Last week's UK general election result has apparently taken the establishment there by complete surprise, with Theresa May's Conservative Party losing the small majority it held before the election. The only surprise for us was that Corbyn didn't 'do a Trump' and become the next PM. As that country continues its lurch from political crisis to political crisis, we'll look at some of the many emergent contradictions thrown up by this and other recent elections and referenda in the UK and beyond.

The bombshell news last week was the apparently sudden decision of Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries to cut diplomatic relations with their erstwhile ally Qatar, and impose what effectively amounts to an economic blockade on the small Persian Gulf country. Next thing we know, 'ISIS' has massacred people in Iran's parliament. Where the heck did this come from?! Hint: funding of Islamist terrorism has - in a sense - nothing to do with it.

Meanwhile terrorists are on the run in Syria, where Syrian state forces are making advances across the desert (in spite of US airstrikes against them from across Syria's borders). But just as one head of the Islamist terror hydra is beaten, another rears its heads in the Philippines, where 'ISIS' is apparently expanding its control beyond the southern city of Marawi.

Running through all these threads is 'ISIS', that ragtag bunch of jet-setting headchoppers that somehow always manages to intervene in and influence world events of major importance.

Join us today on Behind the Headlines from 4-6pm UTC (6-8pm CET, 12-2pm EST) for more of the real story behind the 'War on Terror'.

Running Time: 02:04:07

Download: MP3

In case you haven't noticed yet, the environment on our planet seems to be mirroring the extreme levels of chaos and violence playing out at the human level. This May, massive (and often 'unprecedented') flooding once again caused widespread devastation across the planet.

Extremely late snow fall from the USA to Europe to China caused serious problems for people and the food on which they rely, as did large and damaging hail storms.

Tornados, wildfires, water spouts, whirlpools, dust storms, volcanic eruptions, weird animal activity, and much more, made this May just one more extremely alarming month on planet earth.

Ever since Jeremy Corbyn won his leadership challenge last year (which was actually an attempted coup organized by former leader Blair and the British establishment) by more votes than in his first Labour Party leadership contest victory in 2015, I've thought that if May called a snap election, he'd win it. The wind of change is with him, no doubt about it. Forget the polls; Corbyn is drawing larger crowds than Blair did 20 years ago, and that monster's 'New' Labour party won the '97 election by a landslide. Theresa May, meanwhile, shrank from public sight in recent weeks, refusing even to participate in TV debates, while hardly anyone showed up at her campaign rallies.

A 'populist' Corbyn victory for an 'Old' Labour party in the UK would be the latest in a series of political earthquakes across the West in recent years. The non-stop bleating in the UK media about how 'unelectable' Corbyn is has proven to be inversely proportional to a.) just how popular the man is, and b.) just how much most people despise the entrenched elites. People who've never shown an interest in politics before, much less voted, are getting behind the plain-talking, plain-dressing Corbyn.

So, all other things being equal, this is Corbyn's election to lose. What needs to be taken into account, however, is the amount of vote rigging the British security services may be willing to risk. Everything is at stake for them at this time: Brexit, Scottish independence, Irish reunification; you can bet that all lights are flashing red in GCHQ, Whitehall, St James' Palace and the Foreign Office. The United Kingdom's very existence as such is in question, the country's international alliances are in flux, and 'democratic regime change' threatens from within.

The 'coincidences' and connections have been coming thick and fast over the past few days. Blink and you'll miss them, so I recommend keeping an eye on Sott.net's daily analysis.

First we had the London bridge terror attack, just two weeks after the Manchester bombing and just a week before what are perhaps the most crucial UK general elections in a generation.

In the last few days we were treated to the farcical spectacle of Qatar being 'outed' as a jihadi terrorism sponsor by arch jihadi terror sponsor, Saudi Arabia. That's pretty much the same as McDonalds accusing Burger King of selling junk food, so there's obviously more to this 'spat' than meets the eye (or the mainstream media are reporting). Coming just a couple of days after the jihadi terror attack on London Bridge, the timing of the Saudi accusation was apparently meant to convey the message, 'blame Qatar, not us!'

The virus of postmodernism appears to be peaking as an outbreak of liberal delusions flood the United States. The 2016 US presidential election unleashed the Great Liberal Hysteria and there are no signs of it letting up. An unhinged frenzy is being set loose among college campuses, entertainers, and politicians. This past week we've seen everything from Kathy Griffin's bizarre claims of being a victim after her ISIS-inspired Trump gaffe, to the Evergreen State shutdown, to the continually pathetic antics of Hillary Clinton ranting about Russians under her bed (and Macedonians too!).

Meanwhile the geo-political world continues to be rocked as Trump pulls out of the Paris Climate Agreement and snubs NATO colleagues at the Brussels summit. What will the ramifications be? The UK election circus is competing with the US to be the most ridiculous, oh, and ISIS has unleashed an invasion of Philippines.

Tune in to Behind the Headlines this Sunday June 4 from 6-8pm CET (4-6pm UTC, 12-2pm EST) for the scoop.

Running Time: 01:56:49

Download: MP3

The birth control pill was introduced in the US in 1960 and now over 100 million women worldwide use this method of birth control. It's widely hailed as a landmark for feminism and women's reproductive freedom but is there a dark side? Despite its widespread use for nearly 60 years and fact that it is considered safe, hormonal birth control has a frighteningly long list of side effects -- some of them deadly.

On this episode of the Health and Wellness Show we discussed the history of birth control and contraception as well as the hormonal, physical, and mental havoc they can wreak (including some you wouldn't expect). Don't take that pill! There are safe and natural alternatives.

Join us for our lively discussion and stay tuned for Zoya's Pet Health Segment where she talks about detoxification for pets.

Running Time: 01:45:11

Download: MP3

Dear Diary, I can't show this letter to the innocent people of America and the world, so it's just between you and me. Imagine the shock and the outrage if I say that we have to embrace Islamic terrorism! The average person doesn't understand what's at stake and how sometimes the elites need to rely on "controlled chaos" for the greater good.

Islamic terrorists are wonderful instruments for proxy wars - they cost very little but fight fearlessly. They are a global resource that can be brought into any local conflict. They are also expendable - we use them when convenient and kill them when inconvenient.

If this shocks the conscience of people, it just means they haven't been paying keen attention. Consider the following examples:

• Thomas Friedman of The New York Times wrote that we shouldn't attack ISIS in Syria; and we should even consider arming ISIS to overthrow Assad
• John Kerry admitted, "U.S. tried to use ISIS to force Assad into negotiations."
• Israeli military chief explained, "Israel prefers ISIS to Assad"
• Israeli defense minister recounted, "ISIS never intentionally attacks us; and when it happened once, ISIS apologized immediately." Hello!
• Hillary Clinton wrote, "Saudi Arabia and Qatar fund and arm ISIS."
• Joe Biden, Gen. Martin Dempsey, Gen. Wesley Clark all have stated that US allies in the Middle East arm and fund Al Qaeda and ISIS.
• Several State Department cables have clearly laid out how Saudi Arabia is the #1 source of funding for terrorism around the world - not just in the Middle East.

Ever wonder why we never go to war against or impose sanctions on these sponsors of terrorism? Heck we don't even condemn them! What goes through a reader's mind when they see an article titled Accepting Al Qaeda that is published by Council on Foreign Relations - the think tank behind US foreign policy? Or when Hillary Clinton's chief foreign policy advisor wrote to her, Al Qaeda is on our side?

I can give many more such examples, but let's hop on the time machine for a moment.

Traditional values refer to those beliefs, moral codes, and social mores that are passed down from generation to generation within a culture, subculture or community. Their subject matter usually includes that of family, community, religion, and art. And, although each culture has its own definition of traditional values, there appear to be universal principles that are based on experience, and that were created in order to maintain the integrity of societies comprised of a wide range of people with different personalities and interests and to prevent a descent into social chaos.

Taking it further, this visceral knowledge is, at least in part, shaped by evolution. It is also shaped by various psychological and psychopathological phenomena via the interaction between our subjective consciousness - individually and as a species - and the 'real world' throughout time.

The recent terror attack in Manchester has once again brought into focus the problem of alleged 'radical Islam' in Europe. The mainstream media is content to parrot the official government line that these attacks are carried out by young men radicalized by 'Jihadi groups' bent on the destruction of Western society and values and the institution of sharia law. But that contention is obviously over-simplistic and fails to inform the public about the close ties that British and other Western governments, politicians and intelligence officials have had with the very same xtremist Muslim groups that claim responsibility for the attacks.

Long-term Polish-American geopolitical grand master, Zbigniew Brzezinski died yesterday. A quote attributed to him reads:

"For America, the chief geopolitical prize is Eurasia... America's global primary is directly dependent on how long and how effectively its preponderance on the Eurasian continent is sustained..."

In this single statement, lies the explanation for everything from Trump's rise to power and the Russiophobia that has gripped the West over the past few years to the rise of China, terror attacks and wars in the Middle East and beyond.

Tune in this week as we analyze the current state of the world, how we got here and where we are likely going.

Running Time: 01:36:24

Download: MP3


Here's the transcript of the show:

From the day you're born until the day you die, touch is a vital component of humans' emotional and physical health. Touch is a means of communicating compassion and trust. It recharges the immune system, aids in babies' growth, reduces stress, stimulates oxytocin and dopamine, and lowers blood pressure and heart rate. Plus, as an added bonus, it feels great! Yet many of us suffer from a touch deficit and are deprived of the essential contact that helps us bond with others.

On this episode of the Health and Wellness Show we'll discuss the importance of platonic touch, including hugs, cuddles, massages and Reiki. A wise psychologist once said, "We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth." Hopefully, this show will help you meet your touch quota!

Stay tuned for Zoya's Pet Health Segment where the topic will be the benefits of having a pet.

Running Time: 01:32:36

Download: MP3


Here's the transcript of the show: