• Listen to this segment with Maya Rockeymoore

Uprising’s guest expert Maya Rockeymoore, President of the Center for Global Policy Solutions, a social change non-profit dedicated to making policy work for people and their environment, analyzes today’s news headlines:

More than 800 Palestinians have been killed in the on-going Israeli assault on Gaza. Israeli forces struck 30 homes in Gaza last night, killing an additional 33 people even as international condemnation mounts. It follows an attack against a United Nations school two nights ago where hundreds of Palestinians were taking shelter. That attack killed 15 people and injured more than 200. In response, 10,000 Palestinians protested in the West Bank towns of Jerusalem and Ramallah, clashing with Israeli police, who fired live ammunition into the crowds, killing four. The protest is being hailed as one of the largest demonstrations of Palestinians in decades. Meanwhile, in Cairo, US Secretary of State John Kerry has pledged to present a new draft of a ceasefire to Israeli officials. Click here for an Al Jazeera article about the story.

General Martin Dempsey, the head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, in the wake of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in the Ukraine, has invoked the most direct threat of re-igniting the Cold War. Dempsey, speaking at the Aspen Security Forum asserted that Russia was funneling greater arms and resources to pro-Russian separatists in Ukrainian cities. Dempsey warned that the US military is being forced to revive 20 year old war plans, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of escalating a conflict that may spiral out of control. Dempsey also laid the blame for “rising nationalism” seen around Europe at Russia’s feet. There are currently heavy clashes between US and European-backed Ukrainian forces and Russian rebels in the Ukraine. Click here for a Commondreams article about the story.

Here in the US, Republican representative Paul Ryan, known for his radical budgets, just released a new proposal that is marked as much by its brevity as its Tea Party appeal. Ryan’s main idea this time around is to consolidate several federal anti-poverty programs and also allow some states to test various programs that fight poverty. Rather than huge spending cuts which have characterized previous Ryan budgets, this one is apparently revenue neutral. The plan also includes an expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit, and give states block grants for some early childhood programs. Click here for a Washington Post article about the story.