Following the comments made by Trump about the state of the city of Baltimore and how the fault lies with the Democrats, the media commotion quickly moved on to talk about other things, as shootings happened in Dayton and El Paso. While the focus lies elsewhere, those at The Nation dissect the problems that Baltimore faces, and the long history surrounding the cities decline, long before Trump was born.  

Baltimore Houses

Many in America do not know much about the cultural leaders in the Muslim community abroad, much less those more active in the United States. This is where someone like Hamza Yusuf and his cozy relationship with Trump and his administration comes into play. As The Middle East Eye reports, Yusuf is someone who is respected by the Islamic community for his scholarly writings, but his political leanings have more recently been called into question. 
 

The recent shootings call into question, among other things, the attempts, or lack thereof, by the Justice department to prosecute domestic terrorism the same it does international terrorism. As The Intercept reports, while cases like the recently convicted mail bomber have been tried as domestic terrorists, that label and the associated charges, aren’t something that are used as often as one might think.     

EL PASO, TEXAS - AUGUST 03:  Police keep watch outside Walmart near the scene of a mass shooting which left at least 20 people dead on August 3, 2019 in El Paso, Texas. A 21-year-old male suspect was taken into custody in the city which sits along the U.S.-Mexico border. At least 26 people were wounded. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Despite the recent mass shootings, there is room in some news cycles for other recent international news, like with what is happening in Venezuela with more sanctions being imposed on the country by the US. Complimenting this recent development is a look back by FAIR on coverage of their president Nicolás Maduro and the US back opposition Juan Guaidó.

NPR image of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro

The trade wars initiated by Trump have recently been ratcheted up once more as China responded to Trump saying he’ll increase tariffs in September by not taking in agricultural produce, further hurting American farmers. This shows, as Truthdigreports, a misunderstanding by the Trump administration that sometimes beating up on a seemingly weaker country like China won’t have the intended affect, and in some cases may even backfire.  

Neoliberalism Has Met Its Match in China

Whenever mass shootings happen, there are always the common tropes that politicians and pundits jump to in order to push their agenda, whether that be video games or the actual guns. Mental health problems are one of the usual suspects those who don’t want to talk about gun control rely on after each mass shooting, and Democracy Now! reports on why that is a what is causing these shootings.  

With the recent decision by Trump to have the US leave the INF treaty with Russia, the conversation of nuclear armament on both sides gets restarted once more. Trying to bring some context into leaving the treaty, CounterPunch reports on the history of the US and nuclear arms treaties, and how America has a tendency to not try negotiating when it comes to nuclear weapons and instead opting to intimidate through the US military.  

The threat of climate change is not something people like to acknowledge, but that doesn’t stop the UN from publishing a new special report on what must be done soon if we are to reverse the worst consequences of climate change. The Real News Network reports on the highlights of the report and what it means for the world moving forward, and what we should be doing to stop the worst from happening.  


 

The recent sanctions against Venezuela have lead the US to become even more suspicious American citizens who go to the country and in their attempts to return. This follows a report by The Grayzone, who describes a US citizen being detained and being told they had no rights by Customs and Border Protection after they returned from a visit to Venezuela with Grayzone reporters. 

 

Justin Miller with this weeks Tweet of the Week:

While many who support causes championed by those on the left like equal rights and raising the minimum wage, the attempts to try and thwart the advancement of different progressive causes are not always something that deserve attention. This is the position taken by The Ghion Journal, who discuss a possible straight pride rally being held in Boston at the end of August and how by protesting this event, those on the left are giving legitimacy to something that should not be given that privilege. 
 

This image released by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shows a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officer guarding suspected illegal aliens on August 7, 2019
The HEADLINES:
1. Trump: El Paso shooting patients being treated at hospital ‘refused to meet with president’ (The Independent)2. The Amazon Publishing Juggernaut (The Atlantic)

3. Police Are Investigating Interracial Couple’s Home Explosion As Possible Hate Crime (HuffPost)

4. US immigration: ICE releases 300 people after Mississippi raids (BBC)

5. Corbyn: Johnson plotting abuse of power to force no-deal Brexit (The Guardian)