Category Archives: Democracy Now!

A Humanitarian Catastrophe: U.S.-Backed Forces Attack Key Yemeni Port Imperiling Millions

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A Humanitarian Catastrophe: U.S.-Backed Forces Attack Key Yemeni Port Imperiling Millions
In Yemen, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates has launched an all-out offensive against the key port city of Hudaydah. The offensive is expected to be the biggest battle in the ongoing 3-year war between the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led coalition and Houthi rebels. The war has already killed 15,000 civilians, sparked the world’s worst cholera epidemic and pushed the country to the brink of famine. Humanitarian organizations have warned the offensive could be a catastrophe for a quarter of a million civilians living in the port city, and for the rest of the Yemen, which is highly dependent on aid that travels through this port.

“Relic of Jim Crow Era”: Ari Berman on Supreme Court’s Decision to Uphold Ohio’s Voter Purge
The Supreme Court has ruled 5 to 4 to uphold Ohio’s aggressive purging of voters from the rolls. The ruling means that states can remove people from voter rolls if they miss a few elections and then fail to respond to notices from election officials. One survey found nearly 150,000 people were removed from the voting rolls in recent years in Ohio’s three largest counties alone. Critics say the court’s decision is yet another victory for conservatives trying to restrict voting rights.

Special Report: In the Streets with the New Poor People’s Campaign Against Racism and Poverty
Demonstrators descended on Washington Monday in the latest protest staged by the new Poor People’s Campaign, which organizers say is the most expansive wave of nonviolent direct action in the U.S. this century. Campaign organizers Reverends William Barber and Liz Theoharis and around 100 others were arrested for protesting a Supreme Court ruling that dealt a major setback to voting rights by upholding Ohio’s controversial voter purge law. At least 300 people were arrested nationwide. Nearly 2,000 people have been arrested around the country since the campaign launched, 50 years after Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. launched the first Poor People’s Campaign. Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman and Carla Wills were in the streets of Washington, D.C., covering the action.

Religious Leaders Shackled, Held in Jail Overnight, After Praying in Protest Outside Supreme Court
Nine religious leaders were arrested on the steps of the Supreme Court on Monday in Washington, D.C., after participating in a national day of action for the new Poor People’s Campaign. They were handcuffed for five hours and jailed overnight in cells with cockroaches before being brought into court in ankle irons. The religious leaders were among 100 people arrested in Washington, D.C., Monday as part of the protests against poverty and racism.


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Eric has now completed all 12 signs of The Sacred Space of Self, the 2018 Spring Reading on Chiron’s transition into Aries, and Mars retrograde in Aquarius over the summer. Order today and get all 12 signs for just $99. Check out our brand new sample video here, and the full Guide to Chiron Transits here.

Trump Vows to End “Provocative” War Games on Korean Peninsula After Historic Summit with Kim Jong-un

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Trump Vows to End “Provocative” War Games on Korean Peninsula After Historic Summit with Kim Jong-un
President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have wrapped up a historic summit pledging to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, with President Trump announcing the end of U.S.-South Korean war games. The summit marked the first-ever meeting between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader.

A New Day for the Korean Peninsula: Christine Ahn Hails Denuclearization Pledge & New Peace Process
On Tuesday, President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sat down for two hours in private, with only their two interpreters, for a historic summit held in Singapore. In a joint statement following the meeting, Trump and Kim pledged to recover the remains of American prisoners of war and those missing in action from the Korean War. The commitment was one of four plans outlined by the leaders after their historic summit, where they promised to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Prof. Bruce Cumings: U.S. Bombing in Korea More Destructive Than Damage to Germany, Japan in WWII
President Trump’s historic meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un follows another historic meeting only weeks earlier between Kim and South Korean leader Moon Jae-in, where the two leaders agreed to work to formally end the Korean War. After Tuesday’s summit in Singapore, Trump called the Korean War “an extremely bloody conflict” and expressed hope that the war would soon formally end.

Rep. Ro Khanna: If U.S.-North Korea Summit Happened Under Obama, Democrats Would Be Cheering
As President Trump prepared for his historic summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other top Democrats penned a letter last week threatening to maintain or even strengthen sanctions against North Korea if Trump did not ensure that the country completely dismantle all of its nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. The lawmakers wrote, “Any deal that explicitly or implicitly gives North Korea sanctions relief for anything other than the verifiable performance of its obligations to dismantle its nuclear and missile arsenal is a bad deal.” Progressives have blasted the letter for its hardline stance. Fifteen Democratic congressmembers, including Ro Khanna of California, penned a letter to President Trump, writing, “diplomacy is the only path to resolve the tensions between our countries.” In Washington, D.C., we are joined by Rep. Ro Khanna.


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Eric has now completed all 12 signs of The Sacred Space of Self, the 2018 Spring Reading on Chiron’s transition into Aries, and Mars retrograde in Aquarius over the summer. Order today and get all 12 signs for just $99. Check out our brand new sample video here, and the full Guide to Chiron Transits here.

123 Deaths a Day: Inside the Public Health Crisis of Rising Suicide Rates in the United States

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123 Deaths a Day: Inside the Public Health Crisis of Rising Suicide Rates in the United States
A new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found the U.S. suicide rate rose by 25 percent over the past two decades. Topping the list was North Dakota, where suicides have risen by 57 percent from 1999 levels. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. Dr. J. John Mann is a psychiatry professor at Columbia University, a division director at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and a past president of the International Academy of Suicide Research and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

“What Truth Sounds Like”: Michael Eric Dyson on New Book About RFK, James Baldwin & Race in America
This month marks 50 years since the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. On June 5, 1968, Kennedy was shot dead shortly after winning the California Democratic primary, a major boost in his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. His death came just two months after the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and five years after the assassination of his own brother, President John F. Kennedy.

Michael Eric Dyson on NFL Protests, Malcolm Jenkins & Listening to Black Americans on Issues of Race
Last week Donald Trump abruptly called off a planned visit by the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles, tweeting, “Staying in the Locker Room for the playing of our National Anthem is as disrespectful to our country as kneeling. Sorry!” While not a single Eagles player kneeled during the national anthem in the 2017 season, Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins did protest by raising a fist during the national anthem, in what has become one of the most enduring images of the protests. Last week, Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins silently held up a series of signs to reporters in a team locker room in response to their questions about the cancellation of the team’s White House visit.


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Eric has now completed all 12 signs of The Sacred Space of Self, the 2018 Spring Reading on Chiron’s transition into Aries, and Mars retrograde in Aquarius over the summer. Order today and get all 12 signs for just $99. Check out our brand new sample video here, and the full Guide to Chiron Transits here.

After Trip to Gaza, Anthony Bourdain Accused World of Robbing Palestinians of Their Basic Humanity

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As EPA Scandals Mount, Scott Pruitt Is Radically Reshaping Agency to Aid Polluters and Big Business
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt is again facing a slew of ethics and spending scandals amid mounting calls for his resignation. On Thursday, The Washington Post reported Pruitt enlisted members of his $3.5 million security detail to pick up his dry cleaning and search for his favorite skin moisturizing lotion, even though federal rules prohibit public officials from receiving gifts from subordinates, including unpaid services. Meanwhile, Pruitt is continuing to radically reshape the EPA. The New York Times reports today the EPA has given the chemical industry a big victory by scaling back the way the federal government determines health and safety risks associated with the most dangerous chemicals on the market. Pruitt has also been accused of radically reshaping the EPA rulemaking process and weakening Obama administration efforts to tighten fuel economy standards.

Israeli Military Pushes Misleading Video in Attempt to Smear Slain Palestinian Medic Razan al-Najjar
In Gaza, thousands of Palestinians have resumed protests against the Israeli blockade. Israeli soldiers have killed at least 119 Palestinians and wounded more than 13,000 more since the Palestinians’ nonviolent Great March of Return protests began on March 30. A week ago today, Israeli forces shot dead Palestinian medic Razan al-Najjar as she was helping evacuate wounded Palestinians at a protest near the separation fence between Israel and Gaza. At the time of her killing, she was wearing a white medical coat and a medical ID card. The following day, thousands of people poured into the streets of Gaza to attend her funeral. Her killing has also sparked international outrage. Earlier this week, the Israeli military said Israeli snipers had not intentionally shot at Razan. But the Israeli military is now facing widespread criticism after it released a short video Thursday, that was heavily edited, in efforts to claim the slain medic was acting as a “human shield” for Hamas when she was shot dead by an Israeli sniper exactly one week ago.

After Trip to Gaza, Anthony Bourdain Accused World of Robbing Palestinians of Their Basic Humanity
Celebrity chef and television presenter Anthony Bourdain has died by suicide. The 61-year-old was found dead in his hotel room in Strasbourg, France, where he was filming an episode of his CNN program “Parts Unknown.” During one episode of his show, he traveled to Gaza. In 2014, he won an award from the Muslim Public Affairs Council. In his acceptance speech, he said, “The world has visited many terrible things on the Palestinian people, none more shameful than robbing them of their basic humanity.”

Kathy Kelly on Afghanistan: Destitution, Unemployment & Hunger Must Be Addressed to Achieve Peace
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has announced an unconditional ceasefire with the Taliban to last until June 20. The ceasefire comes after Muslim clerics in Afghanistan issued a fatwa—or religious ruling—against suicide bombings, after an attack Monday, claimed by ISIS, killed 14 people who had gathered for a clerics’ peace summit in Kabul. This comes as the BBC is reporting that the number of bombs dropped by the U.S. Air Force has surged dramatically since President Trump announced his Afghanistan strategy and committed more troops to the conflict last August; new rules of engagement have made it easier for U.S. forces to carry out strikes against the Taliban.

As U.S. Intensifies Airstrikes in Afghanistan, Pashtun Men Stage 400-Mile Walk Calling for Peace
Extended conversation with Kathy Kelly, co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence, a campaign to end U.S. military and economic warfare. She has made many trips to Afghanistan, and just returned from a trip this week. Kelly’s latest article for The Progressive is headlined, “Afghans, Parched for Water, March for Peace.”


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Eric has now completed all 12 signs of The Sacred Space of Self, the 2018 Spring Reading on Chiron’s transition into Aries, and Mars retrograde in Aquarius over the summer. Order today and get all 12 signs for just $99. Check out our brand new sample video here, and the full Guide to Chiron Transits here.

Trump Frees Alice Johnson; What About Thousands Still Serving Life for Nonviolent Drug Offenses?

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Trump Frees Alice Johnson; What About Thousands Still Serving Life for Nonviolent Drug Offenses?
President Trump has commuted the life sentence of a woman who was imprisoned for a first-time nonviolent drug offense, after her cause was taken up by reality television star Kim Kardashian West. Alice Marie Johnson, a 63-year-old grandmother from Memphis, was released Wednesday from federal prison in Aliceville, Alabama, where she had been serving her sentence for nearly 22 years. While Alice Marie Johnson has been released, thousands of other prisoners are still serving life without parole for nonviolent drug offenses. Jennifer Turner was part of the legal team representing Johnson in her application for clemency. She is a human rights researcher with the American Civil Liberties Union and author of the ACLU report titled “A Living Death: Life Without Parole for Nonviolent Offenses.”

Students Push to Oust Nicaraguan President Ortega as Death Toll Rises Amid Bloody Police Crackdown
At least five people were killed over the weekend in Nicaragua amid escalating anti-government protests that have engulfed the country since mid-April. More than 110 people have been killed since widespread demonstrations to oust Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega began in mid-April, when his government announced plans to overhaul and slash social security. The protests, and the government’s bloody repression, mark the biggest crisis since Ortega was elected 11 years ago.

The Country Is Crying: Nicaraguan Mother Demands Justice After Police Kill Her Son at Protest
More than 110 people have been killed, and thousands have been injured, in widespread anti-government demonstrations in Nicaragua. Activists are demanding that President Daniel Ortega be removed from office immediately amid the bloody police crackdown. Alba García is demanding justice after her 22 year-old son Moroni López was shot and killed by police at a demonstration in Managua in April.

Mexican Court Orders Truth Commission to Oversee New Investigation of 43 Disappeared Students
A Mexican federal court has effectively thrown out the government’s investigation into the disappearance of 43 college students from the Ayotzinapa teachers’ school in 2014 and ordered a new investigation. A three-judge panel issued the ruling Monday after several people suspected in the disappearances asked the judges to review their cases. They said their confessions were extracted by torture. The judicial tribunal responded by issuing a unanimous and wide-ranging indictment of the entire case, saying it “wasn’t quick, effective, independent or impartial.” The judges also accused Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office of failing to follow up on key evidence, writing, “There is no sign that they even explored the lines of investigation that signaled participation of personnel from the Mexican army or the Federal Police.” Amnesty International welcomed the ruling as an important advance in the search for truth and justice.


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Eric has now completed all 12 signs of The Sacred Space of Self, the 2018 Spring Reading on Chiron’s transition into Aries, and Mars retrograde in Aquarius over the summer. Order today and get all 12 signs for just $99. Check out our brand new sample video here, and the full Guide to Chiron Transits here.

Naomi Klein: 4,645 Deaths in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria Were “State-Sponsored Mass Killing”

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Naomi Klein: 4,645 Deaths in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria Were “State-Sponsored Mass Killing”
Puerto Rico continues to recover from Hurricane Maria, which devastated the island last September. Researchers at Harvard recently revealed the death toll from Hurricane Maria may be a staggering 70 times higher than the official count. The official death toll still stands at 64, but the new study estimates a death toll of at least 4,645, with some projections topping 5,700. The Harvard study found that “interruption of medical care was the primary cause of sustained high mortality rates in the months after the hurricane, a finding consistent with the widely reported disruption of health systems. Health care disruption is now a growing contributor to both morbidity and mortality in natural disasters.” Naomi Klein is an author, journalist and a senior correspondent for The Intercept. Her new book is titled “The Battle for Paradise: Puerto Rico Takes On the Disaster Capitalists.” Katia Avilés-Vázquez is a Puerto Rican environmental activist and member of Organización Boricuá de Agricultura Ecológica, and Elizabeth Yeampierre, executive director of UPROSE and co-chair of the Climate Justice Alliance.

“The Battle for Paradise”: New Intercept Doc Goes Inside Struggle over Puerto Rico’s Future
Nearly nine months after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, the island’s residents and Wall Street investors are engaged in a pitched battle over who will control the future of the island. A new short documentary, “The Battle for Paradise,” produced by Naomi Klein and The Intercept takes you inside this ongoing struggle for power.

Puerto Rico Is a “Playground for the Privileged”: Investors Move In as Homes Foreclose & Schools Close
While healthcare, the public school system and infrastructure in Puerto Rico are flailing nine months after Hurricane Maria ravaged the island, wealthy investors have descended on the island to turn a profit.


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Eric has now completed all 12 signs of The Sacred Space of Self, the 2018 Spring Reading on Chiron’s transition into Aries, and Mars retrograde in Aquarius over the summer. Order today and get all 12 signs for just $99. Check out our brand new sample video here, and the full Guide to Chiron Transits here.

Going “Full Dictator”? Trump Claims He Has Right to End Mueller Investigation or Pardon Himself

Links to today’s show transcripts:

Going “Full Dictator”? Trump Claims He Has Right to End Mueller Investigation or Pardon Himself
As President Trump celebrated his 500th day in office Monday, many legal experts warned that the country could soon face a constitutional crisis as the president continues to attack special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. On Monday, Trump tweeted, “The appointment of the Special Counsel is totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL!” He also tweeted, “As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself.” Over the weekend, The New York Times published a 20-page confidential letter written by Trump’s lawyers to special counsel Robert Mueller, in which his lawyers claim Trump is above the law and thus cannot have illegally obstructed the Mueller investigation. Trump’s attorneys also claim the Constitution gives the president power to terminate the Mueller probe.

Trump Cancels Philadelphia Eagles’ WH Visit Amid Feud with Players over Racial Justice Protests
On Monday evening, Donald Trump abruptly called off today’s planned visit by the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles, after it became clear that most of the team had opted out of the event. In a statement announcing the decision, Trump said, “The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow. They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.” But not a single Eagles player kneeled during the national anthem in the 2017 season. Several members of the Philadelphia Eagles announced in February that they wouldn’t visit the White House for the traditional Super Bowl victory celebration, as a protest against President Trump. Among them are Malcolm Jenkins, Torrey Smith and Chris Long.

“Hidden Horrors”: Reporter Debbie Nathan on Mass Trials & Kids Separated from Parents at the Border
Immigrants are facing mass trials and family separation at the U.S.-Mexico border, as the government implements “zero tolerance” policies directed at those trying to enter the United States. Mass trials for crossing the border, and scattered cases of family separations, have taken place since “Operation Streamline” was first introduced in 2005. But last month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the federal government will now prosecute “100 percent of illegal southwest border crossings.”

In Narrow Ruling, Supreme Court Sides with Baker Who Refused Cake to Same-Sex Couple
The Supreme Court ruled Monday in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple, citing his religious opposition. In a narrow 7-2 decision, the justices faulted the Colorado Civil Rights Commission’s handling of the claims brought against baker Jack Phillips, saying the commission had shown a hostility to religion. Though the case pitted claims of religious freedom against the fight for gay rights, the ruling stopped short of setting a major precedent on whether businesses can deny people services because of their sexual orientation.


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Eric has now completed all 12 signs of The Sacred Space of Self, the 2018 Spring Reading on Chiron’s transition into Aries, and Mars retrograde in Aquarius over the summer. Order today and get all 12 signs for just $99. Check out our brand new sample video here, and the full Guide to Chiron Transits here.

“A Source of Positivity All the Time”: Remembering Palestinian Medic Razan al-Najjar, Killed by IDF

Links to today’s show transcripts:

“A Source of Positivity All the Time”: Remembering Palestinian Medic Razan al-Najjar, Killed by IDF
Witnesses say Israeli soldiers shot dead 21-year-old Palestinian medic Razan al-Najjar as she ran toward the border fence to provide medical aid to a wounded protester. Since nonviolent protests began at the end of March, Israeli soldiers have killed at least 119 people, including 14 children. More than 13,000 have been wounded. “It was clear to everybody that she was a paramedic, that that was murder. I mean, that was a crime committed before cameras,” said Dr. Medhat Abbas, director of Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in the Gaza Strip. Najjar’s cousin, Dalia al-Najjar, says the response of the international community to the Gaza crisis has been “really disappointing,” and notes the U.S. vetoed a draft U.N. resolution urging the protection of Palestinians on Friday, the same day Najjar was killed. “It’s a shameful side that the United States decided to take.”

Meet Stacey Abrams, Democrat Who Could Become First African-American Woman Governor in U.S. History
We speak with Stacey Abrams, who made history in Georgia last month when she became the first African-American woman to win a major party’s nomination for governor in U.S. history. The former state House Democratic leader defeated Stacey Evans, a former state representative who ran as a centrist. Abrams faces a tough race this November against her Republican opponent, who will be decided during a July 24 runoff election between Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Secretary of State Brian Kemp. If Abrams wins, she’ll become the first African-American governor in the Deep South since Reconstruction. “We can actually win elections without having to cater to these right-wing, harshly conservative policies that only serve to harm everyone,” says Abrams.

Stacey Abrams on Her Historic Georgia Primary Victory & How to Win Real Change as “Minority Leader”
The interview with Stacey Abrams continues here.


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Eric has now completed all 12 signs of The Sacred Space of Self, the 2018 Spring Reading on Chiron’s transition into Aries, and Mars retrograde in Aquarius over the summer. Order today and get all 12 signs for just $99. Check out our brand new sample video here, and the full Guide to Chiron Transits here.