This comes as thousands of descend on Standing Rock to form a human shield around the water protectors. We really think about the treaty, it makes me think, why did i do it i did to serve my country when the government did all of the things, the hurtful things they have done to my ancestors. Amy we will speak with dave archambault, chevy Standing Rock sioux tribe, tara houska of honor the earth, and with remy, navy member and member of the Navajo Nation. People have been protesting at banks, demanding they divest from the Dakota Access pipeline. Dapl to protest the institutions [indiscernible] amy all that and more, coming up. Welce to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. In north dakota, water protectors resisting the 3. 8 billion Dakota Access pipeline have scored an historic victory. On sunday, the u. S. Army corps of engineers denied Energy Transfer partners, the Company Behind the pipeline, a permit to drill underneath lake oahe on the Missouri River officially , halting construction. The pipeline is slated to carry crude oil from the bakken oilfields of north dakota, through south dakota, iowa, and into illinois, where its slated to link up with another pipeline to carry the oil down to refineries in the gulf. The project has faced months of resistance from the Standing Rock sioux in north dakota, members of more than 200 indigenous nations from across the americas, and thousands of their nonnative allies all concerned the pipelines construction will destroy sacred sioux sites, and that a Pipeline Leak could contaminate the Missouri River, which serves as a water supply for millions. Standing rock protester maurine archambault celebrated the news. We are slowly getting there, like winning this in, but there are going to be a few battles were going to have to go through whenever we are going to win this thing. Amy we will go to north dakota for more on the Standing Rock sioux after headlines. The Washington Post is reporting Donald Trumps protocolbreaking telephone conversation with taiwans leader on friday was an intentionally provocative move that has been planned weeks in advance. Taiwan president tsai ingwens call to trump on friday marked the first communication between leaders of the United States and taiwan since 1979. China lodged a diplomatic protest with the United States, saying the one china policy was the bedrock of relations with the United States. China considers taiwan to be part of its territory, not an independent nation. This is Chinese Foreign minister wang yi. Taiwans engagement is a petty action that cannot change the china structure, but international community. I believe it wont change the longstanding one china policy of the United States government. Amy trumps call with the president of taiwan has also raised new questions about his business dealings. There have been multiple reports that representatives of the Trump Organization have traveled to taiwan in recent months to explore possible deals including building Luxury Hotels near taiwans main airport. Donald trump has nominated former president ial candidate dr. Ben carson to serve as secretary of the department of housing and urban development. Carson has been vocal critic of huds fairhousing rule, which requires local communities to assess patterns of income and Racial Discrimination in housing. Dr. Carson has described the rule as a mandated socialengineering scheme. He said this is just an example of what happens when we allow the government to infiltrate every part of our lives. This is what you see in communist countries. Meanwhile trump is reportedly , broadening his search for a secretary of state. New candidates being considered include former utah governor jon huntsman, former u. S. Ambassador to the u. N. John bolton, retired admiral james stavridis, and democratic senator joe manchin of west virginia. Other finalists are said to include exxonmobil Ceo Rex Tillerson former massachusetts , governor mitt romney, former new york city mayor rudy giuliani, and senator bob corker of tennessee. Michigan has become the second state to conduct a recount of the president ial election. Early this morning a federal , judge ordered officials to being recounting ballots today at noon. The order was made following a request by green Party President ial candidate jill stein. Donald trump won michigan by under 10,000 votes out of 5. 5 million cast. A recount is already underway in wisconsin. Meanwhile, dr. Steins efforts to force a recount in pennsylvania were dealt a setback when a judge ordered petitioners to post a 1 million bond. Stein is holding a press conference outside trump tower today at 10 00 a. M. To discuss next steps on the recount. In oakland, california, at least 33 people have died after a fire rippedhrough a converted warehouse hosting an electronic music concert on friday. The death toll is expected to continue to rise. It is already the deadliest fire in the citys history. The fire broke out in what was known as the ghost ship, an artist collective that housed many Young Artists and musicians. Mourners have been gathering to remember those lost in the fire. They were amazing. You know . They were amazing. I am sorry for everyones loss. The people i didnt know. It is just i cant it is mind blowing. It is heartbreaking. Amy cuba has concluded nine days of mourning after the death of fidel castro. On his ashes were entombed near sunday, the remains of cubas independence hero jose marti in the cemetery in santiago de cuba. Cuban president raul castro , Fidel Castros brother, talk about his legacy. He demonstrated, yes, it was possible. It was possible to overcome the obstacle, any threat to her challenge to our undertaking of building a socialist cuba are likewise, guarantee independence of sovereignty of the fatherland. Amy attendees at Fidel Castros funeral included former brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da silva. I see your right now much sadness. I know it fidel represented here in santiago for the cuban nation, throughout the whole world, for those who struggle for social equality, for those who struggle for dignity. Amy that is the former brazilian president. In news from austria, a Green Party Politician has been elected president defeating the head of the antiimmigration freedom party. The freedom partys Norbert Hofer was attempting to become the first freely elected farright head of state in europe since world war ii. The party was founded by former not the party members. Green leader Alexander Van der bellen who won 53 of the vote celebrated his victory. I will try to be an nminded, liberal minded, federal president of the republic. Amy in other news from europe, italian Prime Minister matteo renzi has announced he will resign after his plan to reform the constitution was rejected by voters. This leaves italy in a state political turmoil. The rejection of the referendum was hailed as a victory by several antiestablishment and antiimmigrant groups in italy. In news from louisiana, the naacp and other groups have staged a series of protests after authorities released a man suspected of shooting and killing former nfl player joe mcknight in a possible case of road rage. The suspect, 54yearold ronald gasser, who is white, was released without being formally charged even though he admitted shooting mcknight, who is africanamerican, multiple times. Police said they are still investigating the incident. Jurors in South Carolina are scheduled to resume deliberations in the case of michael slager, the white Police Officer who was caught on video shooting 50yearold African American walter scott in the back as he ran away. Killing him. On friday, the jurors twice informed the judge that they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict. One man has said he will not vote to convict the Police Officer. Over the weekend, federal authorities in texas reportedly released nearly 500 women and children from the nations two largest family detention centers. Legal advocates say most families were released without travel plans, and volunteers worked with a local church to open shelter space early saturday morning. The move followed a ruling friday by a texas judge that bars the States Department of family and protective services from issuing child care licenses. Advocates say conditions at the facilities are equivalent to prisons. The judgment effectively invalidates the licenses now used to operate the faculties, which are owned by geo and corecivic, formerly known as Corrections Corporation of america. Human Rights Groups have called on the Obama Administration to end the practice of detaining families before the end of his administration. An american priest assassinated in guatemala in 1981 has moved a step closer to sainthood. On friday, the vatican declared reverend Stanley Rother to be a martyr. Rother was killed by a rightwing death squad in his church rectory. He died on the same day u. S. Backed guatemalan troops killed 13 people and wounded 24 others in the same town where he was shot. Stanley rother is the First American to ever be declared a martyr by the catholic church. In washington, d. C. , an armed North Carolina man was arrested sunday after walking into the popular pizza restaurant comet ping pong and then firing at least one shot. For weeks rightwing websites have been spreading conspiracy theories about the restaurant claiming Hillary Clinton and other prominent democrats were running a child sex ring from the restaurants backrooms. The fake news story became known as pizza gate. The North Carolina man, Edgar Maddison welch, told police he traveled to d. C. To selfinvestigate the story. He has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon. In other news, president elect donald trump took to twitter early on sunday to slam the latest episode of saturday night live. He wrote just tried watching saturday night live. Totally biased and not funny. And the out baldwin impersonation just cant get any worse. Sad. Trump wrote the message shortly after baldwin poked fun of Donald Trumps use of twitter i just reach we did the best tweet. Well, what a great, smart tweet. Mr. Trump, were in a security briefing. I know, but this could not wait. The young manamed seth command seth amy on alec baldwin responded sunday, to trump on twitter. Baldwin wrote on twitter realdonaldtrump. Release your tax returns and ill stop. Ha. And some residents of the chevy chase neighborhood in washington, d. C. , are welcoming their newest neighbor, Vice President elect mike pence, by hanging rainbowcolored flags from their homes. Pence is living in the neighborhood until inauguration day. This is alison fenn one of pences neighbors. Given the governors stance on gay rights issues, it seemed like a really crucial message to make that Everyone Needs to be supported in a rather than feel threatened. I think we have a fun little disagreement with his stand on this and just want to not only brin it to his attention, but to make others feel support and might otherwise feel threatened. Amy and those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now democracynow. Org, the war and , peace report. Im amy goodman. In north dakota, water protectors resisting the 3. 8 billion Dakota Access pipeline have one in historic victory. On sunday, the u. S. Army corps of engineers denied Energy Transfer partners, the Company Behind the pipeline, a permit to drill underneath lake oahe on the Missouri River officially halting construction. The pipeline is slated to carry crude oil from the bakken oilfields of north dakota, through south dakota, iowa and into illinois, where its slated to link up to another pipeline to carry the oil down to refineries in the gulf. The project has faced months of resistance from the Standing Rock sioux in north dakota, members of more than 200 indigenous nations from across the americas, and thousands of their nonnative allies all concerned the pipelines construction will destroy sacred sioux sites, and that a Pipeline Leak couldontaminatehe Missouri River, which serves as a water supply for millions. The growing Resistance Movement is the largest gathering of native americans in decades. In a Statement Issued sunday, Joellen Darcy, the armys assistant secretary for civil works, said although we have had continuing discussion and exchanges of new information with the Standing Rock sioux and Dakota Access, its clear that theres more work to do. The best way to complete that work responsibly and expeditiously is to explore alternate routes for the pipeline. Darcy also indicated the government will undertake an Environmental Impact statement for this section of the pipeline a lengthy process that takes , months, if not years. The armys announcement sunday came as thousands of native and nonnative military veterans gathered at Standing Rock, ready to form a human shield around the water protectors, who have faced an increasingly Violent Police crackdown that has cost the state of north dakota more than 10 million. In response to the armys announcement, Energy Transfer logistics,d sunoco which is slated to operate the pipeline if it is built, issued a joint statement accusing the white house of taking a purely Political Action and saying the companies are fully committed to ensuring that this vital project is brought to completion and fully expect to complete construction of the pipeline without any additional rerouting in and around lake oahe. Well, for more, we go directly to Standing Rock were we are joined by Standing Rock sioux chairman dave archambault. Chairman, welcome back to democracy now first, respond to the latest news, the action of the u. S. Army corps of engineers. I think it is something that is his stork, like you had said, and it is something it takes a lot of courage for decisionmakers to come up and make the right decision, to make the right choice in this matter. We have been talking about this with the corps of engineers for almost two years now. We have been letting them know that we have problems with this pipeline because it not only threatens our water, it threatens our heritage and culture and our environment. We as a people have a right to stand up for this. We expect those feelings from the very beginning. We expect those with the company. We expect those feelings with the senators of the state, the congressman of the state everybody knew that Standing Rock was opposed to this pipeline because of the threat that has on our people. We had a lot of support. When this decision came down by the corps of engineers, finally, for the first time in history, over centuries, somebody is listening to us. In order to listen to us, they have to make the right decision. It takes a lot of courage to do that when youre up against an oil company who tries to dictate to the federal government what has to be done and when it has to be done and where it has to be done. Amy were you surprised . Yes, i was very surprised. Something like this has never rolled in our favor ever. I am just thankful for all of the people who gave support, all of the people who contributed in one way or another. And believed in this and state with a peaceful protests all along. I think that was what helped us over the edge. We maintained our position as we were peaceful and prayerful, and we tried to do the best that we can to build awareness for everyone. I want to thank you, amy, for all of the work you have done as well. To build awareness. Amy chairman, the army corps of engineers has denied the permit to build the pipeline under the missouri, which it needs, but Energy Transfer partners says now it does not need this and they are moving full steam ahead. Theyre going to continue building. Is this possible . No, it is not possible. If they continue to press the government, theyre going to shut the whole program down. They will shut the whole progress or graham down and there will be no pipeline. That is not possible. The