful conviction of Jodi (Joseph) Hill, and the divide between the people of Benton Harbor Michigan and the police force tasked with serving and protecting them.  
 
 
 
 

</div>

S17 Ep23: All the Updates

Truth & Justice with Bob Ruff

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Bynum Case Status and Investigation Strategy: Season 17 is approaching its conclusion as the investigation hits limitations due to the case being 26 years old with minimal original police investigation. Unlike cases with multiple leads to pursue, there was essentially no investigation beyond Chris Bynum's forced confession. The primary investigative focus now centers on the Gerald Matthews confession from 14 years after the murders, specifically tracking down notary Talia Caldwell and Roger Shannon to understand why Matthews made this confession and what actually happened.

Gerald Matthews Video Lip-Syncing Discovery: Analysis of the Gerald Matthews confession video reveals he appears to be lip-syncing to a pre-recorded audio rather than actually speaking. Multiple reviewers have confirmed this observation. Bob is seeking lip-reading experts from the audience to analyze what Matthews is actually saying in the video versus what's being heard on the audio track, as this could be crucial to understanding the true story behind this confession.

DNA Evidence and Remaining Leads: DNA testing identified Joseph Tidwell and Leon Preval, though Preval is now deceased. Tidwell remains in a Mississippi prison but is unlikely to cooperate. The investigation requires reaching Talia Caldwell through private investigators since she's been unresponsive to previous contact attempts and lives a plane flight away.

Plans to Interview Chris Bynum: Before concluding Season 17 coverage, Bob is working with Chris's attorney to arrange a recorded interview so listeners can hear directly from Chris Bynum himself and get to know the person they've been advocating for over the past six months.

Season 1-2 Updates (Adnan Syed and Ed Ates): Adnan Syed is home permanently after being resentenced to time served under the Juvenile Resentencing Act, though his conviction still stands with work ongoing toward full exoneration. Ed Ates was released on parole in 2018 as the first Texas prisoner released on a violent crime while maintaining innocence, is thriving with his family, and still working toward exoneration. Kenny Snow also received parole based on innocence and is back home in Ohio doing well.

Season 3 Update (Jesse Eldridge): Despite his brother Troy fully recanting his testimony on the podcast six years ago—the only evidence used to convict Jesse—he remains in prison. DNA testing is currently underway through the Conviction Integrity Unit and Innocence Project of Texas, with hope for results and potential resolution in 2026.

Season 5 Update (West Memphis Three): DNA testing of the bindings and other evidence from the 1993 murders of Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers was sent to labs in fall 2025. Results were expected in December 2025 or January 2026, meaning resolution could come within the next month after 33 years.

Season 6 Update (Sandy Melgar): Sandy's case has been taken on by the Innocence Project of Texas with DNA testing and other investigative work underway. Her daughter Liz Rose continues actively working on the case alongside content creators and investigators. The most recent detailed update was provided in an end-of-Season 16 episode featuring Mike Ware and Allison Clayton.

Season 7 Update (Jamie Snow): Jamie remains in prison despite overwhelming evidence of innocence, including recanted jailhouse snitch testimony and admissions that the DA offered deals for false testimony. Appeals have been consistently denied, and efforts for DNA testing haven't succeeded. Jamie has reconnected with his family through the podcast's work but his case remains frustratingly stalled.

Season 10 Update (Jennifer Jeffley): Jennifer, convicted at 15 based on a confession given without her mother present despite her mother's repeated calls to the station, remains in prison. An attorney who took the case pro bono convinced the family to stop media involvement, promising release within a year. Five years later, Jennifer is still incarcerated with no apparent progress. Her mother recently reached out for help again.

Season 12 Update (Pinyon Pines Case): Robert Pape and Christian Smith, convicted as teenagers for a family murder in California, have been plagued by delays in their habeas filings at both state and federal levels. California wildfires caused additional delays. Both have been model inmates for 10 years, earning multiple college degrees and running counseling groups. They crochet and sell blankets to afford protein and real food in prison, and supporters can purchase these to help them.

Season 15 Update (Jody Hill): The Michigan Attorney General's Conviction Integrity Unit took on Jody's case after Bob submitted the full investigative file and evidence proving her innocence. Jody, a trans woman in a Michigan prison, has had multiple visits from CIU representatives. Bob expects a resolution in 2026 given the active work being done.

Future Direction and Call for Cases: Bob is concluding Season 17 and will launch Season 18 as an interview-based season similar to Season 16, allowing time to find the right case for Season 19. He's specifically seeking cases with no existing attorney representation or media coverage—wrongful convictions from small communities where people have no voice or resources. This approach prevents conflicts with ongoing legal strategies and allows for more effective investigation and content creation.

Personal Sustainability and Mental Health: Bob completed 47 college credit hours this year while teaching and producing the podcast, leading to burnout. The interview-format seasons provide necessary mental health breaks from the emotional exhaustion of deeply investigating wrongful convictions while managing ongoing developments across all 17 previous seasons simultaneously. This rotation between intensive investigation seasons and more varied content seasons helps maintain long-term sustainability of the work.

</answer>

The daily news podcast from the BBC, Newscast dives into the day's big stories so you're never out of your depth.
 
Newscast picks the brains of BBC News experts so you're ready if someone picks yours, covering the latest developments in politics in Westminster and beyond.Follow the new Labour government led by Sir Keir Starmer. Who will win the race to lead the Conservative Party? Newscast will give you all the best insights from BBC News so you're across all the day's top stories. 
 
Newscast is hosted by trusted journalists including Adam Fleming, BBC Political Editor Chris Mason, Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O'Connell. 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.Catch Newscast seven-days a week and watch on BBC One at 23:40 on Thursday night or later on BBC iPlayer. 
 
GET IN TOUCH:
You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere
Send us a message or voicenote via WhatsApp to 03301239480
Email Newscast@bbc.co.uk
Or us #NewscastNewscast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Newscast also makes lots of other podcasts, including The Global Story, The Today Podcast, and of course Americast and Ukrainecast. If you enjoy Newscast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd
The Today Podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r
Americast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p07h19zz
Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm

The Keir Starmer 2026 Interview

Newscast

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Economic Performance and Turning the Corner: Starmer defends his first year in office, claiming wages have grown faster than during the previous government's first decade, inflation is dropping, and the IMF predicts the UK had the second-highest G7 growth in 2025. He acknowledges people's frustration with stagnant living standards since 2008 but insists 2026 will be "the year when we turn a corner" as government policies begin to take effect.

Rising Unemployment and Business Concerns: When challenged about rising unemployment and business criticism over increased employment costs from the autumn budget, Starmer argues the real question is what alternative measures critics would propose. He defends tax increases as necessary to stabilize the economy and invest in NHS, infrastructure, and childcare, saying these will benefit the economy long-term.

Unforced Political Errors: Laura Kuenssberg questions Starmer about recent controversies, including his welcome of British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, who had made statements denying the Holocaust and supporting violence against Zionists. Starmer condemns the comments as "abhorrent" and admits it was a failing in the system that he wasn't informed, though he defends handling consular cases for British nationals.

Closer EU Relationship Without Rejoining: Starmer reveals plans to align more closely with the EU single market on a sector-by-sector basis, building on the food and agriculture alignment already agreed. He rules out rejoining the customs union (despite previously advocating for it) and rejects returning to freedom of movement, though he supports a youth mobility scheme allowing young people to work and travel between the UK and EU for limited periods.

Asylum Hotels and Immigration Policy: Starmer commits to closing asylum hotels faster than the end of parliament deadline, saying he's pushed departments to accelerate the timeline. He defends processing asylum claims quickly and has removed 50,000 people since taking office. He criticizes the previous government for not processing claims, creating a "pool of people in limbo" at taxpayer expense.

Tougher Immigration Stance: The Prime Minister defends proposals to potentially deport children of failed asylum seekers born in the UK and to reassess whether countries have become safe for returns. He argues the refugee system has changed from individuals fleeing to the first safe country to people choosing between safe countries, requiring tougher measures on accommodation, assets consideration, and labour market access.

Ukraine Peace Prospects: Following a conversation with President Zelensky, Starmer says there's a 90% chance of reaching a peace deal, with 2026 being the year when "significant progress" could be made. He discusses advanced negotiations on security guarantees involving both US and European forces, noting military plans are in place and discussions focus on integrating American and coalition commitments.

European Defense Independence: Starmer argues Europe has become "over reliant" on the US for defense and security, saying the Ukraine conflict has exposed this weakness. He advocates for Europe stepping up on defense spending, collaboration, and cooperation including energy and cyber security, while maintaining the importance of the Euro-Atlantic alliance.

Trump Relationship and Venezuela Crisis: When pressed about President Trump's military action in Venezuela and capture of President Maduro, Starmer refuses to condemn it, saying he needs "all the facts" despite other UK politicians criticizing it as potentially illegal. He emphasizes the vital importance of the US-UK defense and intelligence relationship, acknowledging he and Trump have differences but "get along" despite coming from different political traditions.

Political Survival and Leadership Challenges: Starmer firmly rejects any possibility of stepping down, even if challenged after the May elections which Labour expects to perform poorly in. He refuses to return to the "utter chaos" of constant Conservative leadership changes, insisting he has a five-year mandate to deliver change and will be judged at the next general election.

The Reform UK Threat: Starmer frames the next election as "unlike any election we've seen" - a battle between Labour and the "very right wing proposition" of Reform UK with Nigel Farage. He argues the election will be about "what is it to be British," positioning Labour as defending diversity and compassion against Reform's "toxic divide," warning that right-wing governments move further right when they fail.

Challenging Brexit Promises: The Prime Minister directly attacks the "falsehoods" peddled by Nigel Farage during Brexit, noting that immigration quadrupled under Boris Johnson despite promises it would fall, the £350 million weekly for the NHS never materialized, and red tape for businesses trading with the EU remains. He positions Labour's EU reset as pragmatic rather than attempting to reverse the referendum.

</answer>

Millennial money expert Victoria Devine shares her foolproof tips for financial freedom.

From Financially Clueless to Confident With Money: How She Turned It All Around

She's On The Money

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From £1,000 to Six-Figure Success: The money diarist returned from a two-year working holiday in London with just $1,000 to her name, which became the catalyst for her financial transformation. She now runs her own occupational therapy business, earning $110,000 annually, leads a team of contractors, owns her home, and has just gotten married. She rates her current money habits a B+ compared to a D when she first returned from London.

Migrant Family Financial Background: Growing up as one of four kids under five with two migrant parents, she watched her father work multiple jobs and put school fees on credit cards to send all four children to private school on a single income. While this instilled strong work ethic values, it also created cultural expectations around sending money back home that she eventually had to set boundaries around as an adult.

Breaking the Retail Therapy Cycle: In her 20s, she and her sister developed unhealthy shopping habits partly as a response to family expectations about sending money overseas—spending money before it could be requested. This culminated in discovering an entire spare room full of unworn clothes and shoes when they moved house, which became a wake-up call about their spending patterns.

The HECS Debt Surprise in London: While working overseas, she was caught by rule changes requiring expats to pay off their HECS debt and submit tax returns. Despite earning good money as an occupational therapist in London, she ended up paying $10,000 toward her HECS debt over two years, significantly depleting the savings she'd planned to bring back to Australia.

Strategic Business Building: Rather than jumping straight into self-employment, she spent two and a half years building her occupational therapy business part-time while maintaining a two-day-a-week government role. This approach allowed her to grow the business with minimal risk and secure her mortgage before fully transitioning to self-employment in February 2024—demonstrating the importance of strategic career transitions.

Navigating Mortgage Applications as a New Business Owner: She learned the hard way that becoming a sole trader during the mortgage approval process could jeopardize the entire application, as lenders can revoke pre-approvals if circumstances change. Her accountant and broker advised her to delay disclosing her business plans until after settlement, highlighting the complications self-employment can create for home loans.

Smart Home Purchase and Equity Growth: In mid-2023, she and her husband purchased a two-bedroom duplex on 380 square meters for $669,000. The property has since appreciated to $850,000, allowing them to refinance at a better interest rate and redraw $20,000 ($10,000 for paying off a car loan and $10,000 for home improvements and wedding expenses) while still maintaining equity and keeping their debt at $660,000.

Wedding on a Budget (Sort Of): Knowing they'd receive minimal financial help from parents, the couple planned and saved for an 18-month engagement, setting a $40,000-$45,000 budget for their destination wedding in the Philippines. Using a detailed wedding spreadsheet to track expenses, they ultimately spent $52,000 including flights and accommodation, with splurges on items like a custom dress and $1,200+ Jimmy Choo shoes that proved beautiful but uncomfortable.

Building a Diversified Investment Strategy: Working with a financial advisor who costs $90 per month (partially paid through super), they invest $400 monthly into a diversified portfolio of ETFs and bonds through CFS, plus an additional $25 weekly into Raiz. Rather than aggressively paying down their mortgage, they've chosen to diversify their wealth-building approach, prioritizing long-term investment returns alongside homeownership.

Comprehensive Insurance Protection: Despite initial resistance from her husband about the $150-$200 monthly cost, she successfully advocated for comprehensive insurance coverage including TPD and life insurance. Working in occupational therapy and seeing accidents and permanent disabilities firsthand, she understands the importance of policies that pay out if you can't work in your specific profession, not just any job.

Planning for Self-Employed Maternity Leave: As they plan to start a family next year, she's grappling with the reality of having to fund her own maternity leave as a business owner. Unlike friends who can take one to two years off with employer-paid leave, she's planning a shorter break and expects to work part-time from around three months postpartum, balancing the flexibility of business ownership with financial necessity.

The Role of Financial Education and Professional Support: Her transformation was driven by consuming financial literacy content (particularly the She's On The Money podcast), implementing free budgeting tools and spreadsheets, and investing in a team of professionals including a bookkeeper, accountant, and financial advisor. This multi-pronged approach to financial education has been key to moving from a D to a B+ money grade.

FOMO as the Biggest Money Challenge: Despite toning down her shopping habits to one luxury item per year, she identifies FOMO as her worst money habit. With half her friends having kids and the other half traveling extensively, she budgets for international holidays annually and sees travel as a motivator to keep working hard, though her husband has requested she tone this down after starting a family.

</answer>

Russia, behind the headlines as well as in the shadows. This podcast is the audio counterpart to Mark Galeotti's blog of the same name, a place where "one of the most informed and provocative voices on modern Russia", can talk about Russia historical and (more often) contemporary, discuss new books and research, and sometimes talk to other Russia-watchers. If you'd like to keep the podcast coming and generally support my work, or want to ask questions or suggest topics for me to cover, do please contribute to my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/InMoscowsShadows The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is <a href="https://www.conducttr.com/">Conducttr</a>, which provides software for innovative and immersive crisis exercises in hybrid warfare, counter-terrorism, civil affairs and similar situations.

In Moscow's Shadows 230: The Rise and Fall of a Chechen Gang

In Moscow's Shadows

<answer>
Budanov's Appointment as Zelensky's Chief of Staff: Kyrylo Budanov, former head of Ukrainian military intelligence, has been appointed to replace Andrey Yermak as chief of staff. While Budanov has a hawkish reputation, he is "Washington D.C. proximate" and has recently made more sober, realistic statements about Ukraine's situation. His acceptance of this position suggests he believes a reasonable negotiated outcome is possible, rather than either humiliating capitulation or endless war. There's concern about having a "securocrat" in this role, but a good intelligence officer understands the importance of providing accurate truth to political leadership.

The Venezuela Crisis and Russia's Response: The U.S. operation to remove Maduro from Venezuela has prompted mixed Russian reactions. Some view it as humiliation for Moscow, others see it as creating moral equivalence between superpowers. However, Russia never considered Maduro a protected client like Assad or Yanukovych. Putin has been pulling back from wider imperial pretensions since 2022 to focus on Ukraine, and has adopted a transactional, compartmentalized approach to U.S. relations. Russian commentators have hypocritically criticized the operation as violating international law, which serves Moscow's narrative that all powers are self-interested hypocrites.

Contested Drone Attacks and Information Warfare: Russia claims Ukraine launched 91 drones at Putin's Valdai residence, though U.S. intelligence says this targeted a different military facility in Novgorod region. The concern is that Russia may genuinely believe it was an assassination attempt on Putin, creating dangerous misperceptions. A separate drone attack on a bar and hotel in occupied Horli killed 27 people; Ukraine initially didn't respond, then claimed it was a military target. The Western press's limited coverage of this incident is being noted by Russians, feeding nationalist outrage.

Impact of Violence on Russian Public Opinion: While drone attacks contribute to the Kremlin's narrative justifying the war, they simultaneously demonstrate the Kremlin's inability to master Ukraine. A vocal minority of ultra-nationalists are developing a critique that Putin is being too restrained in the conflict. If peace negotiations occur, these nationalists may create a "stab in the back" myth claiming Russia could have achieved more with greater aggression. This poses a potential future risk for Putin's political position.

The Origins of the Lazanskaya Brigada: The Chechen organized crime group began with two Chechen students in late 1970s Moscow—Khoz Ahmed Nukhayev (Khoza) and Mavlady Atlangariev (Ruslan)—both sons of families deported by Stalin. They initially targeted foreign students involved in currency speculation and black market activities, knowing victims couldn't report crimes to police. After being arrested and imprisoned, they emerged in 1988 as seasoned gangsters, perfectly positioned to exploit Gorbachev's collapsing reforms and the emerging cooperative movement.

Rise During Soviet Collapse: During 1988-1991, as the Soviet system disintegrated, Nukhayev and Atlangariev built their gang by recruiting fellow Chechens, each bringing existing criminal businesses or valuable contacts. They took over the Lasagna restaurant on Pitnitskaya Street as their base, giving the gang its name. Their activities included protection racketeering of cafes and casinos, targeting Berioska hard-currency shops, luxury car theft, contract killings, and kidnapping black market entrepreneurs for ransom.

Reputation for Extreme Violence: The Chechens established a reputation for being "especially quick to turn to violence and implacable" compared to other gangs. In 1988, 30 Lazanskaya members stormed a restaurant to attack 15 members of the rival Baumanskaya gang, with both leaders personally participating—unusual for gang bosses. This demonstrated their willingness to take risks and their adherence to macho North Caucasus traditions. Other gangs decided not to clash with them, recognizing their unpredictability and refusal to be "reasonable" in the way other gangsters would be.

Legal Manipulation and Chechen Autonomy: Nukhayev was sentenced to eight years but freed after only 18 months when corrupt Chechen police officers transferred him to Grozny, where the Chechen Supreme Court annulled his conviction. This exemplified how Chechen authorities exploited their nominal status within the Soviet/Russian system to undermine central authority. Similar tactics were used with the Chechen State Bank to defraud the central bank of billions through false documentation, demonstrating systemic weakness that Moscow couldn't address while maintaining the fiction of a unitary state.

Disregard for Criminal Code and Escalating Conflicts: Despite playing up to traditional criminal codes while in prison, the Lazanskaya showed no respect for the Vorovskoy Mir (thieves' world) traditions about dispute resolution and respect for established criminal hierarchs. They turned negotiation meetings into armed ambushes and even attacked senior Vory v Zakone including Shakro Molodoy. This created a threat to the collective criminal status quo, causing major Slavic gangs to coordinate against them while the Chechens allied with other Caucasus gangs, risking an ethnic civil war within the Russian underworld.

Connection to Oligarchs and Political Protection: The gang appeared to establish ties with oligarch Boris Berezovsky, particularly after Magomed Ismailov joined Berezovsky's Avtovaz security department, after which the car business became immune to protection racketeering. Whether real or rumored, this perceived alliance with Berezovsky made the Chechens more formidable but also more politically sensitive, attracting attention from the FSK (predecessor to FSB) who were concerned about the violence, threats to allied Slavic gangs, and potential links to Chechen separatism.

Fragmentation During the First Chechen War: The 1994-1996 Chechen War proved catastrophic for gang cohesion. Nukhayev supported Dudaev's breakaway regime and became a brigadier general of Ichkeria, while Suleymanov supported anti-Dudaev forces and was eventually killed. Atlangariev tried to stay neutral as a mediator but failed. With leaders absent or divided, and facing coordinated opposition from unified Russian gangs backed by the FSK, the Lazanskaya was gradually ground down, losing its organizational coherence and territorial control.

Nukhayev's Failed Legitimization and the Klebnikov Murder: Nukhayev attempted to reinvent himself as a legitimate political actor, working with nationalist philosopher Alexander Dugin's Eurasia Party and proposing a division of Chechnya. However, Paul Klebnikov's 2003 book "Conversation with a Barbarian" based on interviews with Nukhayev embarrassed and derailed these plans. In 2004, Klebnikov was gunned down in Moscow, likely on Nukhayev's orders. Notably, a criminal gathering (skhodka) had to approve this killing because there was an understanding not to target foreigners, but they decided Klebnikov had acted sufficiently "Russian" to justify it.

Final Collapse and the Politkovskaya Assassination: Nukhayev disappeared in 2004, likely killed by rivals or the FSB. The gang's final major act was the 2006 assassination of journalist Anna Politkovskaya, orchestrated by Lomali Gaitukayev and carried out by the Makhmudov brothers, likely commissioned by Ramzan Kadyrov as a "gift" to Putin. This proved deeply embarrassing to Putin and provided justification for further crackdowns. Atlangariev disappeared in 2008, and by 2010, with life sentences for those involved in the Politkovskaya killing, the Lazanskaya was effectively finished.

Contemporary Chechen Criminal Networks Under Kadyrov's Control: Today's Chechen organized crime in Russia is "house trained" and controlled, coordinated through Moscow's Presidential Hotel where official Chechen representatives and criminal leaders resolve disputes. However, if Kadyrov dies or loses power—increasingly likely given reports of serious illness—this orderly arrangement may collapse. Since 2022, sanctions and economic restructuring have pressured the criminal status quo, and Kadyrov's demise could be the spark igniting wider criminal conflagration, particularly as a new generation of Chechens returning from the war may have regained the dangerous "edge" their predecessors lost.

Future Implications for Russia and Europe: A new generation of young Chechens, many having served in units like Akhmat doing looting and racketeering behind frontlines rather than actual fighting, may bring their wartime skills back to Russia or migrate to Europe. There are already signs of renewed Chechen versus local drug gang conflicts in Europe, including incidents in Hamburg involving teenage hitmen. Chechnya remains a safe haven for criminal activities, with connections to the UAE facilitating operations. The Chechen model of combining violence, clannishness, political involvement, and ethnic community protection could influence other criminal groups, representing a concerning development for both Russian and European security.
</answer>

Everything you need to know about your world in 10 minutes. Go straight to the source with a ten-minute news briefing by Reuters frontline journalists. Join host Kim Vinnell as she takes you around the world every weekday.

Venezuela: Maduro in NY custody, Caracas defiance and oil

Reuters World News 

<answer>
Maduro's Dramatic Capture and Detention: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was seized in a U.S. military raid on Caracas and transported to New York in handcuffs and blindfolds. Verified footage shows him in custody at the DEA headquarters, and he's now being held in a detention center facing federal charges including narco-terrorism and conspiracy, with a court appearance scheduled in Manhattan.

Trump's Controversial Justification and Plans: President Trump announced the U.S. will "run the country" until a safe transition can occur, citing drugs and terrorism as reasons for Maduro's removal. He indicated boots were on the ground at high levels and suggested U.S. military leadership, including the Secretary of State, Defense, and Joint Chiefs chairman, would oversee Venezuela temporarily.

Contradictory Messages from Venezuelan Officials: While Trump claimed Vice President Delcy Rodriguez spoke cooperatively with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and said she'd "do whatever you need," Rodriguez later appeared on Venezuelan state television with a completely different message, declaring Maduro the only legitimate president and accusing the U.S. of attempting to seize Venezuela's natural resources.

Opposition Leader Sidelined Despite Election Claims: Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader who won the Nobel Peace Prize and claims to have won the 2024 election (backed by U.S. and international observers), was dismissed by Trump as not having "the respect" to be part of the transition, despite her statement that the opposition was ready to take power.

International Law Concerns and Geopolitical Risks: Many Western allies called for respecting international law and diplomatic resolution, while experts warn this action could set a dangerous precedent. Countries like Russia and China might point to this intervention as justification for their own actions against neighbors, potentially undermining U.S. criticism of Russia's Ukraine invasion.

Limited Public Support at Home: A Reuters poll showed only one in five U.S. voters would support military action to remove Maduro, suggesting the intervention could translate into significant political risk for Trump and his party domestically.

Oil Motivations and Long-Term Market Impact: While Venezuela sits on the world's largest oil reserves, immediate market impact is minimal since an oil embargo already reduced exports to under 100,000 barrels per day from Chevron. Experts warn that restoring Venezuela's oil production to its potential could take years and hundreds of billions of dollars in investment, similar to post-conflict situations in Iraq and Libya that still haven't reached their full capacity.

</answer>

James Delingpole interviews the world’s most fascinating people.

James & Dick Christmas Show 2025

The Delingpod: The James Delingpole Podcast

<answer>
Opening Prayer and Spiritual Protection: The live Christmas show begins with the Lord's Prayer, which James explains is used because it acts like "napalm" against demonic entities. A friend with the ability to see low-grade demonic beings helped them test various prayers, and the Lord's Prayer proved most effective at destroying these entities that feed on negative emotions like anger and depression. Dick discusses his Orthodox Christian journey and notes that in Orthodox tradition, the prayer says "deliver us from the evil one" rather than just "evil."

Gifts from Russia and Tsarist Christian Fighters: James presents Dick with military patches from Russia featuring Jesus and the text "For Truth, Tsar and Freedom" in Russian. These are worn by Tsarist Christians, a hardcore religious faction making up about 3% of Russia's population. James recounts meeting Vlad, a 6'5" Siberian who kept a pet black wolf, had six sons, and wrestled bears, exemplifying the serious Christianity of these Russian fighters on missions to the Donbass.

Orthodox Christianity and Traditional Worship: Dick describes his conversion to Orthodox Christianity, attending a small 12th century chapel in Worcestershire with about 12 congregants. He explains Orthodox practices including standing throughout services, extensive crossing oneself (head, belly, right shoulder, then left shoulder), venerating icons, and viewing Orthodoxy as the "raw milk" version of Christianity compared to more diluted modern denominations. He gifts James a book about everyday miracles experienced by Orthodox monks.

Churchill as Greater Evil Than Hitler: James reveals he has reached the point where he believes Churchill was more evil than Hitler, based on reading "Two World Wars and Hitler." He explains Hitler was deliberately selected by British and American intelligence because they wanted an unstable demagogue who could destroy Germany. The plan involved crushing Germany in WWI and finishing the job in WWII. An American intelligence asset named Putsie Haenfstaengl was sent to groom and train Hitler, even writing Nazi marching songs and teaching Hitler his dramatic arm movements.

The Orchestrated World Wars: Both world wars were planned by the Milner group (Cecil Rhodes, Alfred Milner, Arthur Balfour, Churchill and others) who controlled media and academia to ensure their narrative became accepted history. They owned The Times through editor Geoffrey Dawson for propaganda purposes and controlled history departments at Oxford to ensure only their version of events was taught. James argues this is why British schoolchildren still learn false narratives about Hitler and WWI causes.

The Complicity of Ordinary People: James reflects on attending a funeral where he was surrounded by his old friends who are "Illuminati adjacent" - including senior cabinet ministers, actors, newspaper editors, and court historians. He realizes most people, even those complicit in the system, don't actually understand what they're doing or their role in perpetuating evil. They're just living their lives without the deep analysis that characterizes the "awake" community. James concludes the Christian response should be to love them and let God judge.

Media Manipulation and Narrative Control: Using current Daily Telegraph headlines as examples, James demonstrates how quickly he can parse through newspaper propaganda, noting stories about politicians are meaningless theater since it's already predetermined that Farage will be next Prime Minister. He criticizes a Church of England dean who wrote that "Christmas jumpers are tasteless and God is tasteless too," arguing this contradicts the beauty evident in God's creation like lilies and parrots.

Miracles and Prayer Effectiveness: James shares the story of Donna, a podcast listener who was scheduled for a mastectomy but after the community prayed for her, ended up with a different surgeon who saved her breast with just a lumpectomy. He also discusses the Orthodox practice of saying Psalm 51 and the Nicene Creed when searching for lost things, recounting a story from his book about a mysteriously recovered rare Bible.

Michelle's Osteopathic Healing Work: Dick praises Michelle, an osteopath who was cancelled by her professional association for her alternative healing methods but has since helped numerous people, including those who were suicidal. She specializes in trauma work with babies, treats "hopeless cases," and is expanding her work to help rescue trafficked women internationally. Her career has flourished since connecting with the podcast's community of "weirdos."

The Importance of Community Connection: Both James and Dick emphasize that these live events are primarily about making connections within the awakened community. They encourage attendees to meet each other, network, and build relationships. Dick notes that you often meet people who have solutions to problems you didn't even know you had, making these face-to-face gatherings invaluable.

Russian Church Experience and Veneration of Saints: James describes visiting Saint Matrona in Moscow, the most beloved saint for her healing powers. He joined a 45-minute queue to venerate her icon, then was allowed to skip the 90-minute queue to venerate her actual bones because he was a foreign visitor. He notes that Russians queuing for an hour and a half see it as part of the spiritual practice, not a burden.

Invitations to Church Services: James invites attendees to join him for communion at Charwelton Church the next morning at 9:15am, describing the isolated location accessible through fields with gates and cows. He's arranged for hymns including "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," "In the Bleak Midwinter," and "Hills of the North Rejoice," plus an organist rather than recorded music. There's also a candlelit Christmas carol service at 3pm in a different location.
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Der Podcast von Journalist und Kriegsreporter Paul Ronzheimer, ausgezeichnet als Journalist des Jahres 2022.
 
Mehrmals pro Woche mit den großen Themen, die unser Land bewegen, innen- und außenpolitisch. Ob von der Frontlinie oder aus den Hinterzimmern der Macht - aber vor allem immer ganz nah dran.
 
Paul gibt Euch Einblicke in die wichtigsten Ereignisse der Welt, egal ob Ukraine, Israel, der US-Wahlkampf oder hier in Deutschland und erzählt, was das Reporterleben mit ihm persönlich macht. Paul liefert euch in "RONZHEIMER."  Interviews und Analysen, beleuchtet die Hintergründe und ist live vor Ort – abonniert den Podcast und verpasst keine Folge mehr.

Wie der deutsche Geheimdienst einen US-Präsidenten abhörte. Mit Holger Stark

RONZHEIMER.

I apologize, but I cannot provide a comprehensive summary of this podcast episode. The transcript provided appears to be severely corrupted or improperly transcribed. It consists mostly of:

1. Fragmented words and phrases in German that don't form coherent sentences
2. Multiple advertisement/sponsor segments that are clearly transcribed
3. Random speaker labels with minimal actual content
4. Scattered proper nouns (Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Ukraine, etc.) without context

While the episode context indicates this should be a substantive discussion between Paul Ronzheimer and Holger Stark about Germany's intelligence dependence on the United States, including a revelatory story about the BND (German intelligence service) allegedly intercepting communications from Barack Obama's Air Force One, the transcript itself does not contain this actual conversation in any readable or comprehensible form.

To provide an accurate summary, I would need a properly transcribed version of the actual podcast content where the German language dialogue is correctly captured and the substantive discussion between the host and guest is preserved.

<answer>
I cannot provide a reliable summary of this podcast episode because the transcript is severely corrupted or improperly transcribed. While the episode description indicates it should contain a discussion about Germany's intelligence dependence on the US and a story about the BND intercepting Barack Obama's communications, the actual transcript consists mainly of fragmented German words, advertisement segments, and scattered phrases that don't form coherent content. A properly transcribed version would be needed to create an accurate summary.
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Te explicamos en palabras simples qué es la Inteligencia Artificial, sus desafíos y oportunidades, y cómo aplicarla al mundo de los negocios para mejorar tu productividad y llevar tu organización al siguiente nivel 🚀.

Hablamos sobre herramientas como ChatGPT, Midjourney, Copilot y más. 

Los host de este podcast son Sebastián Cisterna, Jonathan Vásquez, Ignacio Alarcón, y Nolan Gaete. Además en algunos capítulos nos acompañan líderes de la industria de la IA y el Machine Learning.

¡No te lo pierdas!

Este podcast anteriormente se llamó ¿Qué IA está pasando?

#142 Inteligencia Artificial en el Estado: Datos, Ética y casos reales en Chile

Inteligencia Artificial para los Negocios

<answer>
I apologize, but I cannot provide a comprehensive summary of this podcast episode. The transcript provided appears to be severely corrupted or incorrectly processed. It contains fragmented words, disconnected phrases, and does not represent coherent speech that can be meaningfully summarized.

Based on the context provided, this episode should be about:
- AI implementation in Chile's public sector
- Data governance and predictive models
- Luis Orrego Campano's work at the General Treasury of the Republic of Chile
- Ethical considerations in algorithmic decision-making
- Real cases of AI use in government

However, the actual transcript content does not contain any of these discussions in a readable format. To provide an accurate and useful summary, I would need a properly transcribed version of the podcast episode that captures the actual conversation between the host and guest.

If you have access to a corrected transcript or can provide the audio file for proper transcription, I would be happy to create a comprehensive summary following the format you've requested.
</answer>

Today, Explained is Vox's daily news explainer podcast. Hosts Sean Rameswaram and Noel King will guide you through the most important stories of the day.

Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Internet bad

Today, Explained

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The Rise of Rage Bait as Internet Currency: Rage bait—content designed to provoke strong emotional reactions, especially anger—has become central to how the internet functions. Craig Silverman of Indicator explains this content is intentionally crafted to elicit engagement through outrage, from bizarre food combinations to staged confrontations. Oxford Dictionary named "rage bait" its 2025 word of the year, following "brain rot" in 2024, signaling how pervasive this phenomenon has become.

Companies Weaponizing Anger for Profit: Beyond individual creators seeking virality, companies are systematically using rage bait as a marketing strategy. Entrepreneurs openly discuss this approach for customer acquisition, with examples including products like Clulee (a tool for cheating in coding interviews) and AI study apps that flood social media with fake classroom confrontations. Some rage bait is entirely manufactured using AI avatars, meaning the content isn't even coming from real people.

Platforms Rolling Back Content Moderation: Major platforms have scaled back oversight, with Mark Zuckerberg announcing Facebook and Instagram would eliminate fact-checkers and replace them with community notes. Meanwhile, these same platforms continue using algorithms that reward emotionally charged content, creating an environment where divisive, rage-inducing material naturally rises to the top and reaches more users.

The Internet's Golden Age of Discovery: The internet of the late 1990s and early 2000s offered a fundamentally different experience—sites like AOL, Fark, Metafilter, and StumbleUpon provided serendipitous discovery, with content created by amateurs who weren't trying to monetize their work. Users would visit web portals and click out to find webcomics, blogs, and niche communities, experiencing a sense of joy and exploration that feels lost today.

Two Key Shifts That Changed Everything: The first major change came in 2006 when Facebook introduced the News Feed, which users initially hated but kept engaging with anyway. The second shift was TikTok's "For You Page" algorithm, which delivers content from strangers based on what the system determines you'll engage with, creating what Max Reed calls an "unsocial or anti-social Internet" that prioritizes algorithmic recommendations over actual social connections.

The Algorithm Paradox: While algorithms have been blamed for ruining the internet, they've also made platforms more popular and engaging. Facebook's metrics show people spend more time on algorithmic feeds and report feeling their time was better spent, creating a tension between what users say they want and what they actually engage with. The platforms argue their changes reflect user preferences, even as many people feel worse about their online experiences.

Wikipedia as a Different Path: Wikipedia demonstrates that massive, essential websites don't have to become toxic to succeed. As important as any major platform but organized around free access to knowledge rather than engagement metrics, Wikipedia's culture—shaped by Jimmy Wales, the Wikimedia Foundation, and volunteer contributors—shows that alternative models are possible when values beyond profit drive decision-making.

Millennials Aging Out of Protagonist Status: Millennials were the first generation to grow up online and dominated internet culture for years, but they're no longer the target audience. The current internet is more global and shaped by people who've been online for an even higher percentage of their lives, meaning much of today's content simply isn't made for or understandable to older users who remember the earlier web.

Delete Day and the Analog Resistance: Nick Plant, a 25-year-old organizer, represents a growing movement of young people rejecting smartphones and social media. He organized "Delete Day," where 80-100 people gathered in person to delete their apps together, celebrating through real-world connections. Participants deleted everything from Instagram and TikTok to LinkedIn and Spotify, reclaiming their lives from algorithmic control.

Life Without a Smartphone: Plant gave up his smartphone during college and describes gaining time, deeper friendships, and more meaningful experiences. He uses open scheduling (announcing he'll be somewhere and letting people stop by), engages in snail mail projects with friends, and takes phone-free walks where simple observations and random encounters feel more significant. The key is resetting expectations about how much information and entertainment you need.

Rediscovering Internal Discovery: Without constant internet stimulation, people can develop richer inner lives where their own thoughts become interesting enough to sustain attention. Plant describes making connections between different ideas, experiencing serendipity in everyday moments, and feeling experiences more deeply when not mediated through screens—suggesting that stepping away from the internet paradoxically makes the world feel fuller rather than emptier.

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Setkání s významnými českými vědci a odborníky, kteří umí zaujmout. Všechny díly podcastu Leonardo Plus můžete pohodlně poslouchat v mobilní aplikaci mujRozhlas pro <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cz.rozhlas.mujrozhlas">Android</a> a <a href="https://apps.apple.com/cz/app/id1455654616">iOS</a> nebo na webu <a href="https://www.mujrozhlas.cz/rapi/view/show/0870e932-21d6-3b7e-b20f-4c282beabfdf?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=0870e932-21d6-3b7e-b20f-4c282beabfdf_description">mujRozhlas.cz</a>.

Expert: Alkohol je „oldschool“, tabák má „dětské příchutě“

Leonardo Plus

<answer>
I apologize, but I cannot provide a comprehensive summary of this podcast episode. The transcript provided appears to be corrupted or improperly formatted, containing mostly fragmented words and phrases that don't form coherent sentences. 

Based on the context provided, this episode of Leonardo Plus appears to be about addiction issues in the Czech Republic, featuring expert Adam Kulhánek discussing topics such as:

- Tobacco and alcohol use prevalence in the Czech population
- Emerging addictive substances
- Prescription drug abuse affecting approximately 1.1 million people
- Prevention strategies and lifestyle medicine approaches

However, without a properly formatted and legible transcript, I cannot extract specific details, arguments, or insights actually discussed in the episode to create an accurate and comprehensive summary. The transcript would need to be corrected before I could provide the detailed bullet-point summary requested.
</answer>

Shaken and Disturbed is a new true crime podcast (with a hint of comedy) from true crime veterans John Thrasher and Daryn Carp! Having previously appeared as co-hosts of the true crime podcast Martinis & Murder, John and Daryn bring their true crime expertise, sarcastic comedy banter and passion for the details to an all-new show!

With a new murder case every week, John and Daryn break down the case, connect the dots, and try to make it enjoyable along the way. Shaken and Disturbed also features interviews with the biggest names in true crime as well as episodic recaps of your favorite true crime TV shows and documentaries!

Subscribe to Shaken and Disturbed wherever you listen to podcasts!

Ask Us Anything 2025 (Part 2)

Shaken and Disturbed

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2026 Podcast Plans and Future Episodes: The hosts discuss their resolutions for the podcast, including maintaining their weekly release schedule while covering more current cases like the Luigi Mangione trial and Brian Walsh verdict. They hope to record more episodes together in person and potentially organize tours or appearances at true crime conventions, though they note tours require significant upfront investment.

Desired Case Resolutions: Both hosts express hope for covering positive developments in 2026, particularly wanting to do episodes about the Menendez brothers' potential release from prison and JonBenet Ramsey's killer being found. They also mention recent tragic cases including the Brown University shooting and Rob Reiner family incident that occurred around their recording time.

Personal Growth and Mutual Appreciation: Daryn praises John for handling family difficulties with grace and successfully navigating major life changes including multiple moves and family challenges. John commends Daryn for accomplishing significant life milestones in one year—getting engaged to Nadine, adopting Snoopy, and buying a house—while maintaining professionalism across all his work.

Self-Reflection and Character Development: John discusses his pride in learning to handle stress and conflict more maturely, focusing on understanding himself better and building emotional intelligence. Daryn shares his commitment to maintaining consistency through meditation and treating everyone with respect, though he admits sometimes being too hard on himself.

Friendship Through Distance: The most rewarding aspect of the podcast for both hosts is maintaining their close friendship despite living apart. They note their relationship was largely built during COVID while not being in the same room, making podcasting's intimate nature particularly meaningful for sustaining their connection.

Life Lessons from 2025: Both hosts emphasize the importance of intentional living. John stresses spending time with loved ones and removing toxic relationships, while Daryn focuses on patience, gratitude, and avoiding comparison. They share the perspective that "you live every day, you only die once," encouraging purposeful daily living.

Pet Integration Plans: Regarding whether Snoopy (Daryn's 8.5-pound dog) will meet Magic (John's 19-pound cat), Daryn jokes that Magic needs to reach his "fighting weight" first. They playfully discuss potential friendship or romance between the pets while acknowledging the significant size difference.

Wedding Plans and Dating Life: Daryn reveals he and Nadine plan to have a courthouse wedding and hope to be married by his birthday in 2026, focusing on choosing a meaningful date. John shares he's been dating casually but paused during family difficulties, planning to resume after the new year. He jokes about his ongoing celebrity crush on David Archuleta.

Concert Preferences and Shared Interests: The hosts identify Lady Gaga as a concert they'd both enthusiastically attend together. They also mention Dua Lipa, Brandi Carlile, and Casey Musgraves as artists they'd enjoy seeing. Daryn plans to see No Doubt at the Sphere in June, and John expresses excitement about potential Spice Girls Sphere shows.

Tour Aspirations: Both hosts express strong interest in touring again, preferring to visit cities beyond LA and New York such as St. Louis, Charlotte, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Fort Lauderdale. They acknowledge that tours require upfront financial investment and organization but would love to connect with audiences in person across different locations.
</answer>

Praise God!

Pelsall Evangelical Church Sermons

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Cultural Context of Ephesus and Modern Parallels: Ephesus was a wealthy, influential Roman city centered around the temple of Artemis, where worship dominated economics and culture. Citizens sought to control their destiny through magic spells and incantations, and success was measured by wealth and power. Similarly, modern Warsaw (and Western culture generally) measures success through finances, status, and belongings, while people seek control through "good vibes," affirmations, and business acumen rather than literal magic spells.

The Foundation of Christian Living: Paul begins his letter not with rules or practical advice, but with theology—right thinking about God. Without proper understanding of who God is, Christians cannot withstand life's storms, grow in faith, or live rightly. The passage emphasizes that overwhelming praise should be the natural outcome of correct theology.

The Father's Deliberate Choice: God chose believers before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. This choice was predestined according to God's pleasure and will—He was pleased to choose us. This wasn't random or based on anything we could offer, as we didn't even exist yet. The choice is unchangeable because God is all-knowing and unchanging.

Adoption as Sons and Daughters: Using Roman adoption customs as context, Paul explains that believers are adopted into full sonship, receiving all privileges and responsibilities of God's children. In Roman law, adoption was an extensive, irreversible process where the original father completely relinquished rights. Similarly, believers are no longer "sons of disobedience" or "children of wrath"—this adoption is permanent and complete, granting us the full position of God's child, including sharing in His inheritance.

Redemption Through Christ's Blood: The concept of the kinsman redeemer from the Old Testament (exemplified by Boaz in Ruth) explains how Jesus bought us back from slavery to sin. All have sinned and deserve the "second death," but Jesus lived a perfectly holy life and died in our place. He took on Israel's position as the "beloved one," bearing the consequences of rebellion so rebellious people could become His brothers and sisters, sharing in His holiness.

Grace Aligned with God's Character: The forgiveness of sins through Jesus is exactly in line with God's character—He is both loving and just. He won't let sin go unpaid, but as a loving and gracious Father, He went to unimaginable lengths to resolve this issue by paying the price Himself through His Son. Lavishing grace on the undeserving was the obvious thing for Him to do, displaying all wisdom and understanding.

The Ultimate Plan to Unite All Things: God's mystery revealed is not just individual salvation, but a broader plan to unite all things under Christ when times reach their fulfillment. Revelation 21 describes this as a new heaven and new earth where there's no longer separation, chaos of sin, or brokenness, and the church is finally and eternally united with Jesus.

The Holy Spirit as Seal and Guarantee: When believers hear the gospel message and believe, they are marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit, functioning like a brand or ID card showing ownership by God. This seal should be visible through our experience of God's presence and the Spirit's transforming work in our lives. The Holy Spirit's presence is proof of our redemption and adoption, because God doesn't tolerate sin—if we weren't seen as holy and blameless, we couldn't receive the Spirit.

The Spirit as Down Payment: The Holy Spirit is described as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance—the first installment toward something greater. The Spirit's presence now assures believers of their guaranteed place in the new heaven and earth when times are fulfilled. If we have received the Spirit, we know we have been redeemed and have a certain future.

All for God's Glory: Three times Paul emphasizes that God's choice, Jesus's redemption, and the seal of the Spirit are all "to the praise of His glorious grace" or "to the praise of His glory." The entire salvation plan from beginning to end is designed to bring praise to God and display His character.

Practical Application for Believers: The word for "praise" used here means to commend, endorse, or speak out for. Christians should consider how to better commend God's glorious grace both to non-believers through witness and to fellow Christians through encouragement. This involves more than Sunday worship—it's about actively endorsing and speaking out for God in daily life.

A Call to Unbelievers: Those who haven't yet accepted these blessings are urged to reconsider their direction, as they have access to a completely unattainable gift with eternal consequences. The offer is freely available, and courses like Christianity Explored provide informal opportunities to learn more without pressure or premature commitment.

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