The Tea with Myriam Francois

“How international law has become the new weapon in the battle for public opinion”In this urgent and deeply challenging episode of The Tea with Myriam François, renowned scholar and author Norman Finkelstein argues that international law, once thought to be a neutral framework for justice, has become a largely toothless tool, vulnerable to political pressure and media spin. #TheTeaWithMyriamFrancois #NormanFinkelstein #Gaza #InternationalLaw #ICJ #UNRWA #UN #HumanRights #MiddleEastPolitics #USForeignPolicy #Hamas #Israel #Netanyahu #Trump2025AUDIO CREDITSPresenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam FrançoisGuest: Norman FinkelsteinSenior Producer: Sara FarolfiProducer: Nadège BizimunguAssistant Producer: Poppy JacobsResearch: Leena KhanVideo Editor: Max BubnovAn MPWR Productions show.👉 Subscribe for fearless, independent conversations: https://www.youtube.com/@UCT4kJCZyg26egbPAuJVj2kA 🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.Check out Love Welcomes, a social enterprise creating dignified, fairly paid work for refugee women rebuilding their lives. For 10% discount, enter THETEA10 at checkout!🔗 https://www.lovewelcomes.org/?ref=MYRIAMFRANCOIS🎥 Click to watch. Subscribe for new episodes.❤️ Support independent journalism that tells hard truths.https://www.patreon.com/TheTeawithMyriamFrancois?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabkrbubUPKErSGVFGL5bzjQytkb9HanzeLQBUi8U-mU6g5aVSTqE5ej7sQ_aem_SO9ihK10zUz3TdyPOD2ngA'The Thumbnail image is AI generated' Disclaimer:"The following episode contains discussion of sexual violence and related themes, which may be distressing for some audiences.The views and opinions expressed by the guest(s) on The Tea YouTube series and podcast are their own and do not reflect those of MPWR Productions or its licensees. The appearance of this YouTube programme and podcast on social media platforms does not imply endorsement by MPWR Productions. MPWR Productions disclaims any liability for damages arising from the use of the podcast and its recordings to the fullest extent permissible by law.This video is intended for informational and commentary purposes only and reflects the personal opinions of the guest and creators. The inclusion of public figures or journalists is based on publicly available information and does not imply guilt or wrongdoing.The views in this video do not establish a professional relationship with viewers and do not constitute legal, professional, or personal advice. Viewer discretion is advised.The ICJ ruled “In the Court’s view, the facts and circumstances mentioned above are sufficient to conclude that at least some of the rights claimed by South Africa and for which it is seeking protection are plausible. This is the case with respect to the right of the Palestinians in Gaza to be protected from acts of genocide and related prohibited acts identified in Article III, and the right of South Africa to seek Israel’s compliance with the latter’s obligations under the Convention.”Joan Donoghue said on BBC’s Hard Talk“[...] So the Court decided that the Palestinians had a plausible right to be protected from genocide [...] It didn’t decide that the claim of genocide was plausible. It did emphasise, in the order, that there was a risk of irreparable harm to the Palestinian right to be protected from genocide [...]” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Louisa Munch, a critical theorist from Rochdale known for her insights into nostalgia and neoliberalism, discusses the entrenchment of societal issues. She highlights the illusion of a 'rich exodus' and critiques wealth hoarding, likening the super-rich to blood clots that suffocate progress. Louisa examines the disillusionment of Gen Z, urging a shift from migration narratives to addressing wealth inequality. She argues for community rebuilding and the necessity of compassionate dialogues to foster hope and challenge the status quo.

In a thought-provoking discussion, Emad Mostaque, AI entrepreneur and founder of Stability AI, delves into the potential upheaval AI could unleash on society. Topics range from the alarming pace of AI replacing jobs to the ethical challenges of inequality. He examines the idea of AI governance, using Albania's model as a case study, and expresses concerns over AI's impact on human relationships and economic structures. Mostaque warns of a future where capitalism may struggle to adapt while advocating for Universal Basic AI as a necessary human right.

Lucia Osborne-Crowley, an award-winning writer and investigative journalist, dives deep into the chilling realities surrounding the Epstein case. She shares her alarming experiences of threats and intimidation while reporting, including being stalked and having her phone hacked. The conversation reveals how powerful elites collaborated to protect themselves, leaving victims unprotected. Lucia discusses suspicious deaths linked to the case, the flawed narratives perpetuated by the media, and the ongoing struggle for accountability in a world that shelters predators.

Join historian Subhadra Das, an expert on eugenics and scientific racism, as she explores the alarming resurgence of eugenic ideas. From political figures like Trump leveraging misinformation to Sydney Sweeney's controversial ad, Das highlights how these narratives subtly permeate culture. She warns about the dangers of medical practices targeting marginalized groups, critiques economic policies as modern eugenics, and calls attention to the role of tech in perpetuating elitist narratives around 'genetic perfection.' Resistance begins with awareness!

In this thought-provoking discussion, Ashira Darwish, a Palestinian trauma healer and founder of Catharsis Holistic Healing, addresses the collective trauma shaped by violence. She explores how algorithms numb society to genocide, critiques traditional therapy's limitations, and advocates for somatic practices to heal intergenerational trauma. Ashira emphasizes self-care as resistance and illustrates how cultural rituals can sustain communities. She calls for a deeper understanding of Palestinian resistance, driven by love and hope for liberation.

Nine months into Trump’s second term, the National Guard is being deployed across the country, ICE are operating like a domestic paramilitary, tech executives wear military rank, and dissent is being frozen by fear. Meanwhile, nearly 40% of Americans now say democracy isn’t worth the fight.So how did we get here? And where are we heading?In this gripping new episode of The Tea with Myriam François, we’re joined by public historian Tad Stoermer to unpack the rise of authoritarianism in the US — and what resistance looks like when democracy bends and when the machinery of fear is turned inward.In a world where facts no longer seem to matter, how do we resist when the story we’re told — “us versus them” — is a cover for authoritarianism, and the “law and order” narrative hides the very machinery of control?We unpack:⚠️ When tech billionaires start wearing military rank — who’s really in charge?⚠️ Inside the rise of the far-right Christian nationalists ⚠️ Trump’s “us vs. them” narrative — what makes it so dangerously effective?⚠️ Trump’s war on education ⚠️ How Christianity became a cornerstone of modern authoritarianism? ⚠️ “Law and order” — or just another name for control?⚠️ No Kings Day: Proof that democracy still breathes — or its last gasp?⚠️ What can historical resistance teach us about how to fight back today?👉 Subscribe for more fearless conversations: [link]🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.#TheTeaWithMyriamFrancois #TadStoermer #USPolitics #Authoritarianism #SurveillanceState #Trump2025 #Resistance #TechPower #Palantir #OpenAI #Fascism #NoKings #NoKingsDayProtest #Democracy #Trump #WhiteHouse #TrumpBallroom #ICE #ICEraids #GavinNewsom #MAGA AUDIO CREDITSPresenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam FrançoisGuest: Tad StoermerSenior producer: Sara FarolfiProducer: Nadège BizimunguAssistant Producer: Poppy JacobsResearch: Leena KhanVideo Editor: Max BubnovAn MPWR Productions show.🎥 Click to watch. Subscribe for new episodes.❤️ Support independent journalism that tells hard truths.https://www.patreon.com/TheTeawithMyriamFrancois?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabkrbubUPKErSGVFGL5bzjQytkb9HanzeLQBUi8U-mU6g5aVSTqE5ej7sQ_aem_SO9ihK10zUz3TdyPOD2ngADisclaimer:The views and opinions expressed by the guest(s) on The Tea YouTube series and podcast are their own and do not reflect those of MPWR Productions or its licensees. The appearance of this YouTube programme and podcast on social media platforms does not imply endorsement by MPWR Productions. MPWR Productions disclaims any liability for damages arising from the use of the podcast and its recordings to the fullest extent permissible by law.This video is intended for informational and commentary purposes only and reflects the personal opinions of the guest and creators. The inclusion of public figures or journalists is based on publicly available information and does not imply guilt or wrongdoing.The views in this video do not establish a professional relationship with viewers and do not constitute legal, professional, or personal advice. Viewer discretion is advised. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“What we are seeing now is the naked face of power. And people are waking up to the fact that those in power no longer represent them”.In this searing new episode of The Tea with Myriam François, we are joined by author and journalist Fatima Bhutto to connect the dots between power and propaganda — and to explore how we can build resistance.Representative democracy is crumbling before our eyes, while dissent is being eroded and authoritarianism is on the rise. From the rising political violence to the legacy media’s complicity, and to the betrayal of feminist movements staying silent on Gaza, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.⚠️ What happens when journalism becomes propaganda?⚠️ Is there still any meaningful difference between left and right?⚠️ How has the feminist movement betrayed Palestinian women?⚠️ What is left of representative democracy?⚠️ What has Palestine become the litmus test for?⚠️ How can we build a movement of resistance?This is a sobering, unflinching conversation about empire, complicity, and the urgent need to resist.👉 Subscribe for more bold conversations: www.youtube.com/@UCT4kJCZyg26egbPAuJVj2kA 🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.AUDIO CREDITSPresenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam FrançoisGuest: Fatima BhuttoSenior producer: Sara FarolfiProducer: Nadège BizimunguAssistant Producer: Poppy JacobsResearch: Leena KhanVideo Editor: Max BubnovAn MPWR Productions show.🎥 Click to watch. Subscribe for new episodes.❤️ Support independent journalism that tells hard truths.https://www.patreon.com/TheTeawithMyriamFrancois?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabkrbubUPKErSGVFGL5bzjQytkb9HanzeLQBUi8U-mU6g5aVSTqE5ej7sQ_aem_SO9ihK10zUz3TdyPOD2ngADisclaimer:The views and opinions expressed by the guest(s) on The Tea YouTube series and podcast are their own and do not reflect those of MPWR Productions or its licensees. The appearance of this YouTube programme and podcast on social media platforms does not imply endorsement by MPWR Productions. MPWR Productions disclaims any liability for damages arising from the use of the podcast and its recordings to the fullest extent permissible by law.This video is intended for informational and commentary purposes only and reflects the personal opinions of the guest and creators. The inclusion of public figures or journalists is based on publicly available information and does not imply guilt or wrongdoing.The views in this video do not establish a professional relationship with viewers and do not constitute legal, professional, or personal advice. Viewer discretion is advised. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Palestine may be the frontline, but the war on truth and resistance is global.From militarised streets in America to the shattered ruins of Gaza, in this episode of The Tea with Myriam François we sit down with Bassam Haddad, founding director of the Middle East and Islamic Studies Program at George Mason University, to explore the collapse of liberal democracy, the rise of authoritarianism, and the deep connections between the escalating repression in the US and the ongoing genocide in Palestine.We dig into how disinformation, censorship and repression are increasingly being used to silence pro-Palestinian voices, and how both Democratic and Republican leadership have paved the way for today’s repression.As Israel loses the battle for public opinion, we examine its pivot to paid propaganda and the erosion of its victimhood narrative.We unpack:⚠️ How the Democrats “set the table” for today’s repression⚠️ The role of disinformation, AI, and tech censorship in silencing Palestine advocacy⚠️ What’s truly at stake in the current ceasefire talks⚠️ Why Israel is buying support to prop up its collapsing narrative⚠️ What the "axis of resistance" in the Middle East looks like today⚠️ What’s happening in SyriaThis is a sobering, unflinching conversation about empire, complicity, and the urgent need to resist.👉 Subscribe for more bold conversations: www.youtube.com/@UCT4kJCZyg26egbPAuJVj2kA 🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam FrançoisGuest: Professor Bassam Haddad Producer: Nadège BizimunguAssistant Producer: Poppy JacobsResearcher: Leena KhanVideo Editor: Max BubnovAn MPWR Productions show.🎥 Click to watch. Subscribe for new episodes.❤️ Support independent journalism that tells hard truths.https://www.patreon.com/TheTeawithMyriamFrancois?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabkrbubUPKErSGVFGL5bzjQytkb9HanzeLQBUi8U-mU6g5aVSTqE5ej7sQ_aem_SO9ihK10zUz3TdyPOD2ngA#TheTeaWithMyriamFrancois #BassamHaddad #Palestine # USPolitics #UKPolitics #MiddleEastPolitics #Censorship #AxisOfResistance #Syria #Genocide #StopTheGenocide #Resistance Disclaimer:The views and opinions expressed by the guest(s) on The Tea YouTube series and podcast are their own and do not reflect those of MPWR Productions or its licensees. The appearance of this YouTube programme and podcast on social media platforms does not imply endorsement by MPWR Productions. MPWR Productions disclaims any liability for damages arising from the use of the podcast and its recordings to the fullest extent permissible by law.This video is intended for informational and commentary purposes only and reflects the personal opinions of the guest and creators. The inclusion of public figures or journalists is based on publicly available information and does not imply guilt or wrongdoing.The views in this video do not establish a professional relationship with viewers and do not constitute legal, professional, or personal advice. Viewer discretion is advised. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“You're talking about women? That must mean you're an Islamophobe. You're talking about Muslims? It must mean you're an anti-Semite.”From the obsession with individual experience to the weaponisation of identity politics by right-wing and pro-Israel advocates, this episode of The Tea with Myriam François dives deep into the uncomfortable and urgent truths about identity politics today.Joining us is Ash Sarkar, author and senior editor at Novara Media, to unpack how the Left has been fractured by a focus on “identity”, and how identity politics has turned into a competition for victimhood – or worse, a tool wielded by those supporting genocide. Meanwhile, working-class solidarity lies in ruins.What if representation isn't progress — but the illusion of it? From Filipino content moderators to South Asian billionaires, this episode challenges the idea that shared identity means shared interest — and makes the case for a politics rooted in class, not optics.⚠️ Why has identity politics become a competition for victimhood?⚠️ Why is anti-racism so often used to silence dissent — especially on Palestine?⚠️ Who really benefits from diversity in “the C-suite”?⚠️ Can class-based unity rebuild what identity politics has broken? ⚠️ What are the pitfalls of DEI?⚠️ Who sets the news agenda — and who benefits from it?👉 Subscribe for more bold conversations: https://www.youtube.com/@UCT4kJCZyg26egbPAuJVj2kA 🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.https://www.patreon.com/TheTeawithMyriamFrancois?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabkrbubUPKErSGVFGL5bzjQytkb9HanzeLQBUi8U-mU6g5aVSTqE5ej7sQ_aem_SO9ihK10zUz3TdyPOD2ngA#TheTeaWithMyriamFrancois #IdentityPolitics #ClassVsIdentity #AshSarkar #DEI #LeftPolitics #LabourParty #Palestine #StopTheGenocide #AntiRacismDebate #YourParty AUDIO CREDITSPresenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam FrançoisGuest: Ash SarkarSenior producer: Sara FarolfiProducer: Nadège BizimunguAssistant Producer: Poppy JacobsResearch: Leena KhanVideo Editor: Max BubnovAn MPWR Productions show.Disclaimer:The views and opinions expressed by the guest(s) on The Tea YouTube series and podcast are their own and do not reflect those of MPWR Productions or its licensees. The appearance of this YouTube programme and podcast on social media platforms does not imply endorsement by MPWR Productions. MPWR Productions disclaims any liability for damages arising from the use of the podcast and its recordings to the fullest extent permissible by law.This video is intended for informational and commentary purposes only and reflects the personal opinions of the guest and creators. The inclusion of public figures or journalists is based on publicly available information and does not imply guilt or wrongdoing.The views in this video do not establish a professional relationship with viewers and do not constitute legal, professional, or personal advice. Viewer discretion is advised. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.