Last week, Donald Trump announced that Guantanamo Bay would be used to house the “worst criminal illegal aliens” and claimed that it would be drastically scaled up to hold as many as 30,000 people. In addition to its infamous role in the War on Terror, it’s the latest use of Gitmo as an immigration deterrent—and legal grey zone.
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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
Our intuitive risk assessments can be way off–we’re too scared of hijackings, and not scared enough of crossing the street. This week, Nate and Maria discuss the real risks of plane travel, and of drinking alcohol. Then, they debate whether the sharp money is on heads or tails in the Super Bowl coin toss, and make a very serious bet about whether the national anthem will move any players or coaches to tears.
Plus, Nate and Maria answer a listener question about the value of betting on underdogs for Pushkin+ subscribers.
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James is joined by Nevdon Jamgochian to discuss the use of COP 29 to greenwash Azerbaijan’s attempts at the removal of Armenian people from their ancestral lands in Artsakh and the the history of the conflict.
Donations:
VOMA https://www.voma.center/en VOMA is a non-governmental movement that aims to strengthen the defenses of the Republic of Armenia through preparing Armenians and Diaspora to face the immanent threat of invasion by Azerbaijan and Turkey. A defensive organization only.
Kooyrigs https://kooyrigs.org Kooyrigs is a women-led organization and NGO. Focused on supporting Armenia and Artsakh refugees through various humanitarian projects, especially in the areas of education, healthcare, and emergency relief efforts.
Pahapan Development Foundation: http://www.pahapan.org/en/ Donations go toward supporting and developing Tavush: there are about 10000 children who live under regular shootings by Azeri troops in 23 borderline villages of Tavush region. This organization helps their safety as well as implementing social, cultural and educational programs.
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund https://www.himnadram.org This fund is one of the main sources of support for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, focusing on community development, health, education, and infrastructure.
Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) https://www.agbu.org AGBU is one of the largest Armenian-American organizations that provides support for educational, cultural, and social welfare initiatives in Armenia and globally.
Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) https://www.farusa.org FAR focuses on providing relief to vulnerable populations in Armenia, supporting programs in health, education, and economic development.
Paros Foundation http://parosfoundation.org/available-projects/ Donations can contribute to a number of humanitarian missions they have in Armenia. You can choose to support individual projects or donate to the foundation in general.
Armenia Fund https://www.armeniafund.org A wide ranging charity for infrastructure projects, educational scholarships, and providing aid to vulnerable populations.
Armenian Wounded Heroes Fund https://armenianwoundedheroes.com This fund provides direct support to Armenian soldiers who have been injured in the line of duty, offering medical assistance and helping them reintegrate into society.
Tumo Center for Creative Technologies https://www.tumo.org Tumo is an innovative educational program that provides free tech and creative skills to young people in Armenia. Donations help support the growth of this pioneering center and its ability to empower youth with skills in areas such as animation, coding, game development, and design.
Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC) https://www.avc.am AVC connects volunteers with opportunities in Armenia to support a variety of causes, from community development to disaster relief. Donations help fund the ongoing programs and volunteer recruitment.
The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) https://coaf.org COAF supports rural communities in Armenia with educational, healthcare, and technological programs.
Armenian Red Cross Society https://www.redcross.am/en/home.html The Armenian Red Cross provides critical humanitarian assistance in Armenia, offering emergency relief, health services, and disaster response.
IMAST https://imast.am/ IMAST helps Armenian non-profits with micro-donations for individual projects from wildlife to health to community building.
Other: One Armenia https://www.onearmenia.org A travel group that features local travel opportunities with local people. Promoting responsible travel.
Learn4Artsakh https://learn4artsakh.org Instagram: @learn4artsakh Learn4Artsakh is a leftist platform dedicated to providing educational resources about Artsakh’s history, culture, and people.
Sources:
Books: The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide by Peter Balakian
The Caucasian Knot: The History and Geo-politics of Nagorno-Karabagh, by Patrick Donabedian & Claude Mutafian Available on learn4artsakh.com
My Brother’s Struggle: A great book by the brother of a complicated Armenian revolutionary who grew up in California. Available on learn4artsakh.com
Azeri War Crimes https://azeriwarcrimes.org/ An archive of evidence of war crimes, ethnic cleansing and human rights violations committed by Azerbaijan. Not for the faint of heart.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio makes his inaugural international trip to Central America. In Colombia, fighting erupts between rival guerilla factions, displacing tens of thousands.
Administration tries to walk back President Trump's comments about "taking over" Gaza. President Trump signs executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in girls' sports. Demonstrations around the country protesting Trump's new policies.
Sadie Dingfelder joins to ask: Are trigger warnings mostly BS? Plus, Donald Trump shares some big redevelopment plans for Gaza. And in The Spiel, what the demise of the fact-checking service "Verify" reveals about the declining appeal of fact-checking as a standalone brand.
Manchester, England is a city with an amazing history and -- according to some -- a terrible secret. For years a rumor has been spreading, first through local circles, and now across the globe. Could all the tragic deaths and disappearances near canals and waterways really be accidents, as law enforcement maintains today? Or could there be something more sinister at work... an active serial killer, operating with dark impunity? Join Ben and Matt as they delve into the harrowing theory of the Manchester Pusher.
In the aftermath of a scathing ruling by the Federal District Court and its issuance of an order blocking President Trump’s executive order which attempted to abridge birthright citizenship, one might think the matter closed. But appeals await, no doubt. Last podcast we offered Professor Amar’s arguments in support of his interpretation - and the interpretation of most legal experts - of the matter, but obviously there were arguments made in opposition. We address these arguments, starting with those made in Trump’s brief in the case, and going beyond them as well. In doing so, we revisit a familiar name: Justice Joseph Story, who Trump’s lawyers attempt to enlist in support of their position, with arguments that perhaps don’t tell the whole story.
