Editor’s warning: Mentions of military violence, anti-Black racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, and homophobia

Happening in the World: Israel launched several air strikes on southern Lebanon on Thursday night. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, there were 52 Israeli air strikes in Lebanon and several Lebanese air strikes in northern Israel on Thursday night. Israel’s military alleges it destroyed over 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers in Lebanon. This comes days after deadly pager and walkie-talkie explosions in Lebanon that killed 37 and wounded over 3,000 people. The explosions are believed to have been enacted by Israel, who has not taken responsibility; in response, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah claimed Israel declared war and has called for retaliation. (BBC)

Happening in the US: North Carolina gubernatorial candidate and current Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson has sparked controversy after a CNN report alleged he made inflammatory, anti-Black statements on an adult entertainment forum in the early 2010s. In some of the comments, he advocated for US chattel slavery and used slurs against Black, Muslim, Jewish, and gay people. Robinson, a recent close Trump associate, denied the allegations. (CNN)

Happening in NYC: The National Labor Relations Board filed a complaint that alleged employees at a Lower East Side Trader Joe’s were dissuaded from unionizing through one-on-one pre-vote meetings with supervisors and the removal of unionization pamphlets. Employees attempted to create a union in response to unsafe conditions, such as sewage leaking on food, according to the complaint. The vote resulted in a tie, but the National Labor Relations Board director says the vote was manipulated by supervisors’ actions. The matter will be heard in a Manhattan court in January. (Gothamist)

Happening in Our Community: On Saturday, September 21 from 5:30 pm to 7 pm,  the Center for Jazz Studies will host a celebration for Benjamin Barson’s new book Brassroots Democracy: Maroon Ecologies and the Jazz Commons. The book details the origins of jazz in the United States and beyond. Register for the free event at Prentis Hall on 125th Street.

Labor union via Picserver