Loud & Clear

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Ruth Beltran, a member of Black Lives Matter - Sarasota; by Eugene Puryear, the host of Radio Sputnik’s By Any Means Necessary; and by Bob Schlehuber, a Sputnik News analyst and producer of that program.President Trump has moved forward on campaign promises to launch a law-and-order crackdown, signing executive orders last week to create special task forces. Does this mean an even more advanced police state is in the making? What does it mean for the movement against police brutality and for the African-American community? Is this the institutionalizing of the slogan “Blue Lives Matter”?

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Alexander Mercouris, the editor-in-chief of The Duran. The zig-zags continue in U.S.-Turkish relations. CIA director Mike Pompeo arrived in Ankara yesterday after President Trump and Turkish leader Erdogan spoke over the phone, vowing to combat Daesh in Syria. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives in Washington today as he continues his frantic efforts to ingratiate himself with the Trump administration. Will he promise the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs in the U.S. as a means of maintaining the Japan-U.S. relationship? Writer and analyst Patrick Lawrence joins Brian to discuss. Is the Trump administration on the verge of issuing an executive order that would put Daesh detainees in Guantanamo Bay? The notorious torture center may now start expanding again. Jeremy Varon, professor and member of the activist group Witness Against Torture, joins the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Kandi Mossett, an activist with the Indigenous Environmental Network.The Dakota Access Pipeline has been given the go ahead by the U.S Army after Donald Trump signaled his commitment to finish the project. A new stage of resistance awaits as activists vow to fight on at Standing Rock.German intelligence have said that they have found no evidence of meddling against the government of Angela Merkel, but have at the same time accused Russian media of taking a confrontational approach and looking to influence the outcome of this year’s election. Is this a replay of the “Russian influence” conspiracy theory that’s widely believed about the U.S. election? Geopolitical analysts Dr. Rainer Rothfuss and and Dmitry Babich join the show. The Trump administration could mean a boon to private military and intelligence companies. Erik Prince, among the most notorious of these mercenaries, got a step closer to the center of power with the confirmation of his

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Jorge Barón, Executive Director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, the organization that filed the class action lawsuit challenging Trump's executive order.The legal and political drama continues over Donald Trump’s executive order temporarily banning entry from 7 majority-Muslim countries and all refugees. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments yesterday, but is this case destined to be decided by the Supreme Court?For the first time ever, the Vice-President has had to break a tie in a Senate confirmation hearing. Education Secretary and billionaire political donor Betsy DeVos’ performance during the confirmation showed a profound lack of knowledge about education policy, and her support for privatizing education has sparked outrage among education rights activists. Derek Ford, professor of education studies at Depauw University, joins the show. Could tensions in the South China Sea be resolved through dialogue despite t

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey. President Trump is taking aim at banking regulations after signing an executive order that would chip away at the Dodd-Frank Act. This could be a gift worth $100 billion or more for the biggest banks.Donald Trump held his first phone call with Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko over the weekend while also sending signals that he could seek cooperation with Russia in Syria. So which way is the wind blowing for the new U.S. administration? Mark Sleboda, international security and affairs analyst, joins the show. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May yesterday, urging Britain to take a more aggressive line on Iran just days after the Trump administration rolled out new sanctions against Tehran. Brian is joined by Catherine Shakdam, political commentator and analyst, talks about the significance of Netanyahu's visit.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Liz Davis, president of the Washington Teachers Union; Jeff Bigelow, a long-time public sector union leader; and by Joe Jamison, who worked for many years at the New York State labor council, specializing in transportation union issues. Wall Street and Corporate America’s war against labor unions is moving into high gear.As Donald Trump settles into office with a shocking series of executive orders, his allies in Congress are looking to strike a catastrophic blow at unions in the United States? GOP lawmakers have rolled out national “right to work” legislation, but don’t let the name be deceiving -- this is an anti-worker bill. How high are the stakes for the labor movement and for the fate of unionization?

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Phil Wilayto from the Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran.The Trump administration has ramped up its tough talk against Iran with the President saying Tehran has “officially been put on notice”. Iran has brushed aside Trump’s comments, but this bullying rhetoric from the United States could be a sign of greater aggression to come.Controversy continues to rage as the British government publishes a white paper outlining what Brexit will look like. This comes one day after Parliament voted to grant Prime Minister Theresa May the power to trigger Article 50 to begin the process of leaving the EU. George Galloway, a former member of Parliament and prominent anti-war activist, speaks with Brian about what's next. Bernie Sanders has addressed a rally of of the United Steelworkers called “Keep It Made in America”. How does Sanders’ outlook on the outsourcing of U.S. jobs differ from the positions of Trump? And what’s the real c

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Will Griffin of the U.S.-based organization Stop THAAD in Korea and U.S. Militarism in Asia and & Pacific.Donald Trump’s Secretary of Defence James Mattis has arrived in South Korea for his first trip abroad ahead of traveling to Japan tomorrow. Is this the Asia Pivot but with a vengeance? The text of a new proposed constitution for Syria that was drafted by Russia has been released by Sputnik News. Can this controversial proposal serve as a roadmap for peace in Syria? Alaa Ebrahim, a Syria journalist based in Damascus, joins the show to discuss the importance of this draft and what the chances are of it leading to a resolution of the country's six year war. Could the whole of California become a sanctuary state? Some Democrats in the state are proposing a rule that would stop police officers from working with federal immigration authorities to enforce Donald Trump’s executive order. Brian is joined by Kevin Akin of the Peace & Freedom

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined to by Anoa Changa, activist, lawyer and the host of the weekly radio show The Way With Anoa; Zachary Wolfe, lawyer, activist, and professor at George Washington University; and Eugene Puryear, host of Radio Sputnik’s By Any Means Necessary.President Donald Trump has announced Neil Gorsuch as his pick for the vacant Supreme Court justice role. Who is Gorsuch, the judge expected to follow in the ultra right-wing footsteps of Antonin Scalia? What does Trump’s choice say about the direction his administration is heading in and what role Gorsuch can be expected to play in U.S. politics? Gorsuch’s relatively young age means that he will be an important figure in the U.S. government for decades to come.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Raed Jarrar, Government Relations Manager at the American Friends Service Committee. Protests continue to rage nationwide as tens of thousands descend on airports to rally against Donald Trump’s executive order establishing a moratorium on entrances into the United States by citizens of 7 majority-Muslim countries. But Trump is sticking by his deeply unpopular order despite global outrage. Donald Trump spoke with King Salman of Saudi Arabia and pledged his support for so-called “safe zones” in Syria and Yemen. Trump criticized Hillary Clinton’s interventionist position on the Middle East during the campaign, but not it appears he is getting ready to implement her program. Daniel Lazare, journalist and author, discusses Trump's policy toward the Middle East.Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time over the weekend in a phone call lasting an hour. Is a thaw in relations between the U.S. and Russia in the making,

Brian discusses the crisis in U.S.-Mexico Relations with Karina Garcia, an organizer with the ANSWER Coalition in New York City, and Juan Jose Gutierrez, the director of the Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition.Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto cancelled his meeting with Donald Trump as the relationship between the U.S. and Mexican government deteriorates. Trump has signed anti-immigrant executive orders and campaigned on a platform of anti-immigrant bigotry.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by independent political analyst Catherine Shakdam. President Donald Trump has said he will establish so-called “safe zones” in Syria. What is a safe zone, how would they be established, and would this set the U.S. up for a much deeper illegal intervention?Vice President Mike Pence is speaking today at the anti-abortion March for Life in Washington, part of a heavy Trump administration presence at the rally. Brian is joined by Jane Cutter, editor of LiberationNews.org, and Danielle Norwood, an organizer with Women Organized to Resist and Defend (WORD), to speak about Trump's anti-women agenda.As the world marks the 50th anniversary of banning nuclear weapons in space, is the rush to militarize space bringing the prospect of war closer to realization? Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association, joins the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by former CIA analyst and political activist Ray McGovern.What might be a draft executive order reinstating the CIA's "black site" torture program being prepared by the Trump administration was leaked to the press yesterday and reported in the NY Times, Washington Post and other media. The White House press spokesperson said that it was not a White House document. What was the document? Where did it come from? Is this fake news or is Trump getting ready to bring back one of the most infamous Bush administration policies?Trump has signed an executive order pertaining to the infamous “wall” along the U.S.-Mexico border. As the economic and foreign ministers of Mexico visit Washington, is NAFTA on the way out? Pete Dolack, an organizer against NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership with Trade Justice New York Metro, talks about what's ahead for the U.S.-Mexico relationship. Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May becomes the first foreign leader to me

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Alberto Garcia Watson, former HispanTV senior correspondent for the Middle East, to discuss the result of the Astana Summit on Syria. The Astana peace talks have concluded. Officials say the meeting was a success, but the outcome of the fight over the future of Syria is far from settled. The UK’s Supreme Court has ruled that Prime Minister Theresa May can’t bypass Parliament before triggering Article 50 to begin the process of removing Britain from the European Union. Britain is leaving the European Union but is Scotland leaving the UK? Alexander Mercouris, editor-in-chief of The Duran, joins the show.Donald Trump has signed executive orders to advance the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines, setting up a new confrontation with indigenous nations and communities, environmental activists who are determined to fight back. Dennis Banks, co-founder of the American Indian Movement, discusses the ramifications of Trump's orders.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Vijay Prashad, author and Professor of International Studies at Trinity College.On his first working day in office, Donald Trump has signed an executive order withdrawing from the TPP, a move that came a day after he stated his intention to renegotiate NAFTA. But don’t be fooled - the Trump agenda is still 100% anti-worker.Donald Trump spared no time once taking office on Friday in advancing his agenda, issuing an executive order to roll back Obamacare, followed by another executive order yesterday attacking abortion rights. Margaret Flowers, co-director of Popular Resistance, discusses what the order means for millions of Americans both insured and uninsured. A peace summit aimed at ending Syria’s six year war continues today in Astana, Kazakhstan. Is this finally the beginning of the end, or are the Syrian government and opposition groups still not finding enough common ground? Walter Smolarek, producer of Loud & Clear, discusses the impo

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined to by Marwa Osman, an independent political commentator; byAlexander Mercouris, the editor-in-chief of The Duran; and by Catherine Shakdam, a political analyst and author.Peace talks aimed at ending Syria’s nearly six year war are set to begin today in Astana, Kazakhstan, but unlike the Geneva talks that failed to bring about a resolution, this time the talks exclude the United States. What does the new relationship between Russia, Turkey and Iran mean for the prospects of achieving peace? What opposition groups are attending? Which ones aren’t? What will the role of the United States be now that Donald Trump has become the president?

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Estevan Hernandez, a writer for Liberation News, Kevin Akin, State Chair of the California Peace and Freedom Party, and Walter Smolarek, producer of Loud & Clear.oday is the Inauguration - a day of celebration for some, but anger and protest for many others. Since the November election, Donald Trump has rolled out a far right cabinet filled with generals and oligarchs. What is on the Trump agenda? And how will poor and working people and the many, many communities he has targeted fight back?

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by former CIA analyst John Kiriakou. More than 20 U.S. intelligence, diplomatic and military veterans have signed a statement calling on President Obama to present the proof of allegations that Russia was responsible for hacking during the election. As Obama gets ready to leave office, his pledge to close the torture center at Guantanamo went unfulfilled, even though he says he wishes he could have closed the facility. What will happen to Guantanamo under the incoming Trump administration? Brian is joined by journalist and activist Andy Worthington of closeguantanamo.org.On the eve of Donald Trump becoming president, Cuba and the U.S. have been scrambling to sign a series of accords that would make it more difficult for him to roll back moves toward normalizing relations. Helen Yaffe, Economic History Fellow at the London School of Economics, joins the show.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Camilo Matos from the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and by Noelle Hanrahan, the director of Prison Radio. In a big victory for the movement to free political prisoners in the United States, Oscar Lopez Rivera and Chelsea Manning have had their sentences commuted. Who are these soon-to-be former political prisoners, and who is still behind bars for nothing more than speaking out for justice?Days before taking office, President-elect Donald Trump is engaged in a war of words with intelligence agencies, accusing the outgoing CIA director of being behind the unverified dossier that was leaked last week. Ben Norton, writer for AlterNet, joins Becker to discuss the ongoing battle and how it was impact the country after Trump takes office on Friday. China is firing back at Trump’s remarks about possibly ending U.S. recognition of the One China policy, as Chinese media says the gloves will come off if he attempts to do so. Is the incoming Trump admini

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Professor Anthony Monteiro, a scholar, writer and activist in the struggle for equality, freedom, and civil rights; as well as by Eugene Puryear, the host of Radio Sputnik’s By Any Means Necessary.Yesterday people all across the Unites States officially honored the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the venerated leader who was who played a key role in struggling for and ultimately winning the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and then the 1965 Voting Rights Act that was passed to end the disenfranchisement of millions who had been barred from voting. Today, King’s legacy is appropriated by establishment politicians and often watered down, but who was the real Martin Luther King, Jr? Was he merely a pacifist, or was he a radical thinker and man of action?