Chinese History Series—Founder of the Han Dynasty: From Local Bully to Rebel Leader | Silk and Steel

Chinese History Series—Founder of the Han Dynasty: From Local Bully to Rebel Leader | Silk and Steel

With the first wave of rebellion crushed, we turn our attention to the man who would ultimately be founder of the Han Dynasty: Liu Bang. This episode is a deep dive into his early life, family background, and the social networks that propelled him from a "local bum" to a rebel leader. We trace his lineage back to the aristocratic Fan family of the Jin state (who claimed descent from the sage king Yao), his grandfather's fall from nobility (betraying the city of Feng to Chu), and how this "fallen aristocracy" still retained local prestige. We then follow Liu Bang's colorful early career: his trip to the Wei capital to meet his idol Lord Xinling, his friendship with Zhang Er, his drinking buddies, his accidental stabbing of a friend who went to jail for him, and his legendary ability to "aura farm" his way into marrying the daughter of a wealthy newcomer. Finally, we cover the catalyst for his rebellion: when, as a police chief escorting prisoners to the First Emperor's mausoleum, half his convicts escape, and he decides to release the rest and become a bandit. With omens, divine snakes, and a good dose of self-made mythology, Liu Bang gathers hundreds of followers, takes his home county of Pei, and becomes an independent rebel leader. ► Join UK Column Live every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1pm UK time or watch previous live recordings here: https://bit.ly/UKColumn_Live [https://bit.ly/UKColumn_Live] ► [UK Column Website] Explore all our written and video content on the official UK Column website: https://www.ukcolumn.org/ [https://www.ukcolumn.org/] ► [Support UK Column] Please donate to support our independent journalism & investigative journalism: https://support.ukcolumn.org/ [https://support.ukcolumn.org/] ► [UK Column YouTube] Please subscribe to the UK Column News YouTube channel for more alternative news and independent news: https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficial [https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficial] Follow #UKColumn on: ► X: https://x.com/ukcolumn [https://x.com/ukcolumn] ► Telegram: https://t.me/ukcolumn [https://t.me/ukcolumn] ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UKColumnExtracts [https://www.facebook.com/UKColumnExtracts] ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uk_column_news [https://www.instagram.com/uk_column_news]

Alternative Narratives and False Dichotomies | Jerm Warfare

Jerm, Mike, and Charles explore the complexities of trust in media, source verification, and the importance of nuance to understand current events. They also discuss how proximity to power influences media bias, the role of primary sources, and the dangers of oversimplification in information consumption. ► Join UK Column Live every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1pm UK time or watch previous live recordings here: https://bit.ly/UKColumn_Live [https://bit.ly/UKColumn_Live] ► [UK Column Website] Explore all our written and video content on the official UK Column website: https://www.ukcolumn.org/ [https://www.ukcolumn.org/] ► [Support UK Column] Please donate to support our independent journalism & investigative journalism: https://support.ukcolumn.org/ [https://support.ukcolumn.org/] ► [UK Column YouTube] Please subscribe to the UK Column News YouTube channel for more alternative news and independent news: https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficial [https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficial] Follow #UKColumn on: ► X: https://x.com/ukcolumn [https://x.com/ukcolumn] ► Telegram: https://t.me/ukcolumn [https://t.me/ukcolumn] ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UKColumnExtracts [https://www.facebook.com/UKColumnExtracts] ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uk_column_news [https://www.instagram.com/uk_column_news]

UK Column News — 15th June 2026

Ben Rubin and Brian Gerrish present today's UK Column News. ► Join UK Column Live every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1pm UK time or watch previous live recordings here: https://bit.ly/UKColumn_Live [https://bit.ly/UKColumn_Live] ► [UK Column Website] Explore all our written and video content on the official UK Column website: https://www.ukcolumn.org/ [https://www.ukcolumn.org/] ► [Support UK Column] Please donate to support our independent journalism & investigative journalism: https://support.ukcolumn.org/ [https://support.ukcolumn.org/] ► [UK Column YouTube] Please subscribe to the UK Column News YouTube channel for more alternative news and independent news: https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficial [https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficial] Follow #UKColumn on: ► X: https://x.com/ukcolumn [https://x.com/ukcolumn] ► Telegram: https://t.me/ukcolumn [https://t.me/ukcolumn] ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UKColumnExtracts [https://www.facebook.com/UKColumnExtracts] ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uk_column_news [https://www.instagram.com/uk_column_news] 00:00 Introduction01:10 Divide & Rule: Belfast protests and counter protests14:19 RICU: State ramps up violence26:04 Filton Four: Assault on Justice30:55 UK Column 20th Anniversary34:11 Christine Cotton: Death of a whistle blower38:08 Albania: Sazan Island, front for the NWO49:28 Defence: Ex-minister Al Carns resigns over money56:18 Digital Gulag: UK bans under-16 social media

The American Empire is Collapsing Faster than Anyone Thinks | Silk and Steel

In this explosive conversation, Carl Zha joins Rasheed to examine the growing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, while exploring the larger geopolitical struggle between Washington, Beijing, and the emerging multipolar world. They discuss the alleged Trump-Netanyahu fallout, the ongoing Iran conflict, China's energy security strategy, the decline of U.S. economic dominance, America's mounting debt crisis, the AI investment bubble, de-dollarization, and why many nations are reducing their dependence on the U.S. financial system. Carl argues that the current crisis exposes deeper structural problems within the American political and economic system while highlighting how China has spent decades preparing for a world defined by energy competition, technological rivalry, and shifting global power. Topics Covered • Trump and Netanyahu's alleged political split • The Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz • China's strategic oil reserves and energy independence • Why China may be less vulnerable to sanctions than expected • The future of the U.S. dollar and Treasury bonds • De-dollarization and China's digital yuan • Africa's growing relationship with China • The AI bubble and America's economic future • Military spending and the U.S. political system • Is the American Empire entering irreversible decline? ► Join UK Column Live every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1pm UK time or watch previous live recordings here: https://bit.ly/UKColumn_Live [https://bit.ly/UKColumn_Live] ► [UK Column Website] Explore all our written and video content on the official UK Column website: https://www.ukcolumn.org/ [https://www.ukcolumn.org/] ► [Support UK Column] Please donate to support our independent journalism & investigative journalism: https://support.ukcolumn.org/ [https://support.ukcolumn.org/] ► [UK Column YouTube] Please subscribe to the UK Column News YouTube channel for more alternative news and independent news: https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficial [https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficial] Follow #UKColumn on: ► X: https://x.com/ukcolumn [https://x.com/ukcolumn] ► Telegram: https://t.me/ukcolumn [https://t.me/ukcolumn] ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UKColumnExtracts [https://www.facebook.com/UKColumnExtracts] ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uk_column_news [https://www.instagram.com/uk_column_news]

JFK’s Assassination and the Collapse of the American Empire | Jerm Warfare

Monika Weisak shares how she got into understanding JFK's legacy, sparked by her childhood admiration for Michael Jackson. She explores how deeply JFK's assassination shaped global policies. She argues he was America's last president who genuinely worked for the people. The conversation covers JFK's vision for a unified world, his distrust of the CIA, and the failures of the Warren Commission. Monika stresses how important JFK's assassination really was and pushes for his policies to be brought back into today's political landscape. She also discusses the geopolitical impact of JFK's presidency, the interconnected legacies of JFK, RFK, and JFK Jr., and the ongoing search for truth around JFK's assassination. https://monikawiesak.substack.com [https://monikawiesak.substack.com] ► Join UK Column Live every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1pm UK time or watch previous live recordings here: https://bit.ly/UKColumn_Live [https://bit.ly/UKColumn_Live] ► [UK Column Website] Explore all our written and video content on the official UK Column website: https://www.ukcolumn.org/ [https://www.ukcolumn.org/] ► [Support UK Column] Please donate to support our independent journalism & investigative journalism: https://support.ukcolumn.org/ [https://support.ukcolumn.org/] ► [UK Column YouTube] Please subscribe to the UK Column News YouTube channel for more alternative news and independent news: https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficial [https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficial] Follow #UKColumn on: ► X: https://x.com/ukcolumn [https://x.com/ukcolumn] ► Telegram: https://t.me/ukcolumn [https://t.me/ukcolumn] ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UKColumnExtracts [https://www.facebook.com/UKColumnExtracts] ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uk_column_news [https://www.instagram.com/uk_column_news]