This week Iraqi Kurdistan voted for its independence from the state of Iraq. So far, Israel is the only country to have expressed support for their cause. Iraq called the referendum illegal and unconstitutional. Iran and Turkey are in agreement, conducting joint military drills, and implementing measures against the Kurds to thwart their attempt to form an independent nation state. Even the U.S. won't recognize the move (officially, at least). But as Erdogan put it this weekend, "What are they thinking?"

Meanwhile, today Catalonia plans to go ahead with its own independence referendum, despite strong statements and actions from Spanish authorities, including legal, police, and cyber measures taken to discourage or stop the vote.

Today on Behind the Headlines we'll be discussing these independence movements. When is it okay to secede? When is it not?

Join us live from 6-8pm CET (4-6pm UTC / 12-2pm EST), only on the SOTT Radio Network.

Running Time: 01:44:14

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As summer comes to an end and we enter the fall season we connect the dots in health news. We will discuss Iron - what is iron overload? Can high levels of iron contribute to disease? Also we will look at brown and white fat, what's the difference? Is one better than the other when it comes to wellness and disease prevention? New research has come to light about chronic inflammation fanning the flames of depression, can our diet really effect our mental state? And finally 'think before you ink', are there hidden health risks when it comes to tattoos?

Zoya joins us with another interesting pet health segment: 'Happiness and suffering. How to deal with daily struggles. And why we should choose our suffering and be happy about it.'

Running Time: 01:50:02

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Here's the transcript of the show:

The New World Order. Is it here? Is it on the way? What does the New World Order really mean? Leaving aside the conspiracy theory definition where a secret elite has been planning to replace nations states and install a 'one world government', a few notable 20th century politicians used the term (most of them from Western nations) to describe a new period of history characterized by a dramatic change in world political thought and the balance of power after the 20th century's 2 world wars.

That 'new balance of power' when referred to by Woodrow Wilson, Churchill and George HW Bush, was decidedly weighted towards the USA and its allies. Bush used the term along with Gorbachev to describe a post Cold War era and a spirit of co-operation between the 'Great Powers'. But in 1990, when Bush and Gorbachev made their speech, Russia was no longer a 'great power', and Bush felt comfortable qualifying the idea of 'co-operation' by saying "there is no substitute for American leadership". The post WW2 and post Cold War New World Order was in reality a euphemism for the 'New American Century' where America would reign supreme and unchallenged.

As we sit here in the year 2017 and look at the world around us, we see that America's vision for a NWO and New American Century is in shambles, with the architects of the American Empire reduced to setting fire (literally and figuratively) to countries in a futile attempt to stave off the moment of its complete collapse.

This week on BTH we'll be taking a look at the real new world order that is taking shape and how it radically diverges from the supposedly well laid plans of the Western political elite. We'll also be gazing into our crystal balls to predict what moves on the grand chessboard can be expected as the anglo-American empire builders grow increasingly desperate.

6-8pm CET (4-6pm UTC / 12-2pm EST), only on SOTT!

Running Time: 01:56:48

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In 2006, the movie Idiocracy was released. It depicted a dystopian society where advertising, commercialism, and cultural anti-intellectualism run rampant. Humans are devoid of intellectual curiosity, social responsibility, and coherent notions of justice and human rights. Humans are so dumbed down they communicate in slang, grunts and icons. Corporations control every aspect of life, the earth is covered in trash, the crops are dead and entertainment is juvenile and absurd.

Over the years the movie has been called a 'documentary' because it essentially depicts, in a humorous manner, the sign of the times. Join us as we discuss the similarities between this cult film and our world today. Are we living in an era of rampant stupidity? Is there any hope? Is there a field guide when it comes to dealing with stupid people? How do we identify and avoid - as much as possible - the often irreparable harm such people can inflict?

Running Time: 01:08:26

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Promises, promises. Trump is finally receiving decent coverage in the mainstream media, which is bad news because it likely means he has truly caved to the US 'deep state'. As 'bipartisanship' returns to Washington, it's all-systems-go for US foreign policy (which never really skipped a beat). Should we have expected any different outcome?

The 'Islamic State' between Syria and Iraq has all but ceased to exist, but the Endless War on of Terror continues to spread, recently taking new form in Myanmar. Uniformly presented as the 'plight of the poor Rohingya people' versus their 'evil Burmese oppressors', this week on Behind the Headlines we'll show how this latest conflict zone fits into the Endless War on Terror and the Bottomless Pit of US Hegemony.

Join us from 6-8pm CET (4-6pm UTC / 12-2pm EST) for critical context the MSM leaves out of its story-telling.

Running Time: 01:50:10

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The disease we now call AIDS burst onto the scene in 1981 after a group of gay males in New York City and Orange County were stricken with a rare type of pneumonia and sarcoma. A year later GRID (gay related immune deficiency) morphed into AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) and in 1984 the 'probable' cause of AIDS was named. It was called HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and the entire world recoiled in fear whilst subjected to a publicity campaign the likes of which had never been seen. According to HIV/AIDS researchers, everyone -- not just gay men and IV drug users -- is susceptible. The science was clear and to be diagnosed was a death sentence.

But is it? From the beginning there were disturbing questions raised regarding the shoddy scientific methods involved in identifying HIV and the unreliable testing parameters required for a definitive diagnosis. These questions were never fully answered by mainstream science and what we're left with is a morass of confusion, contradiction and of course, suffering and death. On this episode we dip our toes into heresy and denialism and ask the question: What if the HIV/AIDS hypothesis is just that -- a hypothesis?

Running Time: 01:23:31

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Here's the transcript of the show:

This week on Behind the Headlines we're taking in some of the wild weather currently rocking the planet. Not two weeks after Harvey pummeled the Texas coast, the Caribbean is recovering from an extremely powerful hurricane, and Florida's next in its sights.

Also this week, Mexico's strongest-ever earthquake coincided with the strongest solar flare in over a decade, as well as the impact of yet another hurricane. In the north of the continent, another record-breaking wildfire season - coming after record-breaking snowfalls last winter - just won't end.‌

In the meantime, this week's geopolitical earthquakes in and around northeast Asia saw BRICS nations strengthen economic ties and their positions on North Korea's nukes. Leading the way is another 'force of nature', Vladimir Putin, whose patience is paying off in Syria, where the last major ISIS stronghold of Deir ez Zor collapsed last week.‌

Join us this Sunday 3 September 2017 from 12-2pm EST (4-6pm UTC / 6-8pm CET) for the end of the world as we know it!

Running Time: 01:46:06

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Are you compelled to express yourself through writing, only to find that you just don't know how to begin or what to say? As the digital world encompasses every aspect of our lives we communicate our thoughts and feelings through text, emails, chats and on line discussions. When are we encouraged to express ourselves with the lost art of longhand? Have we completely lost touch with the pen and paper? How does writing benefit us physically, mentally and emotionally? Can there be cathartic benefits of writing? It is fundamental to learning, working memory, academic performance and addressing our deepest thoughts. Words can act as a medium for expression and a catalyst for clarity especially when dealing with trauma.

Join us on this episode of the Health and Wellness Show as we talk about the write stuff. How can we rekindle one of the most fundamental skills we learned as young children? How do we come back to the lost art and what are some tips to inspire us to get us back to the pen and paper?

And stay tuned at the end of the show for Zoya's Pet Health Segment where the topic is squish-faced doggies and the health problems they face.

Running Time: 01:20:51

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In the first half of today's show we're joined by author Robert Fantina to discuss the latest developments in Palestine and Israel, as well as the wider Middle East. Robert's latest book, published last month by Red Pill Press, is Essays on Palestine, a collection of his articles on Israeli apartheid, assaults on Gaza, international law, and how Israeli policies intersect with U.S. foreign policy and wider conflicts in the region. You can check out his work on his website: robertfantina.com.

In the second half of the show, we'll be discussing the floods left in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the illegal seizure of Russian diplomatic property in the U.S., and the strange series of U.S. destroyers hit by tankers, among other news.

Join us for Behind the Headlines on the SOTT Radio Network, 12-2pm EST (4-6pm UTC / 6-8pm CET) this Sunday 3 September 2017.

Running Time: 01:37:32

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Here's the transcript of the show:

Pharmaceutical companies and government agencies are furiously researching bio-electronic medicine or tiny implantable devices that interact with the body's natural electrical signals. Led by GlaxoSmithKline and DARPA, researchers wish to move far beyond heart pacemakers and employ devices the size of a grain of rice to interface with the peripheral nervous system to treat a host of diseases including epilepsy, Parkinson's, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity and more without the side effects of drugs or the pain of surgery. Other researchers propose microchipping drugs to track compliance and give real time feedback on the inner workings of the body.

This cutting edge science sounds promising and could technically work in some cases but is it too good to be true? Medical research is riddled with false promises, dashed hopes and epic failures. Considering DARPA's creepy experiments and the fact that Big Pharma has the opposite of the Midas Touch, do we really want to go down this road and give big business the power to control our bodies from the inside?

Stay tuned for Zoya's Pet Health Segment at the end of the show where the topic will be the pros and cons of microchipping your pet.

Running Time: 01:21:28

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Listen live, chat, and call in to future shows on the SOTT Radio Network!