2019-10-15: News Headlines

Staff (2019-10-15). California Lawmakers Passed a Bill Banning Private Prisons. therealnews.com Activist Amani Sawari talks about what the impact on people in private prisons and immigration detention centers will be if Governor Gavin Newsom signs AB32, which would phase out private prisons by 2028.

Fight Back (2019-10-15). Coalition to March on the DNC 2020 gets off to a good start with its first action. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – The first meeting for the Coalition to March on the DNC took place on the evening of October 11, concluding with a demonstration and rally. The coalition is comprised of many progressive activist groups united around nine demands – or points of unity – that serve as a basis and also a guide to action. Some of these points are "Legalization for all; no more deportations" and "Fight to expand union and worker rights." | The coalition plans to march during the Democratic National Convention next July. Though a request for a permit to march has been submitted, the coalition is still awaiting a respons…

Zero Hedge (2019-10-15). Erdogan Holding 50 US Tactical Nukes 'Hostage' as Trump Authorizes Sanctions. globalresearch.ca Amid all the media and pundit outrage since Turkey's President Erdogan launched his so-called 'Operation Peace Spring' into northeast Syria last week, vowing to wipe out Syrian Kurdish forces who've long held the border areas, what's been largely missing is …

WSWS (2019-10-15). US Supreme Court term begins with new threats to democratic rights. wsws.org The newly consolidated 5-4 far-right majority on the court is poised to hand down rulings imposing further restrictions on abortion rights, gay rights and basic civil liberties.

Labor Video Project (2019-10-15). Art In Struggle For Women & Prisoners In Iran: The Mural, The Artists & Women. indybay.org An opening for an art mural about women and the prisoners of Iran was held on October 6, 2019 at Clarion Alley. The mural portrays the women who are fighting for human rights and worker rights in Iran…

Know Your Rights! (2019-10-15). Santa Cruz TRUTH Act Forum. indybay.org County Government Center Board Chambers, 701 Ocean St., 5th floor, Santa Cruz…

Juan Cole (2019-10-15). What Made Trump Change His Mind About Turkey? truthdig.com This piece originally appeared on Informed Comment. | Trump is slapping sanctions on Turkey for invading northern Syria after Trump told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan that it would be all right for him to invade northern Syria. | It is really difficult to be an analyst of foreign affairs in the age of Trump, because we try to understand policy moves with regard to their logic. Much of what Trump does seems illogical. | Trump's lo…

Global Research News (2019-10-15). Selected Articles: Trump Imposes Sanctions on Turkey. globalresearch.ca A future without independent media leaves us with an upside down reality where according to the corporate media "NATO deserves a Nobel Peace Prize", and where "nuclear weapons and wars make us safer". | . | . | | | If, like us, this is …

Staff (2019-10-14). Trump Orders Turkey Sanctions as U.S. Scrambles for Syria Exit. truthdig.com The president says he is halting trade negotiations and raising steel tariffs in an effort to restrain the Turks' assault on Kurdish fighters.

Binoy Kampmark (2019-10-14). A Coalition of Support: Parliamentarians for Julian Assange. dissidentvoice.org Australian politicians, and the consular staff of the country, are rarely that engaged on the subject of protecting their citizens. In a couple of notorious cases, Australian authorities demonstrated not only an indifference, but a consciously venal approach to its citizens in overseas theatres. Mamdouh Ahmed Habib, a dual Australian-Egyptian national, was detained in Pakistan …

Fight Back (2019-10-14). Tampa Bay demands Supreme Court uphold LGBT job rights. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – On October 7 and 8, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) rallied against the lack of federal job protections for LGBT workers. On October 8, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) began discussions on three cases that relate to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which protects against job discrimination on the basis of "race, color, religion, sex, or national origin," in order to decide whether sexual orientation and gender identity are also protected under Title VII. Tampa Bay SDS held two rallies in response to this, as a part of a National SDS call to action. SDS demanded that…

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2019-10-14). 'Too Little, Too Late': Critics Pan Trump Plan to Sanction Turkey. commondreams.org "Trump's statement on hitting Turkey with sanctions over the military operation in Syria does not mention the Kurds once." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Leighton Akio Woodhouse (2019-10-12). In Iowa, Politicians Protect the Meat Industry by Making Animal Rights Activists Criminals. theintercept.com Our short documentary tells the story of one undercover investigator whose footage of a pig factory farm is at the center of Iowa's ag-gag backlash.

Daniel Thompson (2019-10-12). An Aperspectival View of the Culture War. dissidentvoice.org Each stage in the history of the civil rights movement has had a specific theme and focus. In the 19th century it was race and gender, in the 20th it was race, gender, gay, bi, trans, queer, in the 21st it is all of them +. One could say that these are ideas whose time …

John Wojcik (2019-10-11). Montgomery, Alabama has first Black mayor in its two-century history. peoplesworld.org

Ahmed Abdulkareem (2019-10-11). Houthis Vow Retaliation As Saudi Naval Blockade Sparks Fresh Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen. mintpressnews.com Saudi Arabia has stepped up its seizure and detention of ships carrying food and fuel into Yemen, sparking shortages that experts warn will push the country's civilians into even more dire straits.

Aaron Maté (2019-10-11). Real life and resistance in Venezuela — Ben Norton reports on effects of US blockade. thegrayzone.com Ben Norton speaks about his reporting in Venezuela, where he investigated how bipartisan US sanctions and Trump's embargo are making…

Teresa Albano (2019-10-11). Resisting Anti-Immigrant Hate in the City of Big Shoulders. progressive.org A gaggle of far-right MAGA men showed up at a Chicago church to protest its immigrant rights work. Bad decision.

Michelle Zacarias (2019-10-11). Chicago actors Theo Germaine and Daniel Kyri push boundaries of queer representation. peoplesworld.org Friday, Oct. 11, marks the annual recognition of National Coming Out Day. First observed in 1988, the day is dedicated to raising awareness of civil rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community. With the current administration occupying the White House threatening to strip away LGBTQ rights, being "visible" remains an inherently political …

Mat Ward (2019-10-11). Day 5: What the #WaterForRivers bus tour was really like. greenleft.org.au Aboriginal rights Mat WardIssue 1241 Australia Aboriginal culture Murray Darling River crisis Save Our Rivers

Trevor Aaronson (2019-10-10). A Declassified Court Ruling Shows How the FBI Abused NSA Mass Surveillance Data. theintercept.com The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court found that the FBI may have violated the rights of potentially millions of Americans — including its own agents and informants — by improperly searching through information obtained by the National Security Agency's mass surveillance program. | U.S. District Court Judge James E. Boasberg, who serves in the District of Columbia and the FISA court, made his sweeping and condemnatory assessment in October 2018 in a 138-page ruling, which was declass…

Staff (2019-10-10). SCOTUS Deeply Divided on LGBTQ Rights. therealnews.com The Justices heard cases that would broaden sex discrimination under Civil Rights Act to include Gays, Lesbians and Transgender citizens.

susan_p (2019-10-10). Trump impeachment inquiry reveals deep ruling class divisions. greenleft.org.au US politics Barry SheppardIssue 1240 United States Donald Trump impeachmentOctober 10, 2019The House of Representatives impeachment inquiry into United States President Donald Trump was launched by Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on September 24 an…

Staff (2019-10-10). After Trump Abandoned Kurds, Turkish Invasion Raises Fear of Kurdish Genocide & ISIS Resurgence. democracynow.org Turkey has launched an aerial and ground assault on northern Syria targeting Kurdish-controlled areas. The offensive began Wednesday, just days after President Trump ordered U.S. troops to fall back from their positions on the Turkish-Syrian border. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports at least 16 Kurds have been killed so far. Turkey is claiming the death toll is far higher. The Trump administration has faced widespread criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers for abandoning the stateless Kurds who had helped the U.S. fight ISIS. Turkey is claiming the assault is needed to establish a "

Staff (2019-10-07). "We Have to Mass Mobilize": Laverne Cox & Chase Strangio Sound the Alarm on Major LGBTQ SCOTUS Cases. democracynow.org At the start of its new term, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on Tuesday in three cases to determine whether LGBTQ people can be fired from their jobs due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, employers cannot discriminate against employees on the basis of sex, as well as race, color, national origin and religion, but the Trump administration claims the law does not cover discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The cases mark the first time the Supreme Court will rule on LGBTQ rights since conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh re…

Staff (2019-10-07). "A Backlash Against Our Existence": Laverne Cox Speaks Out on Violence Against Trans Women of Color. democracynow.org At least 19 transgender people have been killed in the United States in 2019 — most of them trans women of color. Last year, there were at least 26 killings of transgender people. The American Medical Association has declared the wave of violence an "epidemic." Laverne Cox, the award-winning transgender actress and longtime trans rights activist, says such violence has long been part of the lives of trans people. "For my entire life as a trans woman, for 21 years, I have been hearing about, witnessing, going to memorials [and] going to Trans Days of Remembrance," she says. Cox says the violence reflects a s…

PSL Connecticut (2019-10-04). 'This is an emergency:' New Haven demands a real Sanctuary City. liberationnews.org " øQue queremos? °Ciudad Santuario! øCuando? °Ahora!" was the chant that rang out from the steps of New Haven City Hall on Oct. 2, as a crowd of 50 people gathered to demand immediate action from the Board of Alders on an ordinance establishing strong sanctuary city legislation.

Ricardo Vaz (2019-10-02). Venezuela's CITGO in Danger as Maduro Seeks Debt Renegotiation. venezuelanalysis.com US financial sanctions have stopped Venezuela from renegotiating foreign debt since 2017.

patrick (2019-10-02). Palestinian civil society calls on Egyptian authorities to immediately release activist Ramy Shaath. bdsmovement.net Palestinian civil society calls on Egyptian authorities to immediately release activist Ramy Shaath: Open Letter30 Palestinian civil society organizations call on the Egyptian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release human rights activist Ramy Shaath, and call on all Palestinian, Arab and international organizations to show solidarity with Ramy's just cause and also…

Dru Maxcy (2019-09-30). Liberation News confronts Boston mayor over police riot vs. anti-fascist protesters. liberationnews.org The violent police repression at the fascist so-called "Straight Pride Parade" — which led to the arrest of 34 counter-protestors and the brutalizing of many more — was only the beginning of a rapidly expanding state-sanctioned attack against left-wing activists and the LGBTQ community in Boston.

splcenter (2019-09-26). Weekend Read: Marchers today will demand rights for transgender people amid hate crimes and Trump administration assault. splcenter.org Thousands of people will be marching in Washington, D.C., and across the nation today.

Ricardo Vaz (2019-09-26). Venezuela: Trump Imposes Travel Ban, Putin Backs Dialogue. venezuelanalysis.com US officials and the Venezuelan opposition have also lobbied the EU to impose harsher sanctions against Caracas.

Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz (2019-09-25). Washington Gives Guaido $52M in Funding, Slaps Venezuela with New Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com The new aid package dovetailed with fresh sanctions targeting Venezuela-Cuba oil shipping.

PACBI (2019-09-24). Opinion by Legal Scholar Prof. John Dugard on Relations Between University of Cape Town and Israeli Universities. bdsmovement.net Opinion by Legal Scholar Prof. John Dugard on Relations Between University of Cape Town and Israeli Universities : AnalysisAs the University of Cape Town weighs refraining from relations with Israeli Universities enabling the gross violation of Palestinian human rights, renowned South African international law scholar Prof. John Dugard finds that UCT "would be acting in accordance with So…

Lucas Koerner (2019-09-18). US imposes New Sanctions Targeting Venezuela's Food Program. venezuelanalysis.com The Treasury Department has targeted people and companies involved in imports for Venezuela's CLAP program.

Ricardo Vaz (2019-09-12). Venezuela Oil Production Continues Decline as China Cancels More Shipments. venezuelanalysis.com Russian oil giant Rosneft blasted threats of US sanctions as "unfair competition."

CounterSpin (2019-08-16). Ernest Coverson on Guns & Human Rights, Carey Gillam Under Attack From Monsanto. fair.org Media…

Peace Action (2019-06-25). Peace Action Endorses Ilhan Omar for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 25, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Ilhan Omar for Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …

Peace Action (2019-06-24). Peace Action Endorses Kara Eastman for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 24, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Kara Eastman for Congress in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …