Iran, Poor People’s Campaign, Net Neutrality

With Trump’s New War Cabinet in Place, Danger of U.S. Conflict with Iran Rises
Interview with Paul Kawika Martin, senior director for Policy and Political Affairs with Peace Action, conducted by Scott Harris

With the May 17 Senate confirmation of Gina Haspel, President Trump’s pick to head the CIA, the administration’s installation of a new “War Cabinet” is complete. Haspel, who oversaw the torture of U.S.-held detainees after 9/11 and destroyed video evidence of that torture, was a disturbing choice to head the spy agency, given that Trump has aggressively advocated the re-establishment of torture, despite U.S. and international laws that classify torture as a war crime. Story continues

Poor Peoples’ Campaign Actions Call Attention to Systemic Racism
Excerpts of talks delivered by Bishop John Selders and Muslim chaplain Nora FItzpatrick at the Poor People’s Campaign Action, May 21 in Hartford, CT, recorded and produced by Melinda Tuhus

Connecticut is one of about 40 states participating in a 40-day series of actions called the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. Each state is holding an action in its capital city on six consecutive Mondays between May 14 and June 23. Each Monday’s action will focus on a different priority issue, such as poverty, racism and the environmental crisis. Story continues

After Senate Victory, Net Neutrality Defenders Prepare for Fight in House
Interview with Candace Clement, Free Press’ campaign director, conducted by Scott Harris

By a vote of 52 to 47 on May 16, the U.S. Senate voted to overturn the Federal Communications Commission repeal of net neutrality rules. The vote, taken under the Congressional Review Act, now moves the debate on the fate of net neutrality to the House of Representatives, where the legislation faces a tougher fight.
Story continues

Compiled by Bob Nixon

Three-quarters of a million Rohingya Muslims who fled massacres in Myanmar face a potential health crisis as monsoon season arrives for refugees in Bangladesh. Those who fled violence Myanmar are now endangered by the prospect of disease, landslides, flash floods and death according to Foreign Policy magazine. (“The Rohingya Have Fled One Crisis for Another,” American Prospect, May 15, 2018)
Trillions of dollars of dark money move though the British territories in the Caribbean. The Panama Papers that exposed global tax havens, revealed hundreds of shell companies in the British Virgin Islands including the Cayman Islands. (“Disclosure in the Caymans: Global walls of financial secrecy are falling,” Christian Science Monitor, May 3, 2018)
As Amazon made a short list of cities for locating its second corporate headquarters, the retail giant’s home city, Seattle adopted a new head tax on large employers, including Amazon and Starbucks, to fund solutions to Seattle’s escalating housing and homelessness crisis. (“Seattle’s head tax fight goes to the next round,” Seattle Times, May1618, 2018)

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