10yearold son roberto. What are you afraid of . Andhat ice will pop out pick her up and take her away. Amy plus, we will speak to the acclaimed mexican writer Valeria Luiselli about her new book, tell me how it ends, about her time working with children in immigration court. All that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. British Prime Minister theresa may announced this morning shell call for early elections, shocking the country as she tries to secure a stronger mandate for the controversial plan for britain to leave the european union, known as brexit. Tour opponents believe because the governments majority says marcum our results will weaken and they can force us to change course. They are wrong. They underestimate our determination to get the job done. And i am not prepared to let them in danger the security of millions of working people across the country. Because what theyre doing jeopardizes the work we must do to prepare for briggs it at home exit at home and it weakens the governments negotiating position in europe. Amy the early elections are set for june 8. Prime minister may officially initiated the twoyear Brexit Process last month. Meanwhile, in more news on european elections, frances left president ial candidate jeanluc melenchon, who has been compared to bernie sanders, is surging in the polls. The first round of frances president ial elections on april 23. Le pen has promised to suspend all immigration to france. She recently sparked outrage when she denied the french role in rounding up jews during world war ii during paris. The first round of frances president ial elections on april 23. International monitors have issued a scathing critique of turkeys referendum sunday over whether to grant sweeping new powers to the president that critics warn could turn turkey into a dictatorship. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed victory in the narrow vote, although the opposition says theyve received thousands of complaints about voter fraud and other irregularities. On monday, international monitors slammed the referendum, saying the playing tilt is unlevel and that the opposition faced repression. This is the head of a team of international monitors tana de zulueta. Misuse of Ministry Resources and the obstruction of efforts by parties and Civil Society organizations supporting the no campaign. The Campaign Rhetoric was tarnished are some senior officials, equating no to terrorist sympathizers. In numerous cases, no supervisors faced violence at their events. Amy the turkish government has rejected the criticism, calling it biased and prejudiced. Meanwhile, the u. S. Is backing a referendum. On monday, President Trump called erdogan to congratulate him on winning the referendum. Trump has Major Business interests in turkey. In 2015, he even admitted he had conflicts of interest in dealing with turkey while speaking on Steve Bannons radio show Breitbart News daily. Pres. Trump i have a conflict of interest because of a major building in istanbul. It is a tremendously successful job. It is called trump towers. Usualwers instead of the one. I have gotten the no turkey very well. They are incredible people. Amy at a press briefing monday, white house Spokesman Sean Spicer refused to comment on the alleged fraud and irregularities in the referendum. And start to make decisions without knowing there were observers there as the routinely are and i would rather wait and save. Amy to see our full interview on sundays referendum, go to democracynow. Org. Vice president mike pence is in japan today for talks with the deputy Prime Minister and other top japanese officials amid rising tensions between the u. S. And north korea. On monday, a Senior North Korean official said north korea would begin conducting missile tests weekly, despite demands from the u. S. And other countries for north korea to put a halt to its nuclear program. The journalistic Monitoring Group airwars says dozens of iraqi civilians were reportedly killed last week in airstrikes carried out by the u. S. Led coalition or the usbacked iraqi air force. Much of the bombing occurred in mosuls yarmouk neighborhood. On april 10, airstrikes there reportedly killed more than 30 civilians, including children. The following day, as many as 13 civilians were reported killed in airstrikes that destroyed homes in the same neighborhood. Six more civilians were reportedly killed in airstrikes in Anbar Province that same day. Meanwhile, in syria, airwars says as many as 20 civilians reportedly died in multiple u. S. Coalition airstrikes carried out in raqqa governorate early last week. On april 10, up to 10 civilians, including at least two children, were killed in a series in alleged u. S. Coalition airstrikes on two separate villages. That same day, local media reported an alleged u. S. Led Coalition Airstrike killed members of two families, including at least one child, when a home was bombed. More than a dozen republican lawmakers are now calling on President Trump to release his tax returns, echoing the demand that inspired more than 100,000 people to take to the streets on saturday, tax day. On monday, white house Spokesman Sean Spicer again said trump did not plan to release his tax returns, saying trump was under an audit. The irs says being under an audit does not prevent anyone, including the president , from releasing ones tax returns, telling abc nothing prevents individuals from sharing their own tax information. Trump is the first u. S. President in more than four decades to refuse to release his tax returns. Taxes are officially due today. Well have more on trumps taxes and this weekends protests after headlines. The u. S. Supreme court has halted the scheduled execution of at least two men as the state of arkansas fights to carry out an unprecedented spate of executions in modern u. S. History. On monday night, the Arkansas Supreme Court stayed the executions of don davis and bruce ward. This morning, the court refused the u. S. Supreme court refused to hear a challenge by state officials, leaving mondays stay in place. Under arkansass original plan, it was to carry out eight executions in 11 days as the state scrambled to carry out the executions before the supply of one of the execution drugs expired. To hear our full interview with the arkansas lawyer lee short, executive director of Arkansas Coalition to abolish the Death Penalty furonda brasfield, and former death row prisoner damien echols, go to democracynow. Org. In egypt, a court has acquitted aya hijazi, her husband, and six other Charity Workers of all charges after they were imprisoned for more than three years without trial. Hijazi, who grew up in virginia and is a dual citizen of egypt, was arrested on may 2, 2014, along with her husband and others, while running a nonprofit seeking to help Homeless Children in cairo. She and her husband were accused of paying the children to participate in antigovernment protests. To hear our interview about her with sharif abdel kudos, go to democracynow. Org. As many as 1500 palestinian prisoners are now on Hunger Strike and eight separate israeli jails. Israeli prison officials have moved to retaliate against strike leader marwan barghouti, moving him to another prison and placing him in solitary confinement. In a New York Times oped published monday, barghouti wrote israel has established a dual legal regime, a form of judicial apartheid, that provides virtual impunity for israelis who commit crimes against palestinians, while criminalizing palestinian presence and resistance. Israels courts are a charade of justice, clearly instruments of colonial, military occupation. On monday, palestinians rallied in support of the Hunger Strikers in the west bank city of bethlehem. Ed by Israeli Security forces. Among those to speak out in support of the Hunger Strikers was former palestinian prisoner khader adnan. When prisoners go on Hunger Strike, they feel the freedom. It is a way to resist the occupation. We can win the battle against it with our empty stomachs. It is a message to the International Community and the free people in the world that palestinians seek freedom. Amy in kashmir, about 100 protesting students were wounded after being attacked by Indian Security forces who fired tear gas and rubbercoated steel bullets at demonstrators monday. Protesters demanded independence from indian rule, chanting go india, go back and we want freedom. Dozens of students were also wounded by Indian Security forces during protests over the weekend. In mexico, journalist Maximino Rodriguez has been murdered, making him the fourth mexican journalist in only six weeks to be assassinated. Rodriguez reported on the police, crime, and corruption for a blog called colectivo pericu. He was killed on april 14 in the city of la paz. Mexico is one of the worlds deadliest countries for journalists. Georgia is holding a special election today to fill the seat of former congressman tom price, who is now the secretary of heath and human services. With 18 candidates in the field, one of the leading contenders is 30yearold democrat jon ossoff, Whose Campaign slogan is make trump furious. The race is considered a test to see how much voters may have turned on President Trump, who has record low support. Last tuesday, in kansas, Republican Ron Estes won a congressional seat in a special election in a surprisingly close vote for a heavily conservative district. Estes beat democratic challenger James Thompson by a slim 5346 margin in a district that donald trump carried by 27 Percentage Points last november. Facebook is facing criticism for not removing quickly enough a shocking and graphic video of a man being killed, a man killing a 74yearold grandfather in cleveland. The alleged shooter, steve stevens, posted the video of himself shooting and killing as thegodwin sr. Grandfather was picking up cans on sun afternoon. It appears stevens picked the man at random. A manhunt is underway to find stevens. The video is among series of raids, suicides, and incidents of torture that have been live streamed or posted on facebook. Of thousands of people participated in the 121st annual Boston Marathon monday. Among the runners was 70yearold kathrine switzer, who in 1967 became the first woman ever to compete in the 26. 2 mile race as an official entrant. At the time, the marathon was maleonly, so she entered under the name k. V. Switzer. Officials tried to force her off the course after a few miles, but she persevered and finished in 4 hours and 20 minutes. This is kathrine switzer. I was the only female running wearing a bib. Theres another woman who jumped out of the bushes and ran. What kept me going, i had to make the decision of course, i felt aired and humiliated and embarrassed. This official was attacking me. Bopped the official and sent him out of the race. I went on to finish. I made the decision to finish because i felt if i dropped out, then everybody would say, see, women are not well. They are to barge in the places where they cannot do it anyway and she is just a clown. I knew i had to finish to show women could, should, and be allowed and get opportunities for women and running. That was very, very important for me. Iamy that was kathrine switzer, the first woman officially registered for the Boston Marathon to complete the race. This year, she finished the race in 4 hours and 44 minutes, 50 years after that first race. She still wore the same bib, number 261, that shed worn in 1967. The winners of this years Boston Marathon were Edna Kiplagat and geoffrey kirui, both of kenya. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. The white house is facing new criticism over its lack of transparency as President Trump is refusing to release his tax returns as well as logs of white house visitors. On monday, white house Spokesman Sean Spicer said trump did not plan to release his tax returns, saying trump was under an audit. On the tax question, you asked this a thousand times, you always talk about under audit, the president is under audit. Is it time to say once and for all the president is never going to release his tax return . We will have to get back to you on that. I mean, really. Really. I said i would have to get back to you on that. He is still under audit. The statement still stands. Amy trump is the first u. S. President in more than four decades to refuse to release his tax returns. The irs says being under an audit does not prevent anyone, including the president , from releasing your tax returns. On monday, sean spicer also defended the administrations decision not to make public a log of white house visitors. We want to make sure people can come in the same with a can go to a member of the congress office, provide details and there are people who want to be able to have that conversation with members of the administration the same way they would do with members of congress, go into their office. Why didnt he take this opportunity to one of the transparency . Im trying to explain that. We recognize there is a privacy in allowing people to come and express their views. Amy spicers comments came just two days after more than 100,000 people took to the streets saturday across the country to call on trump to release his taxes. Crowds gathered in more than a dozen cities from coast to coast, including washington, d. C. , here in new york city, chicago, seattle, and in south florida, where activists marched to trumps private maralago resort where trump was staying over the weekend. Meanwhile, democratic lawmakers are vowing not to work with trump on reforming or rewriting the tax code unless trump releases his own taxes. More than a dozen republican lawmakers are also calling on trump to release his taxes. Well, for more, were joined now by susan lerner, executive director of common cause new york. She was on the Steering Committee for the nyc tax march. Susan lerner, welcome to democracy now talk about what these mass protests were about that clearly donald trump was upset by because he tweeted about them. I think we got under his skin, and that was one of the goals. The tax march was about a simple demand. Donald trump should come clean with the American People and disclose his full tax returns. Not just a sheet here or therefrom a random year, but the full long 1040 form for at least the last five to 10 years. He needs to answer questions that americans across the country have as to whether he is working for the American People or he is working for his own bottom line. Amy so lets talk about what exactly it would mean. Talk about what the taxes would show. Talk about why this is so important. What we believe the taxes would show is who actually owns a piece of donald trump. There has been speculation that based on things that his son and others have said that he owes substantial amounts of money to russians, who are carlos to the are close to the kremlin. Therefore he is subject influenced by the people who own his credit. It would tell us what sorts of deals he has in foreign countries. It would let us know who would be able to influence the 45th president so that he would be making decisions based on what is best for the people who he owes money to or is in business with, rather than what is best for the American People. So it would help us determine if there is born influence and determine if he is actually working first and foremost for the americans, and whether he is putting the best interest of the electedhat he allegedly to represent first and foremost. Amy i want to turn to something that has just recently come out. On monday, President Trump called the president of turkey, erdogan, to congratulate him on winning the referendum. 12 has Major Business interest trump has Major Business interest in turkey. There is mass criticism of this referendum that could lead to a dictatorship and turkey. Trump has Major Business interests in turkey. In 2015, he even admitted he had conflicts of interest in dealing with turkey while speaking on Steve Bannons radio show Breitbart News daily. Pres. Trump i have a little conflict of interest because i have a major, major building in istanbul. It is a tremendously successful job. It is called trump towers. Two towers instead of the usual one. I have gotten to know turkey very well. They are incredible people. In that is donald trump 2015. We have so many concerns regarding conflict of interest. A president who refuses to knowledge is ethical refuse tolities to come clean with the American People to