Netanyahu To U.S. Congress: Choose War with Iran Over Negotiations
Interview with Robert Naiman, policy director of Just Foreign Policy, conducted by Scott Harris
Two weeks before Israeli elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress on March 3. The widely covered speech erupted into controversy after Republican House Speaker John Boehner invited Netanyahu without consulting the White House, a breach of standard protocol. The focus of the Israeli leader’s speech was also contentious for its effort to derail the Obama administration’s ongoing nuclear talks with Iran, being conducted with UN Security Council members and Germany. In his address, Netanyahu repeated his view that no deal with Iran was better than a bad deal, and urged Congress to impose new sanctions on Tehran that would require overriding a promised presidential veto. Story continues
Activist Walks Hundreds of Miles and Risks Arrest to Focus Attention on Climate Change
Interview with Charles Chandler, climate activist, conducted by Melinda Tuhus
Ithaca, New York resident Charles Chandler took up long-distance hiking after retiring from his profession as a mechanical engineer. He first began hiking as an athletic hobby, but when he learned about 398 students being arrested during a 2013 protest against the Keystone XL pipeline at the White House, he then began walking with a purpose. Story continues
After Winning Historic Victory, Net Neutrality Activists Must Defend Against Coming Industry Attacks
Interview with Craig Aaron, president and CEO of the media democracy FreePress.net, conducted by Scott Harris
A long grassroots battle to establish net neutrality rules was won on Feb. 26 when the Federal Communications Commission voted 3 to 2 to approve new regulations that reclassified broadband Internet as a public utility under Title II of the Communications Act. The new rules prohibit Internet Service Providers – including cellular carriers – from blocking, slowing down or speeding up online traffic or giving priority to Web services in exchange for payment. Story continues
This week’s summary of under-reported news
Compiled by Bob Nixon
- Days before Myanmar’s Union Day, which celebrates the Southeast Asia nation’s independence, a fierce battle broke out between ethnic Chinese rebels and the national army, raising new questions about President Thein Sien’s ability to end decades of civil strife. (“More process than peace,” Economist, Feb. 19, 2015; “High Death Toll in Myanmar,” Asia Times, Feb. 24, 2015; “Myanmar ‘needs urgently to get back on track’—UN Right Chief,” UN News Center, Feb. 25, 2015)
- New Mexico farmworker Israel Morales usually makes between $4,000 and $7,000 a year picking chiles. Most of the money is sent back to his wife and two teenage children living in Mexico. But only a fraction of his income is reported to the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration, undermining the farmworker’s ability to get benefits like unemployment. (“No Rest in Old Age,” In These Times, March 2015, (not posted ‘til March 9)
- The Guardian reports the Chicago Police Department operates an “off the books” interrogation center in Homan Square where suspects, including political activists, have been detained for hours off the official booking database, beaten by police and handcuffed for long periods of time.(“The Disappeared: Chicago police detain Americans at abuse-laden ‘black site,'” Guardian, Feb. 24, 2015; “’Gestapo tactics’ at U.S. police ‘black site’ ring alarm from Chicago to Washington,” Guardian, Feb. 26, 2015)