The Tea with Myriam Francois

If free speech is the foundation of a free society, what happened this week raises a disturbing question: are we sleepwalking into fascism?

Our guest this week, political commentator and founder of The Young Turks, Cenk Uygur, was barred from entering the UK, alongside Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, after criticising Israel, in a move that has sparked alarm over the future of free expression itself.

When does criticism of a state become "a question of public order"? Who gets to decide which opinions are acceptable? And why are some voices increasingly being shut out of public debate?
In this explosive episode of The Tea, Cenk joins us to discuss the power of pro-Israel lobbying networks, the campaign to conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism, and why Western governments are becoming increasingly hostile to dissenting voices.
Also in the show:
⚡ Israeli influence and pressure on universities
⚡ How TYT has become a target in the war over Israel criticism
⚡ Why the US can fund Israel’s wars but struggles with basic healthcare
⚡ Larry Ellison, media consolidation, and control of political narratives
⚡ How the history of Israel-Palestine is framed in mainstream media
⚡ After Iran: Is Turkey the “next threat”?
⚡ “Greater Israel” and the ideological battle over Zionism
⚡ Valentina Gomez and the framing of Israel criticism as extremism
⚡ New law linking US and Israeli military more closely
⚡ The role of lobbying and money in shaping US congressional priorities
As Cenk argues: Israel is not the root cause but a symptom of a deeper system—where money and influence shape policy, and multiple lobbies exert outsized power over democratic decision-making.
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AUDIO CREDITS
Presenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam François
Guest: Cenk Uygur
Senior Producer: Sara Farolfi
Producer: Nadège Bizimungu
Assistant Producer: Poppy Jacobs
Research: Sana Serrouk, Martha Missingham
Video Editor: Max Bubnov
An 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.

https://www.theteanetwork.co

America has learned nothing from its wars. Not Iraq. Not Afghanistan. Not 9/11. And now, with Iran, the cycle is repeating itself. For 23 years, Michael Scheuer served inside the CIA. In this week’s episode of The Tea, he joins us to pull back the curtain on what he calls America’s “imperial hubris” — a foreign policy driven by arrogance, endless intervention, and political capture.
From Israel’s influence on Washington to the failures of the War on Terror, Scheuer argues the US keeps repeating catastrophic mistakes — while the cost is paid in blood, instability, and permanent war.

“America is still trapped in a cult of World War II, acting as though it remains the unchallenged power of 1945, despite decades of global backlash.”
Also in the show:

⚡ 9/11, bin Laden & missed opportunities
⚡ Israel’s grip on US foreign policy
⚡ The CIA rendition program
⚡ Iran — another example of American hubris
⚡ Trump’s “anti-war” promises — and the reality
⚡ The business of war — and who benefits from endless conflict
⚡ The cost of being under Israel’s thumb
⚡ Sanctions as a failed policy
⚡ AIPAC’s deep influence on Congress and the Senate
⚡ Is America drifting toward another civil conflict?

“Trump’s words and actions are a reminder that we’re at the bottom of the barrel. How long can we keep voting for people who don’t do what they say they’re gonna do?”

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#TheTeaWithMyriamFrancois #MichaelScheuer #Trump2026 #USPolitics #Iran #CIA #Israel #Zionism #MiddleEast #news # #currentaffairs

AUDIO CREDITS
Presenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam François
Guest: Michael Scheuer
Senior Producer: Sara Farolfi
Producer: Sana Serroukh
Assistant Producer: Poppy Jacobs
Research: Constance Creswell
Video Editor: Max Bubnov
An 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.

https://www.theteanetwork.co

What happens when one of the most dangerous political theories of our time goes mainstream?

This week in San Diego, two teenagers opened fire at a mosque, killing three people, in an attack reportedly tied to a manifesto driven by “Great Replacement Theory”— the belief that immigrants, Muslims, and minorities are “replacing” white populations.

But San Diego is not an exception. From Christchurch and El Paso to Buffalo, the GRT has become the ideological spine of modern mass violence.
In this episode of The Tea, historian and bestselling author Ibram X. Kendi joins us to unpack how an extremist conspiracy theory evolved into one of the world's most influential political narratives.

The GRT transforms demographic change into an existential threat. It turns diversity into invasion, and violence into “defence.” So who is driving this shift — and whose interests are served by its spread?
Also in the show:

⚡ The origins of the GRT — from Renaud Camus to mainstream politics
⚡ The White House, “remigration,” and the normalisation of extremist rhetoric
⚡ GRT and the myth of “Judeo-Christian” that serves Israel’s agenda
⚡ Anti-racism and DEI — the corporate backlash against structural change
⚡ The rise of “Great Replacement” financiers and politicians
⚡ Tommy Robinson, Elon Musk, and the politics of hate
Kendi argues that confronting this ideology requires rejecting the zero-sum logic at its core. And recognising that shared humanity may be the only way to break the cycle of fear, division, and violence.
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#TheTeaWithMyriamFrancois #IbramXKendi #Islamophobia #IslamicCenter #SanDiego #GreatReplacementTheory #USPolitics #UKPolitics #news # #currentaffairs

AUDIO CREDITS
Presenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam François
Guest: Ibram X Kendi
Senior Producer: Sara Farolfi
Producer: Nadège Bizimungu
Assistant Producer: Poppy Jacobs
Research: Sana Serrouk, Martha Missingham
Video Editor: Max Bubnov
An 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.

AI is being sold to us as an oracle, objective, neutral, inevitable. But when corporations and governments present predictions as facts, what they often demand is obedience.

We’re living through a golden age of surveillance. As monitoring reaches levels once associated with totalitarian regimes, the question becomes unavoidable: how much surveillance can a democracy sustain before it ceases to be one?

This week on The Tea, Oxford Associate Professor Carissa Véliz, a leading voice on the ethics of AI, joins us to cut through the noise. AI isn’t just forecasting the future—it’s shaping behaviour, eroding accountability, and normalising control.

Our guest argues that the rise of authoritarian tendencies alongside digital technology isn’t a coincidence. Digital tech is inherently authoritarian. And while tech executives warn of jobless, dystopian futures, they’re also shaping that reality—then positioning themselves as the solution. Manufacture the fear, sell the cure.
Also in the show:
⚡ Surveillance at an unprecedented scale
⚡ AI prediction as the blueprint for control
⚡ The rise of the “uninsurable” individual
⚡ Big Tech resignations — principled exits or strategic PR?
⚡ AI in medicine — the hidden risk of overdiagnosis
⚡ Palantir, Anthropic, and warfare — where does accountability go?
⚡ AI as the “ultimate bullshitter”
⚡ When chatbots act human — the Air Canada case
⚡ AGI — genuine goal or marketing myth?
⚡ AI companions — a mirror of our delusions
⚡ The Online Safety Act — and why it may not protect children at all

Carissa argues that if we want to resist this trajectory, we need to look up from the screen. The more we obsess over AI, the more we neglect the real world—and the human relationships that anchor it.

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#TheTeaWithMyriamFrancois #CarissaVeliz #Profecy #AI #USPolitics #UKPolitics #Palantir #Anthropic #ChatGpt #news # #currentaffairs

AUDIO CREDITS
Presenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam François
Guest: Carissa Veliz
Senior Producer: Sara Farolfi
Producer: Nadège Bizimungu
Assistant Producer: Poppy Jacobs
Research: Constance Creswell, Martha Missingham
Video Editor: Max Bubnov
An 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.

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.

International law is supposed to be the final guardrail against impunity. So what happens when that system itself comes under attack?

From Donald Trump openly dismissing the very idea of international legal norms to unprecedented sanctions imposed on senior ICC officials, the message is unmistakable: international law applies — until it threatens power.

In this episode of The Tea, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan joins us for an exclusive interview on what happens when those tasked with enforcing justice become targets themselves.

Recently cleared of misconduct allegations, he now faces renewed scrutiny amid escalating political attacks. So what becomes of global justice when prosecutors, judges, and investigators are subjected to political and financial warfare for simply doing their jobs?

Also in the show:
⚡ The “Filton 24” — an unprecedented legal case
⚡ Escalation after October 7th — a genocide broadcast in real time
⚡ US sanctions and political pressure on ICC officials
⚡ David Cameron’s intervention — how far does interference go?
⚡ Sexual misconduct allegations —why the case remains open despite clearance
⚡ Lindsey Graham’s comments and the ICC bias
⚡ Nicholas Kaufman and Israeli-driven pressures on the Court
⚡ After the arrest warrants — will Netanyahu and Gallant ever face justice?

As Khan puts it, this is a defining moment for international justice: if the law bends to power, the result will be more conflict, instability, and suffering.

👉 Subscribe for fearless, independent conversations
🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts

AUDIO CREDITS
Presenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam François
Guest: Karim Khan
Senior Producer: Sara Farolfi
Producer: Nadège Bizimungu
Assistant Producer: Poppy Jacobs
Research: Constance Creswell, Martha Missingham, Iman Saleh
Video Editor: Max Bubnov
An MPWR Productions show.

#TheTeaWithMyriamFrancois #KarimKhan #ICC #ICCArrestWarrants #Israel #Netanyahu #Trump #USPolitics #UKPolitics #news # #currentaffairs #internationaljustice

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.