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Western media portrayed Iran’s protests as a democratic uprising crushed by state violence. But behind the headlines lies a familiar regime change playbook. In this MintCast episode, Mnar Adley is joined from Tehran by Seyed Mohammad Marandi, professor at the University of Tehran, to examine how U.S.-funded NGOs, intelligence-linked narratives, and corporate media helped reframe economic protests into a foreign-backed destabilization campaign. The conversation breaks down the role of Human Rights Activists in Iran, its funding by the National Endowment for Democracy, and the historical continuity between today’s information war and past CIA-led regime change operations in Iran. Support the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.

The United States has crossed a historic line. After Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was kidnapped and flown to New York to face collapsing drug charges, Washington’s regime-change strategy has entered a dangerous new phase. MintPress director Mnar Adley is joined by Caracas-based journalist Diego Sequera to break down the legal farce behind the case, the role of a compromised U.S. witness, and why Trump’s revival of the Monroe Doctrine is provoking outrage across Venezuela and the wider region. This is a first-hand account from inside a country under siege, and a warning about what comes next. Support Independent Journalism MintPress News is one of the few outlets willing to challenge U.S. power, expose regime-change operations, and platform voices silenced by corporate media. If you value reporting like this, please support our work: 👉 Your contribution helps keep MintPress independent, advertiser-free, and accountable only to our audience, not governments, corporations, or intelligence-linked funders. Take Action • Subscribe to MintCast and Behind the Headlines for weekly investigative reporting • Share this episode with friends, family, and on social media • Follow MintPress News for uncensored coverage of U.S. foreign policy and global affairs Independent media survives only if listeners step up. If you believe this reporting matters, now is the time. Support the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.

What would happen if Russia or China abducted the sitting president of the United States? Emergency U.N. sessions. Sanctions. Threats of war. In this episode of Behind The Headlines, Mnar Adley examines why the forcible seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is being treated by Western media as a political development rather than a grave breach of international law. The episode breaks down U.S. sanctions policy, media narratives, historical precedents, and the broader geopolitical campaign against Venezuela and the Bolivarian Revolution. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ndkt0qUlXjE SUPPORT INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM MintPress News is an independent, reader-supported outlet. If you value critical reporting on foreign policy and media narratives, consider supporting our work. 👉 Donate: https://www.mintpressnews.com/donate/ FOLLOW MINTPRESS NEWS Website: https://www.mintpressnews.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MintPressNews X (Twitter): https://x.com/MintPressNews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mintpressnews Support the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.

Journalist Ahmed Kaballo joins Mnar Adley to break down Sudan’s civil war, UAE’s gold operations, U.S. narratives on Nigeria, and the rise of anti-imperialist forces across Africa.  From RSF atrocities and foreign interference to Burkina Faso’s revolutionary model, this episode exposes the geopolitical struggle shaping the continent’s future. Mnar Adley is an award-winning journalist and editor and is the founder and director of MintPress News. She is also president and director of the non-profit media organization Behind the Headlines. Adley also co-hosts the MintCast podcast and is a producer and host of the video series Behind The Headlines. Contact Mnar at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @mnarmuh.  🎥  Full Video: MPN: https://youtu.be/aPVjcKOjpvw BTH: https://youtu.be/3oP1bWxFFWk  💠 SUPPORT MINTPRESS NEWS: https://donate.mintpressnews.com 🔗  JOIN OUR PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/mintpressnews Support the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.

Saudi Arabia is pushing back against US and Israeli pressure, challenging Washington’s efforts to reshape the Middle East. From Gaza to Lebanon to the Red Sea, regional resistance is rising. Joining host Mnar Adley is Sharmine Narwani, journalist and political analyst and editor of The Cradle. Narwani breaks down Saudi Arabia’s motivations, Israel’s escalating campaigns across the region, and Yemen’s unprecedented role in confronting Israeli expansion. We also examine Israel’s mounting civilian toll in Gaza and Lebanon, the use of banned cluster munitions, and the economic crisis Israel faces as war debts mount. Don’t miss this wide-angle look at shifting regional power, resistance dynamics, and why Saudi Arabia is no longer marching to Washington’s drum. Watch the full episode here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyRzGS1TQJI Support the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.

The United States is racing toward nuclear annihilation while its empire crumbles from within. In this explosive interview, independent journalist Rachel Blevins exposes how Washington's imperial ambitions have backfired catastrophically: as the New START treaty expires in 2026, Trump threatens to resume nuclear testing while Russia deploys unstoppable weapons like the Oreshnik and Burevestnik. Meanwhile, Zelensky begs for Tomahawk missiles that could trigger World War III, and in a shocking betrayal of reality, former Al-Qaeda leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, once with a $10 million bounty on his head, is now Syria's US-backed president, playing basketball with the very commanders who hunted him. From rare earth mineral dominance to the Nord Stream bombing cover-up, Blevins reveals how US aggression has forged an unbreakable Russia-China-Iran alliance, accelerating the collapse of American unipolar power while ordinary Americans pay the price at grocery stores and gas pumps. Donate to Support Independent Journalism: https://www.MintPressNews.com/donationsMintPress News YouTube: https://youtube.com/MintPressNewsFollow Rachel Blevins: https://twitter.com/RachelBlevinsFollow Mnar Adley: https://twitter.com/MnarMuhSupport the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.

Sudan’s collapse isn’t a natural disaster — it’s a deliberate act of imperial design. For decades, Washington has waged economic warfare and proxy conflicts to dismantle Sudan’s sovereignty. Now, with Israel and the UAE leading the charge, Sudan is being stripped of its gold, oil, and independence under the banner of “stability.” In this episode, Mnar Adley exposes how U.S. policy, Israeli intelligence, and Emirati financing have turned Sudan into a war laboratory — and why its destruction is central to the West’s war on the Axis of Resistance and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. From the famine in Darfur to the blood gold flowing to Dubai, this is the architecture of U.S. imperialism at work — and a warning to every nation daring to defy it. Guests: Mnar Adley — Founder and director of MintPress News, host of Behind The HeadlinesAlan MacLeod — Senior Staff Writer and producer at MintPress NewsTopics Covered: U.S. sanctions and the deliberate destabilization of SudanIsrael and the UAE’s proxy war roleThe theft of Sudan’s gold and control of Red Sea portsWashington’s strategy against China, Russia, and Iran in AfricaThe humanitarian façade behind imperial wars🎧 Listen now and subscribe to Behind The Headlines for more in-depth analysis on U.S. foreign policy and resistance across the Global South. Support the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.

bPushback from Latin American leaders is throwing a wrench into Donald Trump’s imperial ambitions. The Summit of the Americas — a U.S.-backed conference of regional leaders — has been abruptly cancelled (officially “postponed” until 2026) after threats of a mass boycott led by Mexico and Colombia. Joining host Mnar Adley to discuss the Trump administration’s escalating plans for Venezuela, the geopolitical rift in Latin America, and the new frontlines of resistance are Camila Escalante and Alan MacLeod. Camila is a journalist for PressTV and editor of Kawsachun News. She’s reported extensively from across Latin America, covering Washington’s regime-change operations against Venezuela, the 2019 coup in Bolivia, and the return of President Lula da Silva in Brazil. Alan is a senior staff writer and producer at MintPress News and the author of Bad News From Venezuela: 20 Years of Fake News and Misreporting. His work has been featured in academic journals and major media outlets around the world. Together, they unpack the Trump administration’s military buildup near Venezuela, the killing of 66 civilians in recent U.S. naval attacks, and the CIA’s newly authorized “lethal operations” inside the country. With President Petro of Colombia filing legal action against Trump for the Caribbean assaults, and Mexico’s Sheinbaum leading regional defiance, Washington faces an increasingly united Latin America unwilling to bow to empire. As MacLeod notes, Venezuela’s well-trained military and millions of civilian militias mean that any U.S. invasion would be far from easy — potentially another Vietnam in the making. Support the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.

Award-winning journalist Aaron Maté joins Mnar Adley to expose the hidden interests behind Trump’s Gaza “peace” deal — a plan rooted not in diplomacy but in real estate and natural gas profits. As Israel’s ceasefire takes hold, Western media celebrate the return of Israeli captives while ignoring thousands of Palestinian prisoners and the empire’s economic motives beneath it all. In this episode of Behind the Headlines and MintCast, Maté and Adley break down: How Trump’s Gaza plan ties into Israel’s offshore gas fieldsThe Larry Ellison CBS takeover and its pro-Israel media implicationsWhy the corporate press whitewashes empire’s crimes in GazaThe ongoing battle for narrative control in Western journalism🎧 Watch the full video version on MintPress News’ YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/PcO2DTAqCaM Support the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.

In this urgent episode of the Mint Press News podcast, host Mnar Adley speaks with Lebanese war correspondent Ghadi Francis about Israel’s relentless war on Lebanon and Washington’s renewed campaign to force Hezbollah to disarm. Ghadi, whose Instagram account with over 400,000 followers was recently suspended by Meta, returns to the show to share firsthand reporting from the frontlines of South Lebanon. Despite a so-called ceasefire, Israel continues daily attacks—bombing civilians, kidnapping fishermen and shepherds, expanding military positions on Lebanese soil, and flying drones over villages. Meanwhile, the U.S.-backed Lebanese government is pressuring Hezbollah to surrender its weapons without any guarantee that Israel won’t invade again. Ghadi explains why Hezbollah cannot and will not disarm while Israeli forces still occupy Lebanese land. She details the horrific aftermath of Israel’s pager and walkie-talkie attacks that blinded and maimed thousands, including children. She also reveals how Lebanon’s economic collapse is being weaponized to fracture national unity and intensify pressure on the resistance. This conversation exposes the complicity of Western media, the hypocrisy of U.S. foreign policy, and the terrifying reality that everyday devices could become weapons—thanks to Israeli-American technological warfare. Mint Press News is independent, fearless, and entirely reader-supported. If you believe in journalism that centers truth over power, please support our work. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/mintpress-keeping-truth-alive-in-a-war-of-lies#/ Follow Ghadi Francis on her new Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ghadifranciss/ Subscribe to Mint Press News on YouTube and share this episode to keep watchdog journalism alive  Support the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.

Charlie Kirk’s assassination dominated global headlines. Meanwhile, Israel killed Yemen’s prime minister and bombed journalists — stories Western media buried. Independent Yemeni journalist Abdellatif Al Washali joins MintPress to discuss the Red Sea blockade that has devastated Israel’s economy, the assassination of Prime Minister Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi, and why only Yemen is paying the price for resisting genocide in Gaza. Support MintPress News: https://www.mintpressnews.com/mintpress-news-faces-shutdown-amid-unprecedented-attacks-on-truth/290423/ Support the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.

Truth Under Siege: MintPress News Needs You This is an urgent call to action. One of our main funding lines has been cut and MintPress News could be forced to shut down without your support. Support the fundraiser The Trump administration is beating the drums of war in Latin America. Washington has placed a $50 million bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of running a cocaine empire called the Cartel of the Suns. But experts say the cartel barely registers on the DEA’s radar. Instead, the U.S. is inflating it into a narco-state menace — a pretext for regime change and invasion. MintCast hosts Mnar Adley and Alan MacLeod are joined by: Diego Sequera, journalist with Misión Verdad in CaracasLeonardo Flores, co-founder of the Venezuela Solidarity Network and former analyst at Venezuela’s embassy in WashingtonTogether, they expose how Washington is weaponizing myths about drug trafficking to justify intervention — and why Venezuela remains at the heart of Latin America’s anti-imperialist struggle. 👉 Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GWUn_rLomTs Support the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.

When African Stream became one of the fastest-growing revolutionary media outlets on the planet, Washington took notice — and Silicon Valley pulled the plug. In this MintCast episode, hosts Mnar Adley and Alan MacLeod speak with Ahmed Kaballo, founder of African Stream, about the U.S.-led campaign that led to his platform being removed from the internet.  Kaballo also breaks down the rise of Burkina Faso’s young leader Ibrahim Traoré, the grassroots movement driving the Sahel’s anti-imperialist wave, and the growing push to expel Western military forces from Africa. 🎥 Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EB-ydll1Kb0 📰 Read more: “Blinken Ordered the Hit. Big Tech Carried It Out. African Stream Is Dead.” on MintPress News 📰 Read more: “Why Washington is Worried About Burkina Faso’s Young Revolutionary Leader” on MintPress News Follow MintCast for more:  📺 YouTube – MintPress News 📱 Twitter – @MintPressNews 📷 Instagram – @MintPressNews 🌐 Website – https://www.mintpressnews.com Support the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.

Israel’s Hasbara machine just got a 2,000% budget boost. In this MintPress exclusive, Alan MacLeod breaks down how the Israeli Foreign Ministry is funneling $150 million into Google and YouTube ads aimed squarely at European audiences—while Unit 8200 veterans quietly staff Silicon Valley giants. 🔍 What you’ll learn: • How YouTube served 45 million Europeans in weeks • Why Google terms-of-service violations are ignored • The Unit 8200–Google pipeline (99+ confirmed hires) • Starlink’s secret role in Iran ops • MAGA influencers on paid Israel junkets 📰 Full investigation: https://www.mintpressnews.com/israel-europe-youtube-ad-campaign/290163/ 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vvYbhlQQldA ✨ Support independent watchdog journalism: https://www.patreon.com/MintPressNews Support the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.

Motaz Azaiza became a global icon for his fearless photojournalism during Israel’s assault on Gaza. In this exclusive MintCast interview, host Mnar Adley speaks with Azaiza about surviving the onslaught, becoming a voice for his people, and why documenting war crimes has never been more urgent. Since October 2023, Israel has killed more than 200 journalists. Azaiza’s powerful images cut through the fog of war, inspiring millions and showing the world the human cost of Israel’s actions. He reflects on the emotional toll, the global response, and his mission to raise funds for UNRWA as Gaza starves under siege. Subscribe to MintCast for more frontline voices and hard-hitting interviews. Support Palestinian journalists by donating to UNRWA or sharing this episode. Support the show MintPress News is a fiercely independent. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to MintCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube and subscribe to rapper Lowkey’s new video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.