March 2018

Puerto Ricans protest FEMA, Congress six months after Hurricane Maria

On the 20th of March, Puerto Ricans came to DC, outraged by the US government's refusal to help rebuild Puerto Rico's power grid and other crucial infrastructure. They held a rally outside FEMA before marching to Congress under rain so cold it was snow and sleet just a few miles north of the city.

Protesting FEMA's inaction (photo by Maria Pena)

Six Months After Maria, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands Wait for Relief

Six months after Hurricane Maria, blue tarps still cover homes and buildings across Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The number of people who lack power can be counted in the hundreds of thousands. 

"The suffering continues on the islands and our fellow citizens need help," said Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of the religious development group Jubilee USA. "It's important that Congress voted for relief aid for the islands. Now we need Congress to increase the aid so that the islands can rebuild to withstand the next storms."

Caribbean Religious Leaders Call for Debt Relief in Face of Disasters

From Grenada to Saint Lucia, religious leaders are calling for processes to provide debt relief in the face of natural disasters.

The Shortwave Report 03/16/18 Listen Globally!

Dear Radio Friend,     This week's show features stories from NHK World Radio Japan, Radio Havana Cuba, and Sputnik Radio.        From JAPAN- This past Monday North Korea criticized the US for making people think that sanctions are the reason for upcoming talks between the nations. The Chinese President welcomed news of the upcoming inter-Korean summit, and possible talks between the north and the US. Japanese PM Abe is also pleased with the upcoming inter-Korean talks about denuclearization.

DC Bike Party "Organizer's Ride" first ride in 2018

On March 15, the DC Bike Party staged the "Organizer's Ride" promoted mostly on the core crew that puts on the ride but open to the general public. This ride allows the crew to "warm up" before the big rides with hundreds of participants begin in April

Video highlights of the ride

Mothers against the Potomac Pipeline arrested at MD State House

On the 14th of March, Mothers against the Potomac Pipeline blocked one of the MD State House doorways and the blockaders were arrested. This was just days before Governor Hogan is expected to make a decision about whether or not to permit the Potomac Pipeline to proceed.

Video compilation from CCAN's and Katherine Brzozowsk's Twitter clips

Photo by John Zangas

Kurds, allies rally at White House against Turkish invasion of Afrin

On the 13th of March, Kurds and supporters of the YPG/YPJ protested at the White House, demanding the US force an end to Turkey's bloody invasion and bombing of Afrin in Syria. If the US threatened to cut off military aid and weapons sales to Turkey, Turkey would have no choice but to comply. Turkey is attacking the YPG/YPJ, who in turn defeated Daesh/ISIS. Thus Erdogan is fighting on the side of ISIS.

Update 3-15:Turkish shelling and airstrikes kill 12, wound 60-and displace 10,000 on just March 14-15

Video: Protesters charge Turkey with supporting ISIS by fighting Kurds

No Justice No Pride rallies in solidarity with Black Pride 4

On the 12th of March, No Justice No Pride activists held a solidarity protest at the Dept of "Just-Us" for Ohio's Black Pride 4, the first of whom was scheduled to be sentenced the following day.

Video featuring a speaker giving information about the case

Fists Up for the Black Pride 4

ADAPT protests at home of FDA director against electroshock torture of autistic people

Beginning on the weekend of March 10-11, ADAPT has been camping out in front of FDA Director Dr. Scott Gottlieb's home. Things got a little hot on the evening of March 11 as ADAPT occupied the circular driveway, and MPD showed up to push them back. ADAPT is there to demand the FDA ban the use of electroshock aversive "therapy" against autistic children and adults at the Judge Rotenberg "Educational" Center.

Video of the protest in the circular driveway and the police response

Video originally posted by John Zangas of the daylight portion of the same protest

Naming and Shaming!

Bozzuto's Maple View Flats/Starbucks construction site shut down by protesters two days in a row

On the 9th of March, protesters called to the scene by DC Councilmember Trayon White shut down Bozzuto's Maple View Flats construction site in Anacostia for the second day in a row. One of the anchors of the project is a Starbucks, whose products are not affordable for current Anacostia residents. The protest is because Bozzuto is refusing to hire local residents to work on the project and because gentrification projects are not welcome in Anacostia.

Video: Protesters shut down Maple View Flats construction Day 2

Protesters descend on the site

Debt, Corruption and Tax Policies Impact Poverty, Says Vatican at United Nations

During United Nations Human Rights Council meetings last week, Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič, the Geneva based Vatican representative stated, “We can no longer frame the debt crisis as an exclusively economic problem. It affects future generations, as well as the social conditions that allow the enjoyment of human rights of vast numbers of people entitled to the solidarity of the whole human family.”

The Shortwave Report 03/09/18 Listen Globally!

Dear Radio Friend,             The latest Shortwave Report (March 9) is up at the website http://www.outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml  in 3 forms- (new) HIGHEST QUALITY (160kb)(33MB), broadcast quality (13MB), and quickdownload or streaming form (6MB) (28:59) Links at page bottom   (If you have access to Audioport there is a highest quality version posted up there {33MB} htt

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