The John Batchelor Show

The John Batchelor Show is a hard news-analysis radio program on current events, world history, global politics and natural sciences. Based in New York City for two decades, the show has travelled widely to report, from the Middle East to the South Caucasus to the Arabian Peninsula and East Asia.

Episodes

S8 Ep171: Dallas the Spoodle Befriends Local Magpies as Cockatoos Target Neighbors: Colleague Jeremy Zakis reports that Dallas, an 11-year-old spoodle, continues to expand his "village" of avian friends, now joined by teenage magpies who actively run to greet him d

December 6, 2025 • 7 mins

Dallas the Spoodle Befriends Local Magpies as Cockatoos Target Neighbors: Colleague Jeremy Zakis reports that Dallas, an 11-year-old spoodle, continues to expand his "village" of avian friends, now joined by teenage magpies who actively run to greet him during walks, theorizing that the territorial magpies view the friendly dog as a "force multiplier" or ally rather than a threat; while the magpie breeding season is ending, a ...

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S8 Ep171: Australia Dominates England in First Ashes Test Amidst Heat and Humidity: Colleague Jeremy Zakis reports that Australia has taken a commanding lead in the Ashes, scoring 511 runs to England's opening 334, attributing the English team's struggle to the har

December 6, 2025 • 9 mins

Australia Dominates England in First Ashes Test Amidst Heat and Humidity: Colleague Jeremy Zakis reports that Australia has taken a commanding lead in the Ashes, scoring 511 runs to England's opening 334, attributing the English team's struggle to the harsh Australian environment ranging from 100-degree dry heat in Perth to tropical humidity in Brisbane, which fatigues players and alters ball aerodynamics; the Australian squad...

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S8 Ep171: Miraculous Escape: Girl Survives Dry Bite from Deadly Tiger Snake in Perth: Colleague Jeremy Zakis reports that an 11-year-old girl in Perth miraculously survived a tiger snake encounter while riding her scooter; although the snake, whose venom can kill 2

December 6, 2025 • 10 mins

Miraculous Escape: Girl Survives Dry Bite from Deadly Tiger Snake in Perth: Colleague Jeremy Zakis reports that an 11-year-old girl in Perth miraculously survived a tiger snake encounter while riding her scooter; although the snake, whose venom can kill 200 humans and clot blood within 30 minutes, bit her leg, she received a rare "dry bite" where no venom was injected, and while younger victims generally have higher survival r...

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S8 Ep171: Early Bushfires Destroy Homes on Central Coast Despite La Niña Forecast: Colleague Jeremy Zakis reports that despite forecasts of a wet La Niña summer, New South Wales is facing intense early bushfires driven by high winds and hot, dry conditions; a fire

December 6, 2025 • 11 mins

Early Bushfires Destroy Homes on Central Coast Despite La Niña Forecast: Colleague Jeremy Zakis reports that despite forecasts of a wet La Niña summer, New South Wales is facing intense early bushfires driven by high winds and hot, dry conditions; a fire near Kulaw on the Central Coast has already destroyed 12 homes, spreading rapidly through ground scrub and airborne embers that bypass firebreaks, with the region's eucalyptus...

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S8 Ep170: Competition and the Human Struggle with Death: Colleague Emily Wilson discusses the poem's end, where Achilles processes grief through funeral games that replace lethal combat with competition, analyzing Achilles giving Agamemnon a prize without contest—p

December 6, 2025 • 6 mins

Competition and the Human Struggle with Death: Colleague Emily Wilson discusses the poem's end, where Achilles processes grief through funeral games that replace lethal combat with competition, analyzing Achilles giving Agamemnon a prize without contest—possibly a "sick burn"—and the final focus on women's lamentations, emphasizing the enduring human struggle to accept death and loss.

1717 TROY

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S8 Ep170: The Death of Patroclus and Achilles' Vengeance: Colleague Emily Wilson examines the climax, starting with Patroclus's fatal decision to fight and his death, describing Achilles' return to battle with Hephaestus-forged armor, his terrifying slaughter that

December 6, 2025 • 12 mins

The Death of Patroclus and Achilles' Vengeance: Colleague Emily Wilson examines the climax, starting with Patroclus's fatal decision to fight and his death, describing Achilles' return to battle with Hephaestus-forged armor, his terrifying slaughter that clogs the river god, and his vengeful dragging of Hector's body, driven by an insatiable desire to inflict humiliation and process loss.
UNDATED HELEN OF TROY

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S8 Ep170: Visceral Combat and the Sanctity of the Dead: Colleague Emily Wilson focuses on the visceral violence of battle scenes and the significance of caring for the dead, detailing the warrior ethos regarding proper burial versus the desecration of corpses to de

December 6, 2025 • 7 mins

Visceral Combat and the Sanctity of the Dead: Colleague Emily Wilson focuses on the visceral violence of battle scenes and the significance of caring for the dead, detailing the warrior ethos regarding proper burial versus the desecration of corpses to deny closure, also touching upon the gods bleeding "ichor" and the struggle over armor as a symbol of dominance.
ZEUS

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S8 Ep170: Agamemnon's Quarrel and Divine Politics: Colleague Emily Wilson explains the catalyst for the Iliad's plot: the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles over a "prize" woman, leading to Achilles' withdrawal, discussing the divine politics between Zeus and H

December 6, 2025 • 10 mins

Agamemnon's Quarrel and Divine Politics: Colleague Emily Wilson explains the catalyst for the Iliad's plot: the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles over a "prize" woman, leading to Achilles' withdrawal, discussing the divine politics between Zeus and Hera that seal Troy's fate and analyzing Agamemnon's flawed, burdened leadership amidst the pressure of holding the Greek forces together.

SACK OF TROY

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S8 Ep170: Gods, Warriors, and the Brutality of Patroclus: Colleague Emily Wilson discusses the gods' involvement, specifically Aphrodite and Ares representing base instincts on the battlefield, characterizing Patroclus not merely as gentle but as a brutal warrior,

December 6, 2025 • 7 mins

Gods, Warriors, and the Brutality of Patroclus: Colleague Emily Wilson discusses the gods' involvement, specifically Aphrodite and Ares representing base instincts on the battlefield, characterizing Patroclus not merely as gentle but as a brutal warrior, also examining the status of enslaved women like Briseis and the deep intimacy between Achilles and his companion Patroclus.

1599 ARMS FOR ACHILLES

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S8 Ep170: Mortal Tragedies and Divine Manipulations: Colleague Emily Wilson explores key character dynamics, including Helen's weaving as a metaphor for poetry and her strained relationship with Paris, analyzing the tragic parting of Hector and Andromache, the rage

December 6, 2025 • 12 mins

Mortal Tragedies and Divine Manipulations: Colleague Emily Wilson explores key character dynamics, including Helen's weaving as a metaphor for poetry and her strained relationship with Paris, analyzing the tragic parting of Hector and Andromache, the rage of Hecuba, and the role of gods like Thetis and Hera in manipulating mortal fates through prayers and bargains.

1545 AD TROJAN WAR

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S8 Ep170: The Homeric Question and Narrative Choices: Colleague Emily Wilson addresses the "Homeric Question," describing the transition from oral tradition to written text around the 8th century BCE, discussing how the Iliad subverts audience expectations by omitt

December 6, 2025 • 8 mins

The Homeric Question and Narrative Choices: Colleague Emily Wilson addresses the "Homeric Question," describing the transition from oral tradition to written text around the 8th century BCE, discussing how the Iliad subverts audience expectations by omitting famous events like the Trojan Horse, focusing instead on a brief period of intense conflict and internal Greek strife.

1200 AD ILLIAD

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S8 Ep170: Grief, Games, and Lamentation: The Iliad's Conclusion: Colleague Emily Wilson discusses the Iliad's conclusion, focusing on Achilles' processing of grief through the funeral pyre and games, analyzing the shift from violence to regulated competition, Achil

December 6, 2025 • 6 mins

Grief, Games, and Lamentation: The Iliad's Conclusion: Colleague Emily Wilson discusses the Iliad's conclusion, focusing on Achilles' processing of grief through the funeral pyre and games, analyzing the shift from violence to regulated competition, Achilles' ambiguous gesture of giving Agamemnon a prize without competition, and the poem ending with women's lamentations rather than a victory celebration.
6th century ice

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S8 Ep169: Octavian Becomes Augustus: Colleague Barry Strauss explains that Octavian adopts the title Augustus, carefully avoiding the labels of king or dictator while establishing authority; he erases Antony's public memory, while Octavia raises Antony's children,

December 6, 2025 • 14 mins

Octavian Becomes Augustus: Colleague Barry Strauss explains that Octavian adopts the title Augustus, carefully avoiding the labels of king or dictator while establishing authority; he erases Antony's public memory, while Octavia raises Antony's children, securing a lineage that leads to future emperors like Nero, with the fate of Cleopatra's statue in Rome remaining unknown.

1891 SARAH BERNHARDT AS CLEOPATRA

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S8 Ep169: The Deaths of Antony and Cleopatra: Colleague Barry Strauss recounts that back in Alexandria, negotiations fail as Octavian closes in to secure Egypt's treasury; Antony's remaining forces defect, leading to his suicide in Cleopatra's arms, and realizing O

December 6, 2025 • 9 mins

The Deaths of Antony and Cleopatra: Colleague Barry Strauss recounts that back in Alexandria, negotiations fail as Octavian closes in to secure Egypt's treasury; Antony's remaining forces defect, leading to his suicide in Cleopatra's arms, and realizing Octavian plans to parade her in Rome and kill her son Caesarion, Cleopatra commits suicide, likely via snakebite.

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S8 Ep169: Agrippa's Brilliant Attack on Methone: Colleague Barry Strauss details the logistical maneuvers preceding Actium, noting Antony's defensive posture in western Greece, with Agrippa executing a brilliant surprise attack on Methone, a key supply base, crippl

December 6, 2025 • 9 mins

Agrippa's Brilliant Attack on Methone: Colleague Barry Strauss details the logistical maneuvers preceding Actium, noting Antony's defensive posture in western Greece, with Agrippa executing a brilliant surprise attack on Methone, a key supply base, crippling Antony's supply lines; this amphibious raid forces Antony to shift focus to the north, setting the stage for battle.

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S8 Ep169: Antony's Political Error and the Path to Civil War: Colleague Barry Strauss recounts that Antony commits a major political error by divorcing Octavia, allowing Octavian to frame the conflict as a defense of Roman values against a foreign queen; despite in

December 6, 2025 • 6 mins

Antony's Political Error and the Path to Civil War: Colleague Barry Strauss recounts that Antony commits a major political error by divorcing Octavia, allowing Octavian to frame the conflict as a defense of Roman values against a foreign queen; despite internal objections, Cleopatra remains with the fleet at Ephesus, cementing the inevitability of civil war between the factions.

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S8 Ep169: Antony's Marriage and Octavian's Information War: Colleague Barry Strauss explains that to maintain peace, Antony marries Octavian's sister Octavia, though tensions persist; while Antony suffers military losses in Parthia, Octavian's general Agrippa defea

December 6, 2025 • 14 mins

Antony's Marriage and Octavian's Information War: Colleague Barry Strauss explains that to maintain peace, Antony marries Octavian's sister Octavia, though tensions persist; while Antony suffers military losses in Parthia, Octavian's general Agrippa defeats Sextus Pompey and succeeds in Illyricum, with Octavian launching an information war portraying Antony as a traitor "unmanned" by Cleopatra and luxury.

...

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S8 Ep169: Cleopatra's Spectacular Introduction to Antony: Colleague Barry Strauss describes Cleopatra's spectacular introduction to Antony and her background as the ruthless, wealthy queen of the Ptolemaic dynasty, noting that Antony values her resources and acknow

December 6, 2025 • 7 mins

Cleopatra's Spectacular Introduction to Antony: Colleague Barry Strauss describes Cleopatra's spectacular introduction to Antony and her background as the ruthless, wealthy queen of the Ptolemaic dynasty, noting that Antony values her resources and acknowledges her son Caesarion as Julius Caesar's child, highlighting Cleopatra's wealth display with the pearl story and their strategic alliance.

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S8 Ep169: Power Struggle After Caesar's Death: Colleague Barry Strauss introduces the power struggle following Caesar's death, featuring the established noble Mark Antony and the ambitious, though physically slight, Octavian, detailing the Second Triumvirate and An

December 6, 2025 • 10 mins

Power Struggle After Caesar's Death: Colleague Barry Strauss introduces the power struggle following Caesar's death, featuring the established noble Mark Antony and the ambitious, though physically slight, Octavian, detailing the Second Triumvirate and Antony's military prestige after Philippi, contrasting it with Octavian's reliance on political cunning and the legacy of his great-uncle.
1700 ANTONY & CLEOPATRA

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S8 Ep168: Views on America and Marxist Dogma: Colleague Geoffrey Roberts explains that Stalin admired American production and the Constitution, viewing the U.S. as a progressive capitalist state; however, Stalin remained a Marxist dogmatist who edited texts to fit

December 6, 2025 • 7 mins

Views on America and Marxist Dogma: Colleague Geoffrey Roberts explains that Stalin admired American production and the Constitution, viewing the U.S. as a progressive capitalist state; however, Stalin remained a Marxist dogmatist who edited texts to fit his ideology, with Roberts ultimately characterizing Stalin as an intellectual whose worldview was limited by his fanatical commitment to Bolshevism.

1934

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