(2019-12-12). MN withstands -10 windchill to demand human rights at home and abroad. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – On December 10, 25 protesters rallied outside of Senator Amy Klobuchar's office to mark International Human Rights Day. After chanting outside the senator's office, Brad Sigal from the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee addressed the crowd to draw attention to Trump's record of human rights abuses against immigrants. The protesters then marched in -10 degrees windchill to the legendary May Day Books in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. | Tracy Molm of the Anti-War Committee spoke at the closing rally inside the bookstore. "On Human Rights Day we come together to call attention to human rights…
(2019-12-12). Indian Government Strips Naturalization Rights From Muslims, Sparking Protests. truthout.org Critics condemned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government Tuesday after the Lok Sabha, the lower chamber of the country's parliament, passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, stripping naturalization rights granted to other groups from the nation's 200 million Muslims living in the world's largest democracy. | "We are now moving closer to Modi's dream of an India where a Muslim will have to walk the streets of his country with his gaze lowered, where democracy will be a privilege some…
(2019-12-12). The U.S. Government Lied about the Afghanistan War, They Couldn't Have Done It Without Media Lapdogs. counterpunch.org "In ten years or so, we'll leak the truth," the Dead Kennedys sang. "But by then it's only so much paper." But it might just score you a Pulitzer Prize. Award bait and bragging rights are no doubt the principal goals of The Washington Post's self-congratulatory data dump, "The Afghanistan Papers." As the headline implies, More
(2019-12-12). Army Abducts A Woman, Invade Many Homes, Near Jerusalem. imemc.org Israeli soldiers abducted, Wednesday, a Palestinian woman from Beit Doqqo village, northwest of occupied East Jerusalem; her detention comes just a few days after the soldiers abducted her husband. Local sources in Beit Doqqo said the soldiers abducted Zakiyya Ali Hussein, 30, when she headed to an interrogation center after …
(2019-12-12). Homelessness: What Sonoma County Can Do Better. indybay.org Under the guidance of Peter Philips, and local homeless advocate Adrienne Lauby, a group of seven Sonoma State Students researched the social issue of Homelessness to determine what policies Sonoma County can implement to alleviate this problem. We used article 25 of the Declaration of Human Rights as a starting point. This report was split into eight different sections, starting with World Perspective, and narrowing to the effects of the 2017 fires. We included our Methodology, Data Analysis, Recommendations and appended our Interview Guides. These are our results.
(2019-12-12). Renouncing Israel on Principle. counterpunch.org When anti-Zionists discuss the Middle East, the topic of Israel's existence rarely arises. It's almost exclusively a pro-Israel talking point. We're focused on national liberation, on surviving repression, on strategies of resistance, on recovering subjugated histories, on the complex (and sometimes touchy) relationships among an Indigenous population disaggregated by decades of aggression. That a colonial state—or any state, really—possesses no ontological rights is an unspoken assumption. More
(2019-12-12). The 2020 Election Promises Record Turnout. aclu.org Due to high levels of enthusiasm and interest, election experts are predicting record-setting turnout rates in the upcoming 2020 election. In anticipation of this historic election, the ACLU, volunteers, and supporters of voting rights across the country have been advocating for state legislatures to adopt policies that improve registration, the voting process, and ensure that more citizens are eligible to participate. | This year, no state made greater improvements to the registrati…
(2019-12-12). Nazi Trump Declares Judaism a Nationality, Just Like Hitler. indybay.org In an effort to shut down dissent on college campuses to Israel's policies, Nazi Trump plans to sign an executive order this week declaring Judaism a religion or nationality, the latter being subject to the Civil Rights Act. Hitler did the same. See | www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-executive-o……
(2019-12-12). Trump's Executive Order Is No Favor to US Jews. Just Look at Algeria. truthout.org This week President Trump signed an executive order explicitly naming Jews as a protected class under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Title VI does not currently include religion status as a protected identity. This significant change carves out the protection of Jews as separate and different from the protection of all other religious groups in the Uni…
(2019-12-12). Trump signs executive order aimed at suppressing criticism of Israel. wsws.org The purpose of the order signed Wednesday is to squelch free speech at publicly funded universities, targeting in particular the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
(2019-12-12). Sudanese Transitional Government Faces Profound Challenges. globalresearch.ca Interim Prime Abdallah Hamdok of the Republic of Sudan visited the United States during early December seeking to have sanctions lifted against his newly-created administration. | In meetings with members of Congress and the National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien, who …
(2019-12-12). US Senate Committee Approves Sanctions Against Turkey. telesurenglish.net A U.S. Senate committee backed legislation on Wednesday to impose sanctions on Turkey after its offensive in Syria and purchase of a Russian S-400 missile system, the latest move in the chamber to push Republican President Donald Trump to take a harder line against Ankara. | RELATED: | US Military Finishes Pullback From Northeast Syria | The Republican-led Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted by 18-4 to send the "Promoting American National Security and Preventing the Resurgence of ISIS Act of 2019" for a vote in the full Senate. | "Now's the time for the Senate to come together and take this opportunit…
(2019-12-12). Colombian Police to be Investigated for Excessive Use of Force. telesurenglish.net The Attorney General of Colombia stated on Wednesday that it will conduct an investigation into what happened on Tuesday when agents of the questioned Mobile Riot Squadron ( Esmad ) of the National Police detained two young men and transported them in private vehicles. | RELATED: | Colombia: Medellin Will Host a Concert Pro National Strike | The Public Ministry indicated that it will open the preliminary inquiry without determining the agents subject to prosecution because the name…
(2019-12-12). Perth Pride: LGBTI community challenges corporatisation. greenleft.org.au 
LGBTIQ rights Petrina HarleyIssue 1248 Australia Rainbow Rebellion PerthDecember 12, 2019Perth Pride assembled its biggest parade to date on November 30, with 115 floats. But many in the LGBTIQ comm…
(2019-12-12). How the Prosecution of Animal Rights Activists As Terrorists Foretold Today's Criminalization of Dissent. theintercept.com 
A new documentary "The Animal People" tells the story of the SHAC 7, who were sentenced to prison on terrorism charges over their protest activity.
(2019-12-12). Head of Libya's eastern-based parliament opposes Turkey's maritime deal with Tripoli govt. rt.com 
The head of Libya's eastern-based parliament said on Thursday he disagreed with an accord between Libya and Turkey establishing maritime boundaries which has infuriated Athens. | Greece expelled the Libyan ambassador last week over the November 27 accord establishing a sea corridor between Libya and Turkey and in areas where Greece considers it has maritime rights. | "We are here to stress that this specific agreement is rejected," Reuters quoted Aguila Saleh Issa, speaker of the Libyan House of Representatives, as saying. "Those that signed it do not have any legal authority to do so, since the government its…
(2019-12-12). Pink sombrero & aroused horse: Painting of naked national hero of Mexico triggers violent protests (PHOTOS). rt.com 
What does it take to spark protests, lawsuits, mass meme-making, and even prompt the president to react? In Mexico, a painting re-imagining the country's national hero was enough to do the trick. | The painting of revolutionary hero Emiliano Zapata wearing nothing but a pink sombrero and high heels while riding a visibly aroused white stallion was put on display at an art museum in Mexico City for an exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of his assassination. | Zapata was one of the key leaders of the Mexican Revolution. He led the peasantry in the fight for land rights and is especially revered in…
(2019-12-11). Immigration Centers, New 'Cash Cow' of Prison Industry: Report. telesurenglish.net An investigation led by the well-known civil rights group the Southern Poverty Law Center on immigrant detention centers in Florida showed seriously substandard conditions in health services, as well as the confinement and isolation of undocumented immigrants. | RELATED: , US Advocacy Group Launches 'Quit ICE' Initiative | In a report released Tuesday, the SPLC condemned, among others, the failures in medical care, inadequate mental health service, discrimi…
(2019-12-11). Elected by Donors: How the University of Cape Town Was Bullied into Embracing Israel. mintpressnews.com 
While the story may only seem relevant in South Africa's political and academic contexts, in reality, it exemplifies the nature of a brewing war between supporters of Palestinian rights and Israeli interests, worldwide.
(2019-12-11). Detainee Zahran Continues Strike For 80th Day. imemc.org The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that Ahmad Zahran, 42, imprisoned by Israeli under repeatedly renewed arbitrary Administrative Detention orders without charges or trial, is ongoing with the hunger strike for the 80th consecutive day, despite his seriously deteriorating health condition. The PPS stated that the Israeli Prison Authority …
(2019-12-11). BDS: The Full Menu of Rights. imemc.org 12-10-19 / Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) / Palestine On the anniversaries of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UN Resolution 194 affirming Palestinian refugees' right to return to their homes, the BDS movement insists on "the full menu of rights" for the indigenous Palestinians. Exactly 71 years ago, …
(2019-12-11). Constitutional Accusation Against Chilean President Goes Ahead. telesurenglish.net A constitutional accusation filed by opposition parties against President Sebastian Piñera was approved today by a committee of deputies, as the first step in that process. | RELATED: , Chile Denounces Over 350 Eye Injuries On Human Rights Day | The Committee, formed by five legislators of the Socialist, Communist and Christian Democratic parties (opposition), as well as the National Renewal and Independent Democratic Union parties of the ruling coalition, supported by three votes in…
(2019-12-11). 'Bolivian Coup Plotters to Be Tried for Massacres' Morales Says. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's former President Evo Morales Wednesday said that the main actors involved in the coup d'etat against him will be tried for the massacres committed in Sacaba and Senkala. | RELATED: | Evo Morales Vows to Return to Bolivia After Right-Wing Coup | The Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) leader highlighted the preliminary results of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) special mission, which confirmed killings in Cochabamba and El Alto during the coup d'etat i…
(2019-12-11). Aung San Suu Kyi defends Myanmar from accusations of genocide, at top UN court. news.un.org Myanmar will have "no tolerance" for human rights abuses committed in Rakhine state and will prosecute the military, if war crimes have been committed there, Aung San Suu Kyi told the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN's main judicial body, on Wednesday.
(2019-12-11). Bolivia One Month After the Coup: A Recount of Pivotal Events. telesurenglish.net While Argentina celebrated Tuesday the swearing-in of Alberto Fernandez to the presidency, in neighboring Bolivia, the de-facto government that overthrew exiled President Evo Morales marked its first month in power amidst allegations of human rights violations, political persecution, and media censorship. | RELATED: , 'Dictatorship has Returned to Bolivia': Morales to teleSUR | On Nov.10 due to civil, police and military pressure, the first Indigenous president in the history of Bolivi…
(2019-12-11). We Tortured Some Folks: The Report's Daniel Jones on the Ongoing Fight to Hold the CIA Accountable. theintercept.com The former top Senate Intelligence Committee investigator discusses the yearslong battle to make public the findings of the still-classified torture report.
(2019-12-11). A Second Nakba in the Making. globalresearch.ca Two years ago Friday, President Donald Trump formally recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital. We knew then that this was an irresponsible and cruelly insensitive act that would do grave harm to the rights and well-being of Palestinians and put an …
(2019-12-11). The Battle for Abortion Access Is In the States. aclu.org This past year has been a critical one in | the fight for reproductive freedom. For decades, politicians who want to | interfere with people's personal decisions about pregnancy have worked to push | abortion care out of reach. They've quietly passed 483 state abortion | restrictions since 2011 — including 59 new restrictions passed in 2019 alone. | And after Trump was able to put two new justices who are hostile to abortion | rights on the Supreme Court, politicians decided to go for broke. | Since Justice Kavanaugh's confirmation, | seven states have passed laws banning abortion from the earliest day…
(2019-12-11). Homogenizing India: the Citizenship Debate. counterpunch.org The federal government of India has yet to realize its obligations toward minorities. India's progress will be greatly hindered unless the federal government as well as the majority community assure minorities that their honor, liberty, and rights will be fully protected. In a diverse country, it is not only for the majority community to approve More
(2019-12-11). The Fight Inside the NLRB for Union Rights. progressive.org The NLRB unions argue that a recent set of executive orders from the board prevent them from undertaking basic union functions.
(2019-12-11). Trump Redefines Anti-Semitism in Bid Against Critics of Israel. telesurenglish.net United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday that would effectively allow the government to interpret Judaism as both a race or nationality and religion under federal law so that the Education Department can take direct action against what he views as "anti-Semitism on college campuses." | RELATED: , This is What Solidarity Looks Like: Major BDS Victories in 2018 | The order will trigger Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that requires educationa…
(2019-12-11). How can the U.S. dare lecturing China about Rights of the Muslims? dissidentvoice.org In 2019, I have written a long analysis about "the Uygur issue"; analysis which will be soon published as a book. For some time, I have been warning the world that the West, and the United States in particular, are helping to radicalize the Uyghurs in Xinjiang Province and outside. And not only that: I …
(2019-12-11). I'm a Christian. And I believe 100% that voting for Corbyn's Labour is the right thing to do. thecanary.co People who oppose Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn have despicably weaponised religion in an attempt to attack him. This has forced progressives of all faiths and none to speak out and defend him. And I now feel it's my duty as a Christian to say 'I believe 100% that voting for Corbyn's Labour is vital'. | The utterly…
(2019-12-11). Argentina Ignores TIAR, Venezuela at Fernandez Inauguration. telesurenglish.net Argentina's new government ignored the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR) sanctions placed against Venezuela on Dec. 3, which included traveling bans for most top Venezuelan government officials, as Minister of Communication and Information Jorge Rodriguez attended President Alberto Fernandez's inauguration Tuesday. | RELATED: , Argentina and Cuba Agree to Increase Food and Medicine Exchange | "In the name of President Nicolas Maduro and of the people of Venez…
(2019-12-11). US Senate advances bill giving State Department right to call Russia 'sponsor of terrorism'. rt.com 
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved a bill asking the State Department to determine whether Russia falls under criteria of a state sponsor of terrorism, potentially opening a way stricter sanctions. | The pretentiously titled 'Stopping Malign Activities from Russian Terrorism (SMART) Act' could potentially bring the already strained relations between Moscow and Washington to a new low. | Introduced by Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colorado) in…
(2019-12-11). Battling anti-Semitism or shielding Israel? Trump signs executive order targeting 'discriminatory' boycotts & activism on campuses. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that he claims will help combat anti-Semitic discrimination based on "race, color, or national origin," as critics say it only shields the state of Israel from any criticism. | Citing the "rise of anti-Semitism" on college campuses and elsewhere, the move seeks to apply the 1964 Civil Rights Act to Jewish Americans, and calls on the government to find new ways to "use nondiscrimination authorities" to address the issue. | "This is our message to universities: if you want to accept the tremendous amount of federal dollars you get every year, you must rejec…
(2019-12-11). 'It's either sanctions or impeachment': Lavrov in trolling mode when asked about timing of his visit to US. rt.com 
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denied there was anything odd about the 'timing' of his trip to Washington on a day that impeachment articles against Donald Trump were announced and the Senate debated new Russia sanctions. | Asked about the "timing" by a suspicious reporter following his Oval Office meeting with Trump on Tuesday, Lavrov joked that it was almost impossible to arrive in Washington at a non-controversial time, since something dramatic is always happening. | "It seems to me that, regardless of the day you choose to visit Washington, it will surely coincide with either sanctions or impeachme…
(2019-12-10). U.S. Sanctions Are Driving Iran to Tighten Its Grip on Iraq. theintercept.com 
Iran was the great beneficiary of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, which created an opportunity for Iraq's Shia majority to gain power in Baghdad.
(2019-12-10). Aung San Suu Kyi appears at ICJ as UN rights expert urges greater protection for Myanmar activists. news.un.org Authorities in Myanmar and social media companies are being urged to take greater action to protect activists in the south-east Asian country who are fighting for justice and accountability for crimes committed against the minority Rohingya population in 2016 and 2017.
(2019-12-10). Tuesday's Daily Brief: Human Rights Day, Samoa measles, COP25, economic slowdown, Myanmar at ICJ. news.un.org A recap of Tuesday's stories includes a day of activism on Human Rights Day; 70 Samoan lives now claimed by measles; COP25 news roundup from Madrid; global trade on the slide; and legal proceedings begin at the ICJ against Myanmar, as Aung San Suu Kyi prepares to defend her country against genocide allegations.
(2019-12-10). "Listen to Mother Earth": Indigenous Youth Leaders at COP25 in Madrid Protest Fossil Fuel Extraction. democracynow.org 
"Our movements must be bigger than recycling and braver than holding signs," said Rose Whipple, a member of the Santee Dakota and Ho-Chunk, and youth delegate with SustainUS, who joined a panel of youth climate activists at the United Nations climate summit in Madrid, Spain. Indigenous peoples from Canada and the United States are at the summit, speaking out against extraction, new pipeline projects and the environmental devastation of their territories, and calling for movements to center the rights of indigenous peoples.
(2019-12-10). Aboriginal leader Sam Watson's farewell draws big numbers. greenleft.org.au 
Aboriginal rights Jim McIlroyIssue 1248 Australia BrisbaneDecember 11, 2019More than 1000 people attended the funeral for Wangerriburra and Birri Gubba leader Sam Watson in Musgrave Park on December 6. | Watson passed away on November 26, just two weeks after his 67t…
(2019-12-09). Under Attack by Trump, Immigrant Justice is Advancing in the States. aclu.org This year was another of devastating attacks on immigrants' rights | by the Trump administration. However, in both red and blue states, we fought | and won new measures that stymie Trump's deportation machine. These local wins, | though often overshadowed by the president's xenophobia, are powerful. Here are | some of the most surprising and significant of our 2019 immigrant justice victories | in the states. | In | Michigan, a former marine's arrest prompts police reform | Grand Rapids, Michigan police kept veteran and U.S. citizen Jilmar | Ramos-Gomez in immigration detention for 3 days — even though <...
(2019-12-09). Immigrants have been Denied Due Process for Years. In New England, that's about to Change. aclu.org One of the bedrock principles of our judicial | system is that the government can't just lock people up without showing why | it's necessary. | For noncitizens caught up in Trump's deportation | machine, though, that principle doesn't always apply. But now because of our | litigation in New England that's about to change. | Gilberto Pereira Brito was detained in March by ICE | — snatched from his wife and three children, all of whom are U.S. citizens — and | brought before an immigration judge for a bond hearing. To keep him in | detention, the government had to prove nothing, whereas Gilberto had…
(2019-12-09). Question for Kirbymoorside UK Hustings Meeting: Would you stand up for Julian Assange? dissidentvoice.org To those candidates who are putting themselves forward as MPs to become a voice within the UK Parliament — would you stand up for Julian Assange and for those who. in speaking truth, have the audacity to challenge the dialogue of power? I am disappointed that my question relating to the arbitrary detention of Julian …
(2019-12-09). Human Rights Day celebrates 'tremendous activism' of the world's young people. news.un.org Activists, students and UN officials came together on Tuesday to pay tribute to young people's "tremendous activism" in promoting human rights for everyone.
(2019-12-09). Arizona educators, progressives confront ALEC summit and Betsy DeVos. fightbacknews.org Tucson, AZ – On December 4, a coalition of union educators, immigrant rights, police crimes, and climate change activists confronted the agenda of corporations like UPS and energy industry giants and billionaires like Charles Koch and Sheldon Achelson. At its height the crowd numbered around 200 with signs reading: "ALEC: Oligarchy in progress" and "Privatization, criminalization, incarceration, climate change, imperialism: #ALECisBehindIt." | The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a notorious organization of hardcore conservatives, was holding its States and Nation Policy Summit in Arizona. ALEC hoste…
(2019-12-09). The Government Has Taken At Least 1,100 Children From Their Parents Since Family Separations Officially Ended. theintercept.com Border Patrol agents, untrained in child welfare, decide that some parents are unfit to stay with their children based on brief interactions in detention.
(2019-12-09). On Human Rights Day, Let's Abolish Nuclear Weapons. progressive.org A nuclear war would create one of the worst humanitarian crises imaginable, one for which no nation would have an adequate emergency or health response.
(2019-12-09). Monday's Daily Brief: increasing inequality, human rights and climate, civil war crimes, Ethiopia reforms. news.un.org New UN development report warns global inequality breeding a "new generation of inequalities"; human rights linked to climate change by senior UN official; intentional starvation in civil wars classified as a war crime, UN rights expert calls for Ethiopia reform support.