May 1, 2016

62% of those polled have an unfavorable opinion of the Republican Party, 50% don’t like the Democratic Party. “Only 33 percent of respondents said they have a favorable impression of the GOP.” http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/278039-poll-gop-disapproval-highest-since-1992

Unions in Argentina stage mass protest in Buenas Aires to protest government austerity program. “The job cuts and the recent elimination of subsidies, which have led to sharp increases in everything from bus rides to light bills, have stoked unrest in a nation with a long tradition of providing generous state jobs and benefits.” http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2016/04/30/demonstrators-in-argentina-flood-streets-protesting-inflation-and-job-cuts/

Courts forcing suspects to unlock their cell phones with their fingerprints. “Unlike disclosing passcodes, you are not compelled to speak or say what’s ‘in your mind’ to law enforcement,” (Albert) Gidari said. “‘Put your finger here’ is not testimonial or self-incriminating.” http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-iphones-fingerprints-20160430-story.html

Chamber of Commerce reportedly testifies against anti-fraud law that targets government contractors. “According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, which is supported by numerous defense contractors and health care companies that have settled fraud cases that account for a large percentage of (False Claims Act) recoveries, Congress should gut the law.” http://www.pogo.org/blog/2014/07/20140730-its-that-time-again-the-false-claims-act-is-under-attack.html

Hydroelectric projects face difficult legal barriers say developers. “Debbie Powell, senior director of power generation operations for Pacific Gas and Electric, added that “the processes are overly complex” and “needlessly expensive”.” http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article74295547.htm

U.S. economic growth steadily worsening, reportedly falls from 3.9% in spring of 2015 to 0.5% in first quarter of 2016. “The global economy is running out of steam and the conventional weapons are increasingly ineffective.” http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/apr/28/sluggish-us-growth-global-economy

FBI reportedly issued almost 16,800 National Security Letters in 2015 which applied to U.S. citizens or legal immigrants. “NSLs are a type of subpoena authority used to compel Internet and telecommunications firms to hand over customer data, such as web browsing history, email addresses and subscriber information.” http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cybersecurity-surveillance-idUSKCN0XR009

Is Washington, D.C. becoming America’s Pyongyang? ““Loudoun is per capita the richest county in the country as well as one of the most Republican and is something of a world headquarters of the McMansion as a lifestyle statement,” (Mike) Lofgren writes.” http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/how-wartime-washington-lives-in-luxury/

Peace and human rights activist Daniel Berrigan, among those who publicly burned draft board files during the Vietnam war, dies at 94. “In the early 1980s Father Berrigan helped launch the international anti-nuclear Plowshares movement when he and seven others poured blood and hammered on warheads at a GE nuclear missile plant in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.” http://www.democracynow.org/2016/4/30/father_daniel_berrigan_anti_war_activist

Chicago women alleges she was beaten and pepper-sprayed  by police for not getting out of their way fast enough, arrested on fabricated charges. “In fact, the dashcam footage shows not only that Brown did not drag the female officer, but that it was the patrol car that caused the collision after tailing her out of the alley.” http://www.rawstory.com/2016/04/dashcam-video-shows-chicago-cop-smiling-while-attacking-reverend-with-kids-in-her-car/

Some cancer drugs now cost more than five times more than previously. “Approximately 32 therapies have made their way into the market between the years 2000 and 2014, and the costs for these treatments increased from an average of $1,869 per month in 2000 all the way to $11,325 per month in 2014.” http://www.hngn.com/articles/198575/20160430/cancer-drug-costs-skyrocketing-new-research-shows.htm

World will face severe water crisis due to increasing meat consumption. “In private, Nestle executives told U.S. officials that the world is on a collision course with doom because (Americans) eat too much meat, and now, other countries are following suit, according to a secret U.S. report titled “Tour D’Horizon with Nestle: Forget the Global Financial Crisis, the World Is Running Out of Fresh Water”.” http://www.newsweek.com/world-water-shortage-meat-consumption-453592

 

April 30, 2016

Sanders says politicians can’t pretend to serve everyone’s interests. “You cannot be on the side of those workers who have lost their jobs, because of disastrous trade agreements, and support those corporations who have thrown millions of our workers out on the street.” http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/bernie-sanders-stump-speech-campaign/story?id=38759813

Celebrity basketball coach endorses Trump because he would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons on civilians. “Harry Truman, with what he did in dropping and having the guts to drop the bomb in 1944 saved, saved billions of American lives,” Knight said, with Trump smiling next to him. “…. And here’s a man who would do the same thing…” https://theweek.com/speedreads/621427/bobby-knight-suggests-donald-trump-have-guts-nuke-enemy

Head of Japanese public television reportedly says press should follow government’s lead when reporting disaster stories. “Outspoken NHK Chairman Katsuto Momii has found himself once again mired in controversy after news leaked he gave instructions that the public broadcaster should stick to the official government line when reporting on the nuclear reactor situation in quake-hit Kyushu.” http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/04/27/national/nhk-chairmans-order-follow-government-line-kyushu-nuclear-reactors-sparks-outcry/

Military says strike on Afghan hospital was a mistake, relief group says it’s “an admission of an uncontrolled military operation in a densely populated urban area, during which U.S. forces failed to follow the basic laws of war.” http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-afghanistan-msf-investigation-idUSKCN0XQ24T

Former SS death camp guard apologizes at his trial. ““I am ashamed that I witnessed injustice and allowed it to continue without taking any actions against it,” Mr. Hanning told the court in the North Rhine-Westphalia city of Detmold, WDR, a public broadcaster, reported.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/30/world/europe/reinhold-hanning-former-auschwitz-guard-apologizes-at-trial.html

Woman found guilty of “creating a public nuisance” for posting on Facebook a school shooting rumor she heard from her child. “An officer wrote in a criminal complaint that Alvarez “stated she only made the statement to gather information on what she had heard from her child,” the Daily Record reported.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2016/04/29/mom-convicted-for-facebook-post-about-school-shooting-rumor/

Yale students protest University’s refusal to remove name of slavery supporter from school. “Yale University announced Wednesday that Calhoun College, one of  12 residential colleges, would retain its name despite recent calls for change.” http://www.businessinsider.com/students-react-with-wrongmoveyale-2016-4

Syria ceasefire collapses as fighting resumes in Aleppo. “The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitoring group, said air strikes and government shelling had killed at least 142 civilians including 21 children in rebel areas in the past eight days, while rebel shelling of government areas had killed 84 civilians including 14 children.” http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-criris-syria-aleppo-idUSKCN0XQ0LP

State Department spokesman puzzled why journalists keep claiming Obama promised “no boots on the ground” in Syria. “There was never this ‘no boots on the ground,’” said Kirby. “I don’t know where this keeps coming from.” http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/04/29/more-american-boots-hit-ground-syria-us-parses-boots-and-ground

Sikh man arrested after fellow bus passengers became suspicious. “He was detained by police in Amarillo for about 30 hours and released without charge after being interviewed by the FBI.” http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/29/sikh-man-arrested-bus-terrorist-bomb-islamophobia

Hawaiian man dies during arrest, neighbors reportedly too scared to talk. “The building has few nearby homes, and several residents did not want to speak on the record out of concern they could be targeted.” http://westhawaiitoday.com/news/local-news/ocean-view-man-dies-police-custody

States reportedly trying to restrict “Justice for Prisoner X” pages. ““They are purporting to regulate the speech not only of prisoners, which is problematic, but they’re purporting to regulate the speech of non-prisoners in the entire world and they can’t constitutionally do that,” he said.” https://theintercept.com/2016/04/29/texas-prisons-assert-right-to-censor-inmates-families-on-social-media/

 

 

April 29, 2016

Man in animal costume demands that Baltimore TV station air story about end of the world or he will blow himself up, police sniper shoots him as he exits the building. “Smith said after using a bomb-detecting robot to take the device off of him, police discovered that the man was not wearing an actual bomb, but instead had a red (flotation) device secured to his waist with chocolate candy bars wrapped in aluminum foil and wiring connecting each of them that made it appear to look like explosives.” http://www.fox5dc.com/news/134065220-story

TSA misses bullets in man’s luggage but Indian authorities don’t, arrest him. “(Henry) Head said he was unaware of the bullets, and that they belonged to his son, who is an avid hunter. Head said he carried the bag on a flight out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport — the world’s busiest airport — and the bullets were never detected.” http://www.cbs46.com/story/31846185/tsa-questioned-after-man-leaves-atlanta-airport-but-imprisoned-overseas-due-to-bullets-in-luggage

Large, rowdy protest reported outside of Trump rally in Cosa Mesa, California. “A CBSLA.com report described the protests as “very large and very aggressive,” and police officers in patrol cars, on horseback and on foot tried to control the scene.” http://www.cbsnews.com/news/protests-and-unrest-outside-donald-trump-rally-in-southern-california/

Former Republican leader allegedly calls Ted Cruz “Lucifer”. “I get along with almost everyone, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life.” http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/ted-cruz-mocked-john-boehner-lucifer-flesh/story?id=38732727

Hospital in rebel-held Aleppo bombed. “The death toll at al-Quds hospital is at least 27 patients and staff, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based monitoring group.” http://www.newsweek.com/aleppo-hospital-al-quds-airstrike-syria-453400?piano_d=1

Animal rights activists charged with terrorism. “In this case, if there wasn’t a communiqué, if there wasn’t a movement affiliated with these actions, it would just be a property crime. But now we’re talking about terrorism because there’s a nexus and a connection to animal rights activism.” http://www.newsweek.com/animal-rights-activists-direct-action-bobcat-453253?piano_d=1

Los Angeles Sheriff’s chief of staff accused of sending derogatory emails. “A top Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department official forwarded emails with jokes containing derogatory stereotypes of Muslims, blacks, Latinos, women and others from his work account during his previous job with the Burbank Police Department, according to city records.” http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-sheriff-burbank-emails-20160427-story.html

Thousands line up for medical and dental care in Los Angeles. “”I expected to see a lot more homeless people and people with no insurance at all, and to find out that the majority had insurance but couldn’t afford their co-payment or deductible, that was surprising,” (Dr. Chris) Lewis said.” http://www.cbsnews.com/news/free-medical-clinic-in-los-angeles-draws-thousands/

Hunger strikers demanding resignation of San Francisco police chief. “We’ve exhausted every avenue.” http://fusion.net/story/295922/grandmother-sf-hunger-strike-until-police-chief-resigns/

Journalist claims she became the target of threats and anti-semitism after story on Trump’s wife is published.  “I started the day off having a sense of humor about it but by the end of the day, after a few phone calls like this, with people playing Hitler speeches, and the imagery, and people telling me my face would look good on a lampshade, it’s hard to laugh.” http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/28/julia-ioffe-journalist-melania-trump-antisemitic-abuse

FBI’s plan to enlist clergy, mental health professionals, school counselors and community members in anti-terrorism program is criticized as invasive. “People who attended the (FBI) meetings, alarmed by what they saw as an inappropriate commingling of law enforcement with mental health and education, complained to the Justice Department, and SRCs were reportedly put on hold.” https://theintercept.com/2016/04/28/letter-details-fbi-plan-for-secretive-anti-radicalization-committees/

Study says public avoiding controversial topics when using internet. “A 2015 study examined Google search data and demonstrated that, post-Snowden, “users were less likely to search using search terms that they believed might get them in trouble with the US government” and that these “results suggest that there is a chilling effect on search behavior from government surveillance on the Internet.”” https://theintercept.com/2016/04/28/new-study-shows-mass-surveillance-breeds-meekness-fear-and-self-censorship/

 

April 28, 2016

13 year-old Baltimore boy with BB gun shot by police officer. “The unidentified teen, who is expected to survive his wounds, ran when approached by two undercover police officers wearing plainclothes and driving an unmarked police car, the authorities said.” http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/boy-13-armed-replica-pistol-shot-baltimore-police-article-1.2616802

Trump vows to scale back U.S. commitments overseas, end “nation-building” AND to quickly wipe out IS. “…they’re going to be gone. And soon.” http://www.cbsnews.com/news/trumps-foreign-policy-speech-no-details-a-few-ideas/

Tennessee law allows therapists to refuse to treat patients if doing so would violate their beliefs. “Opponents say the legislation is part of a wave of bills around the nation that legalizes discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people.” http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/tennessee-governor-signs-religious-counseling-bill-law-38717097

Oklahoma “hobby” deputy found guilty in shooting death. “A jury found a sheriff’s deputy guilty of second-degree manslaughter Wednesday in the fatal shooting of an unarmed suspect.” http://edition.cnn.com/2016/04/27/us/tulsa-deputy-manslaughter-trial/

TSA employees claim they fear retaliation for raising concerns. “TSA employees told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that workers are afraid to speak up about problems at the agency and feel as though they will be unfairly punished, despite promises of protection from TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger.” http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/277881-tsa-whistleblowers-say-low-morale-poor-leadership-are-threatening

Possible employee suicide at Apple headquarters. “An Apple Inc employee was found dead on Wednesday at the company’s Silicon Valley headquarters, police said, with local media reporting that the victim had suffered a head wound and a gun was discovered near his body.” http://in.reuters.com/article/us-apple-death-idINKCN0XO2A3

Facebook reportedly to follow in Google’s footsteps, plans to issue “super shares” to maintain founder control. “Over the past decade, more tech companies have adopted two classes of stock so that their founders can cement their voting power at the firms.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/28/technology/facebook-q1-earnings.html?_r=0

House passes bill that would require warrants for authorities to access old emails. “The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Email Privacy Act (H.R. 699) today, which would require the government to get a probable cause warrant from a judge before obtaining private communications and documents stored online with companies such as Google, Facebook, and Dropbox.” https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/04/house-advances-email-privacy-act-setting-stage-vital-privacy-reform

Chobani yogurt founder, a Kurdish immigrant, gives employees shares of company stock. “(Hamdi) Ulukaya visited the plant to tell workers that they will get shares worth up to 10 percent of the company — currently valued at $3 billion or more by some estimates — that can be redeemed once the privately held enterprise goes public or is sold.” http://www.timesunion.com/business/article/Chobani-yogurt-mogul-gives-workers-piece-of-the-7377450.php Only 10%? Better than most companies though.

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert reportedly called a “serial child molester” by judge but only sentenced to 15 months in prison for evasive bank withdrawals. “Under current Illinois law, Hastert would have faced between three and seven years in state prison if convicted of a single count of sexual misconduct with a minor.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/04/27/ex-speaker-dennis-hastert-faces-sentencing-chicago/83584440/

 

April 27, 2016

House approves terrorism anti-recruitment bill, Democrats say it singles out Muslims, ignores more deadly, right-wing domestic terrorism. “The bill (H.R. 4820), introduced two days ago, would require the Department of Homeland Security to collect and use the testimony of former terrorists, and possibly their friends and family, in efforts to stymie the recruitment efforts of violent extremist groups like the Islamic State…” http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/terrorist-recruitment-bill-house-221167

Charges dismissed against suspected Phoenix freeway shooter, his attorney asks that court records be unsealed to clear his client’s name. “(Leslie Merritt Jr.), who spent those seven months in jail before his release last week, has maintained he is innocent and that authorities arrested the wrong person.” http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/attorneys-unseal-records-phoenix-freeway-shooting-38690957

British court finds police lied when they said soccer fans rushed gate, leading to 96 deaths in 1989. “A false narrative that blamed drunken, ticketless and rowdy Liverpool fans was created by police and spread by a lawmaker in Sheffield.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/hillsborough-disaster-verdicts-set-to-be-delivered/2016/04/26/75b6debc-0b86-11e6-bc53-db634ca94a2a_story.html

Anti-corruption protesters mass outside Iraqi parliament. “The demonstrators, many carrying Iraqi flags, marched from central Baghdad to an entrance to the heavily fortified Green Zone, where the government has its headquarters, chanting that politicians “are all thieves”.” http://www.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/iraqi-mps-approve-five-candidates-for-new-cabinet

New Guinea Supreme Court rules that Australian prison camp is illegal. “In their order, the judges said Australia and Papua New Guinea must “take all steps necessary” to stop the “unconstitutional and illegal detention of the asylum seekers or transferees” on Manus Island, according to a report by Australia’s ABC network.” http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/26/475706611/australian-refugee-detention-center-is-declared-illegal-by-papua-new-guinea-cour

Mitsubishi Motors reportedly admits it used improper fuel mileage testing methods since 1991. “It said aggressive internal targets may have put pressure on employees to overstate the fuel economy of its vehicles, and would set up an external committee to investigate the matter.” http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mitsubishimotors-regulations-idUSKCN0XN0DV

Stanford University refuses to divest from fossil fuel industry investments. “The school’s board of trustees said Monday that after evaluating a divestment proposal from Fossil Free Stanford, an anti-investment campus group, it had concluded the companies the university endowment invests in inflict no “social injury,” so there was no reason to dispose of the holdings.” http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Stanford-rejects-student-push-to-divest-fossil-7377162.php

State Department accused of withholding Freedom of Information Act document to conceal that Hillary Clinton was using a personal email address. ““If the State Department disclosed the email when first supposedly found, Clinton’s email server and her hidden emails would have been disclosed nearly two years ago, before Clinton authorized the alleged deletion of tens of thousands emails,” the group stated in a press release.” http://dailycaller.com/2016/04/26/state-dept-delayed-releasing-email-that-could-have-blown-lid-off-hillary-email-scandal/

Kansas sued by ACLU over voter registration laws. “Over the last three years [since Kansas changed its voting laws] Defendants have placed more than 35,000 would-be Kansas voters on a “suspense list,” and of these individuals, approximately 22,000 remain in suspense or have been purged altogether from the registration system, solely because they purportedly did not submit documentary proof of citizenship.” http://fusion.net/story/295412/kansas-voting-aclu/

Cleveland police union official suggests that part of settlement paid to family over police shooting of Tamir Rice be used to educate kids about the dangers of playing with toy guns. “…(Steve) Loomis issued a news release that said “we can only hope the Rice family and their attorneys will use a portion of this settlement to help educate the youth of Cleveland in the dangers associated with the mishandling of both real and facsimile firearms.” http://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/index.ssf/2016/04/tamir_rice_settlement_should_h.html Or, perhaps, it could be used to educate officers about the danger of shooting first and asking questions later?

Report of black male attempting to abduct white, South Carolina schoolchildren turns out to be false. “But after conducting an investigation, county officials determined that the two boys had made the story up as a cover for skipping school, the Herald said.” http://fusion.net/story/294962/york-county-fake-abduction-black-man/

Critics say cable mega-merger will hurt consumers. “The merger will combine the nation’s second-, third-, and sixth-largest cable-TV and Internet service providers (ISPs) and effectively place two-thirds of the nation’s high-speed Internet subscribers under the authority of just two corporations, Charter and Comcast.” http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/04/26/fcc-green-lights-crushing-charter-cable-mega-merge

Journalist not allowed to write about casino magnates resigns. “If a Las Vegas columnist is considered ‘conflicted’ because he’s been unsuccessfully sued by two of the most powerful and outspoken players in the gaming industry, then it’s time to move on.”  http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/26/columnist-resigns-sheldon-adelson-las-vegas-review-journal

Trump and Clinton both allegedly control companies registered at the same Wilmington, Delaware address. “A building that has become famous for helping tens of thousands of companies avoid hundreds of millions of dollars in tax through the so-called “Delaware loophole”.” http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/apr/25/delaware-tax-loophole-1209-north-orange-trump-clinton

U.S. upper class accused of selfishness. “Today’s rich avoid taxes, military service, and charitable giving.” http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/apr/25/america-wealthy-class-betrayed-inequality

Internet trolls reportedly get eight Sanders Facebook pages banned by posting elicit content and having it reported. “Erica Libenow, a Sanders supporter and member of one of the pro-Bernie groups, told US Uncut, “We had what looked like a kiddie porn posted in one of our groups today. I reported that one.” https://www.salon.com/2016/04/26/mystery_over_booted_bernie_groups_on_facebook_speculation_swirls_regarding_hillary_clinton_super_pacs_role_in_deletion/

Prison guard reportedly fired for spraying restrained inmate with pepper spray. “Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Charlesetta Hawkins was charged with cruelty to an inmate after she was caught on video pepper spraying inmate Jonathan Mahone, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.” http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/georgia-sheriff-s-deputy-fired-after-pepper-spraying-inmate-county-n562496

LuxLeaks whistle blowers go on trial for revealing corporate tax dodging. “Whilst many of the corporations implicated in the scandal have not technically broken the law by funnelling profits through a tax haven, the “LuxLeaks” scandal has drawn European leaders’ attention to the loopholes that allow multinational corporations to hugely boost their profits by dodging the tax collector, and have driven global demands for reform.” https://news.vice.com/article/the-whistleblowers-behind-the-luxleaks-scandal-are-on-trial-in-luxembourg

Elderly woman who danced with Obamas at the White House was reportedly unable to get a photo ID. “According to columnist Courtland Milloy, in order for Virginia McLaurin to get her D.C. nondriver’s license as photo ID, she needs a copy of her birth certificate from South Carolina, where she was born. However, in order to get that birth certificate (from South Carolina), she needs a photo ID.” http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2016/04/_107_year_old_woman_who_danced_with_obama_unable_to_get_government_issued.html?wpisrc=topstories

Washington Post gets Pulitzer for police shooting database “Fatal Force”, but the original alternative news project, “Fatal Encounters”, is overlooked. “Then Wesley Lowery appeared on the PBS News Hour with Judy Woodruff on April 19.* PBS’s description of his appearance read: “No one kept track of police shootings until this Pulitzer-winning project.”” http://gawker.com/what-i-learned-about-the-washington-post-from-four-year-1772856986

 

April 26, 2016

30 years after Chernobyl nuclear disaster, a look at the numbers. “The World Health Organization’s cancer research arm suggests 9,000 people will die due to Chernobyl-related cancer and leukemia if the deaths follow a similar pattern to the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings.” http://www.aurorasentinel.com/news/look-1986-chernobyl-nuclear-disaster-numbers/

One of the Bangladeshi gay activists killed by attackers was U.S. embassy employee. “(Xulhaz) Mannan was employed by the U.S. embassy, working for the U.S. Agency for International Development, the State Department in Washington said.” http://www.reuters.com/article/us-bangladesh-attacks-idUSKCN0XM1O7

Students in Iguala, Mexico reportedly battled police before their disappearance. “With a military intelligence official looking on and state and federal police officers in the immediate vicinity, witnesses said, the students were put into police vehicles and taken away. They have not been seen since.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/25/world/americas/missing-mexican-students-suffered-a-night-of-terror-investigators-say.html?_r=0

Right-wing candidate wins most votes in Austrian presidential election, run-off to follow. “Norbert Hofer, candidate of the anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPOe), took home almost 37 percent of the vote out of five candidates in Sunday’s polls.” https://news.vice.com/article/austria-sliding-to-far-right-amid-anti-immigration-sentiment

Transgendered woman reportedly uses restroom in North Carolina governor’s office. “There were people in the bathroom, and coming out of the restroom. And like the five times a day I use a public restroom, nothing happened. No one noticed.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/north-carolina-hb2-trans-bathroom-use-law_us_571e929ce4b0b49df6a8c03c

Sanders reportedly polling much stronger than Clinton against Trump. “Though the media and political establishment have all but declared Hillary Clinton the official Democratic presidential candidate, new polling on Monday shows that Bernie Sanders continues to fare significantly better when matched against Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.” http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/04/25/sanders-still-strongest-candidate-new-poll-shows-trump-and-clinton-near-tie

President Obama claims pro-corporate free trade deals are “indisputably” good for the economy. “Though the failure of past deals like NAFTA have become rallying cries on both sides of the partisan aisle in this year’s U.S. presidential campaign—with middle- and working-class Americans speaking out against them like never before—Obama said Sunday that “the majority of people still favor trade” and “still recognize, on balance, that it’s a good idea.”” http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/04/24/calling-corporate-backed-deals-indisputable-good-obama-makes-pitch-ttip

CIA allegedly using clever ploy to block author’s access to Angleton “mole witch-hunt” documents. “Georgetown spokesperson John Kenchelian informed me via email that “the CIA has not taken possession of the documents, they are still in Georgetown’s possession.” That means the Freedom of Information Act does not apply, and thus I have no legal avenue for pursuing the material.” https://theintercept.com/2016/04/25/how-the-cia-writes-history/

Ammon Bundy’s lawyer will reportedly argue that federal government does not own disputed park land. “”The federal government relinquished the land when it was previously deeded and homesteaded, thus relinquishing jurisdiction,” (Attorney Lissa) Casey wrote.” http://www.sltrib.com/home/3818350-155/ammon-bundy-questions-feds-authority-to

District Attorneys in Tamir Rice and Laquan McDonald cases reportedly fired by voters. “Anita Alvarez, state’s attorney for Cook County, Illinois, since 2008, and Cuyahoga County, Ohio, prosecutor Tim McGinty, who first took office in 2013, both lost handily to primary challengers.” http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/03/16/tamir-rice-and-laquan-mcdonald-avenged-at-the-ballot-box.html

 

April 25, 2016

Denver police allegedly knock down small homes donated to the homeless. “People need to have hope that they can do something,” he said. “So to quash something like that in an instant is to rob them of a dream.” http://denver.cbslocal.com/2015/10/25/homeless-advocacy-group-illegally-builds-micro-house-village-police-knock-it-down/

While politicians argue, Nepalese wait and wait for earthquake reconstruction to begin. “With reconstruction work at a virtual standstill and scores stuck in tents, numerous earthquake victims were reported to have perished during the country’s freezing Himalayan winter.” http://time.com/4305225/nepal-earthquake-anniversary-disaster/

Missouri reportedly rejects $8.3 million in federal Medicaid funding just to block Planned Parenthood from receiving funding. “They replaced it with money from Missouri’s general revenues, leaving the total unchanged at $10.8 million, and stipulated that none of it could go to organizations that provide abortions, as Planned Parenthood does.” http://www.kmbc.com/news/missouri-pays-millions-to-block-planned-parenthood-federal-funds/39189654

Bernie Sanders claims poverty in Baltimore rivals that of less developed countries, takes years off residents lives. “Sanders said that poverty in the worst areas of Baltimore rivaled conditions in “the West Bank in Palestine,” “North Korea,” and “distressed cities in Nigeria, India, China, and South Africa.” http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/04/24/bernie_sanders_in_baltimore_poverty_is_a_death_sentence_similar_to_palestine_or_north_korea.html

Rio de Janeiro police accused of rounding up homeless children prior to Olympics. “Specifics about Rio’s police roundups remain scarce and the  scale of official detentions unknown.” http://www.newsweek.com/rio-police-sweep-away-street-children-summer-olympics-449320?piano_d=1

FBI’s secret, warrantless, surveillance letters ruled legal as long as a judge gets to decide if disclosure would cause harm. “A Bay Area federal judge has upheld the FBI’s power to keep secret the tens of thousands of “national security letters” the agency issues each year demanding customer records from phone companies, banks and other record keepers.” http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Bay-Area-judge-upholds-FBI-s-secret-national-7295113.php According to another story, “Information sought in one case included a target’s complete Web browsing history, the IP addresses of everyone a person has corresponded with, and records of all online purchases, according to court documents unveiled in November following a six-year fight.” http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/04/in-a-reversal-judge-now-says-national-security-letters-are-constitutional/

Mass bleaching reveals Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is under threat from global warming. “(Terry) Hughes, who is also a professor at James Cook University specializing in the ecology of reefs, says northern portions of the Great Barrier are already seeing 50 percent mortality, with some portions possibly hitting 90 percent soon.” https://www.good.is/articles/great-barrier-reef-bleaching

 

April 24, 2016

Saudi Arabia wants to borrow $10 billion from bankers. “Despite running up a 15 percent budget deficit last year, which is expected to grow further in 2016, the Saudi government has found it easy to borrow money.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/22/business/dealbook/10-billion-loan-to-saudi-arabia-carries-risks.html?_r=0

Pro-Clinton super PAC will reportedly pay for supportive posts on social media. “The group, Correct the Record, said it will funnel $1 million, or 20% of the money it has raised so far, into refuting “negative attacks and false narratives” about Clinton on Twitter, Reddit, Facebook, and Instagram, according to a press release.” http://qz.com/667901/a-pro-clinton-group-is-taking-on-the-internets-swarms-of-anonymous-attackers/

North Korea says it will stop nuclear tests if U.S. stops South Korea war games. “Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong, in his first interview with a Western news organization, held firm to Pyongyang’s longstanding position that the U.S. drove his country to develop nuclear weapons as an act of self-defense.” http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-north-korea-submarine-missile-20160423-story.html

Former CIA agent to be extradited to Italy for “rendition” that allegedly led to torture of Egyptian.  “(Sabrina) de Sousa was one of 23 Americans, including 22 CIA agents, convicted in 2009 by an Italian court over the 2003 abduction in Milan of Osama Mustafa Hassan Nasr, better known as Abu Omar.” http://www.france24.com/en/20160423-portuguese-court-paves-way-ex-cia-agents-extradition-italy

Florida deputies accused of standing by while teens drowned. “Pinellas County has released multiple videos from the scene, with none showing the car going in the pond or officers attempting to free the girls.” http://www.rawstory.com/2016/04/florida-sheriff-defends-deputies-who-stood-by-as-teens-drowned-and-blames-the-girls/

 

April 23, 2016

Russian parliament reportedly appoints former interior police major general as human rights ombudsman. “The new ombudsman, Tatyana N. Moskalkova, worked her way through the ranks of the Soviet and Russian police for more than two decades, rising to become a major general of the Interior Ministry.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/23/world/europe/russias-new-human-rights-ombudsman-is-former-police-general.html?_r=0

Former felons given right to vote in Virginia. “In addition to granting voting rights, the executive order will also allow released felons to run for office, serve on a jury, and serve as notaries public, the governor’s office said in a release.” http://www.npr.org/2016/04/22/475297932/virginias-governor-just-gave-206-000-ex-felons-the-right-to-vote

Cuba lifts ban on expat travel, allowing cruises between the country and  U.S. “The Cuban government said the restrictions on Cuban-born travelers arriving on the island by ship dates back to seaborne attacks by Cuban exiles shortly after the Cuban revolution.” http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cuba-cruises-20160422-story.html

Rights group accuses Nigerian army of massacre. “As news of the incident emerged, Nigerian authorities said they were pushed into action after individuals linked to IMN, some of whom were carrying weapons, tried to kill the chief of army staff as his convoy drove through town…” https://news.vice.com/article/nigerian-army-accused-of-murdering-hundreds-of-shiite-muslims-burning-some-alive

Federal judge refuses to dismiss lawsuit against “enhanced interrogation” psychologists. “The ACLU is seeking damages for their clients from the two psychologists, who they allege in their complaint “designed, implemented, and personally administered an experimental torture program for the [CIA].”” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cia-torture-lawsuit_us_571a8fdbe4b0d0042da94ac0

Cars with “fly-by-wire” gear shifts recalled due to accidents. “Gear-selection is conveyed to drivers by indicator lights, not gear-selector position, which may lead drivers to falsely assume vehicles are in park, (Fiat Chrysler) said.” http://www.reuters.com/article/us-fiatchrysler-recall-idUSKCN0XJ2I0

Senator seeks compensation for Navajo affected by massive toxic mine leak. “The EPA was working on a plan to clean up persistent toxic leakage from (Gold King) and surrounding mines when the blowout sent 3 million gallons flooding into the Animas River.” http://www.wfaa.com/news/nation-now/mccain-calls-for-criminal-probe-in-gold-king-mine-spill/150131302

Reagan-era corporate tax rates would bring in enough extra revenue to fund preschool and college at public institutions says journalist. “The average annual difference, if applying Reagan-era tax rates to Obama-era profits, comes out to $166.7 billion.”  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/college-could-be-free-in-america-if-corporations-paid-reagan-era-taxes_us_57163d60e4b0018f9cbb11c1

Suicides among indigenous and white American males rising sharply. “Suicide continues to be a mostly white male phenomenon in the U.S.; white men made up 83 percent of the 33,113 male suicide deaths in 2014.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/suicide-rates-rising-us_us_5714f800e4b0060ccda3b5d8

Teamsters union reportedly organizing Uber drivers. “The labor union said Friday it has received “overwhelming outreach” from Uber drivers seeking benefits, dispute resolution and a stronger voice on the job.” http://www.cnet.com/news/uber-drivers-seek-to-team-up-with-teamsters/

UC Davis activists accused of making administrators and other students feel “unsafe”. “(Administrators) can always undermine the activists of the moment by finding the students experiencing “trauma” from all the conflict, the staff members who feel “unsafe” around protesters, the community member who, in the new paradigm, somehow (feels) “silenced.”” http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/04/a-protest-against-the-protesters-at-uc-davis/479256/

Independent group issues report on missing Mexican students. “The EAAF report supported last year’s findings by the Inter-Disciplinary Group of Independent Experts, or GIEI, a group commissioned by the Washington-based Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that also found no evidence to back the government’s version of what happened to the trainee teachers.” http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2016/04/21/argentine-experts-publish-report-on-key-aspect-mexico-missing-43-probe/

NSA very reluctant to estimate how many innocent Americans are “accidentally” being monitored. “Sen. Ron Wyden has asked for a number since 2011; the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board recommended in July 2014 that the government provide several. In October, more than 30 privacy groups asked for an estimate and explained how easy it would be to come up with one.” https://theintercept.com/2016/04/22/stymied-by-nsa-members-of-congress-ask-really-basic-question-again/

Pentagon accused of massively underestimating civilian deaths when it claims 41 killed in anti-IS campaign. “This is, of course, a massive undercount, with rights groups reporting nearly 500 civilians killed in US strikes just through August of last year, and more happening all the time.” http://news.antiwar.com/2016/04/22/pentagon-claims-only-20-civilians-killed-in-iraq-syria-strikes-since-september/

FISA court not protecting Americans’ rights says journalist. “…the (FISA) judge readily agreed with (public advocate Amy Jeffress’) description of how the FBI can warrantlessly search Americans’ communications (swept up during NSA data collection), and then he rejected the idea that such searches violate the fourth amendment.” http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/apr/21/fisa-court-privacy-data-collection-surveillence

Guard found not guilty of beating prisoner despite video and testimony by his boss that the beating was not justified. “Officer Thomas was acquitted despite testimony from Michael Capra, the Sing Sing superintendent, who told the jury that the guard’s violent response was “absolutely not” justifiable.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/23/nyregion/jury-acquits-sing-sing-guard-seen-on-video-beating-inmate.html?_r=0

Patients in developing countries reportedly often lack access to pain relief. “Today, Rajagopal estimates that less than 2 percent of Indians have access to opioids like morphine, and that less than 1 percent are able to receive comprehensive palliative care.” https://news.vice.com/article/as-the-us-is-awash-in-painkillers-the-developing-world-is-in-dire-need-of-them

 

April 22, 2016

Many New Yorkers confused by relocation of voting sites during primary election. “Clare Lazar, 88, had received a letter from the (Board of Elections) in the mail telling her that her polling site had been moved to P.S. 166 — not to P.S. 163 nor the Central Baptist Church of NYC — from her usual voting site at P.S. 84.”I voted in this place for 58 years,” Lazar said of coming to P.S. 84. She was surprised by the signs telling voters to go all the way up to P.S. 163.”  https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160419/upper-west-side/uws-polling-site-changes-confuse-sabotage-voters-locals-say

Anti-corruption gyrocopter pilot sentenced to 120 days in prison. “Before the sentence was handed down, Hughes said he was remorseful, and apologized to police, tourists who were scared and his family. But he said he had no regrets for the flight bringing attention to the corruption of money in politics.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/04/21/gyrocopter-pilot-sentenced-4-months-prison/83271738/

Federal Court rules that secret political donations can stay secret. “U.S. District Judge Manuel Real, in a ruling issued Thursday, found that the Americans For Prosperity Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity organization, can ignore (California Atty. Gen. Kamla) Harris’ demand to turn over the names and addresses of those who have donated more than $5,000.” http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-koch-brothers-group-donors-kamala-harris-20160421-story.html

British government documents reportedly show pervasive surveillance of citizens. “That includes financial data; confidential health records; travel records; content of communications, including with lawyers, doctors, and ministers of Parliament; and personal online activity, such as petition signing, among other data.” http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/04/21/staggering-reach-uk-surveillance-and-15-year-coverup-revealed

9/11 lawsuit bill hits resistance. “Speaking to reporters, White House spokesman Josh Earnest warned that the bill would jeopardize international sovereignty and put the U.S. at “significant risk” if other countries adopted a similar law.” http://edition.cnn.com/2016/04/19/politics/ryan-mcconnell-9-11-bill-lawsuit-saudi-arabia/index.html

Another Los Angeles hospital reportedly settles “patient dumping” lawsuit. “The Good Samaritan case involves a former patient who was found on the streets in December 2014 with a visibly infected leg, the city attorney’s office said. He was found a couple of miles from downtown after being released from the hospital’s emergency room with only a bus token, (city attorney Mike) Feuer said. He had to be hospitalized again for his infection.” http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/21/la-homeless-patient-dumping-lawsuit-good-samaritan-hospital

Mercedes-Benz owners sue manufacturer, alleging VW-style emissions cheating. “During virtually all real-world driving conditions, we found that Mercedes BlueTEC technology scarcely achieves any meaningful reduction of NOx emissions,” the firm wrote in a scathing letter to Mercedes-Benz. “Our equipment has recorded levels of NOx emissions between 4.5 and 30.8 times the legal limit in real-world driving conditions.” http://www.motortrend.com/news/mercedes-slapped-class-action-lawsuit-diesel-emissions/

Journalist disputes Defense Department’s claim that it is seeking to “promote openness and transparency”. “After three and a half years of waiting for this information, I received one page of unclassified but still partially redacted (not to mention relatively useless) material about the only officially acknowledged U.S. base in Africa.” https://theintercept.com/2016/04/20/how-a-simple-request-got-me-blacklisted-by-the-pentagon/

Uber reportedly settles lawsuit brought by California and Massachusetts drivers. “Key for Uber is an agreement that it will continue to classify its drivers as independent contractors instead of employees.” http://www.engadget.com/2016/04/21/uber-will-pay-100-million-to-settle-driver-class-action-lawsuit/

Indigenous protection clauses allegedly disappeared from agreements in Finland under conservative government. “To keep the country from ending up in (EU trade) court again, the new act makes a type of administrative change to Metsähallitus, moving the company’s sales and business to a Metsähallitus subsidiary. The trouble is that the act has no clause concerning the protection of Sami culture or livelihoods.” http://fusion.net/story/293387/finlands-forest-law-endangers-indigenous-and-reindeer/

Reuters investigation says Italian student was arrest in Egypt by authorities before he disappeared. “All six intelligence and police sources told Reuters that (Giulio) Regeni was picked up by plainclothes police near the Gamal Abdel Nasser metro station in Cairo on the evening of January 25.” https://news.vice.com/article/egyptian-police-detained-italian-student-giulio-regeni-before-his-murder-according-to-intelligence-sources-1

Fighting breaks out between Kurdish leftists and Assad allies. “Fighting between Kurdish and pro-government factions in the northeastern Syrian town of Qamishli intensified on Thursday, in what is likely the bloodiest such violence of the conflict there.” https://news.vice.com/article/kurds-battle-assads-forces-for-second-day-in-syrias-qamishli