(2018-10-21). Oakland and San Francisco Named As Human Rights Violators. indybay.org The Oakland conditions of discrimination and harassment of encampment residents and punitive denials of access to basic services constitute "cruel and inhuman treatment and is a violation of multiple human rights…
(2018-10-21). Animal Rights Meetup: The Rule of 3.5%. indybay.org Berkeley Animal Rights Center | 2425 Channing Way, Berkeley 94704…
(2018-10-21). Chief Injustice John Roberts, Advocate Of Torture, War, Execution, Racist Gerrymandering. indybay.org The United States in 1789 led the world in democracy. Now the first has become the last | among those claiming to be democracies.
(2018-10-21). Uruguayan Congress Approves Comprehensive Law For Trans People. telesurtv.net The new law establishes a framework to revert discriminative and stigmatization actions, as well as guaranteeing trans people the full exercise of their rights.
(2018-10-21). Chickens and Vegan Pancakes: Microsanctuary Volunteering. indybay.org 1515 Dwight Way, Berkeley, CA 94703…
(2018-10-20). Nauru expels another doctor amid growing protests over Australia's refugee detention centres. wsws.org International rights organisations and thousands of doctors have condemned the persecution of refugees.
(2018-10-20). For the U.S. Palestine No Longer Exists: Trump Regime Closes Jerusalem Consulate Serving Palestinians. globalresearch.ca The Trump regime's one-sided support for Israel is deplorably hard-edged. | Earlier this year, it cut off most US funding for Palestinians. All funding through UNRWA for its refugee population ended, a flagrant assault on their rights and welfare. | In September, …
(2018-10-20). Report: Israeli Cybersecurity Tools Used for Repression Abroad. truthdig.com Israeli cybersecurity companies sold lucrative surveillance systems to countries that then committed human rights violations, according to a report by Haaretz published Friday. The programs were used to prosecute LGBT citizens, detain human rights activists and discriminate against Muslims, according to 100 sources in 15 countries. | Intelligence experts who previously served in the Israel Defense Force's (2018-10-20). Iran Is A Sovereign State And Not Part Of The US. iranian.com The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking to reporters, categorically stated, that the US sanctions on Iran (imposed illegitimately, contrary to international law and accepted codes of practice) would "be rigorously enforced and remain in place until the Iranian government radically changes course." The aggressive tone of this statement is rather startling — as […]
(2018-10-20). What Sanctions on Russia and China Really Mean. globalresearch.ca A crucial Pentagon report on the US defense industrial base and "supply chain resiliency" bluntly accuses China of "military expansion" and "a strategy of economic aggression," mostly because Beijing is the only source for "a number of chemical products used …
(2018-10-20). New U.S. Sanctions On Iran And Europe's Response. iranian.com It's not dark yet, but it's getting there. This week, the Trump administration announced a new set of sanctions against some of Iran's major industrial companies and financial institutions. This included Bank Parsian and Sina Bank—two private Iranian financial institutions with which foreign banks had often engaged to facilitate legitimate trade between Iran and the […]
(2018-10-20). Israeli Special Police Detain Governor of Jerusalem. imemc.org Special units of the Israeli police detained governor of Jerusalem, Adnan Ghaith, in the town of Beit Hanina to the north of occupied Jerusalem. Informed sources told WAFA at least three police cars intercepted the car carrying the governor before nabbing him and leading him to an unknown destination. No […]…
(2018-10-19). Iran Gets February Deadline To Fix Terror Financing: Watchdog. iranian.com A global financial watchdog on Friday warned Iran to clamp down on terrorism financing by February or face a deeper squeeze on its sanctions-hit economy. The Islamic republic, already hurt by a resumption of US sanctions over its past nuclear programme, this month approved one bill to help meet demands imposed by the international Financial […]
(2018-10-19). Dissident Saudi Academic Madawi Al-Rasheed on Khashoggi's Disappearance, U.S.-Saudi Relations & More. democracynow.org 
Evidence is mounting that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is directly implicated in the assassination of Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Turkish officials say Khashoggi was tortured and murdered by a squad of 15 Saudi hit men shortly after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Four of the men implicated in Khashoggi's death are reportedly linked to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's security detail. After weeks of defending Saudi Arabia, President Trump said Thursday that he believes Khashoggi is dead, and acknowledged allegations against the Saudis. W…
(2018-10-19). Netanyahu Attacks Israeli Human Rights Group B'Tselem for Criticizing Israeli Occupation at U.N. democracynow.org 
Fears are growing as Israel escalates its military presence along its heavily militarized separation barrier with Gaza. Israel has deployed 60 tanks to meet Palestinian protesters gathering today to protest the ongoing Israeli occupation and demand the right of return for those displaced from their homes. Israel has announced it is implementing a "zero tolerance" policy toward protesters in Gaza, who have been staging weekly Friday protests since March 30 under the banner of the Great March of Return. Since then, Israeli forces have killed at least 170 Palestinians, including more than 30 children, and injured at…
(2018-10-19). Trump, Human Rights and the Middle East. counterpunch.org 
There is little that is reported in what passes for 'news' today that astounds this writer. Having lived through several presidential administrations, countless U.S. wars, and who knows how many political campaigns, he had thought, for some time, that he'd seen it all. But no, Stephen Collinson, writing for CNN, has caused him to realize More
(2018-10-19). How Turkey And Saudi Arabia Became Frenemies — And Why The Khashoggi Case Could Change That. iranian.com The Oct. 2 disappearance of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi at his country's consulate in Istanbul has put a spotlight on the deteriorating relations between Turkey and the Persian Gulf kingdom. Articles based on anonymous accounts from Turkish officials report that Turkey has video and audio proof that Saudi Arabian agents detained, murdered and dismembered Khashoggi, a sharp critic of his government […]
(2018-10-19). Can Mohammed bin Salman Survive Khashoggi's Assassination? theantimedia.com 
(MEE Op-ed) — America's special relationship with the royal family of Al Saud has long been controversial: an ultraconservative, oil-fueled kingdom run by a single family through medieval, draconian laws, disregarding basic human rights. Yet, as Washington's client, Saudi Arabia has helped consecutive US administrations to balance US national interests in the region — often at the expense […]…
(2018-10-19). 'Hope we can keep it': Trump touts Saudi arms deal while talking sanctions over Khashoggi death. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump has again warned that Saudi Arabia will face consequences if it was behind the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi — but he also suggested that Washington will not be axing its arms deal with Riyadh.
(2018-10-19). Don't Board Our Buses Without Probable Cause or a Warrant. aclu.org The president of the Greyhound bus drivers' union urges management to stand up to Trump's deportation machine. | When I first started working at Greyhound 28 years ago, I was told that I would never be able to drive a bus. I'm a woman of color. But I got trained, and I became a bus driver. Soon after, I joined Local 1700 of the Amalgamated Transit Union, and today I am the local's president. | Local 1700 represents 3,500 Greyhound drivers, mechanics, and terminal workers. My job, as the president, is to advocate on behalf of our members for fair pay, safety, and wellbeing. But today, I'm advocating for our custom…
(2018-10-18). Israel overturns deportation order, will allow detained US student Alqasem to enter. rt.com 
Lawyers for a US student refused entry to Israel for allegedly supporting a boycott movement against the Jewish state have declared victory, after she had her deportation order overturned by Israel's Supreme Court. |
(2018-10-18). Peru: Fujimori and other right-wing politicians detained for links to Odebrecht scandal. wsws.org For more than 12 years, Odebrecht won contracts and projects in Peru by paying off top officials and businessmen.
(2018-10-18). Louisiana's Infamous Angola Prison Goes on Trial. aclu.org Angola prison is home to horrific constitutional violations that threaten the health and welfare of people incarcerated in the facility. | In November 2012, Shannon Hurd, who was serving a life sentence for stealing $14, began losing weight and experiencing flu-like symptoms. His symptoms worsened, and he developed a pain in his side. But doctors at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as "Angola," repeatedly dismissed his medical complaints. | He did not receive medical care in the weeks that followed. He did not receive medical care in the months that followed. And as he waited for basic medical care, a…
(2018-10-18). Professor Was Improperly Punished for Israel Boycott Actions, Says Academic Group Cited in Punishment. theintercept.com 
The University of Michigan sanctioned a professor for not writing a recommendation letter based on AAUP rules. The AAUP now backs the professor.
(2018-10-17). Israel Detained This Palestinian-American Student—Now She's Challenging the State in Court. thenation.com 
This isn't the first time Israel has denied entry to a prospective student, but Lara Alqasem is the first to challenge it. | The post Israel Detained This Palestinian-American Student—Now She's Challenging the State in Court…
(2018-10-17). With 19 Days to Midterms, Georgia Is Rejecting Ballots Over Handwriting. aclu.org Georgia's signature-match laws deprive voters of due process. We're suing. | Early voting in Georgia for the 2018 general election just kicked off on Monday, but already the state has rejected close to 600 absentee ballots or applications for an absentee ballot. | One culprit? | State laws that require election officials to reject all absentee ballots and absentee ballot applications if they believe that signatures within the voter's paperwork do not match each other. | The elections' officials making these determ…
(2018-10-17). Venezuela Ditches Dollar as US Sanctions Hit Private Sector. venezuelanalysis.com International financial transactions using foreign currency were reportedly blocked, agroindustrial and pharmaceutical sectors said.
(2018-10-17). Spain Pushes Dialogue Instead of Sanctions Against Venezuela. venezuelanalysis.com The policy represents a radical change from the sanctions wanted by previous Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, imposed by Brussels last January, and reinforced last June.
(2018-10-16). Desmond Meade Hopes to Win Voting Rights for 1.4M Floridians with Felony Convictions—Including Himself. democracynow.org 
Voters in Florida are preparing to vote on a measure that would restore voting rights to 1.4 million people with nonviolent felonies who have fully completed their sentences. One in five African Americans in Florida and 10 percent of the state's adult population are ineligible to vote because of a criminal record. Across the United States, more than 6.1 million people with felony convictions are not eligible to vote. Florida is one of just four states that bar ex-felons from voting for life. The other states are Iowa, Kentucky and Virginia. The Brennan Center for Justice reports that Florida disenfranchises more…
(2018-10-16). Trump Won in 2016 Thanks to Voter Suppression Says Carol Anderson, Author of "One Person, No Vote" democracynow.org 
Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election due to voter suppression. That's what professor Carol Anderson argues in her new book "One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy," which tracks the rise of restrictive voting laws across the United States. In it, Anderson examines how African-American voter participation has been systematically compromised since a 2013 Supreme Court decision that gutted the 1965 Voting Rights Act. By the 2016 election, turnout among black voters nationwide dropped from 66 percent to under 60 percent. The discrepancy was even larger in key areas like Milw…
(2018-10-16). US sanctions Iranian banks, factories & mines. rt.com 
Washington has blacklisted some 20 Iranian companies, including banks, steel mills, zinc mines, and manufacturers of cars, buses and tractors – accused by the US of supporting recruitment of "child soldiers" for Iran. |
(2018-10-16). Stacey Abrams Runs to Become Georgia's First Black Governor as Her Opponent Suppresses the Vote. democracynow.org 
With the midterm elections just three weeks away, voting rights advocates are accusing Republican officials in several states of orchestrating a campaign of voter suppression targeting people of color. In Georgia, the Democratic candidate for governor, Stacey Abrams, is calling on her Republican opponent, Brian Kemp, to step down as secretary of state for placing 53,000 voter applications on hold. Seventy percent of the applicants are African-American. Abrams has accused Kemp of using the state's "exact match" system to disenfranchise voters. With exact match, even a minor discrepancy in a voter's registration an…
(2018-10-16). How America Systematically Fails Survivors of Sexual Violence. aclu.org #MeToo exposed the widespread silencing and dismissal of survivors and the need for our institutions to do better. | Before there was Christine Blasey Ford, there was Recy Taylor, an African-American woman who was raped by six white men in 1944 and fought for justice with the help of Rosa Parks. And in between the two of them, there was (2018-10-15). Trump Admin Hints It May Resume Family Separation at Border; ACLU Says "Public Outcry Is Critical" democracynow.org 
The Trump administration is reportedly considering plans to resume its policy of forcibly separating migrant children from their families along the U.S.-Mexico border, even as the full number of people torn apart the last time it carried out the widely condemned practice remains unclear. A new report by Amnesty International suggests immigration officials separated some 6,000 families between April and August, a far higher number of children and parents torn apart than previously thought. Trump administration officials are now considering plans to detain asylum-seeking families together for up to 20 days and then…
(2018-10-15). Rogue killers or state murder? Riyadh gets benefit of doubt from Trump where Russia doesn't. rt.com 
Washington has reacted with uncharacteristic calm following the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Instead of slapping Riyadh with sanctions and tearing up deals, Trump has refused to pin the blame on anyone.
(2018-10-15). Vatican Canonizes Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, Who Was Killed by a U.S.-Backed Death Squad. democracynow.org 
Pope Francis has named Salvadoran Archbishop àìscar Romero a saint. Romero was a champion for the poor and oppressed who was murdered by a U.S.-backed right-wing death squad in 1980 at the beginning of the brutal U.S.-backed military campaign in El Salvador. Wearing the blood-stained rope belt that Romero wore when he was assassinated, Pope Francis praised Romero for disregarding his own life "to be close to the poor and to his people." We speak with Matt Eisenbrandt, a human rights lawyer and the author of "Assassination of a Saint: The Plot to Murder àìscar Romero and the Quest to Bring His Killer…
(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…
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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…
(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…
(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…
(2018-10-03). Palestinians Call on EU to Halt Normalization Programs and End Complicity With Israel's Violations of Palestinian Rights and International Law. bdsmovement.net 
Palestinians Call on EU to Halt Normalization Programs and End Complicity With Israel's Violations of Palestinian Ri…
(2018-10-03). The U.S. Detention of Children Is Only Getting Worse. progressive.org No longer forcibly separating families at the border, the Trump Administration has merely changed the way children are harmed.
(2018-10-02). "Stories For Us and By Us": Disability Rights Activists Showcase Their Writing. progressive.org A collection that defies oversimplification and stereotypes.
(2018-10-01). Colombia's New Killing Spree. progressive.org The war is over, but its legacy remains—and human rights advocates are being targeted.
(2018-09-27). Venezuela's Maduro Rejects US Interventionism in UN Speech. venezuelanalysis.com Maduro blasted the recent round of sanctions, and yet again reiterated his willingness to talks with Trump.
(2018-09-27). Maduro in NY: Harlem Stands with Venezuela as US Allies Appeal to ICC. venezuelanalysis.com Venezuela also received the backing of a number of governments who denounced the latest round of sanctions from the Trump administration.
(2018-09-26). Trump Sets Sights on Venezuela with New Sanctions and Coup Threats. venezuelanalysis.com Speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, President Trump said the Maduro government could be "toppled very quickly."