Open up space for Political Action on Climate Change. Amy students, professors and alumni are continuing to blockade key Administrative Offices at harvard. Well get the latest. All that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Lowwage workers in the United States have staged their largest action to date, with some 60,000 workers walking off the job in over 200 cities to demand a 15anhour minimum wage. The actions got together fast food workers, childcare providers walmart clerks , adjunct professors and airport workers to demand wage increases and the right to unionize. Organizers staged the action on tax day to highlight the cost to taxpayers of supporting workers who are underpaid. A new study says low wages are forcing working families to rely on more than 150 billion in public assistance. Well have more on the historic protests after headlines. In iraq the selfproclaimed , Islamic State has gained new ground claiming several villages , near ramadi, the capital of anbar province. The takeover of at least three villages poses the greatest threat to date by isil against ramadi, which lies about 70 miles west of the capital baghdad. Iraqi Prime MinisterHaider Alabadi has sharply criticized the saudiled bombing of Houthi Rebels in yemen, escalating tensions between two key u. S. Allies. Speaking to reporters in washington, abadi said the saudi operation had no logic and could trigger a wider regional conflict. Saudi arabias ambassador to the u. S. Hit back at iraq, defending the u. S. Supported offensive and denying reports of heavy civilian casualties. Human rights watch, meanwhile, has called for an investigation into airstrikes by the Saudiled Coalition on a dairy in yemen, which it says at least 31 civilians were killed. Nbc news has changed its story about the 2012 kidnapping of chief Foreign CorrespondentRichard Engel in syria after reportg by the New York Times called his account into question. Engel had said he was captured by shiite forces loyal to the government of syrian president bashar alassad. But after the times found engel was likely captured by sunni militants affiliated with the opposition free syrian army, engel issued a statement saying the group was sunni, not shiite, but had put on an elaborate ruse to convince us they were shiite shabiha militiamen. In ukraine, a prominent journalist has been shot dead in the capital kiev. Ukraines interior Ministry Said oles buzina was attacked by masked gunmen. His death comes after a former lawmaker and ally of ousted president Viktor Yanukovych was found shot to death in kiev on wednesday. About 400 migrants have perished off the coast of libya after the boat they were traveling in capsized. Rescuers managed to save 145 people, including at least one baby, but hundreds more appear to have drowned. Amnesty international criticized European Countries for their approach of migrants seeking to cross saying european governments ongoing negligence towards the humanitarian crisis in the mediterranean has contributed to a more than 50fold increase in migrant and refugee deaths since the beginning of 2015. The colombian government has as moved to resume its bombing of farc rebels following what colombian president juan manual santos called a deliberate attack by the farc. Santos said the attack, which killed 10 soldiers and one rebel, marked a breach of the farcs unilateral ceasefire. This is a reprehensible act and it will not go without punishment. It requires decisive action, and there will be consequences. We are going to pursue those responsible for the dispensable despicable act. Amy president santos did not suspend historic peace talks between the farc and colombian government aimed at ending the 50year conflict. A mailman from florida has landed a tiny personal aircraft on the lawn of the u. S. Capitol in a protest to demand Campaign Finance reform. Doug hughes was carrying letters to every member of congress , calling for them to address corruption. He flew about an hour from maryland into restricted airspace and onto the capitols west lawn, stunning authorities and bystanders. He was immediately arrested. Before taking off, hughes had spoken about his plans to the tampa bay times. Im going to violate the nofly zone. I intend for nobody to get heard. And im going to land on the capital mall in front of the capitol building. Im going to have 535 letters strapped to the landing gear in boxes, and those letters are going to be addressed to every member of congress. I dont believe that the authorities are going to shoot down a sixyearold mailman flying a bicycle. Amy hughes action comes after another apparent protest at the capitol which received far less attention. On saturday, 22yearold leo thornton shot himself to Death Outside the capitol while bearing a protest sign that said, tax the one percent. The European Union has unveiled antitrust charges against google. Eu antitrust chief Margarethe Vestager said google appears to be favoring its own products in web search results. Our investigation so far has shown that when a consumer enters a shopping have in related query in Google Search engine shoppingrelated query in Google Search engine, it systematically displays prominent at the top of the search results. This display is irrespective of whether it is the most relevant response to the query. Amy eu regulators have also launched an antirust investigation into googles android smartphone software. A protester opposed to the austerity policies of the European Central bank interrupted a News Conference by the banks president mario draghi, jumping on a desk in front of draghi and showering him with confetti made from a statement condemning the ecbs neoliberal policies. She wore a tshirt that said and the ecb dictatorship. Hillary clinton has shifted her stance on samesex marriage just days after announcing her bid for the democratic president ial nomination. Clinton opposed samesex marriage as a candidate in 2008, then came out in support of it in 2013, but suggested it should be handled by the states. On wednesday, a clinton spokesperson said in a statement clinton supports Marriage Equality as a constitutional right. Six people were arrested after occupying the lobby to bps headquarters in houston, texas ahead of the fifth anniversary of the explosion and oil spill which devastated the gulf of mexico. On april 20, 2010, the deepwater horizon rig exploded, killing 11 workers and triggering the worst offshore oil spill in u. S. History. Among those arrested wednesday were cherri foytlin, from south louisiana. I have seen with my own eyes the devastation this spell has caused and continues to cause to this state. The disaster is not over. Oil continues to run into our marshes and reaches. The longest mortality event in the recorded history of the gulf of mexico. What i mainly concerned about is the toxic dispersants they used during the spill that is causing a grave health issue for the people in the gulf lost up i have seen children who are sick. In the early days, we had rashes and respiratory problems, now it is moving in a cancer, aggressive cancers. Parts of where i live in louisiana, just south of us, they say theyre bearing about a person a week. Amy protesters say the action is one of several planned for the leadup to the spills anniversary, including an action today outside bps annual Shareholder Meeting in london. The Chicago City Council has agreed to pay a 5 million settlement to the family of an africanamerican 17yearold who was killed when a Police Officer shot him 16 times. Police say Laquan Mcdonald was armed with a knife when an officer killed him in october. But attorneys for the family say unreleased video from a Police Dashboard camera shows mcdonald was walking away from police at the time. The news comes as the City Council Also considers a 5. 5 million Reparations Fund for victims of police torture. Under the rein of Chicago Police commander jon burge, from 1972 to 1991, up to 120 africanamerican men were tortured with tactics, including electric shocks and suffocation. Newly reelected mayor rahm emanuel has backed a reparations proposal, which includes Free City College tuition for victims and relatives, counseling services, a memorial to victims, inclusion of burges actions in school curriculum, and a formal apology. In oklahoma, the tulsa world newspaper reports supervisors at the Tulsa County Sheriffs Office were ordered to falsify the Training Records of a reserve deputy charged with manslaughter for the Fatal Shooting of unarmed africanamerican eric harris. Robert bates is a wealthy insurance executive who donated heavily to the tulsa police department. At least three of bates supervisors were reportedly transferred after refusing to falsify his training and certification records. In southern texas, immigrant mothers held with their children in a private Detention Center have launched a new Hunger Strike and work stoppage to demand their release. The women are Asylum Seekers who say they have been denied bond despite having established a , credible fear of violence if they return to Central America. Honduran migrant Kenia Galeano who spent five months in detention with her twoyearold son before being released on bond, described how she was put in isolation as punishment after joining an earlier Hunger Strike. We know that we had to find a way to let people outside what was happening inside. We started the Hunger Strike. There were three of us, three mothers who were placed in isolation. And inside this room, it was really cold. It was dark. There was a bed and the toilet was right next to the bed, where we had to go to the bed. My son was in there with me this entire time. Amy for more on the Hunger Strike and conditions at the karnes Detention Center, you can go to democracynow. Org. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with nermeen shaikh. Nermeen welcome to all our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. Lowwage workers in the United States have staged the largest action today to demand a 15 an hour minimum wage with some 60,000 workers walking off the job in over 200 cities. Protesters included fastfood workers, homecare aides childcare providers, walmart clerks, adjunct professors airport workers and other lowwage workers. The Service Employees international union, or seiu helped organize the campaign. In chicago, demonstrators held signs saying, we are worth more while in new york, dozens of protesters temporarily halted business at a mcdonalds by staging a diein, lying on the ground in front of the franchise. Several new york protesters carried signs saying, we work hard and we see wage slavery. Protesters included Jemere Calhoun who works at two Mcdonalds Restaurants. Were fighting for 15 in the union. 15 minimum wage. We feel that is what we need and what we deserve and it is only humane. We are for a union because without a union, i mean, it is tough to enforce these rules that these companies ignore or to simply dont care about. We need benefits. We need health care. We need sick days. We need maternity leave. These things are really important families. Amy organizers say the action was held on tax day to highlight the public assistance needed to support underpaid workers. A new study says low wages are forcing working families to rely on more than 150 billion in public assistance. According to the university of California Center for Labor Research and education, more than half of combined state and federal spending on public assistance goes to working families. President obama has been pushing to raise the current federal minimum wage of 7. 25 to 10. 10. On the state level, colorado maine, california, oregon and washington are all considering increasing their minimum wage to 12 an hour. Meanwhile, the center for economic and Public Research says the minimum wage would be more than 18 an hour if it had risen as fast as productivity since 1968. For more, were joined by Steven Greenhouse. He is a former labor and workplace reporter for the New York Times. He has been covering the fight for 15 movement extensively. On wednesday, he cowrote a piece for the guardian called, fight for 15 swells into largest protest by lowwage workers in u. S. History. He is also the author of, the big squeeze tough times for the american worker. Welcome to democracy now talk about the significance of what is been described as the largest lowwage protest in u. S. History this began in november 2012 as a oneday affair in new york with 200 strikers. Lo and behold, it has grown into a fairly mighty oak with over 200 cities supporting actions in over 30 countries, 60 thousand workers. It has really put several things into the national discussion. One, the issue of lowwage workers and the difficulties it takes to live on 7. 25 or eight dollars an hour. Second, it has also changed the conversation not about were just concerned about minimum wage, but establish a living wage. It is brought up the question whether even 10. 10 an hour that president obama is pushing begins to be adequate. We have even seen some companies, mcdonalds, walmart target, raise their wages. A lot of people say it is the result partly of these pressure campaigns come also because of the tightening labor market. At the same time, saying they would like to see walmart target, go up to 16 an hour which is a big leap. Nermeen what are some of the groups involved in making the movement so large . Here in new york, theres a Group Representing many africanamericans hispanics poor people. They work with the union. This protest yesterday they started working closely with civil Rights Groups across the country, black lives matter labor unions in general are very involved. The Service Employee union has been millions of dollars getting this going, hiring organizers. It has really created a movement that people around the country are saying, there is something new here, this is an just workers at a few restaurants. This isnt just workers at a few restaurants. This is a movement of fast food workers, walmart workers janitors, homecare aides, and politicians are starting to pay attention. Amy can you talk about the convergence of the different movements . Black lives matter, immigrants right movement, occupy before that. Go back to 1968. Dr. Martin luther king died trying to organize the poor peoples campaign. Talk about this trajectory. I went to atlanta a few weeks ago. How they were deliberately trying to combine the movement of the fast food workers at the Civil Rights Movement to show it is not just trying to raise pay a few dollars an hour, but economic injustice and social injustice movement. The meeting was held and reverend kings former church. It was very moving. A lot of the language they used, rhetoric theyre using, comes out of the Civil Rights Movement that i am a man. It is really snowballing. One big change ive seen since i started covering this in november 2012, many, many we often think of lowwage workers are scared this it their heads above because they could get fired or get in trouble and many are immigrants worried that things will happen to them. People are usually embolden. When i interview a lot of these workers, they are happy to give me their names. Amy 150 billion public assistance . That goes to working families . Explain the significance of this, something that i think people across the country identify with, that regular working people and poor working people are supporting these large corporations like walmart and mcdonalds i havent up a public assistance for the workers. There is this notion that everyone receives public assistance isnt working isnt looking for a job. The study out of berkeley found three quarters of the money nationwide spent on public assistance or the systems, medicaid goes to families with at least one person working. This is in a drug subsidy like wendys and burger king and mcdonalds and taco bell and walmart which often pay 7. 25 nine dollars an hour, and it is your a to raise your self, no less two or three kids, if you are earning that much. It is hard enough to raise yourself, no less two or three kids, if youre earning that much. Subsidizing the walmart and mcdonalds. Mcdonalds respond, thanks in