2018-10-15: News Headlines

Kevin Zeese (2018-10-15). Act Now to Protect Our Right to Protest. globalresearch.ca Restricting Our Right To Protest Shows We Are Winning | The radical attack on our constitutional right to protest in Washington, DC needs to be stopped. The National Park Service (NPS) has published proposed rules that would curtail First Amendment rights …

Pepe Escobar (2018-10-15). Back in the (Great) Game: The Revenge of Eurasian Land Powers. globalresearch.ca Get ready for a major geopolitical chessboard rumble: from now on, every butterfly fluttering its wings and setting off a tornado directly connects to the battle between Eurasia integration and Western sanctions as foreign policy. | It is the paradigm shift …

teleSUR rfpl (2018-10-15). Environmental Activist Bernardo Caal Xol Awaits Verdict. telesurtv.net The Guatemalan environmental activist has been accused of fraud, aggravated theft and illegally detaining workers.

Shared by Merula Furtado (2018-10-15). We Stopped ICE From Getting an Extra Billion; Now Let's Defund It Totally. truthout.org On September 28, President Trump signed a continuing resolution to extend funding for the Department of Homeland Security at the current levels until December 7. This move averted a government shutdown before the midterm elections and laid the groundwork for a bigger budget struggle over the coming months. | But perhaps one of the most significant things about the bill was what wasn't in it. | In late August, the #DefundHate Coalition

teleSUR (2018-10-15). Spain Pushes Dialogue Instead of Sanctions Against Venezuela. telesurtv.net The policy would represent a radical change from the sanctions wanted by previous Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, and imposed by Brussels last January and reinforced last June.

Binoy Kampmark (2018-10-15). Evacuating Nauru: Médecins Sans Frontières and Australia's Refugee Dilemma. counterpunch.org It is an organisation not without its problems. Conceived in the heat of idealism, and promoted as the vanguard of medical rescue and human rights advocacy, Médecins Sans Frontières has had its faults. Its co-founder Bernard Kouchner went a bit awry when he turned such advocacy into full blown interventionism. As Nicolas Sarkozy's foreign minister, More

Whitney Webb (2018-10-15). Angered By Saudi Plan to Purchase Russian S-400, Trump Admin Exploiting Khashoggi Disappearance to Force Saudis to "Buy American" mintpressnews.com The response of the Trump administration and many U.S. politicians to Khashoggi's disappearance is largely being guided by the military-industrial complex — in this case Lockheed Martin — but masquerading as a response motivated by "human rights."

Gwendolyn Smith, The New Civil Rights Movement (2018-10-14). Trump's National Park Service Eyes 'Special Regulations' on Free Speech and Assembly Near Key DC Locations. alternet.org It could also open the door to charging fees and other costs to groups who wish to demonstrate in the area. | The National Park Service, under the control of the Trump administration, has proposed a set of "special regulations" concerning areas around the United States capital. These new rules would make it difficult, if not impossible, to protest near the White House and several other key areaThe change would halt protest on much of the si. . .

Shared by Merula Furtado (2018-10-14). Five Ways to Make Direct Action Organizing Less Ableist. truthout.org There is an ableist misconception that those with disabilities don't participate in marches, rallies, lockdowns and resistance camps. In reality, we are here and more of us would like to get in on the action. | I am multiply disabled due to a host of illnesses, chronic pain and mobility impairments. The issues of ableism have been a constant plague for me. I've lost jobs, wages, friends, family, romantic partners and more due to others' unwillingness to make necessary accommodations and supports for me. | I also experience ableism in activist organizing spaces that purport to support the rights of the marginalize…

RFE (2018-10-14). Iran Official Calls For 'Lobbying Anti-Trump Movements'. iranian.com One of Iran's top foreign policy officials has called for negotiations with "anti-Trump movements" in the US to dampen the impact of sanctions, local media reported Saturday. "America is not Trump," said Heshmatollah Falahat-Pisheh, a conservative lawmaker who heads parliament's influential national security and foreign policy commission, according to reformist newspaper Arman. "There is a […]

Jon Queally, Common Dreams (2018-10-14). 'Outrageous' Voter Suppression by 'Cowardly Republicans' in Georgia Is Part of A Nationwide GOP Attack on Democracy. alternet.org Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate, has said she is "deeply worried" that tens of thousands of Georgians are being stripped of their constitutional rights. | Civil rights groups have filed a new lawsuit in order to stop a statewide voter suppression effort in Georgia after the GOP gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp—who just happens to be the state's. . .

Shared by Gregory Wilpert (2018-10-12). Israeli Authorities Step Up anti-BDS Policies: Political Test to Enter Israel. therealnews.com Israel border authorities have detained US-Palestinian student for her alleged Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) activism, denying her entry into Israel, despite having a visa. Tallie Ben-Daniel of Jewish voice for Peace discusses the case and what it means for the BDS movement

Rachel Johnson (2018-10-12). NAACP Monitoring Possible Voter Suppression Tactics in Georgia Governor Race. naacp.org Over 53,000 Voter Registration Applications on Hold in Secretary of State Kemp's Office BALTIMORE—The nation's foremost civil rights organization is closely monitoring possible voter suppression in the state of Georgia stemming from Secretary of State Brian Kemp's ongoing failure to process over 53,000 voter registration applications. "It's a stain on our system of democracy when less than a month before an […]

aclu (2018-10-12). Supreme Court Enables Mass Disenfranchisement of North Dakota's Native Americans. aclu.org A restrictive law will make it hard to vote for people who live on reservations in rural areas and don't have street addresses. | On Tuesday, the Supreme Court chose to stand by and allow the war against voting to continue. Just a little less than a month before midterm elections that will determine control of Congress, the court decided not to block North Dakota's restrictive voter ID law, which will make it harder for people in that state to cast their ballots. | Republicans in the state legislature insist that the l…

Sarah Aziza (2018-10-12). Jamal Khashoggi Wasn't the First — Saudi Arabia Has Been Going After Dissidents Abroad for Decades. theintercept.com The story of Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance and possible murder has riveted the world's attention with its macabre, and mysterious, details. The soft-spoken but sharply critical Saudi journalist vanished after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2. Theories about his fate include the horrifying possibility that Khashoggi was murdered — and perhaps even tortured and dismembered — at the hands of the Saudi state. (The Saudi government continues to vehemently deny these charges.) Should these allegations prove true, Khashoggi's fate could have vast ramifications for the reputati…

splcenter (2018-10-12). Weekend Read: For immigrant survivors of sexual assault, support is off the books. splcenter.org President Trump has now appointed two men to the Supreme Court. During an oral argument this week, one of them, Justice Neil Gorsuch, seemed concerned about the expansive use of government power to detain immigrants.

Democracy Now! (2018-10-12). Rep. Ro Khanna Introduces Internet Bill of Rights as Facebook & Google Admit Privacy Breaches. democracynow.org Facebook and Google recently admitted major privacy breaches. Facebook says the personal information of nearly 50 million users were exposed after an online attack. Meanwhile, Google is shutting down its social network Google Plus after revelations of a data breach that exposed the private data of hundreds of thousands of users. The breach was discovered in March but was not disclosed to the public. We speak to Rep. Ro Khanna, who recently introduced an Internet Bill of Rights.

Democracy Now! (2018-10-12). Rep. Ro Khanna Condemns Saudi Barbarity from Disappearance of Saudi Journalist to War in Yemen. democracynow.org President Donald Trump is rejecting calls to cut off arms sales to Saudi Arabia following the disappearance and probable murder of the Saudi-born Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Washington Post is reporting the Turkish government told U.S. officials it has audio and video evidence that Khashoggi was killed last week inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Officials say the recordings confirm that a Saudi security team detained Khashoggi after he walked into the consulate on October 2, before killing him and dismembering his body. We speak with Ro Khanna, Democratic congressmember from California.

Shared by Jocelyn Dombroski (2018-10-12). Israeli Authorities Step Up anti-BDS Policies: Political Test to Enter Israel. therealnews.com Israel border authorities have detained US-Palestinian student for her alleged Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) activism, denying her entry into Israel, despite having a visa. Tallie Ben-Daniel of Jewish voice for Peace discusses the case and what it means for the BDS movement

Ben Cowles (2018-10-12). Kaepernick honored with medal named after U.S. Communist W.E.B. Du Bois. peoplesworld.org Blacklisted NFL quarterback and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick was among eight people today to receive Harvard University's "highest honor in the field of African and African-American studies." The W.E.B. Du Bois medal, Harvard explains, is "awarded to individuals in the U.S. and around the globe in recogni…

leili (2018-10-12). "Educators Who Bravely Act on Principle Should be Championed, Not Punished" bdsmovement.net "Educators Who Bravely Act on Principle Should be Championed, Not Punished": UpdatePalestinian civil society responds to efforts by the University of Michigan to silence teachers who act in support of Palestinian human rights: "As long as Israeli universi…

Joe Emersberger (2018-10-12). Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno's Assault on Human Rights and Judicial Independence. counterpunch.org Oswaldo Ruiz-Chiriboga, is an Ecuadorian legal scholar who teaches human rights and constitutional law at the Central European University in Hungary. He talked to Joe Emersberger about Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno's assault on human rights and judicial independence. Most of Moreno's attacks abuses stem from a referendum of February, 2018 that was called by decree More

aclu (2018-10-12). Police Brutality Against Black Kansas City Man Caught on Video. aclu.org Police encounters too often turn violent or deadly for people of color across the nation. | Black people in Missouri are disproportionately stopped or harassed by police. Twenty years of collected data shows Black drivers are stopped at a rate 85 percent higher than white drivers. And too many police departments across the state regularly use disproportionate force in dealing with Michael Doliner (2018-10-12). Were the Constitution and the Bill of Rights a Mistake? counterpunch.org The United States Constitution was ratified in 1788, the Bill of Rights in 1791. The Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation which had previously organized the separate states in a confederation which could not tax people directly or raise an army on its own. There was much opposition to this change, and those who were More

Ricardo Vaz (2018-10-12). Venezuela and Israel Take Center Stage in Brazil's Far Right Presidential Campaign. mintpressnews.com Frontrunner Bolsonaro has vowed to sever diplomatic relations with Caracas and back sanctions while establishing closer ties with the ultra-right government in Israel.

Paul Street (2018-10-12). For Popular Sovereignty, Beyond Absurdity. counterpunch.org Troubling as the noxious Kavanaugh's personal history and untruthfulness are, however, it was even more depressing to see the highly personalized soap opera over his past behavior trump momentous questions of law and policy (including sexist and patriarchal law and policy) — abortion rights, presidential immunity from prosecution, torture, and more in his nomination fight. More

Ahmed Abdulkareem (2018-10-12). In Latest Yemen Offensive, Saudi Arabia Destroys Hospital and Maternity Ward. mintpressnews.com The latest Saudi coalition attacks came in the face of demands issued by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child for the coalition to stop its deadly airstrikes against civilian targets in Yemen.

wsws (2018-10-12). US student critical of Israel detained at Tel Aviv airport for more than a week. wsws.org Lara Alqasem, 22, was targeted because she is president of the University of Florida's chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, which supports the BDS campaign against Israel.

Alex Kane (2018-10-11). "Something Out of a Horror Movie": Egyptian Security Forces Tortured and Raped American-Citizen Detainee, Rights Group Says. theintercept.com Khaled Hassan's case is the most brazen example of Egypt abusing a U.S. citizen. But he's not alone.

wsws (2018-10-11). Open letter by students condemns right-wing offensive at Berlin's Humboldt University. wsws.org Student organisations from Humboldt University and across Germany published an open letter denouncing the cooperation of the university administration with the far right and its attacks on students' social and democratic rights.

Alice Speri (2018-10-11). At Largest ICE Detention Center in the Country, Guards Called Attempted Suicides "Failures" theintercept.com A scathing official report confirmed systemic neglect and abuse that detainees at ICE's Adelanto immigration detention center have condemned for years.

aclu (2018-10-11). Jury Sends Wisconsin a $780,000 Bill for Denying Health Care to Two Transgender Workers. aclu.org A growing number of courts are ruling that transgender public employees should have access to transition-related health care. | Shannon Andrews just helped bring comprehensive health care coverage to transgender state employees across Wisconsin. Even more reassuring, she proved that average Americans understand that discrimination against transgender people comes with a cost. | Shannon supervises a cancer research lab at the University of Wisconsin. Like other state employees, she gets health care insurance through the state. But as a transgender woman, Shannon faced state rules that specifically excluded coverag…

Mehdi Hasan (2018-10-11). Don't Call Nikki Haley a Moderate. She's an Extremist on Israel, Iran, and Human Rights. theintercept.com Trump's outgoing U.N. ambassador is getting applause from the media for being so moderate. But Haley has been a champion for right-wing causes.

aclu (2018-10-11). Oops — Did Police Accidentally Reveal Unconstitutional Surveillance When They Tweeted a Screenshot? aclu.org We're demanding Mass. state police release their browser history and bookmarks to see if they're targeting progressive protesters for surveillance. | On September 13, dozens of natural gas explosions hit three towns north of Boston, killing one person and impacting thousands more. In the first few hectic hours after the blasts, the Massachusetts State Police official Twitter account posted a tweet reading: | Updated plotting of confirmed fires and explosions by MSP Watch Center. 39 locations confirmed thus far. Number will grow. New responses ongoing. Reminder: all residents of Lawrence/Andover/N Andover who have…

Ricardo Vaz (2018-10-11). Venezuela Takes Center Stage in Brazilian Far Right Presidential Campaign. venezuelanalysis.com Frontrunner Bolsonaro has vowed to sever diplomatic relations with Caracas and back sanctions while establishing closer ties with the ultra-right government in Israel.

Hatewatch Staff (2018-10-10). Hatewatch Headlines 10/11/2018. splcenter.org The GOP wants to lock up liberal women; Georgia governor's race about voting rights; Kent State grad sticks school with bill for gun rally; and more.

Democracy Now! (2018-10-10). Rashid Khalidi: From Iran to Palestine, Nikki Haley Put a Nice Face on Trump's "Horrific" U.S. Policies. democracynow.org U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has announced she is resigning her post at the end of the year. The former South Carolina governor—one of the few women in Trump's Cabinet—gave no reason for her departure. During Nikki Haley's time as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, the United States withdrew from the Paris climate accord; the U.N. Human Rights Council; the Iran nuclear deal; UNRWA, the U.N. agency that provides humanitarian aid to Palestinians; and UNESCO, the U.N. educational and cultural agency. We speak with Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said professor of Arab studies at Columbia…

Shared by Hezvo Mpunga (2018-10-10). Trump Tears up Treaties Pushing for War on Iran, Using Bush-Style Iraq Lies. therealnews.com As the US ramps up aggression against Iran, withdrawing from agreements and imposing crippling sanctions, Iranians fear Trump and the neocons he surrounded himself with want war — and are echoing Bush-era Iraq "WMD" lies to justify it

RT (2018-10-10). Hey, teacher! Don't leave LGBTQ kids alone! RT debate on Virginia lockdown drill controversy. rt.com Trans policy or common sense? Trans lobby or trans phobia? Why is everybody treading on eggshells around LGBTQ issues, and isn't kids' safety the paramount concern? RT discussed the Virginia public school incident with experts.

Ross Kenneth Urken (2018-10-10). Finding Sanctuary in Norway. thenation.com Finding Sanctuary in Norway…

aclu (2018-10-10). With Hurricane Michael Barreling Down on Gulf Coast, Florida Unconstitutionally Refuses to Extend Voter Registration Deadline. aclu.org Florida is putting tens of thousands of people at risk of disenfranchisement for no good reason. | Voters should not have to risk their lives in order to register to vote. Yet, in Florida, that's exactly the position that the state has chosen to put tens of thousands of people in. Despite the state's Oct. 9 deadline to register to vote arriving amidst a looming Category 4 hurricane, Florida has refused to grant an adequate extension for Floridians to register to vote. | Hurricane Michael threatens to lash Florida with a life-threatening storm surge, maximum wind speeds of 145 mph, and flash floods. Prolonge…

Shared by Ben Norton (2018-10-10). Trump Tears up Treaties Pushing for War on Iran, Using Bush-Style Iraq Lies. therealnews.com As the US ramps up aggression against Iran, withdrawing from agreements and imposing crippling sanctions, Iranians fear Trump and the neocons he surrounded himself with want war — and are echoing Bush-era Iraq "WMD" lies to justify it

RT (2018-10-10). US senators demand Magnitsky Act probe, sanctions on Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi disappearance. rt.com A group of Republican and Democrat senators united to demand an investigation into the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a consulate in Turkey. This could lead to sanctions against Saudi Arabia within 120 days.

splcenter (2018-10-09). On the far right, neo-Nazis, racists hail Brett Kavanaugh's elevation to Supreme Court as open season on women, minority rights in America. splcenter.org To neo-Nazi-in-hiding Andrew Anglin, the elevation of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court is a milestone, one that he hopes will result in an end to women's rights across the country.

aclu (2018-10-09). Trump Administration Seeks to Stifle Protests Near White House and on National Mall. aclu.org A government proposal mirrors Trump's hostility to the First Amendment. | President Trump has a record of attacking the rights of protesters, from suggesting that protest be illegal to praising dictators who crush any kind of dissent. | Now, the Trump administration Democracy Now! (2018-10-09). Headlines for October 9, 2018. democracynow.org Hurricane Michael Kills 13 in Central America, Approaches U.S. Coast, Trump Apologizes to Kavanaugh During Ceremonial SCOTUS Swearing-In, Beijing Strikes Hostile Tone at Pompeo Visit Amid U.S.-China Tensions, China Detains Interpol Police Chief, Accusing Him of Corruption, NYT: Ex-Trump Campaign Aide Rick Gates Was In Touch with Israeli Psy-Group, Turkey Searching for Van in Case of Missing Saudi Journalist, Social Network Google+ to Shut Down After Massive Data Breach, NYC Vigil Held for Uber Driver Who Died by Suicide, Owner of Company Behind Deadly NY Limo Crash Was FBI Informant, New York Governor Cuomo, Pres…

Aba Blankson (2018-10-06). Statement on Kavanaugh Senate Confirmation. naacp.org NAACP President Calls Kavanaugh Confirmation "Devasting Blow" Move Signals Dark Days Ahead for Civil Rights Communities — America Deserves Better BALTIMORE (October 6, 2018)—NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson released the following remarks regarding the Senate confirmation of nominee Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. The U.S. Senate's decision today to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme […]

leili (2018-10-05). Nobel Prize Winner Supports BDS Movement For Palestinian Rights, Ending Military Aid to Israel. bdsmovement.net Nobel Prize Winner Supports BDS Movement For Palestinian Rights, Ending Military Aid to Israel: UpdateA Nobel Prize has been awarded to George P. Smith, a renowned scientist and longtime advocate for Palestinian rights who suppor…

Democracy Now! (2018-10-05). Eve Ensler: Nobel Peace Prize for Mukwege & Murad Is an Award for Every Rape Survivor in the World. democracynow.org After a landmark year for the "Me Too" movement, which ignited an international conversation on sexual assault, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday morning to two champions of women's rights who have built their careers fighting sexual violence: physician Denis Mukwege and human rights activist Nadia Murad. Dr. Denis Mukwege founded the Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1999. The clinic receives thousands of women each year, many of them requiring surgery as a result of sexual violence. Nadia Murad is a 25-year-old Yazidi Kurdish human rights activist from Iraq. She was kidnapped and held…

Democracy Now! (2018-10-04). Headlines for October 4, 2018. democracynow.org As FBI Probe Wraps Up, Senate Could Vote on Kavanaugh on Saturday, Key GOP Senators Criticize Trump for Mocking Christine Blasey Ford, Over 1,200 Law Professors Sign Letter Opposing Kavanaugh Nomination, U.N.: Yemen Sees 10,000+ New Cases of Cholera Every Week, Trump Suggests Saudi Monarchy Would Collapse Without U.S. Support, Saudi Dissident Journalist Missing After Visit to Consulate in Turkey, Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Teenager at Gaza Protest, U.S. Quits 1955 Iran Treaty After U.N. Court Rules Against Sanctions, Judge Halts Termination of Protected Status for 300,000 Immigrants, Report: DHS Was Unprepar…