The Israeli government denied entry into the country for Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, who are scheduled to make an official trip on Sunday. Before the official denial, President Trump tweeted about it, urging the Israeli government to deny the Representatives. The move was cheered by Republicans, but threatens to further drive a wedge between the conservative Israeli Prime Minister and Congressional Democrats.
The New York Stock Exchange fell more than 800 points yesterday, it’s biggest loss of the year, on news that the economy was slowing and bond yields were inverted. Meanwhile, nine major global economies are either in recession or on the brink of recession. Couple that with multiple trade wars between the US and its partners and it spells trouble for the US economy. Steve Keen, the author of “Debunking Economics” and the world’s first crowdfunded economist, whose work is at patreon.com/ProfSteveKeen, joins the show.
An autopsy of Jeffrey Epstein has found a broken hyoid bone in his neck, common in homicide by strangulation, but sometimes also appearing in hanging suicides. The finding only complicates the story of what happened to Jeffrey Epstein inside the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan. Meanwhile, prosecutors say that the investigations of, and cases against, his accused co-conspirators will continue. Brian and John speak with Coleen Rowley, a former FBI special agent who in 2002 was named Time Magazine person of the year along with two other whistleblowers.
The UK Labour Party has announced a bold new plan to go on the offensive to prevent a no-deal Brexit. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn intends to set up a temporary caretaker government by encouraging defections from the Conservative Party, and then organizing a second referendum on Brexit and then immediately calling for general elections. Neil Clark, a journalist and broadcaster whose work has appeared in The Guardian, The Week, and Morning Star, joins the show.
The United States issued a last minute appeal to British authorities in Gilbraltar to turn over custody of a seized Iranian oil tanker to US naval authorities rather than release it. However, a court rejected the request and the tanker, that became a focal point of geopolitical tension, is set to be released from UK custody. Mohammad Marandi, an expert on American studies and postcolonial literature who teaches at the University of Tehran, joins Brian and John.
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 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, and with Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space and a contributor to Foreign Policy In Focus.
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