Daily Archives: August 17, 2019

2019-08-17: News Headlines

The Canary (2019-08-17). Sudanese protesters sign transition deal with army. thecanary.co Sudan's army and the country's pro-democracy movement have signed a final powersharing deal at a ceremony in the capital Khartoum.The move paves the way for a transition to civilian-led government following the overthrow of president Omar al-Bashir in April.Sealing the deal established a joint military and civilian council to rule for a little over three years until elections can be held.A military leader will head the 11-member council for the first 21 months, followed by a civilian leader for the following 18.Pro-democracy supporters headed to the capital Khartoum to celebrate (AP)The agreement will also establ…

The Canary (2019-08-17). Hong Kong teachers' rally kicks off another weekend of protests. thecanary.co School teachers in Hong Kong are marching to the official residence of the city leader as another weekend of protests got under way.An overflow crowd rallied at a public square in the financial district before setting off for Government House, carrying signs that read "Protect the next generation" and umbrellas to ward off intermittent downpours.Teachers say they want to show their support for the protesters, many of whom are students.Pro-democracy protesters wait to cross a road during a march (Vincent Yu/AP)They said the government should answer the protesters' demands and stop using what they called police vio…

RT (2019-08-17). Snopes roasted after posting 'study' claiming 28% of Republicans think Babylon Bee articles are real. rt.com "Fact-checking" site Snopes has been vindicated in its decision to fact-check satire by a study proving people (especially Republicans) often mistake satirical site Babylon Bee for real news. Or has it? Claim rated: mostly false.

Jeff Cohen (2019-08-17). Memo to Mainstream Journalists: Can the Phony Outrage; Bernie Is Right About Bias. commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, speaks during the second night of the first Democratic presidential debate on June 27, 2019 in Miami. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_sanders_7.jpg

WSWS (2019-08-17). German Greens prepare for participation in government. wsws.org Fourteen years after the failure of the first Social Democrat-Green Party government, the Greens are being considered as a viable party of government in Germany once again.

Jessica Piper (2019-08-17). The Democratic field shrinks as Hickenlooper heads back to Colorado. nationofchange.org Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper announced the end of his presidential run Thursday, becoming the second major candidate to drop out of the still-massive Democratic primary field. | Once discussed as a potential running mate for Hillary Clinton in 2016, Hickenlooper failed to gain traction in the crowded Democratic primary field. Through the end of the second quarter, he raised just $3.1 million, and he had less than $900,000 cash on hand to ke…

Sam Spiegel (2019-08-17). Vigil for Democracy Art Projections on SF Federal Building. indybay.org SF Federal Building (Side) | 1140 Mission St | San Francisco, CA 94103…

Staff (2019-08-17). States Sue Trump Administration for Going After Low-Income Green Card Holders. truthout.org | | In November 2018, as the Trump administration ramped up plans to radically change public charge rules—which deem whether an immigrant or would-be immigrant is likely to end up a cash-burden to the state and thus be ineligible for permanent residency—the city of Baltimore sued the administration to prevent the change and protect its immigrant population. Three months later, the administration sought to g…

CA Democratic Progressive Caucus (2019-08-17). Strategy Meeting: Pass the DNC Resolution for a Presidential Climate Debate. indybay.org Parc 55 Hotel, Ballroom | 55 Cyril Magnin Street | San Francisco, CA 94102…

Juan Cole (2019-08-17). After Tlaib and Omar Are Barred by Netanyahu, Why Would Any Self-Respecting Democrats in Congress Do the AIPAC Tour Again? commondreams.org House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) speaks in Washington, D.C. on April 9, 2019. (Photo by Alex Edelman/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/steny_hoyer_0.jpg

WSWS (2019-08-17). Facial recognition technology and identity politics. wsws.org The Democrats are seeking to channel mass opposition to the wholesale invasion of privacy into a campaign to regulate and "equalize" facial recognition technology.

WSWS (2019-08-17). Tlaib agrees to Israeli terms, then reverses herself on West Bank visit. wsws.org The events of the past two days have provided a fresh demonstration of the cowardice of the Democratic Party and the absence within it of any principled opposition to Donald Trump's authoritarian agenda.

Fight Back (2019-08-17). The Hong Kong protests are an attack on socialism. fightbacknews.org There's a tendency among progressives in the United States to support big crowds of people protesting in other countries. No doubt, the corporate media assists in this process by labelling certain movements 'pro-democracy' or 'freedom fighters.' | But not all protests or marches are progressive, even if they attract large crowds. The Tea Party movement in the U.S., for instance, brought out hundreds of thousands of angry small business owners and shrill middle-class professionals. They were far from spontaneous demonstrations, however; big business orchestrated this giant spectacle to advance its own class intere…

Khubaka, Michael Harris (2019-08-17). Inaugral Teff Day helps prepare for California Addis Ababa Sister State. indybay.org "California Grown" Teff Field Trials – A Taste of Africa at UC Davis will showcase the global commercial opportunity of our ancient super grain of antiquity.

RT (2019-08-17). Tulsi Gabbard lists political correctness among threats to American values. rt.com Widespread efforts to silence speech deemed to be offensive threaten US constitutional rights, Democratic presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard says. Her latest campaign ad takes aim at the hot-button issue of political correctness.

RT (2019-08-16). Democrats accuse Israel of implementing 'Trump's Muslim ban' over Omar-Tlaib block. rt.com Rep. Ilhan Omar has accused Israel of implementing US President Donald Trump's "Muslim ban" by denying her entry, to cheers of Democrats happy to denounce Trump, but raised eyebrows from conservatives and Israelis.

Staff (2019-08-16). Trump Tweets, Then Netanyahu Bans Reps. Ilhan Omar & Rashida Tlaib From Israel. therealnews.com Jim Zogby and Phyllis Bennis discuss the Trump-Netanyahu dynamic, the diminishing power of AIPAC, and the political battle against Rep. Omar and Rep. Tlaib…

Aaron Maté (2019-08-16). Trump starves Venezuela, Democrats are silent. mronline.org The Trump administration is intensifying its economic warfare on the people of Venezuela with a crippling embargo—and facing no resistance from the Democratic Party. | Source

The Canary (2019-08-16). Council withdraws threat of legal action against cyclists at cafe. thecanary.co The threat of legal action against cyclists gathering at a cafe in a small hamlet has been dropped.Velolife was set up on the site of an old pub as a cafe and bike workshop in 2016 by entrepreneur Lee Goodwin in Warren Row in Berkshire.The cafe was championed by the likes of former Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman and Team Ineos rider Chris Lawless after it was slapped with restrictions on cycle meets following noise complaints.Local cycling clubs were threatened with enforcement action by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead for allegedly using the cafe's car park as a starting point for meets. | A joint st…

Staff (2019-08-16). Bernie Sanders Fires Back at Netanyahu and Israel. truthdig.com In a new interview with MSNBC, the Vermont senator calls the decision to bar two U.S. congresswomen from entering the country an "outrage."

Staff (2019-08-16). The Washington Post's Anti-Sanders Bias Is Irrefutable. truthdig.com Bernie Sanders has taken to calling out corporate media for their anti-progressive bias, and their feathers have gotten quite ruffled. | In a campaign event Monday in New Hampshire, Sanders told the crowd: We have pointed out over and over again that Amazon made $10 billion in profits last year. You know how much they paid in taxes? You got it, zero! Any wonder why the Washington Post is not one of my great supporters, I wonder why? New York Times not much better. | The next day, he returned to the same point: And then I wonder why the Washington Post, which is owned by Jeff Bezos, who owns Amazon, doesn't write pa…

Stephen Lendman (2019-08-16). US Waging Wars on Multiple Fronts: Cold Wars, Hot Wars, Economic Wars, Propaganda Wars … globalresearch.ca Supported by both hawkish wings of its war party, the US is waging hot wars, cold wars, economic wars, financial wars, trade wars, anti-social justice wars, anti-human rights wars, anti-democracy wars, propaganda wars, sanctions wars, tariffs wars, protest wars, homeland …

Staff (2019-08-16). What's Really Behind Trump's Israel Tweets. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's encouragement and support of Israel's decision to ban two Democratic lawmakers may play well to his political base, but it could endanger the foundations of the U.S.-Israel relationship in the longer term. | The move on Thursday to bar Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota from Israel fueled a partisan fire over the Jewish state that has been raging in the United States, with Trump eagerly fanning the flames. | On Friday, though, Israel's interior minister, Aryeh Deri, said he had received and granted a request by Tlaib to enter the Israeli-occupie…

Nozomi Hayase (2019-08-16). The Prosecution of Julian Assange Affects Us All. counterpunch.org With the indictment of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and the imprisonment of whistleblower Chelsea Manning, we are seeing the US government's blatant attack on the First Amendment. This assault now is officially acknowledged by a US federal court, where the judge dismissed a Democratic National Committee (DNC) civil suit against WikiLeaks on the grounds of More

Staff (2019-08-16). To Defeat Fascism, We Must Dismantle Capitalism. truthdig.com "The Terror of the Unforeseen" | A book by Henry A. Giroux | Henry A. Giroux's book "The Terror of the Unforeseen" analyzes the conditions that have enabled and led to Donald Trump's rule and the consequences of that rule, which have ushered in an authoritarian version of capitalism. Giroux provides a realistic analysis that holds out the hope that, through collective efforts, change is possible and democracy can be saved. | There is an intellectual debate on whether or not the power wielded by the likes of Trump, Nigel Farage, Marine Le Pen, Viktor Orbán, Matteo Salvini, Geert Wilders, Heinz-Christian Strache, o…

United Nations (2019-08-16). Displaced by DR Congo violence, survivors' testimonies highlight brutality of armed militia. un.org Two months since hundreds of thousands of people fled violence in north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN humanitarians warned on Friday that armed militia continue to make their safe return impossible.

Ed Sykes (2019-08-16). Push for 'real reform' honours pro-democracy protesters massacred in Manchester 200 years ago. thecanary.co 16 August 2019 marks the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre in Manchester, when UK authorities murdered civilians campaigning for democracy. And campaign groups today are marking their deaths with a continued push for "real reform". | Continuing the battle of Peterloo: | Mike Leigh, director of the film Peterloo, previously called the 1819 massacre "a defi…

Susan Miller (2019-08-16). That Debacle at the Border is Genocide. counterpunch.org Prepared text for at talk at Cornbread and Beans, Norman, Oklahoma. (August 9, 2019.) I'm grateful for the invitation to speak to you. I'm a Democrat and the child of Democrats, and lately, I'd vote for the yellow dog. I believe that what I'm going to talk about today is central to our mission and values More

teleSUR (2019-08-16). DRC: New Drug 'Cures' Two Ebola Patients, Brings Hope to Nation. telesurenglish.net A new drug completely "cured" a pair of Ebola patients in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, supporting doctors' claim that seeking immediate treatment can save lives. | RELATED: | Rwanda Closes Border with DRC to Control Ebola Outbreak | "These cases were detected very quickly. The husband was infected, he was at home for 10 days and his wife and son were infected," said Congolese National Institute for Biomedical Research director and the virus's co-discoverer Dr. Jean-Jacques Mu…

John Nichols (2019-08-16). Bernie Sanders Is As Frustrated as Ever With Corporate Media. thenation.com Bernie Sanders Is As Frustrated as Ever With Corporate Media…

The Canary (2019-08-16). Corbyn says 'it's not up to Jo Swinson to decide who is PM' amid leadership row. thecanary.co Jeremy Corbyn has struck out at Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson after she rejected his plan to lead an emergency government to thwart a no-deal Brexit.The Labour leader said: "It's not up to Jo Swinson to decide who the next prime minister is going to be" after she rejected his proposal to force a general election. | Ms Swinson was under increasing pressure to back Mr Corbyn's suggestion that included forcing out Boris Johnson in a vote of no confidence and securing an extension to the Brexit deadline beyond October 31. | But she maintained her stance that he was not the right politician for the job, despite a…

Staff (2019-08-16). The Great Land Robbery: How Federal Policies Dispossessed Black Americans of Millions of Acres. democracynow.org Over the 20th century, black people in the U.S. were dispossessed of 12 million acres of land. Half of that loss — 6 million acres — occurred over just two decades, from 1950 to 1969, a period largely associated with the civil rights struggle. This mass land dispossession, which affected 98% of black agricultural land owners, is part of the pattern of institutional racism and discrimination that has contributed to the racial wealth gap in the United States. Many of the driving forces behind this land theft were legal and originated in federal policies, as documented by Vann Newkirk, staff writer at Th…

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2019-08-16). Bernie Sanders Leads 2020 Democratic Field Among College Students: Poll. commondreams.org "We are going to build a nationwide movement of young people to create a government and an economy that work for all of us," Sanders said in response to the survey | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bernie_sanders_17.jpg

Staff (2019-08-16). What Is Israel Trying to Hide? Reps. Tlaib & Omar Blocked from Taking Official Trip to West Bank. democracynow.org Israel sparked outrage Thursday when it banned two freshman Democratic congresswomen of color — Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota — from entering the country. Following outcry from Democratic leaders and Palestinians, Israel granted permission for Tlaib to enter the country on "humanitarian" grounds to visit her family in the West Bank — though Tlaib said Friday she will not visit her family under such conditions. Israel originally denied entrance to Tlaib and Omar after President Donald Trump tweeted, "It would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep. Omar and Rep.Tl…

Staff (2019-08-16). Headlines for August 16, 2019. democracynow.org Israel Bars Reps. Omar & Tlaib from Official Trip to West Bank Due to Their Support for BDS, 11 Die in Kashmir as Pakistani & Indian Troops Exchange Fire, U.S. Puts Pressure on Crew of Iranian Oil Tanker Seized in July, North Korea Test-Fires Two Missiles as It Rejects New Talks with S. Korea, NOAA: July Was Officially the Hottest Month on Record, Australia Accused of Watering Down Pacific Island Climate Agreement, Study: Surge in Methane Gas Emissions Is Linked to Fracking Boom, 270 Die, 1 Million Displaced in India from Heavy Monsoon Rains, Federal Court: Trump Admin Can't Deny Soap & Toothpaste to Migrant Chil…

Paul Rockwell (2019-08-15). Aloha from Dr. Martin Luther King and Tulsi Gabbard. mintpressnews.com "Aloha," says Gabbard, "is a powerful force that motivates us to take action for the well-being of others and our country." In King's famous words, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but bends toward justice." Gabbard seeks to bend the arc of history away from war toward peace.

Akela Lacy (2019-08-15). 26-Year-Old Gun Violence Prevention Activist Is Taking on 26-Year Incumbent Rep. Bobby Rush. theintercept.com A 26-year-old organizer in Chicago is mounting a primary challenge to Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., who has been a member of Congress for 26 years. | Robert Emmons, whose best friend, high school classmate, and freshman roommate was shot and killed in 2015, is making gun violence prevention a cornerstone of his campaign. The Windy City experiences gun violence at alarming yet not uncommon rates, as compared to other metropolitan areas — but the number of fatal shootings is in some ways unique to Chicago, where Emmons's 21-year-ol…

Julie Hollar (2019-08-15). Here's the Evidence Corporate Media Say Is Missing of WaPo Bias Against Sanders. fair.org Bernie Sanders has taken to calling out corporate media for their anti-progressive bias, and their feathers have gotten quite ruffled. | In a campaign event Monday in New Hampshire, Sanders told the crowd: We have pointed out over and over again that Amazon made $10 billion in profits last year. You know how much they paid in taxes? You got it, zero! Any wonder why the Washington Post is not one of my great supporters, I wonder why? New York Times not much better. | The next day, he returned to the same point: And then I wonder why the Washington Post, which is owned by Jeff Bezos, who owns Amazon, doesn't write…

RT (2019-08-15). Russians everywhere! Biden aide cries 'spy plane' about normal treaty flight over US. rt.com A routine Russian flight to Hawaii under the Open Skies treaty has been invoked by a former senior Obama administration official to stir up panic among the 'Russiagate' holdovers, proving some conspiracies just refuse to go away.

Aaron Maté (2019-08-15). Top scientist denounces smears of Tulsi Gabbard on Syria. thegrayzone.com Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been smeared as an Assad apologist for her efforts to end the US-backed proxy war and…

Robert Mackey (2019-08-15). As Warren and Sanders Swiftly Condemned Israel for Barring Congresswomen, Pelosi and Biden Hesitated. theintercept.com Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders were quick to criticize Israel for blocking Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar. Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden took more time.

Dilip D'Souza (2019-08-15). India's Government Has Undermined the Very Essence of Federalism and Democracy. thenation.com India's Government Has Undermined the Very Essence of Federalism and Democracy…

Elie Mystal (2019-08-15). Steve King Is Racist, Misogynist—and Not that Different From Other Republicans. thenation.com Steve King Is Racist, Misogynist—and Not that Different From Other Republicans…

Staff (2019-08-15). Headlines for August 15, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Administration Moves to Seize Iranian Tanker Held in Gibraltar, Chinese Paramilitaries Mass on Hong Kong Border as Pro-Democracy Protests Continue, Dow Jones Plunges 800 Points on Fears of Looming Recession, Study Finds CEO Pay Increased 1,000% Since 1978 While Wages Stagnated, Facebook Hired Hundreds to Listen In on Users' Audio Messages, Mexico City Police Officers Suspended over Rape of Two Teenagers, Italian Court Allows Rescued Migrants to Disembark as Hundreds More Remain Stranded at Sea, NBC News: ICE Now Jailing 8,000 Migrants in Mississippi, Louisiana, Federal Court Weighs Fate of Protected Status…

Eds. (2019-08-14). Tulsi Gabbard vs Google goliath. mronline.org Tulsi Gabbard was the most-searched person on Google during the first debate—so the giant corporation shut down her account. | Source

Staff (2019-08-14). Hong Kong Protest Withdraws From Airport, but Situation Remains far From Normal. therealnews.com The mostly leaderless movement for Hong Kong's democratization withdrew from the airport, allowing flights to resume, but the situation remains unresolved as long as protesters and government fail to come to an agreement on reforms. We speak to Sean Starrs in Hong Kong…

Fight Back (2019-08-14). Philippines: On the proposal to revive the Anti-Subversion Law. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following August 14 statement by Jose Maria Sison, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Chief Political Consultant. | The proposal of General Ano, secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government, is one more manifestation of the frenzied drive of the tyrannical Duterte regime to impose a thoroughgoing fascist dictatorship on the people in a vain attempt to end the armed revolutionary movement as well as the broad legal opposition through red-tagging, harassments, threats, abductions and murders. | In line with the Duterte tyranny, the most vi…

Timothy Malone (2019-08-14). Fetishisizing White Supremacy. dissidentvoice.org "White Supremacy" has captured the nation's attention. On August 3, a white supremacist mass shooter left 22 dead in El Paso. On Wednesday August 7, presidential candidates Joe Biden and Corey Booker made speeches referencing White Supremacy. That same day, Fox host Tucker Carlson announced he is 'going on vacation,' after claiming that White Supremacy …

Staff (2019-08-14). "A Narco State Supported by the United States": How Crime & Corruption in Honduras Fuel Migration. democracynow.org We speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Sonia Nazario, who has closely detailed why migrants from Central America are fleeing their homes in an attempt to seek asylum in the United States. Earlier this year, Nazario spent a month in Honduras documenting how corruption and gang violence are forcing many people to flee. Her piece, "Pay or Die," ran in The New York Times, where she is a contributing opinion writer.

Staff (2019-08-14). "River of Fire": In New Memoir, Sister Helen Prejean Reflects on Decades of Fighting Executions. democracynow.org The Trump administration is moving ahead with plans to resume the death penalty after a more than 15-year moratorium. This week Attorney General William Barr proposed fast-tracking executions in mass murder cases, and last month ordered the execution of five death row prisoners beginning in December. The federal government has executed just three people since 1963 — the last being in 2003. The death penalty is widely condemned by national governments, international bodies and human rights groups across the world. Experts say capital punishment does not help deter homicides and that errors and racism in the…

Staff (2019-08-14). "Give Us Your Rich": Immigration Reporter Says Trump Admin Is Changing "Wholesale" Who Gets into U.S. democracynow.org "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" Those are the words of Emma Lazarus inscribed on the Statue of Liberty. But this week, acting Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services Ken Cuccinelli attempted to rewrite the poem to make a case for limiting immigration to the United States. He told NPR's Rachel Martin on Tuesday that the Statue of Liberty's message is "Give me your tired and your poor, who can stand on their own two feet and who will…

Gary Leupp (2019-08-13). MSNBC and the Next Election: Racism is the Issue. dissidentvoice.org After Donald Trump unexpectedly won the 2016 election, the Democrats and the mainstream media they shape sought to explain the disaster as a result of Russian meddling. Such meddling, which had been alleged for months, was documented in an (unconvincing) intelligence report prepared by the lame-duck Obama administration, made public Jan. 6, 2017; Congress followed …

Ryan Grim (2019-08-13). The Kochs Funded Third Way to Push Free Trade to Democrats, New Book Says. theintercept.com Koch Industries secretly financed a 2007 report by Third Way titled "Why Lou Dobbs is Winning" — to promote the free trade agenda to liberals.

Julie Hollar (2019-08-13). Media Defend Biden by Attacking Dems for 'Attacking' Obama. fair.org Coming out of the second round of Democratic debates, a curious storyline crystallized in the media: The candidates are attacking Obama, and that's a sure-fire way to hand the election to Trump. It's the latest flavor of "the Democrats are moving too far left" (FAIR.org, 7/2/19)—this time echoing both Trump himself and the right-wing Democratic candidates, including former Obama Vice President Joe Biden. | During the first debate, Rep. John Delaney pitched the story, claiming, "Most of the folks run…

Bill Blum (2019-08-13). Unequal Justice: John Roberts' Dark Legacy of Voter Suppression. progressive.org Plaintiffs are litigating voting rights cases in Alabama, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, and several other states. Some will succeed, some will fail, but all will be more uncertain and expensive thanks to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

susan_p (2019-08-13). Indian left condemns dismantling of Jammu and Kashmir. greenleft.org.au self-determinationIssue 1233 India 2019 Indian occupation of KashmirThe following joint statement was issued by Indian left parties on August 5, condemning the dismantling of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the assault on India's Constitution, democracy and federalism. | *** | The Modi government has dealt a severe blow t…

Staff (2019-08-13). How to Be an Antiracist: Ibram X. Kendi on Why We Need to Fight Racism the Way We Fight Cancer. democracynow.org In his new book, "How to Be an Antiracist," professor Ibram X. Kendi urges readers to break out of the false framework of "racist" and "not racist," instead laying out what it means to be antiracist: viewing racial groups as equals and pushing for policies that create racial equity. Kendi says, "We can't just talk about racism as an original sin. We have to talk about racism as the original cancer, as this original disease that has been killing America."

Staff (2019-08-13). Ibram X. Kendi: IQ Tests, SAT Scores and Other "Intelligence" Tests Propagate Racism. democracynow.org Author and professor Ibram X. Kendi joins us to discuss his new book, "How to Be an Antiracist." He talks about the racist development of intelligence tests that blatantly discriminate against people of color under a veneer of scientific objectivity. "Even when we talk about antiracism, when most people think of who needs to be an antiracist, they think of Southerners. They think of people who voted for Trump," says Kendi. "They don't think of people who are advocating for the maintenance of these tests, which are denying access to some of the best schools in New York City to black and Latino kids."

Staff (2019-08-13). "Today the Lynch Mob Only Needs an Assault Rifle": Ibram X. Kendi on White Supremacist Violence. democracynow.org This week marks two years since white supremacists descended on Charlottesville, Virginia, where a neo-Nazi drove his car into a crowd of antiracist protesters, killing 32-year-old activist Heather Heyer. Days later, President Trump claimed there were "very fine people on both sides." Since Charlottesville, white supremacists have committed at least 73 murders, according to the Anti-Defamation League. Just last week, a white supremacist in El Paso, Texas, opened fire in a crowded Walmart and killed 22 people. It's been described as the deadliest attack to target Latinos in modern American history. We speak with D…

Staff (2019-08-13). Headlines for August 13, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Announces New Rule to Limit and Penalize Low-Income Immigrants, Trump Slashes Endangered Species Act, Hong Kong Protesters Shut Down Airport for Second Day, Flooding, Landslides Kill Hundreds Across South and Southeast Asia, Ebola No Longer "Incurable" After Success of Experimental Treatments, Reports: Director of Mexican Migrant Shelter Kidnapped, Racist Border Patrol Agent Who Intentionally Ran Over Guatemalan Man Pleads Guilty, Friend of Dayton Shooter Says He Bought and Stored Gun Parts and Ammunition Used in Massacre, WaPo Editor Responds to Sanders Claim That Paper Writes Negative Stories Because of A…

Aída Chávez (2019-08-12). Former Beto O'Rourke Organizers Rally Behind New Texas Senate Candidate. theintercept.com In April, Becky Bond and Zack Malitz left Beto O'Rourke's staff, less than a month after they'd helped the former Senate candidate rake in $6 million in the first day of his presidential campaign. It was seen, at the time, as a strategic shift for O'Rourke — away from the "big organizing" vision that drove his unexpectedly impactful 2018 Senate run. Now, Social Practice, the firm created by Bond and Malitz, who also worked on Sen. Bernie Sanders's 2016 campaign for president, is turning its "big organizing" vis…

Max Blumenthal (2019-08-12). Cómo los planes de privatización de Joe Biden condenaron a Latinoamérica y desataron la crisis migratoria. thegrayzone.com En su campaña, Joe Biden se ha jactado de su papel en la transformación de Colombia y Centroamérica a través…

Aaron Maté (2019-08-12). Trump starves Venezuela, Democrats are silent. thegrayzone.com The Trump administration is intensifying its economic warfare on the people of Venezuela with a crippling embargo — and facing…

Staff (2019-08-12). Hong Kong Grounds Flights as Mass Sit-in Shuts Down Airport After Weekend of Protests. democracynow.org All departing flights were grounded as chaos engulfed the Hong Kong International Airport Monday, after thousands of pro-democracy protesters filled the travel hub to protest police brutality. Many eventually left the airport, fearing threats of more police action, but hundreds of activists remain. The latest escalation follows a weekend of bloody clashes between the police and protesters. Confrontations turned especially violent on Sunday night as riot police fired tear gas inside a subway station and were filmed beating protesters with batons. Meanwhile, Beijing has escalated its rhetoric against the protesters…

Staff (2019-08-12). "The Next Step Is the Kremlin": Why Moscow Protests Have Putin's Government Worried. democracynow.org Up to 60,000 protesters gathered Saturday in Moscow in the largest demonstration Russia has witnessed in years. Although the protest was officially authorized, dozens of protesters were arrested in the capital, and dozens more were also arrested in demonstrations across the country. Saturday's protest was organized to denounce the recent barring of opposition candidates from running in an upcoming election for Moscow City Council. We speak with Nina Khrushcheva, professor of international affairs at The New School. She is the co-author of "In Putin's Footsteps: Searching for the Soul of an Empire Across Russia's…

Ryan Devereaux (2019-08-10). The Unraveling of the Conspiracy Case Against No More Deaths Volunteer Scott Warren. theintercept.com The federal courthouse in Tucson, Arizona, has always been a place where the borderlands and the American justice system collide. Described by its engineers as "a gateway to the desert and the mountains beyond," it was completed in 2000, the year that the Pima County medical examiner's office began tracking an explosion of deaths in that same desert. | Each afternoon, Monday through Thursday, dozens of chained migrants who survived the journey across the border but found themselves in Border Patrol custody are marched up from the building's bowels for mass hearings. They come in groups of up to 70 at a time. You…

Staff (2019-08-09). Mass ICE Raids in Mississippi After Workers Fought for Better Conditions Leave Kids Without Parents. democracynow.org Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents swept through seven poultry processing plants in Mississippi this week and arrested 680 people. It was the largest single-state raid in U.S. history.The mass arrests also came on the first day of the school year, and some children walked home from school only to find their doors locked and their family members missing. Wednesday's raids targeted chicken processing plants operated by Koch Foods, one of the largest poultry producers in the U.S. Last year, the company paid out $3.75 million to settle an Equal Employment Opportunities Commission class-action suit charging th…

Staff (2019-08-09). Documents Reveal Monsanto Surveilled Journalists, Activists & Even Musician Neil Young. democracynow.org Explosive new documents reveal the U.S. agribusiness giant Monsanto ran a "fusion center" to surveil and discredit journalists and activists who criticized or wrote damning reports about Monsanto, as well as legendary singer-songwriter Neil Young, who released an album in 2015 called "The Monsanto Years." Monsanto monitored Young's Twitter activity and even analyzed the lyrics of his album. The fusion center also surveilled journalist Carey Gillam, who has done extensive research and writing about Monsanto and its popular pesticide Roundup, which has been linked to cancer. The corporation also targeted the nonpro…

Staff (2019-08-09). Supersizing Climate Change: U.N. Says Meat Production Destroys Land & Diminishes Key Water Sources. democracynow.org The United Nations' top panel of climate scientists warns that humans are consuming land and water resources at an unprecedented rate, with the destructive effects of the climate crisis increasingly threatening the planet's biodiversity and the food security of hundreds of millions of people. In its latest climate change and land special report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that without dramatic action, extreme weather and rising temperatures will turn even more fertile land into desert, shrinking the global food supply, even as the world's population rises to more than 7.5 billion people.

Staff (2019-08-09). Headlines for August 9, 2019. democracynow.org Mitch McConnell Says Senate Will Take Up Gun Bills, But Not Until September, President and First Lady Pose with Infant Orphaned in El Paso Massacre, Man with Guns and Body Armor Sparks Panic at Missouri Walmart, Home of Interracial Couple in Ohio Torched in Apparent Hate Crime, Over 100 Immigrant Hunger Strikers Tear-Gassed Inside ICE Jail, ICE Releases Some of the 680 Immigrants Swept Up in Massive Mississippi Raid, Mentally Ill Michigan Man with Diabetes Dies After Deportation to Iraq, ICE Agents, Lacking Warrant, Denied Entry to Brooklyn Homeless Shelter, Hundreds of Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Protesters Occupy A…

Ali A. Taj (2019-08-08). Obama, Biden, Mattis and Clapper Expressed Skepticism on Syria, so Why Is Gabbard Singled Out? mintpressnews.com Why must Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard be smeared and attacked for questioning the mainstream narrative on Syria when even Barack Obama has done the same?

Reese Erlich (2019-08-08). Foreign Correspondent: The U.S. Trade War with China is Not Going So Well. progressive.org For the past year, the U.S. has escalated economic warfare with grudging acceptance by high-level Democrats and Republicans.

Staff (2019-08-08). Kashmir Under Siege: India Moves to Annex Territory, Heightening Tensions with Nuclear Rival Pakistan. democracynow.org Tensions are escalating over the disputed region of Kashmir following India's revocation earlier this week of its special status, which granted the area some autonomy. Kashmir remains on lockdown, with internet and other communications blocked and leaders placed under house arrest. The Modi government has also deployed tens of thousands of additional troops in Kashmir. Pakistan announced Wednesday it would expel India's ambassador and stop its newly appointed envoy from assuming his position in New Delhi. It also announced it was cutting off all bilateral trade with India. We speak with three guests: Sanjay Kak,…

Staff (2019-08-08). Emergency Doctor to Trump: You Are Wrong, Mental Illness Is Not to Blame for Gun Violence Epidemic. democracynow.org President Trump went to Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, Wednesday, where he was met by hundreds of protesters condemning his presence after the mass shootings over the weekend, which killed at least 32 people. Prior to his visits, Trump hinted at the need to strengthen background checks for gun purchases, and doubled down on what some healthcare professionals say is dangerous rhetoric linking illness to mass shootings. Numerous other political figures have pointed to mental illness as a contributing factor in mass shootings. From Montreal, we speak with Dr. Megan Ranney, an associate professor of emergency medi…

Bill Lueders (2019-08-05). Take Away My Employer-Based Health Insurance. Please. progressive.org Centrist Democrats like Joe Biden still aim to gin up mass fear over the prospect of leaving behind predatory insurers and the dizzying array of deductibles, co-pays, exclusions, humiliations, and rationing of care that characterizes our current syst…

splcenter (2019-08-03). Weekend Read: The SPLC fights an internal threat to our democracy. splcenter.org In his recent testimony before Congress, Special Counsel Robert Mueller pointedly warned the nation about Russia's ongoing attempts to meddle in our nation's elections.

Eoin Higgins (2019-08-01). Kamala Harris Team Accused of "Inventing Conspiracies" About Tulsi Gabbard. theantimedia.com The Kamala Harris' campaign jumped to tie Gabbard and her campaign to a nebulously defined and unclear Russian conspiracy.

Caitlin Johnstone (2019-08-01). Propagandists Are Freaking Out Over Tulsi Gabbard's Destruction of Kamala Harris. theantimedia.com Tulsi Gabbard took on Kamala Harris over her record on criminal justice reform, the death penalty, and the war on drugs.

Hatewatch Staff (2019-07-31). Militias Capitalizing on GOP Rhetoric Heading Into Election Season. splcenter.org A militia network's enthusiasm to lend paramilitary support to Oregon's Republican senators last month could be a bellwether for the 2020 campaign season.

2019-08-17: Social Media Postees

Tulsi Gabbard lists political correctness among threats to American values
rt.com | 2019-08-17
Widespread efforts to silence speech deemed to be offensive threaten US constitutional rights, Democratic presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard says. Her latest campaign ad takes aim at the hot-button issue of political correctness. | …
rt.com/usa/466729-gabbard-political-correctness-american-values/

Memo to Mainstream Journalists: Can the Phony Outrage; Bernie Is Right About Bias
Jeff Cohen | commondreams.org | 2019-08-17
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, speaks during the second night of the first Democratic presidential debate on June 27, 2019 in Miami. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_sanders_7.jpg
commondreams.org/views/2019/08/17/memo-mainstream-journalists-can-phony-outrage-bernie-right-about-bias?cd-origin=rss

German Greens prepare for participation in government
wsws.org | 2019-08-17
Fourteen years after the failure of the first Social Democrat-Green Party government, the Greens are being considered as a viable party of government in Germany once again.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/08/17/gree-a17.html

Hong Kong teachers' rally kicks off another weekend of protests
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2019-08-17
School teachers in Hong Kong are marching to the official residence of the city leader as another weekend of protests got under way.An overflow crowd rallied at a public square in the financial district before setting off for Government House, carrying signs that read "Protect the next generation" and umbrellas to ward off intermittent downpours.Teachers say they want to show their support for the protesters, many of whom are students.Pro-democracy protesters wait to cross a road during a march (Vincent Yu/AP)They said the government should answer the protesters' demands and stop using what they called police vio…
thecanary.co/breaking-news/2019/08/17/hong-kong-teachers-rally-kicks-off-another-weekend-of-protests/

Tlaib agrees to Israeli terms, then reverses herself on West Bank visit
wsws.org | 2019-08-17
The events of the past two days have provided a fresh demonstration of the cowardice of the Democratic Party and the absence within it of any principled opposition to Donald Trump's authoritarian agenda.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/08/17/dems-a17.html

After Tlaib and Omar Are Barred by Netanyahu, Why Would Any Self-Respecting Democrats in Congress Do the AIPAC Tour Again?
Juan Cole | commondreams.org | 2019-08-17
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) speaks in Washington, D.C. on April 9, 2019. (Photo by Alex Edelman/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/steny_hoyer_0.jpg
commondreams.org/views/2019/08/17/after-tlaib-and-omar-are-barred-netanyahu-why-would-any-self-respecting-democrats?cd-origin=rss

Sudanese protesters sign transition deal with army
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2019-08-17
Sudan's army and the country's pro-democracy movement have signed a final powersharing deal at a ceremony in the capital Khartoum.The move paves the way for a transition to civilian-led government following the overthrow of president Omar al-Bashir in April.Sealing the deal established a joint military and civilian council to rule for a little over three years until elections can be held.A military leader will head the 11-member council for the first 21 months, followed by a civilian leader for the following 18.Pro-democracy supporters headed to the capital Khartoum to celebrate (AP)The agreement will also establ…
thecanary.co/breaking-news/2019/08/17/sudanese-protesters-sign-transition-deal-with-army/

Facial recognition technology and identity politics
wsws.org | 2019-08-17
The Democrats are seeking to channel mass opposition to the wholesale invasion of privacy into a campaign to regulate and "equalize" facial recognition technology.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/08/17/face-a17.html

The Democratic field shrinks as Hickenlooper heads back to Colorado
Jessica Piper | nationofchange.org | 2019-08-17
Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper announced the end of his presidential run Thursday, becoming the second major candidate to drop out of the still-massive Democratic primary field. | Once discussed as a potential running mate for Hillary Clinton in 2016, Hickenlooper failed to gain traction in the crowded Democratic primary field. Through the end of the second quarter, he raised just $3.1 million, and he had less than $900,000 cash on hand to ke…
nationofchange.org/2019/08/17/the-democratic-field-shrinks-as-hickenlooper-heads-back-to-colorado/

Vigil for Democracy Art Projections on SF Federal Building
Sam Spiegel | indybay.org | 2019-08-17
SF Federal Building (Side) | 1140 Mission St | San Francisco, CA 94103…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/08/16/18825522.php

Strategy Meeting: Pass the DNC Resolution for a Presidential Climate Debate
CA Democratic Progressive Caucus | indybay.org | 2019-08-17
Parc 55 Hotel, Ballroom | 55 Cyril Magnin Street | San Francisco, CA 94102…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/08/17/18825529.php

The Hong Kong protests are an attack on socialism
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-08-17
There's a tendency among progressives in the United States to support big crowds of people protesting in other countries. No doubt, the corporate media assists in this process by labelling certain movements 'pro-democracy' or 'freedom fighters.' | But not all protests or marches are progressive, even if they attract large crowds. The Tea Party movement in the U.S., for instance, brought out hundreds of thousands of angry small business owners and shrill middle-class professionals. They were far from spontaneous demonstrations, however; big business orchestrated this giant spectacle to advance its own class intere…
www.fightbacknews.org/2019/8/17/hong-kong-protests-are-attack-socialism

Snopes roasted after posting 'study' claiming 28% of Republicans think Babylon Bee articles are real
rt.com | 2019-08-17
"Fact-checking" site Snopes has been vindicated in its decision to fact-check satire by a study proving people (especially Republicans) often mistake satirical site Babylon Bee for real news. Or has it? Claim rated: mostly false. | …
rt.com/usa/466690-snopes-slammed-survey-satire-stupid/

Inaugral Teff Day helps prepare for California Addis Ababa Sister State
Khubaka, Michael Harris | indybay.org | 2019-08-17
"California Grown" Teff Field Trials – A Taste of Africa at UC Davis will showcase the global commercial opportunity of our ancient super grain of antiquity.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/08/15/18825503.php

Bernie Sanders Fires Back at Netanyahu and Israel
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-08-16
In a new interview with MSNBC, the Vermont senator calls the decision to bar two U.S. congresswomen from entering the country an "outrage."
truthdig.com/articles/bernie-sanders-fires-back-at-netanyahu-and-israel/

The Washington Post's Anti-Sanders Bias Is Irrefutable
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-08-16
Bernie Sanders has taken to calling out corporate media for their anti-progressive bias, and their feathers have gotten quite ruffled. | In a campaign event Monday in New Hampshire, Sanders told the crowd: We have pointed out over and over again that Amazon made $10 billion in profits last year. You know how much they paid in taxes? You got it, zero! Any wonder why the Washington Post is not one of my great supporters, I wonder why? New York Times not much better. | The next day, he returned to the same point: And then I wonder why the Washington Post, which is owned by Jeff Bezos, who owns Amazon, doesn't write pa…
truthdig.com/articles/the-washington-posts-anti-sanders-bias-is-irrefutable/

US Waging Wars on Multiple Fronts: Cold Wars, Hot Wars, Economic Wars, Propaganda Wars
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2019-08-16
Supported by both hawkish wings of its war party, the US is waging hot wars, cold wars, economic wars, financial wars, trade wars, anti-social justice wars, anti-human rights wars, anti-democracy wars, propaganda wars, sanctions wars, tariffs wars, protest wars, homeland …
globalresearch.ca/us-waging-wars-on-multiple-fronts-cold-wars-hot-wars-economic-wars-propaganda-wars/5686511

What's Really Behind Trump's Israel Tweets
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-08-16
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's encouragement and support of Israel's decision to ban two Democratic lawmakers may play well to his political base, but it could endanger the foundations of the U.S.-Israel relationship in the longer term. | The move on Thursday to bar Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota from Israel fueled a partisan fire over the Jewish state that has been raging in the United States, with Trump eagerly fanning the flames. | On Friday, though, Israel's interior minister, Aryeh Deri, said he had received and granted a request by Tlaib to enter the Israeli-occupie…
truthdig.com/articles/whats-really-behind-trumps-israel-tweets/

Democrats accuse Israel of implementing 'Trump's Muslim ban' over Omar-Tlaib block
rt.com | 2019-08-16
Rep. Ilhan Omar has accused Israel of implementing US President Donald Trump's "Muslim ban" by denying her entry, to cheers of Democrats happy to denounce Trump, but raised eyebrows from conservatives and Israelis. | …
rt.com/usa/466603-omar-israel-trump-muslim-ban/

Push for 'real reform' honours pro-democracy protesters massacred in Manchester 200 years ago
Ed Sykes | thecanary.co | 2019-08-16
16 August 2019 marks the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre in Manchester, when UK authorities murdered civilians campaigning for democracy. And campaign groups today are marking their deaths with a continued push for "real reform". | Continuing the battle of Peterloo: | Mike Leigh, director of the film Peterloo, previously called the 1819 massacre "a defi…
thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2019/08/16/push-for-real-reform-honours-pro-democracy-protesters-massacred-in-manchester-200-years-ago/

Displaced by DR Congo violence, survivors' testimonies highlight brutality of armed militia
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-16
Two months since hundreds of thousands of people fled violence in north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN humanitarians warned on Friday that armed militia continue to make their safe return impossible.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1044341

That Debacle at the Border is Genocide
Susan Miller | counterpunch.org | 2019-08-16
Prepared text for at talk at Cornbread and Beans, Norman, Oklahoma. (August 9, 2019.) I'm grateful for the invitation to speak to you. I'm a Democrat and the child of Democrats, and lately, I'd vote for the yellow dog. I believe that what I'm going to talk about today is central to our mission and values…
counterpunch.org/2019/08/16/that-debacle-at-the-border-is-genocide/

The Prosecution of Julian Assange Affects Us All
Nozomi Hayase | counterpunch.org | 2019-08-16
With the indictment of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and the imprisonment of whistleblower Chelsea Manning, we are seeing the US government's blatant attack on the First Amendment. This assault now is officially acknowledged by a US federal court, where the judge dismissed a Democratic National Committee (DNC) civil suit against WikiLeaks on the grounds of…
counterpunch.org/2019/08/16/the-prosecution-of-julian-assange-affects-us-all/

Trump starves Venezuela, Democrats are silent
Aaron Maté | mronline.org | 2019-08-16
The Trump administration is intensifying its economic warfare on the people of Venezuela with a crippling embargo–and facing no resistance from the Democratic Party. | Source…
mronline.org/2019/08/16/trump-starves-venezuela-democrats-are-silent/

DRC: New Drug 'Cures' Two Ebola Patients, Brings Hope to Nation
telesurenglish.net | 2019-08-16
A new drug completely "cured" a pair of Ebola patients in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, supporting doctors' claim that seeking immediate treatment can save lives. | RELATED: | Rwanda Closes Border with DRC to Control Ebola Outbreak | "These cases were detected very quickly. The husband was infected, he was at home for 10 days and his wife and son were infected," said Congolese National Institute for Biomedical Research director and the virus's co-discoverer Dr. Jean-Jacques Mu…
telesurenglish.net/news/DRC-New-Drug-Cures-Two-Ebola-Patients-Brings-Hope-to-Congo-20190816-0016.html

To Defeat Fascism, We Must Dismantle Capitalism
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-08-16
"The Terror of the Unforeseen" | A book by Henry A. Giroux | Henry A. Giroux's book "The Terror of the Unforeseen" analyzes the conditions that have enabled and led to Donald Trump's rule and the consequences of that rule, which have ushered in an authoritarian version of capitalism. Giroux provides a realistic analysis that holds out the hope that, through collective efforts, change is possible and democracy can be saved. | There is an intellectual debate on whether or not the power wielded by the likes of Trump, Nigel Farage, Marine Le Pen, Viktor Orbán, Matteo Salvini, Geert Wilders, Heinz-Christian Strache, o…
truthdig.com/articles/to-defeat-fascism-we-must-dismantle-capitalism/

Council withdraws threat of legal action against cyclists at cafe
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2019-08-16
The threat of legal action against cyclists gathering at a cafe in a small hamlet has been dropped.Velolife was set up on the site of an old pub as a cafe and bike workshop in 2016 by entrepreneur Lee Goodwin in Warren Row in Berkshire.The cafe was championed by the likes of former Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman and Team Ineos rider Chris Lawless after it was slapped with restrictions on cycle meets following noise complaints.Local cycling clubs were threatened with enforcement action by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead for allegedly using the cafe's car park as a starting point for meets. | A joint st…
thecanary.co/breaking-news/2019/08/16/council-withdraws-threat-of-legal-action-against-cyclists-at-cafe/

Bernie Sanders Is As Frustrated as Ever With Corporate Media
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2019-08-16
Bernie Sanders Is As Frustrated as Ever With Corporate Media…
thenation.com/article/bernie-sanders-corporate-media/

Corbyn says 'it's not up to Jo Swinson to decide who is PM' amid leadership row
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2019-08-16
Jeremy Corbyn has struck out at Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson after she rejected his plan to lead an emergency government to thwart a no-deal Brexit.The Labour leader said: "It's not up to Jo Swinson to decide who the next prime minister is going to be" after she rejected his proposal to force a general election. | Ms Swinson was under increasing pressure to back Mr Corbyn's suggestion that included forcing out Boris Johnson in a vote of no confidence and securing an extension to the Brexit deadline beyond October 31. | But she maintained her stance that he was not the right politician for the job, despite a…
thecanary.co/breaking-news/2019/08/16/corbyn-says-its-not-up-to-jo-swinson-to-decide-who-is-pm-amid-leadership-row/

Bernie Sanders Leads 2020 Democratic Field Among College Students: Poll
Jake Johnson, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-08-16
"We are going to build a nationwide movement of young people to create a government and an economy that work for all of us," Sanders said in response to the survey | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bernie_sanders_17.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/08/16/bernie-sanders-leads-2020-democratic-field-among-college-students-poll?cd-origin=rss

The Great Land Robbery: How Federal Policies Dispossessed Black Americans of Millions of Acres
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-16
Over the 20th century, black people in the U.S. were dispossessed of 12 million acres of land. Half of that loss — 6 million acres — occurred over just two decades, from 1950 to 1969, a period largely associated with the civil rights struggle. This mass land dispossession, which affected 98% of black agricultural land owners, is part of the pattern of institutional racism and discrimination that has contributed to the racial wealth gap in the United States. Many of the driving forces behind this land theft were legal and originated in federal policies, as documented by Vann Newkirk, staff writer at Th…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/16/vann_newkirk_great_land_robbery

What Is Israel Trying to Hide? Reps. Tlaib & Omar Blocked from Taking Official Trip to West Bank
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-16
Israel sparked outrage Thursday when it banned two freshman Democratic congresswomen of color — Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota — from entering the country. Following outcry from Democratic leaders and Palestinians, Israel granted permission for Tlaib to enter the country on "humanitarian" grounds to visit her family in the West Bank — though Tlaib said Friday she will not visit her family under such conditions. Israel originally denied entrance to Tlaib and Omar after President Donald Trump tweeted, "It would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep. Omar and Rep.Tl…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/16/ilhan_omar_rashida_tlaib_israel_trump

Top scientist denounces smears of Tulsi Gabbard on Syria
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2019-08-15
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been smeared as an Assad apologist for her efforts to end the US-backed proxy war and…
thegrayzone.com/2019/08/15/top-scientist-denounces-smears-of-tulsi-gabbard-on-syria/

Aloha from Dr. Martin Luther King and Tulsi Gabbard
Paul Rockwell | mintpressnews.com | 2019-08-15
"Aloha," says Gabbard, "is a powerful force that motivates us to take action for the well-being of others and our country." In King's famous words, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but bends toward justice." Gabbard seeks to bend the arc of history away from war toward peace.
mintpressnews.com/aloha-from-dr-martin-luther-king-and-tulsi-gabbard/261363/

Here's the Evidence Corporate Media Say Is Missing of WaPo Bias Against Sanders
Julie Hollar | fair.org | 2019-08-15
Bernie Sanders has taken to calling out corporate media for their anti-progressive bias, and their feathers have gotten quite ruffled. | In a campaign event Monday in New Hampshire, Sanders told the crowd: We have pointed out over and over again that Amazon made $10 billion in profits last year. You know how much they paid in taxes? You got it, zero! Any wonder why the Washington Post is not one of my great supporters, I wonder why? New York Times not much better. | The next day, he returned to the same point: And then I wonder why the Washington Post, which is owned by Jeff Bezos, who owns Amazon, doesn't write…
fair.org/home/heres-the-evidence-corporate-media-say-is-missing-of-wapo-bias-against-sanders/

As Warren and Sanders Swiftly Condemned Israel for Barring Congresswomen, Pelosi and Biden Hesitated
Robert Mackey | theintercept.com | 2019-08-15
Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders were quick to criticize Israel for blocking Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar. Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden took more time.
theintercept.com/2019/08/15/israel-omar-tlaib-trump-netanyahu/

Progressive Candidates Are Carving a Path to the Senate in 2020 — No Thanks to Chuck Schumer
Ryan Grim | theintercept.com | 2019-08-15
If Democrats manage to seize the Senate and make Schumer the majority leader, it will be in large part due to the work of an organized left.
theintercept.com/2019/08/15/senate-democrats-2020-chuck-schumer/

26-Year-Old Gun Violence Prevention Activist Is Taking on 26-Year Incumbent Rep. Bobby Rush
Akela Lacy | theintercept.com | 2019-08-15
A 26-year-old organizer in Chicago is mounting a primary challenge to Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., who has been a member of Congress for 26 years. | Robert Emmons, whose best friend, high school classmate, and freshman roommate was shot and killed in 2015, is making gun violence prevention a cornerstone of his campaign. The Windy City experiences gun violence at alarming yet not uncommon rates, as compared to other metropolitan areas — but the number of fatal shootings is in some ways unique to Chicago, where Emmons's 21-year-ol…
theintercept.com/2019/08/15/chicago-gun-violence-democratic-primary/

Russians everywhere! Biden aide cries 'spy plane' about normal treaty flight over US
rt.com | 2019-08-15
A routine Russian flight to Hawaii under the Open Skies treaty has been invoked by a former senior Obama administration official to stir up panic among the 'Russiagate' holdovers, proving some conspiracies just refuse to go away. | …
rt.com/usa/466591-open-skies-plane-scare/

India's Government Has Undermined the Very Essence of Federalism and Democracy
Dilip D'Souza | thenation.com | 2019-08-15
India's Government Has Undermined the Very Essence of Federalism and Democracy…
thenation.com/article/india-kashmir-modi-bjp-federalism-and-democracy/

Steve King Is Racist, Misogynist–and Not that Different From Other Republicans
Elie Mystal | thenation.com | 2019-08-15
Steve King Is Racist, Misogynist–and Not that Different From Other Republicans…
thenation.com/article/steve-king-republican-abortion/

Tulsi Gabbard vs Google goliath
Eds. | mronline.org | 2019-08-14
Tulsi Gabbard was the most-searched person on Google during the first debate–so the giant corporation shut down her account. | Source…
mronline.org/2019/08/14/democratic-presidential-candidate-tulsi-gabbard-sues-google-for-suspending-her-ad-account/

Philippines: On the proposal to revive the Anti-Subversion Law
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-08-14
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following August 14 statement by Jose Maria Sison, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Chief Political Consultant. | The proposal of General Ano, secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government, is one more manifestation of the frenzied drive of the tyrannical Duterte regime to impose a thoroughgoing fascist dictatorship on the people in a vain attempt to end the armed revolutionary movement as well as the broad legal opposition through red-tagging, harassments, threats, abductions and murders. | In line with the Duterte tyranny, the most vi…
www.fightbacknews.org/2019/8/14/philippines-proposal-revive-anti-subversion-law

Hong Kong Protest Withdraws From Airport, but Situation Remains far From Normal
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-08-14
The mostly leaderless movement for Hong Kong's democratization withdrew from the airport, allowing flights to resume, but the situation remains unresolved as long as protesters and government fail to come to an agreement on reforms. We speak to Sean Starrs in Hong Kong…
therealnews.com/stories/hong-kong-protest-withdraws-from-airport-but-situation-remains-far-from-normal

Fetishisizing White Supremacy
Timothy Malone | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-08-14
"White Supremacy" has captured the nation's attention. On August 3, a white supremacist mass shooter left 22 dead in El Paso. On Wednesday August 7, presidential candidates Joe Biden and Corey Booker made speeches referencing White Supremacy. That same day, Fox host Tucker Carlson announced he is 'going on vacation,' after claiming that White Supremacy …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/08/fetishisizing-white-supremacy/

"A Narco State Supported by the United States": How Crime & Corruption in Honduras Fuel Migration
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-14
We speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Sonia Nazario, who has closely detailed why migrants from Central America are fleeing their homes in an attempt to seek asylum in the United States. Earlier this year, Nazario spent a month in Honduras documenting how corruption and gang violence are forcing many people to flee. Her piece, "Pay or Die," ran in The New York Times, where she is a contributing opinion writer.
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/14/sonia_nazario_honduras_crime_corruption_migration

"Give Us Your Rich": Immigration Reporter Says Trump Admin Is Changing "Wholesale" Who Gets into U.S
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-14
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" Those are the words of Emma Lazarus inscribed on the Statue of Liberty. But this week, acting Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services Ken Cuccinelli attempted to rewrite the poem to make a case for limiting immigration to the United States. He told NPR's Rachel Martin on Tuesday that the Statue of Liberty's message is "Give me your tired and your poor, who can stand on their own two feet and who will…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/14/ken_cuccinelli_immigration_emma_lazarus

"River of Fire": In New Memoir, Sister Helen Prejean Reflects on Decades of Fighting Executions
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-14
The Trump administration is moving ahead with plans to resume the death penalty after a more than 15-year moratorium. This week Attorney General William Barr proposed fast-tracking executions in mass murder cases, and last month ordered the execution of five death row prisoners beginning in December. The federal government has executed just three people since 1963 — the last being in 2003. The death penalty is widely condemned by national governments, international bodies and human rights groups across the world. Experts say capital punishment does not help deter homicides and that errors and racism in the…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/14/sister_helen_prejean_federal_death_penalty

Unequal Justice: John Roberts' Dark Legacy of Voter Suppression
Bill Blum | progressive.org | 2019-08-13
Plaintiffs are litigating voting rights cases in Alabama, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, and several other states. Some will succeed, some will fail, but all will be more uncertain and expensive thanks to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
progressive.org/dispatches/unequal-justice-john-roberts-dark-legacy-of-voter-suppression-blum-190812/

Media Defend Biden by Attacking Dems for 'Attacking' Obama
Julie Hollar | fair.org | 2019-08-13
Coming out of the second round of Democratic debates, a curious storyline crystallized in the media: The candidates are attacking Obama, and that's a sure-fire way to hand the election to Trump. It's the latest flavor of "the Democrats are moving too far left" (FAIR.org, 7/2/19)–this time echoing both Trump himself and the right-wing Democratic candidates, including former Obama Vice President Joe Biden. | During the first debate, Rep. John Delaney pitched the story, claiming, "Most of the folks run…
fair.org/home/media-defend-biden-by-attacking-dems-for-attacking-obama/

MSNBC and the Next Election: Racism is the Issue
Gary Leupp | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-08-13
After Donald Trump unexpectedly won the 2016 election, the Democrats and the mainstream media they shape sought to explain the disaster as a result of Russian meddling. Such meddling, which had been alleged for months, was documented in an (unconvincing) intelligence report prepared by the lame-duck Obama administration, made public Jan. 6, 2017; Congress followed …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/08/msnbc-and-the-next-election-racism-is-the-issue/

The Kochs Funded Third Way to Push Free Trade to Democrats, New Book Says
Ryan Grim | theintercept.com | 2019-08-13
Koch Industries secretly financed a 2007 report by Third Way titled "Why Lou Dobbs is Winning" — to promote the free trade agenda to liberals.
theintercept.com/2019/08/13/koch-brothers-third-way/

Indian left condemns dismantling of Jammu and Kashmir
susan_p | greenleft.org.au | 2019-08-13
self-determinationIssue 1233 India 2019 Indian occupation of KashmirThe following joint statement was issued by Indian left parties on August 5, condemning the dismantling of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the assault on India's Constitution, democracy and federalism. | *** | The Modi government has dealt a severe blow t…
greenleft.org.au/content/indian-left-condemns-dismantling-jammu-and-kashmir

"Today the Lynch Mob Only Needs an Assault Rifle": Ibram X. Kendi on White Supremacist Violence
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-13
This week marks two years since white supremacists descended on Charlottesville, Virginia, where a neo-Nazi drove his car into a crowd of antiracist protesters, killing 32-year-old activist Heather Heyer. Days later, President Trump claimed there were "very fine people on both sides." Since Charlottesville, white supremacists have committed at least 73 murders, according to the Anti-Defamation League. Just last week, a white supremacist in El Paso, Texas, opened fire in a crowded Walmart and killed 22 people. It's been described as the deadliest attack to target Latinos in modern American history. We speak with D…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/13/ibram_x_kendi_guns_in_america

Ibram X. Kendi: IQ Tests, SAT Scores and Other "Intelligence" Tests Propagate Racism
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-13
Author and professor Ibram X. Kendi joins us to discuss his new book, "How to Be an Antiracist." He talks about the racist development of intelligence tests that blatantly discriminate against people of color under a veneer of scientific objectivity. "Even when we talk about antiracism, when most people think of who needs to be an antiracist, they think of Southerners. They think of people who voted for Trump," says Kendi. "They don't think of people who are advocating for the maintenance of these tests, which are denying access to some of the best schools in New York City to black and Latino kids."
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/13/ibram_x_kendi_intelligence_tests_education

How to Be an Antiracist: Ibram X. Kendi on Why We Need to Fight Racism the Way We Fight Cancer
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-13
In his new book, "How to Be an Antiracist," professor Ibram X. Kendi urges readers to break out of the false framework of "racist" and "not racist," instead laying out what it means to be antiracist: viewing racial groups as equals and pushing for policies that create racial equity. Kendi says, "We can't just talk about racism as an original sin. We have to talk about racism as the original cancer, as this original disease that has been killing America."
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/13/ibram_x_kendi_class_race_capitalism

Former Beto O'Rourke Organizers Rally Behind New Texas Senate Candidate
Aída Chávez | theintercept.com | 2019-08-12
In April, Becky Bond and Zack Malitz left Beto O'Rourke's staff, less than a month after they'd helped the former Senate candidate rake in $6 million in the first day of his presidential campaign. It was seen, at the time, as a strategic shift for O'Rourke — away from the "big organizing" vision that drove his unexpectedly impactful 2018 Senate run. Now, Social Practice, the firm created by Bond and Malitz, who also worked on Sen. Bernie Sanders's 2016 campaign for president, is turning its "big organizing" vis…
theintercept.com/2019/08/12/texas-progressive-senate-candidate/

Cómo los planes de privatización de Joe Biden condenaron a Latinoamérica y desataron la crisis migratoria
Max Blumenthal | thegrayzone.com | 2019-08-12
En su campaña, Joe Biden se ha jactado de su papel en la transformación de Colombia y Centroamérica a través…
thegrayzone.com/2019/08/12/privatizacion-joe-biden-latinoamerica-crisis-migratoria/

Trump starves Venezuela, Democrats are silent
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2019-08-12
The Trump administration is intensifying its economic warfare on the people of Venezuela with a crippling embargo — and facing…
thegrayzone.com/2019/08/12/trump-starves-venezuela-democrats-are-silent/

How Climate Activists Can Benefit from Solidarity with Kentucky Coal Miners
Ryan Driskell Tate | progressive.org | 2019-08-12
As fossil-fuel workers lose their jobs today, the urgency of what climate activists call the "just transition" becomes all the more apparent.
progressive.org/dispatches/climate-activists-benefit-from-solidarity-with-coal-miners-tate-190812/

"The Next Step Is the Kremlin": Why Moscow Protests Have Putin's Government Worried
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-12
Up to 60,000 protesters gathered Saturday in Moscow in the largest demonstration Russia has witnessed in years. Although the protest was officially authorized, dozens of protesters were arrested in the capital, and dozens more were also arrested in demonstrations across the country. Saturday's protest was organized to denounce the recent barring of opposition candidates from running in an upcoming election for Moscow City Council. We speak with Nina Khrushcheva, professor of international affairs at The New School. She is the co-author of "In Putin's Footsteps: Searching for the Soul of an Empire Across Russia's…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/12/the_next_step_is_the_kremlin

Hong Kong Grounds Flights as Mass Sit-in Shuts Down Airport After Weekend of Protests
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-12
All departing flights were grounded as chaos engulfed the Hong Kong International Airport Monday, after thousands of pro-democracy protesters filled the travel hub to protest police brutality. Many eventually left the airport, fearing threats of more police action, but hundreds of activists remain. The latest escalation follows a weekend of bloody clashes between the police and protesters. Confrontations turned especially violent on Sunday night as riot police fired tear gas inside a subway station and were filmed beating protesters with batons. Meanwhile, Beijing has escalated its rhetoric against the protesters…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/12/hong_kong_grounds_flights_as_mass

The Unraveling of the Conspiracy Case Against No More Deaths Volunteer Scott Warren
Ryan Devereaux | theintercept.com | 2019-08-10
The federal courthouse in Tucson, Arizona, has always been a place where the borderlands and the American justice system collide. Described by its engineers as "a gateway to the desert and the mountains beyond," it was completed in 2000, the year that the Pima County medical examiner's office began tracking an explosion of deaths in that same desert. | Each afternoon, Monday through Thursday, dozens of chained migrants who survived the journey across the border but found themselves in Border Patrol custody are marched up from the building's bowels for mass hearings. They come in groups of up to 70 at a time. You…
theintercept.com/2019/08/10/scott-warren-trial/

Documents Reveal Monsanto Surveilled Journalists, Activists & Even Musician Neil Young
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-09
Explosive new documents reveal the U.S. agribusiness giant Monsanto ran a "fusion center" to surveil and discredit journalists and activists who criticized or wrote damning reports about Monsanto, as well as legendary singer-songwriter Neil Young, who released an album in 2015 called "The Monsanto Years." Monsanto monitored Young's Twitter activity and even analyzed the lyrics of his album. The fusion center also surveilled journalist Carey Gillam, who has done extensive research and writing about Monsanto and its popular pesticide Roundup, which has been linked to cancer. The corporation also targeted the nonpro…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/9/monsanto_fusion_center_surveillance_of_critics

Supersizing Climate Change: U.N. Says Meat Production Destroys Land & Diminishes Key Water Sources
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-09
The United Nations' top panel of climate scientists warns that humans are consuming land and water resources at an unprecedented rate, with the destructive effects of the climate crisis increasingly threatening the planet's biodiversity and the food security of hundreds of millions of people. In its latest climate change and land special report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that without dramatic action, extreme weather and rising temperatures will turn even more fertile land into desert, shrinking the global food supply, even as the world's population rises to more than 7.5 billion people.
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/9/ipcc_report_climate_change_and_land

Mass ICE Raids in Mississippi After Workers Fought for Better Conditions Leave Kids Without Parents
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-09
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents swept through seven poultry processing plants in Mississippi this week and arrested 680 people. It was the largest single-state raid in U.S. history.The mass arrests also came on the first day of the school year, and some children walked home from school only to find their doors locked and their family members missing. Wednesday's raids targeted chicken processing plants operated by Koch Foods, one of the largest poultry producers in the U.S. Last year, the company paid out $3.75 million to settle an Equal Employment Opportunities Commission class-action suit charging th…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/9/mississippi_ice_raids_poultry_plant_arrests

Obama, Biden, Mattis and Clapper Expressed Skepticism on Syria, so Why Is Gabbard Singled Out?
Ali A. Taj | mintpressnews.com | 2019-08-08
Why must Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard be smeared and attacked for questioning the mainstream narrative on Syria when even Barack Obama has done the same?
mintpressnews.com/skepticism-syria-why-tulsi-gabbard-singled-out/261257/

Foreign Correspondent: The U.S. Trade War with China is Not Going So Well
Reese Erlich | progressive.org | 2019-08-08
For the past year, the U.S. has escalated economic warfare with grudging acceptance by high-level Democrats and Republicans.
progressive.org/dispatches/foreign-correspondent-u-s-trade-war-with-china-erlich-190808/

Kashmir Under Siege: India Moves to Annex Territory, Heightening Tensions with Nuclear Rival Pakistan
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-08
Tensions are escalating over the disputed region of Kashmir following India's revocation earlier this week of its special status, which granted the area some autonomy. Kashmir remains on lockdown, with internet and other communications blocked and leaders placed under house arrest. The Modi government has also deployed tens of thousands of additional troops in Kashmir. Pakistan announced Wednesday it would expel India's ambassador and stop its newly appointed envoy from assuming his position in New Delhi. It also announced it was cutting off all bilateral trade with India. We speak with three guests: Sanjay Kak,…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/8/kashmir

Emergency Doctor to Trump: You Are Wrong, Mental Illness Is Not to Blame for Gun Violence Epidemic
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-08
President Trump went to Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, Wednesday, where he was met by hundreds of protesters condemning his presence after the mass shootings over the weekend, which killed at least 32 people. Prior to his visits, Trump hinted at the need to strengthen background checks for gun purchases, and doubled down on what some healthcare professionals say is dangerous rhetoric linking illness to mass shootings. Numerous other political figures have pointed to mental illness as a contributing factor in mass shootings. From Montreal, we speak with Dr. Megan Ranney, an associate professor of emergency medi…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/8/mental_illness_gun_violence_suicide_risk

Take Away My Employer-Based Health Insurance. Please
Bill Lueders | progressive.org | 2019-08-05
Centrist Democrats like Joe Biden still aim to gin up mass fear over the prospect of leaving behind predatory insurers and the dizzying array of deductibles, co-pays, exclusions, humiliations, and rationing of care that characterizes our current syst…
progressive.org/dispatches/take-away-my-employer-based-health-insurance-please-lueders-190805/

Weekend Read: The SPLC fights an internal threat to our democracy
splcenter.org | 2019-08-03
In his recent testimony before Congress, Special Counsel Robert Mueller pointedly warned the nation about Russia's ongoing attempts to meddle in our nation's elections.
splcenter.org/news/2019/08/03/weekend-read-splc-fights-internal-threat-our-democracy

Propagandists Are Freaking Out Over Tulsi Gabbard's Destruction of Kamala Harris
Caitlin Johnstone | theantimedia.com | 2019-08-01
Tulsi Gabbard took on Kamala Harris over her record on criminal justice reform, the death penalty, and the war on drugs.

Propagandists Are Freaking Out Over Tulsi Gabbard’s Destruction of Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris Team Accused of "Inventing Conspiracies" About Tulsi Gabbard
Eoin Higgins | theantimedia.com | 2019-08-01
The Kamala Harris' campaign jumped to tie Gabbard and her campaign to a nebulously defined and unclear Russian conspiracy.

Kamala Harris Team Accused of "Inventing Conspiracies" About Tulsi Gabbard

Militias Capitalizing on GOP Rhetoric Heading Into Election Season
Hatewatch Staff | splcenter.org | 2019-07-31
A militia network's enthusiasm to lend paramilitary support to Oregon's Republican senators last month could be a bellwether for the 2020 campaign season.
splcenter.org/hatewatch/2019/07/31/militias-capitalizing-gop-rhetoric-heading-election-season