For nearly a century, foreign correspondents have come to the United States precisely because this country prided itself on welcoming scrutiny. Now, the Trump administration proposes to turn that legacy on its head—by transforming visas for international journalists into instruments of control Under a new rule proposed by the Department of Homeland Security, the duration…
How a once serious party surrendered judgment, subordinating institutions to a single strongman—and what must be done before the republic dangerously erodes from within How is it possible that the Republican Party, at the peak of American power and at the new dawn of the country’s 250th anniversary, became a cult of personality around a…
As the United States marks its 250th anniversary—a testament to endurance, sacrifice, and democratic aspiration—it does so under a dark and foreboding shadow. At this defining moment, the nation finds itself led not by steadiness or vision, but by a figure whose erratic conduct, corrosive narcissism, and moral decay mock the very ideals this milestone…
As midterm campaigns accelerate and disillusionment with Trump’s domestic and foreign policies widens, a stark scenario emerges: America faces a perilous inflection point demanding immediate action before democratic erosion becomes irreversible Donald Trump did not invent America’s vulnerabilities, but he has driven them to a breaking point. His contempt for democratic norms, alliances, and international…
Today’s podcast guest is Dr. Benafsha Yaqoobi, an attorney and civic society and human rights activist. Before the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, she worked as an attorney for the elimination of violence against women and as a Commissioner at the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. She currently serves as a prosecutor on the team bringing Afghanistan’s case before the People’s Tribunal for the Women of Afghanistan.
In this episode, we discuss the plight of people with disabilities in Afghanistan, particularly women and girls, the work that the Rahyab Initiative does in support of people with disabilities in Afghanistan, and the impact of the Taliban’s takeover on Afghanistan as well as its impact on receiving external support.
Listen now; link in bio.
Full bio
Dr. Benafsha Yaqoobi is a civic society and human rights activist, and currently serves as a prosecutor on the team bringing Afghanistan’s case before the People’s Tribunal for the Women of Afghanistan in 2025. She is the founder and director of The Rahyab Initiative in the UK and previously established the Organization of Rahyab for Rehabilitation Services for the Blind (ORRSB) in Afghanistan.
Before the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Dr. Yaqoobi worked as an attorney for the elimination of violence against women and later as a Commissioner at the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. She has consistently used national and international platforms to advocate for the inclusion of Afghan women in peacebuilding processes, with particular focus on women with disabilities.
Dr. Yaqoobi holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Lovely Professional University in India, with her dissertation examining democratic governance and women’s political rights in Afghanistan. She is currently pursuing doctoral research in sociology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Her contributions have been recognized internationally. In 2024, she was awarded the U.S. State Department’s International Women of Courage Award, and in 2022 she received the Marca Bristo Fellowship from Human Rights Watch. In 2021, she was named among the BBC’s 100 most influential women.
Today’s podcast guest is Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh, a blogger and activist who has written extensively since 2006 on environmental and human rights issues in Vietnam. She has been arrested twice for her activism, and received a 10-year prison sentence. She was released after two years, on the condition of exile from Vietnam.
In this episode, we discuss the current political status inside Vietnam and its status in the region, Quynh’s experience of activism and persecution, including her arrests and imprisonment, environmental and human rights issues in Vietnam, and what role the US has and can play in supporting democracy and freedom in the country.
Listen now; link in bio.
Full bio
Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh is a blogger and activist who has blogged extensively since 2006 on environmental and human rights issues in Vietnam, publishing principled arguments to inspire change and greater transparency. Ms. Quynh co-founded the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers, an independent writers’ association that encourages members to “protect people’s rights and freedoms from restrictions and censorship.” She was arrested on October 10, 2016 under the charge of “conducting propaganda against the state” and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. She was released from prison on October 17, 2018, and sent into exile in the United States.
In 2014, she received a Human Rights Defender award from the Stockholm-based NGO Civil Rights Defenders, and was awarded the 2017 International Women of Courage Award by the US Department of State.
Today’s guest is Ambassador Frederic C. Hof, Bard College’s Diplomat-in-Residence, who served as ambassador and special adviser for transition in Syria under President Obama, and as special coordinator for regional affairs in the US Department of State’s Office of the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace. A US Army Vietnam veteran, Ambassador Hof served two tours of duty in the US Department of State.
In this episode, we discuss Ambassador Hof`s recent Track II diplomacy work in Lebanon regarding the prospects of a future Israeli-Lebanese agreement and the elements of the consensus document developed from this work, and the impact of the war on Iran on this delicate diplomacy work.
Listen now; link in bio.
A new Human Rights Watch report reveals that Russia is using schools in occupied Ukrainian territories to erase Ukrainian identity. Children are denied education in their own language, pressured to obtain Russian passports, subjected to propaganda, and even prepared for future military service. Families who try to keep their children connected to Ukrainian education face surveillance, threats, and intimidation. Education should nurture identity, critical thinking, and hope—not become a weapon of war. The international community must do more to protect these children, support their education and mental health, and hold those responsible accountable. A child`s classroom should never become a battlefield.
Four years into a full-scale war, Ukraine faces entrenched battle lines, shattered infrastructure, millions of refugees, and a generation traumatized. The conflict has re-militarized Europe and brought back nuclear fears. It has also reinforced global division, with opposing sides treating Ukraine as both a battlefield and a signal of the limits of the post–Cold War security system. The stakes here are not only territorial; they are about whether brutal force will once again be accepted as a legitimate instrument of expansionist power. The international community documents, debates, and deplores—but rarely intervenes to halt, redress, or prevent conflicts before they erupt. The UNSC debates and adopts resolutions that are largely ignored. Meanwhile, the double standards, demanding accountability from enemies but making excuses for allies, undermine the credibility of international law. Our problem is not a lack of information; it is a lack of will.
1 CommentComment on Facebook
Then maybe they should be less enthusiastic about Israhell.
Trump's executive orders have gutted climate rules, health protections, trade stability, and Europe's security. All of it is damaging. But the worst was his pardon of the January 6 insurrectionists — the most egregious act of his presidency, and one nearly every Republican once condemned in the strongest terms. Now they kneel and kiss his ring. Then his Justice Department pressured judges to drop the remaining insurrection cases still awaiting trial. That is not law enforcement; it is a president using the Justice Department as a personal instrument, something this country has never accepted. When will Americans wake up? When will Republicans grasp that every concession they make is dismantling the rule of law itself? They are not protecting a president. They are trading away the foundation of the republic. This is nothing short of the greatest travesty.
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Democrats have a real chance to win both the House and the Senate — but only if they offer Americans a clear socioeconomic agenda that answers their anxieties about wages, housing, and healthcare. So far, the party is in disarray. There is no unified message, only an internal war between moderates and self-described socialists. Above all, there is no leadership. Neither Hakeem Jeffries nor Chuck Schumer has shown the command this moment demands. Democrats must wake up now, before it is too late. This is a golden opportunity to end the madness of a president dismantling this country brick by brick. The stakes are not partisan. A Democratic awakening matters less for the party's fortunes than for the country's survival: without it, Trump's recklessness will keep hollowing out America until there is little left to save.
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Democrat doesn't need any memorandum to set against trump but they already tied by Epsteins file
The last thing the country needs is more democrats. They are the very ones that caused all the countries problems.
To address the plagues sweeping the globe — poverty, inequality, and wars—we must redesign collaboration between states, making it consequential rather than ceremonial. When great power rivalry paralyzes global bodies, coalitions of middle powers and regional organizations must be empowered to enforce arms embargoes, ensure safe movement of people, and mediate violent conflicts. We must create overlapping enforcement mechanisms so that civilian protection does not depend on the whims of a single dictator or a UNSC veto. We must rebuild social contracts by attacking inequality with political courage, robust social safety nets, universal health and education, and investments in sectors that create jobs to reduce economic grievances, extremism and resentment. Moreover, we must take climate action seriously, defend democracy, protect human rights, and civic space. This is how we can reduce future conflicts and mass atrocities, because without them, no legal framework can function.
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
