About what she calls the predatory mindset of donald trump. How was it possible a nation of people felt ok with electing a selfconfessed Sexual Assault her. How is it possible we feel ok with bannon who seems to be running the show right now who is known to have beaten his wife . Amy we will also speak to congolese activist Christine Schuler deschryver. And then the bronxborn puerto rican musician Alynda Segarra of hurray for the riff raff joins as today to play some of her new music and talk about the role of artists in the age of trump. It is really a time to put all of these ideas that i always had into practice and i look to my idols like i look to nina simone, bell hooks, to Sylvia Rivera to give me strength. Amy all that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Wikileaks has published what it says is the largest leak of secret cia documents in history. The thousands of documents, dubbed vault 7, describe cia programs and tools thahat are capable of hacking into both apple and android cell phones. By hacking into entire phones, the cia is then reportedly able to bypass encrypted message programs such as signal, telegram, and whatsapp, although, contrary to many news reports, the documents do not show the cia has developed tools to hack these encrypted services themselves. The documents also outline a cia and brititish intelllligence prm called weeping angel, through which the spy agency can hack into a Samsung Smart television and turn it into a surveillance device that records audio conversations, even when it appears to be off. Other documents describe ways to hack into skype, wifi networks, pdfs, and commercial antivirus programs. The leak also shows the cia has reportedly looked for ways to hack into cars and trucks, which wikileaks said would permit the cia to engage in nearly undetectable assassinations. Other documents outline how the cia has used the u. S. Consulate in frankfurt, germany, as a covert base to spy on europe, the middle east and africa. , mondays release totals 7818 web pages and 943 attachments, which wikileaks saysys comes frm the cicias center foror Cyber Intelligence in langley, virginia. Some of the material was redacted by wikileaks to avoid releasing the actual computer code used in the programs. Says mondaysaks release is only the first batch of many more secret cia documents. The cia has refused to comment on the authenticity of the documentnts, but at t least onee anonymouous governmement officil told thehe new yorkrk times te documents were real, while another former Intelligence Officer told the times the code names used in the documents appeared to be accurate. Wikileaks did not reveal the source of the leak, but did say the source wishes to initiate a public debate about the security, creation, use, proliferation and democratic control of cyberweapons. On twitter, Edward Snowden said the cia reports show the u. S. Government developing vulnerabilities in u. S. Products then intentionally keeping the , holes open. Reckless beyond words. Tensions are rising g between te United States, north korea, and china, threatening to create the first Significant National security crisis of the trump presidency. This week, the United States began n deploying a Missile Defense systemem to south korer, sparking warnings from chinese officials who say the u. S. Is escalating a regional arms race. The u. S. Says the deployment of the terminal High Altitude area defense system, known as thaad, seeks to protect south korea amid a series of recent missile tests launched by north korea. On monday, north korea launched its latest test of four ballistic missiles, three of which reportedly landed less than 200 miles from japans coastline. North korea says the m missiles are seeking to h hit u. S. Basesn japan. The deployment of the u. S. Missile system is widely opposed by both south koreans, who have been protesting against u. S. Militarization, and by chinese officials, who say the Missile System actually aims to counter chinas military power in e region, not to contain north korea. Chinese officials are calling for both an end to north Koreas Nuclear program and an end to join u. S. And south Korean Military drills. This is the Chinese Foreign minister wang yi. As a first step, north korea should suspend Nuclear Activity in the u. S. And south korea should also suspend largescale military drills. And with both sides stopping to avoid the current security dilemma and returned to the negotiating table. Later, based on a dual track strategy, we will realize denuclearization and establish a peace mechanism on the peninsula to simultananeously and equally resolve the concerns of all parties. Amy on tuesday, the u. S. Also imposed a 1. 19 billion penalty against the Chinese Telecommunications company zte over allegations it had broken u. S. Laws against selling u. S. Made technology to north korea and iran. This morning zte said it would , plead guilty and pay nearly 900 million to settle the case. In washington, d. C. , divisions erupted within the Republican Party over the gop plan, unveiled monday, to repeal much of the Affordable Care act monday, including its expansion of medicaid. Factions within the Republican Party that had hoped to repeal obamacare all together revolted against the bill monday, calling it obamacare lite. Conservative groups, including Heritage Action for america and the Koch BrothersGroup Americans for prosperity also , condemned the bill. If more than a dozen House Republicans refuse to vote for the bill, it could fail to pass the house. Other republicans spent monday backing the plan, including speaker of the house paul ryan, who vowed tuesday the nightmare of obamacare is about to end. Utah republican congressman Jason Chaffetz also tried to defend the bill tuesday in an interview with Alisyn Camerota on cnn, but instead sparked controversy. You know what . Americans have choices. They have to make a choice. Rather than getting that new iphohone they love and want to o spend hundreds of dollars on it, maybe they should invest in their own health care. Amy on twitter, people immediately condemned congressman chaffetzs comments, including bestselling author roxane gay, who wrote, my broken ankle cost 117,000 so thats around 234 iphones. Democratic lawmakers demanded special counsel be appointed to lead any investigation into russian hacking of the 2016 president ial election, during the Senate Judiciary committees confirmation hearing for Deputy Attorney general Rod Rosenstein tuesday. Rosenstein would take over any investigation into the russian hacking, following attorney general Jeff Sessions decision to recuse himself. That came after revelations he met with russias ambassador to the u. S. While serving as a campaign surrogate for donald trump. Minnesota senator al franken has accused sessions of committing perjury during his confirmation hearing for not revealing these meetings. On tuesday, California Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein questioned rosenstein during his confirmation hearing about whether he would appoint spial counsesel for any investigation into russian hacking of the election. Given allll of this in the heightened level of distrust on all sides, do you suppoport the appointment of an independent special counsel to look into these matters . The answer is, im simply not in a position to answer the question because i do not know the information that they know, the folks who are in the decision position to make a decision. When i am in that position, i they are correct. I have a lot of respect for them. If i determine they are mistaken, then i would overrule them. Amy on tuesday, sean spicers of President Trump is not substantiated his claims that president obama capped his phones and the 2016 election because of separation of powers. This is byby serving questioion. This is b by serviving questio. Why wouould be p president oe congngress to be theres a separation of powers aspspect. [inaudible] it t is not t a question o of wasted. It is apprpropriateness. If he is sittining on this informatioion, if he fofound ou is nowow directing w were asking you talkommendingg about the have resources and staff, whichch they dodo, whyhyd those resources and staff . I think theres a difference between direrecting the departrt of justice, whicich maybe i invd in Ongoing Investigation and asking congresess as a separate body amy separation of powers does not prevent trump f from asking ththe fbi directly about any potential wiretaps if they exist, nor does it prevent the president from sharing information from congress. In dresden, germany, a trial has begun for eight people accused of forming a Rightwing Terrorist Group aimed at carrying out attacks on refugee homes. Prosecutors say the Group Carried out at least five attacks, including two on refugees homes. A recent report by Germanys Interior Ministry says refugees and migrants in germany faced more than 3500 attacks last year, which injured more than 500 people, including children. Meanwhile, t the Hungarian Parliament has passed a law allowiwing for all asylum seekes to be imprisoned and then forced reported to serbia. Ladies and gentlemen, the migratation crisis will last unl the root causes are dealt with. It isit is recognize that the trojan would horse of terrorism. Amy the United Nations says the law would allow hungary to imprison all refugees, including children, in border camps made of shipping containers. International human Rights Groups have condemned hungarys treatment of refugees. In lancaster, south carolina, police are investigating the murder of harnish patel, the fourth indian man to be shot, and the second to be killed, within the last few weeks. The 43yearold man was shot and killed in front of his own home on thursday, after returning home from working at the speedee Mart Convenience store, which he owned. Patel had lived in the United States for 14 years. Local news reports he was married and had one child in elementary school. He was shot and killed only one day before a sikh man, deep rai, was shot and wounded outside his home in n kent, washington, by a man who yelled go back to your country. Both shootings come after Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot and killed by a white man in kansas who yelled get out of my country, before opening fire on him and his friend, alok madasani, who was wounded in the attack. A new wave of bomb threats against Jewish Community centers swepept the u. S. This week swept the u. S. This week with reported threats against jccs in new york, wisconsin, illinois, and florida. On tuesday, a letter s signed by all 100 u. S. Senators urged attorney general Jeff Sessions, fbi director james comey and , Homeland Security secretary john kelly to take action. Mayor bill de blasio also spoke out against the attacks on tuesday. We know what new threats are coming in liberally as of today literally as of today. This is a very troubling reality. This is a moment in time, a moment in history where forces of hate have been unleashed. Amy in breaking news from afghanistan, afghan Officials Say as many as 30 people have been killed after gunmen stormed the Military Hospital inin kabul. Isis has claimed responsibility for the attack. Officials say the gunmen dressed as medics in order to gain access to the hospital. At least 50 people were also wounded in the attack. Women in more than 50 countries are expected to take part in major protests and strikes today for International Womens day. Here in the United States, thousands of women are staging a oneday strike in whats been dubbed a day without a woman. In virginia, the entire Public School system of alexandria is closed today after 300 women requested the day off. Some schools are also closing in chapel hill, North Carolina, and here in new york city. Well have more on International Womens day and the day without a woman strike after headlines. And the radical civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart has died at the age of 77 from complications of cancer and a recent series of strokes. A former teacher and librarian, Lynne Stewart was known as a peoples lawyer who represented the poor and revolutionaries. Many considered her a political prisoner herself when she was given a 10year sentence for distributing press releases on behalf of one of her clients, omar abdelrahman, an egyptian cleric known as the blind sheikh, who was convicted of conspiring to blow up the United Nations and other new york city landmarks. While held in federal prison for nearly four years, Lynne Stewart suffered from stage iv Breast Cancer that metastasized. She was given 18 months to live. After months of campaigning, a federal judge ordered her compassionate release. And on new years day 2014, democracy now was at the airport when Lynne Stewart triumphantly returned to new york with her husband Ralph Poynter and was met by her family and friends. Lynne, how do you feel . Beyond joy. Amy did you think this day would come . Well, somehow or other, yes to but not as wonderful as it has come. It is like bursting on me. Yesterday at this time, i was deep in the dungeons. And here i am in my beloved new york. It is just wonderful. I cant tell you. Amy Lynne Stewart died tuesday at her home in brooklyn. You can see more interviews with the late radical lawyer Lynne Stewart over the years, at democracynow. Org and those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Today is International Womens day. Thousands of women all over the world are taking to the streets for what is being called a day without a woman. The impact is already being felt in the United States. In virginia the entire public , School System of alexandria is closed after 300 women requested some schools are also closing in the day off. Some schools are also closing in chapel hill, North Carolina, and in new york city. Organizers ofthe the womens march on washington the largest nationwide day of protest after an in u. S. History. Women in the United States are not alone. Women in more than 50 countries are expected to take part in their own strikes. The International Womens strike effort was launched in october 2016 after women in poland, south korea, argentina, and sweden organized strikes to fight issues from the criminalization of abortion to femicide. In this video released by organizers, people shared why theyre participating in todays womens strike. I am striking for equal pay and equal opopportunitity. Because womens work makeses all ofof the work psible. E. It is about time we start valuing womens labor. I am strikingng because w wheni gogo out, i want to feelel free. Women matter. I am ststriking on n march 8 because reproductiveve services are human rights and childbirth is a public service. Amy well, for more, were joined by tithi bhattacharya, associate professor of south asian history at purdue university. She is one of the National Organizers of todays womens strike. Welcome to democracy now thank you so much for being with us. Can you talk about the scope of this protest and why a strike . Thank you for having me, amy. I think the first thing to say about the strike is that it is an international strike. It was put together by women, at that time, 30 Different Countries in october 2016, actually, who were inspired by mainly the mass actions of the polish women in the argentinian women against the abortion ban and against femicide. So 30 feministst organizations t together and called the strike for march 8 2017. , we weren the u. S. Really inspire