In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

This is really quite amazing: "The United States and Cuba have agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations and open economic and travel ties, marking a historic shift in U.S. policy toward the communist island after a half-century of enmity dating back to the Cold War, American officials said Wednesday. The announcement came amid a series of sudden confidence-building measures between the longtime foes, including the release of American prisoner Alan Gross, as well as a swap for a U.S. intelligence asset held in Cuba and the freeing of three Cubans jailed in the U.S. Gross arrived at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington late Wednesday morning. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro were to separately address their nations around noon. The two leaders spoke by phone for more than 45 minutes Tuesday, the first substantive presidential-level discussion between the U.S. and Cuba since 1961." WOW.

[CN: Violence] Today is the International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers. On this day, what we can do to in support of sex workers is remember and talk about that stigma kills.

[CN: Racism] President and First Lady Obama talk to People magazine about their own experiences with racism: "I tell this story—I mean, even as the first lady—during that wonderfully publicized trip I took to Target, not highly disguised, the only person who came up to me in the store was a woman who asked me to help her take something off a shelf. Because she didn't see me as the first lady, she saw me as someone who could help her. Those kinds of things happen in life. So it isn't anything new."

[CN: Torture; police brutality] Hillary Clinton is not great when it comes to talking about issues of race. She always sounds awkward and unnatural, like she's really trying hard to avoid saying the wrong thing. So, I don't know how she sounded when she said it, but I like that she tied police brutality against black communities to torture policies abroad, as part of a culture of abuses and exploitation that needs to change: "What would [Robert F. Kennedy] say to all those who have lost trust in our government and our other institutions, who shudder at images of excessive force, who read reports about torture done in the name of our country, who see too many representatives in Washington quick to protect a big bank from regulation but slow to take action to help working families facing ever greater pressure."

[CN: Homophobia; violence] "The three suspects accused in a heinous attack on a gay couple in Philadelphia on September 11 will stand trial on charges of felony assault and conspiracy, among other charges... Today's preliminary hearing was to determine whether the prosecution had met the burden of proof required to charge and try the defendants. Judge Charles Hayden Found they had." Good.

[CN: Sexual violence; rape culture] Roman Polanski is mounting a legal bid to overturn his 1978 charge of unlawful sexual intercourse. Because of course he is.

In good news: The Church of England has named the Rev. Libby Lane its first female bishop. Congrats, Rev. Lane!

And finally! Eddie the Terrible Chihuahua has found a home, thanks to a creative video that detailed all his good qualities and all of his terrible ones. ♥