Podcasts about embassy protection collective

We begin this episode with an announcement about a horrifying roundup of anti-racist activists by Denver-area police departments. As of the time of this recording, five organizers in Denver were being held without bond, having been snatched from their homes, parking lots, while driving, and around the city for protests held earlier this summer. They have since been released on bond, but are still facing the ludicrous charge of "kidnapping." The Party for Socialism and Liberation is demanding that that all charges be dropped.We later talk with Houston-area organizer Caleb Granger about environmental racism, abdication of responsibility for civic preparedness, and disaster capitalism following the hurricane that hit Louisiana earlier this month.Finally, we are re-airing an interview with the late Kevin Zeese, co-founder of Popular Resistance, who passed away suddenly September 6. We talked with Zeese last year about the Embassy Protection Collective, which stood in defiance of Trump's coup and assault on the Venezuelan embassy in DC.

We begin this episode with an announcement about a horrifying roundup of anti-racist activists by Denver-area police departments. As of the time of this recording, five organizers in Denver were being held without bond, having been snatched from their homes, parking lots, while driving, and around the city for protests held earlier this summer. They have since been released on bond, but are still facing the ludicrous charge of "kidnapping." The Party for Socialism and Liberation is demanding that that all charges be dropped.We later talk with Houston-area organizer Caleb Granger about environmental racism, abdication of responsibility for civic preparedness, and disaster capitalism following the hurricane that hit Louisiana earlier this month.Finally, we are re-airing an interview with the late Kevin Zeese, co-founder of Popular Resistance, who passed away suddenly September 6. We talked with Zeese last year about the Embassy Protection Collective, which stood in defiance of Trump's coup and assault on the Venezuelan embassy in DC.

In this episode of By Any Means Necessary hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Netfa Freeman, a policy analyst with the Institute for Policy Studies, organizer with Pan-African Community Action, and a member of the coordinating committee of the Black Alliance for Peace, to talk about the passage of a new bipartisan bill granting even greater power to the executive branch and security state amid Trump's brutal crackdown on uprisings across the US, and why it's impossible to make the police accountable to the working class when the government is accountable to the billionaire class.In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Kevin Zeese, co-director of Popular Resistance, to talk about the news that federal charges against the Embassy Protection Collective have been dropped, the bizarre accusation by District Judge Beryl Howell that the huge wave of police repression of black people shows the defendants were treated unreasonably well by the secret service due to their "privilege," and why violent suppression of the anti-police brutality protests and the ongoing trillion-dollar giveaways to the ruling class indicate that we're living in a "failed state."In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Nina Lakhani, environmental justice reporter for the Guardian US, to talk about her new book, "Who Killed Berta Caceres? Dams, Death Squads, and an Indigenous Defender's Battle for the Planet," and how collusion between powerful US government forces, big business, and the Honduran narco elites made her execution possible. Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Aja Taylor, Advocacy Director of Bread for the City, to talk about the false dichotomy beng drawn by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser between the supposedly 'good' voters and 'bad' demonstrators in curfew enforcement, why young people are "drawing a line in the sand" by refusing to vote for the lesser of two evils, and Attorney General William Barr's accusations that antifa and "foreign actors" are instigating violence at protests.

In this segment of By Any Means Necessary hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Kevin Zeese, co-director of Popular Resistance, to talk about the news that federal charges against the Embassy Protection Collective have been dropped, the bizarre accusation by District Judge Beryl Howell that the huge wave of police repression of black people shows the defendants were treated unreasonably well by the secret service due to their "privilege," and why violent suppression of the anti-police brutality protests and the ongoing trillion-dollar giveaways to the ruling class indicate that we're living in a "failed state."

On this episode of "By Any Means Necessary" hosts Jacquie Luqman and Sean Blackmon are joined by Ian Goodrum, senior editor of China Daily, to talk about the U.S. State Department's designation of his news organization as a "foreign mission" of the Chinese government, where the reclassification fits into the State Department's broader information war against China, what all this means for China Daily and other outlets, and how the proliferation of US government-funded media outlets abroad exposes a double standard between the networks labeled "publicly-funded" and those referred to as "state propaganda."In the second segment, Jacquie and Sean are joined by Francis Boyle, Professor of International Law at the University of Illinois, to talk about the escalations between Turkey and Russia in the Idlib province of Syria, the role of the U.S. government in fomenting the violent conditions currently facing the Syrian people, the historical precedent for Turkish territorial ambitions in that country, where international law falls on the issue, possible outcomes of the planned conversation between Turkish President Recep Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin, whether the US/Taliban 7-day reduction in violence slated to begin today truly represents a reason for optimism, and why US intentions in Afghanistan may actually be quite different from the those stated publicly. In the third segment, Jacquie and Sean are joined by Black Agenda Report editor and senior columnist Margaret Kimberly to talk about her new book, "Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents," why so little has changed in the treatment of Black people at the hands of the presidency, why the ruling class is so invested in whitewashing the racist records of virtually every US president, why moving past the inherently hostile capitalist duopoly necessitates the construction of a socialist movement, and why the Obama presidency was so insidious and so instrumental to manufacturing consent for maintaining the status quo among Black communities.Later in the show, Jacquie and Sean are joined by Leo Flores, a Latin American policy expert and campaigner with CODEPINK, to talk about why Elizabeth Warren is backtracking on her previous refusal to accept SuperPAC money, whether a self-declared capitalist can truly be considered "progressive," why the ruling class genuinely considers re-distribution of wealth to be "anti-American," why a Bloomberg presidency may not actually be preferable to Trump's from a progressive perspective, why the Embassy Protection Collective's recently delivered an 'Eviction Notice' to the faux Guaido government at Venezuela's embassy, why Bolivia's coup-borne government is invalidating the Senate candidacy of Evo Morales and his former foreign minister, and how certain governments in Latin America are exploiting the Venezuelan migration crisis caused by US sanctions for their own political gains.

On this episode of "By Any Means Necessary" hosts Jacquie Luqman and Sean Blackmon are joined by Dr. Bill Honigman, California State Coordinator and Co-Coordinator of the Healthcare as a Human Right Issue Organizing Team for Progressive Democrats of America, to talk about the upcoming debate in Nevada, why organized labor continues to go unmentioned in these debates despite ongoing high-profile labor mobilizations throughout the country, why pro-establishment unions and especially the Nevada culinary union are throwing their weight behind efforts to block Medicare-for-all legislation, whether Joe Biden actually stands a chance of securing the nomination anymore, and why claims that Medicare-for-all would reduce healthcare coverage in underserved areas are misleading.In the second segment, Jacquie and Sean are joined by Dr. Margaret Flowers, co-founder of Popular Resistance and director of the Health Over Profit for Everyone (HOPE) Campaign, to talk about why the trial of the Embassy Protection Collective 4 resulted in a mistrial, why the defendants chose not to mount a defense in the case, why the prosecution seems to be attempting to thread the needle between providing too little information for the jury to confidently convict and providing so much information that the jury sees through the flaws in the case, what ties she views between the political persecution of the embassy protectors and broader attempts to criminalize politically inconvenient free speech, between and why—as a medical professional—she agrees with the characterization of the Lancet medical journal that the ongoing treatment of Julian Assange constitutes torture. In the third segment, Jacquie Luqman and Sean Blackmon are joined by Steve Horn, investigative reporter and producer for The Real News Network, to talk about Congress approving a bill to build a gas pipeline and provide arms shipments to Cyprus, why Exxon and the Israeli government lobbied so hard to get the bill passed, why such legislation invariably seems to draw bipartisan support, what the American Chamber of Commerce's role in backing the bill says about the ability of US economic interests to dictate policy internationally, and why the measure got so little pushback from supposedly-progressive quarters.Later in the show, Jacquie and Sean are joined by Mondale Robinson, founder of the Black Male Voting Project, to talk about the news that Bloomberg will be making an appearance at the Nevada debate, why the Democratic party continues to fail to extinguish the momentum of the Sanders campaign, how the establishment's manipulation of the Democratic nomination process in 2016 paradoxically set the stage for Sanders' comeback, why the 'vote blue no matter who' mantra is fading away as Sanders looks more and more likely to secure the nomination, the extent to which Bloomberg's overflowing pockets enable him to overtly influence the party's trajectory, why the bipartisan regime change foreign policy consensus makes it difficult to label so many Democrats "progressive," whether Sanders will face a backlash for describing the Israeli government as "right-wing" and "racist", why engaging with the mass movement coalescing around the Sanders campaign is critical to shaping its ultimate direction, and how that movement's lack of loyalty to the Democratic establishment helps ensure that there's space for Bernie to move leftward.

Today on Flashpoints: We speak with Dr. Margaret Flowers, who was a member of the Embassy Protection Collective, along with Kevin Zeese, Adrienne Pine and David Paul. All of them were arrested and prosecuted last may. Tonight, they await their final verdict. Also, excerpts of the documentary, Occupation of the American Mind. The post Embassy Protection Collective Gets Their Verdict. appeared first on KPFA.

On this episode of "By Any Means Necessary" hosts Jacquie Luqman and Sean Blackmon are joined by Sputnik News Analyst Wyatt Reed to talk about a New York Times article attempting to portray Sputnik Radio as "Russia propaganda", how this latest smear figures into the larger attempt by mainstream media and Democratic establishment to blame Russia for the rise of Trump, and the century-long history of the US government and press treating homegrown white supremacy as the product of Russian meddling.In the second segment, Jacquie and Sean are joined by Erica Caines, founder of Liberation Through Reading and a member of Black Alliance for Peace, to talk about her organization's work providing revolutionary educational materials for kids in poor and working class Black communities, why it's so important for young people to have access to books with characters and plots they can relate to, and how her campaign to boost literacy and help kids think critically about empire is helping to build lasting connections and enhance movement work more broadly.In the third segment, Jacquie Luqman and Sean Blackmon are joined by Max Blumenthal, award-winning journalist and editor of The Grayzone to talk about new documents leaked to The Grayzone concerning the OPCW report blaming a chemical attack on the Syrian government, the serious distortions they show in the OPCW's attack on the whistleblowers who accused the group of issuing a doctored report alleging a chemical attack in Syria, along with an update about the trial of four members of the Embassy Protection Collective.Later in the show, Jacquie and Sean are joined by Kendrick Jackson, a civic innovator and social impact specialist, to talk about the 20-year anniversary of the release of the Dead Prez album "Let's Get Free," why the album was so influential and meaningful at the time, why the resignation of Iowa Democratic Party chairman Troy Price reflects more interest in finding a scapegoat than holding anyone accountable, the apology by Snoop Dogg to Gayle King after he lambasted her over a CBS clip in which she appeared to corner WNBA legend Lisa Leslie about the prior rape allegations made against recently-deceased NBA icon Kobe Bryant, Mike Bloomberg's unapologetic "apology" for his deeply destructive and racist stop-and-frisk policy, the overwhelming uselessness of stop-and-frisk as a crime prevention strategy, what Bloomberg's rapid ascent reveals about the Democratic establishment's interest in mitigating the threat of a Sanders presidency,

On this episode of "By Any Means Necessary" hosts Jacquie Luqman and Sean Blackmon are joined by journalist Andy Brennan to talk about the significance of Sinn Fein's surprise victory at the Irish polls, how the failures of the two major liberal parties led to the resurgence in Irish Republicanism, why the punditocracy is drawing the wrong conclusions about the political landscape in Ireland, why Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar is refusing to align with Sinn Fein, how long-term changes in political identity in Ireland are bringing about a new political landscape, how negotiations could play out as Sinn Fein has the chance to form a coalition government, and how colonization in Ireland and the country's lack of imperialist history helped preclude the revival of far-right anti-immigrant factions currently facing so many other countries in Europe.In the second segment, Jacquie and Sean are joined by Sputnik News Analyst Wyatt Reed to talk about the trial of four members of the Embassy Protection Collective which began today, why they're being targeted with charges of "interfering with the protective functions of the US Department of State" for their efforts to protect the Venezuelan embassy from members of the Venezuelan opposition who besieged the embassy for weeks, and how the Venezuelan opposition is attempting to pack the courthouse and influence the trial's outcome.In the third segment, Jacquie Luqman and Sean Blackmon are joined by international affairs and security analyst Mark Sleboda to talk about the possibility that Turkish attacks on the Syrian Arab Army could lead to open warfare between those countries, why the Turkish government's aggressive rhetoric doesn't always translate into action, why the Syria conflict may be in the "end-game" phase, the role of many "moderate rebels" in the US government's larger proxy war against Iran, and whether the violence between such proxy forces could spill into a war between the United States and Russia. Later in the show, Jacquie and Sean are joined by Dr. Jared Ball, professor at Morgan State University and curator of imixwhatilike.org, to talk about the reemergence of a speech by Mike Bloomberg justifying the racist consequences of his stop-and-frisk policy, why the Democratic establishment is so nervous about the popular movement surrounding Bernie Sanders, the new Netflix docu-series "Who Killed Malcolm X?" and the recent uptick in public interest around Malcolm X, why revolutionary ideologies like Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism go largely unmentioned in the series, how the show misses the mark by reducing his assassination to a personal disagreement and downplaying the role of the US government which targeted him so viciously, the tendency of the capitalist political establishment to co-opt and defang revolutionary figures like Malcolm, how the docu-series fits into a larger push to replace the more radical figure presented in Alex Haley's Autobiography of Malcolm X with the meeker Malcolm 'Reinvented' by Manning Marable's biography, why economic stagnation in Black communities means Malcolm's ideas are more relevant than ever, why European immigrants are seen as more 'American' than colonized populations who've been here for hundreds or thousands of years, the role of the Black mis-leadership class in enshrining the myth of Black Buying Power, and why advocates of Black Capitalism inevitably obscure the primary role of capitalism in marginalizing Black communities.

On this episode of "By Any Means Necessary" hosts Jacquie Luqman and Sean Blackmon are joined by Jeff Cohen, a journalist, media critic, professor, and the founder of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, to talk about a Brazilian court's decision to not move forward with the cybercrime charges against journalist Glenn Greenwald, how Trump's persecution of Julian Assange helped to blur the lines between journalists and whistleblowers and open the door for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's persecution of Greenwald, and how corporate media's fawning coverage of Pete Buttigieg in Iowa reflects the mainstream media consensus of censoring politically inconvenient reporting.In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Embassy Protection Collective members Kevin Zeese and Dr. Adrienne Pine to talk about why the US government is putting their group on trial for protecting the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, DC from a violent group of coup-supporters besieging the building, how the court system and State Department have colluded to premise their case on the legal fiction that Juan Guaido is the President of Venezuela, why the US government permitted a paramilitary force of far-right Latin Americans to repeatedly assault the Embassy Protectors, and what their case says about the limits of freedom of speech for those opposing imperialism.In the third segment, Jacquie Luqman and Sean Blackmon are joined by Sputnik News Editor Mindia Gavasheli to discuss recent attempts by NPR to malign the presence of Radio Sputnik in Kansas City, Missouri, the ongoing attempts to stigmatize not just Russian or state-owned outlets but independent media in general, and why it's so important that journalists are willing to challenge status quo narratives.Later in the show, Jacquie and Sean are joined by political cartoonist Ted Rall to talk about the catastrophic caucuses in Iowa, why billionaire-funded Buttigieg can get away with smearing the Sanders campaign as being funded by "dark money" in the current political climate, how Joe Biden's campaign managed to fail so spectacularly and the new ways it may continue to do so, why billionaire Mike Bloomberg is getting more attention than the former Vice President despite having virtually no popular support, how the "Shadow" app encapsulates the seemingly-endless conflicts of interest plaguing the Democratic establishment, why the United States seems to be approaching a tipping point like so many other countries have in the past year, why the Democratic party seemingly continues to misunderstand the political consequences of impeachment and now may be coming back for seconds, and how the Democrats' actions are bolstering the ranks of Trump's most diehard supporters

In this segment Sean and Jacquie are joined by Embassy Protection Collective members Kevin Zeese and Dr. Adrienne Pine to talk about why the US government is putting their group on trial for protecting the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC from a mob besieging the building, how the court system and State Department have colluded to premise their case on the legal fiction that Juan Guaido is the President of Venezuela, why the US government permitted a paramilitary force of far-right Latin Americans to repeatedly assault the Embassy Protectors, and what their case says about the limits of freedom of speech for those opposing imperialism.

On this episode of "By Any Means Necessary" hosts Jacquie Luqman and Sean Blackmon are joined by Isabel Garcia, co-founder of the Coalición de Derechos Humanos co-founder and National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights board member, to talk about the 5-4 Supreme Court ruling allowing the Trump administration to effectively ban asylum for poor people, why simply following the rules doesn't guarantee fair treatment by immigration authorities, and how U.S. policies in Central America are ultimately driving the migration crisis.In the second segment, Jacquie Luqman and Sean Blackmon are joined by Steve Keen, author of “Debunking Economics” and the world's first crowdfunded economist to talk about why the Federal Reserve's interest rate strategy is detrimental to economic growth, how the supposedly impressive job numbers reflect more about quantitative easing policy and could actually mask a growing inequality and stagnant wage growth, the effects of the coronavirus on global markets and especially the Chinese tourism market, and the motivations behind the U.S. government's attempt to block Huawei from participating in developing 5G infrastructure in Europe.In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Sergio Torrez, a Nicaraguan-American peace activist and member of the Embassy Protection Collective, to discuss the US Customs and Border Patrol and the Department of Homeland Security detaining and interrogating him when he attempts to enter the country, why his experiences in Venezuela and Nicaragua don't comport with the portrayals of those countries presented by the mainstream press, and why the U.S. seems so hellbent on preventing Americans from witnessing the achievements of socialist governments.Later in the show, Jacquie and Sean are joined by Rev. Delonte Gholston, Pastor of Peace Fellowship Church in Washington, DC, to talk about the importance of confronting elected officials for failing to address the needs of working people, how DC's budget reflects the prioritization of incarceration over education, the need to reemphasize the revolutionary spirit of the gospel and the historical role of the Black church in overcoming white supremacy, a Prince George County police officer being charged with murder for his role in the death of a man killed while handcuffed in the back of a police cruiser, and the need to create viable alternative social models as we attempt to transition away from a system of aggressive and racist policing.

In this segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Sergio Torrez, a Nicaraguan-American peace activist and member of the Embassy Protection Collective, to discuss US Customs and Border Patrol and the Department of Homeland Security detaining and interrogating him when he attempts to enter the country, why his experiences in Venezuela and Nicaragua don't comport with the portrayals of those countries presented by the mainstream press, and why the U.S. seems so hellbent on preventing Americans from witnessing the achievements of socialist governments.

Buy me a coffee ($3): https://ko-fi.com/essentialdissent Watch the full livestream: https://youtu.be/x5o_5y5Rm7o Follow Essential Dissent on Twitter to be notified of upcoming livestreams: https://twitter.com/e_Dissent YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/yxz8ehks Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/y64ufjeh a-Infos Radio Project: https://tinyurl.com/y5k6t4ub iTunes: https://tinyurl.com/yyq9w8sy --- January 24, 2020 The four arrested Venezuelan Embassy Protectors - Kevin Zeese, Margaret Flowers, Adrienne Pine and David Paul - were on an East Coast speaking and fundraising tour from January 24 to January 28, 2020. They are facing trials on the trumped-up charge of "interfering with certain protective functions" of the government for their heroic effort to prevent the transfer of the Venezuelan Embassy to a minority leader illegally appointed by the U.S. government as President of Venezuela. This is a misdemeanor charge that carries a maximum of one-year imprisonment and a $100,000 fine each. The judge has already denied them the ability to present vital evidence in their defense. During the hearing, she referred to the embassy protectors as a "gang," and stated that the facts supported their guilt. She made it clear a trial will result in their conviction, and promptly made rulings that will ensure that outcome. Embassy Protection Collective: https://www.facebook.com/ColectivosporlaPaz/ Popular Resistance: https://popularresistance.org/ Please donate $1/month to support Essential Dissent: https://www.patreon.com/EssentialDissent 00:00 Intro by Margaret Kimberley 02:32 Margaret Flowers 11:22 Margaret Kimberley introduces Sara Flounders 13:17 Sara Flounders introduces David Paul 15:38 David Paul 23:59 Margaret Kimberley introduces Adrienne Pine 25:07 Adrienne Pine 31:55 Sara Flounders introduces Kevin Zeese 34:28 Kevin Zeese 58:59 End

Netfa Freeman discusses the unique perspective of the Embassy Protection Collective's work through the lens of the Black working class and their connection with Venezuela

We continue our conversation on the siege of the Venezuelan embassy in DC with one of the founders of the Embassy Protection Collective, Kevin Zeese. This interview is exclusive to our Patreon subscribers.https://www.patreon.com/EmpireSupernova

On May 16, 2019, DC police stormed the Venezuelan embassy, arresting the last remaining members of the Embassy Protection Collective. The collective was charged by the Venezuelan government with ensuring the embassy’s safety after diplomatic relations between Venezuela and the United States broke down. Over the course of a month, Guaido’s most militant, right-wing supporters in DC besieged the embassy on behalf of his appointed so-called ambassador, Carlos Vecchio. Among the ranks were employees of the World Bank, the NATO-backed pro-regime change think tank Center for Strategic & International Studies, and weapons manufacturer Raytheon. The Guaido supporters shouted homophobic and racist insults at the Embassy Protection Collective, while threatening to kill and rape journalists and collective members. They stole food from peace activists, engaged in violence against those trying to deliver the food, flashed strobe lights into the Embassy, and blasted air horns inches from the ears of the collective. They attempted to break into the building on several occasions. During the siege, the police, Trump’s Secret Service, and later the U.S. Marshals intervened to give Guaido’s supporters the strategic advantage. When a month of siege warfare failed to break the collective’s resolve, the police illegally entered the building, violating key articles of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The excerpts you just heard were from the heavily protested press release by Guaido’s appointees, one day after the seizure of the embassy, as recorded by Anya Parampil of the Grayzone Project. They wasted no time in heartily thanking Donald Trump, the State Department, and the U.S. forces of regime change for their so-called victory. Because the Guaido puppet regime does not control any territory or government position in Venezuela, the embassy building under the control of Vecchio will not be able to fulfill any of the diplomatic functions that an embassy is tasked to carry out. This is a hollow victory for Guaido and Trump. The fallout from this violation of international law has consequences far beyond the U.S. war on Venezuela. It puts U.S. embassies across the world at risk of similar seizure if diplomatic relations were to break down.On this two-part episode of Empire Supernova, we speak with organizers who were on the ground during the siege of the embassy. First we hear from Claire Cook, an organizer with the ANSWER Coalition. Later, we speak with Kevin Zeese, a political activist and the co-director of Popular Resistance. Kevin was part of the collective that legally maintained the embassy from the beginning of the siege until the police raid on May 16. We talked to Claire only two days before the seizure of the Embassy, so the interview reflects the urgency of the situation. The process of resistance to this U.S. seizure exposed the farce that is the U.S. propping up of Guaido’s claim to the presidency of Venezuela.

This episode we have an in-depth conversation with Morgan Artyukhina about their time with the Venezuelan Embassy Protection Collective. Morgan is an autistic transgender communist and journalist based in Washington, DC, Their reporting can be found on Twitter @LavenderNRed and in Liberation News. As a point of reference, we recorded this episode on May 14th. Two days after this episode was recorded, activists within the Embassy were arrested by DC police in what seems to be in clear violation of international law. The activists were charged with misdemeanor federal crime of “Interfering With a Federal Law Enforcement Agent Engaged in Protective Functions.” So it is important to understand that everything that Morgan describes in this episode is past tense, and that many of the warnings that they make will regards to the violability of embassies around the world, and the further deterioration of US international diplomacy are now very real possibilities. Nevertheless, we thought that this was an important story for people to learn more about, and get a perspective of someone who participated in the Embassy Protection Collective from the beginning, as we feel that this has been one of the strongest anti-war anti-imperialist actions that organizers have taken in the US in years, and hope that it marks the renewal of bold action against US warmongering and regime change, in a time when it is needed as much as it has ever been in our history.

MinCast hosts Alan MacLeod and Whitney Webb discuss the week’s top stories, including U.S. attempt to escalate the situation in Iran, the unjust re-imprisonment of Chelsea Manning, Microsoft’s new ElectionGuard product and get a first-hand account of the Venezuelan Embassy Protection Collective from Alex Rubenstein.Segment 1: Is a War with Iran Looming?With the failed Venezuela coup, the US turns its attention to war with Iran. John Bolton reportedly ordered the military to prepare an invasion force of 120,000 troops. Could an accident or a false flag send us to war in the Middle East again!?Segment 2: Chelsea Manning back in Jail, Monsanto vs. Venezuela and Elections controlled by Microsoft and DARPAHosts Alan MacLeod and Whitney Webb discuss a judge ordering whistleblower Chelsea Manning back to jail, agrochemical giant Monsanto’s shady role in driving US policy towards Venezuela and Microsoft’s new product, ElectionGuard, developed in conjunction with the US military to supposedly safeguard us from foreign interference.Segment 3: MintPressNews journalist Alex Rubenstein joins us to discuss his time covering the Venezuelan Embassy Protection Collective in Washington DC, the efforts by authorities to force them out the building, and the strange collaboration between pro-coup protestors and the police.Support the show (https://www.mintpressnews.com/donations/)

This week, Roqayah and Kumars are joined by Ariel Gold and Lily Tajjadini. Ariel serves as the national co-director of the anti-war group CODEPINK, and is an organizer with the Ithaca Committee for Justice in Palestine. Ariel has been published in The Huffington Post, Forward, and Tikkun Magazine, among others. Lily is also an organizer with CODEPINK where she is the Iran Campaign manager. Ariel and Lily, who were recently involved in the historic occupation of the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, D.C., describe the events that lead up to this dramatic action and what hurdles they encountered from local authorities, the Secret Service, and a barrage of protesters loyal to self-appointed president Juan Guaidó. Ariel and Lily recount the creative efforts on the part of the embassy activists, who called themselves as the Embassy Protection Collective, to get food and supplies into the embassy where as many as 50 demonstrators were inside, having been invited to stay by the legitimate government of Venezuela led by Nicolás Maduro. We hear about hostile clashes during which pro-Guaidó protestors, who had barricaded the exterior of embassy, attempted to intimidate embassy volunteers and prevent access to first aid, medicine, and food. We discuss the fate of activists who were arrested by authorities after the embassy was illegally raided after an incredible 36 days. Ariel and Lily explain that activists haven’t been charged with trespassing, an admission that the embassy was Venezuelan territory. Additionally, representatives of Guaidó’s self-described “government” still haven’t gained access to the site, further proof of the shaky footing the US government knows itself to be on. Finally, Ariel and Lily explain that, far from a symbolic act, this effort had a real impact on ratcheting down tensions and making a US military attack on Venezuela less likely. You can follow Ariel on twitter at @ArielElyseGold, and Lily at @lilytaj5. You can also find Code Pink as at @codepink. If you want to support the show and receive access to tons of bonus content, subscribe on our Patreon for as little as $5 a month. Also, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show on iTunes. We can't do this show without your support!!!

For 37 days, from April 10 to May 16, activists calling themselves the Embassy Protection Collective stayed at the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, DC 24/7 to prevent the United States from perpetuating its coup attempt and violating the Vienna Convention by turning the embassy over to the US-supported coup leader, Juan Guaido. The activists, including the show hosts, were there with the permission and support of the elected government of Venezuela. The United States government used everything it could to force the activists out, including cutting off access to food, electricity and water and surrounding the embassy with violent fascists. Adrienne Pine, a professor of anthropology who has studied the coup in Honduras and who was an Embassy Protector until the end, joins us to discuss what happened, what it was like and what comes next. Subscribe to Clearing the FOG on Patreon and receive our bonus show, Thinking it Through, plus Clearing the FOG totes, water bottles and T shirts. Visit Patreon.com/ClearingtheFOG. And visit the new Popular Resistance Podcast Network at www.PopularResistance.org/prpn/

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Kei Pritsker, an organizer with the ANSWER Coalition and a member of the Embassy Protection Collective who stayed in the embassy for weeks.This morning, all of the Embassy Protectors at the Venezuelan Embassy in DC were arrested and taken away in police vehicles, despite being legal tenants of the building that is owned by the Venezuelan Government. Over a grueling 36-day struggle the Embassy Protection Collective made headlines worldwide and became a formidable line of defense against the U.S.-backed right wing coup attempt that is still underway. Veterans for Peace is Thursday’s regular segment about the contemporary issues of war and peace that affect veterans, their families, and the country as a whole. Gerry Condon, a Vietnam-era veteran and war resister who has been a peace and solidarity activist for almost 50 years, currently as national president of Veterans for Peace, joins the show to describe his own experiences in front of the Venezuelan Embassy as a part of the Embassy Protection Collective. The Trump administration issued an executive order yesterday targeting Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei, a move sure to deepen overall economic tensions between the United States and China. The executive order, while not explicitly referencing Huawei, could be used to disrupt the company’s supply chain by prohibiting U.S. companies from selling them components on the basis of supposed national security threats. Brian speaks with Steve Keen, the author of “Debunking Economics” and the world’s first crowdfunded economist, whose work is at patreon.com/ProfSteveKeen. As tensions between the US and Iran escalate, Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen are being bombed by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition. At least six civilians have died today and dozens are wounded after the air raids struck Sanaa, Yemen’s capital. Mohammad Marandi, an expert on American studies and postcolonial literature who teaches at the University of Tehran, joins the show. The Sudanese military abruptly cut off talks with protest leaders just a day after a deal on a transitional authority was reported to be imminent. Repression against demonstrators, who are conducting a sit-in in front of army headquarters, has ramped up in recent days. Bayan Abubakr, a PhD candidate studying the history of Sudan at Yale University, joins Brian. Thursday’s weekly series “Criminal Injustice” is about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country. Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News (PLN), and Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Unauthorized Disclosure, join the show.A regular Thursday segment deals with the ongoing militarization of space. As the US continues to withdraw from international arms treaties, will the weaponization and militarization of space bring the world closer to catastrophe? Brian speaks with Prof. Karl Grossman, a full professor of journalism at the State University of New York, College at Old Westbury and the host of a nationally-aired television program focused on environmental, energy, and space issues, and with Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space and a contributor to Foreign Policy In Focus.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and Walter Smolarek, sitting in for John Kiriakou, are joined by Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CODE PINK and member of the Embassy Protection Collective, and by Ann Wright, a retired United States Army colonel and former U.S. State Department official in Afghanistan, who resigned in protest of the invasion of Iraq and became an anti-war activist.Last night, the police cut the locks on the door of the Venezuelan Embassy in DC and entered. But after about half an hour of tense negotiations with activists still living in the embassy and their lawyer, the cops resealed the door and left in a resounding win for the Embassy Protection Collective. This comes amid Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido public request for a U.S. military invasion to rescue his failed coup attempt. Tuesday’s weekly series is False Profits—A Weekly Look at Wall Street and Corporate Capitalism with Daniel Sankey. Brian and Walter speak with financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey. Donald Trump today denied reports that his administration was considering plans to send up to 120,000 U.S. troops to the Middle East in preparation for armed conflict with Iran. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for talks that included Iran and the 2015 nuclear deal that the Trump administration is intent on sabotaging. Brian and Walter speak with Mark Sleboda, an international affairs and security analyst. With 95 percent of the vote counted in the Philippines, it appears that all 12 Senate seats up for a vote will be filled with supporters of far-right President Rodrigo Duterte. With the House of Representatives filled with Duterte’s allies as well, what can the opposition do to combat the increasingly repressive policies of Duterte’s government? Bernadette Ellorin, the spokesperson for BAYAN USA, a progressive organization fighting for justice and democracy in the Philippines, joins the show. A recent opinion poll shows the once-dominant Conservative Party running in fourth place for the upcoming European Parliament election. The new right wing Brexit Party looks almost certain to come in first. Neil Clark, a journalist and broadcaster whose work has appeared in The Guardian, The Week, and Morning Star, joins Brian and Walter. Today’s regular segment that airs every Tuesday is called Women & Society with Dr. Hannah Dickinson. This weekly segment is about the major issues, challenges, and struggles facing women in all aspects of society. Hannah Dickinson, an associate professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and an organizer with the Geneva Women’s Assembly, and Loud & Clear producer Nicole Roussell join the show.

After an intense stand-off last night (Monday, May 13th), the Embassy Protection Collective is still holding space at the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC. Here's the latest. Liking a Facebook post might land you in jail and other proof that the system is damn afraid of people power. In other news, proof that we need more people power than ever before: a new CO2 milestone. Georgia's anti-choice bill is draconian, authoritarian, criminal, bigoted, sexist, anti-scientific and fucking disgusting. Meanwhile, Ohio looks on and says: I can do worse. nrdc.org leecamp.com artkillingapathy.com

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Kevin Zeese, co-coordinator of Popular Resistance and a member of the Embassy Protection Collective; Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CODE PINK and a member of the Embassy Protection Collective; and from Caracas by Lucas Koerner, an activist and writer for VenezuelAnalysis.com.DC’s power company shut off the electricity in the Venezuelan Embassy yesterday reportedly on orders from Venezuelan coup leader Juan Guaido’s so-called ambassador Carlos Vecchio. Members of the Embassy Protection Collective are still inside as tenants of the Venezuelan government. Meanwhile, the Venezuelan government arrested the vice president of the national assembly for treason over his role in last week’s military push to overthrow president Maduro. Today we continue our weekly series “Criminal Injustice,” where we talk about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country. Paul Wright, the founder and Executive Director of the Human Rights Defense Center, joins the show. The Senate Intelligence Committee has now subpoenaed Donald Trump, Jr. over the Trump Tower meeting, despite the 400-page Mueller report that investigates that meeting and all contacts with the president’s campaign and finds no evidence of collusion. Meanwhile, the House Judiciary Committee voted yesterday to hold Attorney General Barr in contempt of Congress. The hosts are joined by Jim Kavanagh, founder of thepolemicist.net, whose most recent article on the subject is "Investigation Nation: Mueller, Russiagate, and Fake Politics."As the Trump administration adopts an increasingly hostile attitude towards North Korea, the DPRK has moved in the last week to conduct two new tests of weapons systems in a warning to Washington. Can the negotiations be put back on track? Brian and John speak with Simone Chun, a fellow at the Korea Policy Institute and a member of the Korean Peace Network. The European Union rejected the 60-day deadline announced by Iran in response to the latest round of suffocating U.S. sanctions. The future of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal is in deepening jeopardy. Massoud Shadjareh, founder of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, joins the show. South African voters went to the polls yesterday in an election marked by the rise of new left wing political forces and growing momentum behind land redistribution to address the legacy of apartheid colonial rule. Results are continuing to trickle in. Glen Ford, executive editor of Black Agenda Report, joins Brian and John. Today we continue our weekly segment dealing with the ongoing militarization of space. As the US continues to withdraw from international arms treaties, will the weaponization and militarization of space bring the world closer to catastrophe? Karl Grossman, a professor at the State University of New York, College at Old Westbury, joins the show.

Detroit may still be bankrupt - but they have a new business that's growing fast: private police. Ende Gelände announces its latest plan to stand in the way of coal expansion, taking "coal phase out" into their own hands. 23 were killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. But this is how corporate media covers it... President Bolsonaro of Brazil announced an end to philosophy and sociology education. He's just the latest in a long list of fascists to show fear of free thought. Plus updates on the Embassy Protection Collective   https://www.ende-gelaende.org/en/ leecamp.com artkillingapathy.com

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Walter Smolarek (sitting in for Brian Becker) and John Kiriakou are joined by Mohammad Marandi, an expert on American studies and postcolonial literature who teaches at the University of Tehran.The Trump Administration announced yesterday that it would send an aircraft carrier strike group and Air Force bombers to the Persian Gulf because of what it called “troubling and escalating indications and warnings” related to Iran. National Security Advisor John Bolton said on Sunday that the deployment was meant to send “a clear and unmistakable message to the Iranian regime that any attack on US interests or those of our allies would be met with unrelenting force.” Military analysts in Washington, however, that they were unaware of any new threat to the US, US interests, or US allies in the region. The pro-Juan Guaido siege against the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington continues. Members of the Embassy Protection Collective remain inside. Kevin Zeese, the co-coordinator of Popular Resistance, whose work is at popularresistance.org, joins the show. Monday’s segment “Education for Liberation with Bill Ayers” is where Bill helps us look at the state of education across the country. What’s happening in our schools, colleges, and universities, and what impact does it have on the world around us? Bill Ayers, an activist, educator and the author of the book “Demand the Impossible: A Radical Manifesto,” joins Walter and John. President Trump issued a series of threats against China via Twitter yesterday, saying that the US would raise tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25 percent if China doesn’t relent in trade talks. The Chinese rebuffed the president, but said that trade talks would continue. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 471 points at the opening because of the tweets. Jude Woodward, the author of the book “The US vs China: Asia's new Cold War?,” joins the show. A United Nations report released this morning says that one million plant and animal species are on the verge of extinction because of human activity. The species range from whales to insects barely detectable by the naked eye. The mass extinction, if it occurs, could seriously disrupt the food chain, and it could adversely affect food and water security and farming. Fred Magdoff, professor emeritus of plant and soil science at the University of Vermont and the co-author of “What Every Environmentalist Needs to Know About Capitalism” and “Creating an Ecological Society: Toward a Revolutionary Transformation” from Monthly Review Press, joins Walter and John. Israel and Gaza agreed to a ceasefire this morning after the worst violence between the two sides since 2014. Four Israelis were killed when Palestinians launched rocket attacks on Friday. Twenty three Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes, including two pregnant women and two infants. The latest round of fighting began when Israeli forces carried out yet another mass shooting during Friday demonstrations along the border of Gaza. Ali Abunimah, the co-founder of The Electronic Intifada and author of the book “The Battle for Justice in Palestine,” and Miko Peled, the author of the new book "Injustice: The Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five,” join the show.Monday’s regular segment Technology Rules with Chris Garaffa is a weekly guide on how monopoly corporations and the national surveillance state are threatening cherished freedoms, civil rights and civil liberties. Web developer and technologist Chris Garaffa joins the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Sputnik News analysts and producers Walter Smolarek and Nicole Roussell.Friday is Loud & Clear’s weekly hour-long segment The Week in Review, about the week in politics, policy, and international affairs. Today they focus on the attempted coup in Venezuela, British local elections where the Conservatives lost hundreds of representatives, and the synagogue shooting earlier in the week. Facebook announced yesterday that it was banning several people whom it called “dangerous.” Is this not a direct attack on free speech? Web developer and technologist Chris Garaffa joins the show. A group of activists who are invited guests of the Venezuelan government have been enduring siege-like conditions to prevent the illegal seizure of the country’s embassy in Washington, D.C. by supporters of coup leader Juan Guaido. And supporters of the right-wing opposition are growing increasingly abusive and violent against the supporters of the embassy protectors gathered outside. Brian and John speak with Kei Pritsker, an activist with the Embassy Protection Collective.The Department of Labor announced this morning that the unemployment rate fell to 3.6 percent, a 49-year low, as the economy added jobs for the 103rd consecutive month. Despite the strong economy, however, the gap between the rich and poor continued to grow. Dr. Jack Rasmus, a professor of economics at Saint Mary's College of California and author of “Central Bankers at the End of Their Ropes: Monetary Policy and the Coming Depression,” whose work is at www.jackrasmus.com, joins Brian and John. Following weeks of calls for her to step down, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh resigned yesterday. Pugh is the subject of a federal investigation into allegations that she made $800,000 from the sale of her self-published children’s book to major healthcare companies that had business with the city. Eddie Conway, a journalist with The Real News Network who was a leading member of the Baltimore branch of the Black Panther Party and a political prisoner for 44 years, joins the show. It’s Friday! So it’s time for the week’s worst and most misleading headlines. Brian and John speak with Steve Patt, an independent journalist whose critiques of the mainstream media have been a feature of his site Left I on the News and on twitter @leftiblog, and Sputnik producer Nicole Roussell.

The Embassy Protection Collective has passed its 20th day of holding space in the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, DC. Here's why it's so vital and how you can support. Apparently you can be chic AND homeless - or at least that's what our capitalist media machine would have you believe. While we need to live more simply, the financial oppression of the many in the name of the few living the high life is not the way to go. Press TV was recently pulled from Facebook and YouTube. Here's why we need to care - and support alternative media in other ways! May 1st is almost here. Did you know that's YOUR holiday? A look at this American past time so powerfully silenced by the capitalist tycoons.   FYI: shows coming up in Chicago & Detroit! leecamp.com artkillingapathy.com https://rocunited.org/ https://www.facebook.com/ColectivosporlaPaz/  

On this episode of The Critical Hour, Dr. Wilmer Leon is joined by Jon Jeter, author, two-time Pulitzer Prize, former Washington Post bureau chief and award-winning foreign correspondent; and Jim Kavanagh, political analyst and commentator and editor of The Polemicist.The United States government is seeking to extradite and prosecute Julian Assange for one reason: to punish him for publishing true and embarrassing information about US crimes and intimidate every journalist in the world from doing so again. If the US government succeeds in doing this, it will strike a devastating blow to the fundamental elements of democracy throughout the world — the freedom of the press and the related ability of citizens to know what their governments are doing. Joe Biden joins the 2020 Democratic presidential race. As I listened to the morning cable shows, the coverage is all Biden all the time, and Joe Scarborough would have you believe that Biden not only walks on water but he also parted the Red Sea. How does this portend for the Democratic field? What does this do for the country? The Pentagon is preparing to loosen rules that bar troops from interacting with migrants entering the United States, expanding the military's involvement in President Donald Trump's operation along the southern border. Senior Defense Department officials have recommended that Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan approve a new request from the Department of Homeland Security to provide military lawyers, cooks and drivers to assist with handling a surge of migrants along the southern border. The move would require authorizing waivers for about 300 troops to a long-standing policy prohibiting military personnel from coming into contact with migrants. According to the Washington Post, the requested expansion of military activity along the border would cost an estimated $21.9 million through the end of fiscal year 2019.The Supreme Court's conservative majority seemed willing Tuesday to defer to the Trump administration's plan to add a citizenship question to the 2020 US Census despite evidence it could lead to an undercount of millions of people. Unmentioned during the nearly 90-minute oral argument were the partisan stakes: An undercount estimated by census officials of about 6.5 million people probably would affect states and urban areas with large Hispanic and immigrant populations, places that tend to vote for Democrats. The lower court judges starkly rebutted Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross' claim that the information was requested by the Justice Department to enforce the Voting Rights Act, which protects minorities, and they noted his consultations with hard-line immigration advocates in the White House beforehand.An extraordinary chapter in the ongoing saga of Venezuela has been taking place, virtually unnoticed, at the Venezuelan Embassy that lies in the heart of swanky Georgetown in Washington, DC. A group calling themselves the Embassy Protection Collective, all activists opposed to the prospect of the Venezuelan opposition taking over the embassy, have been living inside the building for the past two weeks, working side-by-side with the skeletal Venezuelan diplomatic staff that was told by the State Department that they had to leave by April 24. The protesters are still there, but many believe that the US government will take action tomorrow. GUESTS:Jon Jeter - Author and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist with more than 20 years of journalistic experience. He is a former Washington Post bureau chief and award-winning foreign correspondent. Jim Kavanagh - Political analyst and commentator and editor of The Polemicist.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Gareth Porter, historian and investigative journalist, to discuss his forthcoming article for Truthout where he lays out his analysis of the Mueller report, its impact on U.S. society, and implications for geopolitics. For the past two weeks, a group called the Embassy Protection Collective has been guarding the Venezuelan Embassy here in Washington DC against illegal seizure by representatives of coup leader Juan Guaido. Members of the collective, who are invited tenants of the legitimate government of Venezuela, held a rally today to talk about why they are there protecting it, and producer Nicole Roussell went down to report on the protest. Linda Winter, an activist who flew here from Chicago to protect the Venezuelan Embassy, and producer and Sputnik news analyst Nicole Roussell, join the show. Veterans for Peace is Thursday’s regular segment about the contemporary issues of war and peace that affect veterans, their families, and the country as a whole. Gerry Condon, a Vietnam-era veteran and war resister who has been a peace and solidarity activist for almost 50 years, currently as national president of Veterans for Peace, joins the show. A regular Thursday segment deals with the ongoing militarization of space. As the US continues to withdraw from international arms treaties, will the weaponization and militarization of space bring the world closer to catastrophe? Brian and John speak with Prof. Karl Grossman, a full professor of journalism at the State University of New York, College at Old Westbury and the host of a nationally-aired television program focused on environmental, energy, and space issues. Thursday’s weekly series “Criminal Injustice” is about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country. Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News (PLN), and Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Unauthorized Disclosure, join the show.

The Embassy Protection Collective is a group of activists who are residing at the Venezuelan Embassy 24 hours a day at the invitation of diplomatic staff. They've labeled the Trump administration's attempts to replace Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro a coup and an illegal act in contravention of international norms. Embassy staff is calling the Americans staying there Colectivos por la Paz (Collectives for Peace). One of the activists involved in the protest is Sputnik's own John Kiriakou, co-host of Loud and Clear. He will be speaking Wednesday night at the embassy in Georgetown about the CIA's involvement in regime change. Embassies of foreign nations are considered sovereign territory under the Geneva Conventions. The US government would be acting in contravention of international law if it entered another sovereign country's embassy and replaced its diplomats with those having no legal standing under the Geneva Conventions. Why is Thursday such an important day?On Monday the US announced that, in a bid to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero, it would on May 2 end US sanctions waivers that countries such as India, China, South Korea and Turkey currently have on buying Iranian crude. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday that Iran would be willing to negotiate with the US if it reverses economic sanctions and apologizes for its “illegal” actions, according to official media outlets. Is there a message behind Rouhani's statement? The gruesome killing of James Byrd, a 49-year-old African American man, in 1998 seemed to hark back to an era of lynchings and racially motivated slayings across the South. The trials of the three white men charged with the crime drew wide attention to Jasper, a town of about 7,500 in East Texas, just a short drive from the state's boundary with Louisiana. Texas officials announced this week that one of Byrd's killers, John William King, 44, will be executed Wednesday night, two decades after being convicted. If King is executed, it will make him the fourth person executed this year in the United States, and it would be one of the final legal steps in a case that has prompted a national discussion about hate crime legislation. But will it provide closure in a case that remains painful 20 years later?GUESTS:John Kiriakou — Co-host of Loud and Clear on Radio Sputnik. Daniel Lazare — Journalist and author of three books: "The Frozen Republic," "The Velvet Coup" and "America's Undeclared War." Gary Bledsoe — Distinguished Austin lawyer, president of the Texas NAACP and acting dean of Texas Southern University's Thurgood Marshall School of Law.Eddie Hopkins — Head of the Jasper Economic Development Corporation in Texas.

The Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in a big case involving the US Census. The Commerce Department wants to include a question in the census about US citizenship. Critics say that will tamp down participation in the census and will result in an inaccurate population headcount. The census helps determine how congressional districts are drawn, as functions of population. According to the Washington Post, the Supreme Court's ideological divide was on full display Tuesday, and it seemed from their questioning that the court's conservatives were likely to defer to the Trump administration on adding a question concerning citizenship to the 2020 census form sent to every American household. How important is this issue, what does it mean for the country, and what does it say about the court?Alex Rubinstein has a great story in MintPress News, entitled "With US on the Warpath, Iran's Press TV the Latest Target for Google's Political Censorship." According to Alex, Press TV — the Iranian government-funded TV news outlet — has been “shut down” on Google's platforms, including YouTube and Gmail. The move coincides with similar action taken against HispanTV, an Iranian Spanish-language channel. With increasing repression of Iran's official vehicles of communication to the world, the country's voice is stifled in front of international audiences — and that's the goal. “The Google account for [Press TV] was disabled and can't be restored because it was used in a way that violates Google's policies,” the company told the outlet in an email. What's really at stake here? The US seems to be pulling out all the stops and using all technologies on the countries that it has issues with.Journalist and activist Kevin Zeese is part of a group opposed to the prospect of the Venezuelan opposition taking over the country's embassy in Washington, DC. He writes that the group's members "have been living inside the building for the past two weeks, working side-by-side with the skeletal Venezuela diplomatic staff that has been told by the State Department that they must leave by April 24. Calling ourselves the Embassy Protection Collective, we have been working in the embassy during the day, holding educational events every evening, making banners and signs, and sleeping on couches at night. The evening events have included seminars on Julian Assange, US foreign policy in Africa, the history of Venezuela, and updates on Honduras and El Salvador." He states, "The Collective has good reason to believe the embassy is under attack. On March 18, representatives of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido took over the military attaché building on 2409 California St. in Washington, DC, with the help of the DC Police and Secret Service. On that same day, they also took over the Venezuelan Consulate in New York City." What's going on here, and what's behind their fight?GUESTS:Leslie Proll — Civil rights lawyer, advisor to the NAACP on judicial nominations, former NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund policy director and former Alabama director of the US Department of Transportation. Kevin Zeese — Co-coordinator of Popular Resistance, whose work is at popularresistance.org. Chris Garaffa — Web developer and technologist.