Podcasts about Impunity

Olena Halushka is a is a board member of the Ukrainian NGO “Anti-corruption Action Centre”, and co-founder of the International Centre for Ukrainian Victory. She has also worked as a chief of international advocacy at the post-Maidan coalition of 80 CSOs “Reanimation Package of Reforms”. Olena is a contributor to the Atlantic Council, Kyiv Independent. She has also written op-eds for the Washington Post, the Foreign Policy, and the EU Observer – but it's a major article she wrote for the UK's Guardian newspaper that we'll be discussing today.----------LINKS:https://twitter.com/OlenaHalushka https://twitter.com/AntAC_ua https://twitter.com/ICUVua https://www.linkedin.com/in/olena-halushka-b7342259/?originalSubdomain=ua https://ukrainianvictory.org/experts/olena-halushka/ https://www.fpri.org/contributor/olena-halushka/https://cepa.org/author/olena-halushka/https://archive.kyivpost.com/author/olena-halushkahttps://foreignpolicy.com/author/olena-halushka/----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Harrison Mann, a former U.S. Army major and executive officer of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Middle East/Africa Regional Center who resigned from the Biden Administration in protest of his office's support for Israel's war in Gaza. Ahmed and Harrison discuss the seeming impunity of the elite making policy decisions and recommendations and the effort by senior Biden Administration officials to position themselves for power in the next administration. They also talk about the possibilities and realities of accountability for war crimes in Palestine. See also Harrison Mann's recent Zeteo article, "Biden's Genocide Squad Must Be Stopped Before They Strike Again" and his August 2024 interview with FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart about Harrison's decision to resign and why government officials continue to implement policies they consider immoral. Harrison Mann is a former U.S. Army major and executive officer of the Defense Intelligence Agency's Middle East/Africa Regional Center who resigned in protest at his office's support for Israel's war in Gaza. He is currently with the group Win Without War and is a contributor at Zeteo. Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a Fellow at FMEP. He is an advisory board member of the US Campaign for Palestinian rights, co-editor of After Zionism (Saqi Books) and is currently writing a book about Palestine. He also currently serves on the board of the Independence Media Foundation. His work has been published in The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP at Harvard University. You can follow Ahmed on Substack at: https://ahmedmoor.substack.com and on X at @AhmedMoor. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

We look at a worrying law in Malta rushed through Parliament at unprecedented speed that doesn't just decriminalise tax abuse but 'connected breaches' too: "They've allowed the same culture to start being fomented that led to the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia." ~ Maltese journalist Julian Bonnici Plus: the role of Britain in the tax affairs of oil companies reaping rich rewards from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, abuse of power in the US and...we have some good news from California. Transcript of the podcast: https://podcasts.taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Transcript_Taxcast_May_26.pdf Further Reading: How Britain is shielding big oil's Iran war windfall, Adam Ramsay https://abolishwestminster.substack.com/p/revealed-how-britain-is-shielding  $30m an hour: big oil reaping huge war windfall from consumers, analysis finds https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/15/big-oil-huge-war-windfall-consumers  How Trump's IRS settlement could block tax audits of him, his family and their businesses https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0pk2e22jro  Trump's investigation compensation fund draws ire of Republicans - 'Stupid on stilts' https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx21d41p6dzo  How crypto billionaires are trying to buy a Senate seat in Alabama https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/05/crypto-alabama-senate-coinbase-ripple-andreessen/  Congress Must Address Illicit Finance Gaps in Crypto Legislation Before Committee Markup  https://us.transparency.org/resource/january-coalition-letter-congress-must-address-illicit-finance-gaps-in-crypto-legislation-before-committee-markup/  Committee-Approved Crypto Bill Leaves Dangerous Loopholes for Corrupt and Other Dirty Money https://us.transparency.org/news/committee-approved-crypto-bill-leaves-dangerous-loopholes-for-corrupt-and-other-dirty-money/  US drops fraud charges after billionaire Adani pledges $10bn investment https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/5/18/us-drops-fraud-charges-after-billionaire-adani-pledges-10bn-investment  A Five-Year Prison Sentence for a Public Hero https://prospect.org/2024/05/21/2024-05-21-five-year-sentence-public-hero-charles-littlejohn/  The Secret IRS Files Archives https://www.propublica.org/series/the-secret-irs-files  Bill 142: The Law Allowing Tax Crime, Fraud And Money Laundering To Be Settled Out Of Court – Amphora Media https://www.amphora.media/2026/03/bill-142-tax-crime-money-laundering-fraud-malta-law Aron Mifsud Bonnici Avoids Prosecution After Settlement in €1.6 Million Tax Evasion and Money Laundering Case https://www.amphora.media/2026/03/aron-mifsud-bonnici-tax-evasion-money-laundering-settlement-malta  California steps up for tax fairness - Tax Justice Network https://taxjustice.net/2026/05/27/california-steps-up-for-tax-fairness/

In this week's Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel talk to Yara Hawari, co-director of Al-Shabaka, the Palestinian policy network, about the dangers journalists face in the Middle East.Amal Khalil, a Lebanese journalist and reporter for the daily newspaper Al-Akhbar, was killed by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) in an airstrike on 22nd April. On the podcast, the three discuss the risks Amal faced as a long-term war correspondent and threats against her life which she had previously talked openly about.They also talk about the targeting of journalists by the Israeli government, and how it appears to act with impunity. They reflect on the IDF's justifications for its attacks, which is says targets those linked to Hamas or Hezbollah. In 2025, Israel killed at least 84 media workers and journalists, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.Alan, Lionel and Yara also discuss the risks of being a journalist in Lebanon or Gaza and the fact that foreign journalists are still having their entry barred. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did an economic system that was the result of largely uncoordinated and unplanned individual decisions come to dominate our modern world? This is the core question that my guest, Berkeley economic historian Trevor Jackson, tries to answer in his new book, The Insatiable Machine: How Capitalism Conquered the World (Norton, 2026). Jackson begins with the origins of the global monetary system in the fifteenth century and ends in the early twentieth century, when capitalism faced its most serious challenges from communism and socialism. While wage labor and financial instruments like loans and stocks feel unremarkable today, he reminds us that “it wasn't always this way.” Capitalism is not natural, timeless, or inevitable. Trevor Jackson is an economic historian at the University of California, Berkeley. He previous book, Impunity and Capitalism: The Afterlives of European Financial Crises, 1690–1830, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022. Steven P. Rodriguez is a scholarly publishing professional and historian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

How did an economic system that was the result of largely uncoordinated and unplanned individual decisions come to dominate our modern world? This is the core question that my guest, Berkeley economic historian Trevor Jackson, tries to answer in his new book, The Insatiable Machine: How Capitalism Conquered the World (Norton, 2026). Jackson begins with the origins of the global monetary system in the fifteenth century and ends in the early twentieth century, when capitalism faced its most serious challenges from communism and socialism. While wage labor and financial instruments like loans and stocks feel unremarkable today, he reminds us that “it wasn't always this way.” Capitalism is not natural, timeless, or inevitable. Trevor Jackson is an economic historian at the University of California, Berkeley. He previous book, Impunity and Capitalism: The Afterlives of European Financial Crises, 1690–1830, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022. Steven P. Rodriguez is a scholarly publishing professional and historian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/book-of-the-day

The psy-ops continue and I describe the reasons why they happen; Our state of affairs has to do with a culture of impunity and an overwhelming of the illegality vs. the ability to prosecute; and I cover the government's attempt at a flu pandemic response with HR 8447. Substack: https://theamericanclassroom.substack.com/p/the-psy-ops-will-continue   Book Websites: HERE and HERE. https://www.moneytreepublishing.com/shop PROMO CODE: “AEFM” for 10% OFF, or https://armreg.co.uk PROMO CODE: "americaneducationfm" for 15% off all books and products. (I receive no kickbacks).  https://www.thriftbooks.com/ Q posts book: https://drive.proton.me/urls/JJ78RV1QP8#yCO0wENuJQPH

This episode examines the aftermath of Peru's first-round presidential election held on April 12, 2025, recorded just five days later with results still not fully finalized. Host Adam Isacson speaks with Cynthia McClintock, a professor of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University who has studied Peruvian politics for over four decades. The conversation describes an extraordinarily fragmented and polarized electoral landscape. With 35 candidates on the ballot, the leading vote-getter—Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former authoritarian president Alberto Fujimori—led the count with only about 17 percent of the vote. The race for second place remained too close to call between Roberto Sánchez, a leftist candidate running under the mantle of impeached former president Pedro Castillo, and Rafael López Aliaga, a right-wing populist who served as mayor of Lima. The runoff, between candidates who will combine for less than 30 percent of the first-round vote, is scheduled for June 7th. McClintock traces Peru's current political dysfunction to the period following the 2016 election, during which Fujimori's party discovered the power of congressional impeachment. Peru has cycled through nine presidents in ten years, and McClintock argues that a corrupt governing coalition has consolidated power, particularly since Castillo's impeachment in December 2022. The discussion highlights the deep geographic and cultural divisions in Peruvian society. The gap between Lima and "las provincias"—Indigenous-majority rural and mountainous regions—manifests starkly in voting patterns. This division traces back centuries and reflects ongoing perceptions of discrimination and exclusion, even as economic indicators have improved. Organized crime and security are voters' primary concerns. While Peru's homicide rate remains low by regional standards, it has more than doubled since 2021-2022. Extortion has become particularly urgent. Yet paradoxically, Peru's economy continues to grow, buoyed by high commodity prices for copper and gold, though much mining activity is illegal and environmentally devastating. McClintock expresses concern about the future of accountability and democratic institutions. The newly reconstituted Senate grants Fujimori's party approximately one-third of seats, with significant power over appointments. On U.S.-Peru relations, she notes the current government has stayed under Washington's radar and is proceeding with a $3.5 billion F-16 purchase, though the Chinese-built Chancay port remains a potential point of tension. The episode concludes with McClintock explaining how the chaotic 35-candidate field happened by design: Fujimori's party had previously canceled a primary voting provision that would have winnowed the field, calculating that extreme fragmentation would allow them to win with a small plurality. Despite the grim political outlook, McClintock emphasizes the resilience of Peru and its people. Download this podcast episode's .mp3 file here. Listen to WOLA's Latin America Today podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you subscribe to podcasts. The main feed is here.

The Jeffrey Epstein Non-Prosecution Agreement (NPA) is widely regarded as one of the most disgraceful failures in the history of American justice. Structured to shield not just Epstein but a host of unnamed co-conspirators, the NPA granted sweeping immunity, all negotiated in secret and without the knowledge or consent of Epstein's victims—an apparent violation of the Crime Victims' Rights Act. Far from being a standard plea deal, the NPA was a calculated firewall built by powerful actors within the Department of Justice to protect a broader network of elite individuals. Its open-ended language, lack of transparency, and immunity clauses served not justice, but systemic protectionism for the well-connected. For over a decade, this deal has prevented real accountability, emboldened Epstein's enablers, and sent the chilling message that influence and wealth can overwrite the rule of law.Yet the NPA is not untouchable. Legal avenues still exist, from challenging its violation of victim rights, to pursuing civil lawsuits, state-level prosecutions, FOIA litigation, and even appointing a Special Counsel to investigate the DOJ's misconduct. Public pressure, congressional oversight, and relentless investigative work could still expose the names hidden behind its broad immunity clauses. What's needed now is moral courage, not more institutional silence. The DOJ must either rescind the NPA, investigate those who crafted it, and pursue those it protected—or be remembered not as an agency of justice, but as the architect of the most shameful cover-up in modern legal history. The survivors deserve more than platitudes—they deserve action. Because the NPA may have buried the truth once, but it doesn't get to bury it forever.to contact me: bobbcapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

The Jeffrey Epstein Non-Prosecution Agreement (NPA) is widely regarded as one of the most disgraceful failures in the history of American justice. Structured to shield not just Epstein but a host of unnamed co-conspirators, the NPA granted sweeping immunity, all negotiated in secret and without the knowledge or consent of Epstein's victims—an apparent violation of the Crime Victims' Rights Act. Far from being a standard plea deal, the NPA was a calculated firewall built by powerful actors within the Department of Justice to protect a broader network of elite individuals. Its open-ended language, lack of transparency, and immunity clauses served not justice, but systemic protectionism for the well-connected. For over a decade, this deal has prevented real accountability, emboldened Epstein's enablers, and sent the chilling message that influence and wealth can overwrite the rule of law.Yet the NPA is not untouchable. Legal avenues still exist, from challenging its violation of victim rights, to pursuing civil lawsuits, state-level prosecutions, FOIA litigation, and even appointing a Special Counsel to investigate the DOJ's misconduct. Public pressure, congressional oversight, and relentless investigative work could still expose the names hidden behind its broad immunity clauses. What's needed now is moral courage, not more institutional silence. The DOJ must either rescind the NPA, investigate those who crafted it, and pursue those it protected—or be remembered not as an agency of justice, but as the architect of the most shameful cover-up in modern legal history. The survivors deserve more than platitudes—they deserve action. Because the NPA may have buried the truth once, but it doesn't get to bury it forever.to contact me: bobbcapucci@protonmail.com

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP President Lara Friedman is joined by political analyst/commentator Daniel Levy, President of the U.S./Middle East Project (USMEP), for a far-ranging conversation about Europe's equities, concerns, and options with respect to current events in the Middle East (the US/Israel war on Iran, Israel's wars on Lebanon and Gaza, and Israel's escalation in the West Bank) including with respect to US-Europe relations. Follow Daniel's work on Substack - https://substack.com/@daniellevy2

Environmental and land defenders in Brazil face some of the highest rates of violence in the world, yet most attacks are never investigated, and fewer still result in prosecution. In this episode of People, Places, Planet, host Sebastian Duque Rios speaks with Kristine Perry, staff attorney at ELI, and Amael Notini, ELI's in-country partner in Brazil and legislative consultant to the Brazilian Federal Senate, about the systemic forces driving violence against defenders and what accountability could look like.Together, they explore how Brazil's legacy of land inequality, weak rural state capacity, and a deeply entrenched culture of impunity have put Indigenous and Quilombola communities, small-scale farmers, and civil society actors at risk. The conversation covers the structural roots of land conflict, the ongoing contested ratification of the Escazú Agreement, the temporal framework threatening indigenous land rights, and what — if anything — emerged from COP 30 in Belém for defender protection. The episode concludes with a first look at what the team is finding as they build a first-of-its-kind database tracking investigations and prosecutions of lethal attacks against defenders across Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, and why that data matters. This episode is part of ELI's ongoing series on environmental defenders across Latin America. If you've missed our previous episodes, check out our introductory episode on environmental defenders and ELI's database ("Environmental Defenders: On the Frontlines of Conservation") and our Spanish-language episode on the Colombian context ("Defensores ambientales: hacia la rendición de cuentas en Colombia"). For more information on the project, consult ELI's Platform to Protect Environmental Defenders.  ★ Support this podcast ★

The Jeffrey Epstein Non-Prosecution Agreement (NPA) is widely regarded as one of the most disgraceful failures in the history of American justice. Structured to shield not just Epstein but a host of unnamed co-conspirators, the NPA granted sweeping immunity, all negotiated in secret and without the knowledge or consent of Epstein's victims—an apparent violation of the Crime Victims' Rights Act. Far from being a standard plea deal, the NPA was a calculated firewall built by powerful actors within the Department of Justice to protect a broader network of elite individuals. Its open-ended language, lack of transparency, and immunity clauses served not justice, but systemic protectionism for the well-connected. For over a decade, this deal has prevented real accountability, emboldened Epstein's enablers, and sent the chilling message that influence and wealth can overwrite the rule of law.Yet the NPA is not untouchable. Legal avenues still exist, from challenging its violation of victim rights, to pursuing civil lawsuits, state-level prosecutions, FOIA litigation, and even appointing a Special Counsel to investigate the DOJ's misconduct. Public pressure, congressional oversight, and relentless investigative work could still expose the names hidden behind its broad immunity clauses. What's needed now is moral courage, not more institutional silence. The DOJ must either rescind the NPA, investigate those who crafted it, and pursue those it protected—or be remembered not as an agency of justice, but as the architect of the most shameful cover-up in modern legal history. The survivors deserve more than platitudes—they deserve action. Because the NPA may have buried the truth once, but it doesn't get to bury it forever.to contact me: bobbcapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

After three Toronto-area synagogues were shot at within the same week earlier this month, new questions are emerging about how the justice system handles antisemitic incidents. In this episode of The CJN's "North Star" podcast, Toronto lawyer Michael Teper and former Crown prosecutor Rochelle Direnfeld discuss why many protest-related charges tied to antisemitism in Toronto are later withdrawn, or diverted before reaching trial. Teper, who tracks police-reported hate crimes against the Jewish community, says nearly half of roughly 100 recent cases have been handled that way. He and Direnfeld explain how Crown prosecutors make those decisions — and why they warn the pattern risks sending a message of impunity to those who would commit crimes. Related stories: Read the ALCCA brief on the real problem behind the Toronto synagogue attacks. Learn why the National Post counted 94 of 154 Toronto protestors cases stayed, dropped or absolute discharges since Oct. 7, 2023. Read why B'nai Brith Canada thinks Ontario needs to start now to ban the 2027 Al-Quds Day rally, in The CJN. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Andrea Varsany (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to North Star (Not sure how? Click here ) Watch our podcasts on YouTube. Help others find this podcast by leaving us a review for “North Star” on Apple Podcasts via your iPhone or iPad device, or with your Android. (Spotify allows only starred ratings but you can do that, too!)

Historian Nikhil Pal Singh, author of this article, talks about how the Trump regime weaves foreign and domestic policy into a single domain of impunity, Homeland Empire The post Trump's unified domain of impunity appeared first on KPFA.

As immigration enforcement intensifies, so do questions about the limits of federal power. In our third episode this season, we unpack the legal maze surrounding federal law enforcement and the steep uphill battle for victims who want to hold agents accountable for constitutional violations.We trace the roots of the civil rights law Section 1983 and Bivens, which once gave citizens a path to sue federal officers. But decades of court decisions have narrowed those paths dramatically. When national security and policy discretion enter the picture, do they become shields for misconduct?Today, many victims are trapped in a legal black hole, where federal agents are often harder to sue than local counterparts.Special guests:Mike Fox, legal fellow at the Cato Institute's Project on Criminal JusticeMarie Miller, attorney with the Institute for JusticeAnya Bidwell, attorney with the Institute for JusticeThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Host/Producer: Amy Browne Following up on yesterday’s report, today organizers of The Consequence of Palestine- (Maine Coalition for Palestine, www.mvprights.org/ -weigh in on the controversy in a press release. Resources included with the press release: “[E]stablished case law pertaining to nearly identical conferences and academic events” provided by organizers “Trump Administration Concedes U.S. Researchers may Talk with Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Despite Sanctions” – “The First Amendment generally forecloses the government from using its sanctions authority to suppress the exchange of ideas—and it certainly prohibits the government from preventing scholars from engaging with one of the foremost experts in their field,” says Xiangnong (George) Wang, staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute. “The Treasury Department's concession is a significant reprieve to the many American scholars, journalists, and advocates that have been chilled from exercising their rights because they fear liability under U.S. sanctions laws.” “OFAC SIGNALS POLICY CHANGE ON HOLDING CONFERENCES WITH SANCTIONED SPEAKERS” – “Marking what appears to be a reversal of previous policy, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) determined that US persons can, subject to certain limitations, include sanctioned persons as speakers at overseas conferences without specific authorization.” “The authority granted to the president of the United States under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize the regulation or prohibition of most types of communication that do not involve the transfer of anything of value (50 USC § 1702(b)(1)). The Berman Amendment, added to IEEPA in 1988, stipulates that the president cannot regulate or ban the import or export of “informational materials” to or from adversarial nations or individuals.” “By reversing its stance in the GPE case, and by issuing the letter as part of the public record in the court proceedings, OFAC appears content to publicly clarify and refine its position on this issue: allowing sanctioned individuals to speak at events organized by US citizens is not a service so long as no financial transactions or other exchanges of benefits take place” Letter to Middle East Studies Association from OFAC Media Advisory – The Consequence of Palestine, February 16 Support for Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories: 30 Jewish Organizations: We Support UN Human Rights Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, Independent Jewish Voices, Canada, November 5, 2024 “Jewish Voice for Peace strongly condemns the Trump administration's announcement of sanctions against UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Francesca Albanese. This is a blatantly political attack that seeks to silence Palestinian rights advocates and undermine international law”, social media post “Impunity will end: Francesca Albanese keeps hopeful”, Jewish Voice for Liberation, Wed 28 Jan 2026 Links from Part 1 (aired 2/25/26): “The Consequence of Palestine” Conference Coming to USM, Munjoy Hill News, Portland, 18 February 2026 (NOTE: CANCELLED) Press Statement, US Imposing Sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied since 1967, Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, 9 July 2025 Report: “Gaza Genocide: a collective crime” by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, United Nations Francesca Albanese, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Global: European states must retract outrageous attacks on UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, Amnesty International, 13 Feb 2026 They tried to silence her – they failed, Jewish Voice for Liberation, 23 Feb 2025 About the host: Amy Browne started out at WERU as a volunteer news & public affairs producer in 2000, co-hosting/co-producing RadioActive with Meredith DeFrancesco. She joined the team of Voices producers a few years later, and has been WERU's News & Public Affairs Manager since January, 2006. In addition to RadioActive, Voices, Maine Currents and Maine: The Way Life Could Be, Amy also produced and hosted the WERU News Report for several years. She has produced segments for national programs including Free Speech Radio News, This Way Out, Making Contact, Workers Independent News, Pacifica PeaceWatch, and Live Wire News, and has contributed to Democracy Now and the WBAI News Report. She is the recipient of the 2014 Excellence in Environmental Journalism Award from the Sierra Club of Maine, and Maine Association of Broadcasters awards for her work in 2017 and 2021. Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License The post Around Town 2/26/26: Local News, Culture and Events first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Synopsis:  Why is the sexism at the heart of Trumpism taken so lightly?This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donateDescription: Donald Trump has a long record of demeaning and berating women. He's also linked to Jeffrey Epstein and his name appears literally thousands of times in relation to what is arguably the biggest, sickest sex abuse scandal ever. So why is the sexism at the heart of Trumpism taken so lightly? In this episode, we look at how sexism functions in today's fascist resurgence with experts Nina Burleigh, Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart and Annie Wilkinson. Burleigh is a journalist, best-selling author, documentary producer, and publisher of “American Freakshow” on Substack. Rev. Washington-Leapheart is a minister, professor, and the first-ever Strategic Partnerships Director at Political Research Associates (PRA), a social justice research and strategy center founded in 1981 by the feminist political scientist Jean Hardisty. In 2025 PRA dedicated an entire issue of their journal to the relationship between gender and authoritarianism, with a lead essay written by Wilkinson. Hear what our guests are taking away from the Epstein story, why authoritarians are afraid of feminism, and how women's leadership poses such a threat to fascists. All that, plus a commentary from Laura on impunity in our times.“It's not just about a sex case. It's not just about the mistreatment of women, I'm sorry to say, because that's a big part of it. It's the underpinning of how Epstein maybe was operating. It's really about influence, foreign affairs, and the way the last 20 years of American foreign policy has played out.” - Nina Burleigh“The most unprotected women in the United States throughout our history have been Black women . . . It's sort of okay for a MAGA influencer to say that Black women have brains that process more slowly than any, and nobody challenges that.” - Rev. Naomi Washington-LeapheartGuests:• Nina Burleigh: NYT Bestselling Author & Journalist; Substack, American Freakshow• Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart: Strategic Partnerships Director, Political Research Associates• Annie Wilkinson: Senior Research Analyst, Political Research Associates Watch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel 11:30am ET Sundays and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.Full Conversation Release: While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation. Music Credit:  ''Bottom Line (ICE)" radio edit by Wunmi (courtesy of the artist), 'Steppin' by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie HopperSupport Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends RESOURCES:*Recommended book:“The Trump Women: Part of the Deal” by Nina Burleigh: *Get the Book(*Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. The LF Show is an affiliate of bookshop.org and will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.) Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  Fighting Fascism from Hungary to No Kings: Ezra Levin & László Upor on Trump & Orbán-  Watch / Listen:  Full Uncut Conversation and Episode Cut•  Imara Jones: Countering The Anti-Trans Hate Machine- Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut•  Freedom for Women Requires Abolition Feminism:  Suzanne Pharr & Beth Richie- Watch / Listen:  Full Uncut Conversation and Episode Cut Related Articles and Resources:• Return of the Planet of the Apes:  the All-Boys' Clubs of the Trumpocene, by Nina Burleigh, December 16, 2026, American Freakshow•  Jeffrey Epstein:  the Ultimate Davos Man, by Nina Burleigh, January 23, 2026, American Freakshow•  What We Cannot Do is Be Revolutionaries Except When We're Mothering, by Kenton Wahsington-Leapheart & REv. Naomi Washington-Leaphear, May 10, 2028, Religion Dispatches• Q&A:  Harnassing Our Power to End Political Violence, An interview with Scot Nakagawa and Hardy Merriman, by Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart, November 21, 224, PRA• Gender and Authoritarianism:  A Framework for Analysis and Action, by Annie Wilkinson, April 3, 2025, PRA•  Revenge of the Patriarchs:  Why Autocrats Fear Women, by Erica Chenoweth and Zoe Marks, February 8, 2022, Foreign Affairs• Donald Trump vows to be protector of women ‘whether they like it or not', by Edward Helmore, October 31, 2024, The Guardian• White House Posts Photo Altered to Show Arrested Minnesota Protester Crying, by Tiffany Tsu, Alan Feuer and Stuart A. Thompson, January 22, 2026, New York Times•  Shutdown, federal layoffs take toll on Black women, by AFSCME Staff, November 6, 2025, AFSCME•  ‘We have to keep showing up for each other': In Minnesota, caregiving is a form of resistance, by Barbara Rodriguez, February 6, 2026, 19thenews Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O'Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Caolan Robertson is a journalist, film maker, political writer and social commentator. He is a director at Byline TV and now lives in "beautiful Ukraine".https://www.youtube.com/@CaolanReports @CaolanReports ----------Directed by Caolan Robertson, The Eastern Front is the first major Western documentary to focus on the harrowing reality of the war in Ukraine.https://byline.tv/putindocumentary/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXU8QU0k3Mk----------Car for Ukraine has once again joined forces with a group of influencers, creators, and news observers during this summer. Sunshine here serves as a metaphor, the trucks are a sunshine for our warriors to bring them to where they need to be and out from the place they don't.https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtainThis time, we focus on the 6th Detachment of HUR, 93rd Alcatraz, 3rd Brigade, MLRS systems and more. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtain- bring soldiers to the positions- protect them with armor- deploy troops with drones to the positions----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyślhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/----------PLATFORMS:Twitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/siliconcurtain/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqmLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------Welcome to the Silicon Curtain podcast. Please like and subscribe if you like the content we produce. It will really help to increase the popularity of our content in YouTube's algorithm. Our material is now being made available on popular podcasting platforms as well, such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

What do Epstein's operations tell us about the capitalist world of billionaire elites?

More of the Epstein files have been released—but why now, and what do they really tell us? This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by investigative journalist Peter Geoghegan, editor of the Democracy for Sale newsletter, to unpack what the documents reveal about power, money and impunity.Peter discusses the ways powerful figures protect themselves, and the latest political fallout in Britain—from renewed scrutiny of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.He discusses what shocked him despite his experience investigating corruption, how this story goes to the heart of the British constitution, and why the truth seems stranger than fiction.Peter also explains what this flood of documents means for journalism and truth, as unvetted claims spread rapidly online. And the three discuss the stakes for democracy—and what needs to change. Could this moment finally lead to justice for survivors of abuse? And what else is happening that we don't know about?This episode contains discussions of exploitation and abuse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textOn Inside Geneva this week, we take an in-depth look at US President Donald Trump's new ‘Board of Peace'. Experts on conflict resolution are sceptical.“The US circulated an invitation to about 60 countries to join a new board of peace that would not just focus on Gaza but would instead be a global conflict prevention organisation, complete with a pre-baked charter that looks a bit like President Trump took the protocols for a golf club in New Jersey,” says Richard Gowan from the International Crisis Group.Still, the new board could be a challenge to the United Nations (UN).“I don't really think this is a credible international institution that will have the capacities of the UN, but I do think that it is a very worrying signal for the UN,” Gowan says.We also hear about a new report on growing disrespect for international law.“People only have to look around at the conflicts that they're seeing today, and the extent of devastation both of civilian life and of civilian property, to know that we are in very bleak times. Disregard of international law is not new. What I think is new is the extent to which it's being flouted,” says Stuart Casey-Maslen from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law.Are governments swapping international obligations for short-term political gain?“We look at what's happened in Gaza. We see the destruction of hospitals in Sudan. We see that people do this and are not held to account. We have institutions, we have the International Criminal Court, but even there, there's an attempt to undermine it. It becomes a political decision rather than simply a legal one: respect for the law,” says Casey-Maslen.Join host Imogen Foulkes on Inside Geneva to listen to the full episode.Get in touch! Email us at insidegeneva@swissinfo.ch Twitter: @ImogenFoulkes and @swissinfo_en Thank you for listening! If you like what we do, please leave a review or subscribe to our newsletter. For more stories on the international Geneva please visit www.swissinfo.ch/Host: Imogen FoulkesProduction assitant: Claire-Marie GermainDistribution: Sara PasinoMarketing: Xin Zhang

John welcomes Harvard legal eminence Laurence Tribe back to the show to discuss the constitutional dimensions of the chaos in Minneapolis, the fragile state of the rule of law in the Trump 2.0 era, and whether the Supreme Court will salvage or sacrifice what remains of its public legitimacy with its rulings on a handful of key cases in the months ahead. Tribe also discusses his new essay in the New York Review of Books critiquing his colleague Jill Lepore's recently published history of the U.S. Constitution. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ravi begins by explaining why this conversation matters to him: although he's often skeptical of tech leaders, he sees Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang as a rare and genuinely consequential figure. He briefly reflects on the Pretti shooting in Minnesota and the broader questions it raises about accountability and transparency before turning to the interview. Ravi then speaks with author Stephen Witt about the forces that shaped Jensen's leadership—from a punishing childhood and Nvidia's early brush with failure to the high-risk CUDA bet that helped make modern AI possible. It's an absorbing portrait of leadership, obsession, and the building of one of the most important tech companies of our time. Stephen Witt's Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World's Most Coveted Microchip Ravi's Garbage Town ––––– Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 201-305-0084⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Ravi at @RaviMGupta Notes from this episode are also available on Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/ Read more from Ravi on Substack: https://realravigupta.substack.com  Follow The Branch at @thebranchmedia Listen to more episodes of Lost Debate on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785 Listen to more episodes of Lost Debate on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7xR9pch9DrQDiZfGB5oF0F Listen to Where the Schools Went: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/where-the-schools-went/ 

Security analyst Samuel Nana Appiah has stated that the ongoing attacks on security personnel are driven by disrespect and impunity. He explained that such acts continue because those who engage in them are rarely punished, preventing the establishment of a deterrent for others

Georgina Godwin speaks to Steve Crawshaw about his book Prosecuting the Powerful, including cases from Milošević and Putin to Netanyahu. Plus: the ICC, US hostility and why accountability matters in Gaza and Ukraine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I've been speaking with Jenn Budd for years about Border Patrol crimes, impunity and how the agency could be (and should be reformed.) But both Democrats and Republicans have refused to demand oversight and accountability for the highly politicized agency.Border Patrol and its paramilitary culture are now very much in control of the ICE & Border Patrol occupations in various cities in America. We talk about what this means for the investigation of Renee Good's murder in Minneapolis by an ICE agent, and what that means for Americans as these occupations continue. We also talk about the many years of fatal shootings at the southern border, and the fact that not a single agent has been successfully prosecuted for lethal force.We also discuss previous efforts at reform and what can be done to hold the agents accountable for their crimes.You can learn more about Jenn's work in this important documentary “Critical Incident: Death at the Border” which is out now on HBO Max. You can also listen to our 2022 podcast with Jenn about her memoir “Against the Wall: My Journey from Border Patrol Agent to Immigrant Rights Activist” about her time as an agent in the Border Patrol and her transformation into an activist and one of the fiercest critics against the agency.Additional context mentioned in our discussion:How Many People Have Been Shot in ICE Raids? The TraceWe Found That More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They've Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days. ProPublicaSupport independent journalism from the U.S.-Mexico border. Become a paid subscriber today for just $6 a month or $60 a year. Get full access to The Border Chronicle at www.theborderchronicle.com/subscribe

“As the director of different kinds of clouds, Indra called for the samvartaka. This cloud is invited when there is a need to devastate the whole cosmic manifestation. The samvartaka was ordered by Indra to go over Vrindavana and inundate the whole area with an extensive flood. Demonically, Indra thought himself to be the all-powerful supreme personality.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Volume 1, Chapter 25)

“When Indra understood that the sacrifice offered by the cowherd men in Vrindavana was stopped by Krishna, he became angry, and he vented his anger upon the inhabitants of Vrindavana, who were headed by Nanda Maharaja, although Indra knew perfectly well that Krishna was personally protecting them. As the director of different kinds of clouds, Indra called for the samvartaka. This cloud is invited when there is a need to devastate the whole cosmic manifestation.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Volume 1, Chapter 25)

Nicolle Wallace discusses the cracks to Trump's coalition from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's public break with MAGA to podcaster Joe Rogan denouncing the President's reaction to Rob Reiner's death.Later, Marc Elias, Eddie Glaude, and Basil Smikle join Nicolle to talk about Trump seeking revenge and retribution but getting blocked by the justice system instead. A federal judge blocked Trump's March order that revoked security clearances from whistleblower lawyer Mark Zaid.For more, follow us on Instagram @deadlinewhTo listen to this show and other MS NOW podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. For more from Nicolle, follow and download her podcast, “The Best People with Nicolle Wallace,” wherever you get your podcasts.To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2025-12-19 | UPDATES #083 | Ukraine is expanding the maritime war — not just in the Black Sea, but now out into the Mediterranean. A tanker burns at Rostov-on-Don. A “shadow fleet” vessel gets hit off Libya. And then comes the rumour: that a senior GRU figure — Major General Andrei Averyanov — may have been on board. Could this be Ukraine's boldest move of the war so far? Start in southern Russia — Rostov-on-Don. Overnight into December 18, Ukrainian drones hit the region. Russian officials say three people were killed, including two crew members of a tanker that caught fire at the port. (Reuters)Reuters reports the vessel was the Russian-flagged tanker Valeriy Gorchakov — identification attributed to the British maritime risk firm Vanguard. (Reuters)----------SOURCES: Reuters (Dec 18, 2025) – Ukrainian drones kill three people in Russia's Rostov region, authorities say - https://www.reuters.com/world/ukrainian-drones-hit-tanker-russias-rostov-port-causing-deaths-mayor-says-2025-12-18/The Maritime Executive (Dec 18, 2025) – Ukrainian Long-Range Attack Kills Two Crew and Damages Tanker in Rostov - https://maritime-executive.com/article/ukrainian-long-range-attack-kills-two-crew-and-damages-tanker-in-rostovThe New Voice of Ukraine (Dec 18, 2025) – Oil tanker sinking in Russia's Rostov-on-Don after Ukrainian strike (reporting via Astra/MarineTraffic) - https://english.nv.ua/russian-war/oil-tanker-sinking-in-russia-s-rostov-on-don-50569696.htmlReuters (Dec 19, 2025) – Ukraine hits Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker in Mediterranean for first time, SBU source says - https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/ukraine-hits-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-mediterranean-first-time-sbu-source-2025-12-19/The Guardian (Dec 19, 2025) – Ukraine attacks Russian 'shadow' tanker off Libyan coast - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/19/ukraine-attacks-russian-shadow-tanker-off-libyan-coastLloyd's List (Dec 19, 2025) – Ukraine targets shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean - https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1155927/Ukraine-targets-shadow-fleet-tanker-in-MediterraneanThe War Zone / TWZ (Dec 19, 2025) – Ukraine Strikes Russia-Linked Tanker In The Mediterranean With ‘Bomber Drone' - https://www.twz.com/news-features/ukraine-strikes-russia-linked-tanker-in-the-mediterranean-with-bomber-droneTradeWinds (Dec 19, 2025) – Video: Russia-trading tanker hit by fresh drone strike, Ukraine says - https://www.tradewindsnews.com/casualties/video-russia-trading-tanker-hit-by-fresh-drone-strike-ukraine-says/2-1-1919744Reuters (Dec 10, 2025) – Ukraine disables 'shadow fleet' vessel with sea drones in Black Sea - https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-disables-shadow-fleet-vessel-with-sea-drones-black-sea-2025-12-10/----------Silicon Curtain is a part of the Christmas Tree Trucks 2025 campaign - an ambitious fundraiser led by a group of our wonderful team of information warriors raising 110,000 EUR for the Ukrainian army. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-silicon-curtainThe Goal of the Campaign for the Silicon Curtain community:- 1 armoured battle-ready pickupWe are sourcing all vehicles around 2010-2017 or newer, mainly Toyota Hilux or Mitsubishi L200, with low mileage and fully serviced. These are some of the greatest and the most reliable pickups possible to be on the frontline in Ukraine. Who will receive the vehicles?https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-silicon-curtain- The 38th Marine Brigade, who alone held Krynki for 124 days, receiving the Military Cross of Honour.- The 1027th Anti-aircraft and artillery regiment. Honoured by NATO as Defender of the Year 2024 and recipient of the Military Cross of Honour.- 104th Separate Brigade, Infantry, who alone held Kherson for 100 days, establishing conditions for the liberation of the city.- 93rd Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar", Black Raven Unmanned Systems Battalion ----------

Israel's cabinet voted to extend legal status to 19 previously illegal settlements late last night, formalizing more control of land in the West Bank. Attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinian communities there have increased sharply since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel. As Leila Molana-Allen tells us, the settlers' violence continues with few apparent consequences. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Israel's cabinet voted to extend legal status to 19 previously illegal settlements late last night, formalizing more control of land in the West Bank. Attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinian communities there have increased sharply since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel. As Leila Molana-Allen tells us, the settlers' violence continues with few apparent consequences. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In the 80 years since Nazi leaders stood in the dock, how has the international community sought to deal with war criminals around the globe? For this concluding episode of our four-part series on the Nuremberg Trials, David Musgrove is joined by the lawyer and author Philippe Sands to chart the long, complex legacy of the events of 1945-46, and to consider whether those accused of war crimes in the present day might one day face international justice. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Want to delve further into the Nuremberg trials and the fall of the Nazi regime? HistoryExtra's David Musgrove rounds up some essential reading, listening and viewing from the HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine archive to help you navigate the campaign to bring the Third Reich's criminals to justice ⁠https://bit.ly/482nFIn⁠ ––––– Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Conversations on Groong - November 26, 2025Topics:Azerbaijan's war crimes and impunitySham trials of Artsakh leadersSilence of the OSCE and the WestArmenia's growing political repressionAttacks on the Armenian ChurchGuest: Garen JinbachianHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 489 | Recorded: November 23, 2025SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/489VIDEO: https://youtu.be/uwn6cFzDpAo#ArtsakhJustice #HumanRights #OSCE #Armenia #Azerbaijan #PoliticalPrisonersSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

For Palestinian-Australian winemaker Sari Kassis, the reality of farming in the West Bank is one of constant physical and psychological danger. With settler violence surging in the West Bank, this year's harvest has seen a record number of Israeli attacks on farms and properties.

In this edition: The UN's humanitarian chief says he is shocked by the world's indifference to the devastating toll of the war in Sudan, after visiting the ravaged region of Darfur. Also, in Madagascar, authorities have unveiled an enormous 300-kilogram emerald reportedly found inside the palace of the recently toppled president.

Jonathan Blitzer is a staff writer at The New Yorker who covers immigration, politics, and foreign affairs for the magazine. His recent piece for the magazine, “The Real Target of Trump's War on Drug Boats,” highlights Stephen Miller, homeland security adviser to President Trump, as a driving force, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, behind the illegal and deadly strikes on boats in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean.As of the publish date of this piece on Tuesday, November 18, the Trump administration has killed an estimated 82 people in 21 strikes—a rapidly growing number since the first strike took place September 2, killing 11 people. The administration claims, without evidence, that the boats it is targeting are carrying drugs.So how does this relate to the U.S.-Mexico border? For Miller, the boat strikes bolster Trump's unilateral authority and expand the definition of the use of force, a project that began at the U.S.-Mexico border, where Miller and other Trump allies portrayed asylum seekers as “invaders” and “alien enemies” and advocated for a military response. The same model has now been deployed in the interior, where domestic policy is being “militarized” by the administration.Do military deployments and occupations of U.S. cities mean the end of posse comitatus and that the military will now take a bigger role in domestic affairs? Now that the interior of the country is experiencing the Border Patrol's violence and impunity, could this finally lead to the rogue agency being reined in? (Though obviously not during this administration.) These are just a few of the topics that we explore in addition to discussing Blitzer's book Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America and the Making of a Crisis, along with how each U.S. administration has failed to acknowledge that U.S. policy and intervention are spurring much of the migration from Central America.Support independent news from the U.S.-Mexico border. Become a paid subscriber today for just $6 a month or $60 a year. Get full access to The Border Chronicle at www.theborderchronicle.com/subscribe

Once again, Israeli bombs rained down on Gaza. The latest wave of strikes killed more than 100 people, mostly women and children, according to health authorities. The bombardment marked the deadliest day since the weeks-old U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began on October 10 — a ceasefire Israel has repeatedly broken with impunity.“As the Trump administration likes to say, the ceasefire is still in place. And the media has parroted that as well. But an overwhelming amount of people that we spoke to on the ground are saying that there is no ceasefire with killings being at this rate. This is a continuation of the genocide,” says Intercept reporter Jonah Valdez. Palestinians “have a very crystal-clear view of Israel's policy and their goal of wanting mass expulsion from Gaza. ... Those who are surviving it and living it are seeing through the propaganda that the ceasefire is still in place.”On The Intercept Briefing, Valdez joins host Jordan Uhl and reporter Matt Sledge to explain why President Donald Trump “has a lot to gain from continuing to tell the public that there is a ceasefire” and to discuss the news stories published on The Intercept this week.“It's important to mention this layer of hope that exists. No one wants to call the ceasefire dead prematurely because if it surviving allows for other Palestinians and Gaza to survive,” Valdez adds, “then, you know, of course they have vested interest in seeing the truce live on.”And back in the United States, Trump's pay-to-play approach to running the government continues unabated. Trump recently pardoned the billionaire crypto king, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, whose company has done business benefiting the Trump family. “Binance overnight became the biggest customer of the Trump family venture, which is called World Liberty Financial,” Sledge points out. “I think a lot of skeptics out there are saying, like, ‘Boy, this sure just looks exactly like pay to play, like quid pro quo.'”Listen to the full conversation of The Intercept Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.You can support our work at theintercept.com/join. Your donation, no matter the amount, makes a real difference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alicia Menendez, in for Nicolle Wallace, on ICE's escalating violent tactics in Chicago - including tear gassing children in their halloween costumes.For more, follow us on Instagram @deadlinewhTo listen to this show and other MSNBC podcasts without ads, sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts.Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Inside Colombia's hidden war, where guerrilla armies, drug cartels, and corrupt officials fuel the world's cocaine trade. This documentary takes you deep into the jungles, barrios, and killing fields that the media never shows. Former hitmen and cartel soldiers reveal how children are recruited, trained, and turned into killers — and how Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel now bankrolls Colombia's drug empire. From mass kidnappings and paramilitary takeovers to the corruption that keeps the cocaine flowing, this is the untold story of how modern cartels dominate a billion-dollar global network. This Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following: Surfshark! Go to https://surfshark.com/connectmitchell or use code CONNECTMITCHELL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! CashApp! Download Cash App Today: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/1ekoiacn CODE: CASHAPP10 #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See terms and conditions at https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement. Direct deposit, overdraft coverage, and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit http://cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. PrizePicks! Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CONNECT and use code CONNECT and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Join The Patreon For Bonus Content! https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow 00:00 Introduction: The reality of kidnapping and crime 00:26 Overview of the conflict and drug war in Colombia 01:26 Street situation: violence and constant caution 02:00 Growth of the coca industry and the failure of eradication efforts 02:28 Human impact: deaths, violence, and loss 03:02 Who really runs things? The power of the guerrilla groups 03:48 Recent trends: record seizures and the booming business 04:09 Coca production and lack of economic opportunities 04:39 The heart of drug trafficking: Cali and the Valle region 05:25 Social dysfunction: bodies, murders, and the law of crime 06:08 The life of a hitman: testimonies and motivations 07:45 Recruitment, training, and the cycle of violence 10:19 This Episode Is Sponsored By Surfshark! 12:34 Criminal rise and the regional power structure 13:12 The evolution of guerrillas and their narco interests 15:13 The link between drug traffickers, guerrillas, and Mexican cartels 17:22 Forced recruitment and life in the camps 19:43 Tactics, military training, and professionalization 21:29 Violent competition: gangs, jobs, and loyalty 23:07 The kidnapping business: targets, logistics, and victims 25:43 This Episode Is Sponsored By CashApp & PrizePicks! 29:42 Recruitment of minors and threats to families 31:38 Territorial war: attacks and regional domination 32:47 Black Eagles: emerging group and extreme brutality 33:44 Pistol Plan: targeted killings and threats against officials 35:09 Impunity and corruption: the law doesn't reach the hitmen 36:43 Logistic networks: transport, routes, and body concealment 39:06 Power of the gangs and the fight for territorial control 42:39 Social impact: displacement, armed power, and corruption 46:06 Economic dilemmas: poverty, crops, and dependency 46:48 Final reflection: the cycle of violence and the search for a way out Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode, Lawfare Managing Editor Tyler McBrien sits down with Philippe Sands, a professor of law at the University of London and the Samuel Pisar Visiting Professor at Harvard Law School to discuss his new book, “38 Londres Street: On Impunity, Pinochet in England, and a Nazi in Patagonia.”They discuss the intertwined stories of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and Nazi SS commander Walther Rauff, his uncanny personal connections to those stories, how Pinochet's arrest and the subsequent legal battle over his extradition changed international criminal law, and how writing the book informed his thinking on the U.S. Supreme Court's immunity ruling in Trump v. United States.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Featuring Alberto Toscano and Stuart Schrader on Trump's intensification of police, ICE, and military repression. What does this all reveal about MAGA's fascist and authoritarian project—and about the illiberalism already immanent in the US carceral and imperialist state? The SECOND in a two-part series. Call in to leave a question for The Dig's mailbag episode: speakpipe.com/ListenerMailbag Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Visit dropsitenews.com/DIG20 for 20% off an annual Drop Site subscription Buy Gaza Catastrophe at UCPress.edu

Featuring Alberto Toscano and Stuart Schrader on Trump's intensification of police, ICE, and military repression. What does this all reveal about MAGA's fascist and authoritarian project — and about the illiberalism already immanent in the US carceral and imperialist state? This is the second in a two-part series. Call in to leave a question for The Dig's mailbag episode: speakpipe.com/ListenerMailbag Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Visit dropsitenews.com/DIG20 for 20% off an annual Drop Site subscription. Buy Gaza Catastrophe at UCPress.edu The Dig goes deep into politics everywhere, from labor struggles and political economy to imperialism and immigration. Hosted by Daniel Denvir.

The Sinaloa Cartel is unraveling—its leaders captured, its factions at war, and U.S. pressure at an all-time high. Yet in Nogales, Sonora, one of Mexico's most strategic border plazas, business continues as usual. In this episode, we travel to Nogales to uncover: -How the Chapitos betrayed El Mayo Zambada with the DEA's help -Why Nogales is vital for drug and human smuggling routes into the U.S. -First-hand accounts from locals and former smugglers inside cartel operations -The rise of retail drug markets (“tiendas”) across Mexico -How cartels enforce their own version of “law and order” in border towns From bloody betrayals in Culiacán to quiet cartel control in Nogales, this story reveals the new face of Mexico's underworld. Today's Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following: PrizePicks! Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CONNECT and use code CONNECT and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Ava! Take control of your credit right now. Download the Ava app today, and when you join using promo code CONNECT20, you'll save 20% for your first year—monthly or annual, your choice. FRE! Get 20% off you first order at https://frepouch.com using code CONNECT at checkout! Join The Patreon For Bonus Content! https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow 00:00 Sinaloa Cartel in Crisis 02:03 Chaos and Violence in Culiacán 04:08 How Drug Trafficking Has Changed 05:24 Nogales: A Key Border Plaza 06:15 The Mechanics of Smuggling 08:17 This Episode Is Sponsored By PrizePicks and Ava! 11:31 Why Nogales Matters 13:01 Inside the World of a Cartel Operator 16:04 This Episode Is Sponsored By FRE 18:27 Cartel Evolution and Internal Rivalries 22:31 US Pressure and Crackdowns on Corruption 26:10 Retail Drug Markets in Mexico 30:05 Different Cartel Rules for Drugs 31:48 Cartel Justice and Crime in Nogales 33:24 Low-Key Tension on the Border 35:35 Why Locals Don't Break Away 36:19 Impunity and the Limits of Law Enforcement 37:12 What Really Matters in the Drug War 38:53 The Future of the Sinaloa Cartel 39:05 Closing Thoughts & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine there was a violent cult that used scriptures from an ancient religion to convince its followers to do evil things. Imagine the cult was given its own state. Imagine the cult was given machine guns, tanks and war planes. Imagine the cult obtained nuclear weapons. Imagine the cult started committing genocide against the indigenous people who'd been living in the area where the cult's state was established. Reading by Tim Foley.

The economic populists at the Nat Con conference may be talking a lot about elites screwing over the little guy, but the Trump administration itself has been catastrophic for working people—its policies are all about doing special favors for elite interests. And while many loud voices in Silicon Valley cursed the Biden administration for blocking some deals, other start-ups appreciated the efforts to try to level the playing field against the tech giants. Plus, a response to Jason Calacanis, how Dems can shake off their elite vibes, and resisting the temptation to run for office. Former FTC chair Lina Khan joins Tim Miller. show notes Tim's interview last month with Jason Calacanis This week's TNL Bulwark Live in DC and NYC at TheBulwark.com/events. Toronto is SOLD OUT For a limited time only, get 60% off your first order PLUS free shipping when you head to Smalls.com/THEBULWARK.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 12, 2025 is: impunity • im-PYOO-nuh-tee • noun Impunity, usually used in the phrase "with impunity," refers to exemption or freedom from punishment, harm, or loss. // They mistakenly believe that they can break the camp's rules with impunity. See the entry > Examples: "For his part, [artist Adam] Leveille doesn't expect to see his painting again. ... Still, he feels compelled to speak out publicly about what happened and has asked on his Instagram account and on Reddit for anyone with information about the heist, or who might have seen his painting appear somewhere, to come forward. If anything, he just wants to let potential area art thieves know they can't steal from local artists with impunity." — Spencer Buell, The Boston Globe, 1 Feb. 2025 Did you know? Impunity, like the words pain, penal, and punish, traces to the Latin noun poena, meaning "punishment." Poena, in turn, came from the Greek poinē, meaning "payment" or "penalty." Impunity has been around since the 1500s; in 1660, Englishman Roger Coke wrote "This unlimited power of doing anything with impunity, will only beget a confidence in kings of doing what they [desire]." While royals may act with impunity more easily than others, the word impunity can be applied to beings great and small. Take, for example, this 2023 quote from the Sidmouth Herald in England: "The [yew tree] fruits are readily eaten by birds but they do not digest the seeds as they are poisonous. Only one bird, the rare and shy Hawfinch, is able to eat the seeds with impunity."

Retired agent Mark Horton reviews Operation Impunity, an undercover investigation that targeted the New Breed Black Gangsters. The street gang was based in the Square, a Chicago housing complex plagued with gang violence and an open-air drug market. The faction of the Breeds operated with impunity, committing murders and selling drugs with no fear of law enforcement.  In 2004, the CPD) area 4 Gang Squad and the FBI Joint Task Force on Gangs (JTFG) began developing a strategy to dismantle the gang. The CPD would conduct street corner conspiracy and the FBI JTFG would begin working towards a Title III and a Group I UCO. Mark Horton, initially the case agent, took on the undercover role infiltrating the New Breed Black Gangsters as a business associate purchasing drugs from the gang. Mark Horton served in the FBI for over 28 years. Check out episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/357-mark-horton-chicago-new-breed-black-gangsters-operation-impunity/     Buy me a coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JerriWilliams   Join my Reader Team to get the FBI Reading Resource - Books about the FBI, written by FBI agents, the 20 clichés about the FBI Reality Checklist, and keep up to date on the FBI in books, TV, and movies via my monthly email. Join here. http://eepurl.com/dzCCmL    Check out my FBI books, non-fiction and crime fiction, available as audiobooks, ebooks and paperbacks wherever books are sold. https://jerriwilliams.com/books/