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You Are Stealing Our Future: Greta Thunberg, 15, Condemns the World's Inaction on Climate Change
Thu, 13 Dec 2018 08:55:09 -0500
Fifteen-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg addressed the U.N. plenary last night in Katowice, Poland, condemning global inaction in the face of catastrophic climate change.

Fossil-Free Costa Rica: How One Country Is Pursuing Decarbonization Despite Global Inaction
Thu, 13 Dec 2018 08:43:46 -0500
As world leaders struggle to agree on a plan to curb global emissions at the U.N. climate talks in Katowice, Poland, we look at Costa Rica's plan to go fossil-free beginning next year. It will be the first country in the world to decarbonize its economy. Costa Rica generates more than 90 percent of its electricity using renewable energy. Costa Rican officials have announced they want to host U.N. climate talks in 2019, since Brazil rescinded its offer to host the summit following the election of right-wing climate change denier President-elect Jair Bolsonaro. We speak with Monica Araya, a Costa Rican climate activist who works with the president of Costa Rica on sustainability issues. She is the director of Costa Rica Limpia, an NGO that promotes carbon neutrality and clean energy.

A "Conference of Polluters": How Fossil Fuel Companies Are Shaping Policy at the U.N. Climate Summit
Thu, 13 Dec 2018 08:29:54 -0500
Officials from nearly 200 countries are in Katowice, Poland, to negotiate how to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement. But so are representatives from many of the world's largest fossil fuel companies, including a lobby group that represents BP, Shell and ExxonMobil. Just last week, The Intercept reported that an executive from Shell Oil told participants at a COP side event that Shell helped draft a portion of the 2015 Paris climate agreement dealing with emissions mitigation. This week, activists protested outside an event hosted by Shell. Among them was Nnimmo Bassey, a Nigerian environmental activist and the director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, who says the nonbinding 2015 Paris climate agreement was popular with politicians because polluters saw they "didn't have to do anything that science requires." He argues, "This is just the design and the desire of the fossil fuel industry."

As U.N. Calls for Urgent Action on Climate Change, U.S. Seeks to Dilute Pact to Cut Carbon Emissions
Thu, 13 Dec 2018 08:15:25 -0500
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres issued a dire warning Wednesday that nations must act now to save humanity from devastating climate change. Despite this call to action, talks here in Katowice have been hindered by the United States and the world's other biggest polluters, who are promoting fossil fuels and focusing on reducing emissions in developing countries but not their own. Talks are supposed to conclude Friday, but negotiators have expressed little hope in meeting the deadline. "It's really hypocritical that the United States is here, negotiating in what I would characterize as bad faith," says Meena Raman, of the U.S. role in climate talks at COP24. "[The U.S.] is seeking to dilute further what was a very delicate treaty that was concluded." Raman is coordinator of the climate change program at Third World Network.

Headlines for December 13, 2018
Thu, 13 Dec 2018 08:00:00 -0500
Former Trump Lawyer Cohen Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison, National Enquirer Admits to Suppressing Trump Affair Story to Aid 2016 Presidential Bid, Yemen: Hodeidah Ceasefire Declared, Rep. Pelosi Secures Votes for House Speaker Role, Guardian: FBI Was Surveilling Members of Environmental Group 350.org, NYT: ALEC & Oil Industry Secretly Campaigning to Weaken Car Emission Standards, U.K.: Prime Minister May Survives Leadership Challenge, China Detains 2 Canadians as Huawei CFO Gets Out on Bail, Turkey Threatens Offensive Against U.S.-Backed Kurds in Syria, Australian Media Barred from Reporting on Vatican Official Convicted of Sex Crimes Against Children, West Bank: Deadly Attacks Kill 3 Palestinians and 2 Israelis, Gaza: Mourners Gather for Funeral of 4-Year-Old Killed by Israeli Forces, Temple University: Prof. Lamont Hill's Palestine Talk Protected by Free Speech, CDC: 40,000 People Killed by Guns in U.S. in 2017, NYC: DA Drops Charges for Mother Whose Baby Was Snatched by NYPD, Media Company Slate Votes to Go on Strike, NYC: Amazon Warehouse Workers Plan to Form Union, Christine Blasey Ford Presents Award to Sexual Assault Survivor Who Broke Silence on Larry Nassar

U.S. & Other Big Polluters Obstruct U.N. Climate Talks, Stalling Efforts to Reduce Carbon Emissions
Wed, 12 Dec 2018 08:51:22 -0500
The world's worst emitters are hindering negotiations at the U.N. climate summit in Katowice, Poland, even as countries from the Global South warn that they could face annihilation without drastic action to confront climate change. We speak with Harjeet Singh, who has been observing how the U.S. and other big polluters are hindering climate talks. He is the global lead on climate change for ActionAid. He's been working with climate migrants in several countries, and he is based in New Delhi, India.

Trump's Energy Adviser Runs Away When Questioned by Democracy Now! at U.N. Climate Talks
Wed, 12 Dec 2018 08:42:03 -0500
The Trump administration is promoting fossil fuels at the U.N. climate summit in Katowice, Poland, despite outcry from climate activists and world leaders concerned about the devastating threat of climate change. Chief among Trump's representatives at the climate summit is Wells Griffith, special assistant to the president for international energy and environment. He is a longtime Republican operative who served as deputy chief of staff to Reince Priebus when Priebus was chair of the Republican National Committee. Amy Goodman attempted to question Wells Griffith about the Trump administration's climate policy at the U.N. summit Tuesday. Griffith refused to answer questions and ran from our camera team for about a quarter-mile, retreating to the U.S. delegation office.

"Ha, Ha, Ha": At U.N. Climate Talks, Protesters Laugh Out Trump Admin Official Pushing Fossil Fuels
Wed, 12 Dec 2018 08:36:50 -0500
Democracy Now! was in the room when indigenous and youth leaders disrupted an event Monday hosted by Trump administration officials promoting fossil fuels and nuclear interests at the U.N. climate talks in Katowice, Poland. Wells Griffith, special assistant to the president for international energy and environment, represented the U.S. at the event. Griffith said in his remarks, "We strongly believe that no country should have to sacrifice economic prosperity or energy security in pursuit of environmental sustainability." Moments later, nearly a hundred protesters began laughing, drowning out Griffith, calling the panel a "joke" and taking over the event to denounce fossil fuels.

Typhoon Haiyan Survivor: Fossil Fuel Companies Killed My Family by Hastening Climate Change
Wed, 12 Dec 2018 08:12:02 -0500
As we broadcast from the U.N. climate summit in Katowice, Poland, world leaders and officials from nearly 200 countries are here to negotiate how to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement. But three years after Paris, they appear no closer to curbing global emissions and halting catastrophic climate change. New studies show global carbon emissions may have risen as much as 3.7 percent in 2018, marking the second annual increase in a row. As the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that humanity has only a dozen years to mitigate climate change or face global catastrophe, we speak with Joanna Sustento, who has already felt the harrowing effects of climate change and has dedicated her life to climate activism as a result. Her life was turned upside down in 2013, when Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest cyclones in recorded history, devastated the Philippines, killing five members of her family and thousands of others.

Headlines for December 12, 2018
Wed, 12 Dec 2018 08:00:00 -0500
Trump Threatens Government Shutdown over Border Wall Funding, U.K.: Prime Minister May Faces Leadership Challenge, France: Gunman on the Loose After Killing 3 at Christmas Market, Brazil: Gunman Kills 4 in Cathedral Shooting, Brazil: 2 Members of Landless Workers' Movement Killed, Report: Illegal Mining On the Rise in Amazon, Report: Arctic Is Warming at Rapid Rate, California: Activists Protest for Green New Deal at Pelosi's Office, ICE Arrested 170 Potential Sponsors for Unaccompanied Migrant Minors, Arizona Judge Orders Deportation of Immigrant and Reproductive Rights Activist, Ex-Frat President Accused of Violent Rapes Avoids Prison, Fined $400, Outrage Over Tennessee Court Ruling in Cyntoia Brown Case, Charlottesville: Jury Sentences Neo-Nazi to Life for "Unite the Right" Rally Murder, NYC: Protesters Denounce U.S.-Israel Joint Police Training Program, Obit: Documentary Filmmaker Bill Siegel Dies

Climate Scientist: World's Richest Must Radically Change Lifestyles to Prevent Global Catastrophe
Tue, 11 Dec 2018 08:41:42 -0500
The 24th United Nations climate summit comes amid growing warnings about the catastrophic danger climate change poses to the world. In October, the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that humanity has only a dozen years to mitigate climate change or face global catastrophe—with severe droughts, floods, sea level rise and extreme heat set to cause mass displacement and poverty. But on Saturday, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait blocked language "welcoming" the landmark IPCC climate report. New studies show global carbon emissions may have risen as much 3.7 percent in 2018, marking the second annual increase in a row. A recent report likened the rising emissions to a "speeding freight train." We speak with Kevin Anderson, professor in climate change leadership at Uppsala University's Centre for Environment and Development Studies, and 15-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg about the drastic action needed to fight climate change and the impact of President Trump on climate change activism.

School Strike for Climate: Meet 15-Year-Old Activist Greta Thunberg, Who Inspired a Global Movement
Tue, 11 Dec 2018 08:18:34 -0500
As government ministers from around the globe gather in Katowice, Poland, for the final days of the 24th U.N. climate summit, we speak with 15-year-old activist Greta Thunberg, who denounced politicians here last week for their inaction on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. She has garnered global attention for carrying out a weekly school strike against climate change in her home country of Sweden. "We need to change ourselves now, because tomorrow it might be too late," says Thunberg. We are also joined by her father, Svante Thunberg, a Swedish actor.

"Our Leaders Are Behaving Like Children": Teen Climate Activist Confronts World Leaders at U.N. Summit
Tue, 11 Dec 2018 08:13:24 -0500
Democracy Now! is broadcasting from the U.N. climate summit in Katowice, Poland, this week, where world leaders gathered to negotiate climate solutions were confronted last week by a teenage climate activist who says they are not doing enough to turn back the clock and prevent catastrophic climate change. Fifteen-year-old Greta Thunberg stunned the world last week when she denounced world leaders for inaction and told them: "change is coming whether they like it or not. The people will rise to the challenge. And since our leaders are behaving like children, we will have to take the responsibility they should have taken long ago." She has made international headlines since launching a school strike against climate change in her home country of Sweden earlier this year. Every Friday, she protests outside the parliament building in Stockholm instead of attending school, and her actions have inspired thousands of students across the globe to do the same. Before we speak with Thunberg in person, we play an excerpt of her speech that went viral. "I like school, and I like learning," said Greta, who plans to end her strike when Sweden starts cutting carbon emissions by 15 percent a year. "But why should we be studying for a future that soon may be no more? This is more important than school, I think."

Headlines for December 11, 2018
Tue, 11 Dec 2018 08:00:00 -0500
U.K.: Prime Minister May to Hold Emergency Talks with EU over Brexit, France: President Macron Offers Concessions to Protesters in TV Address, EPA Proposes Rollback of Water Protection Laws, Youth Climate Activists Flood Congress, Demanding "Green New Deal", COP24: Activists Take Over Trump Administration's Pro-Fossil Fuels Event, The Intercept: Shell Oil Helped Draft Paris Agreement, U.S. Rejects U.N. Migration Deal Backed by 164 Countries, U.K.: "Stansted 15" Activists Convicted of Terrorism for Preventing Deportation, California: Faith Leaders Arrested at Gathering to Support Migrants, Yemen Peace Talks Take Place as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens, SCOTUS Rejects States' Appeal Seeking Defunding of Planned Parenthood, Russian Gun Activist Pleads Guilty to Conspiring as a Foreign Agent, Pioneering Russian Human Rights Activist Lyudmila Alexeyeva Dies at 91, William Blum, Independent Journalist and Anti-Imperialist Historian, Dies at 85

"Shame on You!" Protesters Interrupt Trump Admin Promoting Coal & Fossil Fuels at U.N. Climate Talks
Mon, 10 Dec 2018 08:58:01 -0500
Just minutes before we began our Monday broadcast, Democracy Now! spoke to protesters at the U.N. climate summit in Katowice, Poland, as they interrupted a Trump administration event promoting coal and other fossil fuels. We speak with Diné climate activist Leona Morgan.

As Polish Gov't Promotes Coal, Advocate Warns Coal Hastens Climate Change, Devastates Human Health
Mon, 10 Dec 2018 08:42:40 -0500
This year's U.N. climate summit is in Katowice, Poland, and the Polish government is using the summit to promote coal, with several state-owned Polish coal companies sponsoring parts of the talks. Democracy Now! visited the Guido coal mine near Katowice, which has been turned into a mining museum, to speak with Polish environmental lawyer Bartosz Kwiatkowski. He is the director of the Frank Bold Foundation, which is involved in numerous lawsuits challenging the expansion of coal mining in Poland.

Thousands Protest at U.N. Climate Summit in Coal-Heavy Poland, Facing Riot Police & Intimidation
Mon, 10 Dec 2018 08:26:36 -0500
This week Democracy Now! is broadcasting from the U.N. climate summit in Katowice, Poland, where the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait have blocked language "welcoming" October's landmark IPCC climate report that warned of the catastrophic effects of a global temperature increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius, beyond which global crises could unfold at a rapid pace. The four countries rejected using the word "welcome," insisting that members instead "note" the findings of the widely cited U.N. report. We begin our coverage with voices of some of the thousands of climate activists from around the world who marched in Katowice on Saturday, calling for world leaders to do more to keep rising greenhouse gas emissions in check. We also speak with a member of the European Parliament who confronted undercover Polish officials who were monitoring the protest.

Marcy Wheeler: Mueller Probe Could Lead to Indictment of the Trump Organization
Mon, 10 Dec 2018 08:12:19 -0500
Federal prosecutors have accused President Trump of committing a federal crime by directing illegal hush money to two women during the presidential election. The accusation was revealed Friday in filings made public by the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York, including a damning sentencing memo for Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen, who has admitted to paying adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal during the campaign in order to prevent them from speaking to the media about their alleged affairs with Trump. The sentencing memo was made public along with two new sentencing memos from special counsel Robert Mueller: one for Cohen and another for Trump's former campaign chair Paul Manafort. "We keep talking about whether you can indict a sitting president," says independent journalist Marcy Wheeler, editor of EmptyWheel.net. "There's still a debate about that, but, really critically, you can indict a corporation. You can indict Trump Organization."

Headlines for December 10, 2018
Mon, 10 Dec 2018 08:00:00 -0500
Sentencing Memo for Cohen Implicates Trump in Federal Crimes, Trump's Chief-of-Staff Kelly to Leave Post by End of Year, NYT: Kushner Helped Crown Prince "Weather the Storm" After Khashoggi Murder, Trump Nominates William Barr as Next Attorney General, Brexit Vote Halted as EU Court Says U.K. Has Power to Reverse Course, France: Fourth Week of Mass Protests as Movement Spills over Border, COP24: U.S., Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait Block Adoption of U.N. Climate Report, Protesters Take to the Streets as COP24 Heads into Second Week, Colombia: Indigenous Governor Killed Amid Mounting Violence, Charlottesville: Jury Convicts Neo-Nazi of Murder at "Unite the Right" Rally, U.S. Plans to Charge Arrested Huawei CFO with Fraud, Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to Nadia Murad & Dr. Denis Mukwege

Progressive International: Yanis Varoufakis & Bernie Sanders Launch New Global Mvt Against Far Right
Fri, 07 Dec 2018 08:38:48 -0500
The far right is rising in Europe, most recently in Spain, where the anti-immigrant, anti-abortion Vox party won multiple seats in a regional parliamentary election in Andalusia on Sunday. It was the first successful election for the far right in Spain since the country returned to democracy in the 1970s after the death of fascist military dictator Francisco Franco. We speak with economist and former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, who is launching a movement with Senator Bernie Sanders and others to fight right-wing forces around the globe.

The Deadly Cost of Pipelines in Native Land: Winona LaDuke on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
Fri, 07 Dec 2018 08:35:01 -0500
As the oil and gas pipeline boom crosses the United States and Canada, indigenous activists say the influx of male workers in Native communities has corresponded with a spike in the kidnapping and murder of indigenous women. We speak with Winona LaDuke, Ojibwe environmental leader and executive director of the group Honor the Earth. She lives and works on the White Earth Reservation in northern Minnesota.

Winona LaDuke Calls for Indigenous-Led "Green New Deal" as She Fights Minnesota Pipeline Expansion
Fri, 07 Dec 2018 08:10:46 -0500
While world leaders converge in Poland for the U.N. climate change summit, we look at the indigenous-led fight against destructive oil pipelines and the revolutionary potential of the Green New Deal with Winona LaDuke, Ojibwe environmental leader and executive director of the group Honor the Earth. She lives and works on the White Earth Reservation in northern Minnesota.

Headlines for December 7, 2018
Fri, 07 Dec 2018 08:00:00 -0500
Yemen: U.N. Declares Famine as Warring Parties Meet in Sweden, North Carolina Democrat Withdraws Concession over Apparent Vote Fraud, U.S. and Canada Won't Explain Reasons for Chinese Executive's Arrest, Greenland Ice Sheet Melting at Fastest Pace in Centuries, Trump Rollback of Sage Grouse Protection to Open Millions of Acres to Drilling, BuzzFeed: Facebook Impostor Helped Organize Migrant Caravan, Robert Mueller to Submit Sentencing Guidelines for Manafort, Cohen, Trump Nominates Former Fox News Host Heather Nauert as U.N. Ambassador, Trump Considers Bringing Back William Barr as Attorney General, Trump Campaign Apparently Coordinated Illegally with NRA in TV Ads, France Braces for More "Yellow Vest" Protests, Kevin Hart Withdraws as Oscars Host Over Homophobic Tweets, Chicago Charter School Teachers Strike, World-Renowned Linguist and Political Dissident Noam Chomsky Turns 90

"The Silence of Others": New Film Warns Against Spain's Fascist History Repeating Itself
Thu, 06 Dec 2018 08:42:52 -0500
A far-right, anti-immigrant, anti-abortion political party in Spain has made gains in regional elections, prompting protests in the streets. Members of Spain's younger generation are too young to remember the brutal 40-year military dictatorship under General Francisco Franco. But a remarkable new documentary titled "The Silence of Others," or "El Silencio de Otros," hopes to remind Spaniards of the country's fascist past, lest history repeat itself. The film follows several survivors of the Franco regime in their pursuit of justice. We speak with Spanish filmmaker Almudena Carracedo, who, along with Robert Bahar, wrote, produced and directed "The Silence of Others."

Re-education Camps, Infiltration, Surveillance: China Criticized over Persecution of Uyghur Muslims
Thu, 06 Dec 2018 08:12:29 -0500
The United Nations and human rights groups have accused China's government of setting up massive anti-Muslim "re-education" camps in the northwest Xinjiang province to disappear, jail and brainwash Uyghur Muslims. Some estimates put the population in the camps at up to 2 million. After months of denials, China acknowledged their existence in October, saying they are part of efforts to counter extremism. But Uyghurs say it's a form of collective punishment—and that they live under a high-tech surveillance state designed to eradicate Islam. We speak to Rushan Abbas, a Uyghur-American activist based in Washington, D.C. After she spoke out against China's repression of the Uyghurs earlier this year, her aunt and sister disappeared and have not been heard from since.

Headlines for December 6, 2018
Thu, 06 Dec 2018 08:00:00 -0500
Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions Rise to Record High in 2018, WHO Says Meeting Paris Climate Goal Would Save Millions of Lives, Quebec Youth Sue Canada, Citing Gross Negligence on Climate Change, Barclays Customers Demand Divestment from Tar Sands Pipelines, George H.W. Bush Remembered at Washington National Cathedral, Canada Arrests Huawei Executive for Extradition to U.S., Trump Praises Chinese Death Penalty for Drug Dealers, Wisconsin Republicans Complete Legislative Power Grab, Michigan Republicans Move to Limit Power of Incoming Democratic Leaders, NYT: Paul Manafort Discussed Deal to Seize Julian Assange, Saudi-Paid Lobbyists Put Up U.S. Veterans at Trump's D.C. Hotel, Mikhail Gorbachev and George Shultz: Don't Abandon INF Nuclear Treaty, Turkey Seeks to Arrest Can Dündar, Winner of 2016 Right Livelihood Award, USA Gymnastics Files for Bankruptcy over Larry Nassar Scandal

How False Testimony and a Massive U.S. Propaganda Machine Bolstered George H.W. Bush's War on Iraq
Wed, 05 Dec 2018 08:34:43 -0500
As the media memorializes George H.W. Bush, we look at the lasting impact of his 1991 invasion of Iraq and the propaganda campaign that encouraged it. Although the Gulf War technically ended in February of 1991, the U.S. war on Iraq would continue for decades, first in the form of devastating sanctions and then in the 2003 invasion launched by George W. Bush. Thousands of U.S. troops and contractors remain in Iraq. A largely forgotten aspect of Bush Sr.'s war on Iraq is the vast domestic propaganda effort before the invasion began. We look at the way U.S. media facilitated the war on Iraq with journalist John "Rick" MacArthur, president and publisher of Harper's Magazine and the author of the book "Second Front: Censorship and Propaganda in the 1991 Gulf War."

A Lame-Duck "Legislative Coup": Wisconsin GOP Stages Last-Minute Power Grab Before Dems Take Office
Wed, 05 Dec 2018 08:13:36 -0500
Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin are orchestrating an unprecedented power grab to weaken incoming Democratic Governor Tony Evers before he takes office. In an extraordinary move that some are calling a "legislative coup," Republican legislators worked throughout Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning to pass a sweeping package of lame-duck bills to give power to the Republican-controlled Legislature before Republican Governor Scott Walker leaves office in January. The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate passed a measure to limit the power of the Democratic governor and attorney general-elect and restrict early voting periods. Earlier Wednesday morning, the Wisconsin Senate and Assembly passed a bill enacting a Medicaid work requirement and limiting the incoming governor's ability to change state laws requiring able-bodied adults without children to work in order to receive public benefits. We speak with Ruth Conniff, editor-at-large of the Wisconsin-based magazine The Progressive.

Headlines for December 5, 2018
Wed, 05 Dec 2018 08:00:00 -0500
Senators Say Crown Prince Is Guilty in Khashoggi Murder After CIA Briefing, Mueller Not Seeking Jail Time for Flynn, Cites "Substantial Assistance", Politico: NRCC Emails Hacked in 2018 Midterms, Georgia Voters Elect Republican Secretary of State, Congressmembers Call for Labor Sec. Acosta Probe over Epstein Plea Deal, DOJ Senior Official Allowed to Get Away with Sexual Assault, Federal Gov. Shuts Down for Nat'l Day of Mourning, Somalia: U.S. Reopens Permanent Diplomatic Presence, Pompeo Gives Russia 60 Days to Comply with Nuclear Treaty, West Bank: Israeli Forces Kill Disabled Palestinian in Overnight Raid, Morocco Begins U.N.-Brokered Talks over Occupation of Western Sahara, Libya: 15 Migrants Die After Boat Goes Adrift, Trump Organization Subpoenaed in Emoluments Clause Lawsuit, Missouri: Springfield Police Chief Apologizes to Rape Survivors, NYPD to Deploy Fleet of Drones, CBS Board Member Knew of Les Moonves Sexual Assault Allegations, Texas: Asylum Seeker and 4-Year-Old Child Reunited After 8 Months, UNC Students Protest Plan to House Confederate Statue in $5 Million Building

"AMLO Stands Alone in the Hemisphere": Mexico's President Takes Office with Ambitious Leftist Agenda
Tue, 04 Dec 2018 08:54:59 -0500
Mexico's new president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, was sworn in this weekend amid fanfare as tens of thousands gathered in the capital to celebrate the country's first leftist president in decades. In his inaugural speech, AMLO addressed security and vowed to end corruption and impunity. We speak with Greg Grandin, prize-winning author and professor of Latin American history at New York University. He says, "The crisis on the border that has been prompted by the Trump administration, but also has deep structural roots, will play out with this hope that AMLO represents. The Latin American left has been defeated everywhere else. AMLO is isolated. Brazil, Colombia, Argentina — these are all major countries that are ruled by right-wing governments."

Ariel Dorfman: George H.W. Bush Is Alive in His Many Victims Across the Globe, Including Me
Tue, 04 Dec 2018 08:42:17 -0500
George H.W. Bush was the only president in U.S. history to serve as CIA director, a role that would come to define his career and politics. He once described the intelligence agency as "part of my heartbeat." Bush Sr. was at the helm of the CIA from January 1976 to January 1977. We speak with Ariel Dorfman, best-selling author, playwright, poet and activist, who teaches at Duke University. In 1973, he served as a cultural adviser to Chilean President Salvador Allende's chief of staff. He says George H.W. Bush was "presiding over the CIA when Pinochet, the dictator of Chile, had concentration camps open. They were torturing people. They were executing people. They were persecuting people. And they were killing people overseas." We also speak with Greg Grandin, prize-winning author and professor of Latin American history at New York University, and José Luis MorÃn, professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

How George H.W. Bush's Pardons for Iran-Contra Conspirators Set the Stage for Trump's Impunity
Tue, 04 Dec 2018 08:32:54 -0500
As the media lauds George H.W. Bush's legacy, we look at his role in the Iran-Contra scandal. Bush Sr. was vice president when the Reagan administration conspired to deceive and defy Congress with its illegal arms sale to Iran in exchange for securing the release of American hostages in Lebanon. The proceeds from the sale were used to illegally fund the Nicaraguan Contras. In 1992, when Bush Sr. was president, he pardoned several Iran-Contra defendants, including Caspar Weinberger, Robert McFarlane and Elliott Abrams. We speak with Greg Grandin, prize-winning author and professor of Latin American history at New York University.

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights: U.S. Owes Reparations to Panama over Bush's Invasion
Tue, 04 Dec 2018 08:24:59 -0500
Last month, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights called on Washington to pay reparations to Panama over George H.W. Bush's illegal invasion there in 1989. We speak with international human rights attorney José Luis MorÃn, who has been working since 1990 to secure reparations for Panama. He is a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and chairperson of the Latin American and Latina/o Studies Department.

Greg Grandin: George H.W. Bush's 1989 Invasion of Panama Set the Stage for U.S. Wars to Come
Tue, 04 Dec 2018 08:10:51 -0500
The death of George H.W. Bush has dominated the U.S. news for days, but little attention has been paid to the defining event of Bush's first year in office: the invasion of Panama. On December 19, 1989, Bush Sr. sent tens of thousands of troops into Panama, ostensibly to execute an arrest warrant against its leader, Manuel Noriega, on charges of drug trafficking. General Noriega was once a close ally to Washington and on the CIA payroll. In a nationally televised address, Bush claimed the invasion was needed to defend democracy in Panama. During the attack, the U.S. unleashed a force of 24,000 troops equipped with highly sophisticated weaponry and aircraft against a country with an army smaller than the New York City Police Department. An estimated 3,000 Panamanians died in the attack. We speak with historian Greg Grandin, prize-winning author and professor of Latin American history at New York University, on the lasting impact of the Panama invasion.

Headlines for December 4, 2018
Tue, 04 Dec 2018 08:00:00 -0500
Wisconsin: Protesters Take to the Capitol to Oppose GOP Power Grab, North Carolina Investigating Election Fraud in Congressional Race, Trump Praises Stone for Refusal to Testify in Mueller Probe, CIA Director Haspel to Brief Top Senators on Khashoggi Murder, Spain: Far-Right Vox Party Makes Gains in Regional Elections, France: Fuel Tax Hikes Suspended Amid Growing Unrest, Qatar Withdraws from OPEC, Mexico's AMLO Creates Truth Commission over 2014 Student Disappearance, Philippines: Indicted Rappler Editor Posts Bail, Vows to Keep Reporting, Reports: U.S Admiral in Middle East Died by Suicide, Texas: Calls Grow to Halt Executions by Lethal Injection, St. Louis: 4 Officers Indicted in Attack of Undercover Black Officer, Autopsy Reveals Police Shot Man in Back 3 Times in Wrongful Alabama Mall Killing, Nexstar Acquires Tribune Media to Become Largest Local TV Provider, Indigenous Activists in Canada Block Construction of Major Pipeline

Interview: Bernie Sanders on Ending Yemen War, Medicare for All, Green New Deal & the Stop BEZOS Act
Mon, 03 Dec 2018 08:38:33 -0500
Hundreds of international progressive leaders gathered in Burlington, Vermont, last weekend for an event hosted by The Sanders Institute. While there, Amy Goodman sat down with independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders to discuss his efforts to pass a Green New Deal, raise the minimum wage and protect Social Security. He also spoke about last week's historic Senate vote to advance a resolution he co-sponsored to end military support for the Saudi-led, U.S.-backed war in Yemen.

Remembering George H.W. Bush's Inaction on AIDS at Home While Detaining HIV+ Haitians at Guantánamo
Mon, 03 Dec 2018 08:30:16 -0500
George H.W. Bush died on the eve of World AIDS Day, an irony not lost on many HIV/AIDS activists who remember the 41st president of the United States for his lack of action in the 1990s as the HIV/AIDS crisis raged on. Bush said little about the crisis during his years as vice president under Ronald Reagan, who didn't even mention AIDS until the penultimate year of his presidency. Despite promises to do more after he was elected president, George H.W. Bush refused to address and fund programs around HIV/AIDS education and prevention, as well as drug treatment. We speak with Steven Thrasher, journalist and doctoral candidate in American studies at New York University. He was recently appointed Daniel H. Renberg chair of media coverage in sexual and gender minorities at Northwestern University. His recent article for The Nation is titled "It's a Disgrace to Celebrate George H.W. Bush on World AIDS Day."

Mehdi Hasan on George H.W. Bush's Ignored Legacy: War Crimes, Racism and Obstruction of Justice
Mon, 03 Dec 2018 08:10:39 -0500
George H.W. Bush died in Houston on Friday night at the age of 94. Bush was elected the 41st president of the United States in 1988, becoming the first and only former CIA director to lead the country. He served as Ronald Reagan's vice president from 1981 to 1989. Since Bush's death, the media has honored the former president by focusing on his years of service and his call as president for a kinder, gentler America. But the headlines have largely glossed over and ignored other parts of Bush's legacy. We look at the 1991 Gulf War, Bush's pardoning of six Reagan officials involved in the Iran-Contra scandal and how a racist election ad helped him become president. We speak with Intercept columnist Mehdi Hasan. His latest piece is titled "The Ignored Legacy of George H.W. Bush: War Crimes, Racism, and Obstruction of Justice."

Headlines for December 3, 2018
Mon, 03 Dec 2018 08:00:00 -0500
George H.W. Bush, 41st President of the United States, Dies at 94, Mexico: AMLO Sworn In as President, Vows to Create New National Guard, China and U.S. Agree to Temporary Trade Truce, Trump Plans to Cancel NAFTA, Pushes for New USMCA Deal, France: Hundreds of Thousands Continue to Protest Fuel Hikes, Khashoggi WhatsApp Messages May Have Been Intercepted by Saudis, Leaders Urge Decisive Action as COP24 Kicks Off in Poland, Officer Who Killed Unarmed Black Man in His Own Apartment Indicted for Murder, Wisconsin GOP Tries to Force Through Bills Limiting Power of Elected Democrats, Three Women Accuse deGrasse Tyson of Sexual Misconduct, Including Rape, Politico: DHS Requesting Cabinet Departments Send Civilian Forces to Border, NYC: Students Protest CUNY Board Chair's Support for Amazon HQ

Full Bernie Sanders Speech on Economic Justice, Healthcare, Opposing Trump & Ending the War in Yemen
Fri, 30 Nov 2018 08:32:50 -0500
Hundreds of international progressive leaders have traveled to Burlington, Vermont, for a gathering hosted by The Sanders Institute. Last night, former presidential candidate and independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders kicked the event off with a keynote speech on healthcare, raising the minimum wage and his bipartisan resolution to end military support for the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led bombing of Yemen. He was introduced by Harvard professor Cornel West.

Medicare for All: As Healthcare Costs Soar, Momentum Grows to Guarantee Healthcare for All Americans
Fri, 30 Nov 2018 08:14:21 -0500
As Democrats prepare to take control of the House, pressure is growing on the Democratic leadership to embrace Medicare for all. Nearly 50 newly Democratic members of Congress campaigned for Medicare for all. In the last year, 123 incumbent House Democrats also co-sponsored Medicare-for-all legislation, double the number who supported a Medicare-for-all bill in the previous legislative session. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical, insurance and hospital companies are paying close attention. As The Intercept's Lee Fang reports, over the summer the groups formed a partnership to fight the growing support for expanding Medicare. We speak to three proponents of Medicare for all who have assembled in Burlington, Vermont, for a gathering of The Sanders Institute: Kelly Coogan-Gehr of National Nurses United, British anesthesiologist Dr. Hosnieh Djafari-Marbini and organizer Jo Beardsmore.

Headlines for November 30, 2018
Fri, 30 Nov 2018 08:00:00 -0500
Former Trump Lawyer Cohen Pleads Guilty to Lying to Cover for Trump, Trump Cancels G20 Meeting with Putin, Deutsche Bank Raided in Money Laundering Probe, Migrant Caravan Organizes for Fair Treatment as Members Start Hunger Strike, Reports: Tear Gas Used at Border Supplied by Co. Owned by Political Donor, U.S., Mexico and Canada Sign Trade Deal, Honduras: Court Convicts 7 Men for Murder of Activist Berta Cáceres, Body Search Ends in Paradise as Rains Batter Region, Zinke Promotes Logging While Visiting Wildfire-Devastated Area, Report: Health Effects of Smoke Exposure Last Months After Wildfires, CNN Fires Contributor for Defending Palestinian Rights, Philippines: News Site Rappler Indicted in Ongoing Crackdown, NYT: Facebook's Sandberg Asked for Intel on Soros After Public Criticism, News Outlet Mic Lays Off Workers After Being Sold, Sen. Scott Opposes Vote-Suppressing Farr, Ending Judicial Nomination, Police Arrest Suspect of Alabama Mall Shooting a Week After Wrongful Killing, Australia: Students Walk Out to Demand Climate Action, Community Leaders Hold G20 Counter-Event "The People's Summit"

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