The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack

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Emma Ward is a disability rights activist, a freelance journalist, an Irish Traveller and a person with a disability. She is also unapologetically outspoken, mischievous, ambitious and just great to talk to.

She speaks about her struggles honestly and her passion to leave the world a better place than she found it. Her love of family, friends and community is obvious. As is her ability to get things done.

Song by Cabin proceeds to Ionad Hind Rajab:https://cabin-music.bandcamp.com/album/live-from-the-ivy-house

Latest Reboot Pod on the Rise in Evictions:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-153505035

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Author of Tax Haven Ireland, editor of the Irish Marxist Review and listener favourite, Dr Brian O'Boyle has written an excellent piece of analysis on the US-Israel war on Iran. He joins us to talk through the many narratives, underlying motivations and the overarching hegemonic battle central to these awful events.

MEP Lynn Boylan on Gaza, Iran and the EU: https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-153100794

Read the piece here:https://rebelnews.ie/2026/03/14/trumps-attack-on-iran-four-lessons-on-us-imperialism/

Support the Hind Rajab Centre here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/quick-thank-you-152402329

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Heba Zeineddin holds a Bachelors Degree in English language and Teaching Methods from Alaqsa University in Gaza. She shares details of her life of displacement and loss in Gaza, where she has displaced with her family, including brother who has a disability, to a tent 12 times. Her family’s home was destroyed. Now she is trying to get back to normal by teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers. She joins us from her tent in Gaza to tell her story. Tune in for the full story.

Trump's war on Iran podcast:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-153166120

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We have one very big podcast about two very important stories both covered superbly by freelance journalist and soon-to-be author, Tommy Greene. Both are a testament to good old fashioned journalism. Tommy explains how it’s taken almost 8yrs to get some traction with the case of NHS Whistleblower, Dr Chris Day and then we get into the latest for-profit suggestions regarding Lough Neagh, Stormont's inaction and the PR interview given by the Lord of Shaftesbury.

Note: C4 updated their piece to credit the work of Tommy

NHS Story:https://www.livpost.co.uk/a-doctor-takes-on-the-nhs-and-its-liverpool-law-firm/

Lough Neagh latest: https://thedetail.tv/articles/lough-neagh-future-plans-wind-farms-carbon-credits

The Immigration Reality Podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-152732273

Latest PalCast with Heba Zeineddin in Gaza is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-152695708

Donate to the Hind Rajab Centre here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/152402329

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With over 250 journalists killed in Gaza since Oct 7th 2023, there is no more dangerous place in the world to be reporting the news. The threat of death hangs over the journalist and their families.

Joining us is Issam Adwan, who is a Palestinian researcher whose work bridges international media, grassroots activism, and academic inquiry. He has worked as a journalist for global outlets including The Associated Press and Al Jazeera English, providing frontline coverage and investigative reports from Gaza during times of crisis. He joins us to discuss his displacement, the choices he had to make as a journalist and his views on the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran.

The Immigration Reality Podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-152732273

Latest PalCast with Heba Zeineddin in Gaza is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-152695708

Donate to the Hind Rajab Centre here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/152402329

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Davy Adams has lived many lives, from becoming a loyalist paramilitary, to go on to contribute to the initial ceasefire agreement and subsequent Good Friday Agreement and then to carry out another lifetime of humanitarian work in places like Syria, Sudan and Sierra Leone.

He joined me to talk about his bottom-up view on conflict, his take on the US-Israel war on Iran and why despite all the horrors he's seen, he remains hopeful. An unremarkable looking remarkable man is Wee Davy.

The ICE and Forever War podcast with Greg Stoker is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-150904626

Support the Ionad Hind Rajab here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/ionad-hind-rajab-150782129

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It’s all a bit mad at the moment, so it was a salve for the soul to sit down and chat with Palestinian photo-journalist from Gaza, Eman Mohamed. She describes growing up in a matriarchal household, going to a convent school and falling in love with photography.

We discuss her life outside of Gaza, in the US and now in Ireland. I loved this conversation and I hope you will too.

See emanmohammed.com for more

The ICE and Forever War podcast with Greg Stoker is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-150904626

Support the Ionad Hind Rajab here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/ionad-hind-rajab-150782129

For more please visit AFSC.org

Ahmed Alnaouq grew up in Gaza and is the cofounder of We Are Not Numbers. 21 members of his family were killed in one Israeli airstrike during the ongoing genocide.

'During the ethnic cleansing of the Nakba 76 years ago, Palestinians took it upon themselves to immortalize their stories, documenting these massacres in writing. But, the old did not die, and the young did not forget, as Zionist leaders wrongly assumed they would. Palestinians, within the confines of their prison in Gaza, are once again writing their stories and recording history.'

To purchase Displaced in Gaza click:https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2620-displaced-in-gaza

All proceeds got to We Are Not Numbers in Gaza.

Production by Tony Groves @ the tortoise shack

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Editors Note: I’d recommend watching this interview in order to get a sense of the reality in Gaza right now.

Muhammad Almassarey holds a PhD in Business-Management (Entrepreneurship) from UUM- Malaysia. He wrote 60% of his thesis during the genocide from Gaza. He shares with us the journey of getting his PhD from a tent in Gaza and how acts of solidarity allowed him to achieve his goals, despite all challenges and having been displaced 10 times after losing his home.

He literally rescued his PhD thesis from under the rubble, repeating “There is tomorrow and it will be better.” Tune in for the full story.

Palestinian photo journalist Eman Mohammed joined us for a BIG chat. It's out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-151378526

Support the Ionad Hind Rajab here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/ionad-hind-rajab-150782129

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack

Editors Note: This podcast was recorded shortly before the Green Party won the UK by-election

Prof Richard Murphy is one of the best commentators and analysts of the UK’s politics, economy and societal challenges. His own blog and output reaches millions of people every month. Which makes the fact that he is a tortoise shack regular all the more remarkable. We love having him and this is him at his frank speaking (Starmer, Polanski, SNP etc) best.

Note: Richard also discusses his diagnosis with Autism as an older person and how that affects (even more) his views on the UK government’s “changes” on special needs education.

Palestinian phot journalist, Eman Mohammed joined us on the latest podcast out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-151378526

Support the Ionad Hind Rajab here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/ionad-hind-rajab-150782129