When a center-left government took over Brazil in 2003, their policies helped spark a surge in growth and development, the rise of a high-consumption middle class, a spike in housing prices that put Rio de Janeiro almost on par with what we’re going through in the Bay Area. They also won a bid to host … Continued


Nigeria has seen a rash of suicide bombings carried out by teenage girls on behalf of Boko Haram, a home-grown insurgency that is now formally affiliated with the Islamic State — we talk to Ajamu Baraka and Dr. Amina Mama about the roots of the conflict. Plus: the FDA has approved the first genetically-modified animal … Continued


Turkey shot down a Russian warplane it claims had crossed its border, the first time a NATO country has downed a Russian plane since the beginning of the cold war. Now Vladamir Putin’s lashing out, and Turkey has called a NATO meeting: we talk about what’s behind the conflict, and where it’s headed.  Plus: interfaith … Continued


Climate change, utopianism, and what the way we think about the future says about how we’re living today — Hal Nedzviecki joins us to discuss his book Trees on Mars: Our Obsession with the Future. But first: the American Anthropological Association has just decided to send its members a ballot that would make it the … Continued


Movement for Black Lives and Palestine Liberation Philip Maldari speaks with Nation writer Dani McClain about how the Movement for Black Lives is making connections with the Palestine liberation movement. Okinawa Says No U.S. Military Base Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced this week that he is suing the local Okinawan government to get land … Continued


France is poised to extend its state of emergency, and announced it won’t permit mass demonstrations during next month’s climate talks in Paris–we’ll go live to Paris to get a sense of what the clampdown looks like. Then, a look at the fate of refugees fleeing Syria: we’ll talk to an attorney who works with … Continued


Last Friday, multiple coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris left over 120 people dead, leaving France and the Western world reeling with shock. We start the show with a live report from Paris followed by analysis and perspective on the events from the Arab and Muslim world by Professor Hatem Bazian, co-editor and founder of the Islamophobia Studies Journal. In the … Continued


NLD Victory in Myanmar Elections Myanmar’s election results are in –  last Sunday’s elections have resulted in a historic victory for Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy.  The election commission announced this morning that the NLD has won 37 additional seats, giving it a majority in Parliament.  This election marks a … Continued


Philip Maldari speaks to journalist Reese Erlich who has been on the ground in Syria where the United States, Russia, Turkey and many others are operating in the multitude of overlapping conflicts. We focus on Turkey’s role. Who are they targeting and with what intent? In the second half, we talk to East Bay Express journalist David Downs. He’ll tells … Continued