Democracy Now!

Senate Republican Healthcare Plan Has Collapsed, For Now, Top Gov't Ethics Watchdog: U.S. is "Close to Laughingstock", White House Releases Plans for NAFTA Renegotiation, U.N. Urges Iraqi Gov't to Stop "Collective Punishment" of ISIS Family Members, South Korea Invites North Korea to Hold Military Talks at DMZ on Friday, Gaza Electricity Crisis Continues Amid Sweltering Summer Heat, Japan: Up to 700,000 Tons of Fukushima Waste Could Be Dumped in Pacific, Texas: White Former Cop Indicted for Murdering 15-Year-Old Jordan Edwards, MN: Justine Damond Killed by Police After Calling 911 to Report Possible Sexual Assault, Amid Missing Paperwork, Tens of Thousands Might Have Student Debt Erased

From Vice President Mike Pence to Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, a new Guardian report exposes how tobacco companies have gained unprecedented influence in Washington since the Trump administration came to power. Politicians with deep ties to the tobacco industry now head the U.S. Health Department, the top attorney's office and the Senate, even as tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death. The series also looks at how U.S. and British tobacco giants are trying to expand their global market, especially across Africa. We are joined by Jessica Glenza, health journalist for The Guardian.

We go to Arizona, where a hearing is underway that will decide whether a ban on ethnic studies which eliminated the Mexican-American studies program in Tucson schools is unconstitutional. In 2010, Arizona passed a controversial law banning the teaching of any class designed for a particular ethnic group that would "promote resentment toward a race or class of people." Following the passage of the bill, then-Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal ruled in 2011 that the Mexican-American studies program violated the state law, despite an independent auditor's finding showing otherwise. The Tucson Unified School District ultimately suspended the acclaimed Mexican-American studies program in 2012 under the threat of losing up to $14 million of funding if they allowed it to continue. We are joined by Richard Martinez, one of the attorneys representing the families challenging the law.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, joins us to discuss recent developments with billionaire Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, a longtime backer of charter schools and vouchers for private and religious schools. DeVos said earlier this month that she wanted to return the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights "to its role as a neutral, impartial, investigative agency." An official with the office came under fire last week after she said that most campus rape claims amount to two young people who are "both drunk." Meanwhile, attorneys general in 18 states are suing DeVos and the Department of Education over a rule to protect student loan borrowers that was set to go into effect on July 1, until DeVos announced a "reset" of the rule, known as "borrower defense to repayment."

As President Trump vows not to let human rights concerns interfere with U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia, the country is set to execute 14 men, including Mujtaba'a al-Sweikat, who was only 17 when he was sentenced to death five years ago. He had planned to visit and attend Western Michigan University but was detained by airport authorities in Saudi Arabia for allegedly attending a pro-democracy rally earlier the same year. We speak with Maya Foa, director of the legal charity Reprieve. We also speak with Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, which is speaking out against the planned execution.

Under Trump, Civilian Casualties Surge in U.S.-Led War on ISIS, Saudi Arabia: 14 Young Men Facing Execution for Participating in Protests, Republicans Delay Vote on Healthcare Bill as McCain Recovers from Surgery, At Least 8 People Attended Trump Jr.'s Meeting with Kremlin-Linked Lawyer, Trump Faces Protests at U.S. Women's Open at Trump National Golf Course, Trump's Approval Rating Plummets to Historic 70-Year Low, Turkish President Seeks to Extend State of Emergency for 3 More Months, Tens of Thousands Protest Corruption in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela: Millions Participate in Opposition's Unofficial Referendum, Puerto Rico: Oscar López Rivera Joins Protests Against Toxic Coal Ash Dumping, Arizona Court Hears Case over Ban on Ethnic Studies in Tucson Schools, Hundreds Participate in 18-Mile March to Protest National Rifle Association, Groundbreaking Iranian Mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani Dies at 40

Oscar-nominated actor James Cromwell is reporting to jail at 4 p.m. today in upstate New York after he was sentenced to a week behind bars for taking part in a nonviolent protest against a natural gas-fired power plant. Cromwell says he'll also launch a hunger strike. He was one of six activists arrested for blocking traffic at the sit-in outside the construction site of the 650-megawatt plant in Wawayanda, New York, in December of 2015. The activists say the plant would promote natural gas fracking in neighboring states and contribute to climate change. James Cromwell is known for his roles in some 50 Hollywood films, including "Babe," "The Artist," "The Green Mile" and "L.A. Confidential," as well as many television series, including "Six Feet Under." Democracy Now! spoke to him Thursday along with one of his co-defendants, Pramilla Malick. She is the founder of Protect Orange County, a community organization leading the opposition of the fracked gas power plant. She ran in 2016 for the New York state Senate.

As Senate Republicans unveil their latest healthcare bill, they face opposition within their own party as well as sustained grassroots resistance to their plans. Eleven interfaith leaders, including the North Carolina NAACP president, Reverend William Barber, were arrested Thursday outside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office in the latest series of demonstrations, We go to Capitol Hill to speak with Minnesota Democratic Congressmember Keith Ellison, deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee. Ellison, the first Muslim member of Congress, also discusses today's vote on a controversial proposal by Arizona Republican Congressmember Trent Franks that calls for identifying "Islamic religious doctrines, concepts or schools of thought" that could be used by terrorist groups, and the $3 million settlement in the wrongful death lawsuit of Philando Castile.

A new documentary by Rewire chronicles the rising tide of harassment and violence against abortion providers and clinics under the Trump administration. Called "Care in Chaos," it features Calla Hales, director of A Preferred Women's Health Center, one of the busiest abortion clinics in North Carolina. She faces a gauntlet of harassment, threats and physical violence just to do her job.

We speak with Rewire legal analyst Jessica Mason Pieklo about how Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch emerged as one of the court’s most conservative justices as his first term came to an end in June.

A revised Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act would gut Medicaid, give massive tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans and defund Planned Parenthood, making it harder for women to access breast cancer screenings and basic reproductive services. The revised bill is largely similar to the previous Senate bill, including plans to slash more than $700 billion from Medicaid by 2026. The Congressional Budget Office is expected to complete its assessment of this latest bill by early next week. Republican Senate leaders are pushing for a vote by the end of next week. We speak with Jessica Mason Pieklo, a legal analyst and vice president of law and the courts at Rewire.

GOP Unveils Revised Health Bill to Gut Medicaid While Cutting Taxes, The Guardian: Under Trump, Big Tobacco Holds Unprecedented Influence, In France, Presidents Macron and Trump Seek Common Ground, Trump Makes Sexist Comments About French First Lady Brigitte Macron, Education Department Leaders Blasted over Sexual Assault Comments, Iraq: Videos Show U.S.-Backed Soldiers Executing Men in Mosul, Syria: Families Flee Raqqa as U.S.-Backed Assault Intensifies, Brazil: Former President Lula to Fight Conviction, Run for President, Brazil: Congressional Panel Proposes No Charges for President Temer, Imprisoned Chinese Activist and Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo Dies at 61, Federal Judge Expands Exemptions to Partial Trump Travel Ban, Trump Wants Transparent Border Wall to Protect Against Falling Drugs, California: Bakersfield Teen Assaulted by Police, Mauled by K9 Dog

The parent company of The Intercept—First Look Media—has announced that it will provide support for the legal defense of Reality Leigh Winner, the NSA contractor who stands accused of leaking a top-secret document to The Intercept. She faces up to 10 years in prison, if convicted. Winner, who remains in jail, was charged for allegedly leaking a top-secret document showing how Russian military intelligence attempted to hack into several states' voting infrastructure. The Intercept’s handling of the story faced widespread scrutiny. The Department of Justice claimed in an affidavit and search warrant that it caught the leaker in part by actions taken by The Intercept. We speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald, co-founder of The Intercept.

The White House is in crisis mode following revelations that Donald Trump's own son embraced an apparent effort by the Russian government to peddle information incriminating Hillary Clinton in an attempt to help Trump win the presidency. In a new interview with Reuters, President Trump defended his son and said that he himself did not know about the meeting. We speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald, co-founder of The Intercept, who notes that Democrats have had similar entanglements with foreign governments.

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been convicted on corruption charges and sentenced to nine-and-a-half years in prison. Lula, widely considered one of Brazil's most popular political figures, is the front-runner in the 2018 elections. We look at how this development could impact his presidential bid, and we speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald, co-founder of The Intercept.

Ex-Brazilian President Lula da Silva Sentenced on Corruption Charges, Trump Arrives in Paris for Talks with French President, Democratic Lawmaker Introduces Article of Impeachment Against Trump, Senate Panel Questions FBI Director Nominee on Trump Probe, Torture, GOP Senate Leaders Set to Unveil Revised Healthcare Bill, Housing Activists Rally Against Massive Cuts to HUD Proposed by Trump, Giant Iceberg Breaks Off of West Antarctic Ice Shelf, Yemen: U.N. to Scrap Cholera Vaccination Plans Amid U.S.-Backed Strikes, Secretary of State Tillerson Praises U.S. Ties with Saudi Kingdom, U.N. Warns Gaza Strip "Unlivable" Under Israeli Blockade, Hundreds Join West Bank Funeral for Palestinians Shot by Israeli Troops, Iraq: Drone Footage Shows Trapped Civilians in Devastated Mosul, Presidential Commission Suspends Voter Roll Data Collection, Women's Open Golf Tournament Begins at Trump Resort Amid Protests, Malta: Lawmakers Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

In a major development that has received little attention, 122 U.N. member states have approved a global treaty to ban the possession and use of nuclear weapons, despite the United States leading the opposition to the treaty. We speak with Ray Acheson, director of Reaching Critical Will, the disarmament program of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.

The Mexican government reportedly used an Israeli-made spy software called Pegasus to surveil a team of international investigators dispatched to Mexico to investigate the high-profile disappearance of 43 students in 2014. For more, we speak with Ronald Deibert, director of the Citizen Lab, and Stephanie Erin Brewer, a human rights attorney who was among those targeted by the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware attack.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a confirmation hearing today for FBI director nominee Christopher Wray. He is former assistant attorney general in the Justice Department during the George W. Bush administration, to be the next FBI director. He is also the former personal attorney for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Trump ally. Wray's background is raising questions about his ability to remain impartial as the head of the nation's premier law enforcement agency. For more, we speak with Marcy Wheeler, an independent journalist who covers national security and civil liberties.

The White House is in disarray following revelations that President Donald Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., supported an effort by the Russian authorities to share information incriminating Hillary Clinton in an attempt to help Trump win the election. The latest development in the ongoing saga of whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russian authorities came from a series of emails that Trump Jr. personally released on Tuesday. The emails discussed a meeting he—as well as Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort—had in June 2016 at Trump Tower with a person described to him as a "Russian government attorney." We speak with Marcy Wheeler, an independent journalist who covers national security and civil liberties.

WH in Crisis as Donald Trump Jr. Releases Emails Leading to Russia Meeting, McConnell Delays Senate Recess, Vows to Unveil New Healthcare Bill on Thursday, Russia Again Vows Retaliation If U.S. Does Not Lift Sanctions, Amnesty: U.S.-Led Coalition May Have Committed War Crimes in Mosul, Airwars: Syrian Civilian Deaths Likely from U.S.-Led Coalition Hit All-Time High in June, U.S. May Be Ramping Up Its Military and Diplomatic Roles in Libya, Marine Corps Disciplines Soldier for Sharing Naked Pictures of Female Marines in Facebook Group, Pentagon Tests THAAD Anti-Missile System for 14th Consecutive Time, White NC State Trooper Fatally Shot Black Motorist in the Back After Traffic Stop, Oklahoma: Third Mistrial for White Ex-Cop Who Killed Daughter's Black Boyfriend, Housing Activists Converge on Washington, D.C., for National Tenant March, Day of Action to Defend Net Neutrality Sweeps the Internet, Mexican Activists Protest Rising Femicide and Violence Aagainst Women

In Venezuela, nearly 90 people have died and more than 1,500 have been injured since April, when opposition groups began organizing a new round of street demonstrations. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has accused his opponents of waging an "armed insurrection" and economic sabotage backed by the United States. Opposition groups have accused Maduro of turning into a dictator. For more, we speak with Mark Weisbrot, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research and president of Just Foreign Policy. And we speak with Daniel Lansberg-Rodríguez. He is a columnist for the Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional and an adjunct lecturer of finance at Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management.

As the Trump administration weighs the proposed AT&T-Time Warner merger, we talk about the risks of greater media consolidation with former FCC Commissioner Michael Copps. He's currently special adviser on media and democracy reform at Common Cause.

On Wednesday, nearly 70,000 websites and organizations are planning to take part in massive online protest to save net neutrality. Participating websites will reportedly display messages on their homepages and encourage users to take action to save the internet as we know it. Supporters of the day of action include internet giants such as Twitter, Amazon, Facebook, Google and Reddit. Earlier this year, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai outlined his plans to dismantle net neutrality rules despite polling that shows most Americans support a free and open internet. For more, we speak with former FCC Commissioner Michael Copps and Evan Greer, campaign director of Fight for the Future. She is helping organize Wednesday's Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality.

Scientist Warn Earth's Sixth Mass Extinction Has Already Begun, Report: 100 Companies Responsible for 70% of Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 80 People Arrested on Capitol Hill Protesting GOP Healthcare Plan, NYT: Trump Jr. Knew Meeting with Lawyer was Part of Russian Gov't Effort to Help Trump Win Election, White House Contradicts Trump on Whether He Discussed Sanctions with Putin, London's High Court Rejects Effort to End Weapons Sales to Saudi Arabia, NYT: Kushner & Bannon Asked Erik Prince & DynCorp Owner for Proposal on Private Contractors in Afghanistan, To Boost Consumer Power, CFPB Challenges Wall Street's Mandatory Arbitration, Marine Corps Plane Crashes in Mississippi, Killing 16 on Board, Brazil: Rapporteur for Lower House Committee Recommends Trial for Temer, Turkey: More Than 40 Academics Arrested at 2 Istanbul Universities Monday, Bahrain: Human Rights Activist Nabeel Rajab Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison, Palestinian Baby Dies After Inhaling Tear Gas Shot by Israeli Forces into His Home, Groundbreaking Media Critic Jack Shaheen Dies at 81

President Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner is, along with Trump's son Donald Trump Jr., at the center of a shocking New York Times story published Sunday. According to the article, Kushner, Trump Jr. and then-campaign chair Paul Manafort met with a Kremlin-linked lawyer during the 2016 campaign after being promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton at Trump Tower two weeks after Trump won the Republican nomination. Kushner is one of Trump's senior advisers who has assumed a major diplomatic role in the administration, despite having no previous diplomatic experience. We speak to Amy Wilentz, a contributor at The Nation.

On Saturday, world leaders broke with the United States on climate change and reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris climate agreement, which they called "irreversible." The final joint statement from the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, took the unusual step of acknowledging the U.S. rejection of the Paris deal while reiterating the rest of the world's support for the landmark climate agreement. Meanwhile, a group of environmental organizations have released a new report claiming G20 governments provide an average of $72 billion per year in public finance for fossil fuels—nearly four times as much as they provide for clean energy. The report is titled "Talk is Cheap: How G20 Governments Are Financing Climate Disaster." We speak to the report's lead author, Alex Doukas, senior campaigner at Oil Change International.

Iraq's nine-month-long battle to retake Mosul from the self-proclaimed Islamic State is coming to an end, but the humanitarian crisis is not. According to the United Nations, almost 700,000 residents are still displaced—nearly half living in emergency camps. Airwars is estimating between 900 and 1,200 civilians were likely killed by coalition air and artillery strikes during the assault on Mosul, but the overall death toll is significantly higher. The International Red Cross reports seeing a tremendous increase in civilian casualties in recent weeks. We are joined by Azmat Khan, an award-winning investigative journalist and a Future of War fellow at New America. She has spent the last year and a half investigating how the U.S.-led war against ISIS is playing out on the ground in Iraq.

122 Nations Approve a Global Treaty to Ban Use of Nuclear Weapons, Iraqi Prime Minister Declares Victory Over ISIS in Mosul, NYT: Donald Trump Jr. Met with Kremlin-Linked Lawyer Promising Dirt on Clinton, In G20 Meeting, Trump and Putin Talk Syria Ceasefire & Election Hacking, Ceasefire in SW Syria Reportedly Holding, as Fighting & Airstrikes Continue in Raqqa, At G20 Summit, All Countries But U.S. Agree Paris Climate Deal is "Irreversible", Sen. McCain Says Republican Healthcare Bill is Dead, Turkey: Hundreds of Thousands Protest Erdogan Gov't at Istanbul Rally, NYT: Mexican Gov't Surveilled International Investigators Probing Ayotzinapa Case, Palestinian Activist Issa Amro's Trial Begins in Israeli Military Court, 1,000 Protest Against KKK Rally in Charlottesville, VA, Family Mourns Death of African-American Graduate Beaten to Death in Greece, Thousands in California and British Columbia Flee Uncontrolled Wildfires

Last week, there was an attempted assassination on the life of Bertha Zúniga Cáceres, the daughter of murdered Honduran indigenous and environmental leader Berta Cáceres. Bertita Zúniga Cáceres was driving back with two colleagues from a community visit in central Honduras when a black pickup truck blocked their path. Three assailants jumped out of the truck and attempted an attack, but Zúniga and her colleagues narrowly escaped. The incident comes just weeks after Zúniga was named the new leader of the indigenous rights group Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH). She recently demonstrated in support of pending U.S. legislation to suspend U.S. military aid to Honduras. Her protest was a part of a week of action coordinated by the U.S.-based human rights group Witness for Peace. We speak with Bertita Zúniga Cáceres at her home in La Esperanza, Honduras. Also joining the conversation is Chicago-based Matt Ginsberg-Jaeckle, who has done solidarity work in support of COPINH and translations for COPINH over the last 17 years.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. Their first official meeting comes as thousands of people have filled the streets around the G20 summit to demonstrate against globalization and Trump's policies. Issues likely to be raised during their meeting include the war in Syria, North Korea, U.S. economic sanctions against Russia and nuclear weapons. Democrats are pushing Trump to confront Putin directly about the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. But during a press conference on Thursday from Poland, Trump cast doubt on whether he believes Russia interfered in the 2016 election. We speak with Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor at The Nation, America's oldest weekly magazine. She reported from Moscow for more than three decades. She is also a columnist for The Washington Post.

As President Donald Trump meets with world leaders at the G20 in Hamburg, Germany, European activists held a G20 alternative summit—the Global Solidarity Summit. We speak to Croatian philosopher Srećko Horvat about the G20's policies and the Democracy in Europe Movement, which he started with former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis.Watch Part 1 || "Dystopian Nightmare: Eyewitness Decries Police Repression at G20 Summit as 100,000 Take to Streets":https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/7/welcome_to_hell_100_000_people

Mass demonstrations have erupted across Hamburg, Germany, as world leaders gather for the G20 summit, where President Donald Trump is meeting with other world leaders. About 100,000 protesters took to the streets and have staged sit-ins in an attempt to disrupt the first day of the summit. Police fired water cannons, pepper spray and stun grenades to disperse protesters. Key issues on the G20 agenda include climate change, trade and North Korea. Protesters who gathered say the G20 has failed to solve many issues, including climate change and global economic disparities. We speak with philosopher Srećko Horvat, who is taking part in the G20 alternative summit, known as the Global Solidarity Summit. He is the co-founder of the Democracy in Europe Movement, also known as DiEM25. Watch Part 2 || "Srećko Horvat on 'Democracy in Europe Movement' & Uniting Leftists Against Failed Policies of G20":https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/7/srecko_horvat_on_democracy_in_europe

Over 100,000 Protesters Met by Riot Police Outside G20 Talks in Hamburg, G20 Leaders Defy Trump, Voice Support for Paris Climate Accord, Trump to Meet Russian President Amid Charges of Election Meddling, Japan and European Union Agree to Outline of Trade Agreement, Office of Government Ethics Head Walter Shaub Jr. Abruptly Resigns, Departure of OGE Head Follows DOJ Watchdog's Resignation, AP: Rex Tillerson May Be Forced to Testify over Exxon Climate Emails, Vice President Pence's Office Plans to Control Voter Roll Data, Over 120 Nations to Sign Anti-Nuclear Weapons Treaty, South Korea Holds War Games Following North Korean ICBM Test, Turkish Protesters March for Independent Judiciary, Against Government Crackdown, Iraq: Kurdish Leader Predicts Independent State After September Vote, Iraq: 10,000 Civilians Trapped in Mosul as ISIS Makes Last Stand, Hobby Lobby Fined $3 Million over Looted Iraqi Artifacts, Virginia Executes Severely Mentally Disabled Prisoner, Illinois House Overrides Governor's Veto, Breaking Budget Stalemate, Russian Authorities Raid Campaign Office of Prominent Kremlin Critic

President Trump's scheduled meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin comes as thousands of Syrians continue to flee Raqqa as U.S.-backed militias intensify their assault on the ISIS-held city. Some 200,000 people have been displaced while U.S.-led airstrikes have killed hundreds of residents, in what U.N. investigators have called a "staggering loss of civilian life." As many as 50 airstrikes were hitting Raqqa each day. U.S.-backed forces expect the fight to oust ISIS from its de facto capital to take at least three months. We speak with Abdalaziz Alhamza, a Syrian journalist and co-founder of Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently. The group was formed in 2014 to document the abuses of the Islamic State after the militant group took over the city of Raqqa. He is the main subject of the award-winning film titled "City of Ghosts."

Thousands of protesters are expected to attempt to disrupt the G20 summit in Hamburg Germany, where President Trump is headed. The protests followed actions earlier in the week, in which German police attacked protesters with water cannons as thousands gathered to protest against the summit and Trump. The summit is viewed by demonstrators as centered around exploitation of people and global resources. We speak with Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice Now. The group released a statement titled "Campaigners tell the G20: your model is broken, only radical reform can undermine Trump."

In a major speech in Poland, President Donald Trump said Western civilization is at stake, as he warned about the threats of "terrorism and extremism." He was cheered on by supporters of Poland's right-wing government, who were bused in to the speech. Meanwhile, Trump is facing criticism after becoming the first U.S. president in decades to skip visiting the Warsaw ghetto uprising monument. We speak with Polish-Nigerian journalist Remi Adekoya, a regular contributor to The Guardian and the former political editor of the Warsaw Business Journal.

At U.N. Security Council, U.S. Threatens to Attack North Korea, President Trump in Poland: "Future of Western Civilization" at Stake, Mass Protests Target G20 Leaders Ahead of Meeting in Germany, Iraq: 20,000 Civilians Remain Trapped in Last ISIS-Held Part of Mosul, Syria: Thousands Flee Airstrikes, Artillery and Hunger in Raqqa, Venezuela: Lawmakers Injured as Government Backers Storm Parliament, Venezuelan Helicopter Pilot Vows More Anti-Government Attacks, Virginia Prepares Lethal Injection That Previously "Drowned" Prisoner, Chicago: Over 100 Shot over Independence Day Long Weekend, New York: Doctor Opens Fire with Assault Rifle at Former Hospital, Rep. Steve Scalise Back in Intensive Care from Gunshot Wounds, Amnesty International Demands Release of Human Rights Activists

Foreign ministers of Bahrain, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are meeting today amid a diplomatic standoff with the Gulf nation of Qatar. The Saudi-led coalition has issued 13 demands on Qatar, including the closing of the Al Jazeera TV channel. Other demands on Qatar include ending its support for the Muslim Brotherhood, downgrading diplomatic ties with Iran and closing a Turkish military base in the country. The diplomatic standoff began soon after President Trump met Saudi King Salman in Riyadh. For more, we're joined by Rami Khouri, professor of journalism and senior public policy fellow at the American University of Beirut. He's also an internationally syndicated columnist and a nonresident senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School.

To date, 44 states have said they will not hand over detailed personal information about U.S. voters to Trump's Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. We look at the man behind the request for the data: Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state and vice chair of Trump's "election integrity" commission. Kobach has pushed for the strictest voter identification laws in the country and advocated for a "proof-of-citizenship" requirement that civil rights advocates say is aimed at suppressing voter turnout. We speak with by Ari Berman, whose recent piece for The New York Times Magazine is "The Man Behind Trump's Voter-Fraud Obsession." We also speak with Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. The organization filed a complaint Monday against Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach.Watch Part 1: "44 States Say No to Trump: Resistance Grows as Trump's Election Commission Seeks Private Voter Data":/2017/7/5/44_states_say_no_to_trump

Several civil rights groups and lawmakers have come out against a federal "election integrity" commission established by President Donald Trump that wants states to hand over detailed personal information about U.S. voters. The request was made by Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state and vice chair of Trump's Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. At least 44 states to date have said they will not comply with Kobach's request. For more, we're joined by Ari Berman, whose recent piece for The New York Times Magazine is "The Man Behind Trump's Voter-Fraud Obsession." And we're joined by Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. The organization filed a complaint Monday against Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach.

Tension is rising again on the Korean Peninsula after North Korea successfully tested an intercontinental missile on Tuesday that experts said is capable of reaching Alaska. In response, the U.S. and South Korea carried out a joint ballistic missile drill in the Sea of Japan. Earlier this year, the United States carried out massive military exercises in the Korean Peninsula and deployed an anti-missile system known as THAAD to South Korea, despite protests by South Koreans. We speak with Christine Ahn, the founder and international coordinator of Women Cross DMZ, a global movement of women mobilizing for peace in Korea.

U.S. Launches Military Drills After North Korea Tests Intercontinental Missile, Thousands March to Demand Trump's Impeachment, Trump Sparks Outrage with Doctored Video of Him Body-Slamming CNN, Trump Heading to Poland, Then Germany for G20, Top Justice Official Resigns, Citing Opposition to Trump, Delegation of Senators in Afghanistan Demand Trump Fill Diplomatic Vacancies, Gulf Diplomatic Crisis Continues as Saudis Demand Qatar Close Al Jazeera, Iraq Says U.S.-Backed Iraqi Forces to Seize All of Mosul This Week, 2 Fires Tear Through Syrian Refugee Camps in Lebanon, Killing 1 Girl, Brazil: Police Arrest Close Ally to President Temer, Canada to Pay $10 Million to Omar Khadr for Abuse Endured at Gitmo, Berta Cáceres's Daughter Survives Attempted Attack in Honduras, July 4th Protests Target GOP Healthcare Bill & Immigration Crackdown, Chris Christie Caught Sunbathing on Beach Closed to Public by Budget Shutdown

The Wallace Global Fund recently awarded the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe the inaugural Henry A. Wallace Award and a $1 million investment in renewable energy projects led by the tribe. We talk to the fund's executive director, Ellen Dorsey, about the "Divest-Invest" movement.

As we continue to look at how the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is embracing renewable energy, we turn now to Scott Wallace and Ellen Dorsey of the Wallace Global Fund. The fund recently awarded the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe the inaugural Henry A. Wallace Award and a $1 million investment in renewable energy projects led by the tribe. The award is named after Scott Wallace’s grandfather Henry A. Wallace, who served as vice president under Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1941 to 1945. In 1944, Wallace published an iconic article in The New York Times titled “The Danger of American Fascism.” He wrote, "American fascists are most easily recognized by their deliberate perversion of truth and fact."

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe recently won a major legal victory in federal court which may have the power to force the shutdown of the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline. District Judge James Boasberg ruled Wednesday that the Trump administration failed to conduct an adequate environmental review of the pipeline, after President Trump ordered the Army Corps to fast-track and greenlight its approval. The judge requested additional briefings next week on whether the pipeline should be shut off until the completion of a full review of a potential oil spill’s impacts on fishing and hunting rights, as well as environmental justice. The pipeline faced months of massive resistance from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, members of hundreds of other indigenous tribes from across the Americas, as well as non-Native allies. We speak with Standing Rock Sioux Chair Dave Archambault II and Nick Tilsen, executive director of the Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation and a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

In a Fourth of July holiday special, we begin with the words of Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery around 1818, Douglass became a key leader of the abolitionist movement. On July 5, 1852, in Rochester, New York, he gave one of his most famous speeches, "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro." He was addressing the Rochester Ladies Antislavery Society. This is actor James Earl Jones reading the speech during a performance of historian Howard Zinn’s acclaimed book, "Voices of a People’s History of the United States." He was introduced by Zinn.

Last month more than 4,000 people gathered in Chicago for the People’s Summit. Independent senator, former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders delivered the keynote speech. During his speech, he repeatedly criticized the Democratic Party, calling it an "absolute failure," and blaming it for the election of President Trump. "I'm often asked by the media and others: How did it come about that Donald Trump, the most unpopular presidential candidate in the modern history of our country, won the election?" Sanders said. "And my answer is that Trump didn’t win the election; the Democratic Party lost the election. Let us be very, very clear: The current model and the current strategy of the Democratic Party is an absolute failure."

Watch Part 2 of our conversation with best-selling author and Intercept senior correspondent Naomi Klein about her book, "No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trump's Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need." Watch Part 1: "No Is Not Enough: Best-Selling Author Naomi Klein on Challenging Trump's Shock Doctrine Politics":https://www.democracynow.org/2017/6/13/no_is_not_enough_best_selling

As Republicans continue their push for their healthcare plan, polls show support for a nationwide single-payer healthcare system is growing. At least one poll shows a full third of Americans are now in favor of a national single-payer system, while 60 percent believe the federal government should be responsible for healthcare. In one state, the California Senate passed a single-payer bill, but the House speaker killed it in the Assembly. We get an update from Michael Lighty, with National Nurses United and the California Nurses Association.