In this week’s address, President Obama solemnly reflected on the
meaning of Memorial Day and recognized the sacrifices made by the
American warriors who never made it back home.
Saturday, May 28, 2016
White House Foster Care & Technology Hackathon
The first ever White House event bringing together the technology and
child welfare sectors. This convening highlights ways to improve our
foster care system through the use of technology and lifts up best
practices.
U.S. Involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan
Daniel Serwer, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies Professor, discussed the conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and
Syria. Topics included the replacement for a recently killed Taliban
leader in Afghanistan, the Iraqi military’s efforts to retake Fallujah
from the ISIL*, and the future of U.S. involvement in the region. He
responded to telephone calls and electronic communications, including a
telephone line reserved for active and retired military.
The
program concluded with a video clip of Chief of Naval Operations John
Richardson being interviewed May 26, 2016, for “Newsmakers.”
*The
Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), or the Islamic State of
Iraq and Syria (ISIS or DAISH/DAESH in Arabic), is a militant group that
has called itself the Islamic State.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Donald Trump's Rhetoric on Muslims
As the only two Muslim members of Congress, Representatives Keith
Ellison (D-MN) and Andre Carson (D-IN) spoke about anti-Muslim rhetoric
around the world. They also talked about Republican presidential
candidate Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric on Muslims and immigration.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Chemical Safety Legislation
The Hill's Timothy Cama discusses House passage of a bill to
overhaul the nation’s chemical safety standards for the first time since
1976. He also reviews the environmental, health, safety, and business
implications of the legislation.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Statement from the President and First Lady on the Passing of Cassandra Quin Butts
The following statement was issued on May 27.
To know Cassandra Butts
was to know someone who made you want to be better. And Michelle and I
were fortunate enough to count her as a friend for most of our adult
lives.
Cassandra and I met as law students, and we quickly discovered a shared passion for jazz – and for public service. It was a passion she’d chase for the rest of her life – on Capitol Hill, at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and as an advisor of mine – but above all, as a citizen, always pushing, always doing her part to advance the causes of opportunity, civil rights, development, and democracy. Cassandra was someone who put her hands squarely on that arc of the moral universe, and never stopped doing whatever she could to bend it towards justice.
We lost her this week, at
far too young an age. But along with all her friends and family, we
find comfort in the knowledge that all the good she did for so many
lives on. She made America better. She made so many lives better,
including ours. We admired her so much. And we will miss her deeply.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
Note: Information on the legacy and life of Cassandra Quin Butts is available here.
Friday, May 27, 2016
President Obama Remarks at Hiroshima Peace Memorial
President Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe deliver remarks
following a wreath-laying ceremony at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
2016 Hurricane Season Outlook
NOAA Administrator Kathryn Sullivan, FEMA Deputy Administrator Joe
Nimmich, Laura Furgione, with the National Weather Service, and
Satellite and Information Service Director Steven Volz brief reporters
on the 2016 hurricane season outlook.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Senator Chuck Grassley to Pursue Inquiry in Wake of Hillary Clinton Email Audit
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA) speaks about the
State Department's IG audit that said former Secretary Hillary Clinton
broke department rules when she elected to use a personal email account
to conduct all official business while in office. He says he plans to
pursue what he calls "discrepancies" in the wake of the audit, saying,
"Secretary Clinton and some State Department officials have not been
truthful."
User-Created Clip
by etouhey
May 26, 2016
by etouhey
May 26, 2016
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Segregation in U.S. Schools
Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA) talked about a Government
Accountability Office report, released on the anniversary of the Brown
v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision, that shows U.S. schools
are segregated by race and socioeconomic status.
User-Created Clip
by CSPANCLASSROOM
May 26, 2016
by CSPANCLASSROOM
May 26, 2016
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Who Bombed Judi Bari?
A Commentary by Noelle Hanrahan of "Prison Radio"
This week marked the anniversary (May
24th 1990) of the assassination attempt against Judi Bari and Darryl
Cherney of Earth First!
I met Judi Bari in 1990. I interviewed her for KPFA at her rehab hospital, shortly after the car bombing that almost took her life. She courageously continued her work. In the early 90's she was one of the few broadcasters to air Mumia's commentaries, she featured him on her radio show on KMUD in Garberville CA.
Judi Bari and Tanya Brannan founded the Redwood Justice Fund after the car bombing so that folks like us could fight for justice and expose political repression. I worked closely with Judi on her case "Bari vs. USA", and planned her Bay Area memorial when she passed away from breast cancer. We continued her lawsuit on the behalf of her estate. Prison Radio is part of the Redwood Justice Fund because of Judi's amazing organizing, her work with across race, class, and cultural divides, and her willingess to expose the FBI's CointelPro in the 90's. Viva Judi Bari!
Judi was
nearly killed in a still-unsolved assassination attempt on May 24, 1990,
when a motion-triggered pipe bomb wrapped with nails exploded directly
under her driver's seat. She and Darryl Cherney were driving through
Oakland, California when the bomb exploded. They were on a speaking tour
to recruit college students for Redwood Summer, a campaign of
nonviolent mass protests against corporate liquidation logging.
Judi was seriously injured and disabled by the bombing, while Darryl eardrum burst and he was injured as well.
But instead of investigating the
bombing as attempted murder, as the evidence clearly showed, the FBI,
with the willing collaboration of the Oakland Police, tried to frame
Judi and Darryl for the bombing, further victimizing them by false arrest and accusing them of knowingly transporting the bomb that nearly killed them.
It was a deliberate, politically motivated effort to target and "neutralize" Judi, Darryl and Earth First!, and to discourage people from joining Redwood Summer.
When it was finally time for the District Attorney to present evidence in court, the FBI and Oakland Police didn't actually have any, and no charges were filed. The Oakland Police closed their "investigation," but the FBI continued theirs, telling the media that Judi and Darryl were their only suspects.
It was a deliberate, politically motivated effort to target and "neutralize" Judi, Darryl and Earth First!, and to discourage people from joining Redwood Summer.
When it was finally time for the District Attorney to present evidence in court, the FBI and Oakland Police didn't actually have any, and no charges were filed. The Oakland Police closed their "investigation," but the FBI continued theirs, telling the media that Judi and Darryl were their only suspects.
The FBI then used the pretext of
investigating the bombing as cover for a nationwide investigation of
Earth First!, creating dossiers on over 500 people.
A year after the bombing, when it was clear that the FBI and OPD were making no genuine effort to solve the bombing, Judi and Darryl filed a federal civil rights suit against the FBI and OPD. The suit claimed false arrest and unlawful search in violation of the Fourth Amendment. It also claimed a politically-motivated conspiracy in violation of the First Amendment which attempted to suppress their free speech by discrediting them in public perception as violent extremists.
A year after the bombing, when it was clear that the FBI and OPD were making no genuine effort to solve the bombing, Judi and Darryl filed a federal civil rights suit against the FBI and OPD. The suit claimed false arrest and unlawful search in violation of the Fourth Amendment. It also claimed a politically-motivated conspiracy in violation of the First Amendment which attempted to suppress their free speech by discrediting them in public perception as violent extremists.
The evidence was presented in a jury trial that began on April 8, 2002, and ended June 11 with a stunning vindication of Judi and Darryl, and a $4.4 million award of damages.
“This case is not just about me or Darryl or Earth First!,” Judi said. “This case is about the rights of all political activists to engage in dissent without having to fear the government's secret police.”
“This case is not just about me or Darryl or Earth First!,” Judi said. “This case is about the rights of all political activists to engage in dissent without having to fear the government's secret police.”
Prison Radio works today to honor Judi's legacy.
Attorney General Conducts Raid at SUNY Polytechnic
By Tom Precious, News Albany Bureau
ALBANY – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has increased his
investigation of SUNY Polytechnic Institute, conducting a raid Thursday
afternoon at an office once used by a veteran lobbyist who has ties to
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, his family and his inner circle, a source close to
the investigation said.
Schneiderman last fall issued subpoenas
in a bid-rigging investigation of a contract awarded, though never
signed, between the SUNY college headed by Alain E. Kaloyeros and a
politically connected developer to build a dormitory near the campus.
However,
a source earlier this month said Schneiderman’s interest in SUNY
Polytechnic has not been limited just to the scuttled dormitory deal.
The
raid, executed with a search warrant, included an office formerly used
by Todd Howe, a Washington-based lobbyist who worked for Whiteman,
Osterman & Hannah, whose clients included Fort Schuyler Management
Corp. and Fuller Road Management Corp., two SUNY Polytechnic entities
that were created to do high-tech projects across the state, including
the Buffalo Billion program.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Buffalo News and The Empire Report
Reminder: Patriotic Items are Always Sales-Tax Free
The New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs joins with the New York State
Department of Taxation and Finance to remind all New Yorkers that flags
of the United States, New York State, military service and prisoners of
war are exempt from sales tax.
United States flags are fully exempt from NYS and local sales tax
year-round no matter who buys them or where they are purchased. The same
is true for Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and
Prisoner of War (POW)/Missing in Action (MIA) flags.
"I encourage New Yorkers to take advantage of this tax exemption and
proudly display our nation's flag as we remember and honor those who’ve
made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country," said New York
State Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Jerry Boone.
“The NYS Division of Veterans’ Affairs joins with the Tax Department in encouraging citizens to pay tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of our veterans and their families,” said Division Director Eric Hesse. “We also encourage veterans and their loved ones to visit our website at www.veterans.ny.gov for information about veterans’ benefits and support services.”
“The NYS Division of Veterans’ Affairs joins with the Tax Department in encouraging citizens to pay tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of our veterans and their families,” said Division Director Eric Hesse. “We also encourage veterans and their loved ones to visit our website at www.veterans.ny.gov for information about veterans’ benefits and support services.”
Military service flags are those that have been approved by the
United States Secretary of Defense. These flags include the Blue Star
and Gold Star banners put on display by family members of service
members. A gold star represents a family member who died while serving
in the Armed Forces; a blue star represents a family member who is
serving now.
In addition to the flags, certain military decorations, including
ribbons, medals, and lapel pins are exempt from sales tax when sold to
an active military member or veteran. Accessories sold together with the
flag to put it on display are free from sales tax as well.
The exemption for POW/MIA and military flags was authorized by
legislation in 2012. The United States flag and New York State flag have
been exempt since the sales tax was first enacted in 1965.
Veterans and those serving in the military should also visit the Tax Department’s Veterans’ property tax exemption webpage and Information for military personnel & veterans webpage.
Source: New York State Department of Taxation and Finance
Statement on the Second Estimate of GDP for the First Quarter of 2016
WASHINGTON, DC – Jason Furman, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, issued the following statement today on the second estimate of GDP for the first quarter of 2016.
Summary: Real GDP growth was revised up to 0.8 percent at an annual rate in the first quarter.
First-quarter
economic growth was revised up 0.3 percentage point to 0.8 percent at
an annual rate. Strong growth in residential investment boosted real GDP
growth, but weakness in business investment and exports—exacerbated by
weak foreign demand and low oil prices—weighed on growth. Consumer
spending grew at a moderate pace in the first quarter. Nevertheless,
labor market data remain robust, with continuing private-sector job
creation and wage growth picking up noticeably so far in 2016. But there
is more work to do, and the President will continue to call on Congress
to support policies that will boost our long-run growth and living
standards, including policies to support innovation and investments in
infrastructure and job training and to promote greater competition across the economy, as well as high-standards free trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Trailblazers in Black History: Paul Mooney
Paul Gladney, better known by the stage name Paul Mooney, is an
American comedian, writer, social critic, television and film actor. He
is best known for his appearances on Chappelle's Show and as a writer
for the comedian Richard Pryor.
Additional information is available here.
A Possible Cellphone Link to Cancer? A Rat Study Launches New Debate
A giant U.S. study meant to help decide whether cellphones cause cancer is coming back with confusing results.
A report on the study,
conducted in rats and mice, is not finished yet. But advocates pushing
for more research got wind of the partial findings and the U.S. National
Toxicology Program has released them early.
The findings are giving new life to the longstanding debate over whether cellphone use might cause cancer.
They suggest that male rats exposed to constant,
heavy doses of certain types of cellphone radiation develop brain and
heart tumors.
But female rats didn't, and even the rats that developed tumors lived longer than rats not exposed to the radiation.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
After Ebola Fail, WHO Launches New Approach to Emergencies
Stung by failures in its response to Ebola, the
World Health Organization is revamping how it responds to emergencies to
become nimbler, more reactive and more operational in "one of the most
profound transformations" ever at the U.N. health agency.
Member states agreed to the changes Wednesday at
the World Health Assembly in Geneva, aiming to streamline
decision-making and put logistical and medical teams on the ground
faster amid wars, natural disasters and outbreaks of viruses like Ebola,
Zika or yellow fever, officials said.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
Jury Sides With Google in Closely Watched Copyright Case
A federal jury has sided with Google in a $9
billion legal battle with tech industry rival Oracle, a complex
copyright case that was closely watched in Silicon Valley.
Oracle had said Google stole some of its Java
software to create Android, the world's most popular smartphone
operating system.
Some tech industry groups said Oracle's claim would undercut practices that are widely used to create all kinds of software.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
Long TSA Lines are Already Delaying Memorial Day Travel
There is one good thing to report for the 2.6 million people flying this
Memorial Day weekend: cheaper tickets! The average price of an airline
ticket was down about 26 percent this year – but TSA lines look longer
than ever. NBC’s Kerry Sanders reports for TODAY.
Click here for video.
Source: NBC News
Madoff Victims May Soon Recoup Another $247 Million
Nearly 7-1/2 years after Bernard Madoff's Ponzi
scheme was unmasked, the court-appointed trustee recouping money for the
swindler's victims on Thursday sought court approval to free up another
$247 million to help cover their losses.
The proposed payout would be the seventh by the
trustee Irving Picard, and follows several recent settlements to recoup
sums from other firms that once did business with Madoff.
Once the distribution is made, eligible recipients will have recouped about $9.45 billion, Picard said.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
North Korea Threatens Retaliation After South Korean Warning Shots
Reuters, 27/05 15:54 CET
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea threatened
retaliation on Friday after South Korea fired what it said were warning
shots when a patrol boat and fishing boat from the North crossed the
disputed sea border off the west coast of the Korean peninsula.
The two vessels from the North retreated about eight
minutes after the South Korean navy fired five 40 mm artillery shots at
around 7:30 a.m. local time, South Korean officials told Reuters.
The North Korean boats had crossed the Northern Limit
Line, a border that the North disputes, near the South Korean border
island of Yeonpyeong, according to the South Korean military.
North Korea accused the South Korean navy of intruding
into its waters and said the South fired at its ships in a “grave
provocative act,” the Supreme Command of the North’s Korean People’s
Army was quoted as saying by the official KCNA news agency late on Friday.
Click here for the full article.
Source: euronews.
Russia Says U.S. ‘Delays’ with Joint Syria Action May Hit Peace Process
Reuters, 27/05 16:24 CET
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia said on Friday it
had intensified air strikes against oil sites controlled by an al Qaeda
affiliate in Syria, but criticized the United States for refusing to
join in.
Last Friday Russia proposed to the United States and its
allies that they stage joint air strikes on Syrian rebels, including the
militant Islamist Nusra Front, who are not observing a ceasefire, but
Washington made clear it had little interest in the idea.
“The response received from the United States … does not
envisage joint actions against terrorist organizations, which leads to
further escalation of the conflict,” Sergei Rudskoy, head of the General
Staff’s main operations command, told a news briefing.
Meanwhile, the Nusra Front has partially restored its
fighting efficiency, replenished stocks of weapons and ammunition and
begun active military actions, Rudskoy said.
Click here for the full article.
Source; euronews.
Brexit Blog: What You Need to Know as the UK-EU Referendum Looms
The people of the United Kingdom will vote on June 23 on whether they want the country to leave or remain in the European Union.
For months already the rival ‘Stay’ and ‘Go’ camps have been
inundating voters with information to support their respective cases,
creating something of a patchwork of facts, opinion and fear-mongering.
Our intention on this page is to gather some of the best reporting,
analysis and comment from around UK and beyond. We don’t agree with
everything we will post but we will give a balanced perspective of the
issues that will decide the immediate and longer-term future of the
United Kingdom.
Click here for the full article.
Source: euronews.
Refugees: What is Your Nationality When You are Born at Sea?
On May 25, the Aquarius, a boat belonging to the association "SOS Méditerranée", returned from its tenth rescue operation: the lives of 388 migrants were saved.
But in the late afternoon, there was some surprising news aboard the
old German coast-guard vessel: the stork had visited the ship – a
little boy had just been born. His name: Alex Destiné, given in honor of
the captain of the Aquarius, Alex Moroz.
The birth of little Alex Destiné raises a question under international law.
While his mother was giving birth, the boat was heading towards the
Italian coast, en route to Cagliari, Sardinia. On land, the people
rescued by the crew of the Aquarius will be helped by the Italian Red
Cross. But at the time of his birth, it is not clear if the ship was
sailing in international waters or had already entered Italian
territorial waters.
Two international treaties relate to the case of Alex Destiné: the Convention on the reduction of statelessness and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Click here for the full article.
Source: euronews.
Thursday, May 26, 2016
'Nightmare Bacteria' Superbug Found for First Time in U.S
A drug-resistant "superbug" that doctors have
been dreading has shown up in the U.S. for the first time, researchers
reported Thursday.
The bacteria has genetic changes that make it
resistant to a last-ditch antibiotic called colistin and while it had
been seen in Europe and China, no one in the U.S. had been seen with it
before.
It doesn't spell doom just yet. The mutant E. coli germ was found in
a Pennsylvania woman with symptoms of a urinary tract infection, but it
does not appear to be spreading at epidemic proportions. And it was
susceptible to other antibiotics, so the patient was not left without
any hope.
What's worrying is the gene that made the E.
coli drug-resistant. It's called mcr-1, and it is passed from one
bacteria to another. It sits on a piece of material called a plasmid,
which makes it easy for one species of bacteria to pass it along to
another species of bacteria.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
Donald Trump Hits 'Magic Number' of Delegates Required for Nomination
Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump has
officially secured a majority of GOP delegates, giving him the "magic
number" required to clinch the GOP nomination.
Trump passed the 1,237 mark after unbound
delegates from North Dakota, Colorado and Pennsylvania pledged their
support for him.
Click here for summary.
Source: NBC News
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
‘The Right to Live’: An Honest and Raw Look at Domestic Violence
THE G-MAN INTERVIEWS: MICHELE FRANTZESKOS
Director, Producer and Writer of Award-Winning Film Discusses
the Project and Her Ongoing Effort to Empower and Help Women
the Project and Her Ongoing Effort to Empower and Help Women
Michele Frantzeskos and her business partner Nancy Vazquez are the founders of Raystar Film and Production, Inc. While they describe themselves as two women directors who come from two very different backgrounds, they candidly admit that they share a vision: to make a difference through film, music and television.
They served as the principle writers, directors, editors, producers and songwriters for their film “The Right to Live”. The film presents an honest and raw look at the dangers of various types of abuse and the consequences faced by those who not only engage in abusive behavior, but those who allow themselves to be abused on a continuous basis.
The film also shows how prolonged drug and alcohol use, postpartum depression and bullying play significant roles in many abuse cases. Ms. Frantzeskos’ husband, Nick Frantzeskos, served as executive producer for the film.
“The Right to Live” has a cast of over 120 actors with speaking roles, and more than 40 locations were used during filming. Michele Frantzeskos joins me to provide more information on the film, the award it received, the upcoming film festival in which it will premiere, and how Bellevue Hospital will play a major role in the film’s promotion and screening going forward.
The interview was conducted on May 23, 2016.
Click here to watch the episode.
2 More Journalists Go Missing in Colombia
While security forces searched for a missing
Spanish journalist in Colombia, two more journalists were reported
missing Tuesday in the same region.
The two journalists from the right-leaning TV
network RCN had traveled to the Catatumbo region to cover the hunt for
Salud Hernandez-Mora, a longtime correspondent for the Spanish newspaper
El Mundo whose weekly column in the Bogota daily El Tiempo is one of
the most read in Colombia.
Authorities declined to call Hernandez-Mora's disappearance a
kidnapping, and no one had claimed responsibility for her disappearance,
but speculation heightened that she could have been taken hostage by
the rebel National Liberation Army, the ELN. It is one of several armed
groups and drug trafficking gangs dominant in the mountainous area
bordering Venezuela.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
The Cost of the War on Terror
In this “Spotlight on Magazines” series, Reason contributor James
Bovard discusses his piece on the war on terror, which he says has cost
the U.S. $4 trillion since it began in 2001.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
TSA Administrator Testifies on Airport Security Wait Times
Peter Neffenger testified at a hearing on long wait times and delays at
airport security checkpoints, as well as staffing challenges faced by
the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
House Minority Leader Weekly Briefing
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) briefs reporters and responds
to their questions on a variety of topics, including legislation to deal
with opioid abuse and the Zika virus, as well as the leadership of DNC
Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
NY Board Poised to OK $485M for Solar Plant Amid Questions
ALBANY, N.Y. - A state oversight board controlled by the New York Legislature and
Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo is set to authorize spending another $485
million to complete a solar panel production plant, the centerpiece of
Cuomo's "Buffalo Billion" economic development program.
The Public Authority Control Board vote scheduled for Wednesday comes amid questions about the future of solar business after a major player last month filed for bankruptcy court protection and a lack of details about how the money will be spent.
The $750 million SolarCity plant being built with public funds is nearing completion and the money being considered by the board is believed to be the balance of the state's commitment to not only build the million-square-foot factory, but fit it out with manufacturing and other equipment.
But Fort Schuyler Management Corp., a not-for-profit arm of the State University of New York, has not responded to inquiries from The Associated Press about specifics of how money is being budgeted, what equipment is being purchased and who the vendors are. Asia and Europe, where most of the world's solar modules are produced, are also primary sources of manufacturing equipment.
Click here for the full article.
Source: Ledger-Enquirer