The Global South-led organization BRICS continues to expand, adding 9 partner countries in January 2025, after admitting 4 new members in 2024. The group now makes up roughly half of the global population and more than 41% of world GDP (PPP). It's an economic powerhouse, with top producers of key commodities like oil, gas, grains, meat, minerals, a…

Syrian rebel commanders have admitted that the US military helped them overthrow the government of Bashar al-Assad. NATO member Turkey and Israel played a key role as well. Ben Norton reviews the evidence.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qicLi6kqt7MTopics0:00 Intro0:41 US troops occupy Syria's oil & wheat fields2:56 US military oversaw Syrian…

Did Israel and the United States win the Syria war? What about NATO member Turkey? Were Iran and the Axis of Resistance defeated? Political economist Radhika Desai discusses with Mohammad Marandi, a professor at the University of Tehran.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za2HfCFbHt8This is part of the show Geopolitical Economy Hour. You can wat…

After helping to overthrow leader Bashar al-Assad, Israel destroyed Syria's military capabilities and is seizing territory, annexing the Golan Heights and occupying more land. The Al-Qaeda-linked Salafi-jihadist rebels who now rule Syria, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have allowed Israel to do this. HTS leader (and former Al-Qaeda chief) Abu M…

South Korea's US-backed President Yoon Suk Yeol launched a coup attempt, but failed. He tried to provoke war with North Korea by attacking with drones, hoping to justify imposing martial law, but the DPRK showed restraint. Ben Norton analyzes the geopolitics of the crisis, addressing NATO, China, Japan, and more.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch…

The Syrian government was overthrown, and Salafi-jihadist rebels led by a rebranded version of Al-Qaeda called Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took power in Damascus. US President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu boasted of helping topple Bashar al-Assad. NATO member Turkey played a key role as well. Ben Norton explains how the West dealt a m…

While the United States provokes conflicts across the world, China has promoted economic development, lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, building infrastructure, and encouraging win-win cooperation. Political economists Radhika Desai and Michael Hudson are joined by Beijing-based scholar Mick Dunford to discuss the significance …

The United States spent billions over years arming and training militants in Syria, many linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS. The extremist "rebels" who took over Aleppo (and rule Idlib) said they "love Israel". Ben Norton documents the Western dirty war on Syria, and how Washington is trying to divide and conquer the anti-colonial Axis of Resistance in We…

As the NATO-Russia proxy war in Ukraine escalates, the US Army is funding research on "the impacts of nuclear weapons on farm systems" in Eastern Europe. Numerous scientific studies warn that this would cause a nuclear winter that would starve billions and kill off the majority of the human population. Ben Norton discusses the extreme dangers.VIDEO…

To defend their colonialism in Gaza, the United States and Israel have attacked every single legal institution upholding international law, including the UN, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Criminal Court (ICC), and more. Ben Norton explains how the imperial war on Palestine is a neocolonial assault on multilateralism an…

The Western alliance is divided over Israel, after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, charging him with crimes against humanity in Gaza. The United States is threatening sanctions. Ben Norton discusses the severe political crisis in the "rules-based order".VIDEO: https://www.youtub…

US politicians and media outlets complain about China's growing global influence, but offer no alternatives to help countries develop. China has the world's largest economy, produces inexpensive manufactured goods everyone wants, invests trillions in infrastructure, and doesn't interfere in internal affairs of foreign nations. Ben Norton compares w…

To run the US military in his second term, Donald Trump has nominated as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a neoconservative self-declared "crusader" who is eager for a Western civilizational war on China and Iran. Ben Norton reviews the extremely hawkish history of the Fox News host turned likely Pentagon chief.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v…

Donald Trump has appointed neoconservative Marco Rubio to oversee US foreign policy as secretary of state. Ben Norton reviews his extremely hawkish record pushing for war on China, Iran, and beyond, as well as the Florida senator's shady support for his drug lord brother-in-law, Orlando Cicilia, who was imprisoned for trafficking $15 million in coc…

Donald Trump has nominated warmongering neoconservatives to run his foreign policy, including Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, Mike Waltz as National Security Advisor, Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary, John Ratcliffe as CIA Director, and Elise Stefanik as UN Ambassador. Ben Norton reports on their extremely hawkish views.VIDEO: https://www.youtu…

How will the return of Donald Trump as US president affect the world? What will his foreign policy and economic strategy be? Ben Norton explains.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJQKIwe2BYoTopics0:00 Intro0:33 Summary of Trump's foreign policy10:44 Neocons in Trump's cabinet14:41 China18:48 Tariffs & trade with China24:47 US dollar & re-indus…

Donald Trump won the 2024 US presidential election in a landslide. Why did Kamala Harris lose so badly? Ben Norton explains the failure of the billionaire-funded Democratic Party to provide an economic alternative to the billionaire-funded Republicans' pseudo "populism", as working-class people suffer.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSBi0m5x…

Billionaire BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said it “really doesn’t matter” who wins the US presidential election, because both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will be good for Wall Street. Ben Norton shows how the United States is not a democracy but rather an oligarchy, in which big corporations buy politicians and lobbyists create policies.VIDEO: https:…

For the 32nd year, the entire world voted at the UN General Assembly to demand an end to the illegal US embargo against Cuba. The USA and Israel opposed the international community in a vote of 187 to 2. Ben Norton explains why the US empire has waged such a vicious economic war on Cuba for six decades.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTX4zSf…

BRICS plans to transform the international monetary and financial system, and discussed policies at the 2024 summit in Kazan, Russia. Can it successfully challenge the dominance of the US dollar? Political economist Radhika Desai is joined by Ben Norton and former central banker Kathleen Tyson, author of the book "Multicurrency Mercantilism".VIDEO:…

BRICS held a summit in Kazan, Russia in October 2024, where 13 new "partner nations" were accepted. This followed the 2023 meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, where several members were invited to join. Ben Norton analyzes the historic events, and shows how the Global South is building a more multipolar world.BRICS MEMBERSHIP (9 members + 13 par…

The US dollar is gradually losing its dominance, and foreign central banks are buying fewer Treasury securities, instead holding more gold in their reserves, warns Mohamed El-Erian, a mainstream American economist. Ben Norton discusses how countries are seeking financial alternatives, especially Global South nations around BRICS.VIDEO: https://www.…

BRICS plans to challenge US dollar dominance and transform the international monetary and financial system by developing infrastructure for cross-border payments using local currencies. Russia made a detailed proposal for the October Kazan summit. Ben Norton analyzes the report, explaining how the US-dominated financial system benefits rich Western…

Countries across the Global South are denouncing Israel's Western-backed genocide in Gaza. Nicaragua's Sandinista government cut off diplomatic relations with Israel, condemning it as a "fascist" regime. Ben Norton discusses how Latin America is demonstrating solidarity with the Palestinian people, rebelling against the West's neocolonialism and im…

Israel enjoys bipartisan support from both the Democratic and Republican Parties in Washington, as it brutally bombs Gaza, invades Lebanon, and attacks Iran, Syria, and Yemen. Ben Norton shows how Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, JD Vance, Tim Walz, and other US politicians facilitate Israel's war crimes, which are being investigated by the …

The United States and Israel are waging war across West Asia (the Middle East), attacking Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, Syria, Yemen -- all at once. Ben Norton analyzes the imperialist interests driving the violent chaos in the region.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO1UHJUCSCIYou can find a back-up of our videos at https://rumble.com/GeopoliticalEco…

The Western powers in NATO are desperately delusional on Russia, and getting more so on China, argue political economists Radhika Desai and Michael Hudson. They are joined by scholar Glenn Diesen to discuss the war in Ukraine, disaster in Europe, and farewell speech by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y…

Israel has killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who defended Lebanon's sovereignty, helped to defeat ISIS and Al-Qaeda, protected Christians, and fought against Israeli colonialism and military occupation. Ben Norton explains.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxYAn-Ci4jETopics0:00 Israeli colonialism in Lebanon & Palestine1:10 Diplomats w…

Israel is bombing Lebanon, with staunch US support. An Israeli minister vowed that "Lebanon will be annihilated". Ben Norton analyzes the colonial war, explains the origins of Hezbollah, and provides historical context.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoyuwuXFG2cTopics0:00 Israel is waging war on Lebanon1:19 ICC accuses Israeli officials of c…

Israel killed many people in Lebanon by putting explosives in pagers and walkie-talkies, in what was condemned internationally as a terrorist attack. This is already backfiring, hurting Western technology companies. Ben Norton discusses how this act of war will fragment supply chains, as Global South markets no longer trust tech made by the US and …

Cold War Two fervor is reaching fever pitch in Washington. In "China Week", the US House of Representatives approved 25 anti-Chinese laws, in bipartisan votes, including $1.6 billion in funding for anti-China propaganda worldwide. Ben Norton discusses how both the Republican and Democratic Parties are targeting China with information war, sanctions…

The vast majority of the world voted at the UN General Assembly to demand an end to Israel's unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory within 12 months, with 124 countries (64%) in favor, 14 (7%) against, and 43 (22%) abstentions. Ben Norton analyzes the geopolitics of the vote, and how the US and most of the West is violating international law.…

Ukraine is "sitting on a trillion dollars worth of minerals that could be good to our economy", said US Senator Lindsey Graham as he stood next to Zelensky in Kiev. Ben Norton discusses how Western politicians and corporations want to exploit Ukrainian natural resources, to profit and to weaken the role of China and Russia in critical supply chains…

Donald Trump has threatened that, if he comes back as US president, he will impose 100% tariffs on countries that drop the dollar, trying to cut off their trade. Ben Norton discusses how this will accelerate the global dedollarization movement, incentivizing more nations to join China, Russia, and BRICS in seeking financial alternatives.VIDEO: http…

What are central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and why are banks on Wall Street lobbying against them? Could they be an alternative for average people, or would they create even more problems than they solve? Political economist Radhika Desai is joined by legal scholar Robert C. Hockett to discuss CBDCs, central banks, the Federal Reserve, and t…

The same week France arrested Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, the "President of the Rich" Emmanuel Macron stole the 2024 election, refusing to allow the left-wing New Popular Front that won to form a new government, instead appointing a new prime minister from a right-wing party that got 6% of the vote. Ben Norton discusses how Western "democracies" are …

A top Israeli military official admitted the war on Gaza is only possible thanks to US support and arms supplies. Ben Norton explains how Israel is an outpost of the US empire in a key geostrategic region. As Joe Biden said, "Were there not an Israel, the United States of America would have to invent an Israel to protect her interest in the region"…

Can the US central bank, the Federal Reserve, really stop inflation? Or is it more committed to inflating asset price bubbles for the rich? Political economists Radhika Desai and Michael Hudson discuss the Fed's monetary policy, and its implications for average working people.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAtx2vDJkM8You can read the transc…

The United States government has imposed sanctions on more than one-third of countries on Earth, including over 60% of poor countries. Ben Norton documents how Washington's economic warfare is deadly in nations like Venezuela, Cuba, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. It is also fragmenting the global financial system, as China and Russia create alternatives. V…

While EU leaders push to escalate the proxy war on Russia, and Ukraine invades Kursk region, polls show many Europeans want peace talks for a negotiated settlement, and oppose sending more weapons. Ben Norton looks at the evidence.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTVawAEUoDQTopics0:00 Intro0:30 Ukraine is desperate1:37 Ukraine invades Russia'…

US Big Tech corporations are like the feudal landlords of Medieval Europe. These Silicon Valley monopolies own the digital land that the global economy is built on, and are charging higher and higher rents to use their privatized infrastructure. Ben Norton explains.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf1wQ9QeaKMSources and more information here:…

The US government supported protests that overthrew Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. New interim leader Muhammad Yunus has been cultivated by Washington for decades. Ben Norton discusses the geopolitical reasons for the regime change; the roles of India, China, and Russia; and the Pentagon's desire to build a strategic military base on Sa…

According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the US has allowed athletes in international competitions, including the Olympics, to use prohibited drugs, recruiting them as informants to spy on others. Ben Norton discusses the geopolitics of sports and the blatant hypocrisy of the US agency USADA, which constantly criticizes Russia and China.VI…

The stock market crashed on August 5, in a new "Black Monday". What caused it? Is the USA on the verge of a new financial crisis? Ben Norton is joined by economist Michael Hudson to discuss the extreme volatility, AI / Big Tech bubble, Japanese yen carry trade unwind, Chinese economy, and geopolitical dangers.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=…

How does the structure of the international financial system cause a drain of wealth from the poor to the rich? Political economists Radhika Desai and Michael Hudson discuss the politics of debt.VIDEO (with the charts): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Bu9dHGRpmERead the transcript (with the charts) here: https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/debt-politi…

As part of a new coup attempt in Venezuela, the US has recognized opposition leader Edmundo González as supposed president, after Trump tried to impose puppet Juan Guaidó in 2019. The State Department cited only US government-funded sources to accuse President Maduro of "electoral fraud". Ben Norton shows how misleading - and hypocritical - Washing…

The USA and its allies in Latin America have refused to recognize the results of Venezuela's elections, as far-right opposition extremists try to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro, with the help of billionaire oligarch Elon Musk. Ben Norton documents the many US-backed coups since Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez came to power and launched the Boliva…

Why has the US constantly tried to overthrow Venezuela's leftist government, backing coup attempts against Presidents Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro? Ben Norton analyzes the role of Venezuela's large oil reserves and natural resources; socialist system; anti-imperialist foreign policy; partnership with China, Russia, and Iran; and key role in build…

While the US and Europe have invaded and colonized countries around the world, China and Russia have helped the Global South develop and resist Western imperialism, argues Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega, leader of the Sandinista Revolution. Ben Norton reports.VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8waJIQTKD4…

Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega blasted Western support for Israel in its war on Gaza and asked, if a state of Palestine is not allowed to exist, why should the US be allowed to exist? He was joined at the 45th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution by Palestinian ex guerrilla Leila Khaled, who denounced imperialism and neocolonialism. Ben No…