Podaganda

PODAGANDA is back after a much-needed break from 2019 and ready to take on the new decade. In this episode, journalists Ben Cowles, Steve Sweeney and Bethany Rielly discuss: The Turkish government’s proposed changes to child sex laws (4:09) The 1,000 refugees pushed back to war-torn Libya in the first two weeks of 2020 (11:50) The protesters who tried to cut Israel’s fence around Gaza fence (20:58) As always, brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language Show notes The Evening Moon podcast was the pilot version of this here podcast. Check out episode three of the Evening Moon here if you like: youtube.com/watch?v=fb4cyfMHXkI&t=3s  You can send messages of support for the HDP women’s conference in Turkey here: hdpankarailyonetimi@gmail.com. Be sure to CC Steve on: international@peoples-press.com  Turkish troops mobilise for war in Libya: morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/turkish-troops-mobilise-for-libyan-war  Almost 1,000 refugees pushed back to war-torn Libya in the first two weeks of 2020: morningstaronline.co.uk/article/o/1000-refugees-pushed-back-war-racked-libya-2020-so-far-iom-says  Frontex blasted for boasting of decline of migrants into Europe as rescuers witness refugees pushed back to war-torn Libya: morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/frontex-blasted-for-boasting-of-decline-of-migrants-into-europe-as-rescuers-witness-refugees-pushed-back-to-war-torn-libya  Here’s CNN’s footage of African migrants being sold as slaves market in Libya: edition.cnn.com/2017/11/14/africa/libya-migrant-auctions/index.html  Here’s Ben’s interview with Italian researcher Matteo Villa debunking the idea that search and rescue operations are encouraging people to risk their lives at sea: morningstaronline.co.uk/article/f/rescuing-drowning-migrants-no-pull-factor  Activists make unprecedented attempt to cut Gaza fence in protest of 13-year Israeli siege: morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/activists-breach-gaza-fence-in-protest  Israeli warplanes pummel Gaza: morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/israeli-warplanes-pummel-gaza  Here’s the Chomsky interview Ben mentioned. Nine minutes in he speaks about why it is not in the interests of the Arab states to help the Palestinian cause: youtube.com/watch?v=PVjVtg0WBgs&feature=emb_title  Israeli commandos kill activists on flotilla bound for Gaza: theguardian.com/world/2010/may/31/israel-kills-activists-flotilla-gaza  Here’s Green Day’s When I Come Around in case you never heard it: youtube.com/watch?v=i8dh9gDzmz8  Here’s the album grandad Steve chose to have on repeat for the rest of eternity: youtube.com/watch?v=unGEItr2gMo  Intro music by Jamie Thrasivoulou and Andrew De’Ath. Follow Podaganda, Ben Cowles, Steve Sweeney and Bethany Rielly on Twitter via: @PodagandaCast, @Cowlesz, @SweeneySteve and @b_rielly.

IN this episode, Ben Cowles is joined by fellow journalists Ceren Sagir and Bethany Rielly to discuss:   The general election so far: The polls, the Lib Dems’ lies, Elizabeth Winsdor’s (aka the queen) speech fiasco, Tory Islamophobia (1:50)  This week’s anti-Nato protests (10:03) And the pro-Israeli settlements charity which held a meeting in London this week (18:32)   As always, brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language   Show notes   Legendary writer and educationalist Michael Rosen confronts the Labour antisemitism scandal and explains why he’s backing Corbyn, his friend of 30 years: mstar.link/2Pik8Nz    Verso publishers have put out a free e-book called Antisemitism and the Labour Party which is well worth checking out: versobooks.com/books/3215-antisemitism-and-the-labour-party   Have a read of Jewish Voice for Labour’s canvasser’s briefing on antisemitism in the Labour Party: jewishvoiceforlabour.org.uk/app/uploads/2019/10/Canvassers-briefing.jpg    Have a read of Ceren’s story on the open letter urging an investigation into Tory Islamophobia: mstar.link/34UaabS    Here’s the article Ben was talking about by Milan Rai, entitled Boris Johnson believes Britain’s wars fuel terrorism: bit.ly/2PjkH9Z  Here’s the footage of Jeremy Corbyn’s famous anti-Iraq war speech in 2003. If you’ve never seen it, you must check it out: mstar.link/38fwIpi    Bethany’s article on Regavim can be read here: bit.ly/33XGGs4    Here’s Bethany’s news story on the protest against Regavim: bit.ly/36axOAZ    Read Bethany’s eyewitness account of the Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem: mstar.link/2Rqnalx    Israel’s PM promised to annex the West Bank earlier this year. Read about that here: bit.ly/38eqM03    Check out Wikipedia’s article on Joe Sacco’s Footnotes on Gaza here: wikipedia.org/wiki/Footnotes_in_Gaza    Intro music by Jamie Thrasivoulou and Andrew De’Ath.  Follow Podaganda, Ben Cowles, Ceren Sagir and Bethany Rielly on Twitter via: @PodagandaCast, @Cowlesz, @cerenkardelen, and @b_rielly.

IN this episode of Podaganda, David Starke, the general director of SOS Mediterranee speaks about the charity’s rescue missions onboard the Ocean Viking, Europe’s handling of the so-called ‘migrant crisis’ and the criminalisation of humanitarian rescue   Show notes Follow Podaganda, Ben Cowles and SOS Mediterranee on Twitter via: @PodagandaCast, @Cowlesz and @SOSMedIntl.    Doctors Without Borders (MSF) also works on board the Ocean Viking with SOS Mediterranee. Check them out here: @MSF_Sea.   Read Ben’s interview with the Ocean Viking’s communications manager Hannah Wallace Bowman here: mstar.link/33l2q0G. Intro music by Jamie Thrasivoulou and Andrew De’Ath.

IN this episode of Podaganda, Labour’s shadow minister for climate justice and green jobs Danielle Rowley tells us about how she became Labour’s youngest MP, her campaign to get re-elected as Midlothian's MP, the Lib Dem-Plaid Cymru-Green Party's alliance, the environment, period poverty and more.   As always, brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language   Show notes Follow Podaganda, Ben Cowles and Danielle Rowley on Twitter via: @PodagandaCast, @Cowlesz and @DaniRowley.    You can watch Danielle Rowley speaking about period poverty in Parliament here: bit.ly/32T8LjL    Intro music by Jamie Thrasivoulou and Andrew De’Ath. 

IN episode nine of Podaganda journalists Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney are joined by their Morning Star colleague Kadeem Simmonds to discuss: General Election 2019 (1.40) Footballers defending billionaires against Labour (16:36) Anti-neoliberal protests around the world (24:48) And the Joker from a leftwing perspective (Spoilers!)(37:48) As always brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language Show Notes   Check out Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson’s sketchy voting record here: bit.ly/2riwgFR    Read the Morning Star’s front-page story on former BBC radio host and Tory party candidate Nick Conrad here: bit.ly/2qD1abz    Here’s an audio clip of Nick Conrad in action: bit.ly/2NVsc5Z    Watch this video of a Jewish woman on BBC Question Time defending Jeremy Corbyn and Labour Party policies and calling out the rightwing press’ weaponisation of antisemitism: bit.ly/36LOIXJ    Check out our interview with Chilean exile Francisco Dominguez about the anti-government protests in Chile: bit.ly/36KtTvV    Chilean police accused of raping protester: bit.ly/2Csf9DP    Crackdown on protesters and opposition leaders in Ecuador gathers pace: bit.ly/2CsrEzw    Lebanon protesters on the streets 'for as long as it takes': bit.ly/2qCxkEs    Follow Steve’s Iraq coverage here: bit.ly/34LkToC     OPCW abandons Turkey chemical attack investigation: bit.ly/2Nreadr    Check out the trailer for Joker here: bit.ly/2K5iqxk    Follow Podaganda, Ben Cowles, Steve Sweeney and Kadeem Simmonds on Twitter via: @PodagandaCast, @Cowlesz, @SweeneySteve and @KadeemSimmonds   Check out Kadeem’s American Football podcast Nickel and Dime here: nickelanddimepod.libsyn.com as well as on Spotify and iTunes.    Intro music by Jamie Thrasivoulou and Andrew De’Ath. 

In this episode of Podaganda journalists Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney interview Chilean academic and activist Francisco Dominguez about the recent anti-neoliberal protests in Chile and the history which led to them.    As always brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language   Show Notes   Check out Francisco’s recent article for the Public Reading Rooms here: bit.ly/2WzH1PN    Read about the Chicago Boys here: bit.ly/337ijbZ    Find out more about Venezuela Solidarity Campaign here: bit.ly/2JGMhvT    Follow Podaganda, Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney on Twitter via: @PodagandaCast, @Cowlesz and @SweeneySteve.

In this special episode of Podaganda journalists Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney interview investigative journalist and author Matt Kennard about:    The British intelligence services’ co-opting of the Guardian newspaper (11:37)    the establishment’s propping up of the brutal Saudi royal family (30:42)   and the Windsor’s connection to Bahrain’s absolute monarch (44:23)    As always brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language   Show Notes   Read the Guardian’s Edward Snowden NSA leaks here: bit.ly/2Bq8x8C    You can find Matt Kennard and Mark Curtis’s article How the UK Security Services neutralised the country’s leading liberal newspaper here: bit.ly/2MtqF83   Kennard and Curtis’s article Britain’s Secret Saudi Military Support Programme can be found here: bit.ly/2J3Jtsi    Their latest article, How the British establishment is working to keep Bahrain’s ruling family in power, can be read here: bit.ly/2MrpS7w    Remember when the Guardian published the ads praising Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for empowering women? Read Ben’s article about it here: bit.ly/32xpHgs    You can read Ben’s article on the outcry from human rights campaigners to Elizabeth Windsor’s invitation to Bahrain’s absolute ruler King Hamad to the annual Royal Windsor Horse Show earlier this year here: bit.ly/31r7kZo    You’ll find Matt’s books Irregular Army: How the US Military Recruited Neo-Nazis, Gang Members, and Criminals to Fight the War on Terror and The Racket: A Rogue Reporter vs the American Elite here: bit.ly/2J2TAgK and bit.ly/32sXszj    Mark Curtis’s excellent book, Secret Affairs: Britain's Collusion with Radical Islam, can be found here: bit.ly/2pA8jJe    View former Labour MP John Woodcock’s record on the register of members’ interests, including his paid trips to Saudi Arabia, here: bit.ly/2pwcCFy    Read about former Labour MP Mike Gapes’s trip to Saudi Arabia here: bit.ly/2oTqXMk    Follow Matt Kennard, Podaganda, Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney on Twitter via: @DCKennard, @PodagandaCast, @Cowlesz and @SweeneySteve.   Intro music by Jamie Thrasivoulou and Andrew De’Ath. 

Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney were unable to record a show this week, due mainly to life and work getting in the way. And so Podaganda would like to present The World Transformed’s Crimes for Humanity panel at the Labour Party Conference from a couple of weeks ago.   In this brilliant conference that Ben went to, the awesome panelists discuss how Europe has treated them as criminals for saving migrant and refugee lives. The speakers include:   Sean Binder  Anouk Van Gestal Haidi Sadik Ben Smoke Jeremy Corbyn   Show notes Just to be clear, Podaganda nor our employer the Morning Star had anything to do with this event. All Ben did was show up with his dictaphone and press record.    Be sure to check out The World Transformed and all the awesome work they do: theworldtransformed.org.    Follow Podaganda, Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney on Twitter via: @PodagandaCast, @Cowlesz and @SweeneySteve. 

IN this special episode of Podaganda journalists Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney present the Morning Star’s fringe meeting, the Media War on Labour, at Labour Party Conference in Brighton last week. Speakers include: Carolyn Jones, vice-chair of the Morning Star’s management committee (2:23) Morning Star Editor Ben Chacko (6:22) Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott (13:00) Shadow chancellor John McDonnell (24:11) Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) general secretary Dave Ward (34:09) Bob Oram, chair of the Morning Star management committee (41:24) Unite general secretary Len McCluskey (42:02) Salma Yaqoob, Labour mayoral candidate for West Midlands Metro (55:20) Shadow justice secretary Ricard Burgon (1:04:33) RMT general secretary Mick Cash (1:17:59) Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard (1:1:25:00)   Brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and some bad language   Show notes Follow Podaganda, Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney on Twitter via: @PodagandaCast, @Cowlesz and @SweeneySteve. 

In episode eight, journalists Steve Sweeney and Ben Cowles are joined by with Morning Star colleague Kadeem Simmonds and the Private Eye/Morning Star’s Solomon Hughes to discuss:    A bad week for journalism (Laura Kuenssberg, the S*n’s Ben Stokes story and the blackmail of Gareth Thomas)  (02:55) Solomon Hughes reports from the Lib Dem’s Conference (28:21) Turkey’s renewed attack on the HDP and women’s rights (54:10) ??? (1:05:46) Show notes:   You can read Solomon Hughes’s latest article for the Star “Lib Dems: building themselves up for another fall?” here: morningstaronline.co.uk/article/f/lib-dems-building-themselves-another-fall  You can find the rest of Solomon’s work for the paper on this link: morningstaronline.co.uk/author/solomon-hughes    Kadeem’s story on the S*n’s Ben Stoke shame is here: morningstaronline.co.uk/article/s/personal-ben-stokes-story-leads-people-wanting-boycott-sun-newspaper    Read the International Federation of Journalists’ Global Charter of Ethics here: ifj.org/who/rules-and-policy/global-charter-of-ethics-for-journalists.html    RMT shop steward Eddie Dempsy’s response to the Guardian’s Owen Jones can be found here: medium.com/@eddiedempsey/a-reply-to-owen-jones-keep-it-comradely-32e034eeaa49   Phil Miller covered Boris Johnson’s disastrous visit to Whipps Cross University Hospital here: morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/johnson-humiliated-by-dads-fury-over-destroyed-nhs     You should find videos of the Lib Dems singing ‘Tony Blair and fuck off and die’ here: twitter.com/search?q=Lib%20Dems%20Fuck%20Tony%20Blair&src=typed_query    Steve’s articles on Turkey can be found here: morningstaronline.co.uk/author/6    To get involved in the HDP campaign, email: HDPcampaign@gmail.com    Follow Podaganda, Ben Cowles, Steve Sweeney, Kadeem Simmonds, and Solomon Hughes on Twitter via: @PodagandaCast, @Cowlesz, @SweeneySteve, @KadeemSimmonds, and @SolHughesWriter

In this special episode of Podaganda journalists Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney interview the Electronic Intifada’s Asa Winstanley about Palestine, journalism, the so-called Labour anti-semitism crisis, and his ban from the Labour Party conference.    Brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language   Show notes:   Check out the Electronic Intifada’s brilliant journalism here: electronicintifada.net   Asa Winstanley’s work for EI can be found here: electronicintifada.net/people/asa-winstanley    Sign the petition calling on the Labour Party to reinstate Asa’s press pass for conference: http://bit.ly/2m9Dh9r     Read Asa’s story on Jon Lansman wanting to remove Jeremy Corbyn here: http://bit.ly/2kEibzy    Follow Podaganda, Ben Cowles, Steve Sweeney, and Asa Winstanley on Twitter via: @PodagandaCast, @Cowlesz, @SweeneySteve, @AsaWinstanley

In episode 7 of Podaganda journalists Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney are joined by their Morning Star colleagues Kadeem Simmonds and Lamit Sabin to discuss:   The Lib Dems helping Alexander "Boris" de Pfeffel Johnson’s no-deal Brexit  (2:36) Turkey’s President Erdogan’s latest brutal crackdown on the HDP (19:45) Why did an NGO migrant rescue ship captain turn down the Medal of the City of Paris? (35:34) And Twitter’s abysmal handling of racist abused aimed at black footballers (45:51)   Brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language   Show notes:   Read Lamiat’s report on Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson’s inadvertently supporting Boris Johnson here: mstar.link/31SvtbI    Keep up-to-date with Steve’s coverages of Turkey here: bit.ly/2KOp4J0    Find Ben’s story on Pia Klemp here: bit.ly/2PbQLjf and his other articles on the civil fleet here: bit.ly/2Z9WCtT    You can find Kadeem’s Sports articles here: mstar.link/2Pa3liX    Kadeem’s American Football podcast Nickel and Dime here: nickelanddimepod.libsyn.com as well as on Spotify and iTunes.    Follow Podaganda, Ben Cowles, Steve Sweeney, Kadeem Simmonds and Lamiat Sabinon Twitter via: @PodagandaCast, @Cowlesz, @SweeneySteve, @KadeemSimmonds, and @LamiatSabin   Intro music by Jamie Thrasivoulou and Andrew De’Ath. 

IN this special bonus episode of Podaganda, Ben Cowles speaks with journalist Phil Miller about his investigative series exposing potential conflicts of interest at the highest levels of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and its probe into anti-semitism in the Labour party.    Show notes   Check out parts one to five of Phil’s EHRC Exposed articles below:    Part 1: Fears over conflicts of interest at top of watchdog probing Labour anti-semitism: bit.ly/2TxZ3Ay    Part 2: Chairman of watchdog probing Labour ‘profited from blacklisters’: bit.ly/2OT7MhM    Part 3: Watchdog probing Labour has board member who profited from May's hostile environment: bit.ly/2yXnduA    Part 4: ‘Impartial’ watchdog probing Labour plans to invite Tory spin doctors to board meetings: bit.ly/2ZZQ8Ku    Part 5: Chairman of ‘impartial’ watchdog probing Labour anti-semitism linked to refugee evictions: bit.ly/2N1qe5A    You can find all of Phil’s articles on the EHRC here: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/tags/ehrc-exposed    Corruption Watch UK can be found here: cw-uk.org   Be sure to watch Phil’s TV report Inside Harmondsworth: 'I don't want to die in here' bit.ly/2H6c4fD    Follow Podaganda, Ben Cowles, Steve Sweeney and Phil Miller on Twitter via: @PodagandaCast, @Cowlesz, @SweeneySteve, @pmillerinfo Intro music by Jamie Thrasivoulou and Andrew De’Ath.

Finally Steve Sweeney and Ben Cowles are back podcasting together after a summer of craziness.   In episode 7, Steve talks us through his recent trip to Nicaragua where he reported on the 40th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution and contrasts what he saw with the mainstream media.   Show notes    Here’s Wikipedia’s take on the Nicaraguan Revolution: bit.ly/2ZFP8Lo    Another interesting read on the revolution worth reading is Neil Faulker’s take here for Counterfire: bit.ly/2yFJ7m7    Here’s Wikipedia’s take on the Iran-Contra affair: bit.ly/2YIZYTL    Check out the Nicaraguan Solidarity Campaign here: bit.ly/2MczZyf    Here’s the link to Steve’s story on the armed uprising in Nicaragua last year: bit.ly/2YSQiG0    Steve’s report on Alvaro Leiva can be found here: bit.ly/2yLrAc1    For the rest of the Star’s coverage on Nicaragua, see here: bit.ly/2YN5hBz    Follow Steve on Twitter via @SweeneySteve and Ben via @Cowlesz.  Intro music by Jamie Thrasivoulou and Andrew De’Ath.

IN this special bonus episode of Podaganda, Ben Cowles speaks with author, activist and veteran JOE GLENTON on how the British military resembles a far-right organisation.    We also discuss imperialism, class, and why Joe went Awol in Southeast Asia and fought for his right to be recognised as a conscientious objector.    Show notes   Follow Joe Glenton on Twitter here: @joejglenton.   You can buy Joe’s book, Solider Box: Why I Won’t Return to the War on Terror, here: bit.ly/2KfMYf9 (Try not to use Amazon).    Forces Watch investigates militarisation, military ethics and human rights concerns in Britain. Be sure to check out their website, here: forceswatch.net, and follow them on Twitter: @ForcesWatch    Read Forces Watch’s report Warrior Nation: War, militarisation and British Democracy by Paul Dixon here: bit.ly/2Zc1iLB    It’s worth researching about the following battles: Omdurman, Rorke's Drift, the India Rebellion and the Battle of Islandwanda here   Watch the trailer to the 1964 film Zulu here: bit.ly/2Mfs7v4    Check out the Football Lads and Lasses Against Fascism’s website here: flaf.org.uk   Boris Johnson sacked Penny Mordant on July 24th. The new defence secretary is Ben Wallace. Gavin Williamson is now  Education Secretary… unfortunately.    Check out Rudyard Kipling’s poem Tommy here:  bit.ly/32PqUQN    Intro music by Jamie Thrasivoulou and Andrew De’Ath.

IN this special bonus episode of Podaganda, Ben Cowles speaks with Haidi Sadik from the German migrant rescue NGO Sea Watch about the charity’s recent rescue mission and the 17-day stand off with Italy and Europe’s war on the civil fleet.    Show notes   Click on the following link to read Ben’s coverage of Sea Watch: bit.ly/2O9osl0    Here’s the story Ben was getting confused with Sea Watch: bit.ly/2LZXSYC. In April, the German Transport Ministry gave the Mare Liberum, a 69ft yacht operated by a charity of the same name, an order of suspension requiring the vessel to fulfil the same safety checks as freighter ships.    Check out Sea Watch’s website here: sea-watch.org/en/, and follow them on twitter here: @seawatch_intl.  Intro music by Jamie Thrasivoulou and Andrew De’Ath.

IN this special bonus episode of Podaganda, Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeny speak with Andrew Smith from Campaign Against the Arms Trade (Caat) about their legal victory halting weapon sales to Saudi Arabia.    Show notes   Read about Caat’s Arms to Renewables campaign here: mstar.link/2xepsZC    Read about the Italian dock workers who stopped weapons being shipped to Saudi Arabia: mstar.link/2xc5ONV    Steve’s report on the French journalists from the Disclose investigative journalism platform who face prison for refusing to give details of the source that revealed the French government knew their weapons had been used against civilians in Yemen: mstar.link/2KBpUKn    Check out Disclose’s brilliant website (in English) here: disclose.ngo/en    Watch the Nae Pasaran trailer here: naepasaran.com   Here’s a link to an interview Ben did with Andrew last year about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s state visit to Britain: mstar.link/2X3ke2h     Check out Caat’s blog post from 2014 on BBC Political editor Nick Robinson pulling out of a speaking engagement at an arms trade event: mstar.link/2RwRedl    You can find the Star’s articles on Jamal Khashoggi here: mstar.link/2Yg1LvW    Follow human rights and peace activist Sam Walton on Twitter here: twitter.com/SamWalton    The Saudi prince’s state visit was a clear example of propaganda. Read Ben Cowles’s take on Mohammad bin Salman’s 2018 state visit here: mstar.link/2LfUuZj    You can read Jeremy Hunt’s bizarre article on Politico here: mstar.link/2RzEylP    Here’s the article Steve wrote about the Istanbul election: mstar.link/2N9U2ON    Mark Curtis’s excellent book is called Secret Affairs. You can read Ian Sinclair’s review of the updated book here: mstar.link/2X6d4dM  Intro music by Jamie Thrasivoulou and Andrew Death

IN this special bonus episode of Podaganda, Ben Cowles speaks with historian, activist, broadcaster, trade unionist and all-round legend Dr Louise Raw about:   Establishment history vs working-class history; Pissing off the far right; The Tory party leadership race; The matchwomen’s central role in the labour movement, Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership and the media’s framing of him; Historiography and the importance of nuance, And the Matchwomen’s festival   Get your tickets to Matchfest 2019 here: eventbrite.co.uk/e/matchwomens-festival-2019-tickets-55843455278   Brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language   Show notes   Read Dr Louise Raw’s Morning Star articles here: mstar.link/2WUPATN    You can buy here book, Striking a Light: The Bryant and May Matchwomen and their Place in History, here: mstar.link/2KvgOie     Follow Louise and the Matchfest on Twitter here @LouiseRawAuthor and @Matchwomen1888   For more on the Freedom Programme visit here: mstar.link/2Y22row    For more on Steve Bannon, read here: mstar.link/2XpbVNv    Check out the Star’s coverage of the Matchwomen here: mstar.link/2WUdDap    Read LSE report into the media’s coverage of Corbyn: Journalistic Representations of Jeremy Corbyn in the British Press: From Watchdog to Attackdog: mstar.link/2J03RcX 

In episode 6 of Podaganda, journalists Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney are joined by their Morning Star comrade Ceren Sagir to discuss:   The Tory leadership candidates (5:10) The German sea-captain Pia Klemp who faces 20 years in an Italian jail for rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean (32:55) Mike Pompeo’s leaked threat to Jeremy Corbyn (43:00) ??? (54:27)   Brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language   Show notes   Follow the Sudanese Translators for Change on Twitter via @SudaneseTc.   Steve, Ben and the rest of the Morning Star crew's coverage of Sudan can be found here: bit.ly/2wIwMMR   Read Ceren Sagir’s rouge gallery of the Tory Party leadership candidates: bit.ly/2INLBDH   German sea captain Pia Klemp faces 20 years in jail for migrant rescue efforts: bit.ly/2XesTOG   Read about the Spanish firefighter Migeul Roldan who also faces 20 years in an Italian jail for saving drowning migrants: bit.ly/2FcDvDm   Italy’s far-right interior minister Matteo Salvini has threatened to charge €5,500 (£4,800) per migrant to those who bring rescued migrants onto Italy’s shores. Check out this Star editorial on it: bit.ly/2ZrCzCJ   Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states: “Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.” UDHR, unfortunately, is not legally binding but most governments would like to appear as if they uphold the articles in it. The human rights organisation Liberty explains the right to seek asylum in Britain here: bit.ly/2wVG4Fn     Ben refers to the Dublin Agreement in this episode, which is actually called the Dublin III Regulation, when discussing how the EU deals with refugees. Open Migration explains the details of this here: bit.ly/31wsKp2     Read about US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s leaked threat to Jeremy Corbyn: bit.ly/2ZrE6Zv     You can listen to Ben’s 2018 interview with Jewish Voice for Labour’s Mike Cushman here: bit.ly/2KmFnxJ   Labour’s Derby North MP Chris Williamson’s video on the Integrity Initiative can be watched here: bit.ly/31C96YH

IN this special bonus episode, Podaganda's Ben Cowles speaks with Sudanese Translators for Change activist Raga Makawi about the ongoing revolution in Sudan.  Show notes Follow the Sudanese Translators for Change on Twitter via @SudaneseTc.  Steve, Ben and the rest of the Morning Star crew's coverage of Sudan can be found here: bit.ly/2wIwMMR        

After a two-week hiatus, Podaganda Episode 5 is here. Journalists Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney discuss: The Blairite-Tory alliance party Change UK splitting / Theresa May’s resignation / and Donald Trump’s visit to Britain (2:11) The Turkish state objects to Kurdish journalist Seda Taskin’s acquittal claiming her work is spreading ‘terrorist propaganda’ And gay rugby player Ken Macahria speaks with Ben Cowles about the fears he will face persecution in Kenya if Britain deports him Brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language Show notes Change UK falls apart as 6 of its 11 MPs quit the Blairite-Tory alliance mstar.link/2EUkA09 Spelling Mistakes Cost Lives Tweet mstar.link/2Mu3tII Theresa May resigns: mstar.link/2WoCuCR Trump’s visit to Britain: mstar.link/2Kvmhoi Update on Kurdish jouranlist Seda Taskin: mstar.link/2WKP5j1 Make sure to check out US jouranlist Jeremy Scahill’s brilliant podcast Intercepted here: mstar.link/2WrriFq Police storm Sydney headquarters of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: mstar.link/2IfmE3q France attacks press freedom: mstar.link/2ZckB7s Check out Ben’s articles on Ken Macharia’s case here: mstar.link/2KvY0yy, mstar.link/2IkaeHQ, and mstar.link/2K3dkTM You can follow Steve Sweeney and Ben Cowles on Twitter via @SweeneySteve and @Cowlesz

In episode 4 of Podaganda journalists Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney discuss:   Tory Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt’s 10-year amnesty for British soldiers accused of crimes (3:57) An Italian dockers’ strike to block weapons bound for Saudi Arabia  (24:40) ??? (37:58)   Brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language   Show notes   Read Steve’s interview with Kurdish artist and journalist Zehra Dogan here: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/f/feature-zehra-dogan-interview   For more on Penny Mordaunt’s amnesty for British soldiers accused of crimes, check out: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/campaigners-in-ireland-hit-out-at-tory-plans-to-introduce-10-year-amnesty-for-british-troops, https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/war-is-not-a-legal-black-hole-liberty-warns-rookie-defence-secretary   For more on Steve’s coverage of the Ballymurphy inquiry, visit: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/tags/ballymurphy-massacre-inquest   British soldiers allegedly used victim’s skull as an ashtray: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/family-irish-catholic-express-great-distress-british-troops-used-his-skull-ashtray   Read Phil Miller’s story on Johnny Mercer withdrawing his support for the government here: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/tory-mp-withdraws-support-government-over-veterans-witch-hunt   Ireland's PM urged to release ‘secret files’ on deadly 1974 bombing: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/irelands-pm-urged-to-release-secret-files-on-deadly-1974-bombing   Want to check out the Connolly Association ’s screening of Unquiet Graves: the Story of the Glenanne Gang in London on Thuesday (May 23)? Find out more here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2307295346178794/   Read about the Italian dockers’ strike which prevented weapons being sent to Saudi Arabia here: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/italian-dock-strike-blocks-deadly-cargo-headed-for-saudi-arabia   Ben’s stories on the NGO migrant rescues can be found on this link: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/author/108   Definitely read the Morning Star’s Marcus Barnett’s story on the Spanish firefighter Miguel Roldan, who could face up to 20 years in an Italian jail for saving migrants in the Mediterranean: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/british-firefighters-stand-with-spanish-comrade-who-faces-jail-for-rescuing-migrants   Reach out to Podaganda, Steve and Ben on Twitter: @PodagandaCast, @SweeneySteve, @Cowlesz

In episode 3 of Podaganda, journalists Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney are joined by their friends/comrades Ben Saunders and (briefly) Conrad Landin to discuss:   The free Kibriye Evren campaign, an initiative started by the Star’s NUJ chapel to urge our trade union and others to call for the freedom of hunger-striking Kurdish journalist (3:20) Working-class football fans being priced out of the Champions League final by absurd “market forces” (15:56) The Scottish Conservatives Party Conference last weekend (33:45) The UN urging Malta to reconsider terrorism charges it brought against three migrant teenagers who commandeered a Turkish cargo ship to escape the horrors in Libya (43:02) ??? (56:02)   Brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language   Show notes   For more on the Star’s coverage of Kibriye Evern visit: bit.ly/2VePsxB Check out Journalists for Democracy in Turkey and Kurdistan’s Facebook page here: bit.ly/307TJqd   If you can help out JDTK in any way, email: international@peoples-press.com   Evren can be written to at: Kibriye Evren, Diyarbakir E Tipii Cezaevi, Mevlana Halit Mahallesi, Emek Cd, 21080 Baglar/Diyarbakir, Turkey.   For more on the insane "market forces" screwing over working-class football fans, click here: bit.ly/306Fa6t  More on that ridiculous "Johnny Foreigner" tweet can be found here: bit.ly/2VW7fy0   Why does Azerbaijan have a problem with Ben Cowles? Find out here: bit.ly/2WzclNG   Read up on Conrad Landin’s Scottish Tories Party Conference here: bit.ly/2HiI8fx, here: bit.ly/2VilFE8, here: bit.ly/2vSpk1n, and here: bit.ly/2VZKrNR   You can read more about the UN, Malta and migrant teenagers story here: bit.ly/2VvkBBK Reach out to Podaganda, Steve, Conrad, Ben and Ben on Twitter: @PodagandaCast, @SweeneySteve, @conradlandin, @BenSaundersEtc, @Cowlesz

IN this special bonus episode, Podaganda's Steve Sweeney speaks with Stephen Travers: musician, campaigner and survivor of the Miami Showband massacre. In July 1975, one of the most notorious events of The Troubles took place in County Down in the north of Ireland. Three members of one of the most popular bands at the time, the Miami Showband, were shot dead by Loyalist paramilitaries at what appeared to be a British Army checkpoint. Sweeney spoke to bass player and survivor Stephen Travers, who has pursued a 40-year quest for justice amid a cover-up and the alleged involvement of the British state. Show notes For anyone wondering why the Morning Star uses the term ‘north of Ireland’ rather than ‘Northern Ireland’ or why it covers it on the international pages, check out the explanation here youtu.be/AI1ghi5t62g?t=1551 on the pilot version of Podganda. For the Morning Star’s review of Netflix’s Miami Showband Massacre, go to bit.ly/MiamiMassacre. Visit bit.ly/MiamiJustice to read Steve’s news report on Stephen Travers’s claim that British intelligence were involved in the killing of his bandmates.

In episode 2 of Podaganda journalists Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney are joined by Ceren Sagir to discuss: Jeremy Corbyn forcing Parliament to be the first in the world to declare a climate emergency. What does this mean and is it enough? And what about Heathrow’s third runway? (2:17) The digital consent forms allowing police forces to download data from rape victims’ phones. What does this mean for privacy and women’s rights? Can the police be trusted with this power? (10:27) And what the hell is going on in Venezuela? Who is Juan Guaido? Is he leading an uprising or a military coup? (17:51) Brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language Show notes For more on Parliament’s climate change emergency declaration see here: mstar.link/ClimateEmergency See here for more on the digital consent forms story: mstar.link/digitalconsent Steve, Ceren and Ben have all written on Venezuela from an anti-imperialist perspective. Check that out here: mstar.link/Venezuela As mentioned in the show, Steve and Ceren went to Venezuela earlier this year as delegates to the international people’s assembly. Listen to that here: youtube.com/watch?v=JkUYtLVXj7I&t=1s You can find Podaganda on twitter via: @PodagandaCast

In the first episode of Podaganda journalists Ben Cowles and Steve Sweeney discuss: A victory for the London Renters Union (3:12) The Kurdish hunger strikers occupying Amnesty International's London HQ in protest against the charity's silence on the imprisonment of Kurdistan Workers' Party leader Abdullah Öcalan (10:00) And interview Murray Worthy from Global Witness about a report he authored warning that the $4.9 trillion invested in new fossil fuel extractions are incompatible with global climate goals (24:28) Brace yourself for profoundly left-wing views and plenty of bad language