Will Netanyahu convince Trump to bomb Iran? | The Listening Post
Israel's war on Iran was one that many have expected, and yet with nuclear talks between the United States and Iran ongoing, few saw it coming. Propaganda from the Netanyahu government and credulous reporting in the Western media have played a major part in how we got here. Contributors: Narges Bajoghli – Author, Iran Reframed Matt Duss – Executive Vice President, Center for International Policy Assal Rad – Non-Resident Fellow, Arab Center Washington DC Mohammad Ali Shabani – Editor, Amwaj Media On our radar As Israeli media cheerlead for the war on Iran, military censors are tightening their grip on local and foreign media outlets alike. Ryan Kohls reports. Chris Hedges on the media coverage of Israel’s war on Iran The war on Iran feels eerily familiar – from justifications that hold no water to the uncritical reporting in the media. Chris Hedges joins us to unpack the unsettling parallels with the 2003 Iraq War. Featuring: Chris Hedges – Former Middle East Bureau Chief, The New York Times
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Preemptive strike? The media and Israel’s attack on Iran | The Listening Post
Israel has launched an unprovoked assault on Iran, including strikes on nuclear facilities and assassinations of several senior military commanders and scientists. In front of the world’s media, however, the Netanyahu government is spinning the attack as “preemptive”. Contributor: Negar Mortazavi – Host, The Iran Podcast On our radar: This past week, phone and internet services virtually collapsed across Gaza, as Israel repeatedly bombed transmission stations and communication towers. Meenakshi Ravi explains how Gaza now risks digital isolation. Showdown in LA: A very Trumpian spectacle President Trump has turned Los Angeles into an ideological battleground amid protests against anti-immigration raids. His mobilisation of the National Guard and marines - without the approval of California's state government - has produced made-for-TV images of the kind likely to appeal to the MAGA faithful. For many others, it is yet another sign of a dangerous turn away from civil liberties under his presidency. Featuring: Branko Marcetic – Staff writer, Jacobin Sarah Mehta – Senior policy counsel, ACLU Jose Olivares – Investigative journalist Will Swaim – Podcast host, Radio Free California
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The Hamas-ceasefire 'collapse' blame cycle | The Listening Post
Throughout the various ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, western news outlets have repeatedly blamed their failure on Hamas. This week, we hear a perspective that rarely features in the coverage - the group's own - on the negotiations and the media narratives that surround them. Contributors: Tahani Mustafa – Senior Palestine Analyst, International Crisis Group Basem Naim – Politburo member, Hamas Julie Norman – Associate Professor, University College London Abdaljawad Omar – Lecturer, Birzeit University On our radar: Ukrainian drone strikes on multiple Russian airfields have further escalated the conflict, as peace talks come up short. Tariq Nafi reports on the messaging on the airwaves both sides of the border. Is logging off the cure for ‘brain rot’? After decades of increased connectivity, screen time and addictive algorithms, more and more young people are logging off. The Listening Post’s Ryan Kohls looks at the community-based movements reevaluating their relationships with digital technology. Featuring: Monique Golay – Barcelona Chapter Leader, Offline Club Hussein Kesvani – Technology and culture journalist Adele Walton - Author, Logging Off
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Trump’s moment in the Middle East
United States President Donald Trump's tour of the Middle East this week is his first international trip since he started his second term. Conspicuously absent from his itinerary, however, was Washington’s closest ally in the region: Israel. In the US and Israeli media, the apparent snub has fuelled talk of a growing rift between Trump and his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu. Contributors: Diana Buttu – Human rights lawyer and analyst Dana Mills – Writer, +972 magazine and Local Call Jeremy Scahill – Cofounder, Drop Site News On our radar: Tariq Nafi reports on the killing this week of one of Gaza’s best-known journalists - and why it represents a new low in Israel’s unparalleled war on the press. Are India’s news channels helping or harming? The tit-for-tat conflict between India and Pakistan lasted only a week before a ceasefire deal was reached, but it was long enough to provide an insight into the role the media might play in a longer war. We speak with Indian journalist Hartosh Singh Bal about mainstream media under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government - from misinformation to hate speech - and the alternative news outlets trying to provide the antidote. Featuring: Hartosh Singh Bal – Executive editor, The Caravan magazine
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Embrace the occupation: A new phase in Israel’s genocide in Gaza | The Listening Post
One might think that images of starving children, as political leaders withhold aid and openly call for ethnic cleansing, would be topping news agendas everywhere. In the case of Gaza, the failure of many in the international media to meet the moment has made them part of the story. Lead contributors: Chris Doyle – Director, Council for Arab-British Understanding Daniel Levy – President, US/Middle East Project Muhammad Shehada – Visiting fellow, ECFR Sarah Leah Whitson – Director, DAWN On our radar: As India and Pakistan go toe-to-toe in their most intense fighting for decades, a flood of disinformation is fuelling the sense of panic on both sides. Meenakshi Ravi reports. Seeking justice on Ghana's courtroom shows If you are dealing with something personal and painful - a broken marriage or a family dispute - you might turn to a friend. For something as serious as sexual assault, it might go to trial. But in Ghana, more and more people are turning somewhere else: live radio. The so-called "justice-style" shows promise swift, public resolutions. But they are also controversial, with critics accusing them of turning private pain into primetime theatre. Featuring: George Sarpong – Executive secretary, National Media Commission Menenaba – Ghanaian writer Oheneni Adazoa – Host, Sompa Nkomo Show Zakaria Tanko Musah – Lecturer in media law and ethics, Journalism Institute