The Gaza Flotilla ship al-Awda, carrying 13,000 euros worth of medical supplies to the people of Gaza, and 22 activists from 12 countries, was intercepted by the Israeli navy yesterday and forced to go to the port of Ashdod, where the activists are being detained and questioned. They will likely be expelled from Israel soon. Meanwhile, Ahed Tamimi has been released from prison after being there for 8 months after slapping an IDF soldier.
It's Monday so it's Technology Rules with Chris Garaffa-a weekly guide on how monopoly corporations and the national surveillance state are threatening cherished freedoms, civil rights, and civil liberties. Today Chris and the hosts discuss the fallout of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube's manipulation of what we can and do see on social media, and the recent revelations of TSA's "Quiet Skies" program where air marshals physically monitor specific fliers on commercial planes. Web developer and technologist Chris Garaffa joins the show.
President Trump said on Sunday that he was willing to push the government into a shutdown in September if Congress does not fund his border wall and change the immigration law. In a tweet, he blamed Democrats for problems in immigration policy and said he wants to end the visa lottery and the "catch and release" policy. Brian and John speak with Brent Wilkes, a leading immigrant rights advocate.
In a complete reversal of longstanding policy, US diplomats met with Taliban leaders in Qatar a week ago without any Afghan government officials present. The talks reportedly were led by Alice Wells, the Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia. But neither the State Department nor the Taliban would comment. Brian Terrell, a long time peace activist and a co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence, joins the show.
Voters in Zimbabwe go to the polls today to elect a president. This is the first time since the founding of the country in 1980 that Robert Mugabe will not be on the ballot. He was ousted in November by the current president and ZANU-PF party leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa. He and MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa are locked in a close race. Dr. Gerald Horne, a professor of history at the University of Houston and author of many books, including "From the Barrel of a Gun: The United States and the War against Zimbabwe," joins Brian and John.
After locking up his chief rival, Cambodian strongman Hun Sen claimed a landslide victory in Cambodian elections over the weekend. The United States, Australia, and other countries condemned the election as a farce. David Hutt, a southeast Asia columnist for The Diplomat based in Phnom Penh and a regular contributor to international publications, joins the show.
Loud & Clear's regular Monday segment "Education for Liberation" is about 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? Today they focus on the school-to-prison pipeline. Brian and John speak with Dr. Crystal Laura, an assistant professor of education at Chicago State University and the author of the book "Being Bad: My Baby Brother and the School-to-Prison Pipeline."
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