DeProgram with Ted Rall and Jamarl Thomas

Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou deprogram you from mainstream media every weekday at 9 AM EST. Today we discuss: • Japan is threatening China militarily which is "completely unacceptable", Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says, after Chinese jets aimed radar at Japanese aircraft. China has blamed Japan for sending aircraft to repeatedly approach and disrupt the Chinese navy. • Powerful Senate President Hun Sen vowed that Cambodia would carry out a fierce fight against Thailand as a second day of widespread combat drove tens of thousands of people to flee border areas. Is full-scale war at hand? • 200,000 people have fled eastern Congo in recent days, as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels march on the strategic lakeside town of Uvira on the border with Burundi, and battling with Congolese troops and local groups known as Wazalendo. Scores have been killed. Here, too, we’re on the watch for full-fledged war.• A bid by Paramount Skydance Corp. for Warner Bros. Discovery is backed by notable investors like Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the Qatar Investment Authority and a less known player, Abu Dhabi’s L’imad Holding Co., founded recently and fully owned by the government. If TikTok is a matter of national security, how about this?

Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou deprogram you from mainstream media every weekday at 9 AM EST. Today we discuss: • WarSec Hegseth declares an age of American “utopian idealism” over under the new National Security Strategy, demanding that U.S. allies fend for themselves, and called for a more conciliatory approach to China. • Oral arguments in SCOTUS over Trump v. Slaughter, which will likely strip independence from agencies have regulated American monetary policy and stock trades, transportation systems and election campaigns, consumer product safety and broadcast licenses. • Thailand bombed Cambodia in what it claimed was retaliation, leaving a peace plan presided over by Trump in danger of collapse. • “I’ll be involved in that decision,” Trump says about Netflix buying Warner Bros for $82 billion. Will he scuttle this monopoly?

LIVE 9:00 am Eastern time, Streaming Anytime:Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou deprogram you from mainstream media every weekday at 9 AM EST. Today we discuss: • The death from exposure to a rare, military-grade nerve agent called a Novichok in Britain of Dawn Sturgess, 44 and a British mother of three, seven years ago, illustrates the consequences of letting spies run amok. A perfume bottle containing the poison had been discarded by a pair of Russian operatives after using it in an attempted assassination months earlier. A new report blames Putin. • Zelensky’s government systematically sabotages oversight, creating the perfect opportunity for corruption. Ukraine has stacked oversight boards with loyalists, leaves seats empty or stalled them from being set up at all. Leaders in Kyiv even rewrote company charters to limit oversight, allowing hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars to be stolen. • Congress is focusing on two deaths in one boat strike. But 9 other people died in that same attack, and the United States has killed 87 in all. Were any of those killings legal? • 55% disapprove/42% approve of Trump’s job performance. Much of his loss is among political independents; 31% approve, down from 41% in July. The president has also lost support among men, particularly white, college-educated men. Can he right the ship?Chicago Tribune cartoonist Scott Stantis fills in for John today.

Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou deprogram you from mainstream media every weekday at 9 AM EST. Today we discuss: • Admiral Mitch Bradley tries to explain himself to Congress today. As Trump claims each boat bombing saves 25,000 American lives, the man Hegseth blames for the double-tap strike is on the hot seat. Meanwhile, Signalgate is blowing up. Will this weekend mark the end of the former Fox News Weekend host? • Israel is opening the Rafah border crossing to Egypt. Egypt says it doesn’t know anything about it. It will help sick and injured Gaza’s get medical care. But is this the beginning of Israel’s plot to ethnically cleanse and annex Gaza? • Vladimir Putin to visit Narenda Modi in India to boost trade.

Pressure mounts on Pete Hegseth as he faces backlash over a controversial boat incident, raising questions about accountability. Republicans are betting against voter anger over rising healthcare costs due to expiring Obamacare subsidies. Meanwhile, Belgium grapples with the dilemma of seizing Russian assets for Ukraine while seeking legal indemnity. In schools, the rise of deepfake 'nudifying' software poses a crisis for students, with humiliating AI-generated images circulating. Legal consequences for such AI abuses are increasingly severe.

Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou deprogram you from mainstream media every weekday at 9 AM EST. Today we discuss: • Sudan’s military government has offered Russia what would be its first naval base in Africa and an unprecedented perch overlooking critical Red Sea trade routes, reports the WSJ. • Negotiations between the U.S. and Ukraine focused on where the de facto border with Russia would be drawn under a peace deal. Russian President Vladimir Putin — who will meet with President Trump's envoy today — wants the entire Donbas region. • A lawsuit by an immigration judge fired by Trump has the potential to scramble the federal workforce and upend foundational civil rights laws. She says she was dismissed because of her gender, her status as a dual citizen of Lebanon and the fact that she once ran for municipal office in Ohio as a Democrat, all in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the First Amendment. The government has responded by arguing that the president's power to oversee the executive branch under Article II of the U.S. Constitution essentially overrides that core civil rights law.• A small, highly anticipated study shows a glimmer of hope in the long effort to control HIV without medication and search for a cure for a virus that attacks immune cells. In six participants, the virus rebounded slowly and stayed at a low level for months, and one person’s immune system kept the virus in check for more than a year and a half.

Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou dive into shocking allegations about a Pentagon 'double tap' strike on survivors after a bombing in the Caribbean. They grapple with whether such actions constitute a war crime, raising questions about legality in a non-declared war. The discussion shifts to Trump's ultimatum to Maduro and the complex motivations behind U.S. pressure on Venezuela. Finally, they explore how rising electricity costs from AI data centers might ignite political unrest, drawing parallels with food price concerns.

The Pentagon's investigation into Senator Mark Kelly sparks debate on free speech and military obedience. The hosts dive into shifting European attitudes toward Russia as concerns grow over military preparedness. They also analyze RFK Jr.'s public image amid scandal, along with the U.S. response to conflicts in Sudan and Venezuela. Trump's healthcare proposal faces resistance within his party, and the instability within both major political parties is explored, questioning the future led by figures like Trump.

Marjorie Taylor Greene has resigned from Congress, sparking discussions about her future and implications for MAGA. The hosts explore the ongoing Geneva talks regarding Ukraine, and how these developments could affect the Russo-Ukrainian War. They also delve into the abrupt shutdown of Doge, debating its fallout and legal repercussions. Additionally, they examine rising tensions in Japan and the broader impact of political loyalty within the GOP. Finally, reflections on recent notable passings add a poignant touch to the conversation.

A U.S. military delegation arrives in Kyiv, promoting a controversial 28-point peace plan with Russia. Meanwhile, President Zelensky faces a $100 million corruption scandal involving a key ally, sparking public outrage and political upheaval. The discussion dives into whistleblower accountability and the risks of political assets going rogue, highlighting past intelligence failures. With a potential ceasefire on the horizon, the hosts explore the implications for Ukraine's future and the quest for unity amidst turmoil.