FLASHPOINTS

With the announcement by the Trump administration of widespread raids planned by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE to begin this Sunday, we feature an interview with Elizabeth Oglesby, an associate Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona who has studied the traumatic effects of such raids on entire communities. Then, we return to the continuing crisis in Haiti with Flashpoints analyst Frantz Jerome. Finally, we feature a rebroadcast of a 2010 interview with Julian Assange at the TED 2010 Global Conference.

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Flashpoints 07-11-19

Today we take a deep dive into the ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Iran with Ryan Costello the Policy Director for the National Iranian American Council. Then we feature an update on the state of homelessness in American with the founder of Food Not Bombs Keith McHenry. Finally, we continue our series on political reform in the United States with Josh Silver, from the organization RepresentUS.

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Flashpoints 07-10-19

Today we revisit the situation in Honduras as activists there regroup for a new round of protests targeting the US-backed regime of Juan Orlando Hernandez even as new reports surface of increased death squad activity and political assassinations. Then we focus on the rise of for-profit private detention centers and their role in housing immigrants detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE and the US Border Patrol. Next we ask the question, “What can I do to help Julian Assange” the Wikileaks publisher whose health is failing and is currently imprisoned in Britain  facing extradition to the United States for exposing the truth to the American public about what their govt has been doing in their name. Finally, we feature a discussion with renowned scholar Martin Gilens who co-authored the book, Democracy in America?: What Has Gone Wrong and What We Can Do about It. We pose some tough questions to him about whether the US political system is capable of reform.

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Flashpoints 07-09-19

Today we go the Mexican side of the border in Baja where the organization Border Angels is working in the city of Tijuana with immigrants from Central America and even Haiti. Hugo Castro joins us to share his view of their plight as they live and wait on Mexico’s side of the border for distant appointments to apply for asylum in the US.  Then we feature a recent report by Nora Barrows-Friedman and the Electronic Intifada

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Flashpoints 07-08-19

Today we speak with the nephew of environmental activist Berta Caceres who was assassinated in Honduras for standing up for indigeous land rights, Sylvio Carillo provides an update on the current cycle of protests in Honduras, then we speak with Eric Dean of Veterans for Bernie about Sanders anti-war stance, next well feature an interview with journalist Brendon OConnor about the ideological roots of Trumps immigration policies and finally we discuss the case of Eric Gallagher who was recently acquitted of murdering an Iraqi teenager suspected of collaborating with the Islamic State, John Motter of Veterans Against War shares his view of the case. 

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Flashpoints 07-03-19

Today we continue our coverage of  Trump’s recent visit to North Korea with Flashpoints political analyst KJ Noh.. Then we take a chilling look at current US nuclear weapons policy and a new Pentagon document called “Nuclear Operations” that was released and then taken down from the website of the Dept. of Defense. Finally, we feature an in depth conversation with former Green Party Vice-Presidential Candidate and co-founder of the Black Alliance for Peace, Ajamu Baraka.

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F;ashpoints 07-02-19

Coming to you from the vigilant studios of KPFA in Berkeley California, this is Flashpoints.

First up, we look at what is being called “an historic visit” by Trump to North Korea. The cameras were whirring and clicking as Trump strolled with Kim Jong Un across the imaginary line crafted by decades of US foreign policy called the DMZ or demilitarized zone. Then we turn our attention to what is being called the “new Red scare” as Chinese and Chinese American researchers and academics come under increasing surveillance and scrutiny by the FBI and the Department of Justice.  Finally, we feature an interview with Alice Slater the New York Director of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, who also serves on the Coordinating Committee of World Beyond War. We talk about the Green New Deal, Democratic party politics and more.

I’m Kevin Pina, with all this straight ahead on your daily investigative news magazine, Flashpoints on Pacifica Radio, stay tuned.

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Flashpoints July 1st, 2019