Clearing the FOG with co-hosts Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese

On June 7, 2025, the Trump administration overstepped the state government and federalized the national guard in California. They were deployed to Los Angeles to suppress protests against the rampant raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In an unprecedented move, the administration also ordered marines to Los Angeles to join the guard. Clearing the FOG speaks with attorney James Branum of the Military Law Task Force, a branch of the National Lawyers Guild, about the history and legality of domestic troop deployments, the dangers of escalation and violations of civil rights, and what rights members of the military have to refuse to participate. Branum outlines the resources available to military members who want more information or need legal support. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

On May 16, 2025, an EF3 tornado tore through the city of St. Louis causing massive destruction. Instead of responding with aid to those who were impacted, the city deployed police to black communities and condemned 5,000 homes and buildings without fully reviewing if these designations were warranted. Some homes were condemned even though repairs were made. Clearing the FOG speaks with President Westbrook of the St. Louis branch of the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement and Jesse Nevel, chair of the Uhuru Solidarity Movement, about what the city is currently doing to force Black residents from their homes, how this is part of a longer-term effort and why it is necessary to support residents there. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The Trump administration is reviving previous administrations' plans to build a missile defense system in space. They are calling it the "Golden Dome," similar to Israel's Iron Dome. The Congressional Budget Office estimates it will cost trillions of dollars at a time when the United States has a record-high national debt and is failing to meet domestic needs. Clearing the FOG speaks with Bruce Gagnon, the coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, about the history of the US project to control space and mine its resources in defiance of United Nations treaties and who will benefit. He also describes resistance efforts around the world and what people in the United States can do to fight it. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

On May 22, veterans and their allies launched a 40-day Fast for Gaza with two core demands: provide humanitarian supplies to Palestinians and stop sending weapons to the illegal state of Israel. A core group of over three dozen fasters are holding a daily vigil in front of the US mission to the United Nations in New York City. They are joined by more than 400 solidarity fasters. Clearing the FOG speaks with two of the fasters and organizers, Kathy Kelly, board president of World Beyond War, and Mike Ferner, former national director of Veterans for Peace, about the fast, their experiences with supporting those who are targeted by wars, and the importance of continuing to oppose the genocide of Palestinians. They encourage people to join the fast however they are able. Get more information and sign up at FOSNA.org/2025gazafast. And, visit PopularResistance.org.

The Trump administration, which unilaterally withdrew from the Iran Nuclear Agreement during Donald Trump's first term, claims to be negotiating a new nuclear agreement with Iran. However, 'negotiations' are taking place under an escalation of economic coercive measures, a.k.a. sanctions, and military threats. Bahman Azad, president of the US Peace Council, delves into the hidden intentions of the Trump administration and the changes to Iran's foreign policy under its new president. Azad also explains what is happening in the context of the rise of the multipolar world and the decline of US hegemony, and what we can do in the United States to promote security and peace, as Israel and the US prepare for war. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

On May 31, a large coalition of labor and community groups is holding a nationwide day of action to demand a national single payer healthcare system. Clearing the FOG speaks with Kay Tillow, an organizer of the action and member of the leading organization, NationalSinglePayer.com. Tillow speaks about the current healthcare crisis in the United States and why it is imperative that people organize now for a solution, such as national improved Medicare for all. Tillow critiques the Medicare for All legislation that was recently introduced in both houses of Congress and what we need to do to move the bills forward. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The displacement, genocide, and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians continue unabated with a total blockade of water, food, and supplies to Gaza, which is entering its third month. Yemen has now issued an aerial blockade of Israel in addition to its blockade of the Red Sea according to its obligation under the Genocide Convention. An international coalition attempted last week to bring aid to Gaza. Its ship was bombed on May 2 in European waters just off Malta. Clearing the FOG speaks with members of CODEPINK, Danaka Katovich, Tighe Barry, and Colonel Ann Wright (Ret) about the resistance to Israel's genocide. Katovich is a national co-coordinator who works on the Yemen Campaign. Barry and Wright are currently in Malta with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition working to rescue the ship and its occupants who are stranded. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

On April 13, a runoff presidential election between the incumbent Daniel Noboa and the progressive candidate Luisa Gonzalez was held in Ecuador. Leading up to the election, a very tight race was expected and conditions pointed to a likely victory by Gonzalez. However, on election day, Noboa was declared the winner with a lead of more than 11%. Clearing the FOG speaks with Pedro Labayen Herrera, who is a researcher at the Center for Economic and Policy Research where he focuses on Ecuador. Labayen was present for the elections. He reports on the scandals just before the election, violations of the Constitution by Noboa and what happened on election day. He also describes the deterioration of conditions within Ecuador and the challenges ahead. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The Trump administration is imposing tariffs on a growing list of countries in a desperate effort to find leverage for protecting US interests abroad and to ostensibly re-industrialize the United States. Clearing the FOG speaks with Jon Jeter, author of "Class War in America: How the elites divide the nation by asking are you a worker or are you white?", about the motives behind the trade war and how this may impact both the global and domestic economies. Jeter explains that the United States is entering uncharted territory as it increasingly isolates itself from the rest of the world and hurtles toward another Great Depression. For the first time, the US may experience a situation in which the shelves are empty and families are unable to afford what is left. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The Trump Administration is dismantling the Department of Education, placing tens of millions of student loan debtors in an uncertain situation. Clearing the FOG speaks with Braxton Brewington of the Debt Collective about the weaponization of debt as a form of social control and the ongoing efforts to erase federal student loan debt. Brewington explains the bipartisan effort to block debt relief and what student loan holders should be doing now to protect themselves. He also discusses the April 17 National Day of Action for Free College for All and the actions that need to be taken to create an educational system that empowers and protects all students, faculty and staff. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The repression of people who show support for Palestinian liberation has escalated. The Trump administration is using an antiquated immigration law and executive orders to target student activists, threatening them with deportation, and has gone so far as to kidnap students and professors. Clearing the FOG speaks with a Cornell University PhD student, Sriram Parasurama, who was suspended for participating in pro-Palestine demonstrations and is currently a plaintiff in a case challenging two of President Trump's executive orders and with Chip Gibbons, a lawyer with Defending Rights and Dissent and the author of an upcoming book on the FBI, surveillance and the national security state. Both explain the urgency of fighting violations of our Constitutional rights and how to do that, as well as the implications of not taking action. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The Social Security Administration (SSA), which has been understaffed for a long time, is now facing collapse within months if changes made by the Trump administration are not reversed. 73 million people in the United States rely on Social Security for part or all of their income. Clearing the FOG speaks with Alex Lawson of Social Security Works about the cuts to the SSA workforce, the closure of regional and local offices and other changes that are going to lead to beneficiaries not receiving their checks and possibly the end of this 89 year old institution. Lawson describes how people can join the struggle to save Social Security. Visit SocialSecurityWorks.org. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

Beginning with the so-called Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006, which required the postal service to hold billions of dollars in reserve to fund retirement benefits for workers who have not yet been born, and then the sell-off of post offices, cuts to the workforce and price hikes, the ground for privatization of the US Postal Service, as was done in Canada and the United Kingdom, has been laid. Clearing the FOG speaks with Annie Norman, a leader of the Save the Post Office Coalition, about the current effort to begin privatizing the postal service in incremental steps. Norman also discusses the upcoming national days of action to protect our post offices and the People's Postal Agenda, a program to strengthen the postal service and add more services for people. For more information, visit PopularResistanc.org.

The Trump Administration seems to be taking steps to end the Ukrainian proxy war against Russia, in a significant shift of US foreign policy. This has led to renewed fervor by Democrats to keep the war going and talk of Europeans taking on greater weapons and other military support for Kiev. Clearing the FOG speaks with international human rights lawyer and author, Dan Kovalik, who has traveled to Ukraine and Russia many times since February 2022, about the genesis of the conflict, how it is viewed by Ukrainians in the Donbass Region and Crimea, the new approach by the US and the impact it will have on Ukraine, NATO and the European Union. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) launched the next phase of the Zone of Peace campaign, the creation of the US/NATO Out of Our Americas Network. Clearing the FOG speaks with Austin Cole of the BAP Haiti/Americas Team about the network, which debuted on February 21, the anniversary of the assassinations of Malcolm X and Augusto Sandino. Cole explains the origin of the term "Our Americas (Nuestra Americas)" and why that framing is necessary for the decolonization of our continents. He also describes current US aggression in the Americas, how our struggles are connected, and what the network will do to build a stronger popular movement for our collective liberation. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

In the first month of the new Trump administration, there has been a widespread assault on federal workers led by billionaire Elon Musk and his new 'agency' called DOGE. Thousands of federal workers have lost their jobs, funding for government programs has been suspended and technocrats under Musk have entered agencies and demanded access to privileged data. Clearing the FOG speaks with a current federal worker, John, who is being kept anonymous for protection, about what is happening within federal agencies, the legality of the attacks, and how workers are organizing and fighting back. John warns that most federal workers are going to be fired and services are going to be cut without a plan for protecting and serving the public. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The Trump administration is attempting an attack on federal workers at every agency and is allowing Elon Musk access to sensitive data. Federal workers are organizing and fighting back. In less than two months, one federal worker union, AFGE, has gained over 16,000 new members compared to 7,400 new members in all of 2024. Clearing the FOG speaks with Suzanne Gordon of the Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute about what is at stake and what workers are doing to resist efforts to force them out of their jobs. Gordon also explains why the Veterans Health Administration is a model of health care for the country and the work the VA does to benefit everyone. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The United States' support for the genocide in Palestine, especially since the launch of Operation Al Aqsa Flood in October 2023, has led federal employees and active duty military members to take action in opposition to violations of domestic and international law. Clearing the FOG speaks with two members of the US Air Force, Juan Bettancourt and Joy Metzler, who have applied for conscientious objector status. Together with Larry Hebert, who conducted a hunger strike in front of the White House last year, they created Servicemembers for Ceasefire to provide a space for members of the military to question US foreign policy. Bettancourt and Metzler describe their journeys, the level of dissent within the military and the deployment of US troops domestically. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

White America is divided. There are poor whites, many of whom have not gone to college and who support President Donald Trump, and liberal whites, many of whom have college degrees and who support the Democrats. This division, fostered by the corporate media, serves the interests of the wealthy class. Clearing the FOG speaks with Danny Shaw, author of the six-part series, "Despised: The Poor white Trash Manifesto", who has walked in both worlds. Shaw traveled last year to "Trump Country". He explains the crises that poor whites in the US experience and the way they are manipulated to believe that certain peoples, not the system, are to blame for their suffering. He also discusses the importance of organizing with poor whites and provides guidance on how to do this. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The world is changing rapidly, driven by the necessity of creating alternative institutions to counter US domination and aggression. As the multipolar world rises, it is a critical time for the United States to re-evaluate and change its policies and practices in order to remain an active member of the global community. Clearing the FOG speaks with Ben Norton of Geopolitical Economy about the ways that US policy, the Washington Consensus, have backfired and what the growing US deficit means. Norton outlines what can be done to counter the current path the US is taking. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

As the Biden presidency ends, Clearing the FOG takes another look at Biden's legacy. This time the focus is on his economic and foreign policies. Margaret Kimberley, the senior editor of Black Agenda Report and author of "Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents," describes Biden in the context of a country founded upon settler colonialism and chattel slavery. She discusses Biden's responsibility for the war in Ukraine, the genocide in Palestine and brutal interference in Latin America and the Caribbean. Kimberley also speaks about what can be expected from the new Trump administration given some of his cabinet choices. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

January 11 marked the twenty-third anniversary of the opening of the US military prison on occupied land in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Clearing the FOG speaks with Andy Worthington, an investigative journalist and author of The Guantanamo Files. Worthington explains that the United States opened the prison in Guantanamo to avoid legal restrictions. He describes the connections between Guantanamo and the CIA 'black sites' where prisoners were tortured and who the men are that were recently released as well as who remains. There are calls for Joe Biden to release all of the men and end the scandal of the prison at Guantanamo Bay before he leaves office. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

On January 10, President Maduro will be inaugurated and begin his third term in office. This follows a turbulent July election, which a US-backed opposition attempted to disrupt through violence, cyber attacks and allegations of fraud. Venezuelans mobilized successfully to thwart that effort but the United States continues to intervene through mercenaries, growing regional militarization and claims that the US-backed candidate, currently living in asylum in Spain, is the recognized president of Venezuela. Clearing the FOG speaks with Leonardo Flores of the Venezuela Solidarity Network about Venezuelans' preparations to protect their country and their gains made under the Bolivarian revolution. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

As the Biden presidency comes to a close, Clearing the FOG speaks with author and journalist Kevin Gosztola about his current series on Biden's legacy. Gosztola reports in The Dissenter on Biden's failure to fulfill his campaign promises when it comes to government transparency, accountability and press freedom, as well as how these have eroded through successive presidencies this century. Gosztola describes how it has become more difficult to access information about what the government is doing and the abuse of the state secrets privilege to hide crimes being committed by entities such as the CIA. He also discusses what we can expect from the incoming Trump administration. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

On December 3, President Yoon Suk-Yeol attempted to impose martial law in South Korea as part of an effort to take more power and reignite the Korean War. Social movements took to the streets en masse and stopped the coup. Legislators then successfully voted to impeach President Yoon, who is refusing to resign. Clearing the FOG speaks with Ju-Hyun Park of the Korean diaspora organization Nodutdol about long-term US intervention in South Korea, how the coup attempt was thwarted, alleged plans to create a false flag event implicating the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and what happens next. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

On December 8, the United States and Israel, with support from Turkey, succeeded in overthrowing the Syrian government using Islamic jihadist militants as proxies. Some people in the United States are claiming this as a victory for the Syrian people even though the proxies are Al Qaeda terrorists. Clearing the FOG speaks with Ajamu Baraka about the coup, the history of resistance in Syria and in the region, and what this means for the Syrian people. Baraka discusses Israel's immediate expansion of its occupation in Syria and its quest for a 'Greater Israel.' He also discusses a tendency for some Left forces in the United States to side with US imperialism and why it is important to have ideological clarity about what is happening. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The Uhuru 3 - Chairman Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel - will have a sentencing hearing on December 16 in Florida. Failing to find evidence to convict them of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), the US Government manufactured a charge of conspiring to violate the law by thinking about it. There is no evidence to support this. This conviction creates a new level of state repression. Clearing the FOG speaks with Chairman Yeshitela about the case, the current political environment in the United States, including his opinions on the recent presidential election, and the recent events in the Sahel Region of Africa to decolonize the area. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

December 10 is the anniversary of the signing of the United Nations' Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Organizers with the Americas Without Sanctions campaign are holding an event (in-person and virtual) in Washington, DC to raise awareness of the US's illegal economic war on one-third of the world's population on Human Rights Day. See SanctionsKill.org for details. Clearing the FOG speaks with Barbara Larcom of the International Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition and Cheryl LaBash of the National Network on Cuba about the event and the current crises facing Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela as a result of US sanctions on them and how these are connected to the liberation of Palestine. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The federal government, whether under Democratic or Republican leadership, has failed to address the climate crisis, instead investing in greater production of and dependency on fossil fuels. Those who are impacted by the consequences, from wildfires to droughts to record-breaking storms, have been left to fend for themselves. In response, people are taking action at every level of society from students and workers to tribes to cities and states to create the transformation we need. Clearing the FOG speaks with Jeremy Brecher, author of The Green New Deal from Below: How Ordinary People Are Building a Just and Climate-Safe Economy, about the myriad ways people are organizing to protect themselves and the planet. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The newest Global Carbon Budget Report found that carbon emissions were at a record high in 2024, despite the strong evidence that emissions must be cut drastically to mitigate the climate crisis. The United States, the largest producer of fossil fuels and responsible for 13% of global carbon emissions (with only 4% of the world's population), is largely responsible for the crisis. Clearing the FOG speaks with Anthony Rogers-Wright, a national racial and climate justice advocate, about the failures of the US climate movement and its fatal flaw of being loyal to the Democratic Party. That loyalty profoundly undermined the credibility of the big environmental groups in this election cycle. Rogers-Wright discusses the COP29 and where we go from here to build an independent and more strategic climate movement in the United States. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org

As we enter another four years of oligarchic rule, Clearing the FOG speaks with activist and host of Breakthrough News Eugene Puryear about what he heard from voters as he supported the Claudia de la Cruz and Karina Garcia presidential campaign. Puryear explains the need to build a working class, socialist political movement, what issues will be first and foremost in the struggle to protect our rights and the organizing work that is being done around these issues. Puryear describes both the dire crises that exist and the hope inherent in building toward a better future. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The Poor People's Army, formerly the Poor People's Economic and Human Rights Campaign, has been leading efforts across the country to place individuals and families who need them into federally-owned housing for a long time. Their position is that housing is a human right and that people in need should not be forced to wait for shelter. They recently published "Takeover: A Human Rights Approach to Housing" on Poor People's Press, a step-by-step guide to occupying empty houses. Clearing the FOG speaks with Cheri Honkala, the lead author, and Galen Tyler, a lead organizer with the Poor People's Army, about the current housing crisis and how people can use the new book to end the crisis of homelessness. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

A new report, Billionaire Blowback on Housing: How concentrated wealth disrupts housing markets and worsens the housing affordability crisis, explains how the United States has entered a state of hyper-gentrification in which the average person has to compete with a large corporation when it comes to buying or renting a home. There are currently 28 vacant homes for every homeless person. Clearing the FOG speaks with Chuck Collins, a co-author of the report, and Mehrdad Azemun of Peoples Action, about the housing crisis, the vision for a homes guarantee and how people are working to make housing a human right. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

October 1 marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Since its founding, China has made remarkable accomplishments in public health by addressing opium addiction, in the elimination of poverty and in the building of an eco-socialist society. Clearing the FOG speaks with K J Noh, an activist, author and political analyst specializing in Asia. Noh recently wrote "Your Mind Is A Battlefield: Decolonize It To Prevent Global Catastrophe!," which was published in Popular Resistance. Noh describes the Chinese approach of designing policies that benefit everyone, why the West, especially the United States, views China as a threat rather than a partner, and what people in the US can do to counter anti-China propaganda and prevent a global war with China. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org,

October 7, 2024 marks the first anniversary of the launch of Operation Al Aqsa Flood when members of the Palestinian resistance movement broke out of Gaza, known as the world's largest open air prison. The occupying state of Israel responded with a genocidal attack on Gaza that has since spread to the West Bank, Lebanon and other countries in the region that are acting in solidarity with Palestine. Clearing the FOG speaks with activist and author Miko Peled about the goals of Israel, what is happening in Palestine and West Asia and his new project, the Palestine House of Freedom, in Washington, DC. Visit DarAlhurriya.org. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

It has been nearly a year since Hamas and other Palestinian resistance fighters broke out of Gaza and the illegal Israeli occupation launched a devastating and genocidal war on Gaza, which has now expanded to all of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and other countries in the region. Many attempts within the United Nations to stop the war and to hold Israel accountable have failed to protect Palestinians, as have other international bodies. Clearing the FOG speaks with human rights lawyer Ousman Noor, who started a petition demanding that an international protection force be established urgently to protect Palestinians. Noor explains how people can use the petition to pressure nations to take action. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

In addition to risking a nuclear war with Russia, the United States is stoking greater conflicts in West Asia and China. Ajamu Baraka speaks with Clearing the FOG about his recent tour in Iran where he spoke to a cross-section of people about their concerns and the need for greater international solidarity. Baraka also discusses the responsibility of people, particularly in the collective West, to organize in order to change course away from militarism. He provides an analysis of the upcoming presidential election, the verdict in the case of the Uhuru 3 and why people must avoid aligning themselves with the ruling class, which will stop at nothing to hang onto power. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

Last week, the United States was considering Ukraine's request for long-range missiles that could strike more deeply into Russian territory. The Russian government made it clear that this would be viewed as a declaration of war and that it would respond with attacks on NATO countries, including the United States. Clearing the FOG speaks with Scott Ritter about the current state of the Ukraine proxy war against Russia. Ritter explained that had the United States not backed down, World War III could have started. Ritter also discusses the escalating attack on free speech and his new campaign, Operation Dawn, which will launch on September 28 in Kingston, New York. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

In the United States and the United Kingdom, employer retaliation and state repression against people who show solidarity with the Palestinian liberation movement and who oppose genocide is escalating. Professor Danny Shaw describes his nearly lifelong solidarity with Palestine and the personal price he has paid for it particularly since last October. Shaw has been doxed, arrested, fired and detained by the FBI and Homeland Security. His phone and electronic devices have been confiscated as well as his passport although he has not committed any crimes. He discusses how he and others are fighting back and why we must defend our rights to free speech and to know what is happening. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

For Labor Day, Clearing the FOG speaks with Rand Wilson, a long time labor organizer who began his career with Tony Mazzocchi and the Oil Chemical and Atomic Workers Union and who has been involved in many campaigns to build worker power in the United States. Wilson speaks about the current challenges for workers, including the way contracts are negotiated, labor laws that prohibit strikes, antiquated union structure and union busting by employers. He comments on the call by UAW for a general strike on 2028 and he describes a new campaign, CHIPS Communities United, and what people can do to support workers where they live. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

Private railroad corporations are failing their workers, their clients and the public in general. Their drive for profits means fewer workers, longer hours and neglecting basic safety protocols, unpredictable schedules for freight customers, which is devastating for farmers, and delays for passengers as well as deterioration of railway infrastructure. Clearing the FOG speaks with Maddock Thomas, the author of a new white paper, "Putting America Back on Track: The Case for a 21st Century Public Rail System," who explains the problems with the current system and how a public, electrified rail system would cost less, have a lower carbon footprint, and benefit workers and customers. Thomas is part of a new campaign, Public Rail Now. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

On July 28, Venezuelans re-elected President Nicolas Maduro for another term despite US interference in their electoral process and subsequent attempts to delegitimize the process. The United States government has refused to recognize President Maduro, instead claiming without evidence that an opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, was the winner, a tactic reminiscent of the Juan Guaido charade. Clearing the FOG speaks with Venezuelan political analyst Maria Paez Victor about the Bolivarian Revolution, the most recent US-backed coup attempt, media attacks, and how Venezuelans have prepared to protect their deep democracy and social gains. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

The United States is a violent society, whether it be its pervasive culture of war and militarism, long term systemic racism or the current rise of political violence. To counter this and build a democratic society that respects human rights, we must educate ourselves about methods of nonviolence and mobilize to put what we learn into action. Clearing the FOG speaks with author and activist Rivera Sun, program coordinator with Campaign Nonviolence. Sun speaks about the upcoming days of nonviolent action from September 21 to October 2, during which thousands of actions ranging from teach-ins to direct actions are planned with the intention of mainstreaming nonviolence. She explains why nonviolence is essential in a democratic society and where people can find resources and training. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

On July 18, 2024, the World Court (aka the International Court of Justice) issued an advisory opinion that found Israel to be an illegal occupation of Palestine and that the settlements must be dismantled, Palestinians must be allowed to return to their homes and they must be paid reparations. International human rights lawyer Francis Boyle talks to Clearing the FOG about how the court's opinion came about, what it means and how it can be used by activists in their communities to end the genocide in Palestine. Boyle explains why now is the time to escalate out actions and end the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

This week, Clearing the FOG is in Nicaragua to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution. Host Margaret Flowers speaks with Becca Renk of the Nicaragua Solidarity Network. Renk has lived in Nicaragua for over 20 years. She describes the changes made during the second period of the Sandinista Revolution and how it compares to life under the neoliberal period. She also describes the nationwide festivities organized to celebrate the anniversary of the overthrow of the Somoza Dictatorship, the ongoing economic war on Nicaragua being waged by the United States and the steps Nicaraguans are taking to protect the revolution. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

On July 29, 2022, the FBI raided seven properties connected to the African People's Socialist Party/Uhuru Movement and fabricated charges against three prominent members: Chairman Omali Yeshitela, Jesse Nevel, Chair of the Uhuru Solidarity Movement, and Penny Hess, Chair of the African People's Solidarity Committee. They are facing up to 15 years in jail for speaking out against the proxy war in Ukraine. Their trial is currently scheduled for September 3. Clearing the FOG spoke with Penny Hess and Leonard Goodman, a criminal defense attorney with the Uhuru Legal Team. Mr. Goodman made the point that if this trial succeeds, political speech may be considered disinformation even if it is true. Learn more about the trial and how to support the Uhuru Three as they put the US government on trial. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

Members of the US military, inspired by the actions of Aaron Bushnell and Larry Hebert, have launched a campaign with Veterans for Peace, Appeal to Redress V2, to encourage other active duty military to contact Congress and demand a ceasefire in Palestine. And, 12 government officials who resigned over US policy in Gaza, Palestine and Israel released a statement just before the Fourth of July on the conditions in Gaza and steps that the US government must take to end the genocide in Palestine and repression of dissent at home. Clearing the FOG speaks with a Sargent, who wishes to remain anonymous, and Alex Smith, a former USAID employee who specializes in maternal and child health and international law. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

In a landmark legal case, Chiquita Banana was convicted by a federal court in Florida of funding a paramilitary death squad, the United Self Defense Force of Colombia (AUC in Spanish), in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The AUC murdered thousands of workers and used Chiquita ports and boats to move cocaine and weapons. This is the first time a US corporation has been held accountable for committing human rights abuses in another country. Clearing the FOG spoke with Professor Terry Karl, who was an expert in the case, about what happened, how Chiquita will now work to cover up its misdeeds and the impact this case will have. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

Two members of Veterans for Peace participated in a recent delegation to South Korea to mark the anniversary of two young girls who were killed by a US tank during a military exercise. Clearing the FOG speaks with Ellen Barfield, a long time activist who was on delegation and who was serving in South Korea in 1980 when the massacre of students and leftists occurred in Gwangju, about the trip and the ongoing war in Korea. Barfield also discusses the RIMPAC military exercises that begin this week in the Pacific and the veteran-led Peace Walk that is headed to Washington, DC for the anti-NATO activities starting the weekend of July 6 and 7. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

Many experts, such as former weapons inspector Scott Ritter and the Secretary General of the United Nations, are warning that the world is at the highest risk for a nuclear war in decades. Yet, the United States continues to prevent nuclear treaties from existing, refuses to join the UN Nuclear Ban Treaty and is escalating aggression against major nuclear states, including giving Israel carte blanche to defy international law. Clearing the FOG speaks with Alice Slater, who worked to bring the Nuclear Ban Treaty into existence and currently works with a number of groups to prevent nuclear war. Slater discusses the history of nuclear weapons and the growing risk of war as more countries consider arming themselves, as well as what we need to do to prevent nuclear annihilation. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

Africa is rising but the neo-colonial and imperialist forces in the corporate media are working to control the narrative in their favor. To counter this, journalist and international political scholar, Ahmed Kaballo, started a new media outlet, AfricanStream.media, that reports in English primarily on social media targeting youth. Clearing the FOG speaks with Kaballo about the shifts occurring on the African continent and how African Stream is already impacting the dialogue within and outside of Africa. Kaballo also discusses Libya, events in the Sahel Region, South Africa and Sudan and how their coverage of Palestine is changing minds. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.