Topic: Press Tv

The U.S. government hijacked the DNS of several Iranian news outlets, including PressTV.com, citing disinformation. This move is criticized as a dangerous precedent for government censorship that bypasses constitutional protections for news organizations.

Hong Kong's Apple Daily newspaper is shutting down following police raids and the freezing of its assets under the National Security Law. In a related media story, journalist Rania Khalek commented that the U.S. seizure of Iranian media domains would be viewed as an "act of war" if performed by another nation against the U.S.

Marzia Hashemi, a U.S. citizen and anchor for Iran's Press TV, was arrested by the FBI in St. Louis and detained as a material witness. The basis for her detention was not immediately disclosed, leading to concerns from the Committee to Protect Journalists. The segment links this to broader tensions between the U.S. and Iran, including visa restrictions for individuals who have visited the country.

Iran has officially banned importers from using the US dollar for base pricing, opting instead for the Euro and other national currencies. This move is framed as the primary reason for the increased hostility from the United States toward the Iranian regime. Historically, leaders like Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein faced intervention after attempting to ditch the dollar, suggesting Iran's currency policy is a high-risk geopolitical strategy.

A critique of KTVU and other news outlets for conflating the Barcelona terror attack with subsequent scuffles between far-right and anti-fascist protesters. The hosts argue that the media is manufacturing a narrative of "two sides" in Spain to mirror the political situation in the United States.

American journalist Serena Shim was killed in a suspicious car accident in Turkey shortly after reporting that Turkish intelligence had accused her of spying. Shim had been investigating the smuggling of militants into Syria using World Food Program trucks as cover.

The media analysis of Sandy Hook conspiracy theories includes claims of "false flag" operations intended to facilitate gun seizures. Some theories, reportedly promoted by outlets like Iran's Press TV, suggest Israeli Mossad involvement. The hosts point out a slip in Anderson Cooper's phrasing where he asked "how" rather than "why" Israelis would be involved, suggesting a deeper awareness of the theories than he admits.

The hosts debunk internet rumors linking the Sandy Hook and Aurora shooters' fathers to the LIBOR scandal. They also play a clip from Michael Harris on Iranian Press TV, who claims the Connecticut shooting was a "Zionist" revenge killing following UN recognition of Palestine.

A man named Stephen Joseph Christopher was arrested in Mississippi by the Secret Service for threatening to assassinate President-elect Barack Obama. The suspect's motives were reportedly tied to anti-Semitic conspiracy theories regarding Obama's cabinet appointments. The story was notably covered by the Iranian news outlet Press TV.