ACTIVE NONVIOLENCE & PEACEMAKING

TAKE ACTION: How to Divest from the War Machine

Companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman make hundreds of billions of dollars a year on their arms sales. Many mutual funds include shares of gun manufacturers, gun retailers and other weapon companies. Weapon Free Funds is a new tool that enables you to find out if your money is being used to finance weapon manufacturers, and to find alternative options that avoid weapon investments. TAKE ACTION

War-Weary Afghans March for Peace

A recent grassroots peace movement in Afghanistan began in late March 2018 as a series of sit-ins and a hunger strike in Helmand province demanding that both the government and Taliban implement a cease-fire. Similar sit-ins began across the country in solidarity, and in May, citizens from Helmand province began marching to Kabul to advocate for peace. MORE

Why Unarmed Civilian Protection Is the Best Path to Sustainable Peace

There are over 90,000 armed UN peacekeepers working around the world today. They engage from the outside, with soldiers often patrolling in vehicles and retreating at the end of the day. There is, however, another model for peacekeeping called unarmed civilian protection, or UCP. It works from the inside and has been proven to save lives, empower communities and can secure strong and lasting peace in areas plagued by violent conflict. MORE

NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT

Poll: Europeans Reject US Nuclear Weapons on Own Soil

US nuclear weapons are currently stationed in Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. Citizens from these four countries were asked, "Do you think US nuclear weapons should be removed from your country’s territory, or should they stay?” In each country, an overwhelming majority of people surveyed were in favor of removing the weapons from their soil, and for their countries to sign the treaty that bans them outright. MORE

Understanding Nuclear Weapon Terms

Most people are familiar with the basics of nuclear weapons, but the details of how these devices are made, delivered, and controlled can be confusing and complex. As the US continues talkswith North Korea over its nuclear weapons program — an effort which could take years to pan out and is guaranteed to get very, verycomplicated— this guide defines some of the most important (and misunderstood) words, phrases, and acronyms. MORE

IMMIGRATION 

US Will Reunite and Release Over 50 Immigrant Children

More than 50 immigrant children under age 5 will be reunited with their parents by the court-ordered deadline for action by Trump administration. That’s only about half of the 100 or so infants and toddlers covered by the order. A Justice Department lawyer acknowledged the government wouldn’t meet the deadline for all the children, citing a variety of reasons, including that the parents of some of the youngsters have already been deported. MORE

US Army Quietly Discharging Immigrant Recruits

Some immigrant U.S. Army reservists and recruits who enlisted in the military with a promised path to citizenship are being abruptly discharged. More than 5,000 immigrants were recruited into the program in 2016, and an estimated 10,000 are currently serving. MORE

Trump Re-Ups 'Infestation' Rhetoric in Immigration Debate

President Donald Trump last week again invoked the imagery of undocumented immigrants as sub-human, again warning against the influx of gang members into the US. Trump, who has often cited the dangers of the MS-13 gang to argue for tougher immigration laws, said there is an "infestation" of gangs in pockets of America. In reality, MS-13 remains a small fraction of the overall gang problem in the US, according toFBI statistics. MORE

ENVIRONMENT

EPA Drafts Rule on Coal Plants to Replace Clean Power Plan

The Trump administration has drafted a new proposal to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, one that is far less stringent than the climate plan finalized in 2015 by former President Barack Obama. It does show that the administration is essentially accepting, for now, that the federal government is legally obligated to take action to address greenhouse gas emissions. MORE

This Boot Camp Trains Young People to Fight Plastic Pollution

The Ocean Heroes Bootcamp in New Orleans brought together nearly 1,000 youth activists ages 11 to 18 in early June. The camp gave attendees tools and knowledge to build new campaigns aimed at reducing plastic. Youth and mentors led workshops and activities to build skills in things like clear and confident communication and how to pitch a campaign. MORE

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

TAKE ACTION: Help End Forced Labor

Governments, trade unions, and employers’ organizations worldwide adopted a landmark treaty in 2014 to help prevent forced labor. The treaty requires governments to take measures to identify, release, and provide assistance to forced labor victims as well as protect them from retaliation. The United States has never ratified the treaty. Freedom United urges us to tell the U.S. government to adopt and implement this important law. TAKE ACTION

Outcry As Trump Restricts Funding For Sex-Trafficking Survivors

Under safe harbor legislationin all states – trafficking survivors have the right to request that criminal charges accrued while a victim of human trafficking be expunged from the public record. Yet anti-trafficking advocates across the US are warning that a sudden decision by the Trump administration to cut all funding for legal representation for survivors will prevent many victims from getting their expungement cases into a courtroom. MORE

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & SEXUAL ASSAULT

Why It’s Hard to Protect Domestic-Violence Survivors Online

A restraining order can go a long way to help protect someone who has been subjected to domestic violence. But as the ways of interacting digitally have become more numerous, more ambiguous and less direct, the law and law enforcement have struggled to keep up with what counts as "contact” as far as an order of protection goes. MORE

Man Sentenced to Prison After 2011 Kit Linked Him to Rape

A 64-year-old man in Oregon has been sentenced to more than 30 years in prison after a sexual assault kit linking him to a 2011 rape emerged from the backlog. Curtis Clint Williams was found guilty of raping a 19-year old woman after police and prosecutors started working on clearing the backlog of thousands of untested sexual assault kits. MORE

POVERTY & SOCIAL JUSTICE

TAKE ACTION: Don’t Take Away Food from Families

The House and Senate have now passed different versions of the farm bill, which includes SNAP (fka food stamps). Unlike the House version, the Senate bill protects SNAP from cuts and builds on existing initiatives to help SNAP recipients find work. Now House and Senate leaders must negotiate a final compromise bill. The Results organization urges us to tell Congress to protect SNAP in the final farm bill. TAKE ACTION

A First Look at North Korea's Horrible Humanitarian Situation

United Nations humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock says the need for humanitarian aid in North Korea was apparent during his visit to the country this week, noting that some 10.6 million people require humanitarian assistance. Lowcock says many children are malnourished and lack access to clean water, while hospitals lack medicine for their patients. MORE

Abandoned Shopping Mall Now Provides Housing for the Homeless

The transformation of a Virginia shopping mall into a homeless shelter is representative of a new way of thinking that is bringing together three economic phenomena: the collapse of the brick-and-mortar retail industry, the disappearance of affordable housing in America’s boom towns, and the struggle to reduce homelessness. MORE

DEATH PENALTY

Christopher Young is scheduled to be executed on July 17 by the state of Texas for the murder of Hasmukh Patel. Please hold Christopher, Hasmukh, their families, and the people of Texas in prayer. TAKE ACTION

Robert Van Hook is scheduled to be executed on July 18 by the state of Ohio for the murder of David Self. Please hold Robert, David, their families, and the people of Ohio in prayer. TAKE ACTION