Democracy Now!

Former Green Party presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein assesses the Trump administration's first six months and responds to questions about an infamous photo that showed her sitting at the same table as Trump's former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a dinner in Moscow in 2015.

Tensions are again rising in the Korean Peninsula between the U.S. and North Korea. On Friday, North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile that experts say is capable of reaching the West Coast of the United States. North Korea says the test was a warning to the U.S. to stop imposing sanctions against North Korea. In response to the test, the U.S. flew two B-1 bombers over the Korean Peninsula and tested its Alaska-based THAAD missile defense system. The U.S. has deployed a similar THAAD missile defense system to South Korea, despite objections from local residents. We speak with former Green Party presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein, who just returned from a peace delegation to South Korea. Dr. Jill Stein was the Green Party's presidential nominee in 2016 and 2012.

The Trump administration has issued sanctions against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as tensions escalate in the country following a controversial vote to elect a new National Constituent Assembly—which will have the authority to rewrite Venezuela's constitution. According to the official tally, at least 8 million people—or 40 percent of eligible voters—cast ballots Sunday, despite an opposition boycott. The right-wing opposition has accused Maduro of attempting to consolidate his power. Two prominent leaders of the right-wing opposition—Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma—were taken from their homes by security forces early this morning. Meanwhile, the director of the CIA hints that the agency is working to push regime change. We host a debate with political science expert George Ciccariello-Maher and economist Francisco Rodríguez.

White House Comms Director Anthony Scaramucci Fired After 10 Days, Russia Mobilizes Troops as Pence Pledges U.S. Support to Former Soviet States, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Contempt of Court over Immigration Raids, Romulo Avelica-Gonzalez, Father of Four, Faces Deportation, WaPo: President Trump Authored False Donald Jr. Statement on Russia Meeting, Venezuelan Opposition Leaders Arrested As U.S. Sanctions President Maduro, Syria: Hezbollah Prisoners Swapped for Rebels; U.S.-Led Strikes Kill Raqqa Civilians, Iraq: Children Among the Dead in U.S.-Led Coalition Attack in Hawija, Former British PM Tony Blair Won't Face Prosecution over Iraq Invasion, Saudi Women's Rights Activist Freed After 104 Days in Jail Without Trial, Kenyan Election Official Found Tortured, Murdered Ahead of Presidential Vote, Mexican Journalist Luciano Rivera Salgado Killed in Baja California, Richmond, California: 2 Arrested Protesting Kinder Morgan Pipeline, Warming from Climate Change Very Likely to Exceed 2 Degrees Celsius by 2100, Tennessee: Video Shows Officers Tasering Teen in Restraint Chair, Washington, D.C., Officer Suspended over White Supremacist T-Shirt

The White House appears ready to abandon the landmark Iranian nuclear deal in favor of what experts say could lead to war with Iran. The New York Times reported last week that President Donald Trump has instructed his national security aides to find a rationale for declaring that Iran is violating the terms of the accord. The order came despite the fact the Trump administration reluctantly certified that Iran has complied with its obligations under the agreement earlier this month. Last week, Trump intensified his threats against Iran during a speech in Youngstown, Ohio. Observers say Trump's actions are laying the groundwork for a disastrous military confrontation with Iran. We speak with Trita Parsi, founder and president of the National Iranian American Council.

As the Democrats prepare for the 2018 midterms, some ask whether the party is making a mistake by prioritizing the pursuit of wavering white voters over investing in and inspiring African-American voters. Last week in Virginia, party leaders unveiled their new slogan—"A Better Deal"—and rolled out an agenda to win back working-class voters they lost to President Donald Trump in November. The rebranding effort comes as the Democrats have lost all four special congressional elections this year to Republicans. The defeats come despite Trump's approval rating dipping to 36 percent. It's the lowest six-month approval rating of a U.S. president in 70 years. We speak to Steve Phillips of Democracy in Color, who says the party has invested $750 million on the 2018 midterms without addressing the Democrats' core problem of connecting with disillusioned voters. Phillips is the author of the New York Times best-selling book "Brown is the New White: How the Demographic Revolution Has Created a New American Majority."

President Donald Trump is facing widespread criticism from police chiefs across the country following a speech he gave on Friday to police officers in Long Island, New York, that appeared to openly endorse police brutality. Commenting on the need to crack down on gang members, Trump suggested that police officers have license to use excessive force on suspects. The remarks come amid a controversial roundup of undocumented minors in Suffolk County, where Trump spoke, who were detained based on unconfirmed allegations of gang affiliation by local police. Trump painted what some say was an overblown picture of gang violence in the community. Following Trump's remarks, the Suffolk County Police Department tweeted, "As a department, we do not and will not tolerate roughing up of prisoners." The International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Police Foundation also criticized Trump's speech, along with the police chiefs of New York, Boston, New Orleans, Houston, Los Angeles and other cities. We speak with chair of the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board, Maya Wiley, and Graham Weatherspoon, a retired New York police detective.

N. Korea Tests Intercontinental Missile; U.S. Retaliates with Military Tests & Drills, Trump Replaces Chief of Staff Priebus with DHS Head John Kelly, Trump Threatens to End Health Insurance Payments Unless Lawmakers Repeal ACA, Cops Cheer as Trump Advocates for Police Brutality in Long Island Speech, Israeli Troops Shoot and Kill Teenager in Protests in Gaza Strip, Turkish Women Protest Rising Physical & Verbal Attacks in Public, In Visit to Estonia, VP Pence Warns of Russian Threat to Baltic States, Putin Orders 755 U.S. Diplomatic Staff Be Cut in Retaliation for U.S. Sanctions, Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif Ousted After Probe Sparked by Panama Papers, Venezuela: Maduro Claims Victory in Controversial Election as 10 Die in Protests, Facing Displacement, Residents Protest Massive Sardar Sarovar Dam in India, Video Shows CBP Agents Telling Mexican Teen to Drink Liquid Meth, Killing Him, Mexico: 170 Central Americans Found in Trailer After Being Abandoned by Traffickers

In Austin, Texas, four undocumented immigrants were arrested protesting President Trump's crackdown on sanctuary cities and plans to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. This comes as Immigration and Customs Enforcement carried out raids targeting undocumented teenagers it says are affiliated with gangs. ICE's criteria for assessing gang affiliation includes whether teenagers have tattoos, wear clothing typical to a gang or even spend time in an area that's known to have gangs. We speak with Catalina Adorno, one of those arrested in Texas, and with Alex Sanchez of Homies Unidos about how many immigrants are being wrongfully targeted as gang members.

Two Iowa-based Catholic Worker activists revealed they secretly carried out multiple acts of sabotage and arson in order to stop construction of the controversial $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline. We speak with Jessica Reznicek and Ruby Montoya about how they set fire to heavy machinery being used to construct the pipeline. They say their actions were inspired by the anti-nuclear Plowshares Movement which used nonviolent direct action to target nuclear warheads and military installations.

In an stinging defeat for the Republican Party and President Trump, the Senate voted by a slim margin—49 to 51—against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. As the bill was defeated, protesters outside the Capitol cheered and chanted "Yes, we did!" The loss was a stinging defeat for President Donald Trump and for Republicans who have spent seven years vowing to repeal and replace Obamacare. The so-called skinny repeal of Obamacare would have eliminated the individual mandate and the employer mandate, that requires certain businesses to provide health insurance to employees. We speak with Margarida Jorge of Health Care for America Now.

Republican Bid to Repeal Affordable Care Act Fails in Senate, Trump Retaliates Against Alaska over Senator's Healthcare Vote, Senate Approves Russia Sanctions Bill, Prompting Kremlin Retaliation, Republicans Warn Trump Against Firing Attorney General Sessions, Trump Admin Targets MS-13 Gang, Putting Immigrants in Crosshairs, DREAMer Who Died in Border Crossing Accused by ICE of Gang Ties, Connecticut Undocumented Mother Nury Chavarria Wins Deportation Stay, Department of Justice Argues Civil Rights Law Does Not Apply to Gays, Transgender Military Service Can Continue for Now, Says Top General, Anthony Scaramucci Assails White House Colleagues in Vulgar Rant, Palestinians Injured as Israel Removes Restrictions at Al-Aqsa Mosque, Wisconsin Lures Foxconn Plant with Offer of $3 Billion Tax Break, Oklahoma Sheriff Indicted After Prisoner Dies in Restraint Chair, Baltimore Ravens Lineman to Quit NFL over Brain Injury Report

Disability activists across the nation are staging historic protests in Washington, D.C., and other cities to fight the Republican effort to strip healthcare from tens of millions of people. On Tuesday, as the Senate voted to open debate, 31 protesters in the gallery were arrested, while 64 more, many in wheelchairs, were arrested in the atrium of the Hart Senate Office Building. The protests are continuing as Senate Republicans move forward with their attempts to repeal Obamacare. We speak with disability rights attorney Stephanie Woodward who has been arrested 16 times in recent weeks, community organizer Ola Ojewumi, and hip-hop artist Kalyn Heffernan, who recently occupied the Denver office of Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO).

While President Trump's ban on transgender people from military service has been widely criticized even by fellow Republicans, it has reignited a debate within the LGBT community. Some have questioned whether the discourse on transgender rights should be broadened to include a critique of militarism. "Trump's transphobia is disgusting, like his defense budget," trans activist and scholar Dean Spade wrote yesterday. "The liberation we are working toward requires that we fight for vets and everyone else who gets exploited and abandoned for U.S. military imperialism, but not that we participate in rhetoric that celebrates the U.S. military as an employer or ties trans well-being to military service." We speak to Dean Spade, who is a professor at Seattle University School of Law, as well as Fiona Dawson, creator of the media project TransMilitary. She attended the protest outside the White House on Wednesday following Trump's announcement.

In a move that shocked even the Pentagon, President Donald Trump has barred transgender people from serving in the military. He made the announcement via Twitter on Wednesday. The move could impact as many as 15,000 servicemembers. The New York Times reports Defense Secretary James Mattis only learned of Trump's plans on Tuesday. Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin said he learned of the policy change through Trump's tweet. Politico is reporting Trump may have made the snap decision in an attempt to secure congressional funding to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. A spending bill—which included money for the wall—was facing possible defeat in the House because some Republican lawmakers wanted to ban Pentagon-funded sex reassignment operations. We speak to Staff Sergeant Patricia King. She was the first infantry member to reveal she is transgender. King has served in the Army for 18 years, including three active combat deployments to Afghanistan.

President Trump Tweets Ban on Transgender People Serving in Military, Senate Republicans Mull "Skinny Repeal" of Affordable Care Act, Ex-Tea Party Lawmaker Pete Hoekstra Named Ambassador to Netherlands, Yemen: Cholera Cases Top 400,000 as U.N. Appeals for Humanitarian Aid, U.S.-Backed, Saudi-Led Coalition Blamed for Attack That Killed 42 Migrants, Iraq: Thousands of Displaced Mosul Families Unable to Return Home, NYTimes: Trump May Expand Afghanistan War to Exploit Mineral Wealth, France: Human Rights Watch Says Police Abusing Migrants in Calais, Minneapolis Police to Require Officers to Use Body Cameras, Austin, TX: 15 Immigrant Activists Arrested at Sit-in Protest, El Paso, TX: Four Migrants Found Dead at Rio Grande Border Crossing, New York: Bronx Teen, Jailed at Rikers for Over a Year, Bailed Out

Journalist Joshua Green talks about how Steve Bannon used his experience in the video game industry to use Breitbart News to mobilize young, largely white men. "The reality is, Fox News' audience was geriatric and no one was connecting with this younger group," Bannon told Green. Bannon's hires at Breitbart include Milo Yiannopoulos, who has been widely accused of being a white nationalist. "Watch Part 1 || Joshua Green on the 'Devil's Bargain: Steve Bannon, Donald Trump & the Storming of the Presidency":https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/26/joshua_green_on_the_devils_bargain"Watch Part 2 || Joshua Green on How a Racial Theorist Tied to Mussolini & Hitler Influenced Steve Bannon":https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/26/joshua_green_on_how_steve_bannon

Journalist Joshua Green talks about two men who influenced Steve Bannon's philosophy: the Italian philosopher Julius Evola, whose ideas became the basis of fascist racial theory, and René Guénon, who developed an anti-modernism philosophy called "Traditionalism." Green writes about Evola and Guénon in his new book, "Devil's Bargain: Steve Bannon, Donald Trump, and the Storming of the Presidency.""Watch Part 1 || Joshua Green on the ‘Devil's Bargain: Steve Bannon, Donald Trump & the Storming of the Presidency’":https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/26/joshua_green_on_the_devils_bargain"Watch Part 3 || Joshua Green on How Bannon's Experience with Video Gamers Gave Rise to the Alt-Right":https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/26/joshua_green_on_how_bannons_experience

We turn now to look at the man many credit with helping Donald Trump become president: Steve Bannon, the former head of Breitbart News. During the early days of the Trump presidency, many suggested Bannon, Trump's chief strategist, was pulling many of the strings in the Oval Office. We speak to journalist Joshua Green about how Bannon took his hard-right nationalist politics from the fringes of the Republican Party all the way to the White House. Green has been closely following Bannon's career for years. In October 2015—before Bannon joined Trump's campaign—Green dubbed Bannon the "Most Dangerous Political Operative in America." His new book is "Devil's Bargain: Steve Bannon, Donald Trump, and the Storming of the Presidency.""Watch Part 2 || A Look at How a Racial Theorist Tied to Mussolini & Hitler Influenced Steve Bannon":https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/26/joshua_green_on_how_steve_bannon"Watch Part 3 || Joshua Green on How Bannon's Experience with Video Gamers Gave Rise to the Alt-Right":https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/26/joshua_green_on_how_bannons_experience

President Trump is continuing to publicly humiliate his own attorney general, Jeff Sessions, who was the first senator to endorse Trump during the 2016 race. On Twitter, Trump described Sessions as "beleaguered" and "very weak." At a press conference on Tuesday, Trump said he was "disappointed" Sessions had recused himself from the probe into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Meanwhile, Breitbart News and other right-wing outlets are openly criticizing Trump's treatment of Sessions. We speak with Joshua Green of Bloomberg Businessweek about the latest news plus his new book, "Devil's Bargain: Steve Bannon, Donald Trump, and the Storming of the Presidency."

As protesters shouted "Kill the bill! Kill the bill!" Senate Republicans voted Tuesday, by the narrowest of margins, to open debate on repealing Obamacare. Vice President Mike Pence broke a 50-50 tie in the Senate. Two Republican senators—Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska—joined Democrats in voting against the motion to proceed. Republican Senator John McCain cast a decisive vote to open debate, after flying in from Arizona, where he is being treated for brain cancer. But hours later, the effort to repeal or replace Obamacare faced another setback, when nine Republicans joined Democrats in rejecting the first healthcare proposal. We speak with Joshua Green of Bloomberg Businessweek about the latest news plus his new book, "Devil's Bargain: Steve Bannon, Donald Trump, and the Storming of the Presidency."

As Debate Begins, Senate Republicans Vote Down First Healthcare Bill, "I'd Rather Go to Jail Than Die Without Medicaid!": Nearly 100 Arrested as Senate Debates Healthcare, President Trump Continues to Humiliate Attorney General Sessions, AG Sessions: DOJ to Refuse Federal Grants to Sanctuary Cities, Kushner Testifies in Closed-Door Session with House Intelligence Committee, House Votes to Block White House Efforts to Weaken Russia Sanctions, Trump Ramps Up Threats Against Iran in Speech in Youngstown, Ohio, Senators Collins and Reed Caught on Hot Mic Worrying Trump is "Crazy", Palestinians Vow to Continue Protests Against Israeli Security Measures at Al-Aqsa Mosque, 26 Afghan Soldiers Killed in Taliban Attack on Military Base in Kandahar, Syria: 18 Civilians Reportedly Killed Amid U.S.-Led Offensive in Raqqa, Philippines: Duterte Threatens to Bomb Indigenous Filipino School, Chile: Hundreds March to Demand Legalization of Abortion

Fifty years ago this month, rebellions broke out in the cities of Newark and Detroit. It all began in Newark on July 12, 1967, when two white police officers detained and beat an African-American cabdriver. Shortly after, on July 23, police officers raided an after-hours club in an African-American neighborhood of Detroit, sparking another mass rebellion. Forty-three people died in Detroit, and 26 were killed in Newark, while 7,000 people were arrested. The rebellions reshaped both Newark and Detroit and marked the beginning of an era of African-American political empowerment. We speak with Larry Hamm, chairman of the People's Organization for Progress, and Scott Kurashige, author of the new book, "The Fifty-Year Rebellion: How the U.S. Political Crisis Began in Detroit."

With 10 people dead in San Antonio, Texas, following a human smuggling attempt, we look at how the U.S. border crackdown is contributing to human trafficking and increases in death among immigrants fleeing violence in Central America. We speak with Sonia Nazario, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and board member of Kids in Need of Defense.

Ten immigrants have died and 29 remain hospitalized in San Antonio, Texas, where dozens of undocumented immigrants were discovered packed in the back of a sweltering tractor-trailer. The youngest victims were just 15 years old. When the group of migrants was discovered in a Wal-Mart parking lot in San Antonio, eight men were already dead. Two more men died later, and 29 remain hospitalized. We speak with Eddie Canales, director of the South Texas Human Rights Center.

Republican Senators Slated to Put Healthcare to a Vote Today, Kushner to Testify for Second Day About Trump's Ties to Russia, Trump Intensifies Attacks on Sessions; Cruz & Giuliani Floated as Replacements, Iowa: 2 Catholic Workers Say They Sabotaged Dakota Access Pipeline, 2 Arrested as Protesters Blockade Kinder Morgan Terminal in Richmond, CA, San Antonio: 10th Migrant Dies After Dozens Found in Back of Sweltering Truck, Pakistan: 26 Killed in Suicide Bomb Attack Claimed by Pakistani Taliban, Israel Removing Metal Detectors from Al-Aqsa Mosque After Massive Protests, Jewish Voice for Peace Rabbi Blocked from Traveling to Israel, Philippines' Duterte Vows to Continue Bloody Drug War, Detroit Judge Halts Deportation of 1,400 Iraqis, Former Navy Sailor Sentenced to 40 Years for Murdering Trans Woman Dee Whigham, Baltimore Teens Build "Bad Batch" App to Tackle Drug Overdose Epidemic

Newly declassified State Department documents show oil contracts played a key role in the U.S.-backed 1953 coup in Iran that led to the overthrow of the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. "What the documents show is actually the importance of oil in the coup," says Professor Ervand Abrahamian. "The conventional wisdom is, oh, it was all the Cold War scare, communism. But here you see, actually, very occasionally, when Eisenhower intervenes in a discussion, it’s about question of oil contracts and so on and how nationalization would disrupt the whole international framework and would be a threat to U.S. interests, oil interests, elsewhere."

The State Department has announced new sanctions against Iran over alleged support for terrorism and Iran's ballistic missile program. The move will blacklist 18 people accused of having ties to Iran's military, freezing any of their U.S. assets. The new U.S. sanctions came just after the Trump administration begrudgingly certified that Iran has complied with its obligations under the Obama-brokered nuclear agreement. According to the magazine Foreign Policy, Trump has instructed a group of trusted White House staffers to make the potential case for withholding certification of Iran at the next 90-day review of the nuclear deal. We speak to Ervand Abrahamian, a retired professor of history at Baruch College, City University of New York. He is the author of several books, including "The Coup: 1953, the CIA, and the Roots of Modern U.S.-Iranian Relations."

"An absolute shame on humanity." That's how the international aid organization CARE is describing the deepening humanitarian crisis in Yemen. The number of cholera cases in Yemen has now topped 368,000, with 1,828 deaths. The World Health Organization estimates some 5,000 Yemenis are falling sick daily—and Oxfam projects the number of suspected cases of cholera could rise to more than 600,000, making the epidemic "the largest ever recorded in any country in a single year since records began." We speak to Shabia Mantoo, spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR, in Yemen, as well as Kjetil Østnor, Oxfam's regional manager for the Middle East and Yemen.

As outrage grows in Minneapolis over the killing of an unarmed white Australian woman, we look at the staggering number of fatal police shootings in the United States. For more, we speak with Philip Stinson, criminologist and associate professor at the Criminal Justice Program at Bowling Green State University.

Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau has resigned amid growing protests over the police killing of unarmed Australian woman Justine Ruszczyk. Many residents are now calling for the resignation of the mayor, Betsy Hodges, saying the killing of Ruszczyk, which came after she called 911 twice to report a possible sexual assault near her home, shows an institutional problem with the city's police. We speak to Samantha Pree-Stinson, an organizer with the Twin Cities movement to end police killing and police brutality and a Green Party candidate for City Council in Minneapolis.

U.N. Security Council Holds Emergency Meeting as Violence in Palestine Kills 7, Oxfam: Yemen's Cholera Outbreak May Become "Largest Ever Recorded", 9 Migrants Die After Being Crammed into Sweltering Truck on Journey to U.S., Reuters: ICE to Launch Nationwide Raids Against Undocumented Teenagers, Kushner Testifies to Senate Committee as His New Filings Reveal 70 More Assets, Sean Spicer Resigns as Anthony Scaramucci Becomes New Communications Director, Senate Parliamentarian: GOP Plan to Defund Planned Parenthood Violates Byrd Rules, Afghanistan: Taliban Suicide Bomb Attack Kills 35 in Kabul, Polish President to Veto Judicial Reforms After Massive Protests, Germany: Thousands March in Berlin for Annual LGBT March, Minneapolis Police Chief Resigns After Shooting of Unarmed Australian Woman, Tennessee Judge Under Fire for Shortening Sentences for Prisoners Who Get Sterilized, Undocumented Mother Nury Chavarria Takes Sanctuary in Connecticut Church

While President Trump is promoting "Made in America" week, we turn now to look at a recent investigation by The Guardian that revealed workplace abuse, grueling production targets and deplorably low pay at an Indonesian factory that makes clothing for Ivanka Trump's label. Many of the female workers at the factory in West Java say the pay is so low that they live in constant debt and can't afford to live with their own children. We speak to journalist Krithika Varagur in Jakarta, Indonesia's capital.

Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has announced the Senate will vote next week on whether to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement—even though the bill currently lacks enough Republican support to pass. McConnell's announcement came after President Trump invited all 52 Republican senators to the White House for lunchtime talks aimed at reviving stalled efforts on healthcare.

Special counsel Robert Mueller is expanding his probe to include President Donald Trump's business activities, as well as those of his associates, including his son-in-law Jared Kushner. We examine how Kushner tried but failed to get a half-billion-dollar bailout from Qatar. Is that failed deal influencing Trump's handling of the Gulf diplomatic crisis? We speak with Ryan Grim of The Intercept. His piece is titled "Jared Kushner Tried and Failed to Get a Half-Billion-Dollar Bailout from Qatar."

U.S. lawmakers are seeking to criminally outlaw support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel. If a proposed bipartisan law is passed, backers of BDS could face up to 20 years in prison and a million-dollar fine. We speak to Rabbi Joseph Berman of Jewish Voice for Peace and Ryan Grim of The Intercept. His latest article is titled "U.S. Lawmakers Seek to Criminally Outlaw Support for Boycott Campaign Against Israel."

Bloomberg: Special Counsel Investigating Trump-Russia Business Ties, The Independent: Over 40,000 Civilians Died in Battle for Mosul, Iraq, Civil Liberties Groups Decry Bills to Criminalize Boycotting Israel, Senate Committee Advances Nomination of Christopher Wray as FBI Chief, Justice Department to Revive Civil Asset Forfeitures by Police, Senate Bill Would Reform Money Bail System, Another Kalief Browder? Bronx Teen Seeking Trial Languishes at Rikers, Senate Confirms Judge John K. Bush, Who Compared Abortion to Slavery, ExxonMobil Fined $2M for Russia Sanctions Breach Under CEO Tillerson, Activists Demand End to U.S. Support for Bloody Philippines Drug War, Poland: Protests Erupt as Ruling Party Moves to Control Courts, Morocco: Demonstrators Defy Protest Ban to Demand Reforms, Two Dead, Hundreds Injured as Earthquake Strikes Off Turkish Coast, Report: Trump to Name Coal Industry Lobbyist as EPA 2nd-in-Command, Haitian Immigrant Jean Montrevil Remains Free After ICE Check-in

A new exposé and cover story in the September issue of the New Republic, titled "Married to the Mob: What Trump Owes the Russian Mafia," examines how the Russian mafia has used the president's properties to launder money and hide assets. We speak with the author, investigative journalist Craig Unger.

President Trump on Wednesday said he never would have nominated Jeff Sessions to be attorney general had he known Sessions was going to recuse himself from a Justice Department investigation into alleged ties between Russia and Trump associates. One Russia expert says the smoking gun indicating a quid pro quo between Russian money and Trump may lie with a little-known case that was abruptly settled involving a holding company linked to the Russian elite. Prevezon's lawyer is Natalia Veselnitskaya—the same Russian woman who initiated the now-infamous meeting with Donald Trump Jr. last June. We speak with author and Russia expert Seva Gunitsky, associate professor of political science at the University of Toronto.

As the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity held its first meeting this week, many voting rights advocates worry that the commission will lay the groundwork for a nationwide voter suppression effort. We speak with Katherine Culliton-González, a civil rights lawyer and senior counsel at Demos.

On Wednesday, the Republican-controlled House Budget Committee approved its 2018 budget resolution. The budget aims to rewrite the tax code to favor the wealthy and to slash funding for Medicare and Medicaid. It would also add another $30 billion to Trump's record-setting $668 billion request for Pentagon spending. The budget faces opposition from both moderate and conservative Republicans. We speak with David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter and founder of DCReport.org.

The Congressional Budget Office has warned that 32 million Americans would become uninsured over the next decade if Obamacare is repealed without an alternative in place. Seventeen million would become uninsured next year alone. The analysis also found the cost of a medical insurance policy would increase 25 percent next year and double by 2026. We speak with David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter and founder of DCReport.org.

Republicans Plan Vote on Obamacare Repeal Without Replacement, Over 150 Arrested at Capitol Hill Protests Against Obamacare Repeal, Trump "Election Integrity" Commission Faces Voter Suppression Charges, Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, Jared Kushner to Testify to Senate, Trump Criticizes Attorney General Sessions over Russia Probe Recusal, Sen. John McCain Diagnosed with Malignant Brain Tumor, Supreme Court Upholds Trump Ban on Refugees Entering U.S., Syria: CIA to Stop Arming Syrian Rebels, Cameroon: Soldiers Accused of Torture at Base Used by U.S. Troops, China: Reporters Covering Liu Xiaobo Death Intimidated, Followed, Chinese Government Appears to Block WhatsApp Encrypted Messenger, Baltimore Police Officer Caught on Video Planting Drugs, Minneapolis: Officer Who Shot 911 Caller Heard "Loud Noise", Betty Dukes, Who Led Largest-Ever Gender Bias Lawsuit, Dies at 67

Jean Montrevil came to the U.S. from Haiti with a green card in 1986 at the age of 17, but a mistake he made when he was a teenager could now lead to his deportation. Last month, he went to his first check-in under President Trump. Without any advance notice, he was detained, handcuffed and processed to be deported, until calls from his supporters apparently prompted immigration officials to release him. On Thursday, he must check in again, and he's concerned he will again be detained. We are joined by Jean Montrevil in studio, along with his eldest daughter, 18-year-old Janiah Heard, and his lawyer, Joshua Bardavid. "Watch Part 2":https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/19/part_2_haitian_immigrant_father_of.

Israeli-imposed restrictions have limited electricity in Gaza to barely four hours a day, creating a humanitarian catastrophe for its 2 million residents. In 2012, the World Health Organization warned that Gaza would be uninhabitable by 2020. The U.N. now says the area has already become unlivable, with living conditions in Gaza deteriorating faster than expected. We go directly to Gaza to speak with Raji Sourani, an award-winning human rights lawyer and director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza. We also speak with Tareq Baconi, author of the forthcoming book, "Hamas Contained: The Rise & Pacification of Palestinian Resistance." He is a policy fellow at Al-Shabaka, The Palestinian Policy Network.

As the Republican healthcare bill collapses, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he'll now try to push through legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act and wait until after the 2018 midterm elections to propose a replacement. Meanwhile, proponents of a single-payer healthcare plan are organizing to urge Congress not only to stop the effort to repeal Obamacare, but to pass a bill that would guarantee Medicare for all. We speak with Dr. Carol Paris, president of Physicians for a National Health Program. She was arrested Monday during a protest against the Republican healthcare bill.

Trump to "Let Obamacare Fail" After Republicans Fail on Health Bill, Al Gore Voices Support for Single-Payer Healthcare, House Budget Plan Guts Health and Welfare Spending, Boosts Military, President Trump Held Second G20 Talk with Russian President Putin, 8th Person at Don Jr. Meeting with Russians is Accused Money Launderer, State Department Moves to Shutter War Crimes Office, Yemen: 20 Civilians Killed Near Taiz as Saudis Block U.N. Flight, Saudi Arabia: Religious Police Arrest Woman for Wearing Miniskirt, Gaza Health Service Near Collapse Amid Electricity Cuts, U.S. Sanctions Iran After Certifying Compliance with Nuclear Deal, Moroccan Court Hands Down Harsh Sentences to Western Sahara Activists, Turkish Prosecutor Remands Human Rights Activists on Terror Charges, Venezuelan President Condemns White House Sanctions Threat, Cincinnati: No Retrial for White Officer Who Shot Black Motorist, Seattle Storm WNBA Team Partners with Planned Parenthood

As more states try to reduce their prison population by placing more people on early release, The New York Times and "Frontline" profile four former prisoners as they navigate challenges faced during their first year on parole. We meet with some of them and speak with director Matthew O'Neill and journalist Shaila Dewan, the national criminal justice editor for The New York Times.

Amnesty International's new report entitled "At Any Cost: The Civilian Catastrophe in West Mosul, Iraq" states the U.S. coalition may have committed war crimes in Mosul. We speak with Nicolette Waldman, co-author of the report and the Iraq researcher at Amnesty International.

The Trump administration has released their plans for renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement. Observers say they are surprisingly similar to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which Trump withdrew from in one of his first acts as president. As the White House kicks off its "Made in America"-themed week, labor leaders say the new NAFTA plan worsens protections for workers and would be "the ultimate in hypocrisy." "There's enough vagueness in the descriptions that it's unclear ... if we are going to reduce the offshoring of U.S. jobs, the pressure downward on wages in all the countries," says Public Citizen's Lori Wallach. She also notes that "[Trump] has refused to divest his business interests. He's refused to disclose what his full investments are in Mexico and Canada."