Protesters Crash ALEC Conference

Thursday, August 15, 2019 [Candidates Must Commit to Immediate U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan]( Marjorie Cohn, Truthout U.S. aerial operations accounted for most of the civilian deaths in Afghanistan during the first six months of 2019. Like those of his two predecessors, Donald Trump's administration continues to commit war crimes in Afghanistan. But only two Democratic candidates have pledged to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan their first year in office. [Read the Article →]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Protesters Crash ALEC Conference to Resist Bill Criminalizing Pipeline Activists]( Candice Bernd, Truthout A group of protesters with the Austin chapter of Extinction Rebellion were briefly detained Thursday after disrupting a private meeting at the American Legislative Exchange Council’s annual conference to protest the organization’s role in developing a “critical infrastructure” bill that charges those who damage or disrupt operations of oil and gas facilities with a felony. [Read the Article →]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Resistance in Honduras Marches on as Political Prisoner Is Released on Bail]( José Luis Granados Ceja, Truthout Released last week on bail and facing trial proceedings today, Honduran political prisoner Edwin Espinal tells Truthout that while he will continue to resist the administration of Juan Orlando Hernández, human rights defenders must focus on dismantling the systems of oppression the regime installed. [Read the Article →]( --------------------------------------------------------------- We deliver stories that fuel resistance, 365 days a year. Please join us in the fight to keep real journalism alive. [Donate Now →]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Trump's Counterattack Against Clean Energy Is Collapsing]( Carl Pope, Salon In the last several weeks, commitments by California and major automakers to continue adhering to Obama-era energy regulations in the face of President Trump's threats to roll them back demonstrate the futility of the fossil fuel industry's efforts to strangle the future of renewable energy. [Read the Article →]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Fracking and Shale Drilling Caused Spike in Climate-Warming Methane Pollution]( Sharon Kelly, DeSmogBlog While carbon dioxide hit a new high last year, it isn't the only climate-warming gas that's on the rise globally. A new study reveals that methane is also rising in the U.S. and around the world due to shale drilling and fracking. The vast majority of new natural gas production over the past decade has come from shale drilling and fracking in North America, even though the climate impacts are global. [Read the Article →]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Henry Giroux: Now Is the Time to Break the Spectacle of Ignorance and Violence]( Brad Evans, LA Review of Books Renowned public intellectual, author and critical educator Henry A. Giroux asserts that education is key to changing our culture, and that school must be transformed from a tool of oppression into a tool of liberation. In this interview, Giroux explains how his own educational experiences shaped his way of thinking. [Read the Interview →]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Greta Thunberg Sets Sail for U.S. to Combat Climate and Ecological Crisis]( Jessica Corbett, Common Dreams Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg set sail aboard a zero-emissions boat on Wednesday, beginning a two-week journey across the Atlantic Ocean to a United Nations summit in New York City. The 16-year-old Nobel Peace Prize nominee has chosen not to fly to highlight air travel's contributions to the climate crisis. [Read the Article →]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Civil Charges Against Jeffrey Epstein's Estate Will Continue]( Amy Goodman and Nermeen Shaikh, Democracy Now! While the federal criminal charges against the late Jeffrey Epstein will likely end, prosecutors can still pursue suits against any of his accomplices. "I want all victims to know: Now is the time to come forward against Jeffrey Epstein, to reach out and get compensation for what he did," says civil rights attorney Lisa Bloom, who is representing two of Epstein’s victims. [Watch the Video and Read the Transcript →]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Guatemala's Next President Offers Few Plans to Address Crime and Corruption]( Naomi Roht-Arriaza, The Conversation Guatemala's next leader is Alejandro Giammattei, a right-wing former national prison director with ties to military groups that have dominated Guatemalan politics since the end of the country's decades-long civil war. Giammattei is unlikely to pull the country out of the morass of kleptocracy, violence and extreme poverty that sends thousands of desperate Guatemalans abroad each year. [Read the Article →]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [In Chicago, Assata's Daughters Fight for Radical Change Through Youth Mentoring]( Staff, Brave New Films Assata's Daughters is a Black women-led organization formed by Black feminists and organizers in the south side of Chicago in reaction to the violence in their neighborhoods. Young people are experts on the issues that impact them -- such as gentrification, displacement and police in schools -- and they belong at the decision-making table. It’s time we listen to them. [Watch the Video →]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [The U.S. Has Driven Central Americans to Flee "the Northern Triangle"]( Rebecca Gordon, TomDispatch While the immigration crisis is indeed a real crisis, it is also a manufactured crisis thanks to decades of Washington's interventions in Central American affairs -- in particular, its overthrow of democratically elected governments in favor of right-wing military dictatorships. Today, a number of key factors driving Central Americans from their homes can all be traced back to actions of the U.S. [Read the Article →]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In Case You Missed It --------------------------------------------------------------- [Immigrants Swept Up in Mississippi Raids Face Courts That Deport Most Defendants]( Mike Ludwig, Truthout The immigrant workers swept up in last week's mass raids at meatpacking plants in Mississippi will likely appear in the already backlogged immigration courts in Louisiana and Tennessee. This year, cases in New Orleans and Memphis have resulted in deportation orders against 93 percent and 89 percent of the defendants, respectively. Meanwhile, waves of hunger strikes have swept through jails in the region as immigrants protest their indefinite detention in isolated facilities. [Read the Article →]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Extreme Inequality Is Driving Anxiety and Depression in the U.S.]( Robert Raymond, Truthout The country's growing mental health crisis isn't only caused by genetically predetermined chemical imbalances in the brain, but also by the social, economic, and political issues that are driving depression, anxiety and stress, research shows. As social relationships become more fraught with status concerns, especially in countries like the U.S. and U.K. with extreme inequality, studies show that individuals at all income levels experience chronic anxiety leading to depression. [Read the Article →]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Like what you're reading? Support Truthout's independent news and analysis by making an automatic monthly donation. [Donate Now →]( Connect With Us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Donate]( Truthout is a reader-supported, nonprofit organization; donations are tax-deductible •Truthout is a proud member of the Newspaper Guild/CWA, Local 36047 • Please add messenger@truthout.org to ensure you receive our messages. [Subscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe](