“I think if Syriza succeeds and they win some very important concessions and are able to accelerate the recovery in Greece, that will help (Podemos in Spain). … I think it helps them just because all of Europe sees that it is possible to say, ‘No,’ because before, nobody has really stood up to the ‘troika’ and lived to tell about it.” – Mark Weisbrot, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, on the impact of Greece’s Syriza government’s effort to reverse EU austerity policies may have on the rest of Europe
Listen to the entire program using these links, or to individual interviews via the links appearing prior to each segment description below.
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Greek Syriza Party Makes Progress Challenging Austerity Policies in Four-Month Eurozone Bailout Extension
Interview with Mark Weisbrot, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, conducted by Scott Harris
The Greek government, led by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of the Syriza (Coalition of the Radical Left)’s Party, faced its most difficult test this week since its victory in national elections on Jan. 25. Having won office by pledging to renegotiate the harsh austerity measures imposed by Eurozone officials, Syriza entered recent talks with its credibility at stake. Story continues
What’s Behind the Warped Theology and Origin of ISIS Terrorists?
Interview with Phyllis Bennis, director of the New Internationalism project at the Institute for Policy Studies, conducted by Scott Harris
Much of the world’s attention continues to be focused on the savage violence carried out by ISIS in Iraq, Syria and more recently in Libya. In an act that appeared to lend urgency to President Obama’s call for Congress to formally authorize the ongoing U.S. war against ISIS, a report on Feb. 24 stated Islamic State militants had abducted as many as 90 Assyrian Christians, including women and children, after overrunning several small villages in northeast Syria. Earlier, an ISIS video released on Feb. 15 showed 21 Egyptian Christians being beheaded by ISIS fighters on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in Libya. Story continues
Opponents Mobilize to Stop Fast Track and TransPacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement
Interview with Margaret Flowers, co-director of Popular Resistance.org, conducted by Melinda Tuhus
President Obama is pushing hard for congressional approval of trade promotion, or fast track authority, that many believe is essential for passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, or TPP. The proposed trade deal would include 12 nations that border the Pacific Ocean, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the U.S. and Vietnam. Story continues
This week’s summary of under-reported news
Compiled by Bob Nixon
- In the midst of the third year of a severe drought, Sao Paulo, Brazil, a metropolis of 20 million people is running dry. (“Taps start to run dry in Brazil’s largest city,” New York Times, Feb. 16, 2015; “Brazil drought: water rationing along won’t save Sao Paulo,” Guardian, Feb. 11, 2015; “Brazil faces water rationing amid worst drought in 84 years,” RTCC, Feb. 16, 2015)
- North Dakota’s oil-rich Bakken shale drew thousands of oil workers to the state as the hydraulic fracking boom took off. But now that the global price of oil has fallen below $50 a barrel, the oil boom is crashing. (“Low oil prices chill a once hot town,” Christian Science Monitor, Jan. 25, 2015)
- Just hours after the new Republican majority took control of Congress, a bill banning all abortions after the fetus is 20 weeks old was introduced in the House of Representatives. (“Turning back the clock,” Mother Jones, March/April 2015)
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