(2019-03-17). Lula Receives HR Award from Largest Labor Union in USA and Canada. plenglish.com Brasilia, Mar 15 (Prensa Latina) Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva received the human rights award from the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the largest labor union confederation of the United States and Canada, it was reported in Brasilia on Friday.
(2019-03-17). #HandsOffVenezuela March on Capitol Hill Demands Trump End Economic War & Regime Change Attempts. theantimedia.com (CD) — Denouncing the "strangling" of the Venezuelan economy via sanctions and demanding the Trump administration allow the South American country to determine its own fate, pro-democracy protesters marched through Washington, D.C. on Saturday to demand, "Hands Off Venezuela!" The demonstration came seven weeks after the Trump administration recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president, rebuking President Nicolas …
(2019-03-17). Vigil for Victims of Christchurch Mosques Massacre (Santa Clara University). indybay.org Multifaith Sanctuary at Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053…
(2019-03-16). Australia: Indigenous Groups Compensated in Native Title Case. telesurenglish.net In one of the most significant victories for Indigenous land rights, the Aboriginal Ngaliwurru and Nungali peoples from the Northern Territory have been awarded US$2.5 million in compensation for colonial land loss, and loss of spiritual connection. This case sets a precedent for other governments in dealing with native title ca…
(2019-03-16). Israel: The 10-Point Paradigm for Right-Wing Extremists. globalresearch.ca For the international community to turn a blind eye to the atrocities carried out by the Israeli government on the premise that its military technology is far too valuable to condemn the human rights abuse of the IDF, is a …
(2019-03-16). Cuba Rejects Changes to US Travel Visa as Rights Violation. telesurenglish.net The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minrez) is rejecting the 'unfair' adjustments made to B2 Visas, which decrease the length of time allotted to Cuban visitors traveling in the U.S. from five years to three months. | RELATED: | US Congressmen Introduce Bill to Prohibit US Courts from Recognizing Cuban Trademarks | The changes to the B2 travel visa were put into effective as of Jan. 18 and, in a statement, the ministry said citizens are faced with nume…
(2019-03-16). Lula Calls on Brazilians to Never Lose Hope. telesurenglish.net The former President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said in a letter released Saturday that he is in resistance because "I know that I still have an important mission to fulfill at this moment in which democracy, national sovereignty and the rights of the Brazilian people are threatened by powerful economic and political interests, even from foreign powers." | RELATED: | UN Human Rights Council To Probe Lula's Case in March | The worker leader said his opponents "want him to disappe…
(2019-03-16). Lawyer: U.S. Navy Veteran Held in Iran Sentenced to 10 Years. truthdig.com DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—A U.S. Navy veteran from California has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in Iran, his lawyer said Saturday, becoming the first American known to be imprisoned there since President Donald Trump took office. | Though the case against Michael R. White remains unclear, it comes as Trump has taken a hard-line approach to Iran by pulling the U.S. out of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers. | Iran, which in the past has used its detention of Westerners and dual nationals as leverage in negotiations, has yet to report on White's sentence in state-controlled media. Its mission to…
(2019-03-16). We Need a New Declaration of Rights for Black Americans. truthout.org Once upon a time, there was the lower-case "negro." But in 1914, Marcus Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, and called its first convention in New York City in August 1920 to mobilize its membership. The International Convention of Negroes of the World adopted the " Declaration of Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World," demanding that "the word 'Negro' be written with a capital 'N.'" | But the Declaration didn't stop at…
(2019-03-16). Hands off Venezuela! Protesters rally against regime change outside White House. rt.com 
Hundreds of protesters are gathering in Washington DC to demand "No coup! No war! No sanctions!" on Venezuela, and show support for Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro against regime change efforts.
(2019-03-16). In 'Breakthrough' for Labor Rights, Sanders Campaign Becomes First Presidential Campaign to Formally Unionize. commondreams.org "When candidates who claim to support the labor movement practice what they preach, that sends a powerful message that, if elected, they will deliver on their promises to strengthen union rights." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2019-03-16). A New FDA Commissioner Could Be a Disaster for Reproductive Rights. truthout.org It isn't very often that we find ourselves saddened when a member of the Trump administration decides to resign. But when FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb leaves his position, it could spell disaster for progressives — especially those who support reproductive rights. | Unlike many of the government officials serving President Donald Trump, Gottlieb — while by no means a moderate — wasn't totally unqualified for his job. And, even more importantly, he didn't appear to be…
(2019-03-15). North America's Indigenous Peoples: "Ongoing Genocide…" and Its Shadow World… globalresearch.ca Electromagnetic Press has produced a new book by Bruce Clark, scholarly expert and 'hands-on' activist in the matter of North American indigenous peoples' history, philosophy, and — especially — the reality of their present legal being, their rights, and their …
(2019-03-15). Council approves ICE immigrant prison in central Illinois. peoplesworld.org 
DWIGHT, Ill.—Activists from the "No ICE Dwight" coalition rallied here on Monday, March 11, for the town council's vote on a $20 million private ICE detention facility. Proposed by the Immigrant Centers of America (ICA), construction of the facility was approved in February by the town's planning commission and then went to the full council …
(2019-03-15). Watch the 20th Vigil for Assange. consortiumnews.com With Chelsea Manning still in jail for refusing to testify about Julian Assange, who remains arbitrarily detained in London, the 20th webcast vigil for Assange took place on Friday. Among the guests were Australian broadcaster Mary Kostakidis, James Cogan of the… Read more →
(2019-03-15). On the Death of Guantanamo Detainee 10028. counterpunch.org 
Camp 6, Guantanamo, where Haji Naseem was held for part of his captivity. U.S. government photo in public domain. | Torture, secret confessions and recantations, an ominous email, a mysterious death, a detainee found hanging in a recreation yard outside his cell in the middle of the night‚Ää—‚Ääthis is the story of the sixth man said to have died from suicide at Guantanamo. | Up until now, his story has gone totally untold. Even the location of the camp inside Gitmo where he died was kept secret for years. What follows is an in-depth examination into what really happened.
(2019-03-15). Immigration: AFL-CIO pushing lawmakers to protect Dreamers, TPS recipients. peoplesworld.org 
NEW ORLEANS—Lawmakers on both sides of Capitol Hill are likely to approve labor-backed legislation to keep the Dreamers and beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status rights—two groups of migrants endangered by President Donald Trump's deportations—in the U.S. So says Bricklayers President Jim Boland, chair of the AFL-CIO's Immigration Committee, in an interview during the federation's Executive …
(2019-03-15). Venezuela: US Threatens New Sanctions as Hyperinflation Slows Down. venezuelanalysis.com The US government has increased pressure against Caracas mainly by targeting the oil industry.
(2019-03-15). ICE's 'Bait and Switch' Policies Tear Apart Families for Following the Rules. aclu.org Wanrong Lin went to his green card marriage interview and proved he was married to a U.S. citizen. ICE deported him anyway. | On Nov. 20, 2018, Wanrong Lin was stranded at an airport in Shanghai, China, almost 7,000 miles away from his wife, kids, and home in St. Mary's County, Maryland. He found himself wandering China — with no money, no cell phone, and no goodbyes exchanged — after Immigration and Customs Enforcement illegally arrested and deported him when he and his wife showed up for his "marriage interview." Alone back at home for weeks, Lin's wife, Hui Fang Dong, tended to their three children…
(2019-03-15). Colluding in War Crimes: Britain's Unreported Military Alliance with Israel. globalresearch.ca The rapidly declining living conditions in the Gaza Strip and occupied territories has endangered the most basic of internationally recognised of human rights, as children continue to be collateral damage in what can be boiled down to a political standoff. …
(2019-03-15). 'Blatant Effort to Intimidate and Retaliate': Pompeo Imposes Visa Ban on ICC Staff Probing US War Crimes. commondreams.org Human rights defenders expressed outrage on Friday after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo revealed that the Trump administration is revoking or denying visas for any International Criminal Court (ICC) personnel who try to investigate or prosecute U.S. officials or key allies for potential war crimes. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2019-03-15). New Zealand Attack Comes as Islamophobic Violence Rises Globally. truthout.org In New Zealand, a white right-wing extremist killed 49 people in an attack on two mosques in the city of Christchurch during Friday prayers. It is the deadliest shooting in New Zealand's history. Police have arrested and charged a 28-year-old Australian man named Brenton Tarrant with the attack. The gunman live-streamed the attack and published a manifesto in which he praised President Donald Trump as "a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose." We speak with human rights activist and lawyer Qasim Rashid, who recently launched a campaign to run for a seat in the Virginia state Senate. And we speak…
(2019-03-15). Australia pays Indonesia to detain refugees. greenleft.org.au 
Refugee Action Collective organised a forum on refugees in Indonesia on March 4. | Mozhgan Moaref, a co-founder of the Refugees and Asylum Seekers Information Centre in Jakarta, spoke by video link. She said some of the refugees are living in detention, others are in "community housing" provided by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), while yet others are homeless and living on the street. | Those living in community housing are subject to a curfew and some have protested about bad treatment, extortion and torture. Homeless refugees have held protests demanding housing. Some have even asked to be p…
(2019-03-15). Yemen: US and UK arms killed, injured civilians in Saudi-led attack. greenleft.org.au 
As Yemen faces the world's worst humanitarian crisis, a major new report has documented the role that the United States and Europe have played in the deaths of hundreds of civilians in the Saudi- and UAE-led war on Yemen. | A group of organisations, including Mwatana for Human Rights, a Yemen-based human rights organisation, released the damning report on March 6. It claimed that between April 2015 and April 2018, 27 coalition attacks killed at least 203 civilians an…
(2019-03-14). Impeaching Trump: Pelosi Says It's "Not Worth It," But Progressive Democrats Push Ahead. democracynow.org 
Democratic lawmakers are continuing to push for the impeachment of President Donald Trump, despite House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaking out against impeachment in an interview earlier this week. Impeachment rumors have been swirling since the Democrats regained control of the House in January. Congressmember Rashida Tlaib of Michigan said last week that she will formally introduce articles of impeachment this month. We speak with John Bonifaz, an attorney and political activist specializing in constitutional law and voting rights. He is the co-founder and president of Free Speech for People, one of the organizatio…
(2019-03-14). The Reality Behind Trump's Coalition for Regime Change in Venezuela. venezuelanalysis.com As the cast of regime change actors from Abrams to Bolsonaro reveals, the US attempt to oust Maduro has nothing to do with democracy or human rights.
(2019-03-14). Regime Change Via Sanctions? U.S. Uses International Finance System to Strangle Venezuelan Economy. democracynow.org 
Venezuelan officials say power will be largely restored in the country today after a week-long blackout across much of the country. The cause of the blackout remains in dispute. The United States blamed it on years of neglect of the Venezuelan energy system, but Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused the U.S. military of launching a "cyberattack against the electrical, telecommunication and internet systems." The blackout comes amid a growing political crisis in Venezuela as U.S.-backed opposition groups attempt to topple Maduro's government. On Monday, the United States announced it was withdrawing remainin…
(2019-03-14). Venezuela: Electricity recovery continues as U.S. withdraws diplomatic staff. mronline.org 
U.S. officials have threatened new sanctions while Venezuelan authorities continue reactivating the electric grid. | Source
(2019-03-14). Headlines for March 14, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Orders Boeing 737 MAX Planes Grounded After Fatal Crashes, Senate Votes to End U.S. Support for Saudi-Led War on Yemen, Pompeo Defends Support for Saudi Arabia Amid Reports of Torture, Senate Poised to Block Trump's National Emergency Declaration, Former Trump Campaign Chair Sentenced to 43 More Months in Prison, U.N. Warns Arctic on Pace to Warm by 5 Degrees Celsius by 2050, Spanish Investigators Link CIA to Attack on North Korean Embassy, Brazil: Two Gunmen Kill 8, Reportedly Inspired by Columbine Massacre, Nigeria: Lagos Building Collapse Kills 10 and Traps Schoolchildren, British MPs Reject "No-Deal" Br…
(2019-03-14). Who ordered the murder of Marielle Franco? greenleft.org.au 
On March 14, 2018 in the centre of Brazil's Rio de Janeiro, two gunmen in a car murdered Municipal Chamber Councilor Marielle Franco and her driver, Anderson Pedro Gomes. Unlike most of the city's political leaders, Marielle came from Rio's favelas. And many of the favelas' millions of marginalised and mostly black residents saw her as their champion. | The arrest of two individuals on March 12 alleged to be the gunmen who assassinated Franco and her driver nearly one year ago is being heralded as progress by human rights campaigners, even as they warn this should be seen as the beginning of accountability and ju…
(2019-03-14). Senate Votes to Terminate Trump's Border National Emergency. theantimedia.com (CD) — Rights groups celebrated a "historic rebuke" of an unconstitutional power grab Thursday after the Senate voted to terminate President Donald Trump's national emergency declaration by an overwhelming bipartisan margin. "Today's vote is a major blow to President Donald Trump's autocratic ambitions," said Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen. "The American people don't want a racist …
(2019-03-13). Israel's DNA Screening for 'Jewishness' Epitomizes the Discriminatory Spirit of the EthnoState. mintpressnews.com Perhaps these latest revelations on DNA testing will serve as a wake-up call to Israeli Jews of Soviet origin that the discrimination they are facing has its roots in the state-sanctioned discrimination against Israeli Arabs and Palestinians.
(2019-03-13). Documents Reveal ICE Using Driver Location Data From Local Police for Deportations. aclu.org 
Records obtained in an ACLU lawsuit show how ICE is accessing billions of location data points from license plate scanners in over a dozen states. | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is using mass location surveillance to target immigrants. And local governments like Merced and Union City, California, are helping — feeding their residents' personal information to ICE, even when it violates local privacy laws or sanctuary policies. Today, the ACLU is urging an immediate end to this information sharing. | Records obtained by the ACLU of Norther…
(2019-03-13). It's High Time Congress Passed the Equality Act. aclu.org The legislation would expand federal civil rights protections to explicitly include LGBTQ people. | On Wednesday, the Equality Act — legislation that would provide LGBTQ people with explicit and comprehensive nondiscrimination protections — was introduced in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives with the support of nearly 300 members of Congress. If passed, it would transform the civil rights landscape in the United States. | The harsh reality — despite increasing support among the public and representation in popular culture — is that discrimination remains a persistent problem for…
(2019-03-13). NAACP Issues Letters to Congress Calling for Hearings on Domestic Terrorism and Government Surveillance of Black Activists. naacp.org Letters sent to chairs of House Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees BALTIMORE (March 13, 2019)—Today, the nation's foremost civil rights organization issued letters addressed to the chairs of the House Committees on Homeland Security and the House Judiciary Committee to request hearings on the issues of domestic terrorism; and regarding the ways in which Black …
(2019-03-13). German Jewish Peace Group Wins Peace Prize; Then Attacked as Being Anti-Semitic. therealnews.com 
Shir Hever talks about the Gà∂ttingen Peace Prize and how it transformed the debate around Palestinian rights in Germany, despite efforts by right-wing politicians to prevent the prize from being given to Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East…
(2019-03-12). Headlines for March 12, 2019. democracynow.org 2020 Budget Boosts Border Wall & Military Funding, Slashes Domestic Programs, NY AG Probe Targets Deutsche Bank's Ties to Trump Org., Rep. Pelosi: Trump "Not Worth" Impeaching, Algerian Pres. Bouteflika Will Not Seek 5th Term, Delays Election, U.N.: 2018 Deadliest Year for Syrian Children, U.N.: Airstrikes in Yemen Kill 22 Women and Children, Iranian Human Rights Lawyer Sotoudeh Sentenced to 38 Years, Colombia: Indigenous Activist Killed Amid Mounting Violence, Food Stamps Cut for 1.4 Million Puerto Ricans, Fox News' Tucker Carlson Calls Iraqis "Semiliterate Primitive Monkeys" in Surfaced Recording, Increasing Ba…
(2019-03-12). International Women's Day in Tampa: Fight Trump's war on women. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – On March 10, over a dozen Tampa community, student and labor leaders gathered at Lykes Gaslight Park for a protest against President Donald Trump's anti-woman agenda. Since coming into office, Trump has led an all-out assault on women's rights, including defunding abortion services, erasing sections of Title IX that protect women from sexual assault and discrimination, and locking asylum-seeking women and children in cages in the southwestern United States. In the spirit of the women's marches that occurred in response to Trump's inauguration, protesters chanted "Pro-life is a lie, you don't care if p…
(2019-03-12). New York City rallies for International Women's Day. fightbacknews.org New York, NY – A crowd of over 100 protesters gathered in front of the Philippine General Consulate in New York City on March 8, in honor of International Women's Day. The action, titled "Women Rise Up, Resist, & Unite!", put focus on ending violence against women and children in the Philippines. This included opposing President Duterte's wars on drugs and the poor, as well as his remarks approving of sexual violence against women. | Along with the Philippines, speakers represented other movements that have been led by women, including labor, immigrant rights, and political repression. There were speeches about t…
(2019-03-12). Venezuela: Electricity Recovery Continues as US Withdraws Diplomatic Staff. venezuelanalysis.com US officials have threatened new sanctions while Venezuelan authorities continue reactivating the electric grid.
(2019-03-12). NAACP-Opposed judicial nominee coming up this week. naacp.org President Trump has nominated Ms. Neomi Rao to serve as a judge on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Ms. Rao has an extraordinarily long record of hostility to the rights of people of color and other historically marginalized people. The NAACP is strongly opposed to this nomination, which may come before the full Senate for …
(2019-03-12). Is ICE Trying to Intimidate Anti-Trump and Anti-ICE Protest? therealnews.com 
An investigation published in The Nation discovered that ICE has been tracking anti-Trump and anti-ICE protests in New York City. Activists find this especially disturbing in light of ICE's effort to deport immigration rights activist Ravi Ragbir…
(2019-03-11). Headlines for March 11, 2019. democracynow.org Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Crashes, Killing All 157 On Board, Judge Jails Chelsea Manning For Refusing to Testify About WikiLeaks, Trump to Request $8.6 Billion for Border Wall in 2020 Budget, 1000s More Could Join ACLU Lawsuit over Trump Family Separation Policy, House Passes Election Reform Act Despite GOP Resistance, NYT Report Contradicts U.S. Claim That Maduro Responsible for "Aid" Convoy Fire, Guaidó to Declare Emergency as NYT Reports U.S. Sanctions Exacerbate Blackout, Netanyahu: "Israel Is Not a State of All Its Citizens", Gaza: Israeli Forces Shoot Palestinian Protesters, Killing 1, Fox Host Under Fi…
(2019-03-11). NAACP 110th Convention Mobilizing in Detroit. naacp.org NAACP 110th Convention Mobilizing in Detroit Thousands Expected to Join in Setting NAACP 2020 Agenda Fighting Racism and Defending the Vote, Among Key Issues to be Discussed BALTIMORE (March 8, 2019) — The nation's foremost civil rights organization will kick off its 110th national convention on July 20-24, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. "In a country shaped by race relations, pollution and polarizing political struggles, Detroit stands out as the …
(2019-03-11). Rally opposes Christmas Island plan. greenleft.org.au 
About 80 people attended a rally called by the Refugee Action Collective on March 2 to protest against the Australian government's plan to reopen the detention centre on Christmas Island and send refugees from Manus Island and Nauru there. | The rally heard Shamindan Kanapadhi, a Tamil refugee on Manus, speak by phone about the conditions there, including inadequate medical care. He said "all of us on Manus are mentally sick," because of the inhumane and humiliating treatment to which they are subject. | Rally co-chair Tara Josem read a message from David Price, the CEO of Christmas Island shire, who said th…
(2019-03-09). US women footballers go to court for pay equality. greenleft.org.au 
United States football (soccer) players filed a federal gender discrimination lawsuit on International Women's Day on March 8 seeking pay equal to that of their male counterparts. | The action comes just three months before the women's national team will defend its title at the Women's World Cup. | The class-action lawsuit was filed today in a Los Angeles federal court under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. It alleges gender-based discrimination by the US Football Federation. | The players allege they have been subject to ongoing "institutionalised gender discrimination". This includes une…
(2019-03-08). NAACP Commends House Passage of For the People Act — H.R. 1 Election Reform Bill. naacp.org Contact: Malik Russell /mrussell@naacpnet.org BALTIMORE (March 8, 2019)—The nation's leading civil rights organization issued the following statement regarding today's passage of groundbreaking election reform bill For the People Act/H.R. 1 by the U.S. House of Representatives. "The For the People Act represents a powerful effort to reinforce the truest principles of our democracy and pushes …
(2019-03-08). Weekend Read: Why is racism still America's biggest problem? splcenter.org It rained on marchers from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965, and it rained on them again last weekend as they commemorated the day when police beat civil rights marchers so badly that the date became known the nation over as Bloody Sunday.
(2019-03-07). SPLC joins civil rights groups in friend-of-the-court brief urging Supreme Court to uphold fair, non-partisan redistricting principles. splcenter.org The U.S. Supreme Court this month will hear oral arguments in two cases that will test the court's readiness to tackle the issue of partisan gerrymandering.
(2019-03-06). As National Socialist Movement Falls Into Disarray, League of the South, Neo-Nazi Billy Roper Seek To Pick Off Members. splcenter.org After a black civil rights advocate took over the neo-Nazi National Socialist Movement (NSM), Kynan Dutton had enough.