FEATURING RUBY CORADO – The New York Times on Sunday revealed the contents of a memo it had obtained showing that the Trump administration through the Department of Health and Human Services was, “spearheading an effort to establish a legal definition of sex under Title IX, the federal civil rights law that bans gender discrimination in education programs that receive government financial assistance.”

In other words, “The agency’s proposed definition would define sex as either male or female, unchangeable, and determined by the genitals that a person is born with, according to a draft reviewed by The Times. Any dispute about one’s sex would have to be clarified using genetic testing.”

Transgender activists and their advocates have been quick to respond to the attack. On social media, the hashtag #WontBeErased quickly began spreading and hundreds of people have been protesting in front of the White House this week.

Ruby Corado, founder of Casa Ruby,a transgender-women of color run and led organization and the only bilingual, multicultural LGBT organization in Washington, D.C.

FEATURING KATHY KELLY – For only the second time since the fall of the Taliban government in Afghanistan 17 years ago, Afghans went to the polls for Parliamentary representation. Sunday’s election had to be extended by a day as violence marred voting. Even ahead of the elections, multiple attacks took place with scores of people killed, including high-level officials. In fact, parliamentary elections were scheduled to be held 3 years ago but have been repeatedly postponed due to violence.

All told, about 4 million Afghans voted, about half the eligible population – a remarkable feat given the threats of violence. The Parliamentary election was held just a few weeks after the 17th anniversary of the US war that began in 2001. The Afghanistan war remains the longest official US war in history. There are Presidential elections scheduled for next year.

For more information visit www.ourjourneytosmile.com.

Kathy Kelly, co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence. She has traveled to Afghanistan many times and worked closely with the Afghan Peace Volunteers.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave his highly anticipated speech on the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi on Tuesday morning. He spoke as Saudi Arabia’s international investment forum known as “Davos in the Desert” was opening – a forum that has suffered from an international boycott in recent days over the Khashoggi killing. He later added, “Neither the Vienna Convention nor other international laws allow the investigation into such a brutal murder to be cloaked behind the shield of diplomatic immunity.” Erdogan made no mention of the audio recording of the murder that news outlets have reported on. Saudi authorities have arrested 18 people in connection with the killing but Erdogan wants them to be charged in Turkey. Gina Haspel, the Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency flew to Turkey on Monday to work on the investigation.

The caravan of Central American migrants that began in Honduras with about 2,000 people has now swelled to more than 5,000 as it makes its way through Mexico toward the US. As of Tuesday morning the migrants were still more than a thousand miles south of the US border in McAllen, Texas. The caravan was organized by the group Pueblo Sin Fronteras and is the second one this year. In an interview with USA Today on Monday Trump made another wild claim with no evidence – this time saying that the caravan had “people from the Middle East” among its numbers. He repeated that claim on Twitter saying, “Criminals and unknown Middle Easterners are mixed in.” He also said on Monday that he would begin cutting aid to Central American nations. But Associated Press reported that, “For hours on Monday, White House officials were unable to provide an explanation for the president’s threats, which reflected both his apparent frustration with the migrant caravan and his determination to transform it into Republican election gains.”

On Monday Trump rallied for his one-time nemesis Republican Senator Ted Cruz in Texas, who is running in a tight race against popular Democrat Beto O’Rourke to keep his seat. Trump continued his anti-immigrant rhetoric at the rally and laid the blame for the migrant influx at the feet of Democrats. He said without evidence that Democrats were, “encouraging millions of illegal aliens to break our laws, violate our borders and overwhelm our nation,” and “have launched an assault on the sovereignty of our country.” At the same rally he announced his intention to pass a new tax cut and also called himself a “nationalist.” 

In other news, activists have been quick to respond to the Trump Administration’s decision to revert to antiquated notions of gender identity and eliminate gains made by transgender Americans. On social media, the hashtag #WontBeErased quickly began spreading after the New York Times first reported on the memo indicating the change this past Sunday. According to the Times, the Trump Administration’s, “new definition would essentially eradicate federal recognition of the estimated 1.

FEATURING SHONALI BOSE – The world’s largest democracy is finally having its own #MeToo moment, just about a year after the movement burst into the national consciousness in the US. India has been rocked with scandal after scandal in nearly every major industry, from the film industry, television, comedy, journalism, the government, and even the cricket board.

For decades Indian women have been protesting pervasive sexism from street-level harassment to Bollywood’s “casting couch” and several high-profile cases of brutal gang rapes. But now, many women are feeling emboldened to come forward about incidents that they felt compelled to remain silent about for years, and some men are feeling the consequences with public shaming and the loss of their jobs and positions.

Shonali Bose, award winning filmmaker, director, screenwriter and producer. Her films ‘Amu’ and ‘Margarita With A Straw,’ have won numerous awards.

FEATURING KEVIN MARTIN – President Donald Trump has announced he will pull the US out of a major nuclear weapons treaty with Russia. The President’s reasoning was that Russia had apparently violated the treaty many times and it was unfair in his mind for Russia to, “go out and do weapons [while] we’re not allowed to.” He said after a campaign rally in Nevada, “I don’t know why President [Barack] Obama didn’t negotiate or pull out…They’ve been violating it for many years.” Obama did rebuke Russia following the testing of a banned weapon in 2014 but he kept the US in the treaty over European fears of a new arms race. According to the BBC, Trump’s, “decision to walk away from the agreement marks a significant setback for arms control.”

According to the BBC, Trump’s, “decision to walk away from the agreement marks a significant setback for arms control.” Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, who had signed the original treaty with US President Ronald Reagan has also slammed Trump’s move. US National Security Adviser John Bolton is currently in Moscow for a trip that was scheduled previously and is speaking with his Russian counterparts about the treaty withdrawal. News outlets are reporting that it was Bolton’s idea for Trump to back out of the treaty.

Kevin Martin, President of Peace Action.

President Donald Trump has announced he will pull the US out of a major nuclear weapons treaty with Russia. The President’s reasoning was that Russia had apparently violated the treaty many times and it was unfair in his mind for Russia to, “go out and do weapons [while] we’re not allowed to.” He said after a campaign rally in Nevada, “I don’t know why President [Barack] Obama didn’t negotiate or pull out…They’ve been violating it for many years.” Obama did rebuke Russia following the testing of a banned weapon in 2014 but he kept the US in the treaty over European fears of a new arms race. According to the BBC, Trump’s, “decision to walk away from the agreement marks a significant setback for arms control.”

In news from across the border, the migrant caravan that was heading to the US from Honduras entered Mexico over the weekend and clashed with Mexican police. The caravan broke through two barriers on its way through the northern Guatemala border into Mexico. There, according to the New York Times, “After a tense hour-long standoff, during which migrants hurled objects at the police, including rocks and shoes, the police fired canisters of tear gas, forcing the migrants into a retreat.” After the standoff, the migrants formed lines and were processed by Mexican authorities.

The group of about 2,000 has now swelled to more than 5,000, much to the chagrin of President Donald Trump who has made political hay from the situation. On Sunday Trump tweeted, “Full efforts are being made to stop the onslaught of illegal aliens from crossing our Souther[n] Border. People have to apply for asylum in Mexico first, and if they fail to do that, the U.S. will turn them away. The courts are asking the U.S. to do things that are not doable!” He added in a second tweet, “The Caravans are a disgrace to the Democrat Party. Change the immigration laws NOW!” He gave no explanation as to how the Democratic Party might have created conditions in Central America on its own that led to the exodus.

In the on-going story of the missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi Arabian government has finally admitted to his death calling it a “huge and grave mistake,” but claimed that Khashoggi died in a “fistfight.” Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said to press, “This was an operation that was a rogue operation. This was an operation where individuals ended up exceeding the authorities and responsibilities they had.” He added, “They made the mistake when they killed Jamal Khashoggi in the consulate and they tried to cover up for it.” The admission came after days of absolute denials of knowledge of how Khashoggi disappeared. Authorities still maintain that Crown Prince Salman bin Mohammad had no knowledge of the killing even though members of his personal entourage are deeply implicated. According to Reuters, “The latest account includes details on how 15 Saudis sent to confront Khashoggi had threatened him with being drugged and kidnapped and killed him in a chokehold when he resisted. A member of the team dressed in Khashoggi’s clothes to make it appear as if he had left the consulate.” But Turkish authorities contradict the account saying they have a recording of how Khashoggi was tortured within minutes of entering the consulate and then drugged, mutilated, and dismembered.

FEATURING HANNAH HAFTER – Trump has been using his Twitter account to threaten the governments of Central American nations over a migrant caravan heading to the United States. Earlier this week he tweeted, “Anybody entering the United States illegally will be arrested and detained, prior to being sent back to their country!” and then in a separate tweet he said, “We have today informed the countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador that if they allow their citizens, or others, to journey through their borders and up to the United States, with the intention of entering our country illegally, all payments made to them will STOP (END)!”

There are reports of about 2,000 Hondurans traveling north to the US in a large caravan. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is headed to Central America this month. On Thursday morning Trump went further on Twitter threatening to send the US military to the border, saying, “I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught – and if unable to do so I will call up the U.S. Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!”

Hannah Hafter, Senior Grassroots Organizer with Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.

FEATURING LATHOSA BROWN – Just weeks ahead of the critical midterm elections on November 6th, the state of Georgia is once more making the news for rampant voter suppression. Secretary of State Brian Kemp, who oversees elections, and is a favorite of President Trump is himself running in a high-profile gubernatorial race against popular African American candidate Stacey Abrams. Kemp has overseen multiple efforts to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of disproportionately black voters in what many are calling a blatant conflict of interest.

In addition to 107,000 Georgia voters being purged from the rolls for simply not voting in the last few elections, 53,000 voters have had their right to vote being “placed on hold” by the State Secretary’s office. The reason for the holds is apparently discrepancy in the voter registration. Now news has emerged that state officials are using an unreliable method of “handwriting analysis” to compare voter signatures and toss their registrations out.

On top of all of that, a voting rights group called Black Voters Matter was busing a group of black seniors for a voter outreach event when state authorities ordered the group off the bus.

For more information visit www.blackvotersmatterfund.org.

LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter.

President Trump has announced that it “certainly looks” like Saudi Arabian journalist and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi is dead and that there will be a, “very severe” response from the United States if it turns out that Saudi authorities were involved in his killing at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey where he was last seen.

Turkish authorities say they have audio evidence and one Turkish source says they played it for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his visit this week and that he was given a transcript of the recording but State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said, “Secretary Pompeo has neither heard a tape nor has he seen a transcript related to Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance.” When he was first asked about the tape Pompeo said, “I don’t have anything to say about that.” Upon his return to the US, Pompeo briefed the President on the matter and then spoke with reporters outside the White House. 

Meanwhile a surveillance photo was leaked to the press on Thursday showing a man who is part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s entourage in Istanbul at the time of Khashoggi’s disappearance. According to Associated Press, “The man, identified by Turkish officials as Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb, has been photographed in the background of Prince Mohammed’s trips to the U.S., France and Spain this year. Turkish officials say he flew into Istanbul on a private jet along with an ‘autopsy expert’ Oct. 2 and left that night.” That was the same day that Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul never to be seen again.

Meanwhile international business partners have continued to drop out of Saudi Arabia’s “Future Investment” initiative in the wake of Khashoggi’s disappearance. On Thursday Fox Business News, which was the last remaining media outlet left, also pulled its participation. Earlier in the day US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin announced he would also not be attending.

President Trump on Thursday attended a rally in Missoula, Montana. Ahead of his appearance Will Deschamps Sr., the former state GOP chairman made a provocative statement on Facebook saying, “For all the prospective attendees to the Trump event. Come early. Also all you protesters, show up as well. This is a concealed and open carry state and we know how to use em.” There were protesters ready to greet the President in Montana. As Air Force One was in the air, Trump might have spied some local landmarks being transformed into messages. The words “LIAR,” and “IMPEACH” were spelled out in large letters. Trump had won the state of Montana by 20 points in 2016. During his speech in Missoula, Trump continued his and his party’s favorite theme of promoting violence by praising Montana Republican Greg Gianforte for assaulting a Guardian newspaper reporter last year. Congressman pled guilty to misdemeanor assault last June and was sentenced to a 180-day deferred sentence and 40 hours of community service among other penalties.

A defamation case that was brought by a woman who had accused Trump of sexual assault continues through courts and ...

FEATURING SIMON MOYA-SMITH – Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is under attack for taking a DNA test in response to President Trump’s repeated goading of her claims of Native American ethnicity. The potential Presidential candidate and progressive Democrat, unveiled in elaborate detail the results of a DNA test that apparently showed she had Native American ancestry going back 6-8 generations, including a slickly produced video.

Although she said she does not claim membership in any tribe, the Cherokee Nation’s spokesperson Chuck Hoskin shot back saying, “Using a DNA test to lay claim to any connection to the Cherokee Nation or any tribal nation, even vaguely, is inappropriate and wrong.” He added, “Senator Warren is undermining tribal interests with her continued claims of tribal heritage.”

President Trump, has repeatedly belittled Warren calling her “Pocahontas.” He attacked Obama in a similar way constantly claiming the President was not a natural born US citizen.

Read Simon’s Op-ed on CNN.com, “I am a Native American. I have some questions for Elizabeth Warren,” HERE. Follow his work on Twitter @SimonMoyaSmith.

Simon Moya-Smith is an Oglala Lakota and Chicano journalist. He recently wrote an op-ed on CNN.com entitled, “I am a Native American. I have some questions for Elizabeth Warren.” He is the author of the forthcoming book, “Your Spirit Animal is a Jackass.”