• The International Criminal Court is opening an inquiry into atrocities committed by the Myanmar Army against Rohingya Muslims in the fall of 2017. Over 700,000 Rohingya were forced to flee into Bangladesh as their villages were burned by the Myanmar military, while the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi failed to accept any responsibility for the abuses.
(“Myanmar Rohingya Crisis: ICC Begins Inquiry Into Atrocities,” Guardian, Sept. 19, 2018; “UN Calls for Genocidal Tribunal Over Rohingya Crisis,” CNN News, Sept. 19, 2018; “A Blow to Press Freedom: World Reacts to Jailing of Reuters Journalists in Myanmar,” Guardian, Sept 3, 2018)
• The Trump administration’s Council of Economic Advisors is deliberately undercounting the official poverty rate in the United States. It is part of a broader rightwing campaign make dramatic cuts to public assistance programs. Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office reported this spring nearly half of all benefits going to social safety net programs went to people formerly viewed as Middle Class.
(“Trump Launches Aggressive Poverty Disinformation Campaign,” American Prospect, Sept. 10, 2018)
• Conservative commentator Max Boot joined the “anyone but Trump” camp in the Republican Party soon after Trump launched his campaign focused on stoking anti-immigrant hatred. Along with other conservative critics of Trump, Boot quit the Republican Party after the 2016 election, and soon became a regular pundit on cable news identified with the “Newer Trump” movement.
(“Rebels on the Right,” Christian Science Monitor, Sept. 3, 2018)
