Sri Lanka owes 81% of its external debt to US and European financial institutions and Western allies Japan and India. China owns just 10%. But Washington blames imaginary “Chinese debt traps” for the nation’s crisis, as it considers a 17th IMF structural adjustment program.

VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=U52tT5hgtSk

SOURCES here: https://multipolarista.com/2022/07/11/debt-trap-sri-lanka-west-china

Real debt trap: Sri Lanka owes vast majority to West, not China

Support Pushback: https://www.patreon.com/aaronmate

A recent article in The Guardian parroted a US state-funded group's evidence-free allegations that The Grayzone’s Aaron Maté -- who has reported extensively on the OPCW’s Syria cover-up scandal -- is "the most prolific spreader of disinformation" about Syria among a "network" of "conspiracy theorists."

Aaron called Guardian reporter Mark Townsend on the phone to ask him to substantiate these defamatory claims, and why he didn’t reach out before printing them. 

Guest: Mark Townsend. Reporter for The Guardian who wrote the story, “Network of Syria conspiracy theorists identified” — now updated with Aaron Maté’s response. 
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/19/russia-backed-network-of-syria-conspiracy-theorists-identified

Note: to reduce repetition, the recording of the phone call between Aaron and Mark Townsend has been shortened. Townsend was contacted for comment prior to publication of this segment, but did not respond.

Grayzone challenges Guardian reporter on US state-funded Syria smears

Full 3-hour episode only at https://www.patreon.com/empirefiles

Abby & Mike have a long talk after the overturn of Roe v. Wade: how we got here and the disturbing new reality in America.

This episode is for Patrons only as a thank you for your support!

Roe v. The Empire - Analyzing the Aftermath [PREVIEW]

Texans revolted against Mexico’s rule in 1836—because Mexico was moving to abolish slavery. The fascist element in the state has links into modern day, and the history of Texas is crucial as this decade unfolds.

Brian is joined by Dr. Gerald Horne, who holds the Moores Professorship of History and African American Studies at the University of Houston and is the author of many books. His newly published book, “The Counter Revolution of 1836: Texas slavery & Jim Crow and the roots of American Fascism,” is available through International Publishers.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Gerald Horne Discusses His New Book: The Counter Revolution of 1836

The US government has been preparing for war with China over Taiwan. The extremely provocative trip by top official Nancy Pelosi was only the latest development in years of US escalation.

The Pentagon has made plans for war with China, top CIA officials openly call for fighting Beijing, and US troops are on the ground in Taipei. Washington has sold Taiwan tens of billions of dollars worth of military equipment, and influential DC think tanks are even calling to send it nuclear weapons.

VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=hUjHZ5z8W90

SOURCES: https://multipolarista.com/2022/08/02/us-war-china-taiwan-nuclear

US threatens war on China over Taiwan - with nuclear implications

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard  Wolff analyze the Senate's spending bill entitled the "Inflation  Reduction Act" for the effect it could have on inflation. It falls far  short of what’s desperately needed to address the overlapping crises  causing so much suffering for working people.

Professor Richard Wolff is an author  & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his  work at rdwolff.com.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram.  We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you  consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more  are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

High Prices, Low Wages: The Senate's New Inflation Act Is Class Warfare

A massive fire in Matanzas, Cuba, is coming under control after five days due to tireless efforts by firefighters and specialist crews. But the U.S. blockade, which worsened under Trump with 243 additional coercive measures, and which Biden has largely kept in place, has deprived Cuba of the equipment and resources necessary to handle this disaster.

Brian is joined by Manolo De Los Santos, a central organizer of the Let Cuba Live campaign and the co-executive director of The People’s Forum in New York.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Strangling Cuba: Biden Retains Trump’s Disastrous Policy w/ Manolo de los Santos

The month of Black August focuses on the importance of the continued struggle for Black liberation and honors the lives and struggle of political prisoners—and calls for their freedom. While many have been released, like Albert Woodfox, who was released in 2016 and passed away earlier this month, many still linger behind bars, even in solitary confinement and in their 80s or sick. What does the ongoing treatment of these organizers and fighters tell us about the nature of the capitalist system and the tools that the ruling class fears the most?

Nicole Roussell is joined by Nino Brown, a member of the Jericho Movement, which organizes to free political prisoners, and an organizer for the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Fighting Back Since 1619: Black August, Political Prisoners & the Fight for Socialism

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the housing market as the Federal Reserve-induced economic downturn takes shape. The situation is rapidly deteriorating for both renters and prospective home buyers, with evictions on the rise, prices rising and interest rates spiraling out of control.

Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Evictions, rising rents and unaffordable homes: Capitalist housing market a total failure

Bolivia’s leftist President Luis Arce used his platform at the United Nations General Assembly to propose a revolutionary 14-point program to transform the world.

VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Kqzrvo_vC68

Translation and more info here: https://multipolarista.com/2022/09/27/luis-arce-un-bolivia-14-point-program

Our report ‘War on drugs has failed’: At UN, Colombia condemns ‘addiction to money and oil’: https://multipolarista.com/2022/09/24/war-drugs-un-colombia-gustavo-petro

At UN, Bolivia presents revolutionary 14-point socialist program to transform world

Ali Abunimah talks about Israel and Palestine and the New York Times piece blaming Russia for the hate and Islamophobia faced by Linda Sarsour and the organizers of The Women's March. But first Karen and Jamie Zelermyer talk about their award winning podcast "I Was Never There," which looks at what happened to their friend Marsha "Mudd" Ferber, a rock-club owner and low-level drug dealer who went out for an errand in 1988 — and never came home.

Ali Abunimah is a Palestinian-American journalist who has been described as "the leading American proponent of a one-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict." He's the co-founder of The Electronic Intifada website and the author of 'One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse' and 'The Battle for Justice in Palestine: The Case for a Single Democratic State in Palestine..' 

Jamie Zelermyer has been a New York based Producer and Production Executive for the past twenty plus years. Currently, she is the co-host and creator of I Was Never There, a serialized eight episode non- fiction podcast, made in collaboration with Wonder Media Network. The series premiered at The Tribeca Festival in 2022 garnering a Special Jury Mention and has cracked the top 20 on ApplePodcasts. She was the VP, Physical Production at Focus Features / Rogue Pictures for six years. Prior to Focus Jamie was a Line Producer and Production Manager working on films such as Igby Goes Down, Boys Don’t Cry and You Can Count on Me. Jamie is the President of the Board of Directors of New York Women In Film and Television, and is an adviser on NYWIFT’s The Writer Lab, a program for female Writer’s over 40 funded by Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman. 

In her 73 turns around the sun, Karen Zelermyer has held a multiplicity of job titles including President and CEO of a philanthropic advocacy organization, Deputy Director of an LGBTQ foundation, Development Director of a women’s social service organization, Board Chair and foundation consultant. Karen is also a life-long social justice feminist activist.  She cut her activism teeth in the Vietnam anti-war movement and continues to have an unwavering commitment to the dismantling of racism and white privilege, heteronormativity and misogyny. She is the co-host and creator of the podcast I Was Never There.  She also has a few degrees but that was a really long time ago.

Links to "I Was Never There" podcast:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1crmHd7u1dLqfw9NJa82xc
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-was-never-there/id1619387402


Link to The Electronic Intifada - https://electronicintifada.net/


***Please support The Katie Halper Show ***

For bonus content, to support independent media & to help make this program possible, please join us on Patreon at - https://www.patreon.com/thekatiehalpershow

Follow Katie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kthalps

Ali Abunimah On Palestine, Karen & Jamie Zelermyer On 'I Was Never There'

News and views about the world for those who want to change it, with Brian Becker

High Prices, Low Wages: The Senate's New Inflation Act Is Class Warfare

The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

Related tracks