Democracy Now!

Corporations have created a new kind of marketplace out of our private human experiences. That is the conclusion of an explosive new book that argues big tech platforms like Facebook and Google are elephant poachers, and our personal data is ivory tusks. Author Shoshana Zuboff writes in "The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power": "At its core, surveillance capitalism is parasitic and self-referential. It revives Karl Marx's old image of capitalism as a vampire that feeds on labor, but with an unexpected turn. Instead of labor, surveillance capitalism feeds on every aspect of every human's experience."

Youth climate activists as young as 7 years old confronted California Senator Dianne Feinstein last week in San Francisco, demanding she sign on to the Green New Deal. We speak with 12-year-old Rio and his sister, 10-year-old Magdalena, who were among the protesters who spoke to Senator Feinstein. They are members of Earth Guardians San Francisco Bay Area Crew.

"We're the ones affected." Those are the words of youth climate activists who confronted California Senator Dianne Feinstein last week in San Francisco, demanding she sign on to the Green New Deal. In a video of the interaction that has since been seen across the country, Feinstein dismissed the children—some as young as 7 years old—asking her to take bold action on climate change. We speak with the youth climate activists who confronted the senator: 16-year-old Isha Clarke, 12-year-old Rio and his 10-year-old sister Magdalena.

Last week, immigrant activist Patricia Okoumou climbed the Southwest Key building in Austin, Texas, to protest the company jailing immigrant children. Now a judge in New York will decide whether to revoke her bail from her first arrest, when she climbed the Statue of Liberty on July 4 to protest President Trump's "zero tolerance" policy. Okoumou was with the group Rise and Resist on July 4 last year as they dropped a banner from the statute that read "ABOLISH ICE." She broke away from the group and climbed all the way to Lady Liberty's left foot, where she continued to protest and refused to leave until she was arrested. She has since pleaded not guilty to trespassing, interference with government agency functions and disorderly conduct. Her sentencing is scheduled for March 19, but prosecutors claim her latest protest was a violation of the terms of her bond, and she has been ordered back to court today. She joins us just hours before her appearance.

U.N. Human Rights Panel: Israel May Have Committed War Crimes in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to Be Indicted on Corruption Charges, NYT: Trump Intervened to Give Security Clearance to Jared Kushner, In Peace Talks with Taliban, U.S. Floats Afghanistan Troop Withdrawal, Somalia: At Least 15 Dead in Twin Suicide Bombings, North Korea Disputes Trump's Account of Why Kim-Trump Summit Failed, Immigrant Groups Cite "Alarming Increase" in Babies Jailed by ICE, House Approves Bill to Extend Gun Purchase Waiting Period, Lawmakers Seek Interview of Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg, Virginia's First Lady Apologizes for Handing Cotton to Black Students, Ex-Coal Lobbyist Andrew Wheeler Confirmed as EPA Administrator, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to Make Climate Change Centerpiece of Presidential Run, Swedish Teen Greta Thunberg Leads Belgian School Strike for Climate

Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez questioned Michael Cohen about President Trump's shady tax dealings at Wednesday's hearing, presenting a roadmap for investigators to look further into Trump's crimes. We speak with independent journalist Marcy Wheeler, who says, "In five minutes, this freshman congresswoman just laid out a whole investigative plan for three more topics into Donald Trump's potentially criminal activities." Wheeler covers national security and civil liberties on her website EmptyWheel.net.

In an explosive 5-hour hearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday, President Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen accused his old boss of committing multiple criminal acts before and during his presidency. Cohen provided evidence that Trump had violated campaign finance laws by paying hush money to women, accused the Trump Foundation of committing fraud by using the tax-exempt organization for personal purposes, and said Trump lied when he said he couldn't release his tax returns because they were being audited. He also claimed that Trump had advance knowledge that WikiLeaks was preparing to publish a trove of emails to hurt Hillary Clinton's campaign in the run-up to the 2016 election. Cohen confirmed the president repeatedly checked in about the status of a proposed Trump Tower Moscow project well into the 2016 campaign, despite public claims to the contrary. But he said he had seen no direct evidence that Trump had colluded with Russia during the 2016 campaign. The testimony came two months before Cohen is scheduled to begin a 3-year prison sentence for lying to Congress, a series of financial crimes and campaign violations. We speak with Marcy Wheeler, an independent journalist who covers national security and civil liberties. She runs the website EmptyWheel.net.

A historic summit to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula ended without an agreement Thursday, after talks between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un fell apart. Their second summit meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam, failed after Kim Jong-un demanded that the U.S. lift all sanctions on North Korea in exchange for dismantling the Yongbyon enrichment facility—an important North Korean nuclear site. We speak with Christine Ahn, founder and executive director of Women Cross DMZ, a global movement of women mobilizing to end the Korean War.

Trump Walks Away from Summit as North Korea Demands End to Sanctions, Michael Cohen Tells Congress Trump Committed Multiple Criminal Acts, Pakistan to Return Downed Fighter Pilot Amid Tensions with India, Russia Developing New Missiles as U.S. Withdraws from INF Treaty, Venezuelan Opposition Leader Juan Guaidó Meets Brazil's Bolsonaro, No Mention of Yemen or Khashoggi Murder as Jared Kushner Meets Saudi Prince, State Department Will Not Intervene in Saudi Hit-and-Run Murder Case, House Passes Bill to Toughen Background Checks for Gun Buyers, House Democrats Unveil Medicare-for-All Legislation, North Carolina: GOP Consultant Arrested over Voter Fraud Scheme, Texas: Judge Blocks Purge of Naturalized Citizens from Voter Rolls, Senate to Vote on Confirmation of Andrew Wheeler as EPA Chief, London: 9 "Extinction Rebellion" Activists Arrested at Oil Conference

President Trump is meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un today in Vietnam in their second summit to discuss denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. We speak with physicist, nuclear expert and disarmament activist Zia Mian. He is co-director of the Program on Science and Global Security at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University. He is the co-author of "Unmaking the Bomb: A Fissile Material Approach to Nuclear Disarmament and Nonproliferation."

R. Kelly was released from jail in Chicago on Monday, three days after he was arrested and charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault. The charges involve four women and girls, three of whom were under the age of 17 at the time of the alleged crimes. A judge set bail at a million dollars and forced the singer to surrender his passport. Almost immediately after he posted bond and pleaded not guilty on Monday, Kelly was spotted at a McDonald's in downtown Chicago—a spot his accusers say he used to frequent to prey on young girls. Kelly has been accused of abuse, predatory behavior and pedophilia throughout his career but has avoided criminal conviction despite damning evidence and multiple witnesses. Last month, the explosive documentary series "Surviving R. Kelly" thrust the case back into the spotlight. We speak with the documentary's executive producer, dream hampton.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is reportedly refusing to accept the resignation of his foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, who quit suddenly in a surprise move announced via Instagram Monday. Zarif played a central role in the negotiations leading to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Last year, President Trump withdrew from the landmark deal despite international condemnation of the move and U.N. inspectors saying Iran was adhering to the agreement. Zarif did not offer any reason for his resignation, simply writing, "I sincerely apologize for the inability to continue serving and for all the shortcomings during my service." We speak with Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CodePink and author of several books, including "Inside Iran: The Real History and Politics of the Islamic Republic of Iran." She met with Zarif in Tehran just hours before he announced his resignation. We also speak with physicist, nuclear expert and disarmament activist Zia Mian. He is co-director of the Program on Science and Global Security at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University.

Tensions are escalating between the nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan. Pakistan claims it has shot down two Indian military jets and captured a pair of Indian jet pilots, and India claims it has foiled an attempt by Pakistan to bomb military installations inside India. This comes a day after India carried out airstrikes inside Pakistan for the first time since 1971. India claimed it was targeting a camp of the militant separatist group Jaish-e-Mohammed, which claimed responsibility for a recent attack in the Indian-administered region of Kashmir that killed more than 40 Indian soldiers. India accused Pakistan of being directly involved in plotting the bombing. Pakistan denied the claim. Meanwhile, there are reports that Pakistani and Indian ground forces have exchanged gunfire in more than a dozen locations. We speak with physicist, nuclear expert and disarmament activist Zia Mian. He is co-director of the Program on Science and Global Security at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University. He is the co-author of "Unmaking the Bomb: A Fissile Material Approach to Nuclear Disarmament and Nonproliferation."

Michael Cohen to Testify to Congress as Explosive Accusations Against Trump Revealed, Trump & Kim Meet as Vietnam Summit Overshadowed by Cohen Hearing, India & Pakistan Ratchet Up Attacks as Fear of Nuclear Showdown Grows, House Votes to Block Trump National Emergency Declaration, Trump Official Admits He Ignored Warnings on Risks of Family Separation, Thousands of Migrant Minors Reported Sexual Abuse While in Gov't Custody, Honduran Woman Gives Birth to Stillborn While Detained by ICE, Dems Introduce New Voting Rights Legislation, House Bill Protects Over 1 Million Acres of Wilderness, Creates New Nat'l Sites, Ohio Voters Win Legal Protections for Lake Erie, Chicago Will Elect Its 1st Black Woman Mayor as Race Heads to Runoff, NYC: Voters Elect Jumaane Williams as New Public Advocate, Locomotive Workers Strike After Massive Merger Threatens Contracts, Oakland Teachers Enter 5th Day of Strike, United Methodist Church Reaffirms Ban on Same-Sex Marriage & Gay Clergy, Noted Disability Rights Activist Dies After Being Denied Medication

The former chief medical officer of New York City jails has just published a remarkable new book about the health risks of incarceration. The book is titled "Life and Death in Rikers Island." Dr. Homer Venters offers unprecedented insight into what happens inside prison walls to create new health risks for incarcerated men and women, including neglect, blocked access to care, physical and sexual violence, and brutality by corrections officers. Venters further reveals that when prisoners become ill, are injured or even die in custody, the facts of the incident are often obscured. We speak to Dr. Venters and Jennifer Gonnerman, staff writer for The New Yorker magazine.

With the self-proclaimed Islamic State on the verge of losing its last area of control in Syria, nations around the world are debating what do with the men and women who joined ISIS but now want to return home. Here in the United States, the debate centers on a 24-year-old U.S.-born woman who left her family in Alabama in 2014 and moved to Syria, where she lived in the ISIS-controlled caliphate. While in Syria, Hoda Muthana married a series of ISIS fighters, all of whom died in battle. Now she is living in a refugee camp in Syria with her 18-month-old son but is seeking to return to the United States, setting off a constitutional debate. Last week, President Trump tweeted, "I have instructed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and he fully agrees, not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the Country!" The Trump administration is claiming Muthana is not a U.S. citizen, even though she was born in the United States and has been issued U.S. passports. We speak to her family's attorney, Charlie Swift, the director of the Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in America.

India Launches Airstrikes in Pakistan Amid Mounting Tension, U.S. Announces New Sanctions on Venezuela as Lima Group Opposes Military Intervention, Univision Reporter Jorge Ramos Briefly Detained in Venezuela, Trump and Kim to Meet in Vietnam for 2nd North Korean Summit, Reports: Michael Cohen to Accuse Trump of Criminal Conduct in Congressional Hearing, Climate Change May Cause Cloud Die-Off, Increase Rate of Warming, U.K.: Corbyn Could Back 2nd Referendum as Brexit Deadline Looms, U.N. Court: U.K. Should Give Up Control of Chagos, U.N.: Sec.-General Warns Against Collapse of Arms Control Treaties, Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif Resigns, Somalia: U.S. Military Says Airstrike Kills 35 al-Shabab Fighters, Algeria: Popular Protests Call for End to Ailing President's Rule, Cubans Ratify New Constitution Reaffirming Socialism as "Irrevocable", Japan: Okinawans Reject Relocation of U.S. Base in Referendum, Guatemala Bill Could Free Perpetrators of Genocide, Torture, Australian Cardinal Pell Convicted of Sexually Assaulting Boys, Ex-Trump Staffer Accuses Him of Forcibly Kissing Her, Climate Activists Stage Protest at Sen. McConnell's Office

Venezuela's opposition is calling on the United States and allied nations to consider using military force to topple the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is heading to Bogotá, Colombia, today to meet with regional leaders and Venezuela's self-proclaimed president, opposition leader Juan Guaidó. The meeting follows a dramatic weekend that saw the Venezuelan military blocking the delivery of so-called humanitarian aid from entering the country at the Colombian and Brazilian borders. At least four people died, and hundreds were injured, after clashes broke out between forces loyal to Maduro and supporters of the opposition. The United Nations, the Red Cross and other relief organizations have refused to work with the U.S. on delivering aid to Venezuela, which they say is politically motivated. Venezuela has allowed aid to be flown in from Russia and from some international organizations, but it has refused to allow in aid from the United States, describing it as a Trojan horse for an eventual U.S. invasion. On Sunday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Maduro's days in office are numbered. We speak with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, who has recently held secret talks with Trump's special envoy Elliott Abrams.

Venezuela: 4 Dead as Violence Spikes Over "Aid" Standoff, U.S. Ratchets Up Threats Against Venezuelan Government, New Yorkers Protest Against U.S. Intervention in Venezuela, Trump Moves to Withdraw Funds, Impose Gag Order on Abortion Providers, Trump and Kim Jong-un to Meet in Vietnam for 2nd Summit, Michael Cohen to Testify Before Congress, Congress Expected to Subpoena Trump Admin over Family Separation, House Dems to Vote on Bill Blocking Nat'l Emergency Declaration, Sudan: President Declares State of Emergency Amid Ongoing Protests, Nigeria: Scores Killed in Election Violence, U.N.: Record Number of Civilians Killed in Afghanistan in 2018, Gaza: Israeli Forces Kill Teenager at Weekly Protest, Israel: Netanyahu Allies with Far-Right, Racist Group, Trump Announces Delay of Tariff Hike on Chinese Goods, Sen. Feinstein Dismisses Youth Activists' Call for Green New Deal, Trump to Nominate GOP Donor Kelly Knight Craft as Ambassador to U.N., R. Kelly Charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault, Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Charged in Sex Trafficking Sting, Sen. Warren Says She Will Not Accept Donations for Access, Oscars Celebrates Firsts for Diverse Filmmakers, Spike Lee Tells Viewers to Vote in 2020, Boots Riley Calls Out U.S. Intervention in Venezuela at Spirit Awards

The Academy Awards take place this weekend, and one of the top contenders is the movie "Green Book," which has renewed interest in the history of "The Negro Motorist Green Book." So today we look at a remarkable new documentary called "The Green Book: Guide to Freedom," that offers a real look at the history of a travel guide that helped African Americans safely navigate Jim Crow America. The film premieres Monday on the Smithsonian Channel and details the violence, insults and discrimination black travelers faced on the road, as well as the pride and sense of community they felt in the safe spaces they created around the country, in the form of restaurants, hotels and vacation retreats. We feature excerpts and speak with writer and director Yoruba Richen, professor in the documentary program in the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.

We go to Caracas, Venezuela, for an update on the escalating standoff between President Nicolás Maduro and opposition leader and self-proclaimed president Juan Guaidó. Guaidó claims he is preparing to deliver humanitarian aid from the Colombian border Saturday. Maduro has rejected the plan, saying the effort is part of a broader attempt to overthrow his regime. This comes as Trump's special envoy to Venezuela and right-wing hawk, Elliott Abrams, is leading a U.S. delegation traveling by military aircraft to the Colombian border, supposedly to help deliver the aid. The United Nations, the Red Cross and other relief organizations have refused to work with the U.S. on delivering that aid to Venezuela, which they say is politically motivated. We speak with Venezuelan sociologist Edgardo Lander, a member of the Citizen's Platform in Defense of the Constitution. "This certainly is not humanitarian aid, and it's not oriented with any humanitarian aims," Lander says. "This is clearly a coup carried out by the United States government with its allies, with the Lima Group and the extreme right wing in Venezuela."

North Carolina Orders New Congressional Election Due to GOP Voting Fraud, Oakland Teachers' Strike Enters Second Day, Judge: Alex Acosta Broke Law in 2008 over Sex Abuser Jeffrey Epstein Plea Deal, Elliott Abrams Heads to Colombia as Tension Mounts on Venezuelan Border, CodePink's Medea Benjamin Disrupts Venezuelan Opposition Event in D.C., U.S. to Keep 200 Troops in Syria Despite Trump Withdrawal Pledge, Vatican Hosts Historic Summit on Clerical Sex Abuse, White Nationalist Coast Guard Lieutenant Used Work Computer to Research Mass Killings, Record Number of Hate Groups Reported in U.S., Prosecutors Drop Criminal Charges for Four No More Deaths Volunteers, Judge Places Gag Order on Roger Stone over Instagram Post, U.S. Banks Made $28 Billion in Additional Profit, Thanks to Trump Tax Code, Pharmaceutical Firm Defends Charging $375,000 for a Medication Once Given Away for Free, Thousands Rally in Spain to Protest Trial of Catalan Separatist Leaders, Nicaragua: Ortega Vows to Reopen Talks as Opposition Demands Prisoner Release, Suspected U.S. Mercenaries Leave Haiti Days After Being Held on Weapons Charges

"It is worse, much worse, than you think." That's the opening line of a damning new book by journalist David Wallace-Wells that offers an unflinching look at the growing climate catastrophe. "The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming" sounds the alarm about the climate crisis and the need for swift and radical action to save the planet from unimaginable destruction. We speak to Wallace-Wells about the rapid heating of the planet, which he says could reach more than 4 degrees Celsius by 2100.

The White House is reportedly organizing a new committee to examine whether climate change poses a threat to national security, to be led by notorious climate change denier, Princeton University professor emeritus William Happer. Observers say his involvement in the "Presidential Committee on Climate Security" indicates the Trump administration wants to undermine findings within the national security community that climate change poses a severe threat to human safety. William Happer is a National Security Council senior director who has long claimed increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will actually benefit humans. He has compared the fight against climate change to the Holocaust, saying, "The demonization of carbon dioxide is just like the demonization of the poor Jews under Hitler." We speak with journalist David Wallace-Wells, deputy editor and climate columnist for New York magazine. His new book is titled "The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming."

In a major victory for civil liberties advocates, the Supreme Court has unanimously ruled to limit the practice of civil asset forfeiture—a controversial practice where police seize property that belongs to people suspected of crimes, even if they are never convicted. On Wednesday, the court ruled the Eighth Amendment protects people from state and local authorities imposing onerous fines, fees and forfeitures to generate money. The case centered on an Indiana man named Tyson Timbs, whose Land Rover was seized when he was arrested for selling drugs. The vehicle was worth $42,000—more than four times the $10,000 maximum fine Timbs could receive for his drug conviction under state law. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Timbs's favor. Writing on behalf of the justices, Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, "The historical and logical case for concluding that the 14th Amendment incorporates the Excessive Fines Clause is overwhelming." We speak with Lisa Foster, co-director of the Fines and Fees Justice Center. Her organization filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case. Foster is a retired California judge. She served in the Justice Department during the Obama administration and led the department's efforts to address excessive fines and fees.

White Supremacist Coast Guard Lt. Had "Hit List" of Democratic Targets, Trump Considering Anti-Science Adviser to Head Climate Change Committee, SCOTUS Limits State and Local Civil Asset Forfeiture, Massive Fire Kills At Least 80 in Bangladesh, Mexico: 2 Radio Journalists Killed in Past Week, U.N. Warns of Oil Company Complicity in South Sudan Mass Atrocities, Egypt Executes 9 Men over 2015 Prosecutor Killing Amid Claims of Torture, Syria: Civilians Evacuated from ISIS Enclave, Trump Says Alabama Woman Who Joined ISIS Should Not Be Allowed Back in U.S., West Virginia Teachers End Strike After Killing Pro-Charter Bill, Oakland Teachers Go on Strike, House Dems Prepare Measure to Block Trump's Nat'l Emergency, Roger Stone to Appear in Court over Instagram Post Showing Judge Next to Crosshairs, Michael Cohen Will Publicly Testify Before Congress, Reports: Special Counsel Mueller Could Wrap Up Probe Next Week, Ex-NYC Congressmember Joe Crowley Joins Corporate Lobby Firm, Bernie Sanders Raises Record $6 Million After Launching 2020 Bid, Police Arrest Jussie Smollett, Accuse Actor of Staging His Attack, Activist Climbs Southwest Key Bldg to Protest Migrant Children Detentions, El Paso Organizers Protest Border Patrol Museum

A growing number of Saudi students are vanishing while facing serious criminal charges in the U.S. Federal law enforcement officials are now launching an investigation into the suspicious disappearances to probe if the Saudi government was involved and how. We speak with Shane Dixon Kavanaugh, The Oregonian reporter who broke the story about the spate of Saudi student disappearances. He found that in at least four cases the Saudi government paid a defendant's bail and legal fees before he disappeared. In one case, police believe Saudi officials snuck a Saudi national out of the country on a private plane using a fake passport so he could avoid being tried for killing a 15-year-old Portland teenager in a hit-and-run.

While the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October sparked international outrage, far less attention has been paid to the ongoing Saudi repression at home. We speak with Abdullah Alaoudh, whose father has been locked up in solitary confinement in Saudi Arabia for his political activism since September 2017. Prior to his arrest, prominent Islamic scholar Salman Alodah had been a vocal critic of the Saudi monarchy who had called for elections with 14 million Twitter followers. But for the past 17 months, Salman Alodah has been silenced. He was one of dozens of religious figures, writers, journalists, academics and civic activists arrested as part of a crackdown on dissent in 2017 overseen by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. We speak with Alodah's son Abdullah Alaoudh. He is a senior fellow at Georgetown University in the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.

House Democrats are accusing the Trump administration of moving toward transferring highly sensitive nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in potential violation of U.S. law. Critics say the deal could endanger national security while enriching close allies of President Trump. Saudi Arabia is considering building as many as 16 nuclear power plants by 2030, but many critics fear the kingdom could use the technology to develop nuclear weapons and trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. We speak with Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna of California and Isaac Arnsdorf, a reporter with ProPublica. Arnsdorf first wrote about the intense and secretive lobbying effort to give nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in 2017. His reporting was cited in the House report.

Dems Probe White House Plan to Transfer Nuclear Technology to Saudis, West Virginia Teachers Celebrate as Lawmakers Halt Pro-Charter School Bill, NYT: Trump Asked DOJ to Put Loyalist In Charge of "Hush Money" Probe, Trump to Nominate Transportation Sec. Jeffrey Rosen as Deputy AG, Trump Signs Order to Establish "Space Force", France: 20,000 Protesters Denounce Surge in Anti-Semitic Attacks, Haiti: Police Arrest 5 Americans Amid Political Unrest, WaPo: Pope Ignored Claims of Sexual Abuse Against Deaf Children, Women Survivors of Church Sexual Abuse Speak Out, Arkansas Signs "Trigger" Abortion Ban into Law, Illinois Adopts $15 Minimum Wage, CNN Under Fire for Hiring GOP Operative to Oversee 2020 Coverage, High School Student Nick Sandmann Sues The Washington Post, Alabama Publisher Calls for KKK to Lynch and Raid Democrats, Justice Thomas Wants Court to Reconsider Libel Law for Public Figures, Wallace Broecker, Pioneering Climate Scientist Who Popularized Term "Global Warming," Dies at 87

New York City is still reeling since Amazon announced last week that it was scrapping plans to build a major office facility in Queens. The decision came under mounting pressure from grassroots activists and local politicians who opposed the deal. Amazon had announced the project in November after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio offered Amazon nearly $3 billion in tax subsidies to come to the city. But local politicians and community organizers rallied against the tech giant and won. The lawmakers who took down Amazon say their victory is just the beginning of a major fight against tax subsidies for huge companies—which they call "corporate welfare." We speak with New York State Assemblymember Ron Kim, who helped fight Amazon and introduced the End of Corporate Welfare Act to the state Legislature earlier this month.

President Trump called for regime change in Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua on Monday, in a major speech urging the Venezuelan military to abandon its support for President Nicolás Maduro and to support self-proclaimed Venezuelan president Juan Guaidó. During the speech, Trump said the U.S. seeks a peaceful transition of power in Venezuela, but that all options remain on the table. This comes as a new book out by former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe reveals Trump privately discussed going to war with Venezuela in 2017. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro responded to Trump's speech in Miami by accusing him of engaging in Nazi-like discourse. We speak with Venezuelan economist Francisco Rodríguez, who headed the Venezuelan National Assembly's Economic and Financial Advisory Office under Hugo Chávez. We also speak with Vijay Prashad, director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and chief editor of LeftWord Books. He is the author of several books, including "The Poorer Nations: A Possible History of the Global South."

Trump Attacks President Maduro at Miami Rally, Calls on Military to Defect, President Maduro Fires Back at Trump Attacks on Socialism, Daily Beast: U.S. Considering Extending TPS to Venezuelans, Senator Bernie Sanders Announces 2020 Presidential Bid, Sen. Warren to Unveil Universal Child Care Plan, West Virginia Teachers Launch Strike, 16 States Sue over Trump's Nat'l Emergency Declaration, Mexican Migrant Dies While in Border Patrol Custody, Transgender Salvadoran Woman Killed After Deportation from U.S., Syria: Bomb Attacks Kill 15 in Idlib, UAE Buys $1.6 Billion in Arms from Raytheon, Yemen: Warring Parties Agree to Start Hodeidah Withdrawal, Kashmir: 9 Killed in Gunfight as India-Pakistan Tensions Mount, GOP Election Fraud Revealed in North Carolina Congressional Race, Iowa Will Not Appeal Ruling on "Fetal Heartbeat" Law, Portland Police Under Fire over Friendly Texts with Far-Right Leader, Justice Ginsburg Returns to SCOTUS After Cancer Surgery

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute sparked international outrage in January when it rescinded the Fred L. Shuttlesworth award for civil rights icon Angela Davis, soon after the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center sent a letter urging the board to reconsider honoring her due to her support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Facing swift and widespread outcry, the institute then reversed its decision and reinstated the award, but Davis has yet to accept it. Democracy Now! spoke with the president and CEO of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Andrea Taylor, on Saturday, before an alternate event celebrating Angela Davis hosted by the Birmingham Committee for Truth and Reconciliation. We also spoke with DeJuana Thompson, founder of Woke Vote and a chair of the Birmingham Committee for Truth and Reconciliation.

Civil rights icon and scholar Angela Davis returned to her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, over the weekend. She originally planned the visit to receive the Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, but the institute withdrew the award last month, soon after the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center sent a letter urging the board to reconsider honoring Davis due to her support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting the Israeli government and Israeli institutions. Facing swift and widespread outcry, the institute then reversed its decision and reinstated the award. But Angela Davis has yet to say if she will accept it. More than 3,000 people gathered Saturday evening for an alternative event to honor Davis hosted by the Birmingham Committee for Truth and Reconciliation. The event featured a conversation between Davis and Princeton professor Imani Perry, who is also from Birmingham.

Jewish supporters of Angela Davis across the nation held solidarity Shabbat on Friday evening, the night before the civil rights icon had been expected to receive the Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. The institute rescinded the honor in January due to Davis' support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting the Israeli government and Israeli institutions. The institute later reversed this decision after international outcry, but Davis has yet to accept the award. Democracy Now! was in Birmingham on Friday and attended a Shabbat in support of Angela Davis.

Trump Faces Legal & Political Challenges After Calling Nat'l Emergency, NYC: Protesters Take to Streets After Nat'l Emergency Declaration, Aurora, IL Gunman Kills 5, Injures 6 After Being Terminated, Venezuela Ejects European Lawmakers as Aid Standoff Ratchets Up, Sen. Rubio Steps Up Attacks on Cuba While in Colombia, Iran Says Israel and U.S. Escalating Chance of War in Middle East, Haitian Gov't Announces Spending Cuts in Attempt to Quell Unrest, Nigeria: Bomb Kills At Least 8, Hours Before Gov't Postpones Elections, Pope Francis Defrocks Cardinal McCarrick over Sexual Abuse Crimes, SCOTUS to Hear Trump Admin's Census Citizenship Question, Heather Nauert Withdraws from U.N. Ambassadorship Consideration, Judge Sentences Man to 10 Years in Racist Hurricane Katrina Shooting, Kaepernick and Reid Settle Grievances with NFL

As we celebrate the remarkable life and legacy of Frederick Douglass on his 201st birthday, we are joined by Ibram X. Kendi, a professor of history and international relations and founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University. Kendi spoke Thursday night at the Library of Congress at an event honoring Frederick Douglass. He is the National Book Award-winning author of "Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America" and a contributing editor at The Atlantic.

This month marks the 201st birthday of the renowned abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass was born into slavery around 1818. He died a free man in 1895. Thursday night, leaders from around the country gathered at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., to honor the life and legacy of Frederick Douglass as part of a ceremony culminating a year of events marking the bicentennial of the birth of the celebrated abolitionist, politician, writer, feminist, educator, entrepreneur and diplomat. We are joined by Kenneth Morris Jr., Frederick Douglass's great-great-great-grandson, president of the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, and also the great-great-grandson of Booker T. Washington. He says the lesson he hopes young activists will take from his great-great-great-grandfather Frederick Douglass is: "Agitate. Agitate. Agitate. ... It's really important that activists and young people understand that they can lift their voices and agitate."

As Trump plans to declare a national emergency, we look at what some have called the real humanitarian crisis at the border. Riot police in northern Mexico blocked hundreds of desperate Central American migrants Wednesday as they tried to escape an abandoned factory complex where they've been imprisoned while waiting for the U.S. to process their asylum claims. More than 1,700 migrants have been held in the maquiladora in the Mexican border town of Piedras Negras since February 5, after they arrived in a caravan of people seeking asylum in the U.S. The vast majority have remained prisoners at the site, after the Trump administration adopted a "Remain in Mexico" policy for asylum seekers—processing just 15 asylum applications per day at the nearby Eagle Pass border crossing. We hear from a migrant adult and child who spoke with the Texas-based immigrant rights group RAICES, and get an update from Erika Andiola, chief advocacy officer for RAICES, the Texas-based Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services.

President Trump is expected to declare a national emergency today to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border despite opposition from Congress, after he signs the latest spending bill, which includes nearly $1.4 billion to build 55 miles of new border barriers out of steel, far less than the $5.7 billion he requested. Congressmembers Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib issued a statement that they voted against the bill because it gives more funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "That is the right thing to do. We've been pushing for Democrats to do the right thing, to stop playing [Trump's] games," says our guest Erika Andiola, chief advocacy officer for RAICES, the Texas-based Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services.

According to an ethics complaint Public Citizen filed recently with the Interior Department's ethics official and inspector general, President Trump's selection of David Bernhardt as secretary of the Interior Department appears to have violated Trump's executive order barring officials from working on any issues they had lobbied on in the two years prior to joining the administration. The complaint notes Bernhardt lobbied extensively on the Endangered Species Act, most recently on behalf of the Westlands Water District in 2016, when he reported lobbying on "potential legislation regarding the Bureau of Reclamation and the Endangered Species Act." We speak with Public Citizen President Robert Weissman.

With one day left to pass a government spending bill before today's midnight deadline to avert another government shutdown, both the House and Senate passed the measure Thursday that came out of the bipartisan conference committee earlier this week. The bill includes nearly $1.4 billion to build 55 miles of new border barriers out of steel, far less than the $5.7 billion requested by President Trump. Democrats quickly condemned the news, and consumer rights nonprofit Public Citizen vowed legal action against him. We speak with Public Citizen President Robert Weissman.

Trump to Use National Emergency Declaration to Build Border Wall, "It's Incredible": Rep. Ocasio-Cortez on Amazon Scrapping NYC Project After Grassroots Protests, Report: Amazon to Pay No Federal Taxes Despite Making $11 Billion in Reported Profits, Denver Teachers Declare Victory After 3-Day Strike, More U.S. Workers Went on Strike in 2018 Than in Any Year in Three Decades, Parkland Shooting Survivor Emma González: "We Fight Our Trauma by Fighting Against Gun Violence", William Barr Sworn In as Attorney General After Senate Confirmation, Former Deputy FBI Director Speaks Out on Launching Counterintelligence Probe of Trump, Pence Urges Europe to Pull Out of Iran Nuke Deal, Venezuela Accuses Elliott Abrams of Threatening to Deploy U.S. Troops, Cuba Claims U.S. Has Begun Moving Special Forces into Caribbean to Get Closer to Venezuela, India Blames Pakistan After Dozens of Indian Soldiers Killed in Kashmir, Egyptian Parliament Clears Way for el-Sisi to Rule Until 2034, U.S. Indian Health Service Faces Probe After Pedophile Doctor Allowed to Keep Working for Decades, Ex-Trump Officials Ryan Zinke & Corey Lewandowski Join D.C. Lobbying Firm, ACLU Sues over New U.S. Asylum Policy, Probe Begins into Disappearance of Saudi Students in U.S. Facing Criminal Charges, DNC Announces First Presidential Primary Debates Will Be Held in June

It's been one year since the devastating massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School—the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that galvanized the nation to take action against gun violence and turned a generation of young people into activists. On February 14, 2018, a former student armed with a semiautomatic AR-15 entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and opened fire, gunning down 17 students, staff and teachers in just three minutes. It was one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Students who survived the massacre quickly came to national prominence as leading activists for gun control. We speak with Lois Beckett, senior reporter at The Guardian covering gun policy. Her latest piece is titled "'We can't let fear consume us': why Parkland activists won't give up."

President Trump met with Colombian President Iván Duque at the White House Wednesday to discuss ongoing efforts to topple the Venezuelan government, the same day that U.S. special envoy to Venezuela Elliott Abrams faced questioning from Congress about his role in atrocities carried out in Latin America in the 1980s. This includes defending Guatemalan dictator General Efraín Ríos Montt's campaign of mass murder and torture of indigenous people. We speak with Roberto Lovato, independent journalist working out of the San Francisco Writers' Grotto, about the violent history of Elliott Abrams and the U.S.-backed opposition in Venezuela.

The new U.S. special envoy to Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, testified on Capitol Hill Wednesday on U.S. efforts to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Abrams spoke three weeks after the U.S. recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's new president. Since then, the U.S. has placed sweeping sanctions on Venezuela's state-run oil company and rejected calls for an international dialogue to resolve the crisis. Elliott Abrams is a right-wing hawk who was convicted in 1991 for lying to Congress during the Iran-Contra scandal, but he was later pardoned by President George H.W. Bush. Abrams defended Guatemalan dictator General Efraín Ríos Montt as he oversaw a campaign of mass murder and torture of indigenous people in Guatemala in the 1980s. Ríos Montt was later convicted of genocide. Abrams was also linked to the 2002 coup in Venezuela that attempted to topple Hugo Chávez. Democratic Congressmember Ilhan Omar of Minnesota questioned Abrams about his record on Wednesday during his testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Congress to Vote on Spending Bill with $1.4 Billion for Border Wall, Mexico: Migrant Asylum Seekers Imprisoned in Abandoned Factory, House Votes to End U.S. Support for Saudi-Led War in Yemen, EU Adds Saudi Arabia, U.S. Territories to "Dirty Money" Blacklist, Afghan Taliban to Meet U.S. Envoys in Pakistan for Peace Talks, U.S. Bombings in Afghanistan Approached Record Levels in 2018, Iran: Suicide Bomber Kills 27 Revolutionary Guard Members, Trump Administration Convenes Anti-Iran Summit in Warsaw, Giuliani Calls for Regime Change in Iran at Rally Hosted by Terrorist-Linked Group, NYT: Trump Admin Expanded Program to Sabotage Iran's Rockets, Rep. Ilhan Omar Grills U.S. Venezuela Envoy over Role in U.S.-Backed Massacres, House Committee Advances First Gun Control Legislation Since 2007, FEMA Administrator Brock Long Resigns, Judge Rules Paul Manafort Intentionally Lied, Breaking Plea Deal, Top Democrat Suggests Acting AG Matthew Whitaker Lied to Congress, A Record 7 Million Americans At Least 90 Days Behind on Car Payments, Argentina: Tens of Thousands March Against IMF-Imposed Austerity, Philippines Journalist Maria Ressa Released on Bail

As teacher strikes in Denver and Los Angeles join a wave of recent labor actions bringing attention to the plight of the American public school system, we take a fresh look at one of the largest public school scandals in U.S. history. Public schools in Atlanta, Georgia, were thrown into chaos in 2015 when 11 former educators were convicted in 2015 of racketeering and other charges for allegedly facilitating a massive cheating operation on standardized tests. Prosecutors said the teachers were forced to modify incorrect answers and students were even allowed to fix their responses during exams. The case has fueled criticism of the education system's reliance on standardized testing, and elicited calls of racism. Thirty-four of the 35 educators indicted in the scandal were African-American. We speak with Shani Robinson, one of the 11 convicted teachers, who has written a new book on the cheating scandal with journalist Anna Simonton. It's titled "None of the Above: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Public Schools Cheating Scandal, Corporate Greed, and the Criminalization of Educators."

A North Carolina-based air freight company has halted flights to Venezuela following a report by McClatchy linking it to possible arms smuggling. Last week, Venezuelan authorities claimed they had uncovered 19 assault weapons, 118 ammunition cartridges and 90 military-grade radio antennas on board a U.S.-owned plane that had flown from Miami into Valencia, Venezuela's third-largest city. The Boeing 767 is owned by a company called 21 Air based in Greensboro, North Carolina. The plane had made nearly 40 round-trip flights between Miami and spots in Venezuela and Colombia since January 11, the day after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was sworn in to a second term. The flights ended after McClatchy first reported on them. Venezuela accused the U.S. government of sending the arms as part of its attempt to topple the Maduro government. While no definitive links between 21 Air and the U.S. government have been established, McClatchy reports the chairman of 21 Air, Adolfo Moreno, as well as another employee at the company have ties to Gemini Air Cargo, which was involved in the CIA's rendition program during the administration of George W. Bush. We speak to McClatchy reporter Tim Johnson, who broke the story. Johnson was part of a team that shared a 2017 Pulitzer Prize for its investigation of the Panama Papers.