(2018-11-09). The "Blue Wave" Was Also a "Muslim Wave" truthout.org With the Muslim Ban, the promotion of torturer Gina Haspel to CIA director, and increases in hate crimes, it's been a rough year for us Muslims in the United States. | So hearing the words "Salam Alaikum" as Ilhan Omar took the national stage on Election Night to accept her win as Representative of Minnesota's 5th District made it feel like I could finally breathe a little bit easier. | The first Somali-American elected to Congress, Omar joined Rashida Tlaib, a daughter of Palestinian refugees, as the first Muslim women to be elected to US Congress. | The election of these women to Congress is a direct repudiatio…
(2018-11-09). Canada's Trudeau Condemns BDS in Apology to Jewish WWII Refugees. globalresearch.ca Justin Trudeau used an apology for Canada's historical rejection of Jewish refugees during World War II to condemn the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian human rights. | The Canadian prime minister apologised in the House of Commons on …
(2018-11-09). Anakbayan Santa Cruz condemns the state supported extrajudicial killings of Human Rights Rights defenders in the Philippines. indybay.org Anakbayan Santa Cruz denounces the trend of U.S- backed, state supported violence that has resulted in the brutal murder of Atty. Ben Ramos – Secretary General of the National Union of People's Lawyers-Negros Occidental (NUPL). On November 6, 2018 people's lawyer and human rights defender Ben Ramos was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting commissioned by the state to silence yet another activist and defender of the people.
(2018-11-09). Pundit & women's rights advocate lock horns on RT over 'true face of feminism' (VIDEO). rt.com 
A claim that white women betrayed true feminist values by voting for a GOP candidate in the midterms set off a debate on race and gender. The issue spiralled into a heated argument between conservative and liberal pundits on RT. |
(2018-11-09). Government proposes making journalism a crime. greenleft.org.au 
Proposed amendments to the Criminal Code Act of 1995 will make it impossible for media organisations to accurately report on what governments do behind closed doors. | The pretence for this legislative proposal, which was tabled in federal parliament at the end of last year, is supposedly to respond to the growing threat of foreign states influencing Australia's political landscape. | Apparently inspired by the scandal involving Labor politician Sam Dastyari and his alleged links to the Chinese government, the Foreign Influence and Transparency Scheme Bill is in reality an attack on democratic rights and the abil…
(2018-11-09). Colombian Social Leaders Start 'We're Like You' Campaign. telesurenglish.net The campaign aims to counter stigmatization and persecution against activists, leaders, and rights defenders in the country.
(2018-11-09). Civil rights under threat in name of national security. greenleft.org.au 
One of the usual threats trotted out by governments proposing what would otherwise be considered radical attacks on civil liberties is national security. | The Australian newspaper reported on June 8 that Attorney-General Christian Porter was demanding urgent passage of two separate espionage and foreign interference bills following "intelligence advice of an accelerated escalation in hostile foreign activity over the past 12 months". | The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security had just published a 400-page report containing 60 recommendations, giving the green light to the first bill, the Es…
(2018-11-09). Factional conflict in Sri Lankan elite underscores dangers facing working class. wsws.org All sections of the ruling class are preparing a major onslaught against the social and democratic rights of the working people and the poor.
(2018-11-09). Trump challenged on trans and gender diverse discrimination. greenleft.org.au 
Trans and gender diverse people in the US are preparing to fight for their lives — literally — against a push by the Republican religious right to quash life-saving laws protecting them from discrimination. | A leaked memo from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) revealed it is pushing for the federal civil rights law that bans gender discrimination in education programs receiving government assistance to redefine sex as binary. If the push is successful, the law wound dictate that the gender assigned at birth cannot be changed. | If successful, this would effectively exclude about 2 mil…
(2018-11-09). Trump's War on Trans Rights: A Q&A With Chase Strangio. thenation.com Trump's War on Trans Rights: A Q&A With Chase Strangio…
(2018-11-09). The Malevolent Hypocrisy of Selective Sanctions. counterpunch.org 
George W Bush used the phrase 'Axis of Evil' in his State of the Union address in January 2002, referring to North Korea, Iran and Iraq, accusing the last of having "plotted to develop anthrax and nerve gas and nuclear weapons for over a decade." There were already comprehensive UN sanctions on Iraq, but as More
(2018-11-09). Citizens' Petition to Lift All Sanctions Against Venezuela Is Rejected by Canadian Parliament. globalresearch.ca Last November 27 of 2017 Alan Freeman who is a Canadian economist co-director of the Geopolitical Economy Research Group [1] based at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, initiated an E-Petition to the Government of Canada. The petition was …
(2018-11-09). The Hypocrisy of Selective Sanctions. counterpunch.org George W Bush used the phrase 'Axis of Evil' in his State of the Union address in January 2002, referring to North Korea, Iran and Iraq, accusing the last of having "plotted to develop anthrax and nerve gas and nuclear weapons for over a decade." There were already comprehensive UN sanctions on Iraq, but as pointed out by Global More
(2018-11-09). Iran leaders will have to fall in line if 'they want their people to eat,' Pompeo says. rt.com 
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a BBC journalist that Iranian "leadership has to make a decision that they want their people to eat," dropping all pretense of caring about Iranians as he touted the latest harsh sanctions.
(2018-11-08). Oregon sanctuary law survives hate groups' election campaign. splcenter.org Oregon retains its unique sanctuary law after voters on Tuesday emphatically rejected a statewide measure to repeal it. The law was targeted for elimination in a campaign financed and supported by anti-immigrant hate groups.
(2018-11-08). Fierce Critic of Mueller Probe Now Has Power to Sabotage the Investigation. truthout.org The day after the midterm elections, Donald Trump fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions and appointed Trump loyalist Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general. Whitaker, who has criticized the Mueller probe in the past, could fire Robert Mueller or defang his investigation. | Although Sessions was faithfully carrying out Trump's draconian agenda on civil rights, immigration and policing, the president had Sessions in his sights since the latter
(2018-11-08). The Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Agenda for the New Congress. aclu.org Now that the election is over, Congress should take its cue from the electorate. | This week's midterms should send a strong message to the political establishment that when our civil rights and civil liberties are on the line, American voters will step in. Decision-makers should be taking close note of Tuesday's sky-high turnout, an unprecedented wave of victories for diverse candidates, and a slew of local milestones for (2018-11-08). PCHR Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (01 — 07 November 2018). imemc.org Israeli forces continued with systematic crimes, in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), for the week of 01 — 07 November, 2018. Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against unarmed civilians and peaceful protestors in the Gaza Strip. A civilian succumbed to wounds he sustained during his participation in the …
(2018-11-08). American Detained by US Military Without Charge for Over a Year Finally Set Free. theantimedia.com 
A U.S. citizen illegally detained by the Trump administration for more than a year was finally set free thanks to the work of the American Civil Liberties Union. (CR) — I have been following the saga of the American citizen who was detained by the U.S. military in September 2017 while fleeing from violence in Syria. This …
(2018-11-08). More Iranians Caught Traveling With Fake Israeli Passports. iranian.com Bulgarian border guards at the Kapitan Andreevo checkpoint have detained three Iranian men who attempted to enter the country from Turkey using fake Israeli passports, the local daily Sofia Globe reported November 2. "The three men, aged 21, 28, and 32, arrived at the checkpoint on Bulgaria's border with Turkey October 31. They presented Israeli […]
(2018-11-08). Headlines for November 8, 2018. democracynow.org California: Mass Shooter Kills At Least 12 at Student-Filled Bar, Trump Fires AG Sessions, Puts New Loyalist in Charge of Mueller Probe, WH Bans CNN Reporter Acosta as Trump Spars with Reporters, At Least 15 Midterm Races Still Uncalled, GOP Congressmembers Facing Indictments Re-elected, Voters Weighed In on Abortion Rights Measures in WV, AL, OR, Philippines: Lawyer Fighting Duterte's Drug War Shot Dead, Poland: Warsaw Mayor Bans Annual Far-Right March, Cameroon: Almost 80 Kidnapped Students Released…
(2018-11-08). Mass protests follow Trump's firing of Sessions; demand hands off Mueller! peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—In a situation rife with irony — given Jeff Sessions's past record on voting rights, voter suppression and against workers' rights — citizen groups called mass protests for 5 p.m. local time, coast to coast, on Nov. 8 against President Donald Trump's arbitrary firing of Sessions, his Attorney General. They said it's a Trump attempt …
(2018-11-08). Watch the Leaked Documentary the Israel Lobby Didn't Want You to See. theantimedia.com 
(MPN) — A leaked Al Jazeera documentary detailing the tactics of the Israeli lobby in the United States and elsewhere has revealed that pro-Israel groups regularly invented smears, including false accusations of sexual assault, to discredit professors and students on U.S. university campuses that support equal rights for Palestinians and the Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) movement. BDS is …
(2018-11-08). As Julian Assange's Health Declines, the Media Obsesses About His Cat. theantimedia.com 
While the media focused on Julian Assange's cat rather than his continuing arbitrary detention, evidence shows that Britain worked hard to force his extradition to Sweden where Assange feared he could then be turned over to the United States. (CN) — Let's start with the cat. You never would have thought one of these beloved felines would …
(2018-11-08). France Vows to Protect Iran Against US Acting as World's "Trade Policeman" theantimedia.com 
(MEMO) — France has vowed to fulfill plans to defy the US' sanctions on Iran while increasing the international role of the euro in order to prevent Washington from acting as the world's "trade policeman". France's Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, told the British newspaper Financial Times that Europe is planning the formation of a special …
(2018-11-08). The Trojan Horse In Iran Sanctions And Oil Markets. iranian.com The U.S. sanctions on Iran are not biting yet, as global oil markets are well supplied. In the coming weeks, Iranian crude volumes should show a decline. At the same time, the success of Trump's sanctions relies for a large part on the compliance of international buyers and the position taken by leading OPEC members. […]
(2018-11-08). France: US Acting As World's "Trade Policeman", Vows To Defy Iran Sanctions. iranian.com France has vowed to fulfill plans to defy the US' sanctions on Iran while increasing the international role of the euro in order to prevent Washington from acting as the world's "trade policeman". France's Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, told the British newspaper Financial Times that Europe is planning the formation of a special […]
(2018-11-08). US Warns All Ports To Block Iranian Ships. iranian.com The US State Department has issued a series of warnings today demanding that all ports in the world avoid even nominal contact with Iranian commercial ships, warning that even limited contact could lead to US sanctions. Among the demands were that all ports and maritime insurance companies "steer clear" of Iranian ships, saying the US would […]
(2018-11-08). State Department: US Will Soon Impose More Sanctions Against Russia. theantimedia.com 
(ANTIWAR.COM) — The US State Department has announced that they intend to soon impose additional sanctions against Russia, after demanding that Russia provide them with a statement offering very specific "assurances" on the use of chemical weapons. This all goes back to the allegations of a March Novichok attack in Salisbury, England. The British government blamed Russia for the …
(2018-11-07). The 2018 Midterm Elections Were a Big Win for Criminal Justice Reform Ballot Initiatives. aclu.org Voters made it clear that they've had enough of President Trump's "tough on crime" rhetoric. | Wednesday morning I woke up in a better America when it comes to criminal justice reform. | On Election Day, voters in states across the country said enough is enough to America's horrific criminal justice system. They voted for reforms that will change people's lives for the better while expanding our civil liberties and civil rights. They also voted for reform-minded law enforcement officials and against the "law and order" types who have led to America's epidemic of mass incarceration. In other words, they rejected…
(2018-11-07). Progressives Win on Medicaid Expansion, Public Education, and Voting Rights Through Ballot Initiatives. theintercept.com 
From state legislative races to the House of Representatives, progressive candidates made a dent in the 2018 election season, and will be relatively well-represented in federal and state-level governments next year. But it's not just elected office: Left-wing activists also made their voices heard through ballot initiatives across the country. On Tuesday night, progressives walked away with some wins and some losses on that front. | They made gains for Medicaid expansion, public education, and voting rights. But they lost other battles, like on criminal justice reform, nurse-to-patient ratios, and universal home…
(2018-11-07). New York Registration Deadline Prevents Tens of Thousands From Voting. aclu.org The 25-day cutoff is an unnecessary and outdated burden on New Yorkers' right to vote. | Imagine a national department store chain holding a "Back to School" sale in late July instead of in August. People who show up close to when school actually starts are told, "You're too late." | That's what voting in New York is like. Each election cycle, thousands of New Yorkers are prevented from casting a ballot because of the state's registration cutoff, which requires voters to register at least 25 days in advance of the election in order for their vote to count. | The 25-day registration cutoff imposes an unnecessary a…
(2018-11-07). Headlines for November 7, 2018. democracynow.org Democrats Take the House of Representatives as GOP Gains in Senate, Democrat Stacey Abrams Refuses to Concede Georgia Governor's Race, Republican Ron DeSantis Defeats Andrew Gillum in Florida Governor's Race, Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan Defeats Former NAACP Head Ben Jealous, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz Defeats Progressive Democratic Challenger Beto O'Rourke in Texas, Incumbent Senate Democrats Lose in North Dakota, Indiana and Missouri, Democrats Win Governor's Races in Maine and Midwestern States, Wave of Women Voters Brings Historic Firsts in Midterm Elections, Florida to Restore Voting Rights to 1.4 Million wit…
(2018-11-07). Media Silent as Another Journalist is Tortured to Death by Saudi Arabia. mintpressnews.com 
A Saudi journalist was arrested and tortured to death after authorities claimed he administered a Twitter account which disclosed human rights violations committed by Saudi authorities and the royal family.
(2018-11-07). Petition: Tell the new Congress to block Trump's white nationalist agenda. splcenter.org Last night, Americans shifted the balance of power in the House of Representatives, creating a Democratic majority. The new Congress now holds the responsibility to take a stand for civil and human rights.
(2018-11-07). Hatewatch Headlines 11/7/2018. splcenter.org Time to declare war on domestic terrorism; CBP accused of voter intimidation; Oregon voters stand behind immigrant sanctuary law; and more.
(2018-11-07). NAACP STATEMENT ON JEFF SESSIONS RESIGNATION. naacp.org "U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' resignation might be a welcomed reprieve from his jurisdiction over the justice department. His odious record has done little to impact the civil liberties of African Americans, confirming our deepest concerns when it comes to criminal justice and equal rights. However, given the administration's track record on appointing problematic people […]
(2018-11-07). "Love Prevails": Floridians Celebrate Massive Restoration of Voting Rights to People with Felonies. democracynow.org 
At least 1.4 million people have regained the right to vote in Florida, following the passage of Amendment 4, a statewide initiative to re-enfranchise people with felony convictions who have completed their sentences, excluding people convicted of murder or sex offenses. The amendment passed overwhelmingly, with 64.5 percent of the vote. It needed 60 percent to pass. The win will permanently alter politics in a state that elected Republican Ron DeSantis as Florida governor by just over 55,000 votes, according to the latest numbers. DeSantis defeated Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum, who was vying…
(2018-11-07). As Julian Assange Faces Crisis, the Media Obsesses Over His Cat. mintpressnews.com 
While the media focused on Julian Assange's cat rather than his continuing arbitrary detention, evidence shows that Britain worked hard to force his extradition to Sweden where Assange feared he could then be turned over to the U.S., as Stefania Maurizi explains.
(2018-11-07). Venezuela Looks to Dodge Sanctions & Repatriate Gold from Bank of England. venezuelanalysis.com The reported measure will bring US $550m worth of national reserves back to Caracas only days after Washington announced new gold-targeting sanctions.
(2018-11-06). ICE Detention Center Says It's Not Responsible for Staff's Sexual Abuse of Detainees. aclu.org Officials at the detention facility are trying to avoid responsibility by arguing that the detainee "consented" to sexual abuse. | All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the federal government impose criminal liability on correctional facility staff who have sexual contact with people in their custody. These laws recognize that any sexual activity between detainees and detention facility staff, with or without the use of force, is unlawful because of the inherent power imbalance when people are in custody. Yet, one immigration detention center is trying to avoid responsibility for sexual violence within its…
(2018-11-06). NAACP Unites in Demand to Make Panama City Florida Polling Sites Accessible to Hurricane Victims. naacp.org Groups Want Equal Access to the Polls for Communities Displaced by Hurricane Michael BALTIMORE—(November 6, 2018) Florida officials have rejected a formal request from voting rights advocates to make polling locations more accessible to African-American residents of Panama City, Florida, who were hard hit by Hurricane Michael. Late last week, a coalition of voting rights […] | The post
(2018-11-06). Florida's Amendment 4 Would Restore Voting Rights to 1.4 Million People with Nonviolent Felonies. democracynow.org 
Florida voters are preparing to vote on Amendment 4, 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 them from voting for life. In October, Amy Goodman traveled to Melbourne, Florida, and spoke with Desmond Meade, the president of the Florida Rig…
(2018-11-06). "Smoking Gun" Evidence Shows Trump Admin's Top Anti-Immigrant Officials Trying to Rig the Census. democracynow.org 
We look at a federal trial underway in New York City that could overturn the Trump administration's plans to put a citizenship question on the 2020 census. Voting rights activists fear the question will deter immigrants from participating in the census, leading to a vast undercount in states with large immigrant communities. This could impact everything from the redrawing of congressional maps to the allocation of federal funding. The citizenship question was announced in March by U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who touted it as a way to enforce the Voting Rights Act and protect minorities against voter disc…
(2018-11-06). The West is Failing Julian Assange. consortiumnews.com While the media focused on Julian Assange's cat rather than his continuing arbitrary detention, evidence shows that Britain worked hard to force his extradition to Sweden where Assange feared he could then be turned over to the U.S., as Stefania… Read more →
(2018-11-05). SPLC lawsuit: Family detained, searched in Mississippi because they 'looked' Latino. splcenter.org The Martinez family was traveling along a Mississippi highway — on their way to a vacation — when a sheriff's deputy stopped them for no apparent reason.
(2018-11-05). In Trump's Hands, the Census Becomes a Weapon. aclu.org We use the census as a tool to build power in communities. The administration wants to use it against those communities. | Almost a decade ago, I ran the Minkwon Center for Community Action, a grassroots organization serving the Korean-American community in Queens. Getting immigrants to participate in the 2010 census was one of our top priorities. Why? Because I knew we could use the census to build power for our communities, just by standing up and being counted. And we did, but it wasn't easy. | First, we had to educate people about the census's importance. After all, it's not just a head count. The…
(2018-11-05). The ACLU Mourns the Passing of Ramona Ripston. aclu.org For nearly four decades, Ripston led the ACLU of Southern California and turned it into a civil liberties and civil rights powerhouse. | Ramona Ripston, who led the ACLU of Southern California for nearly four decades, died on Saturday. She was 91. | Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, issued the following statement: | "On Saturday, we lost my friend Ramona Ripston, a civil liberties icon in Los Angeles and one of the country's most dynamic advocates for justice and equality., , "In her nearly four decades as leader of the ACLU's Southern California affiliate, Ramona's off…
(2018-11-05). A Tax-Funded Child Welfare Agency in Philadelphia Wants to Turn Away Same-Sex Couples Like Us. aclu.org Faith-based child welfare agencies are challenging the city's nondiscrimination policies, which protect LGBTQ foster parents and the kids they serve. | Editor's Note: On Nov. 6, a federal appeals court will hear a challenge by Catholic Social Services to the city of Philadelphia's requirement that tax-funded child welfare organizations accept all qualified parents, including same-sex couples. Shannon Graves and Paige Davis are following the case closely for good reason: They are same-sex foster parents who often take care of LGBTQ kids. | When we learned that
(2018-11-05). 5000-plus stand up for transgender rights in Minneapolis. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – Over 5000 people from all across Minnesota lined Lake Street, from South Minneapolis to Saint Paul, October 28, to show solidarity with transgender, gender nonconforming and intersex people under attack by the Trump administration. | The action comes in response to a Department of Health and Human Services memo leaked by the New York Times which reaffirmed the administration's aim to legally define gender as "a person's status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth." This definition, if adopted, not only erases any legal definition of "transgender,…