(2019-08-25). Why is the Far-Right Rising Globally? (1/2). therealnews.com 
Walden Bello, author of "Counterrevolution: The Global Rise of the Far-Right," argues that the far-right is in ascendancy at the moment not only in reaction to the failures of neoliberalism, but also because of the failures of liberal democracy…
(2019-08-25). In some state: Joe Biden doesn't know where he is (VIDEO). rt.com 
The presidential campaign trail hasn't been kind to Joe Biden with the Democrat frontrunner frequently bumbling himself into controversies great and small. His latest gaffe saw him forget what state he's in. | The 76-year-old is spending most of his weekend meeting voters in Keene, New Hampshire. When asked by reporters about his impressions of the New England town, Biden offered a eulogy about a different state. | "What's not to like about Vermont in terms of the beauty of it?" he said. "And what a neat town. I mean this is sort of a scenic, beautiful town… everybody has been really friendly. I like Keene a…
(2019-08-25). Bernie Sanders Devotes San Francisco Rally To His Free Education Platform Plank. indybay.org Students talk of their financial hardships and struggles to fund higher education…
(2019-08-25). The Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump: A Threat to American Democracy and an Agent of Chaos in the World? globalresearch.ca When 46.1% of Americans who voted for Trump in November they did not know precisely "what they were buying". They did not expect that the promised "change" the Republican presidential candidate envisioned and promised was going to be, in fact, "chaos" and "turmoil" in the U.S. government.
(2019-08-25). The Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump: A Threat to American Democracy and an Agent of Chaos in the World? globalresearch.ca When 46.1% of Americans who voted for Trump in November they did not know precisely "what they were buying". They did not expect that the promised "change" the Republican presidential candidate envisioned and promised was going to be, in fact, "chaos" and "turmoil" in the U.S. government.
(2019-08-25). Writers With Drinks featuring Yangsze Choo and Evan Ramzipoor! indybay.org The Make Out Room, 3225 22nd St.
(2019-08-25). Lies of the Victors. dissidentvoice.org Julian Barnes' Man Booker Prize winning novel, The Sense of an Ending, reads as a meditation on the reliability of memory. Or even as a bill of indictments against the self-serving selectivity of memory. The book beautifully, if kaleidoscopically, reveals how an older man misremembers events of his youth, how his memories cast him in …
(2019-08-24). Leaked documents show Brazil's Bolsonaro has grave plans for Amazon rainforest. nationofchange.org 
eaked documents show that Jair Bolsonaro's government intends to use the Brazilian president's hate speech to isolate minorities living in the Amazon region. The PowerPoint slides, which democraciaAbierta has seen, also reveal plans to implement predatory projects that could have a devastating environmental impact. | The Bolsonaro government has as one of its priorities to strategically occupy the Amazon region to prevent the implementation of multilateral conservation projects for the rainforest, specifically the so-called "Triple A" project. | "Development projects must be implemented on the Amazon basin to…
(2019-08-24). Biden asks town hall 'what if Obama had been assassinated?' & internet cringes. rt.com 
Democratic primary frontrunner Joe Biden has raised a nation of eyebrows when he asked an audience to imagine the fallout from Barack Obama's assassination, comparing the ex-president to Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King. | "Imagine what would have happened if, God forbid, Barack Obama had been assassinated after becoming the de facto nominee?" Biden asked a town hall in Hanover, New Hampshire on Friday that was supposed to be focused on healthcare. "What would have happened in America?" | Joe Biden asked voters to imagine what would happen if President Obama was assassinated during the primary – then oddly…
(2019-08-24). Media Availability: Prabir Purkayastha on How Big Data's Threat to Elections and Democracy Is Quickly Becoming a Global Problem. mronline.org 
The cost of the 2016 U.S. elections was $6.5 billion if we combine the presidential and congressional elections. The Indian Parliamentary election of 2019 outspent the 2016 U.S. 2016 election, costing about $8.6 billion. | Source
(2019-08-24). Gabbard campaign joins voices raising concerns over Democrat debate-qualifying criteria. rt.com 
Tulsi Gabbard's presidential campaign has called on the DNC to ensure fairness by updating its approved debate-qualifying polls, raising concerns about a lack of transparency and the consistency of the required criteria. | In order to qualify for the next round of Democratic presidential debates in September, the Democratic National Committee's rules require all candidates to have 130,000 unique donors and to have reached 2 percent in four approved polls. Representative Gabbard (D-Hawaii) has surpassed 2 percent in 26 national and state polls — including two polls by the biggest newspapers in the early pr…
(2019-08-24). 'Game-changer': Sanders unveils Green New Deal plan detailing 10-Year mobilization to avert climate catastrophe, create 20 million jobs. nationofchange.org Calling the global climate crisis both the greatest threat facing the United States and the greatest opportunity for transformative change, Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday unveiled a comprehensive Green New Deal proposal that would transition the U.S. economy to 100 percent renewable energy and create 20 million well-paying union jobs over a decade. | "This is a pivotal moment in the history of America—and really, in the history of humanity," Sanders, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, said in a statement. | "When we are in the White Hous…
(2019-08-24). Centrists Are Going to Kill Us. commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks during a rally at Howard University May 13, 2019 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/centrists-kill-us.jpg …
(2019-08-24). Bernie Sanders' Manhattan project: The game-changing Green New Deal. nationofchange.org Sen. Bernie Sanders' breathtaking Green New Deal, with an advertised price tag of $16.3 trillion, is aimed at nothing less than saving the planet from the worst consequences of global heating. | The plan aims to create 20 million new, well-paying jobs. It should be noted that one possible outcome of big Federal R&D monies and a rapid shift to renewables would be to revivify the US industrial sector, which has fallen to only 12 percent or so of the US GDP. Although the price tag seems formidable, Sen. Sanders points out that climate inaction wil…
(2019-08-24). Israel's Ban on Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar Backfires. truthout.org | | During Congress's August recess, a group of 41 Democratic and 31 Republican congressmembers traveled to Israel on a delegation sponsored by American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). AIPAC subsidizes congressional trips to Israel in order to further the "special relationship" between Israel and the United States. Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. military aid: $3.8 billion annually. AIPAC is the chief Israel lobby in the United States and a consistent apologist for Israel's oppressive policies t…
(2019-08-24). National Democrats Endorse John Hickenlooper, a Proponent of Fracking, in Competitive Colorado Primary. theintercept.com In Colorado, nearly a dozen Democrats are vying for the opportunity to take on Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in 2020 — a race widely seen as the party's most promising pick-up in the Senate. One of the leading contenders, former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, is running on a platform that includes Medicare for All and an aggressive plan to combat the climate crisis — and his campaign has already topped $1 million in fundraising. | But the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has thrown its weight behind former Gov. John Hickenlooper, a pro-fracking moderate. After months of rejecting calls…
(2019-08-24). David Koch Is Dead. We Must Now Take On His Harmful Legacy in Higher Education. truthout.org | | As David Koch's family mourns his loss, we are taking a moment to pause and grieve, too. We grieve for the families who lost loved ones due to limited health care access. We grieve for the Black communities living alongside waterways polluted by Koch's chemical plants. We grieve for the Indigenous nations whose lands were used to build Koch's industrial wealth. We grieve the destruction of democratic values through Koch's investments in higher education. | David Koch died with a net w…
(2019-08-24). Merkel and Orbán: A sordid deal at the expense of refugees and democracy. wsws.org On the 30th anniversary of the opening up of the Hungarian-Austrian border, Merkel and Orbán sang the praises of "freedom" while agreeing to closer military collaboration.
(2019-08-24). Australian state Labor government's lies about "protest violence" exposed. wsws.org Labor's fabricated "booby trap" claims illustrate how governments concoct fear campaigns to attack basic democratic rights.
(2019-08-24). Trump primary challengers would face big money problem. nationofchange.org Conservative radio host and former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) is the latest in a long line of Republicans to reportedly consider a primary challenge to President Donald Trump in 2020. | But if the former Illinois congressman decides to launch his own presidential campaign, he is likely to encounter the same challenge that other would-be Republican primary contestants face: The groups that once supported him now overwhelmingly back…
(2019-08-24). Henry A. Giroux and the culture of neoliberal fascism. mronline.org 
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, that 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 […] | Source
(2019-08-23). How Democrats Plan to Win Wisconsin in 2020. theintercept.com 
Democrats, labor unions, and progressive groups are investing heavily in new organizing techniques in Wisconsin, where electoral victory is considered crucial to the party's path to the White House. They are hoping to boost voter turnout in a state that the national party took for granted in 2016. | The efforts, spearheaded by Wisconsin leaders and liberal donors across the country, include massive new investments in field organizing, a targeted focus on communities of color, and capitalizing on the Democratic Party convention that will be held in Milwaukee next July. | "I think the whole country recognizes that…
(2019-08-23). Hybrid wars are destroying Democracies. mronline.org 
In Brazil recently, I gave an interview to Brasil de Fato, which was born in 2003 as the weekly magazine of the World Social Forum. It is now one of the most important windows into Brazil's political world. The newsletter this week carries the text of most of the interview. | Source
(2019-08-23). Notes on Inauthenticity in a Creeping Fascist Nuthouse. counterpunch.org 
The reigning corporate Democrats would rather lose to the right, even to a proto-fascistic white nationalist and eco-exterminist right, than lose to the left, even to a mildly progressive social democratic and environmentalist left within their own party. How else explain their insistence on promoting the ridiculous, right-wing arch-corporatist, imperialist, and dementia-plagued right-wing gaffe machine Joke Biden in the long march to the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries? More
(2019-08-23). Sanders and SEIU's Mary Kay Henry announce plans to revive unions. peoplesworld.org 
Almost simultaneously yesterday Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and Mary Kay Henry, the president of the Service Employees unveiled strong pro-labor programs they say will revive the nation's unions and lift up the country's workers. Saying its time for every worker to have the right to organize, no matter what they do, where they live …
(2019-08-23). What is democracy, and where is it going? peoplesworld.org 
This question has been hanging over American political discussion for the past three years. Certainly, it's always been a contentious topic in this country, but the 2016 campaign season and election really brought it to the forefront of our collective political consciousness. The dictionary defines democracy as "a government in which the supreme power is …
(2019-08-23). David Koch, billionaire conservative & one of the world's richest people, dies at 79. rt.com 
US billionaire businessman and key Republican Party donor David Koch has died at the age of 79. | Koch stepped down from the family business, Koch Industries, last year amid health problems. His death has been confirmed by his older brother Charles. | "It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my brother David," says Charles Koch in statement.— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) August 23, 2019 | David was listed by Forbes…
(2019-08-23). Castro showcases specific indigenous policies at Native forum, but Delaney stumbles. peoplesworld.org 
SIOUX CITY, Iowa— With a bit of Texan swagger and an ear-to-ear smile, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro made his way across the stage at the Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum here on Tuesday, August 20, and was greeted with applause. Castro began his opening statement by saying "gracias" to all …
(2019-08-23). US Navy "Ready" to "Restore Democracy" in Venezuela through Military Means? globalresearch.ca "I'm not going to detail what we're planning and what we're doing, but we're ready to implement policy decisions, and we're ready to act … | The United States Navy is the most powerful navy in the world. … | If there …
(2019-08-23). Sen. Merkley Condemns Trump's Decision to Indefinitely Jail Migrant Kids. truthout.org | | The Trump administration is moving to indefinitely detain migrant children and their families, reversing decades of U.S. policy. The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services is expected to issue a new rule today to withdraw from a 1997 federal court settlement known as the Flores agreement, which put a 20-day limit on migrant family detentions. We speak with Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley, who made headlines last year when he was barred from entering an o…
(2019-08-23). With security improving in DR Congo's Kasai, thousands of refugees head home from Angola. un.org As security has improved in the restive Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), some 8,500 refugees have left the Lóvua settlement in Angola's north-east Lunda Norte province in the past week, hoping to cross the border and return home, according to the UN refugee agency.
(2019-08-23). US: Billionaire Tycoon, Tea Party Donor David Koch Dies at 79. telesurenglish.net Billionaire industrialist David Koch, behind conglomerate Koch Industries who, as one of the world's richest people became a major financier of conservative causes and the Republican party, has died at age 79, his brother said Friday morning. | RELATED: | Richest 10% in US Will Own 100% of the Wealth by 2052: Study | Charles Koch, Koch Industries Inc.'s chairman, disclosed the death in a statement, saying the cause of his younger brother's death was prostate cancer. | Koch amassed his va…
(2019-08-23). Bernie Sanders Welcomes the Hatred of Billionaires. thenation.com Bernie Sanders Welcomes the Hatred of Billionaires…
(2019-08-23). Why Democratic Presidential Candidates Need to Listen to American Muslims. thenation.com Why Democratic Presidential Candidates Need to Listen to American Muslims…
(2019-08-23). Sen. Merkley on the Dangers of a New Nuclear Arms Race & Why He Backs the Green New Deal. democracynow.org 
Fallout from the Trump administration's decision to pull out of the landmark 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty is mounting. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his military to prepare for what he called a "symmetrical response" after the U.S. tested what it said was a nonnuclear cruise missile earlier this week. The U.S. launch was the first test of its kind since the Trump administration withdrew from the INF. We speak to Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon about U.S. nuclear policy, as well as the Green New Deal, President Trump's wish to buy Greenland and more.
(2019-08-23). Sen. Merkley Condemns Trump's War Against Migrant Families as U.S. Moves to Indefinitely Jail Kids. democracynow.org 
The Trump administration is moving to indefinitely detain migrant children and their families, reversing decades of U.S. policy. The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services is expected to issue a new rule today to withdraw from a 1997 federal court settlement known as the Flores agreement, which put a 20-day limit on migrant family detentions. We speak with Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley, who made headlines last year when he was barred from entering an old Walmart where the government was detaining about 1,500 immigrant children in Brownsville, Texas.
(2019-08-23). The Latest Victim in the Crucifixion of Julian Assange. truthdig.com 
The case of Ola Bini, a Swedish data privacy activist and associate of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, has been shrouded in mystery since his arrest in Quito, Ecuador, on April 11. He was detained on the same day Assange was forcibly removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in the United Kingdom, inevitably raising questions about whether Bini was being held because of his connection with Assange and whether the United States was involved in the case in some form. | Bini, who initially…
(2019-08-23). How Jair Bolsonaro Emboldened Brazilian Agribusiness to Torch the Amazon & Attack Indigenous People. democracynow.org 
The United Nations is calling for the protection of the Amazon amid fears that thousands of fires raging across Brazil and some parts of Bolivia are rapidly destroying the world's largest rainforest and paving the way for a climate catastrophe. The fires have spread a vast plume of smoke across South America and the Atlantic Ocean that's visible from space. They're unprecedented in recorded history, and environmentalists say most of the fires were deliberately set by illegal miners and cattle ranchers. Indigenous people in Brazil have accused far-right President Jair Bolsonaro of encouraging the destruction. Bols…
(2019-08-23). Headlines for August 23, 2019. democracynow.org U.N. Calls for Protection of the Amazon as Rainforest Burns at Record Pace, Indigenous Communities Say Brazil's President Is Encouraging Destruction of Forests, Bernie Sanders Unveils Ambitious Green New Deal to Avert Climate Catastrophe, Democratic Leaders Reject Resolution Calling for Candidate Climate Debate, French Authorities to Crack Down on Protest as 13,000 Police Mobilize for G7 Summit, Syrian Forces Encircle Last Major Rebel-Held Stronghold in Hama Province, U.N.: Burmese Troops Had "Genocidal Intent" in Targeting Rohingya for Sexual Violence, Indonesia Deploys Troops to Quell Independence Protests in W…
(2019-08-23). They Don't Make Republicans Like the Great Paul Findley Anymore! counterpunch.org 
In his 22 years in Congress (1960 — 1982), Paul Findley achieved a sterling record for fundamental positions, proposals and breakthroughs that revealed a great man, pure and simple. He never stopped learning and applying his knowledge to advance the right course of action, regardless of political party, ideology or pressure from various groups. Findley, More
(2019-08-23). The Terrifying Legacy of David Koch. commondreams.org The Kochs were also key players in the successful effort to beat back a cap-and-trade bill in 2010, the closest the U.S. government has ever come to any kind of emissions policy. (Illustrated | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images, Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-08-23_at_1.25.56_pm.png …
(2019-08-22). Italy's Right-Wing Government Collapses — Will the Next One Be Better? therealnews.com 
Matteo Salvini of the right-wing League party tried to maneuver for new elections, but failed. Now coalition talks are happening to see if the anti-corruption 5-Star Movement and the center-left Democratic Party can form a government. Luciana Castellina assess the situation…
(2019-08-22). DNC Rejects Call for a Climate Debate. therealnews.com 
Democratic National Committee (DNC) officials reversed the previous ban on candidates participating in non-sanctioned climate forums, but Carmen Bouquin of the Sunrise Movement says that's not enough…
(2019-08-22). Bernie Sanders's Climate Plan Is More Radical Than His Opponents' — And More Likely to Succeed. theintercept.com 
The $16.3 trillion plan would not only transition American society away from fossil fuels but renegotiate decades-old nostrums about the government's role in the economy.
(2019-08-22). They Don't Make Republicans Like the Great Paul Findley Anymore! dissidentvoice.org In his 22 years in Congress (1960-1982), Paul Findley achieved a sterling record for fundamental positions, proposals and breakthroughs that revealed a great man, pure and simple. He never stopped learning and applying his knowledge to advance the right course of action, regardless of political party, ideology or pressure from various groups. Findley, a courteous, …
(2019-08-22). What did Engels say about revolution? mronline.org Engels was a revolutionary democrat and a revolutionary realist, argues Dragan Plavšić | Source
(2019-08-22). Dear Democrats, the Mainstream Media Are Not Your Friends. thenation.com Dear Democrats, the Mainstream Media Are Not Your Friends…
(2019-08-22). Jay Inslee Is Not the Candidate Who Should Be Leaving This Race. thenation.com Jay Inslee Is Not the Candidate Who Should Be Leaving This Race…
(2019-08-22). 2020 Candidates Address Historical Trauma, Missing Indigenous Women & More at Native American Forum. democracynow.org 
Following this week's historic Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum in Sioux City, Iowa, we speak with Mark Trahant, editor of Indian Country Today and moderator of the Native American voter forum; Christine Nobiss, director of Seeding Sovereignty's SHIFT project; and Mark Charles, independent candidate for president, Native American activist and writer. They respond to the candidates' proposals to tackle issues affecting the Native American community, including the chronic murder and disappearance of Native American girls and women, land sovereignty, and generational trauma caused by colonialism.
(2019-08-22). Warren Apologizes to Native Americans; Sanders Backs Rescinding Medals for Wounded Knee Massacre. democracynow.org 
This week 10 Democratic candidates and one independent in the 2020 presidential race, including Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, addressed indigenous communities at the first-ever Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum in Sioux City, Iowa. During the two-day event, candidates individually answered questions from a panel of tribal leaders and Native American youth and elders on issues including treaty rights, voter suppression, and murdered and missing indigenous women.
(2019-08-22). Headlines for August 22, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Administration Proposes Jailing Migrant Families Indefinitely, Federal Budget Deficit to Top $1 Trillion in 2020, Satellite Data Show Brazilian Amazon Burning at Record Pace, Brazilian President Bolsonaro Blames Environmentalists for Amazon Fires, Wildfires Rage in Alaska, Canary Islands, Siberia and Greenland, Gov. Jay Inslee, Champion of Climate Fight, Drops 2020 Presidential Bid, Activists Disrupt Event Honoring House Speaker Pelosi to Demand Trump's Impeachment, Abdalla Hamdok Sworn In as Sudan's Prime Minister, Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Activists Mark Anniversary of Subway Attack, Mexico's Zapatistas Exp…
(2019-08-21). Rep Ayanna Pressley on Israel's Ban: "Bigoted, Short-Sighted and Cruel" therealnews.com 
These are the words tweeted by Rep. Ayanna Pressley in response to the Israeli decision to ban the entry of Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib. The story has a striking resemblance to South Africa and Rhodesia blocking the entry of African American Democratic Representative Charles C. Diggs Junior in January 1972…
(2019-08-21). Why the Democratic National Committee Must Change the Rules and Hold a Climate Debate. theintercept.com 
A girl holds a sign that reads "pull the emergency brake" at a ceremony to commemorate the Okjà∂kull glacier in Iceland, on Aug. 18, 2019. | recorded in human history. You are meeting on the same week that smoke from a record number of wildfires in the Amazon rainforest turned day into night in the Brazilian megapolis of Sà£o Paulo. And you are meeting just days after Iceland's prime minister led her country in its first (2019-08-21). The 1619 Project: A Nation Born in Contradiction, a Democracy Defined by Black Struggle. therealnews.com 
Nikole Hannah-Jones, who spearheaded the New York Times' 1619 Project joins The Real News Network to look at the lies that founded the U.S. and how Black America has given life to American ideals…
(2019-08-21). 'Pragmatic': How Corporate Media Praise Dems Who Abandon Progressive Values. fair.org 
Pragmatic (adjective): solving problems in a sensible way that suits the conditions that really exist now, rather than obeying fixed theories, ideas or rules. | — The battle for the Democratic presidential nomination is dominating the news cycle, and two of the three clear frontrunners in polls, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, d…
(2019-08-21). An Arizona Law Requires Surveillance of People Who Are Presumed Innocent. aclu.org The government cannot take shortcuts around constitutional rights. | A pillar of our democracy is the presumption of innocence: before a person has been convicted of a crime, they are considered completely innocent under the law. Yet across the country, people who have not been convicted are punished—both explicitly and implicitly—based on the mistaken assumption that they are dangerous, purely on the basis of an accusation. We do not live in a society where you can be incarcerated or monitored simply because you have been accused of a crime. Doing so violates constitutional rights, fuels mass incarce…
(2019-08-21). In one tweet, Jeremy Corbyn shows exactly why he's the leader the world needs. thecanary.co As The Canary reported, a coup is currently underway in Turkey against democratically elected mayors in three predominately Kurdish cities. But while there's been a deafening silence from the Conservative Party over the actions of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoƒüan, Jeremy Corbyn has spoken out: | The arrest of political leaders and act…
(2019-08-21). Why There's No End in Sight to the Hong Kong Protests. thenation.com Why There's No End in Sight to the Hong Kong Protests…
(2019-08-21). Meet Alvaro Enciso, the Artist Placing Crosses in Sonoran Desert to Memorialize Migrant Deaths. democracynow.org 
More than 3,000 human remains have been found in the Sonoran Desert, most of them of migrants fleeing their home countries to embark on an uncertain and perilous journey to the United States. On a recent visit to the Arizona borderlands, Democracy Now! accompanied Tucson-based artist Alvaro Enciso into the desert at the site where he placed four unique markers to honor four immigrants killed in a car accident years ago as they fled from Border Patrol. In the past five years, Enciso, who is originally from Colombia, has built and installed over 900 crosses across the treacherous Sonoran Desert in Arizona as part o…
(2019-08-21). Over 500 Lawsuits Already Filed Days After Child Victims Act in New York Goes into Effect. democracynow.org 
This is Part 2 of our conversation with two New York state legislators, Senator Alessandra Biaggi and Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou, who helped pass the Child Victims Act in New York. The state law, which went into effect last week, extends the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse and includes a "lookback period," giving survivors of any age a year to take legal action even if their cases had expired under the old statute of limitations. Over 500 lawsuits have already been filed. Both Biaggi and Niou are sexual abuse survivors, and they have spoken about the importance of the Child Victims Act in personal…
(2019-08-21). Headlines for August 21, 2019. democracynow.org Amazon Wildfires Spark Fears of Environmental Disaster as Sà£o Paulo Goes Dark from Smoke, Trump Expected to End Flores Agreement, Slashing Protections for Child Migrants, CBP Will Not Vaccinate Jailed Migrants as Doctors Say At Least 3 Detained Children Died from Flu, Lawsuits Allege "Torture" in Migrant Jails and Child Abuse in Foster Care, Italy in Turmoil as Prime Minister Resigns, Migrants Disembark from Rescue Ship in Italy After Being Stranded at Sea for 3 Weeks, Trump Cancels Denmark Visit over Refusal to Discuss Selling Greenland, Trump Attacks Tlaib & Omar, Says Jews Are "Disloyal" If They Vote De…
(2019-08-21). Turkey: HDP calls for mobilisations against AKP attacks — 'We will not be silenced, we will not be stopped…'. greenleft.org.au 
Kurdish struggle Susan PriceIssue 1234 Turkey Turkish arrests Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP)August 21, 2019Human rights organisations, solidarity groups and the European Unio…
(2019-08-21). A Lib Dem MP just showed how detached from reality the party truly is. thecanary.co 
New Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson has chosen her "shadow cabinet". Although cabinet might be stretching it. After all, the cabinet is made up of about 20 people and the Lib Dems only have 14 MPs. | But this sm…
(2019-08-20). Bernie Sanders Takes Aim at the Pathology of the For-Profit Criminal Justice System. therealnews.com 
An analysis of Sen Sanders' new criminal justice reform plan and a brief history of neoliberal democrats 'playing' at progressive politics while enacting regressive policies…
(2019-08-20). Hong Kong: Flashpoint of Class Struggle in China. uwidata.com What began as isolated protests against a standard criminal-extradition law has somehow erupted into a violent fury throughout Hong Kong. The Chinese city's American-and-British-flag-waving protesters are, on the one hand, calling for "freedom, human rights, and democracy" while, on the other, assaulting police and even random bystanders alike. Western media have already been on the …
(2019-08-20). Trump Accuses Most American Jews of "Disloyalty" to Israel, Deploying Anti-Semitic Trope. theintercept.com President Donald Trump revealed again on Tuesday that he subscribes to the anti-Semitic belief that American Jews harbor a secret dual loyalty to Israel.
(2019-08-20). Joe Biden's Wife Says Vote for Husband Even If You Like Other Candidates More. theantimedia.com "Jill Biden may have settled for her husband, but I'm not sure why anyone else should."
(2019-08-20). Maryland teacher incorporates hard lessons about slavery into public school curriculum. splcenter.org At a workshop for teachers about educating children on American slavery, one instructor grew angry and insisted that Thomas Jefferson — who fathered biracial children with an enslaved woman on one of his plantations — was an advocate for racial equality.
(2019-08-20). Portland Rejects Proud Boys & Other Ultra-Right Groups as Trump Tries to Criminalize Antifa. democracynow.org 
A crowd of white nationalists took to the streets of Portland, Oregon, over the weekend for what they dubbed the "End Domestic Terrorism" rally. But they were outnumbered by a massive response from counterprotesters, who gathered across the city as police escorted members of the Proud Boys, Patriot Prayer and other right-wing groups across one of the city's main bridges. Police arrested 13 people throughout the day and seized weapons but largely avoided "the worst-case scenario" Portland's Mayor Ted Wheeler said the city was prepared for. Portland Police put more than 700 officers on patrol, with more than one co…
(2019-08-20). Emerald Garner, Eric Garner's Daughter, Says Firing Pantaleo "Should Have Happened a Long Time Ago" democracynow.org 
Daniel Pantaleo, the police officer who killed Eric Garner in 2014 by using an illegal chokehold, was fired Monday and stripped of his pension benefits. The decision came more than five years after Pantaleo held Garner, an unarmed African-American man, in a chokehold until he dropped to the ground. Before dying, he gasped "I can't breathe" 11 times. Despite outcry from the family and community members, Pantaleo had remained on the police force on desk duty since the killing. Last month, on the fifth anniversary of Garner's death, the Justice Department declined to charge Pantaleo with a crime despite calls by the…
(2019-08-20). Deadly Bombings Devastate Afghanistan as U.S.-Taliban Peace Talks Continue Without Afghan Government. democracynow.org 
In Afghanistan, a series of bomb attacks devastated restaurants and other public spaces Monday in the eastern city of Jalalabad, injuring at least 66 people. The explosions took place on Afghanistan's 100th Independence Day, following Saturday's bloody suicide bombing at a wedding in Kabul that killed 63 people, wounding around 200 others. ISIS claimed the attack, which was the deadliest this year in Afghanistan. The bombings came as the U.S. and Taliban are reportedly close to a peace deal after months of talks between the two parties. Top issues in the negotiations include a U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanist…
(2019-08-20). Headlines for August 20, 2019. democracynow.org NYPD Fires Daniel Pantaleo 5 Years After He Killed Eric Garner, Planned Parenthood Rejects Federal Funds over Trump "Gag Rule" on Abortion Referrals, Fears of Renewed Arms Race as U.S. Tests Ground Missile and Questions Remain over Russian Blast, Sudan: Omar al-Bashir Heads to Court Days After Signing of Transitional Deal, Salvadoran Rape Survivor Cleared After Prior Conviction for Killing Stillborn, Twitter & Facebook Remove China-Linked Accounts over Hong Kong Protest Misinformation, Elizabeth Warren Apologizes to Indigenous Groups at Iowa Native American Forum, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Asks Federal Court to H…
(2019-08-20). Jo Swinson probably wishes she hadn't posted that latest lie about Jeremy Corbyn. thecanary.co 
On 20 August, Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson lied about Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn ( again). But people were quick to call her out. And now, she probably wishes she hadn't bothered. | "Fake news": | Swinson tweeted: | Jeremy Corbyn didn't fight to remain in 2016, and he won't fight for remain now. He wants to deliver a Labour Brexit, becau…
(2019-08-19). Democrats Have an Open Senate Seat in New Mexico. Will They Elect a Progressive, or the Former Head of the DCCC? theintercept.com 
With Sen. Tom Udall retiring, the Democratic Party establishment is unified behind Ben Ray Luján. The Working Families Party endorsed Maggie Oliver.
(2019-08-19). Activist on the Front Lines Discusses the Historic Protests in Hong Kong. therealnews.com 
We had to blur her image but she talks about police brutality, the struggle for a transparent democracy, the Chinese army at the border, and hope for the future…
(2019-08-19). Twitter Helped Chinese Government Promote Disinformation on Repression of Uighurs. theintercept.com Twitter helped to promote Chinese government propaganda and disinformation about the country's controversial internment camps in the Xinjiang region, a review of the company's advertising records reveals. | The social media company today announced a policy change that would bar such promotion following an inquiry from The Intercept and an earlier controversy over similar propaganda related to demonstrations in Hong Kong. | In Xinjiang, a western province in China, the United Nations has estimated that 1 milli…
(2019-08-19). "Humanitarian Aid Is Never a Crime": No More Deaths Volunteers Drop Water in Desert to Aid Migrants. democracynow.org 
Volunteers with the humanitarian aid group No More Deaths have been venturing into the harsh Sonoran Desert for years to leave life-saving supplies for migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Longtime volunteer Scott Warren was charged with three felonies for the alleged crime of providing food, water and shelter to migrants. After a hung jury in June, he is now facing retrial on two felony counts and faces a possible 10 years in prison. As he awaits his next trial as well as deals with misdemeanor charges in another case of aiding migrants, Democracy Now! followed him into the Sonoran Desert for his first trip…
(2019-08-19). Activist Scott Warren, Facing Federal Charges for Aiding Migrants, Says He Won't Be Deterred. democracynow.org 
We broadcast live from Tucson, Arizona, where the government recently put humanitarian activist Scott Warren on trial amid the ongoing policing of the U.S.-Mexico border, separation of families, and cruel and inhumane conditions at immigrant jails across the country. Warren, a longtime volunteer with the humanitarian aid group No More Deaths, was charged with three felony counts for his alleged crime of providing food, water and shelter to migrants in Ajo, Arizona. The immigrants had arrived at the doorstep of a humanitarian shelter after a perilous journey across the Sonoran Desert. At the same time, he and othe…
(2019-08-19). "They Are Irreplaceable, and They Mattered": Group Identifies Human Remains Along the Border. democracynow.org 
In a special broadcast from the Arizona-Sonora border, we look at how the bodies and bones of more than 3,000 people have been found in the Sonoran Desert since 2001, and speak with Robin Reineke, the co-founder of the Tucson-based organization Colibrí Center for Human Rights. Colibrí Center is dedicated to identifying the remains of people passing through the desert and, since its founding, has identified at least 100 migrants through meticulous forensic work and DNA data collection of people's remains and family members who are alive. In 2018, it launched the Bring Them Back Campaign to call for dignity and dem…
(2019-08-19). Headlines for August 19, 2019. democracynow.org Bombs Go Off on Afghan Independence Day, Following Wedding Attack That Killed 63, Largest Hong Kong Protest in Weeks Defies Threats, Intimidation by China, Kashmiris Protest Lockdown 2 Weeks After India Scraps Special Status, Gibraltar Releases Iranian Oil Tanker After U.S. Fails to Keep It Under Seizure, Israeli Soldiers Kill 3 People in Gaza, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar to Address Israeli Travel Ban, Far-Right and Anti-Fascist Protesters Take to Portland Streets, Authorities Arrest Men in 3 States After They Threaten Mass Shootings, Prison Guard Who Drove Truck into Jewish Activists Has Resigned, NYPD Judge: P…
(2019-08-18). Amy McGrath's Senate Campaign Manager Helped Get Her Potential Primary Opponent Fired. theintercept.com 
WLEX, a Kentucky TV station, fired host Matt Jones, who has been pondering a primary challenge to Amy McGrath, at the urging of her campaign manager.
(2019-08-18). Google Is Deepening Its Involvement With Egypt's Repressive Government. theintercept.com 
Google is set to re-staff its Cairo office, which more or less went dormant in 2014, following the military coup that brought Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to power.
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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.
(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…
(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…
(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.
(2019-08-12). How Climate Activists Can Benefit from Solidarity with Kentucky Coal Miners. progressive.org As fossil-fuel workers lose their jobs today, the urgency of what climate activists call the "just transition" becomes all the more apparent.
(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?
(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.
(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.
