Gates and China are pledging that an initial trade deal would remove some tariffs and a move that could escalate the ongoing trade war between the 2 countries the initial trade deal has not yet been finalized since taking office President Trump has levied tariffs on $360000000000.00 worth of Chinese goods a midnight self massacre was the plan hatched by some senior Trump administration officials who considered resigning on mass last year to sound the alarm about Trump's conduct they all timidly rejected the idea over concerns that would further stabilize the government the aborted warning is one of a series of revelations in a forthcoming book titled warning its author is an anonymous senior official within the trumpet ministration who published an anonymous Op-Ed in the New York Times last year headlined part of the resistance inside the Trump administration in the book the author describes senior officials waking up and trying to respond to Trump's overnight Twitter announcements writing quote It's like showing up at the nursing home at daybreak to find your elderly uncle running pants lifts across the courtyard and cursing loudly about the cafeteria food as worried attendants tried to catch your stunned amused and embarrassed all at the same time only will probably wouldn't do it every single day his words aren't broadcast to the public and he doesn't have to lead the u.s. Government once he puts his pants on. The author also claims Trump once asked White House lawyers to write a bill to send to Congress aimed at reducing the number of federal judges after various judges have thwarted trunk's policies Trump reportedly said quote Can we just get rid of the judges let's get rid of the expletive judges there shouldn't be any at all really he said. This according to the forthcoming book. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. To the 2020 presidential race the New York Times reports. Gather signatures in order to qualify him for the primary it's possible $0.20 he's reportedly skeptical that former Vice President Joe Biden can beat out his progressive challengers Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders unveiled his immigration plan Thursday promising to abolish that's Immigration and Customs Enforcement to push for a path to citizenship. And immediately grant legal status to the nearly $2000000.00 immigrants who are eligible for DACA that's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Sanders said he would accomplish many of these reforms through executive actions Sanders also vowed to end family separation at the border and allow asylum seekers to remain in the United States while their cases are resolved he also said he would halt the construction of Trump's border wall which has already begun construction in the Sonoran Desert and Arizona. Undocumented students across the United States are walking out of school today and solidarity with immigrants who have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals an Obama era program that grants work permits and deportation relief to nearly a 1000000 undocumented people who are brought to the country as children next week the Supreme Court will begin to hear oral arguments and lawsuits demanding the trumpet ministration preserve DACA which trump tried to kill and 2017 under the banner of his here doesn't send them a grants with Dhaka have led a 16 day March from New York to Washington d.c. To pressure the Supreme Court to save the program. The online news outlet courts reports the Department of Homeland Security plans to have biometric data on hundreds of millions of people by 2022 and a recent presentation which were viewed by courts said it expects to have a database containing the fingerprints as well as the face and iris scans of nearly 260000000 people traveling in and out of the United States raising major privacy concerns over the agency's growing surveillance efforts in Iraq security forces are continuing their bloody crackdown against the massive anti-government protests sweeping the country on Thursday forces killed 5 protesters in the southern city of Basra today there are reports of another 5 protesters killed in the capital Baghdad protesters have taken to the streets across Iraq for over a month demanding jobs better public services and an end to government corruption. In Bolivia tensions are rising over last month's presidential election in which the Bolivian president Evo Morales was declared the winner of a controversial 4th term some members of the opposition have disputed the results claiming election fraud on Wednesday opposition protesters kidnapped a mayor loyal to President Morales forcibly cut her hair doused her in red paint and paraded her through the streets this is Mayor have our say. And I am not afraid to say my truth. Country and I'm not going to be silenced if you want me dead kill me. Say I meant for change I'm going to give my life. Mayor Patrice to our say of the Bolivian town of into. Anti government demonstrators an anti government demonstrations also have been growing in the capital a pas This is Marco Mari. For democracy is still trampled over them we will not leave the PAs without removing from the government palace those who are killing us those who are assaulting us those who are persecuted house . Has sided with the United States for the 1st time and choosing not to condemn the u.s. Embargo against Cuba during the annual United Nations resolution vote Thursday the u.n. General Assembly still voted overwhelmingly to condemn the u.s. Embargo with 187 out of 193 countries voting against the United States this is Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno rhetoric has. To blockade has caused incalculable she made a tear in damages it is a flagrant massive and systematic violation of human rights it qualifies as an act of genocide under articles to be in c. Of the conviction of the prevention of punishment of the crime of genocide adopted in 1048 there is not one single family that has not suffered the consequences of this. In Brazil former president Louis Silva could be freed from prison following a Brazilian Supreme Court ruling to end the mandatory imprisonment of people convicted of a crime who have lost their 1st appeal the ruling restorers a previous policy that allows people convicted of a crime to exhaust all of their appeal options before being sent to prison in addition to the Supreme Court's decision could help free some 5000 prisoners who are still appealing their convictions Meanwhile a far right Brazilian journalist tried to punch Pulitzer Prize winning journalist co-founder of the intercept Glenn Greenwald after a heated argument during a live taping of a radio show the far right journalist to go so newness had previously made insulting comments about Greenwald's family. In Hong Kong a student has died from injuries sustained after he fell during a clash between student protesters and police earlier this week the death of show the law has sparked widespread anger among student protesters whose demonstrations have rocked on calm this is Hong Kong activists Joshua one with more on together and we urge hope of people where blacks are to get are today and tomorrow we show our Sidebar to you and you to cheat and now is the pilot for the government to set up the independent investigation on the clash we need to know and seek for truth and justice and which is really insane and an reasonable for how the government allow the police attempted murder Holcombe people which group that reform the police force is a boss. And in New York City long time immigration activist Marcos of a juror attended his final asylum hearing on Thursday in which he argued his life would be at risk if he were sent to Mexico the immigration judge overseeing signatures case will have a final decision by January 17th 2025 a juror has been living in the United States since he was 3 years old he's been involved in several high profile immigration actions in 2012 he purposely got himself arrested by federal authorities in order to infiltrate the Geo groups for profit immigration shale in Florida the Broward transitional center and investigate allegations of human rights abuses inside the secretive facility in 2013 markers says they deported to Mexico with 8 other dreamers to protest the separation of immigrant families under the Obama administration to see our full interview with Marcos of a juror before his final asylum hearing this week go to Democracy Now dot org And those are some of the headlines This is Democracy Now Democracy Now dot org The War and Peace Report I mean the good thing we're broadcasting from South Carolina State University here in Orangeburg where tonight on this very stage in the 1st ever presidential forum on environmental justice will be held I'll be coal moderating with former e.p.a. Officials. All Democratic and Republican candidates were invited those that accepted and are coming to this forum are senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker . Marianne Williamson John Delaney and Joe Sestak the forum will be hosted by the National Black Caucus of state legislators and leaders from frontline communities South Carolina is a crucial state for the 2020 presidential race and one of the 1st. That will have a Democratic primary following the New Hampshire primary and the caucuses and Iowa and Nevada will be the 1st measure of Democratic candidate strength with black voters in 2007 a Democratic presidential primary debate also took place right here on the stage South Carolina is the state where African-American communities and people of color are on the front lines. Fighting for Justice in the face of extreme environmental racism for years South Carolina has repeatedly been pummeled by climate fuel hurricanes including Florence which swept through the South in 2018 causing epic floods its black residents have faced disproportionate air and water pollution exposure to environmental hazards but South Carolina is also home to some of the most successful responses to environmental racism the town is 4 was once known as the Devil's Triangle for its 2 abandoned industrial sites in a 30 acre dump but it's now being hailed as a model for environmental justice after the community worked with the Environmental Protection Agency to invest in health centers and revitalize formally devastated neighborhoods Well we're joined right here in Orange Park South Carolina by. Who be moderating the forum with tonight he's the former head of the Environmental Justice Program at the Environmental Protection Agency is a former leader in the Hip-Hop Caucus and is now the vice president of the National Wildlife Federation Welcome to Democracy Now it's great to be with you here in Orange frog thank you for having me so talk about why you've chosen this site later in the broadcast we're going to talk about this moment in history 51 years ago when state troopers opened fire on students before Kent State before Jackson State but right now. We're talking about this moment in history in 2020 when there are a record number of candidates running for president why have you chosen as foreign in South Carolina and why the 1st presidential forum on and Vironment all justice what does that mean environmental justice what was important one to have it be seen you or minority serving institutions to make sure that folks understood that the students who go to school here care about what's happening they are voters along with all of the community residents also here in South Carolina is ground 0 is ground 0 for the pollution that folks are dealing with with housing issues transportation issues and also the impacts from climate change the floods that have happened you know have played a devastating role in people's lives and farmers lives all these different folks are coming together but also as you sort of shared with folks there are also these incredible leaders who are also helping to make real change happen so we have the environmental injustices that are happening that folks are focusing on but we also have the change that's happening how people revitalizing communities Reverend Leo Woodbury Harold Mitchell Omar Mohamed so many incredible leaders who are right here right now making change happen. So this issue of environmental justice I mean c.n.n. Held public town hall with the candidates on climate change what is the difference well environmental justice in dealing with these disproportionate impacts that are happening inside of communities so it's important that we have these conversations about climate change but those are the symptoms of a disease and the disease has been racism the structural inequality that continues to happen inside of communities of color so disproportionately those fossil fuel facilities are located in communities of color lower income communities and on a Digitas lands and people have for decades been dealing with the public health impacts but also now those admissions are. Also a driver and warming up our oceans and warming up the planet we also know that the transportation routes that have been used to extract wealth from certain communities and bring wealth into other communities and also drop pollution off plays a big role also and what's going on with climate change and then the last thing is we've got 2200000 miles of pipeline most of that pipeline runs through indigenous land low income white lame runs to farmers land and it ends up on the Gulf Coast in communities of color all of these play a role and what's going on with climate change but there's so much more in the environmental justice paradigm so much Safa talk about the connection between environmental justice and health the health and tax Well we have 100000 people in our country who are dying prematurely from air pollution that's more than dying from gun violence gun violence is extremely important for us to focus on but when we've got this many people who are dying then we need to be paying attention to the decisions that folks in Washington and in state houses are making we've got 1100000 kids in our country who have been lead poisoned and primarily those are African-American and Latin next communities and lower income white communities who are the ones who are being impacted we've got 25000000 people who have asthma we've got 7000000 kids and disproportionately as African-American and Latino children who are the ones going to the emergency rooms in the ones who are losing their lives so these health impacts that are going on actually extract wealth from communities who can least afford to have that wealth extracted because in many times they are underinsured or uninsured and folks will have to carry that cost and it is your assessment of the presidential candidates. Addressing this issue of their plans well it's great to see that folks have finally after 40 years have begun to actually have environmental justice platforms climate justice platforms and it's great to see that some of the candidates are actually visiting these key. Frontline community sitting down with leaders but there's so much more that needs to happen because a part of this form is about accountability folks want to hear what's your vision what are the actions you're going to do how are you going to build it ministration that has expertise from frontline communities and didn't is leaders also in that so it's great to see people saying the words we need action behind the words and I mean we're talking about both Democrats and Republicans what's happened on the trumpet ministration well under the Trump administration it has been. Deadly for many of our communities because they have rolled back over $85.00 regulations that in many instances just had the bare minimum of protections inside of our most vulnerable communities everything from pulling out of the power plant and replacing it with. The car rule the clean car rule which we know again those transportation routes having so much more pollution go off in those communities you know removing yourself from the Paris climate accord makes no sense and it's going to have huge impacts in our most vulnerable communities and communities across our country in general so you know we need to have leadership who is actually focused on helping to protect people's lives and living up to when you take that oath we're going to go to break and come back and we'll be joined by several of the people who are participating and tonight's forum again we're here at South Carolina State University it's a historically black college one of the college and university it is the site of the Orangeburg Massacre 51 years ago and it is going to be the site tonight on this very stage. Presidential Forum on environmental justice the very 1st we are joined by Mr Lay who was formerly with hip hop caucus before that for years with the Environmental Protection Agency now he's vice president of the National Wildlife Federation. And he'll be co moderating the forum tonight with me yes democracy now is here and will be live streaming this forum tonight at 6 pm Eastern Standard Time Around the world many stations radio and television stations will all be also be broadcasting this forum so we hope you do tune in and at Democracy Now dot org or on your local station This is Democracy Now we'll be back in a minute. With By Tracy Chapman This is Democracy Now Democracy Now dot org The War and Peace Report I mean the good men we're broadcasting from South Carolina State University here in Orange prayer where tonight on this very stage the 1st ever presidential forum on environmental justice will be held Democracy Now we'll be broadcasting in live streaming beginning at 6 pm Eastern I'll be home moderating with former e.p.a. Official who is still with us former e.p.a. Official formerly with the Hip-Hop Caucus now vice president of the National Wildlife Fund and we're joined by South Carolina State Representative Gilda Cobb hunter who represents the city of Orangeburg South Carolina She's also president of the National Black Caucus of state legislators and Melanie Campbell joins us president of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and the convenor of the Black Women's roundtable we welcome you all to Democracy Now so. Representative Hunter you are a 1st you are the 1st woman to represent orange Burge. In South Carolina state legislature and you are representing black state legislators around the country talk about why environmental justice is important to you and why you are hosting tonight's event tonight so 1st ever perform well thanks for having us and we really appreciate the support of democracy now it's important to N.B.C.'s for a variety of reasons we have total dysfunction in the opinion of state legislators at the federal level and so when we talk about the issue of environmental justice climate change all politics is local and when we can get action on the federal level. State legislators to make sure that whatever reduce whatever medications they are that we. We are in a position to try to get. The sale along with the Hispanic Caucus who will be joined tonight by the president of the National Hispanic Caucus what we recognize. Is that the issue of environmental justice impacts black and brown communities and so we represent these communities we think it's important for us not to wait on Congress not to wait for us but for us to use the power we have as state legislators and take action which is. We are very pleased that 6 of these candidates who want to be president thought this issue was important to not just talk the talk but to walk the walk and we welcome them to South Carolina's only state supported historically black college and university of South Carolina State welcome to bulldog country. And kill the Cobb Hunter and how does that work in a state legislature around issues of an environmental just