Turkish forces yesterday fired artillery shells at Syrian government forces that had moved to the area of Afrin in northern Syria to assist Kurdish fighters there. Turkish president Erdogan also warned Iran against becoming more involved in the Syrian civil war. Meanwhile, Turkey announced that it would carry out a naval exercise in waters inside the Cypriot economic zone. And 17 Turkish government employees and their families defected to Greece by rowing to a Greek island in a dinghy.
Vice President Pence was supposed to have a secret meeting on February 10 with Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and with Kim Yong Nam, North Korea's nominal head of state. The meeting was cancelled two hours before its start when the North Koreans withdrew. Meanwhile, the resumption of postponed US- South Korean military drills threaten the thaw between North and South. Christine Ahn, a co-founder of the Korea Policy Institute and the International Coordinator of Women Cross DMZ, joins the show.
The Daily Beast just published an article that claimed all guests on Radio Sputnik went through Moscow's approval first--but this is 100% false. Brian and John speak with Walter Smolarek, Sputnik News analyst and producer for Loud & Clear.
For the first time in nearly 30 years, West Virginia teachers plan a statewide strike to protest low wages and rising health care costs. The state ranks 38th in the nation in the quality of public education. Frank Ariet, a community organizer, and Travis Boothe, an organizer with the Morgantown Tenants Union, join the show.
Border Patrol agents are working on private property without permission and setting up so-called "border checkpoints" 100 miles inland from any border under a little-known federal law that was ignored until Donald Trump became president. Isabel Garcia, co-founder of Coalición de Derechos Humanos, joins Brian and John.
Brazil's military was put in charge of security over the weekend in Rio de Janeiro, the country's largest city, as gang violence continues to escalate. Aline Piva, with Brazilian Expats for Democracy, joins the show.
Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman announced that he will arrange for the deployment of an elite unit of Pakistani guards to protect him and other royal family members, ostensibly from his own people. Brian and John speak with Ali al-Ahmed, the director of the Institute for Gulf Affairs.
The anniversary of Ukraine's 2014 revolution--what many people call a coup--is today. We take a look at this regime change effort that brought to power a far-right, pro-western government. Kevin Zeese, co-coordinator of Popular Resistance, joins the show.
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