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On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Max Blumenthal, a bestselling author, senior editor of Grayzone Project, and co-host of the podcast “Moderate Rebels,” whose latest film is “Killing Gaza.”

Washington is home to literally hundreds of think tanks. These quasi-academic institutions are supposed to be a home for subject matter experts to think the big thoughts, write important papers and books, and, perhaps to influence policy. But the truth isn’t that simple. Most think tanks are financed by special interests like defense contractors, foreign governments, and partisan billionaires. Very few Americans realize the impact these groups have on our government and on our politics.

Beyond Nuclear with Kevin Kamps is Loud & Clear’s regular Wednesday segment. The hosts and Kevin look at nuclear issues, including weapons, energy, waste, and the future of nuclear technology in the United States. Kevin Kamps, the Radioactive Waste Watchdog at the organization Beyond Nuclear, joins the show.

Israelis and Palestinians traded fire today along the border with Gaza, as the two sides engaged in ceasefire talks. But even as the talks took place, Palestinians fired rockets into Israel and the Israeli military responded by bombing 25 sites in Gaza. Brian and John speak with Ali Abunimah, the co-founder of The Electronic Intifada and author of the book “The Battle for Justice in Palestine.”

The Treasury Department today levied new sanctions on six Iranian nationals and three Iran-based entities, including Ansar e-Hezbollah, the Hanista Programing Group, and the notorious Evin Prison. The hosts look at what this means in the broader context of US sanctions on Iran. Dan Kovalik, a human rights and labor lawyer who is the author of “The Plot to attack Iran,” and Mohammad Marandi, an expert on American studies and postcolonial literature who teaches at the University of Tehran, join the show.

Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko was reported killed in Ukraine, and investigators had been looking for his killer. But today at a press conference about his death, Babchenko appeared—alive. Investigators say they were looking for people who were threatening him by faking his death. Brian and John speak with Mark Sleboda, an international affairs and security analyst.

The Canadian government announced yesterday that it would buy Kinder Morgan’s Trans-Mountain Pipeline for $3.5 billion, hoping to save a project that has met with strong political and environmental opposition. Alison Bodine, a member of the Fire This Time Movement for Social Justice and of Climate Convergence - Metro Vancouver, joins Brian and John.

According to a new filing today, federal prosecutors are poised to receive more than 1 million files from the three cell phones of President Trump’s personal attorney, Daniel Cohen. Federal investigators already have access to more than 300,000 pages of documents seized from Cohen’s office. The filing was made by a special master, appointed to protect information subject to attorney-client privilege. But is that even possible in an investigation of this magnitude? Daniel Lazare, a journalist and author of “The Frozen Republic,” “The Velvet Coup,” and “America's Undeclared War,” joins the show.