The occupied, blockaded, walled territories of Palestine have served as an incubator for some of Israel’s deadliest and most intrusive weapons and surveillance systems. Once tested and perfected on the captive population, they’ve been sold to some of the most oppressive, murderous autocracies—and democracies—in the world.These are some of the many revelations exposed in the latest book by acclaimed journalist, filmmaker, and author Antony Loewenstein: “The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel...

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued provisional orders in response to South Africa’s case charging Israel with committing genocide against Palestinians, ruling that Israel must refrain from genocidal acts, punish public incitement of genocide, facilitate humanitarian aid, and more. Our previous guest, international human rights attorney Francis Boyle, describes the legally binding mandates as a monumental win to help stop the massacres and civilian carnage, while MSM and others...

Like we always do at this time of year, we present an important, alternative look at Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy, examining how the civil rights icon was so much more than simply the “I Have a Dream” soundbite, which has become known as the cornerstone of his public perception. Along with Pastor Roger C. Williams of the First Baptist Church of Glen Cove, NY, Larry Hamm, of the People's Organization for Progress, Hip Hop artist Silent Knight, and King’s own words, listeners learn of MLK’s...

We follow up our preview episode about South Africa's genocide case against Israel with a breakdown of the two-day hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and discuss President Biden's bombing of Yemen -- seriously escalating the crisis in the Middle East. The joint US-UK operation came the same day, Jan. 11, 2014, when South Africa laid out its case against Israel for its brutal war in Gaza, which has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians, the majority women and children. Citing...

South Africa this week will go before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague and lay out its case of genocide against Israel for its brutal war against Palestinians. With more than 23,000 dead (nearly two-thirds of whom are women and children), countless others injured or maimed, and so many with mental scars that will never heal, this genocide case could prove hugely consequential—and historic. In this episode, Francis Boyle, a human rights attorney and the first lawyer to win...

Democrats have long been accused of abandoning voters. Disillusionment with the Dems is particularly acute in the Rust Belt, where the long-cracking union wall has collapsed. In this episode, we interview Lainey Newman, the co-author of the book “Rust Belt Union Blues: Why Working-Class Voters Are Turning Away from the Democratic Party." The book, and Lainey's interview, is an insightful and important look into the collapse of once powerful unions and how historically Democratic voters...

Amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, we delve into an important and oft-ignored question: Have we truly learned from the mistakes and abuses of the 'war on terror'? What began as a mission against al Qaeda evolved into something far more extensive, lethal, and consequential. From torture and rendition to indefinite detentions and extrajudicial killings, the U.S. government, specifically the executive branch, stretched its powers beyond imagination. Join us as we explore whether the post-9/11 war...

Consumers -- YOU -- are getting screwed! That’s right—Amazon and Google, the tech giants that have become so omnipresent in our lives, are facing accusations that the monopolies they’ve built in their respective industries are crushing consumers, and in Amazon’s case, the small businesses that are forced to comply with the retail giant’s rules in order to survive. The ongoing Google trial over its search engine’s dominance and the Federal Trade Commission’s lawsuit against Amazon reveal how...

With the climate clock mercilessly ticking down, communities are turning to the complex web of court systems throughout the U.S. as a tool to hold major fossil fuel companies accountable for their role in the worsening climate crisis. Across the country, states and municipalities are suing the likes of ExxonMobil, Shell, BP and other polluters for climate-related damages, fraud, deceiving the public, and other alleged misdeeds. Will these climate accountability lawsuits bring Big Oil to its...

In this episode, Rashed and Chris speak to renowned journalist, activist, and author Norman Solomon, whose most recent book “War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its Military Machine” breaks down the grossly underreported aspects of U.S.-led post-9/11 global wars and analyzes the mechanics perpetuating them. From the media’s vital role in the U.S. war-making machine to these conflicts’ ever-growing civilian death tolls, the book chronicles and dissects the jingoistic...

"If our democracy is to survive, the empire must be dismantled.” That’s what Dr. Cornel West told us in an exclusive, wide-ranging interview with News Beat, in which he talked about dismantling systems of oppression, uplifting the poor and working class, ending America’s military industrial complex, and abolishing poverty, homelessness, and prisons. West, who is vying for the Green Party nomination for U.S. President, said his third-party bid is also about putting an end to the corporate...

Before he pulled out a historic mayoral victory in April, Brandon Johnson was a virtual unknown in Chicago’s political scene. At the community level, however, Johnson’s star was on the rise. An unabashed progressive and union champion, Johnson played a critical role in the 2012 Chicago teachers’ strike—a seemingly radicalizing experience for him and many other left-leaning Chicagoans. In this episode, we examine the grassroots, union-led movement that propelled Johnson to victory and how the...

In this episode, we feature insights from writer and activist Cory Doctorow, who along with Rebecca Giblin, a professor at Melbourne Law School, co-authored the book ‘Chokepoint Capitalism: How Big Tech and Big Content Captured Creative Labor Markets and How We’ll Win Them Back.’ It's a story about the stranglehold megacorporations have on their respective industries. For artists and creators, it means they're receiving fewer and fewer percentages of overall profits, despite their work...

Despite publicly denying climate science, fossil fuel giants have long been aware of the catastrophic consequences of burning fossil fuels, and millions of people are dying each year as a result. Should these executives be held accountable for the deaths caused by their products—and their lies? Don Braman, associate professor at the law school at George Washington University, and David Arkush, director of Public Citizen’s Climate Program, explain why they think it’s time to bring homicide...

The residents of East Palestine, Ohio have been at the epicenter of one of the country’s largest environmental disasters in living memory. On Feb. 3, a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying toxic chemicals, including the human carcinogen vinyl chloride, derailed, contaminating the soil and surrounding waterways and erupting into a fireball and mushroom cloud that dwarfed the village. To allegedly prevent an even more catastrophic explosion, officials then intentionally vented more noxious...

Like we always do at this time of year, we present an important, alternative look at Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy, examining how the civil rights icon was so much more than simply the “I Have a Dream” soundbite, which has become known as the cornerstone of his public perception. Along with Pastor Roger C. Williams of the First Baptist Church of Glen Cove, NY, Larry Hamm, of the People's Organization for Progress, hip-hop artist Silent Knight, and King’s own words, listeners learn of MLK’s...

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. demanded justice and equality—two essential truths which still have not been achieved, more than 50 years since his murder on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. Year after year, without fail, politicians, pundits, and corporations bastardize his image and legacy to their own capitalistic agendas—capitalism and its many evils something MLK fought so relentlessly against. This year, ahead with our annual re-release of our inaugural episode ‘MLK:...

In this episode, we take you to Arizona, where lawmakers passed a law that would make it a crime to record police within eight feet. While it has since been blocked by a federal court, its passage ignites serious questions about our First Amendment rights and how far people in power will go to limit police accountability and dissent. News Beat is a multi-award-winning podcast brought to you by Morey Creative Studios and Manny Faces Media. Audio Editor/Sound Designer/Producer/Host: Manny...

AKA "Corporate Profiteering During Record Inflation"  As the media obsessed over record inflation for much of the year, major corporations were publicly celebrating their recent rise in profits and admitting in earnings calls that they were raising prices on consumers—effectively price gouging Americans. This boon to corporate coffers also comes amid increased use of stock buybacks to funnel money back into the hands of board members and executives—money that could be used to drive down...

Republicans, who have long used crime to win elections, are now determined to remove democratically elected progressive prosecutors from office. These are effectively modern day coups meant to crush reform policies that voters supported in response to decades of mass incarceration and punitive policing measures.  News Beat is a multi-award-winning podcast brought to you by Morey Creative Studios and Manny Faces Media. Audio Editor/Sound Designer/Producer/Host: Manny...

In a follow up to our “Big Lie” episode, we report on the congressional hearings on fossil fuel disinformation that you likely didn’t see in the corporate media. Investigators publicly released internal Big Oil documents that further exposed how the industry utilizes propaganda and disinformation to further investments in oil and gas, while claiming publicly to be transitioning to alternative energy. Here's the link to the "Criminalizing Protest" episode we referenced in the outro:...

What did the fossil fuel industry know about climate change and when did it know it? Turns out, these giant corporations were aware of the harmful effects of greenhouse gas emissions for DECADES and instead of combatting the crisis they’ve engaged in obfuscation and manipulative marketing campaigns to sow confusion and mistrust of science. At the same time, some of the most influential ad agencies on the planet—along with news organizations—have helped fossil fuel companies hone their...

Bernadette Smith scours the depths of the Red River in Manitoba for her missing sister and other women and children murdered and dumped in its murky waters. Duana Johnson comforts families of those who’ve vanished from reservations throughout the U.S. Northwest. Mary Kathryn Nagle battles for justice on behalf of the mothers, daughters, sisters, aunties, and nieces stolen, tortured, raped, and killed. These Native women represent the countless voices extinguished by the ongoing genocide...

Ukraine is at the center of a proxy war between decades-long rivals and two competing economic systems, and opportunistic weapons manufacturers are cashing in. We provide a much-needed historical perspective about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, elements of which have gone under-reported, if not ignored entirely, by the corporate media. Our guests for this episode include Jennifer Briney, host of the fantastic podcast ‘Congressional Dish,' and Sam Ratner, policy director of the nonprofit Win...