The new respiratory disease caused by a new strand of the malicious coronovirus  called COVID-19 has been wreaking havoc across the world and in Iran.
This episode looks into the efforts done in Iran to combat the spread of the virus, and the accusations in Western media against the handling of the crisis by the officials.

EP00 - Coronovirus in Iran

Donald Trump unveiled his long-awaited Middle East Peace Plan in late January to become the latest American President that attempts to resolve the decades-long Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

And then like his other narcissistic remarks, Trump hailed it as "the deal of the century".

But is his "awesome" new plan any different from the many previous proposals put forth by his predecessors?

To find out, listen to this week's episode. And if you like it, please share it!

EP01 - Deal of the century

The world's largest democracy, India, has recently been acting as if it were too small for its largest minority population; the Muslims.

The Hindu nationalist government of Narendra Modi is supporting a controversial bill that gives sanctuary to anyone fleeing religious persecution except for Muslims.

This is seen by critics as part of a BJP agenda to marginalize Muslims.

EP03 - India's Islamophobia

Some call it the future of money, but others would swear it’s nothing but an elaborate Ponzi Scheme; Cryptocurrency. It is better known by Bitcoin but cryptocurrency is just not limited to bitcoins. In fact, it is far more beyond that. Listen to our podcast to learn more about ‘this thing from the future’.

EP02 - Cryptocurrency: Future or fraud?

The novel coronavirus is still spreading rapidly across the globe and the African continent has not been an exception. In fact, given the circumstances, the outlook for Africa is grim. As of early April, more than half of Africa's 54 countries have imposed lockdowns, curfews, travel bans or other measures in a bid to prevent local transmission of the virus. But the trade-off here is obvious. The measures could soon lead to an economic collapse unless financial assistance is provided to the millions of people out of work.

EP04 - Africa's COVID-19

The U.S. military under President Donald Trump has conducted more airstrikes in Somalia than it did during all of Barack Obama’s eight years in office.  The massive escalation of the undeclared war comes despite repeated appeals by the U.N. for a global ceasefire amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The U.S. says these airstrikes are to assist the government of Somalia in its war against the non-state armed group al-Shabaab and “increase the security of the Somali people as these terrorists indiscriminately attack and extort innocent civilians.” Amnesty International, meanwhile, reported in early April about rising civilian casualties from the US military’s secret air war in Somalia.

EP09 - Secret U.S. war in Somalia

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah stressed that Lebanon must explore all options to rescue the country's economy while announcing Hezbollah's new front by saying that the Resistance party has decided to be in the heart of agricultural and industrial battle. Meanwhile, the U.S.-backed Separatists militias of the anti-Damascus Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has been impeding the delivery of flour to bread facilities in the northeastern province of Hasakah. The militants keep denying Syrian government trucks, carrying flour and other necessities, access to the province. All the while, thirst threatens 1 million people in Hasakah due to cutting water by Turkish forces in Syrian towns on the border with Turkey.

EP17 - Hezbollah vs. Lebanon's economic freefall

Saudi-led military aircraft have carried out fresh deadly strikes in Yemen, this time targeting a residential area in the northern province of al-Jawaf, as part of the Riyadh regime's ongoing aerial bombardment campaign against its crisis-hit southern neighbor.



As such, Yemen slammed the United Nations for keeping silent in the face of Saudi war crimes in the country, calling for an end to arms sales to Riyadh.



In the meantime, shaky relations between Saudi Arabia and Iraq have been simmering for many years as Iraq accused the kingdom on several occasions of financing and providing logistical help to militants and Takfiri terrorists wreaking havoc in Iraq and the region in general.



Will Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi be able to mend the disagreements or will the fracture only widen as Daesh re-emerges in Iraq?

EP18 - Yemen war: children bleeding

Iran says two American fighter jets harassed the Mahan Air Flight 1152 that had taken off from Tehran and was en route to the Lebanese capital on Thursday night. The F-15s allegedly harassed the Iranian plane in Lebanon’s sky when it was dropping its altitude to approach the Beirut airport. But CENTCOM said that a single F-15 had made a “visual inspection” of the Iranian airliner “in accordance with international standards ... to ensure the safety of coalition personnel” at the military base in al-Tanf.

EP19 - Mahan IRM1152: Harassed over Syria

Iran has often expressed deep opposition to the U.S. military presence in Western Asia describing it as a source of corruption, and demanded that U.S. troops leave the region. But is Iran the sole nation wanting Americans out of the region or there are other opposing voices?

EP20 - U.S. presence in Western Asia: Toxic or vital?

This episode is about the chaotic situation in the United States in the run-up to the November presidential election.



Netfa Freeman, member of Black Alliance for Peace Coordinating Committee, and Ian Williams, senior analyst and commentator, exchange views on this issue.

EP26 - U.S. election 2020: Chaos at the polls

In his address during the 75th UN general assembly, President Donald Trump spoke of abandoning what he called the terrible Iran nuclear deal.

The Iranian president touched upon Tehran's role in restoring peace in the Middle East by helping countries fight Daesh terrorists arguing such a nation doesn't deserve sanctions. University Lecturer and Author of the Plot to Attack Iran, Daniel Kovalik (Pittsburgh, PA) and James Jatras (Washington DC) former US Diplomat exchange views on this issue.

EP27 - Iran nuclear deal: "terrible" or "worth preserving"?

The U.S. State Department and Treasury has recently released 39 targets for sanctions, including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma.



U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the bans “the beginning of what will be a sustained campaign of economic and political pressure to deny the Assad regime revenue.”



But critics have denounced the latest round of American coercive economic measures against the Arab country, saying the sanctions violate international law and humanitarian principles.

EP28 - U.S. "economic terrorism" on Syria

International calls for cessation of hostilities have fallen on the deaf ears of the feuding sides, Azerbaijan and Armenia. Forces of Azerbaijan and Armenia have fought the 5th day of their battle over the disputed Nagorno- Karabakh region. Expert on Russia and the former Soviet Union, Marcus Papadopoulos from London and Prof. of Political Science and International Relations, Cuneyt Akalin from Istanbul exchange views on this issue.

EP29 - Russia or Turkey: Who's to blame for Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

The U.S. - pushed into a corner by Iraqi calls to expel its occupying forces from their country - is seeking to split Iraq into three separate sectarian regions in order to maintain its troop presence in the region. By doing so, the U.S. is seeking to stir more hatred and conflict in Iraq, in order to keep the country down. This allows the US to keep its forces inside of Iraq, simply by relocating them to elsewhere in the country, most probably into Iraqi Kurdistan.

In the meantime, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in a controversial move praised what it called Saudi Arabia's humanitarian role in Yemen, closing its eyes to years of atrocities committed by Riyadh and its allies against the civilian population there, leaving a large number of children dead, maimed and malnourished. The move prompted immediate protests from human rights groups worldwide.

EP30 - U.S. wants Iraq split in three

Luis Arce has described his victory in the Bolivia presidential election as a “return to democracy” for the divided Latin American nation. “We have recovered democracy and we will regain stability and social peace,” said the 57-year-old president-elect.  
The country's former president Evo Morales was forced to resign and go into exile after being accused of rigging last year's election which was subsequently annulled. On this episode of the PressCast
we talk about socialists' return to power and much more with Don DeBar and Fiona Edwards.

EP31 - Bolivia's "return to democracy"

French President Emanuel Macron's anti-Islam remarks have drawn further anger and reactions across the Muslim world. Iran has summoned the French diplomat accusing Paris of fomenting hatred against Islam. Turkey's President Erdogan has questioned Macron's mental health. Protest rallies have also been held in a number of Muslim countries during which Macron's effigy was set on fire. 
To discuss the issue further, we have Author and Lecturer, Jonathan Fryer alongside Islamic Human Rights Commission, Raza Kazim joining us via skype from London.

EP32 - Macron's anti-Islam remarks

Trump is calling foul and still not conceding. Biden is looking confident but has offered no solid plans for the myriad of problems the country is dealing with. Listen to this episode as Political commentator and anti-war activist Sara Flounders talks election and much more.

U.S. Election Special - Part One: The Process & Controversies

Democratic Party candidate Joe Biden has beaten incumbent President Trump in the 2020 elections to become the next president of the United States. This program delves into the how of Donald Trump's attempt to refute the election results and what would a Biden/Harris presidency look like?

U.S. Election Special - Part Two: Is Biden any different?

The U.S. presidential came and went, knowing its winner: Joseph Robinette Biden. But a look-back to the issues brought up during the campaigns shows "Iraq" did not seem to be a topic worth bringing up by either candidate. But some facts are clear. Biden initially backed the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 before a change of heart.  As Vice President to Barack Obama, he proposed a plan in 2006 to divide Iraq into three Shia, Sunni and Kurdish regions.
Stay with us as we delve into this story as well as the problems Syrian refugees are facing as some of them try to return home.  



Syrian President Bashar Assad declared last week that the Syrian government is working to secure the return of millions of refugees who fled war in their country, but Western sanctions are hindering the work of state institutions hence complicating those plans. President Assad said millions of refugees were being forced to stay in host countries by pressure or intimidation and that host states were enticing them financially while benefiting from international aid on their behalf.

EP35 - What's Biden's policy on Iraq?

Who is responsible for the every-day tragedies people in Gaza Strip are dogged by? Join us on this debate as Maxine Dover and Nick Napier have at it in a heated back and forth.

EP36 - Israel or Hamas? Who's to blame for Gaza's crisis?

Based on what’s known so far, Israeli dirty hands were all over the assassination of top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.
Perhaps the CIA was complicit with Mossad for what happened.
US intelligence was clearly aware of the plot in advance. Fakhrizadeh was long on the Zionist regime’s hit list for elimination. His assassination was all about wanting Iran to retaliate in a way that would draw the Trump regime into attacking the country militarily. Join us on this episode of PressCast as we discuss the story with Julia Kassem, Journalist and writer and Brecht Jonkers.

EP37 - The assassination of 'another' Iranian nuclear scientist

Foreign aggression, civil war, internal displacement, food insecurity, cholera outbreaks and COVID-19. This is the story of Yemen, where over 80 per cent of the population requires some form of assistance. Among them are more than 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women who are acutely malnourished. But who's to blame for this humanitarian crisis? Listen to this episode of PressCast as Hussain al-Bukhaiti, activist and political commentator from Sana'a and Eli Joseph James, a radio host and political commentator in Chicago exchange views.

EP38 - Yemen: World's worst humanitarian crisis

In about a month, President-elect Joe Biden will officially become the POTUS. Or at least this is what the media and his supporters have been projecting. Because the sitting president has no intention of conceding. So the presidential race is far from over. Well, the term "race” is something of a misnomer, since what’s unfolding in the streets is a full-on confrontation.

EP39 - Really, what's happening in the U.S.?

The United States has announced that a major cyber-attack has hit their infrastructure, with multiple state departments being the target of what appears to be a highly organized and damaged attack. 
Has the U.S. become weak in its cyber defenses, or are hackers becoming more efficient?
Is Russia behind the attacks?
Stay with us on this episode as we try to answer these questions.

EP40 - Cyberattacks hit U.S.: Who orchestrated it?

This episode looks into the recent rocket attack that hit the US embassy in Baghdad. We discuss whether it was Iranian-allied forces or Americans themselves who launched the attack?

EP41 - U.S. embassy attack: Did Iran order it?

The leader of Iran's Islamic Revolution says the country is in no rush for the US to return to the 2015 nuclear deal. In a televised address Ayatollah Sayyad Ali Khamenei said Iran's logical demand is the removal of sanctions, calling the sanctions a crime and treason against the Iranian people.

Supporting Iran's decision to roll back its commitments, he said "when the other side does not implement any of its commitments, there is no point for Iran to fulfill all of its commitments", adding if they return to their commitments, we will do the same.

The Leader further pointed to Iran's regional presence, stressing Iran will continue to reinforce its regional allies. Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the recent chaos in the US and said Washington is always after creating instability in other countries, and now, it's happened on its own soil.

EP42 - No rush for U.S. return to Iran nuclear deal

Margaret Kimberley New York-based activist for peace and justice issues joins Daniel Shaw university lecturer also in New York to answer questions like whether the presidency of Joe Biden could affect Washington's macro political policies.

EP43 - Biden replaces Trump. But now what?

British politician Jonathan Harold Fryer and American journalist Don Debar have joined us on another episode of PressCast to talk about anti-government protests across Russia which were called by recently-jailed Putin's outspoken critic Alexei Navalny. Is the west really encouraging the protests to weaken Putin's position?

EP44 - Putin V.S. Navalny: is 'the West' fanning the flames?

American author and journalist Daniel Lazare and  Raza Kazim from the Islamic Human Rights Commission talk about the prospects of France's controversial security bill which has been accused of obstructing civil liberties. Could the “global security bill" actually jeopardize the freedom of the press and herald the introduction of a ubiquitous surveillance system?

EP45 - France's freedom of expression in jeopardy

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