(2019-03-22). Brazilian Social Leader and 'Defender of Life' Dies. telesurenglish.net Brazilian social leader, Dilma Ferreira Silva, and other activists were killed in the rural Parana, Brazil, the Movement of the Affected by Dams (MAB), an organization which fights for water and electricity rights for the public, reported Friday. | RELATED: | 'Bolsonaro is a Murderer' Signs Greet Brazilian President in US | Ferreira, together with two male activists, one of whom was her partner were killed in the Salvador Allende settlement rural area of Baiao municipality, alth…
(2019-03-22). Roaming Charges: Darn That (American) Dream. counterpunch.org 
+ If the Democratic race boils down to Biden and Sanders, you'll have two candidates in their late 70s who voted three times to overthrow Saddam, approved the murderous sanctions on Iraq, supported the illegal war on Serbia, backed the racist and punitive Clinton Crime Bill and fronted a scheme to dump radioactive waste from More
(2019-03-22). Gaza March of Return Architect Abu Artema Celebrates Its First-Year Anniversary. mintpressnews.com 
"Why would we die here in silence? We want our message to reach the world. We want to say to the world 'here there is a people. A people searching for a life of dignity, human rights and freedom.'" — Ahmed Abu Artema, architect of The March of Return…
(2019-03-22). Human Rights Attorney to Trump: "Israel Is Not Interested in the Golan Heights for Security" democracynow.org 
Just weeks before major elections in Israel that could determine the future of embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump declares the U.S. will recognize Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, in defiance of international law and decades of U.S. policy. The announcement comes as he is set to host Netanyahu at the White House next week amid the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, where Vice President Mike Pence will speak, along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, among others. A growing number of Democrats—…
(2019-03-22). Immigration Myths vs. Facts: CPUSA battles misinformation as new legislation is filed. peoplesworld.org 
The Trump administration and its supporters continue to put out utterly false information about immigrants and refugees in the United States. But the immigrants' rights movement is fighting back hard in the streets, in Congress, and in the court of public opinion. In the congressional fight over his proposed Mexican Wall, and in the lead-up …
(2019-03-22). Amazon workers walk out after grievances pile up. workers.org 
Workers at the Amazon fulfillment center in Shakopee, Minn., a suburb of Minneapolis, escalated their campaign for workers' rights on March 8 by carrying out a three-hour work stoppage. The strike occurred during the night shift, when a group of about 30 workers, mostly Somali immigrants, walked off the job . . . | Continue reading Amazon workers walk out after grievances pile up at Workers.org
(2019-03-22). The Ghost of Fascism in the Post-Truth Era. counterpunch.org 
We do not live in a post-truth world and never have. On the contrary, we live in a pre-truth world where the truth has yet to arrive. As one of the primary currencies of politics, lies have a long history in the United States. For instance, state sponsored lies played a crucial ideological role in pushing the US into wars in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, legitimated the use of Torture under the Bush administration, and covered up the crimes of the financial elite in producing the economic crisis of 2008. Under Trump, lying has become a rhetorical gimmick in which everything that matters politically is denied, r…
(2019-03-22). Venezuelan Authorities Detain Guaido Henchman for "Terrorist Cell" Involvement. globalresearch.ca Overnight Thursday, Venezuelan police arrested and detained three Guaido henchmen, two now released, the third still held. | Interior Minister Nestor Reverol accused Roberto Marrero of planning armed terrorist attacks in the country, saying the following: | An "investigation carried out by …
(2019-03-22). Trump Reversing New Sanctions on North Korea. truthdig.com PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump tweeted Friday that he has reversed his administration's decision to slap new sanctions on North Korea, with his press secretary explaining that he "likes" leader Kim Jong Un and doesn't think they're necessary. | It's unclear, however, which sanctions the president was referencing in his tweet, which took Treasury officials by surprise. | "It was announced today by the U.S. Treasury that additional large scale Sanctions would be added to those already existing Sanctions on North Korea," Trump wrote from his private club in Palm Beach. | "I have today ordered the wi…
(2019-03-22). U.S. on the Hunt for Iranian "Ghost Tankers". Targeting Vessels Transporting Iranian Crude Oil. globalresearch.ca When Washington announced the return of economic sanctions against Iran, the main idea was pretty clear: cut exports of vital oil to zero to paralyze the economy and prompt a change in government. Waivers followed, however, as well as reports …
(2019-03-22). UPDATED: US Sanctions Venezuelan Bank After Guaido Aide Accused of Leading 'Terrorist Cell'. venezuelanalysis.com After vowing "consequences" over Marrero's arrest, the US Treasury sanctioned Venezuela's development bank BANDES.
(2019-03-22). Venezuela Celebrates UN 'Multilateralism And Diplomacy Victory'. telesurenglish.net Venezuela Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza announced, on Twitter, a democratic victory for the Bolivarian Republic after a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) approved a Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (Mnoal) resolution. | RELATED: | Guaido's 'Terrorist' Collaborator Arrested in Venezuela: Govt | Thursday the UNHRC votes included 27 for, five abstentions and 15 against to favor of the resolution, which was presented by the South American country to expose the negative effec…
(2019-03-22). Venezuela President: US Withholding $5bn of Medical Supplies in 'Criminal' Measure. mintpressnews.com The move comes as the UN warned this week that US economic measures against Venezuela will have an "impact on human rights and wellbeing of the people."
(2019-03-22). The Growing Epidemic of Cops Shooting Family Dogs. counterpunch.org "In too much of policing today, officer safety has become the highest priority. It trumps the rights and safety of suspects. It trumps the rights and safety of bystanders. It's so important, in fact, that an officer's subjective fear of a minor wound from a dog bite is enough to justify using potentially lethal force, More
(2019-03-22). Chelsea Manning Believes Subpoena From WikiLeaks Grand Jury May Be 'Perjury Trap,' According To Unsealed Documents. commondreams.org Manning is in jail at the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center in Alexandria, Virginia, which is also where the grand jury is empaneled. (Photo: joltcan/Flickr.) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2019-03-22). Chapter Head of Satanic Temple-Santa Cruz Opposes City-Sanctioned Homeless Camp. indybay.org Lana Navalia, the Chapter Head of the Satanic Temple of Santa Cruz, has added her voice to the opposition of the new city-sanctioned homeless camp to be located at Lot 24 next to Depot Park in downtown Santa Cruz. On March 19, the Santa Cruz City Council voted to establish a homeless camp near Depot Park to provide services and more legal sleep options for those who will be forced to leave the Ross Homeless Camp located on the other side of the city, which is scheduled to be cleared by authorities on April 17.
(2019-03-22). Not in Ben Dover's Backyard? indybay.org Regular watchdog readers of "Ben Dover" and his "Weekly Dump" column published by the Santa Mierda Network are acutely aware of his hateful rants levied against homeless people struggling to survive in Santa Cruz. Following Tuesday night's Santa Cruz City Council meeting, however, "Ben" went ballistic. He was reacting to council's decision to locate a new city sanctioned homeless camp downtown at Lot 24 next to Depot Park. Here's the dig for Ben: the homeless camp, once established, will be directly in his neighborhood, and in his backyard, so to speak.
(2019-03-22). IAHRC Hides Ruling against US over Invasion of Panama. plenglish.com Panama, Mar 22 (Prensa Latina) The ruling by the Inter-American Human Rights Commission (IAHRC) against the United States over the invasion of Panama in 1989 was not included in its annual report, Gilda Camargo, the litigating attorney in the case, denounced here on Friday.
(2019-03-22). Macron sends the French army against anti-austerity protests. wsws.org The move is a major step toward the implementation of police-state forms of rule in France, as part of a global onslaught against democratic rights.
(2019-03-22). As 2020 Democrats Steer Clear, Progressive Groups Urge Pelosi and Schumer to #SkipAIPAC. commondreams.org "AIPAC doesn't speak for a growing number of American Jews, progressives, and human rights advocates who want a just peace for Israel/Palestine." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2019-03-22). 'A Poll Tax By Any Other Name'. zcomm.org Florida GOP Undermines Newly-Restored Voting Rights For 1.4 Million People…
(2019-03-21). The FBI Won't Hand Over Its Surveillance Records on 'Black Identity Extremists,' so We're Suing. aclu.org The ACLU and the Center for Media Justice are suing the FBI for records about the surveillance of Black activists—a tactic with a long, sordid history | At a time when violence by white supremacists is on the rise, the FBI appears to be targeting Black people in a secret intelligence program concerning so-called "Black Identity Extremists"— an inflammatory term for a group that doesn't even exist. The bureau's practice echoes earlier, shameful government surveillance programs that sought to discredit civil rights and Black power activists who were critical to advancing racial equality — and it e…
(2019-03-21). Trump Meddles Again, Recognizes Golan Heights as Israeli Land. telesurenglish.net In a new interventionist move, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that is time his country recognizes Israel's alleged "sovereignty" over the Golan Heights, a territory that was captured from Syria in 1967 but has never been internationally recognized. | RELATED: | Politicized US 'Human Rights' Report Singles Out Political Foes | According to Trump, the plat…
(2019-03-21). Marking international day, UN experts call for urgent action to end racial discrimination, in wake of New Zealand anti-Muslim attack. un.org States must take urgent action, to "stem the tide of hate and discrimination" and ramping up of "ethno-nationalist populism", which helped fuel the deadly shootings in two New Zealand mosques last Friday by a self-declared white supremacist, several top UN officials and human rights experts have stressed, marking the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
(2019-03-21). Catholic Bishops Stopped My Surgery Because I'm Transgender. aclu.org Gender-affirming care is lifesaving and supported by medical professionals. Yet Oliver Knight and many other transgender people are denied this care. | After years of working to affirm my identity in a world where transgender people are questioned constantly about their decisions, I felt hopeful as I arrived for the surgery I had waited so long for. I was 27, and I would finally be closer to calling my body home. | Since I was a kid, I've felt like my body didn't match my soul. I felt uncomfortable in clothes. I felt disgusting when I showered. Everything felt wrong, but it took me a while to figure out why. | On…
(2019-03-21). Ilhan Omar responds to attacks: Rashida and I are here to stay. greenleft.org.au 
Two young Muslim women were elected to the United States House of Representatives in the 2018 election. Ilhan Omar is Black, and a refugee from war-devastated Somalia. Rahida Tlaib is of Palestinian descent, and has family living under Israeli oppression. | Both are outspoken supporters of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement, which was initiated by the Palestinian grassroots to protest Israel's oppression. | As supporters of BDS, they have been under attack from the Israeli lobby in the US, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which falsely claims BDS is anti-Semitic. Following I…
(2019-03-20). Ex-UN Human Rights Expert Blasts 'Manipulation' on Venezuela: 'We Are Swimming in an Ocean of Lies'. thegrayzone.com Former UN Special Rapporteur Alfred de Zayas criticized the human rights commissioner's past reports on Venezuela, calling them "unprofessional" and…
(2019-03-20). Headlines for March 20, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Hosts Brazilian President Bolsonaro, Threatens New Venezuela Sanctions, SCOTUS Rules Gov't Can Detain Immigrants with Criminal Records Indefinitely, 40-Year-Old Mexican Migrant Dies in Gov't Custody, Asylum Seekers Waiting in Mexico Return to U.S. for Hearings, Report: U.S. Airstrikes Killed At Least 14 Civilians in Somalia Since 2017, At Least 10 Migrants Drown Off Libyan Coast, Israeli Forces Shoot and Kill 3 Palestinians in West Bank, Egypt Cracks Down on Online Dissent, Russia Signs New Laws Censoring State Critics, Colombia: 2 Community Leaders Killed as Violence Against Activists Mounts, Trump Nominat…
(2019-03-20). The Government Is Hiding Its Plans for Anti-Pipeline Protests. aclu.org 
Federal and state responses to public records requests raise concerns of a crackdown on First Amendment-protected speech. | President Trump likes to build things — apartment buildings, casinos, golf courses, walls —…
(2019-03-20). Trump & Bolsonaro Join Forces to Back Regime Change in Venezuela & to Attack Media as "Fake News" democracynow.org 
Brazil's far-right president and former Army captain Jair Bolsonaro visited President Trump at the White House for the first time on Tuesday. During the visit, Trump announced he would designate Brazil a major non-NATO ally, opening the door for Brazil to receive more U.S. military aid. Trump also suggested Brazil could even become a member of NATO. Both leaders criticized what they called the "fake news" and discussed increasing efforts to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from office. We speak with Maria Luísa Mendonàßa, director of the Network for Social Justice and Human Rights in Brazil. She i…
(2019-03-20). The Torture Machine: Flint Taylor on Chicago Police Brutality from Fred Hampton to Today. democracynow.org 
We look at the Chicago Police Department's long history of violence against African Americans, from the murder of Black Panther Fred Hampton to the reign of torture overseen by commander Jon Burge. The brutality of the Chicago police force is laid bare in a new book by leading civil rights lawyer Flint Taylor. It's called "The Torture Machine: Racism and Police Violence in Chicago." The book exposes decades of corruption and cover-ups in the Chicago Police Department. We speak with Flint Taylor, who has represented survivors of police brutality in Chicago for nearly half a century.
(2019-03-20). The Roots of Police Violence in Chicago: How Cops Have Targeted Communities of Color for Decades. democracynow.org 
We look at the long history of police brutality against Latinos in Chicago. Latinos, especially immigrants, have faced police violence and killings for decades, and have a long history of fighting back against brutality through community organizing and activism. But their stories have received little news coverage. We speak with Lilia Fernández, a professor of history and Latino studies at Rutgers University and the author of "Brown in the Windy City: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Postwar Chicago." We also speak with Flint Taylor, an attorney with People's Law Office and author of "The Torture Machine: Racism and…
(2019-03-20). US Imposes New Sanctions as Venezuelan Government Denounces Takeover of Diplomatic Offices. venezuelanalysis.com Trump warned that the "toughest sanctions" have yet to be imposed.
(2019-03-20). Venezuela: 'A worrying destabilizing factor in the region', Bachelet tells Human Rights Council. un.org Expressing deep concern at the "magnitude and gravity of the human rights impact" of Venezuela's current crisis, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Wednesday that the country had become "a worrying destabilizing factor in the region."
(2019-03-20). Border Patrol and ICE Routinely Violate Immigrants' Religious Rights. aclu.org Seizing rosaries, forbidding turbans, and serving pork sandwiches to Muslims are just some of the reasons we're demanding an investigation. | One pork sandwich every eight hours for six straight days. That's the only food that Border Patrol provided to Adnan Asif Parveen, a Muslim immigrant who was detained in South Texas in January because his work permit had expired and was pending renewal. Mr. Parveen reportedly informed officials that his religion forbids him from eating pork, but the…
(2019-03-19). VIDEO: The Grayzone testifies at the UN — 'Humanitarian crisis in Venezuela: Propaganda vs. reality'. thegrayzone.com The Grayzone's Max Blumenthal and Anya Parampil spoke about Venezuela at a side event at a United Nations Human Rights…
(2019-03-19). First peaceful transfer of power in DR Congo 'an extraordinary opportunity' for advancing rights. un.org The election of President Felix Tshisekedi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), marks "an extraordinary opportunity" for the country to advance civil and political rights, said a senior UN official, on Tuesday at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
(2019-03-19). Safe drinking water, sanitation, are 'basic human rights': new UN Water Development report. un.org Safe water and access to proper sanitation are essential to eradicate poverty, build peaceful societies and ensure that no one is left behind on the path towards sustainable development, according to the 2019 UN World Water Development Report, launched on Tuesday in Geneva.
(2019-03-19). ACLU: The U.S. Is Acting Like an Authoritarian Regime by Barring ICC Officials Probing War Crimes. democracynow.org 
The Trump administration has barred International Criminal Court investigators from entering the United States. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Friday that the U.S. will start denying visas to members of the ICC who may be investigating alleged war crimes by the U.S. military in Afghanistan. In September, national security adviser John Bolton threatened U.S. sanctions against ICC judges if they continued to investigate alleged war crimes committed by U.S. troops in Afghanistan. A 2016 ICC report accused the U.S. military of torturing at least 61 prisoners in Afghanistan during the ongoing war. The report…
(2019-03-19). Facebook Settles Civil Rights Cases by Making Sweeping Changes to Its Online Ad Platform. aclu.org The ACLU expects other social media and advertising platforms to follow suit in recognizing that civil rights laws apply online. | The ACLU, along with our client Communications Workers of America and other civil rights groups, announced a historic settlement agreement with Facebook that will result in major changes to Facebook's advertising platform. Advertisers will no longer be able to exclude users from learning about opportunities for housing, employment, or credit based on gender, age, or othe…
(2019-03-18). 38 Years Prison and 148 Lashes for Iranian Human Rights Defender. therealnews.com 
Nasrin Sotoudeh defended political prisoners and worked to abolish Iran's death penalty. Human rights groups are worried her sentence could signal increased repression of peace activism in Iran under a judiciary with a history of human rights violations…
(2019-03-18). 10 NAACP Women You Should Know About. naacp.org 
Since its founding in 1909, women have been at the forefront of leadership at NAACP. Rosa Parks, Myrlie Evers, and even Eleanor Roosevelt are just a few of the iconic women who have shaped the NAACP into the civil rights force that it is now. From our founders, Executive Directors, staff and members, Black women have always …
(2019-03-15). White Supremacist Kills 49 Muslim Worshipers in New Zealand as Islamophobic Hate Crimes Rise Globally. democracynow.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 wit…
(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). 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). 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.
(2019-03-13). 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 …
(2019-03-12). 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 …
(2019-03-11). 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 …