In The News

Trump Briefed on Russian Bounties Report: NYT

Charlie Savage, Eric Schmitt, Nicholas Fandos and Adam Goldman June 30, 2020
US intelligence agencies briefed Donald Trump in late February on reports that a Russian military intelligence unit paid bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill US and coalition troops in Afghanistan, according to two sources, reports the New York Times. The White House claims the report lacked consensus or verification, and the president did not receive a briefing. Uncertainty often...

Sanctions Against ICC Officials: Al Jazeera

June 12, 2020
Donald Trump authorized economic and travel sanctions against International Criminal Court officials investigating military and intelligence officials of the US and its allies for war crimes in Afghanistan and elsewhere. The United States rejects ICC jurisdiction over US personnel, and the United Nations, the European Union and human rights groups condemn the sanctions. “The Hague-based court was...

Pentagon Sends Troops to DC: Stars and Stripes

Corey Dickstein June 3, 2020
Protests sweep throughout the United States after a handcuffed man died in police custody in Minneapolis. Onlookers filmed and pleaded with police officers to stop, after one held his knee to the back of the man’s neck for more than eight minutes. Some extremists disrupt the peaceful protests, and Donald Trump, stating he wanted to end rioting and property destruction, ordered active-duty troops...

Radar to Detect Deforestation: ENS

April 29, 2020
Major palm oil producers and buyers – including Cargill, Mondelēz, Nestlé, Pepsico and Unilever – are supporting development of a radar system for monitoring deforestation in near real-time. “With this information, the companies say they can more quickly mobilize follow-up actions on the ground and work to improve the sustainability of commodity supply chains,” reports Environment News Service. “...

New Delhi Riots: Reuters

Devjyot Ghoshal and Manoj Kumar February 27, 2020
For more than two months, protesters in India have objected to the Citizenship Amendment Act that opens a path to citizenship for non-Muslims in three neighboring countries. Riots broke out and turned violent in New Delhi, disrupting the capital and contributing to 27 deaths and hundreds of injuries. “The Citizenship Amendment Act has sparked accusations that Modi and his BJP are undermining...

Murders at Monarch Sanctuary: Common Dreams

Julia Conley February 5, 2020
The murder of two activists dedicated to protecting monarch butterflies has turned attention to illegal logging in Mexico. “El Rosario sanctuary provides a home for millions of migrating monarch butterflies each year and draws thousands of tourists annually,” reports Julia Conley for Common Dreams. “But the reserve has also drawn the ire of illegal loggers in Mexico, who are banned from cutting...

Senate Acquits President Trump

February 5, 2020
The US Senate voted to acquit President Donald Trump on two charges: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The vote was not completely along party lines. Multiple Republicans conceded that the president’s actions – urging Ukrainian officials to investigate a political rival and delaying the release of military aid – were wrong. Yet many also rationalized that no crime had been committed and...