Milwaukee Bucks Receive Major Injury Update on Khris MiddletonCalifornia Pro-Migration Groups Request $15 Million Ahead of Trump Deportation PlansDear Eric: The last four years of my father’s life, I was a near constant caregiver. I visited him daily, did his lawn work, took him to doctor’s appointments, to the barber, occasionally to dinner or a movie. I always took care of his finances and medications. He would call me as many as 10 or 15 times a day. After he died about a year ago, I have been overcome with guilt. There were times when his constant needs overtook my life. I had no social outlet of my own. I didn’t handle this pressure well and would occasionally lash out in anger at my father. A week before he died, I made him cry. I live each day now with a regret I cannot seem to shake. I visit his grave every week and ask for forgiveness. I can tell myself that if I had not been able to help him, he would not have been able to stay in his home, something he desperately wanted to do until the end. Others have commented on my sacrifices for my father. But I still have this feeling that I was a bad son, and it weighs down on all aspects of my life now. I’ve become isolated in my guilt and grief. I don’t know what I need to do to once again find joy. — Still Grieving Dear Still Grieving: My heart aches for you. There’s no perfect caregiver; there’s no perfect son; there’s no perfect grief. With time, try to offer yourself forgiveness. Because it sounds like, even with the moments of frustration or fatigue, your father didn’t see you as a bad son. When faced with the uncontrollable — the illness of loved ones, our inability to stop death — we often hyperfocus on what we think we can control. But, by your own account, you did the best you could, and your father’s quality of life was better because of it. If you can, please work with a grief counselor to process these feelings. Keep talking to those you trust, who can listen without judgment and without trying to rush you. Dear Eric: I am a 72-year-old woman who lives alone. I live in a one-story, two-bedroom condo. The mortgage is paid off. I don’t have any family here. I am also divorced. I have cousins who live in another state, and I haven’t seen them in many years. I am the youngest cousin. So, I am thinking about my end-of-life plans. I don’t have any serious health problems, but I am not totally healthy. I have two friends who have been here for me for many years. However, I am hesitant to ask one of them to be my power of attorney. They want to help me make my end-of-life plans and decide what to do if I can no longer live alone. There is nobody else I can ask to be my POA. Any advice you can give me would be appreciated. — Plan Hesitation Dear Plan: If your friends have expressed a desire to help you, please take them up on it. Your friends have been there for you in good times and in times of need, as surely as you have been for them. Think of this as another way to affirm your bond. If you’re worried about it being an imposition, don’t be afraid to share that with your friends. This is a vulnerable ask and it’s OK to have complicated feelings about it. You may be surprised to find they don’t feel it’s an imposition at all. If you haven’t already, you may also want to talk with a lawyer about the responsibilities of power of attorney. Thinking through the specifics of what you’re asking may make it easier.
U.S. stock futures opened little changed on Tuesday night as traders await the release of the Federal Reserve's favorite inflation gauge. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 20 points, or 0.04%. Meanwhile, S&P 500 futures also inched 0.04% higher, while Nasdaq-100 futures fell 0.03%. Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are In other corporate news, several companies released their quarterly results. Dell Technologies tumbled 10% in extended trading as the company issued a disappointing forecast for the current quarter. Looking toward Wednesday, the personal consumption expenditures price index (PCE) is set for release at 10:00 a.m. ET. Economists polled by Dow Jones expect a year-over-year increase of 2.8% for the core reading , which excludes food and energy. Investors will look through the data for indications on how the Fed may proceed on its rate policy at its upcoming December meeting. Indeed, the Fed issued the meetings from its November meeting on Tuesday. While central bank officials said they anticipate more interest rate cuts coming down the pike, they said the pace of cuts would happen "gradually." "I think they'll cut again [in December]," Stephen Stanley, Santander U.S. Capital Markets chief U.S. economist, told CNBC's " Power Lunch ." "I think they feel like they're still pretty far away from neutral, so they feel like they still have some distance to go and they'd like to get another notch in their belt on that." Other key inflation data out on Wednesday include personal income and consumer spending for October. That's also scheduled to be released at 10:00 a.m. ET. It's also a shortened trading week in the U.S., with the market dark for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and then set to close early Friday. Trading volume is anticipated to remain light. Even still, stocks finished in the green across the three major averages on Tuesday. Both the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached fresh intraday and closing highs. Small-cap benchmark takes a breather but remains on track for big November gains It was a less-than-stellar session for the Russell 2000 , as it clipped a six-day winning run on Tuesday. The small-cap index lagged the three major averages, slumping about 0.7%, while the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose to fresh record closes. Nevertheless, the Russell 2000 is enjoying a strong November, as investors have snapped up cyclical stocks since Donald Trump won a second term in the White House earlier this month. The Russell is on track for a 10.4% jump month to date, besting the 5.5% gain the S&P 500 is carrying this month. The small-cap benchmark has also topped the Nasdaq Composite 's nearly 6% advance in November and the Dow's 7.4% jump. — Darla Mercado, Chris Hayes Dell Technologies, Workday among the names making moves in overnight trading Some stocks are making big moves in extended trading: Read here for the full list. — Sean Conlon Stock futures are little changed Stock futures opened little changed on Tuesday evening. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 20 points, or 0.04%. S&P 500 futures likewise moved 0.04% higher, while Nasdaq-100 futures fell 0.03%. — Sean Conlon
Bjork is 'absolutely' confident that Day will return next year at Ohio StateIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Image: EPA/Abir Sultan) ICC ARREST WARRANTS The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , his former defence minister Yoav Gallant and senior Hamas official Mohammed Deif . Judges at the ICC issued the warrants on Thursday for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during Israel’s war in Gaza, the ABC reports. The BBC flags both Israel and Hamas have rejected the allegations. Israel has also claimed it killed Deif in an airstrike in July, though Hamas has neither confirmed nor denied this, Reuters says. Responding to the warrants, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said Israel “utterly rejects the false and absurd charges of the International Criminal Court”, the BBC reports. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not give in to pressure. He will continue to pursue all the objectives that Israel set out to achieve in its just war against Hamas and the Iranian axis of terror,” the office added. The broadcaster quotes Gallant as saying: “The decision sets a dangerous precedent against the right to self-defence and moral warfare and encourages murderous terrorism.” Reuters reports Hamas’ official statement declared: “We call on the International Criminal Court to expand the scope of accountability to all criminal occupation leaders.” The BBC highlights the impact of the warrants issued would depend on whether the ICC’s members, which do not include Israel or the US, decide to enforce them. The Guardian flags that the US has said it “fundamentally rejects” the ICC decision. A US National Security Council spokesperson is quoted as saying: “We remain deeply concerned by the prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision. The United States has been clear that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over this matter.” However, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is quoted by euronews as saying: “It is not a political decision, it is a decision of a court, of a court of justice, an international court of justice. And the decision of the court has to be respected and implemented.” Elsewhere in world news, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile at Ukraine on Thursday in response to the use of US and British weaponry by Kyiv earlier this week. The BBC quotes Putin as saying: “In combat conditions, a test was carried out of one of the latest Russian intermediate-range missile systems. In this case, with a non-nuclear hypersonic version of a ballistic missile,” adding the “test was successful. The target was reached.” Yesterday Reuters cited sources claiming Putin was open to discussing a Ukraine ceasefire deal with incoming US president Donald Trump but with an insistence Kyiv gives up on plans to join NATO and ruling out Moscow making any major territorial concessions. In the last few hours, Trump has suffered a setback domestically, with his attorney-general pick, Matt Gaetz , withdrawing his name from consideration. Writing on X Gaetz said: “I had excellent meetings with senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback — and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance transition. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as attorney-general. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on day one. I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful president in history. I will forever be honoured that president Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will save America.” DEPORTATION RISK Guardian Australia and AAP are giving considerable coverage this morning to claims more than 80,000 people could be potentially removed to third countries by the Albanese government’s migration bill. The newswire says the proposed amendments to the Migration Act would seek to deport non-citizens and pay third countries for their part in the removals. The bill has passed the House of Representatives and was yesterday subject to a Senate inquiry. Guardian Australia reports government officials have said most of those involved could return to their home country and thousands do so voluntarily. AAP flags the government has not detailed which countries it has been in discussion with. Associate legal director of the Human Rights Law Centre Josephine Langbien told the Senate inquiry: “We don’t know which countries will be included. We don’t know how those countries will treat people who are sent there. They could be detained arbitrarily, denied medical treatment, violently attacked or killed, or sent back to their country of origin.” Meanwhile, the AAP flags that thousands of people are expected to march in Melbourne later today demanding an end to gender-based violence. The newswire said “vast” crowds are expected in what is the start of 16 days of activism. Respect Victoria chairperson Kate Fitz-Gibbon said the two weeks represented “great opportunities for all Victorians to get involved in shifting the narrative”. Respect Victoria said on its website this morning’s event “marks the beginning of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence — a global campaign for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. By joining the walk you can take action to prevent family violence and violence against women and stand in solidarity with victim survivors.” The march is set to begin at 11am at Birrarung Marr. The AAP also reports climate activists will stage a protest against fossil fuels at the world’s biggest coal export port, Newcastle Harbour, later “with a flotilla, live music and other events revolving around protest and climate”. The newswire said the protest comes after organisers Rising Tide launched a successful last-minute legal challenge to overturn a “marine exclusion zone” planned by the NSW government that would have stopped protesters from being able to enter the water. Finally, as we get to the end of what might be the penultimate sitting week of this parliamentary term, the Nine newspapers are amping up the speculation swirling in Canberra that we may get an election in March next year. The Sydney Morning Heralds says Labor will move to a “campaign war footing” before Christmas with the party’s national campaign office reportedly being set up near Surry Hills in Sydney next month. The Liberal and National parties have leased a campaign office in Parramatta, the paper adds. ON A LIGHTER NOTE... Pamela Hayden , the actor who voices numerous characters on The Simpsons including everyone’s favourite Milhouse, is retiring from the show after 35 years, The Guardian reports. Hayden, who also voices Ned Flanders’ children Rod and Todd, Lisa’s friend Janey Powell, school bully Jimbo Jones and Chief Wiggum’s wife Sarah, said in a statement: “The time has come for me to hang up my microphone.” In a video on Instagram , the 70-year-old said of all her characters, Milhouse was her “main guy”. “People are always saying what a nerd he is, but one thing that I love about Milhouse is he’s always getting knocked down, but he keeps getting up. I love the little guy. It’s this wonderful analogy for life.” As a wise boy once said, everything’s coming up Milhouse. Say What? I stand here, neither defeated or disposed, lucky to have served, fortunate to be able to say goodbye. Bill Shorten Someone else who is retiring (from politics) is former Labor leader Bill Shorten who delivered his valedictory speech on Thursday. The Sydney Morning Herald said hundreds of people stood, applauded and cheered Shorten following his speech in the House of Representatives. Shorten is off to be the vice-chancellor of the University of Canberra from February. CRIKEY RECAP Emails reveal how Labor engineered event to support its own teen social media ban CAM WILSON South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas (Image: AAP/Bianca De Marchi) At a press conference announcing the federal government’s plans to ban Australians under the age of 16 from using social media earlier this month, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese thanked South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas and New South Wales Premier Chris Minns . The pair had been responsible for organising a jointly-held social media summit, Albanese said, which was “most instructive” as part of the government’s consultation in coming up with the ban. But far from being a frank discussion of the ban’s benefits and drawbacks or a wide canvassing of possible ways to address concerns about social media, internal emails from Malinauskas’ office and interviews with attendees suggest the event was carefully stage-managed with the explicit purpose of creating “momentum” for the social media ban. Simon Holmes à Court on Climate 200, donation reforms and why Kerry Stokes wields more power than he does RACHEL WITHERS Simon Holmes à Court is not a billionaire — “not even close,” he tells me. The Climate 200 founder is often described as the son of Australia’s first billionaire, with Peter Dutton and David Littleproud recently suggesting he is one too . Labor’s electoral reforms, which the Coalition is currently helping rush through, are pitched as getting “big money” out of politics, using him and mining magnate Clive Palmer as examples of said money. But Holmes à Court is adamant he and Palmer are “not in the same league”. The Melbourne-based businessman, who isn’t on rich lists , donated $250,000 at the 2022 election — less than 2% of what Climate 200 raised, paling in comparison to Palmer’s $120 million. He’s not “crying poor”, he says. But he’s clearly exasperated at the way he continues to be portrayed. “ The Australian has pumped me up as a billionaire Palmer-like figure,” he says. “There’s the Karl Rove playbook thing of ‘accuse your opponent of your biggest flaw’, right? Dutton’s taking Gina’s private jet around the country ... Labor has taken millions from Pratt ... But it suits them to paint me as being ‘big money’.” Mass arrests, home raids, excess force: Police treatment of Land Forces protesters could lead to class action CRYSTAL ANDREWS On October 24, five police officers turned up on Jasmine Duff’s doorstep. Despite not having a warrant, Duff claims they insisted on coming into the house to look for her. “They walked into my room as I was climbing out of bed and placed me under arrest,” Duff tells Crikey . “One officer stayed in the room while I stripped down to get dressed, telling my housemate ‘It’s so she doesn’t jump out the window’.” Duff says she was taken to a police station, shown photographs of herself at the anti-war protest outside the Land Forces Defence Expo at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in September, and charged with affray. The expo is an international showcase for weapons and military technology manufacturers, described by anti-war demonstrators as a “one-stop genocide shop” that should not be hosted in Australia or supported by government funding (the Victorian government was a “principal sponsor” of this year’s event). Duff is one of the many Disrupt Land Forces protesters attending hearings today at the Melbourne Magistrates Court. Victoria police have confirmed that 110 people have been arrested for their participation in the protest. While 89 arrests were made on the spot at the demonstrations from September 11 to 13, a further 21 people have since been arrested. Many of these individuals were arrested at their homes in a series of “raids” beginning in late October, like that experienced by Duff. READ ALL ABOUT IT Australian backpacker dies as countries warn of suspected methanol poisonings in Laos (CNN) Mali releases Resolute Mining CEO and other executives after $US160 million random paid (ABC) For Netanyahu, wanted by a landmark warrant, a smaller world ( The New York Times ) ($) Elon Musk to ‘summon MPs to US to explain threats to American citizens’ ( The Guardian ) Sell Chrome to end search monopoly, Google told (BBC) Disney TV star removes snake from a plane ( The Australian ) ($) THE COMMENTARIAT Time to land ‘Airbus Albo’. Letting fly over PM’s travels is plain silly — David Crowe ( The Sydney Morning Herald ): So the complaint that the prime minister travels too much — the “Airbus Albo” line in parts of the media — is puerile. That did not stop The Daily Telegraph from using its front page on Wednesday to smash Albanese for being away. What was revealing, however, was that newspaper had to resort to using the Institute of Public Affairs, a conservative group loyal to the Liberals, to offer a quote saying there was a problem. And this was after the critics wanted Albanese to fly to Israel, Indonesia and a NATO summit at various points this year. Some even suggested he should fly to Mar-a-Lago to see Trump. The hypocrisy is rampant. The government’s mistake was planning two weeks of Parliament at the same time as the G20 when it knew Albanese would have to be away. It could have moved the sittings one week later so Parliament ended in the first week of December rather than November 28. In the end, the prime minister’s absence for three sitting days did not slow the government or the Parliament. While there were some conservative conniptions when Albanese met with Xi, there was no sacrifice of Australian sovereignty in talking to the Chinese president. Albanese listened to Xi across the table and then put Australia’s position on fair trade and the need to maintain the status quo on Taiwan. He also expressed concern at the treatment of Australian writer Yang Hengjun , who is in prison in China after receiving a suspended death sentence. So the prime minister made effective use of the summits. Yes, the plenary sessions were padded with platitudes. All the real work was in the face-to-face talks. Albanese weighed down abroad by parlous state of world — Phillip Coorey ( AFR ): Equally weighing on Albanese’s mind while abroad was the increasingly parlous state of the world, exacerbated by the second coming of Trump. This government has an unfortunate, avoidable and inexplicable habit of scheduling parliamentary sitting weeks to clash with the prime minister’s commitments abroad. This only amplifies his absence, especially when Parliament is blowing up as it did this week over foreign student caps, and gives Albanese’s detractors ammunition to claim he’s not tuned in to domestic concerns, Which, of course, is untrue. Every press conference over the past seven days began with the domestic political spinoffs of the policy positions Australia was putting at the summits or at the bilateral meetings being held — be it job creation, generating growth or lowering inflation.A Nigerian lady who was supposed to resume on January 13, 2025, for her master's study in the US has cancelled her plan Despite getting admission and funding from different US schools, the lady shared why she chose to stay back in Nigeria She had received admission into New York University, American University, Washington DC, as well as the University of Baltimore CHECK OUT: Don't let unemployment hold you back. Start your digital marketing journey today. With just a few days to leave the country, a lady has shelved her plans to move to the US for her master's degree programme. The 26-year-old, Ohadoma Blessed, made the decision on December 20, noting that she was supposed to resume her studies on January 13, 2025. Blessed got admissions and funding Blessed, in a TikTok video , displayed admission letters from schools in the US she got into, demonstrating that her decision was not based on not being admitted into her choice programme. Read also Year-in-review: Three japa stories that made people reconsider their decision to move abroad PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app! "On this day December the 20th, 2024, I decided that I'm no longer going to the US for my master's degree, which I am supposed to be going on January the 13th. "So, what happened? I applied to schools, and I got into universities like New York University, American University, Washington DC. I got into the University of Baltimore, Illinois Institute of Technology, I got into Florida State University..." Blessed further revealed that she received a 45,000 (N69 million) merit scholarship from the American University of Washington, D.C. "I got into every school and I also got funding. The only school I didn't get funding from was one and as a matter of fact the most recent was American University. "They gave me $45,000 (N69 million) merit scholarship, which is renewable though because my master's is two years and my course is like cybersecurity, down to law, justice and criminology. Like, my portfolio is quite versatile because apart from my degrees, I also have certifications in cybersecurity..." Read also Relocation to UK: Man happy as his parents save money and send him abroad for master's degree Why Blessed shelved her US study plans Blessed said she has been schooling all her life. She said there was no time she was not a student. Blessed said that after finishing secondary school at 15, she had been jumping from one Nigerian university to another, acquiring degrees. Blessed said she decided to suspend her US studies to focus on doing other things. She wants to focus on content creation for next year and finding a new apartment in Lagos . She maintained that she was not denied a visa. "I'm 26. The whole 26 years of my life, I cannot remember when I was not a student. I was supposed to finish from FUD when I was 24, but I didn't because of ASUU and Corona. I finished at 25, which was last year. "And I just wanted to jump right in and go for my master's abroad. It has always been my dream but then I've decided this whole thing was overwhelming, stressful with the whole visa thing.. Read also Nigerian woman who moved to UK 3 years ago rejoices, says she's richer in foreign currency "And even the application thing, the tension and I just think, I started to think last week; do I really want to? "So, I have decided that instead of leaving for my master's next month 13th January, my resumption date, that I am going to spend the next one year of my life doing other things. "Content creation, something I enjoy. I am going to spend this year of my life posting videos on TikTok..." Watch her video below: Reactions trail lady's decision not to travel BrownShuga said: "Congratulations sis , I know how overwhelming it is . But why don’t you move to the USA and do exactly what you love . Influencers and content creators in abroad especially USA have a better chance." tgirl said: "Use your portfolio in Nigeria and work for foreign co. You can come abroad & visit. Don't mind those rushing to travel abroad. If you have a good life in Nigeria you don't have any biz coming abroad." Read also Nigerian couple ordered to leave UK 2 years after they sold all their properties and moved overseas anitaemokpaire said: "I went to school straight for 28 yrs. Practiced as a lawyer in Ghana for 3.5 yrs and came to the USA and went to law school for another 3yrs. Best decisions I ever made. Go to school." Megan_Tony said: "On a personal note, I can fully relate and understand. I will be 33 in May next year and I have been studying since birth. I have two bachelors. Two masters. Doing my third masters. And will do my PhD." Fabulousity said: "Will advise you do the schooling now then rest, what if marriage comes?" Mimi Uju said: "Better go oo , all these thing wey u Dey talk make u no later regret am oo." BIG MJ 🌹✨ said: "You can do both! Go to school and create content. America is a land of opportunities." In a related story, Legit.ng reported that a lady who got an opportunity to study abroad had refused because of her boyfriend. Read also OAU student graduates who got direct entry admission graduates with 2nd class upper in surveying Man who rejected abroad study opportunity Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a man who had an opportunity to study abroad in SS2 had settled for UNILAG instead. In a video, the man said he had a dream of going to the United States and shed light on the scholarship opportunity he turned down in SS2. However, when he applied for a visa to move to the US, he was denied. He tried three times but couldn't get it. PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy! Source: Legit.ng
3 Dividend Stocks That Pay Monthly Passive IncomeNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Genesis Bryant scored 27 points, Kendall Bostic secured her third double-double this season with 12 points and 11 rebounds and No. 19 Illinois beat Maryland Eastern Shore 75-55 on Tuesday in the Music City Classic. Illinois (6-0) moved to 6-0 for the second time under third-year coach Shauna Green. Illinois scored the opening nine points of the game and took a double-digit lead for good with 2:11 left in the first quarter when Makira Cook made a 3-pointer to begin 13-2 run. UMES scored 13 straight points midway through the second quarter to get as close as 32-22, but Cook answered with a basket to end Illinois' three-minute drought. Bryant finished the first half with 14 points and Cook added 13 to help Illinois build a 43-26 lead. The pair combined to make seven of Illinois’ 14 field goals. UMES was 9 of 36 (25%), including 0 of 7 from 3-point range at halftime. Illinois also got 15 points from Cook and a career-high 11 rebounds from Brynn Shoup-Hill. Bryant, who reached double figures in the first quarter, scored 20-plus for the first time this season. Zamara Haynes led UMES (4-3) with 20 points and Mahogany Lester added 14. Illinois stays in Nashville to play No. 14 Kentucky on Wednesday. UMES travels to Piscataway, New Jersey, to face Georgia Southern in the Battle on the Banks on Friday. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Malik Nabers said calling the New York Giants “soft” after Sunday's embarrassing loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a mistake, although the star rookie receiver still plans to speak out when he thinks it's necessary. After talking with coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen and watching video of the Giants' 30-7 defeat , Nabers said Tuesday that "soft” was a poor choice of words. “I don’t think it was really soft. I think it was just a lack of technique,” Nabers said. “We were playing our butts off, we just lacked technique.” The Giants (2-9) trailed 23-0 at halftime and had run only 19 plays on offense. Nabers was not targeted in first the half but still finished with a team-high six catches for 64 yards. The No. 6 overall pick in the draft, Nabers said his rant after the game — in which he said the Giants' quarterbacks weren't to blame for the team's poor performance — was just the competitor in him talking. “That’s just how I’m wired. That’s just who I am,” he said. “I just don’t like losing. If I feel like if I had an opportunity to help the team win, I’m going to express that.” Nabers said not being targeted in the opening half was tough because his body is prepared to play and not doing anything throws him off his game. “You’re not getting involved early, then you’re not getting the feel of the ball, you’re not getting hit,” Nabers said. “After football plays as an offense, after you get hit, you’re like, ‘All right, I’m ready to go.’” Nabers has a team-high 67 catches, the most by a player in his first nine NFL games. He said he sees himself as a resource, someone who can change the game for the Giants. “I’m not going to just sit back just because I’m a younger guy and not speak on how I feel,” Nabers said. “They want me to speak up. They feel like my energy helps the offense, in a way, to be explosive. So, of course, I’m going to speak up if something doesn’t go my way. That’s just how I am.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflNPA Head admits struggles in finalising State Capture cases
Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Kylie Kelce, the wife of former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, has captivated NFL fans with her unapologetic persona, and now the soon-to-be mother of four will be giving fans more of what they love most with her own podcast. She introduced the launch of her podcast, "Not Gonna Lie," with a trailer this week when she gave listeners a brief look at some of the topics she plans to explore every Thursday. Jason Kelce poses for a photo with Kylie Kelce during the "Kelce" documentary premiere at Suzanne Roberts Theatre Sept. 8, 2023, in Philadelphia. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images) "Listen, I’m just as shocked as all of you that I’m starting a podcast," she said. "But if everyone’s going to be talking about me and my family, you might as well hear it from me." CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Kelce said one of the topics she plans to explore is her "brutally honest opinions" on motherhood. The trailer then clipped to her speaking about using colorful language in front of her girls. "I’m not going to stop cursing in front of my kids," she said in the clip. "My kids hear the F-word on a daily basis. They know it's a ‘[grown]up word’.’ Kylie Kelce during the ACC Celebrity Golf Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course July 12, 2024, in Stateline, Nev. (David Calvert/Getty Images for American Century Investments) KYLIE KELCE SLAMS HUSBAND'S 'KINK IT UP' RESPONSE TO FAN'S QUESTION ABOUT DRY SPELL Jason and Kylie recently announced they are expecting their fourth daughter. The couple share three daughters — Wyatt Elizabeth, 5, Elliotte Ray, 3, and Bennett Llewellyn, the youngest of whom was born shortly after Jason played in the Super Bowl against brother Travis Kelce. Kylie said in the trailer that, in addition to talking motherhood, her podcast will also cover social media trends and the "biggest stories in sports and entertainment." Kylie Kelce, wife of former NFL player Jason Kelce, announced her podcast, "Not Gonna Lie," with a trailer this week. (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "You guys said you wanted more Kylie, and to that I say, f--- around and find out." Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter . Paulina Dedaj is a Sports Reporter for Fox News Digital.
( MENAFN ) Brazilian energy and automation company WEG will invest €28 million (USD29 million) to establish a factory in Turkey for manufacturing industrial gearboxes, essential power transmission devices used in mechanical systems. The plant will be located in the Aegean province of Manisa and is designed to meet rising demand for the product while expanding the company’s production capacity. Covering an area of 12,000 square meters (approximately 129,170 square feet), the facility will link sales operations with WEG’s gearbox plant in Austria and its production of industrial electric motors in Turkey. WEG Group Turkey, the company's local subsidiary, currently employs 750 people, a number expected to grow by 150 with the creation of new jobs at the gearbox factory. Ahmet Burak Daglioglu, president of the Turkish Presidency’s Investment Office, told Anadolu that Turkey continues to attract foreign investment due to its strategic location, skilled workforce, and robust industrial infrastructure. Daglioglu also pointed out that WEG had previously acquired Turkey-based Volt Elektrik for USD88 million, underscoring the Brazilian company’s prominent role in energy and automation technologies. MENAFN21122024000045016755ID1109019648 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
INVESTIGATION NOTICE: Kaskela Law LLC Announces Shareholder Investigation of Zuora, Inc. (NYSE: ...Every year we kick off the holiday season with a roundup of books recommended by the War on the Rocks team. Enrich your friends’ libraries, get a family book club going, or treat yourself to something new. We hope you enjoy! Kerry Anderson MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed bin Salman , Ben Hubbard . This book came out in 2020 so isn’t brand new, but it offers thorough research and balanced insights from journalist Ben Hubbard into the rise of the Saudi crown prince. Given MBS’s important role in the modern Middle East and beyond, this is an essential book to understand his background and vision. The Iran Wars: Spy Games, Bank Battles, and the Secret Deals that Reshaped the Middle East , Jay Solomon . This book also isn’t new, dating back to 2016, but it offers crucial reporting on U.S.-Iran relations under the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations. Solomon weaves together Iran’s role in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as the development of its nuclear program. Benjamin Armstrong To Fix a National Character: The United States in the First Barbary War, 1800–1805 , Abigail Mullen . The First Barbary War has been the focus of a number of books, including by hosts of Fox & Friends. However, Abby Mullen’s new look at the conflict is going to rapidly become the “go-to” book. Looking at the American efforts in the Mediterranean in width, depth, and with context, she broadens the traditional military history to include the diplomatic, economic, and political histories involved. The book offers us important insights on how navies, maritime security, asymmetric military campaigns, and undeclared wars integrate with all of the elements of national power, and helped define the Early American approach to the world. Too Far on a Whim: The Limits of High-Steam Propulsion in the US Navy , Tyler Pitrof . Today we read a lot about technological innovation, adaptation, and the integration of new ships and ship designs into the navies of the world. We regularly see articles about “conservative” military bureaucracies. But what about when a military goes all-in on a new technology that actually doesn’t end up working as advertised? Tyler Pitrof’s new book on the innovations in steam propulsion during the interwar years flips much of what we’ve known about the technological history on its head. Tyler upends decades of received wisdom, showing that “high steam” didn’t actually work and that it had profound operational implications in the Pacific during World War II. This book is a must-read for those interested in how new technologies impact operations and strategy for the navies of the world. Nora Bensahel Orbital , Samantha Harvey . This little gem of a novel just won the prestigious Booker Prize for its lyrical meditation on our world and those who view it from above. It takes place during a single day in the lives of six people aboard the International Space Station, with the minimalist plot providing access to their innermost observations and plots. When David Barno and I recommended this lovely book on our summer vacation reading list, we wrote that the “elegantly breathtaking language borders on poetry, describing the otherworldly experience of astronauts encountering one sunrise and sunset after another, broken by stunning vistas of a fragile Earth slowly unfolding below — a glimpse of eternity.” It’s an equally good pick for your winter holidays, as you huddle indoors, warm yourself by a fire, and ponder how our small blue planet fits within the immensity of the universe. All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me , Patrick Bringley . I grew up just a few blocks away from the Met, and when I was in sixth grade I spent at least one day each weekend exploring the treasures of its vast collection. I’d wander for hours without a map, and when the closing bell rang at 4:45pm, I’d ask one of the security guards to help me find the nearest exit. Bringley spent a decade as one of those guards, after a family tragedy led him to quit a promising career at The New Yorker and process his grief in one of the most beautiful places in the world. You don’t need to know anything about art to appreciate this slim volume. Indeed, I most enjoyed reading about the close-knit community of 500 guards, hailing from dozens of countries, whose daily lives unfold alongside some of the greatest artworks ever made. Claude Berube Napoleon: A Life , Andrew Roberts . This is, perhaps, the second-best biography I’ve read. Meticulously researched, Roberts provides a better understanding of this complex Corsican and how, with very little, he rose to power. At the time, I was teaching at the US Naval Academy and made sure my students were aware of how voracious a reader Bonaparte was, especially in his formative years, and how that enabled him to succeed. Biographical series on Lyndon Johnson (4 thus far: “ Path to Power ,” “ Means of Ascent ,” Master of the Senate ,” and “ The Passage of Power “), Robert Caro . This, not the previous entry, is the best biography I’ve encountered – truly it is second to none. Johnson came from nothing and just on pure willpower, a photographic memory when it came to anything political, and a deviousness to achieve his goals. This is the only biography where no redeemable qualities are attributed to the subject; Johnson was a pure political animal who achieved each rung on the political ladder by using people, even those closest to him. Caro notes that long before Johnson stole the 1948 Senate election, he was doing so in college and later as an aide on Capitol Hill. Still this story is impressive and tells us much behind the scenes of DC politics and policy-making in the mid-20th century. Brad Carson AI Snake Oil , Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor . While I often disagree with the authors’ views about generative AI, their criticism of predictive AI – that it just doesn’t work a lot of the time – is an underappreciated criticism. As we rely on these technologies, we usually debate whether or not they are fair; but a more fundamental question is, Do they even work? On Settler Colonialism , Adam Kirsch . Timely, provocative, and worth reading to understand the intellectual roots of activism about Gaza on university campuses – and far beyond. Ryan Evans This Earthly Globe: A Venetian Geographer’s Quest to Map the World , Andrea Di Robilant . Understanding power and politics requires understanding history. Too often, the history studied by those of us in national security is limited to that of the last 200 years, perhaps with a smattering of Thucydides. Over the last three years, I’ve taken a mild interest in the experiences of the Venetian empire, so when I spotted this book in my local bookshop, I was quick to snag it. Through the prism of the life, times, and remarkable work of the geographer and civil servant Giovambattista (what a name!) Ramusio, this book offers a window into Venetian ambitions and statecraft. It explores how this maritime empire grappled with the Age of Exploration and shifting trade routes, which posed both opportunities and threats to its fortunes. Ramusio emerges as a crucial figure in the generation and propagation of knowledge of the world – most notably through his monumental and anonymously published collection of travel accounts and maps. Planning for Protraction: A Historically Informed Approach to Great-Power War and Sino-US Competition , Iskander Rehman . Speaking of looking beyond the history of the last two centuries for critical lessons, Rehman has established himself as someone who can substantively and originally engage with diverse historical periods, from the height of Rome to the Middle Ages to the Cold War, in a way that not only appeals to the generalist but passes muster with specialists of those period. This sort of erudition and versatility is rare and it is on vivid display in this book. As listeners of the podcast know, I have been long concerned over America’s strategic cultural obsession with short, decisive wars when they are such a historical rarity, which has led me to recommend Cathal Nolan’s Allure of Battle more times than I can remember. Rehman’s book on protracted war between great powers joins the same small but growing pantheon of books that serious strategists simply must read. The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone , Olivia Laing . In 1887, Ferdinand Tönnies’ seminal work, Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft (Community and Society), introduced a dichotomy between two types of social organization: one defined by close and cohesive bonds of traditional life and the other defined by impersonal and transactional relationships typical of the industrial cityscape. Many people have since written about the loneliness of modern life, but this 2016 book by Laing is my favorite of the genre. She depicts the city as an irreplaceable source of both isolation and creativity, where loneliness fuels some of the most extraordinary art ever made. Why did I select this book for this list? Among those of us who work in national security – from soldiers to scholars to leaders of state – there is an art to what we do. There is also a lonely quality to it, whether one is toiling in the archives or grappling with a consequential decision about life and death. Madeline Field Sparks: China’s Underground Historians and Their Battle for the Future , Ian Johnson. While the Chinese Communist Party’s rewriting of its history books is well-documented, little light has been shed on the individuals trying to stop it. Johnson’s book highlights these counter-historians and their efforts, contextualizing them within history, geography, and modern events. It is equal parts informative and moving, and well worth a read. The Demon in the Freezer: A True Story , Richard Preston . Preston weaves together two separate storylines- the efforts of the Smallpox Eradication Program in the 1970s and the events of the 2001 Anthrax Attacks- to make a compelling case for the prospect of biological warfare, aided and abetted by remaining stocks of smallpox in Russian and American freezers. The book, released almost 25 years ago, is a must-read for anyone interested in bioterrorism and infectious disease. Post-pandemic, however, its conclusions are more thought-provoking than ever. Richard Fontaine The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the CIA, and the Origins of America’s Invasion of Iraq , Steve Coll . This gripping account starts in Saddam’s early years and runs through the 2003 U.S. invasion. Relying on internal, Nixon-like tapes of Saddam’s cabinet meetings, the volume adds new details and perspectives to a tragic story. Fundamentals: Ten Keys to Reality , Frank Wilczek . This is a book on modern physics and cosmology – what we know about the universe and how we know it. It’s not a rehash of high school and college-level physics but rather a conceptual and philosophical dive into the nature of reality. Wilczek is a Nobel-prize-winning theoretical physicist with a talent for clear and compelling writing. Good stuff. Amos Fox Routledge Handbook of Proxy Wars , edited by Assaf Moghadam, Vladimir Rauta, and Michel Wyss . Considering the frequency of proxy strategies and range of proxy actors at work in armed conflict today, the Routledge Handbook of Proxy Wars provides an excellent place to turn to help understand modern proxy wars. As the book makes clear, modern proxy wars differ significantly from those of the Cold War period, and thus we require fresh analysis to help appreciate 21st-century proxy war, the strategy that fuels it today, and the relationships that can exist between principals and proxies. The Routledge Handbook of Proxy Wars should sit atop anyone’s reading list if they are attempting to understand the geopolitics of the Middle East and eastern Asia, the prevalence of private military companies, and state-to-state sponsorship in modern armed conflict. Advanced Land Warfare: Tactics and Operations , edited by Mikael Weissman and Niklas Nilsson . Has modern technology accelerated a fundamental change in the nature of war? Does drone warfare represent a new, game-changing method of warfighting, or do existing models of operation, command and control, and combined arms continue to thrive? These are two of the primary considerations addressed in Advanced Land Warfare . With contributions to the editor volume from the likes of Jack Watling, Jim Storr, and Olivier Schmitt, the answers to those questions are compelling and varied. This book is a must for anyone interested in probing the future with existing warfighting methodologies to identify potential changes and continuities in land warfare. Ulrike Franke The Wizard of the Kremlin , Giuliano da Empoli . It is fiction, but then not really. Guiliao da Empoli has written a fictional encounter with “Vadim Baranov”, nicknamed the Tsar, the man behind Vladimir Putin. Baranov is fictional but clearly inspired by Vladislav Surkov, who, for several years, was Putin’s man in the shadow. A fascinating read about Russia and Putin’s rise. Freedom. Memoirs 1954 -2021 , Angela Merkel . Former German chancellor Angela Merkel’s memoirs had been eagerly awaited by the German and international political commentariat. Many were hoping – though not necessarily expecting – excuses and explanations for what are now seen to be Merkel’s biggest mistakes, from abandoning nuclear power (faster), authorising the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, her handling of the 2015 refugee crisis in Europe, or the Minsk II agreement on Ukraine. She does not admit mistakes, and the readers are left with many questions – but her 700 page memoirs are still an interesting view into German history, from her youth and early adulthood in the Democratic Republic, the beginning of the united Germany, and of course her 16 years in office. T. X. Hammes Superpower Interrupted: The Chinese History of the World , Michael Shuman . Shuman provides a coherent rendition of the continuity of the fundamental Chinese narrative that China is a rightful superpower. He traces the continuity of that strategic belief through over 3000 years of Chinese dynasties. The Dark Path: The Structure of War and the Rise of the West , Williamson Murray . Murray provides a majestic narration of the five major revolutions that have shaped the character of warfare today. Scholars and practitioners seeking to understand the major changes taking place today will find this a thought-provoking and valuable work. Nicholas Hanson Invisible China , Scott Rozelle and Natalie Hell . This book explores the stark disparities between urban and rural populations in China and their implications for the country’s future development. The authors argue that while China’s urban centers have experienced rapid economic growth and modernization, rural areas, which house the majority of the population, lag significantly behind in education and economic opportunities. This urban-rural divide jeopardizes China’s long-term stability and economic growth, as the rural population lacks the skills needed to transition to a modern, high-tech economy. Drawing on extensive data and field research, the book highlights the urgent need for investment in education and human capital in rural China to sustain the nation’s rise. Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right , Arlie Russell Hochschild . This book examines the emotional and cultural foundations of political conservatism in the United States, particularly in the Deep South. Through extensive fieldwork in Louisiana, Hochschild seeks to understand Tea Party supporters’ underlying grievances and worldviews. The book explores economic stagnation, environmental degradation, and a sense of displacement and isolation, revealing how cultural values and emotional experiences shape political identities. By empathizing with her subjects, Hochschild provides a nuanced account of the polarization in American politics, bridging ideological divides through understanding. Frank Hoffman Beyond Ukraine: Debating the Future of War , edited by Tim Sweijs and Jeffrey Michaels . An early effort to identify issues about the changing character of warfare, including insights from ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Contains a diverse array of different visions of future conflict. Key contributions from Azar Gat, Audrey Kurth Cronin, T.X. Hammes, Antoine Bousquet, and Tony Echevarria. Melting Point. High Command and War in the 21st Century , Kenneth. F. McKenzie, Jr . While most General’s memoirs are poorly crafted and self-serving, readers will find that Melting Point is an invaluable and smartly written book. McKenzie looks back at his time as Commander, U.S. Central Command during several Middle East conflicts with an emphasis on the campaign in Afghanistan. Melting Point contains insights on the endgame in Kabul for those trying to understand how that war unraveled. Any professional who aspires to higher command or expects to provide strategic and operational staff support to a senior commander will benefit from a study of this work. Burak Kadercan Oceans Rise Empires Fall: Why Geopolitics Hastens Climate Catastrophe , Gerard Toal . In his new book, Gerard Toal, a leading political geographer and an expert on the concept of geopolitics, deals with the intricate relationship between geopolitics-as-practice and climate change. In an argument that both travels across and transcends Geography (both political and physical geography), International Relations Theory, and strategic studies, Toal suggests that traditional forms of geopolitics not only undermine efforts to address climate change, but they also render it a secondary thought for the leading powers in global politics. Toal’s new book is a most welcome entry to the interdisciplinary and unconventional approaches to international security . On Wars , Michael Mann . Following his four-volume magnum opus, The Sources of Social Power (1986, 1993, 2012, 2013), Mann turns his full analytical attention to the concept of war. Mann’s theoretical ingenuity and empirical reach is impressive, as the book travels across numerous time periods and geographies, from ancient Rome and China to the World Wars, or from the American Civil War to recent conflicts in the Middle East and beyond. Mann’s thesis is simple and very pertinent to the study of international politics and security studies: While most analyses on the causes and conduct of armed conflicts focus on a form of “rational actor assumption,” Mann makes a strong case for the inherent “irrationality” of wars, which are driven more by societal dynamics and historical contingency, as opposed to some universal geopolitical “logic” which itself is based on a version of rational actor assumption. Sameer Lalwani Unit X: How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley Are Transforming the Future of War , Raj M. Shah and Christopher Kirchhoff . In Unit X , two US national security insiders offer an account of the motives, development, resourcefulness, antibodies, and near-death experiences of the Defense Innovation Unit-Experimental (DIUx) across three administrations, resembling the challenges of a defense startup’s minimum viable product . The book also effectively presents a rough, first-cut history of US defense technology competition over the past decade, drawing a throughline from new government institutions (DIU, NSCAI , the Chips Act), to new defense industry players (Palantir, Anduril, Capella Space), to their utility in evolving national security challenges (ISIS, DPRK missiles, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, cross-Strait deterrence). Readers will find Unit X a case study in government adaptation while policymakers can draw insights for future technology ventures like DIANA , AUKUS , or INDUS-X . Rick Landgraf Oceans Rise Empires Fall: Why Geopolitics Hastens Climate Catastrophe , Gerard Toal . The title of this book is derived from the chorus of a song from the musical Hamilton , which aptly summarizes the climate emergency which defines our present. Toal argues that even though we are approaching a tipping point in a global environmental catastrophe, powerful states, including the United States, remain fixated on economic and military competition against rival world powers. Tragically, this competition appears more important than the necessary collective action against potentially irreversible climate change. Economic War: Ukraine and the Global Conflict between Russia and the West , Maximillian Hess . This book offers a thoughtful analysis about the ongoing global economic clash between Russia and the West over finance, energy, and capital markets. Max reminds us that the power of the dollar and its central role in global financial markets gives the United States an unmatched ability to wage economic war on Russia and its friends. However, there is significant risk that politicians in Washington could abuse the dollar’s power for purposes that are not in the interests of the people of the United States, nor of its allies or partners across the globe. Carrie Lee On Obedience , Pauline Shanks Kaurin . This is a terrific exploration of the duties and obligations of military officers to obey and be loyal to their oaths to the Constitution. It is an absolute must-read for military officers anxious about the future, and anyone struggling with what it means to swear an oath to an idea, rather than a person. Just and Unjust Wars , Michael Walzer . A good re-read right now about ethical responsibilities in war. It’s in need of an update to account for both our more sophisticated understandings of civil-military relations and contemporary conflict, but that’s all the more reason to sit with this text for a while and think deeply about how the world has changed since its initial publication. David Maxwell The Black Box: Demystifying the Study of Korean Unification and North Korea , Victor Cha . This is a must read for all those who know a new strategy is needed to solve the “Korea question” (i.e., the unnatural division of the peninsula) after nearly four decades of failed denuclearization policy. This innovative book provides never before collected and analyzed data to look at the critical issues surrounding unification. While Cha is cautionary about predictions, for those who believe that the path to denuclearization goes through unification (e.g., the freedom of the Korean people in the north as they seek their human right of self-determination), this work can serve as the foundation for a strategic estimate to support strategy and campaign development for the pursuit of a free and unified Korea by the Korean people. Training for Victory: U.S. Special Forces Advisory Operations from El Salvador to Afghanistan , Frank Sobchak . While U.S special operations forces pursue a high-tech future (e.g., the “triad” of SOF, Cyber, and Space) there is one foundational Special Forces capability that will remain enduring across the spectrum of conflict from peace through strategic competition and the gray zone, to before, during, and after large scale combat operations. That is the ability to conduct campaigns “through, with, and by” indigenous forces and populations and partner militaries. Frank Sobchak objectively analyzes five case studies to provide critical lessons and insights for future advisory operations: El Salvador, the Philippines, Colombia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. While the focus is on Special Forces, the author recognizes that to build viable host nation partner forces with a broad range of capabilities requires more than Special Forces, thus this book is of value to all those who will participate in advisory operations in the future. Bryan McGrath The Demon of Unrest , Erik Larson . I have only lately discovered Larson’s work, which is exceptional. This history of events leading up to the reduction of Fort Sumter tracks events in Charleston, Washington, and in eventual Confederate State Capitals with equal depth. The Glorious Cause: the American Revolution 1763-1789 , Robert Middlekauff . A superb history of the politics, economics, and military operations of this most meaningful of eras in human history. I find great comfort in returning to the first things as it were, diving deeply into exactly what it is my political ideology seeks to conserve. Douglas Ollivant Land Between the Rivers: a 5,000 Year History of Iraq , Bartle Bull . In this work of brightly polished prose (by my friend and occasional co-author), Bull sweeps through five millennia of history, showing the central role of Iraq in events from Gilgamesh, through the Greeks and then Islam, to the fall of the monarchy in Baghdad in 1958. By ending the story before US entanglements begin, Bull shows us a different Mesopotamia than is carried in our modern imagination. Watch the central storyline move from Uruk to Ur to Nineveh to Babylon to Selucia and to Kufa before finally settling in Baghdad. The City and its Uncertain Walls , Haruki Murakami . Not one but two libraries; a woman who disappears suddenly; a mysterious figure who may or may not be a ghost; alternative dimensions; and yes, a hole in the ground. Murakami arranges his usual tropes in ways utterly unexpected and wildly thought-provoking. Another masterful but remarkably accessible novel from a perennial favorite for literature’s Nobel Prize. Iskander Rehman Faustian Bargain: The Soviet-German Partnership and the Origins of the Second World War , Ian Ona Johnson . The 1939 partition of Poland between Hitler and Stalin has often been described as a moment of opportunism, a temporary alignment of interests between the two dictators. In fact, it was the culmination of nearly twenty years of intermittent cooperation between Germany and the Soviet Union.” So begins Ian Ona Johnson’s magisterial and exhaustively researched history of the (largely covert) military-industrial cooperation between Germany and the Soviet Union during the interwar years. Few books could be more timely. First, by reminding us of the simple historical fact that for decades the Soviet Union constituted Nazi Germany’s prime technological and military enabler, it provides a welcome corrective to Putin’s warped narrative about the history and origins of the Second World War. And second, this elegantly written book provides a richly informative and hugely relevant historical case study, at a time when US security managers are struggling to come to terms with the rapid growth in defense cooperation between the motley array of revisionist countries (Iran, Russia, China, DPRK) belonging to what has been alternatively dubbed the “authoritarian axis,” “quartet of chaos”, or “axis of upheaval,” but which this author prefers to simply call the “phalanx of thuggery.” Anticipating Total War: The German and American Experiences, 1871-1914 , Manfred M. Bomeke . This edited compilation of essays examines how leading intellectuals, policymakers and strategic thinkers in Germany and the United States–the two great rising industrial powers of their time–viewed the future of warfare between 1871 and 1914. Deriving their variegated insights from their experiences with punishing colonial conflicts (the Boer War), grueling industrialized wars (the American Civil War) or largely unanticipated reversals in military fortunes (the relatively rapid defeat of France during the Franco-Prussian War, or of Russia during the Russo-Japanese war), these thinkers—for all their raw intellectual firepower– still struggled to fully anticipate quite how grimly transformational and resource-demanding World War 1 would prove to be. A salutary reminder of how difficult it can be to conduct force planning within a protean environment, one characterized by great geopolitical uncertainty and rapid disruptive technological change. I would love to see an entrepreneurial academic expand this volume (or edit a follow-up volume)–this time incorporating a series of parallel reflections on the development of strategic thinking in Russia, France, Britain and Japan during this critical period in history. Kori Schake You Dreamed of Empires , Alvaro Enrigue . A brilliant, brilliant and historically-based reimagining of Cortez’ conquest of Mexico, told from the indigenous point of view. Glittering sophistication of Tenochtitlan, brutality of Mexica priests, smart women trying to create space of their own — and a surprising theory of Montezuma’s motives. Even better to listen to it than read it so you can hear the cadences of Mexica words. The Cutting Off Way: Indigenous Warfare in Eastern North America, 1500-1800 , Wayne E. Lee . The history and strategy of Native Americans is still predominantly told through the prism of their contact with European settlers, but Wayne Lee shows what they looked like, fought like, and learned from each other as European intrusion affected them all. His exploration of the cultural and demographic basis for restraint in combat (the acquisition of prisoners) is especially interesting. Jeremy Shapiro The Embrace of Unreason: France, 1914-1940 , Frederick Brown . As certain points in history, countries find themselves drawn to unreason. They find themselves turning away from rational, enlightenment ideals and embracing xenophobia and demagoguery. In one such example, Brown tells the story of how the French intelligentsia, traumatized by World War I, lost its way in the interwar period, culminating in the eventual ruin of the nation. Not to worry, though, it could never happen here. The Embrace of Unreason picks up where Brown’s previous book, For the Soul of France, left off to tell the story of France in the decades leading up to World War II. We see through the lives of three writers (Maurice Barrès, Charles Maurras, and Pierre Drieu La Rochelle) how the French intelligentsia turned away from the humanistic traditions and rationalistic ideals born out of the Enlightenment in favor of submission to authority that stressed patriotism, militarism, and xenophobia; how French extremists, traumatized by the horrors of the battlefront and exalted by the glories of wartime martyrdom, tried to redeem France’s collective identity, as Hitler’s shadow lengthened over Europe. The author writes of the Stavisky Affair, named for the notorious swindler whose grandiose Ponzi scheme tarred numerous political figures and fueled the bloody riots of February 1934, with right-wing paramilitary leagues, already suffering from the worldwide effects of the 1929 stock market crash. Polostan , Neal Stephenson . A Neil Stephenson novel is always an investment. He writes long, intricate many-layered plots, whose wide-ranging erudition always makes one feel that one hasn’t read widely enough. But he ties it together in the end and convinces that you finally understand. This is his first spy novel, but not his last as it is the first of a trilogy. You’ll need eventually to read all three to understand what is really going on, but assuming your ego survives, you will be better off for the (long) journey. Abigail Taylor A Woman I Know: Female Spies, Double Identities, and a New Story of the Kennedy Assassination , Mary Haverstick . While aiming to create a film about a female aviator, Mary Haverstick accidentally stumbles into a potential conspiracy involving the Cold War, the CIA, and the Kennedy assassination. Her deeply researched book offers a glimpse into the life of a 20th-century female spy. Joseph Wehmeyer On All Fronts: The Education of a Journalist , Clarissa Ward . Reporting on some of the most consequential events of the 21st century so far, Clarissa Ward’s memoir provides firsthand insights covering some of the biggest developments of the past two decades. Her memoir details the rollercoaster experience of being a war correspondent both professionally and emotionally while many of the issues she reported on continue to unravel today. Exercise of Power: American Failures, Successes, and a New Path Forward in the Post-Cold War World , Robert M. Gates . Secretary Gates gives a sobering assessment of post-Cold War American foreign policy and makes a strong argument that leaders have failed to understand the complexities, expansiveness, and limitations of American power. His insights remain relevant in a world that is more precarious and dangerous than four years ago. In an era where many question America’s global leadership and its capabilities, Gates gives readers both a reality check and a way forward. Nicole Wiley Fair Play: The Moral Dilemmas of Spying , James M. Olson . Written by a career Directorate of Operations intelligence officer, Fair Play explores the big moral questions decision-makers and case officers alike are faced with in the espionage business. I loved this book the first time I read it, and I go back to it often to get a good dose of both fictional scenarios you might see in any spy thriller movie and real-world implications of morally ambiguous intelligence collection methods. Putin’s World: Russia Against the West and With the Rest , Angela Stent . Although this book was written pre-full scale invasion of Ukraine, it offers a comprehensive and easy-to-follow analysis of why President Putin is so difficult for the U.S. to deal with and understand. It gives historical context without sounding overly academic and is a great read for anyone who wants to understand the decades of context behind Putin’s decision-making. My favorite quote from the book is: “For the time being, NATO serves a useful purpose for Russia. It provides a most convenient main opponent.” Image: Adam Bernaert via Wikimedia Commons.