CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 9-17-2025 FIRST HOUR 9-915HEADLINE: Global Tensions Escalate: Nuclear Drills, Urban Warfare, and Naval Probes Amidst Shifting Alliances GUEST NAME: Jeff McCausland SUMMARY: Russia conducts tactical nuclear drill
CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR
9-17-2025
FIRST HOUR
9-915HEADLINE: Global Tensions Escalate: Nuclear Drills, Urban Warfare, and Naval Probes Amidst Shifting Alliances
GUEST NAME: Jeff McCausland
SUMMARY: Russia conducts tactical nuclear drills with Belarus as drones probe Polish airspace, while Israel engages in difficult urban warfare in Gaza, and the US flexes naval power against Venezuela, all against a backdrop of potential regional miscalculations. Russia's Zapad 2025 includes tactical nuclear training with Belarus, as unidentified drones probe Polish territory. Israel faces six months of challenging urban combat in Gaza, learning from Fallujah. The USconducts naval exercises near Venezuela, potentially aimed at destabilizing Maduro. Regional flashpoints in Syria risk accidental escalation between Turkey and Israel.
1930 POLAND
915-930
CONTINUED
HEADLINE: Global Tensions Escalate: Nuclear Drills, Urban Warfare, and Naval Probes Amidst Shifting Alliances
GUEST NAME: Jeff McCausland
SUMMARY: Russia conducts tactical nuclear drills with Belarus as drones probe Polish airspace,
930-945
HEADLINE: EU Schemes to Fund Ukraine with Frozen Russian Assets, While Oil Prices Fluctuate
GUEST NAME: Michael Bernstam
SUMMARY: The EU devises a "clever scheme" to fund Ukraine with Russia's frozen assets by converting cash into zero-interest bonds held by Euroclear, effectively confiscating the funds while navigating legal obstacles, as global oil markets remain volatile. The EU and G7 plan to use $170 billion of frozen Russian assets, largely held by Euroclear in Belgium, to fund Ukraine. This "confiscation" involves the European Union issuing zero-interest bonds to Euroclear, allowing cash to be transferred to Ukraine as an unpayable loan. Meanwhile, Brent crude oil prices fluctuate, influenced by sanctions and Trump's calls to stop buying Russian oil.
945-1000
HEADLINE: Challenging Prospect Theory: Increasing Sensitivity to Loss in Human Behavior
GUEST NAME: Tim Kane
SUMMARY: Professor Tim Kane questions Kahneman and Tversky's Prospect Theory, presenting experiments that suggest humans exhibit increasing sensitivity to loss, rather than diminishing, impacting our understanding of complex rationality beyond financial gambles. Professor Tim Kane challenges Kahneman and Tversky's Prospect Theory, arguing that while losses hurt more than gains, people show increasing sensitivity to successive losses, not diminishing sensitivity. His chocolate experiment demonstrated higher demands to part with each subsequent piece, suggesting a "complex rationality" that differs in non-financial contexts from pure monetary gambles.
SECOND HOUR
10-1015
HEADLINE: Nepal's "Gen Z Revolution" Against Corruption and Inequality, Amidst Geopolitical Influence
GUEST NAME: Kelly Currie
SUMMARY: Nepal faces its biggest governance challenge in decades as disillusioned youth, frustrated by corrupt elites and deep inequality, ignite a "Gen Z revolution" marked by widespread protests, while China and India vie for influence in the poor, landlocked nation. Nepal is grappling with widespread "Gen Z" youth-led protests, marked by violence and targeting government institutions, driven by anger over corrupt elites and severe inequality. An interim government is forming to stabilize the country and organize elections. Meanwhile, Nepal, Asia's second poorest nation, is a growing battleground for influence between China and India.
1015-1030
HEADLINE: China's Deflationary Cycle: A Consequence of Overproduction and Centralized Control
GUEST NAME: Anne Stevenson-Yang
SUMMARY: China is mired in a fearful deflationary cycle driven by chronic overproduction and a government unable to shift from supply-side investment to stimulating consumption, perpetuating a "race to the bottom" under CCP leadership. China faces widespread deflation, causing consumer uncertainty and stemming from government-backed overproduction. The CCP leadership pours money into factories to meet GDP targets, despite overbuilt infrastructure and property. This "involution," or economy eating itself, continues due to a lack of innovative solutions and reluctance to cede economic control.
1030-1045
HEADLINE: China's Covert Strategic Support for Russia Fuels NATO Border Tensions
GUEST NAME: Victoria Coates
SUMMARY: China is actively supporting Russia's efforts to destabilize NATO's eastern flank, particularly through the Polish-Belarusian border, by pushing migrants and using proxies. This "partnership without limits," declared by Xi and Putin, aims to keep the United States entangled in European conflicts, preventing a focus on East Asia. Poland, however, remains resolute and is strengthening its defenses. China covertly aids Russia in destabilizing NATO via incidents on the Polish-Belarusian border, pushing migrants and using drones. This "partnership without limits" between Xi and Putin aims to keep the US preoccupied in Europe and the Middle East, preventing a focus on East Asia. Despite this, Poland, led by President Karol Nawrocki, remains resolute, strengthening its defenses and economy.
1045-1100
HEADLINE: China's EV Market Faces Global Headwinds and Domestic Overcapacity
GUEST NAME: Alan Tonelson
SUMMARY: Despite innovation, China's electric vehicle market, led by BYD, is experiencing production drops, price wars, and significant international pushback due to quality, surveillance fears, and predatory trade practices, exposing a broader economic deflation. China's EV market leader BYD saw production drops amidst price wars and over 150 producers. Global markets, including the US, Japan, Germany, and South Korea, resist Chinese EVs due to surveillance concerns and predatory trade practices. Beijing maintains employment through municipal loans, but widespread overcapacity and deflation are significant challenges.
THIRD HOUR
1100-1115
HEADLINE: Commodity Prices Surge Amidst Global Demand and UK Political Turmoil
GUEST NAME: Simon Constable
SUMMARY: While the south of France enjoys a pleasant harvest, global commodity prices for essential metals and select food items are spiking due to high demand and supply constraints, mirroring political unrest and leadership challenges within the UK's Labour Party. Simon Constable reports on rising commodity prices: copper, iron ore, and aluminum are up due to high demand for data centers and supply issues. Coffee prices have spiked by 51%, though cocoa and Brent crude have moderated. In the UK, Labour Party leader Keir Starmer faces internal dissent and "plastic patriotism" protests, with talk of replacing him by early next year.
1115-1130
CONTINUED
HEADLINE: Commodity Prices Surge Amidst Global Demand and UK Political Turmoil
GUEST NAME: Simon Constable
SUMMARY: While the south of France enjoys a pleasant harvest, global commodity prices for
1130-1145
HEADLINE: Iraqi Intelligence Uncovers Global Islamic State Network, Highlighting African Hub's Expanding Influence
GUEST NAMES: Caleb Weiss and Bill Roggio
SUMMARY: The Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) has made its first international bust in West Africa, revealing how Islamic State (ISIS) cells, particularly the wealthy ISWAP, are funding global attacks and supporting ISISoperations, including those in Iraq, amidst shifting jihadist strongholds and Western withdrawal from the Sahel. The Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) revealed its first international operation, dismantling an Islamic State (ISIS) cell in West Africa. This cell, linked to the powerful ISWAP, was financing attacks in Europe and supporting ISIS operations in Iraq. This highlights Africa's growing importance as a hub for the global Islamic State network, amidst a complex regional jihadist landscape.
1145-1200
CONTINUED
HEADLINE: Iraqi Intelligence Uncovers Global Islamic State Network, Highlighting African Hub's Expanding Influence
FOURTH HOUR
12-1215
HEADLINE: Re-evaluating Liberalism: Cass Sunstein's Defense and Critiques of its Manifest Failings
GUEST NAME: Peter Berkowitz
SUMMARY: Peter Berkowitz analyzes Cass Sunstein's defense of liberalism "under siege," highlighting criticisms from both the new right and the woke left, and arguing that liberalism's own principles, when taken to extremes, contribute to its current pressures. Peter Berkowitz reviews Cass Sunstein's book On Liberalism: In Defense of Freedom, where Sunstein argues liberalism is "under siege" from criticisms on the right (permissiveness, criminality) and left (too weak on inequality, racism). Berkowitz suggests Sunstein mischaracterizes liberalism by overemphasizing "experiments of living" over equal rights, and neglects how liberalism's vices contribute to its challenges.
1215-1230
CONTINUED
HEADLINE: Re-evaluating Liberalism: Cass Sunstein's Defense and Critiques of its Manifest Failings
1230-1245
HEADLINE: Erdogan's Neo-Ottoman Ambitions: Turkey's Escalating Confrontation with Israel and Regional Power Plays
GUEST NAME: Sinan Ciddi
SUMMARY: Erdogan's Neo-Ottoman ambitions are driving Turkey to increasingly confront Israel through vilifying rhetoric, alleged support for Hamas cells, and a growing military footprint across the Mediterranean and Africa, risking miscalculation and armed conflict in Syria. Erdogan is pursuing Neo-Ottomanism, escalating tensions with Israelthrough vilifying rhetoric and alleged MIT involvement in Hamas plots. Turkey's military expansion, including bases in Somalia and northern Cyprus, and advanced weaponry like drones and hypersonic missiles, positions it to dominate the Mediterranean and challenge Israel. Miscalculation in Syria poses a risk of armed conflict.
1245-100 AM
HEADLINE: Erdogan's Neo-Ottoman Ambitions: Turkey's Escalating Confrontation with Israel and Regional Power Plays
