(2019-04-27). Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Arreaza addresses NYC activists. fightbacknews.org New York, NY — More than 50 people gathered at The People's Forum, on the evening of April 25 for a talk by the Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Jorge Arreaza. Arreaza was part of a Venezuelan delegation visiting the United Nations to demand an end to U.S. sanctions against their country. The sanctions have completely frozen Venezuelan assets and have stalled government activities meant to help the population. | In the last few months, the United States has heightened the attacks on the democratically elected government of Nicolás Maduro. While the U.S. has always attempted to meddle in Venezuelan aff…
(2019-04-27). Canada Gets Cozy with Repressive Middle East Monarchies. dissidentvoice.org While Justin Trudeau's government embraces repressive Middle East monarchies, they want us to believe their campaign to oust Venezuela's government is motivated by support for democracy and human rights. On a tour of the Middle East last week Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan met his United Arab Emirates counterpart Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi in …
(2019-04-27). China Challenges US Sanctions, Invites Syria to Belt and Road Project. globalresearch.ca The Chinese government has invited its Syrian counterpart to the global summit for the Chinese flagship Belt and Road initiative taking place in Beijing April 25 through April 27 among 120 countries. | Syria's invitation, attendance, and contribution in the mega …
(2019-04-27). Mapuche Rap Group Delivers Message of Indigenous Resistance. telesurenglish.net Mapuche Chilean rap group Wechekeche Ni Trawun – which means "young people together" – is using rhythm and lyricism to deliver the message of the Indigenous community's fight for their rights. | RELATED: | Chile: 'Carabineros' Police Crack Down on Mapuche March Again | The Mapuche people have, for centuries, experienced their lands being seized by Spanish colonizers since the 16th century, and their territorial control fell to just five percent of the former 500 kilometers south of…
(2019-04-27). The Shameful Moralizing On Prisoner Voting Rights. shadowproof.com Editor's Note: We're pleased to publish this preview of our member newsletter, "Keeping The Issues Alive," which provides a closer look at the stories we're following at Shadowproof. | Subscribe for $9/month and receive this weekly newsletter: SUBSCRIBE NOW | For this week's newsletter, Shadowproof publishing editor Brian Sonenstein responds to the backlash against the notion of allowing prisoners to vote, including those convicted of "violent offenses." | Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sander…
(2019-04-27). 'Nowhere to Run To'. truthdig.com Excerpted from the first chapter of "When All Else Fails," Copyright 2019, Rayyan Al-Shawaf. Published by Interlink Books on April 23, 2019. This excerpt is reproduced with the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. | On the morning of September 12th, 2001, I set off by car from northeast Orlando, where I lived, for Winter Park, a suburb to the west, convinced I had to see Hashem—though I wasn't sure why. | It had found me. The mini-Moloch that used to chase me around Lebanon had followed me to the States, except now it wa…
(2019-04-27). Oliver North Out as NRA President After Leadership Dispute. truthdig.com INDIANAPOLIS — Retired Lt. Col. Oliver North announced Saturday that he won't serve a second term as president of the National Rifle Association after he lost the support of the gun-rights group's leadership. | North's announcement came after his failed attempt to force out NRA chief executive Wayne LaPierre, who has been the public face of the group for decades. In a statement read to NRA members at the group's annual convention, North made it clear he was pushed out by the NRA's board of directors. | "Please know I hoped to be with you today as NRA president endorsed for reelection. I'm now informed that…
(2019-04-27). Kansas Supreme Court Guarantees Right to Abortion. truthout.org In what advocates called an "historic" victory for women's reproductive rights, the Kansas Supreme Court on Friday ruled that women in the state have a constitutional right to abortion care regardless of federal laws. | The 6-1 ruling would protect the rights of women in the state in the event that Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that affirmed American women's right to abor…
(2019-04-27). Bolsonaro Fears A Kirchner Win in Argentine Elections. telesurenglish.net Brazilian far-right President Jair Bolsonaro expressed fear that Argentina will reelect former president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in the polls this October and tried to blame the Argentine two-year economic downspiral on Macri's "timid" implementation of austerity measures. | RELATED: | Cristina Fernandez-Kirchner Leads Electoral Polls in Argentina
(2019-04-27). ICE's Attempt to Deport a Critic Was "Outrageous" and "Egregious," Appeals Court Rules. theintercept.com The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that activist Ravi Ragbir's lawsuit against ICE for violating his First Amendment rights can move forward.
(2019-04-27). War by other means: US/EU sanctions aimed at crippling Syria. wsws.org Washington is seeking to crash the Syrian economy to create the conditions for a rebellion so as to impose a pro-US regime in Damascus.
(2019-04-27). Cubans in UK Demand End of US Sanctions against Cuba. plenglish.com London, Apr 27 (Prensa Latina) Cubans living in the United Kingdom rejected Saturday the intentions of the US government to escalate its economic war against Cuba, by activating Title III of the Helms-Burton law.
(2019-04-27). 1 killed, 3 injured as gunman opens fire at California synagogue. rt.com 
One person had died and three have been injured in a shooting at a synagogue in Poway, near San Diego, California. A suspect has been detained. The local mayor said the crime was hate-motivated.
(2019-04-26). Headlines for April 26, 2019. democracynow.org Sri Lanka Lowers Death Toll from Easter Attacks; Top Officials Resign over Intelligence Failures, Anita Hill: I Am Not Satisfied by Biden's Apology over Handling of Clarence Thomas Allegations, As Comcast Lobbyist Hosts Biden's First Fundraiser, Campaign Boasts of Support from "Top 1%", Biden Hires Ex-Bernie Sanders Staffer as Senior Adviser, Hundreds of Thousands Protest in Sudan Demanding Civilian Rule, North Korea's Kim Jong-un Accuses U.S. of Acting in Bad Faith in Nuke Talks, In Response to Yellow Vest Protests, Macron Vows to Cut Taxes, Tells Nation It Must Work Harder, Report: U.S. Sanctions Have Killed 40…
(2019-04-26). Ecuador's Indigenous Win Landmark Case Against Drilling. telesurenglish.net The Amazonian Waorani community in Ecuador celebrated a significant legal victory Friday. A court in the Pastaza region ruled that the government had violated their rights when it sought to drill for oil on their land. | RELATED: | Ecuador: Waorani Women Shut Down Court With Singing Protest | "Today, the courts recognize that the Waorani people, and all Indigenous peoples, have rights over our territories that must be respected," was how the Coordinating Council of the Waorani Nat…
(2019-04-26). Roe v. Wade Under Threat: Planned Parenthood Pres. Speaks Out as State Laws Threaten to Ban Abortion. democracynow.org 
Abortion rights are under threat across the United States, with 28 states currently considering legislation to ban or restrict abortion in various ways. Among the slew of strategies are trigger bans, to make abortion completely illegal in a state should Roe v. Wade be overturned, and six-week abortion bans. Earlier this month, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed into law a six-week abortion ban, which bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected—something that typically happens before many women realize they're pregnant. The bill does not include exceptions for cases of rape or incest. A similar law i…
(2019-04-26). UN to Launch Global Campaign Against Criminalization of Indigenous Peoples. truthout.org A new campaign to stop the criminalization of Indigenous peoples for protesting against governments and corporations in defense of their traditional lands aims to protect them from persecution, murder and imprisonment on falsified charges, said the U.N. special rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples on Thursday. | Vicky Tauli-Corpuz said the idea for the Global Campaign Against the Criminalization and Impunity of Indigenous Peoples was inspired by research and interviews s…
(2019-04-26). Appeals Court Decision Upholds First Amendment Rights Of Undocumented Immigrants. shadowproof.com In a victory for undocumented immigrants who engage in activism, a federal appeals court found activist Ravi Ragbir had a valid claim against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which attempted to deport him in retaliation for his political speech.
(2019-04-26). Stop U.S. sanctions! workers.org 
The gang that announces Washington's policies has laid out a program of punishment, aimed at populations of countries on three continents. Any honest international court would charge them with crimes against humanity. Marchers in New York join millions who reject U.S. sanctions on Venezuela.WW photo: Brenda Ryan Secretary of State . . . | Continue reading Stop U.S. sanctions! at Workers.org
(2019-04-26). Tina Vasquez on Covering Immigration, Sina Toossi on Iran Sanctions. fair.org 
Media…
(2019-04-26). Why Left Wing Populism Is Not Enough. counterpunch.org 
The considerable advances that the labor movements made in the period 1945—1978 (known as "The Golden Age of Capitalism"), and the considerable expansion of social, labor, and political rights that these movements achieved on both sides of the North Atlantic (North America and Western Europe), generated a response from the economic and financial establishments—as well as from the political and media establishments which they influence enormously—that had an extensive impact. These establishments developed the anti-labor movement policies, known internationally as neoliberal policies, that signif…
(2019-04-26). Smoke, mirrors and the old shell game. workers.org 
Capitalist politics have long been a shell game. While the masses of people are told to look to elections to address their myriad of grievances — the real issues of poverty, racism, lack of good-paying permanent jobs and affordable health care, the struggle for women's and LGBTQ rights — these . . . | Continue reading Smoke, mirrors and the old shell game at Workers.org
(2019-04-26). Berliners fighting to save everything from their homes to the planet. peoplesworld.org 
BERLIN — People on the march are a common sight here lately. On March 8 it was mostly (but not only) women demanding women's rights and an end to the 20 percent wage gap with men. A big majority were young. For months now, on a weekly basis, many even younger marchers have been playing …
(2019-04-26). U.S. Gag Rule Expansion Will Constrain Women's Rights Worldwide. therealnews.com 
The Trump administration's global gag rule will not only stop abortion funding, but will bar organizations worldwide from offering comprehensive reproductive health services…
(2019-04-26). Filipina Journalist Maria Ressa Helped Expose Duterte's Deadly Drug War; He's Now Trying to Jail Her. democracynow.org 
The award-winning Filipina journalist Maria Ressa has been arrested twice in recent months by the Philippines government as President Rodrigo Duterte cracks down on critics and the media. In February, she was detained in a cyber libel case that's widely seen as politically motivated. She was arrested again in late March for allegedly violating a ban on foreign media ownership. Duterte has long attempted to shut down Rappler, which has published groundbreaking work on Duterte's deadly war on drugs that has killed thousands. Duterte has repeatedly described the site as fake news outlet. We speak with Maria Ressa, t…
(2019-04-26). War on Iran and Calling America's Bluff. globalresearch.ca The Trump administration once again has graphically demonstrated that in the young, turbulent 21st century, "international law" and "national sovereignty" already belong to the Realm of the Walking Dead. | As if a deluge of sanctions against a great deal …
(2019-04-26). Malaysia: Australian corporate polluter Lynas told to remove radioactive waste. greenleft.org.au 
Since it began operating its controversial rare earth refinery in Malaysia in 2013, Australian company Lynas Corp has produced about 450,000 tonnes of radioactive waste. After the first-ever change of federal government in Malaysia last year, local residents hoped this corporate polluter would finally be brought to account. Green Left Weekly's Peter Boyle interviewed Malaysian environmental and residents' rights activist Jade Lee from the Stop Lynas campaign about the latest developments. | Lynas' rare earth refinery in Kuantan has been getting…
(2019-04-26). Trump Has Taken Over 40,000 Venezuelan Lives With Sanctions: Report. theantimedia.com (CJ Opinion) — A new study from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) has found that tens of thousands of Venezuelans have died as a direct result of Trump administration sanctions put into effect in August 2017, and that tens of thousands more are expected to die as a result of additional sanctions put into place …
(2019-04-26). 'Landmark' Victory for First Amendment as Court Strikes Down Texas Anti-BDS Law. theantimedia.com (CD) — In a decision hailed as a "landmark" victory for the First Amendment, a federal judge on Thursday struck down a Texas law requiring government contractors to sign a pledge vowing not to participate in the pro-Palestinian boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement. "This is a complete victory of the First Amendment against Texas's attempts to suppress speech …
(2019-04-26). Amid Fears of Federal Attack on Roe, Kansas Supreme Court Guarantees Right to Abortion in the Conservative State. commondreams.org In what advocates called a "historic" victory for women's reproductive rights, the Kansas Supreme Court on Friday ruled that women in the state have a constitutional right to abortion care regardless of federal laws. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2019-04-26). Palestinians call on Iceland's Eurovision contestant Hatari to withdraw. bdsmovement.net 
Palestinians call on Iceland's Eurovision contestant Hatari to withdraw: PACBI StatementCancelling performance in apartheid Tel Aviv would be a meaningful expression of solidarity for the band, who are on record supporting Palestinian rights. | Cultural Boycott Boycott Eurovision 2019April 26, 2019…
(2019-04-25). Irish LGBTQI+ activists call on Ireland to boycott Israel's Eurovision Song Contest. thecanary.co Irish LGBTQI+ activists have called on Ireland's Eurovision entry Sarah McTernan to boycott the competition on 18 May. The activists published an open letter to McTernan and asked her "not to go to the Eurovision Song Contest" because of Israel's human rights abuses. They posted the letter online after they didn't receive a response from the singer. | Among th…
(2019-04-25). Thursday's Daily Brief: Malaria Day, women in tech, updates on Mozambique, the Sahel, Myanmar, Israel and Syria. un.org This Thursday, we cover: where we stand on tackling malaria; bracing up for a new storm in Mozambique; the need to make more room for women in tech; boosting resilience in the Sahel; a resurgence of violence in Syria; and human rights in Myanmar and Israel.
(2019-04-25). UK Israel Lobby Adds Muscle as US Lobby Weakens. consortiumnews.com British politics are being plunged into a stifling silence on the longest example of mass human rights abuses sanctioned by the West in modern history, writes Jonathan Cook. By JonathanCook Jonathan-Cook.net For decades it was all but taboo to suggest… Read more →
(2019-04-25). SPLC Action Fund: Florida House bill would contradict Amendment 4, making it harder for people with past felony convictions to vote. splcenter.org The Florida House this week passed House Bill 7089, an unnecessary piece of legislation that would purportedly restore voting rights to people with past felony convictions, but would actually create hurdles by requiring them to pay all their criminal fines and fees — even if they have been converted to civil liens — before they could get their voting rights restored.
(2019-04-25). Ukraine's President-Elect Demands Sanctions Against Russia Over Passports. theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — Ukraine's President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky has demanded that the international community impose new sanctions against Russia to punish them for a new decree offering Russian passports to ethnic Russians in war-torn eastern Ukraine. Since Ukraine's revolution installed a pro-West government, measures against ethnic Russians sparked a rebellion in the far east, which ended in a stalemate, …
(2019-04-25). Refugee sends plea from Manus Island. greenleft.org.au 
Thousands turned out for refugee rights rallies across the country on Palm Sunday, April 14. | Kurdish refugee Farhad Bandesh, who is detained on Manus Island, addressed the rally in Newcastle by phone. Below is an edited transcript of his speech. | *** | My name is Farhad Bandesh. | I speak to you from Manus Island, where I have been imprisoned and tortured with others, like our friends on Nauru, for nearly six years. | I wish to acknowledge the land of the Awabakal people of the Kulin Nation, stolen land, and I pay respect to Indigenous people, past, present and future. | I want to thank you all so very much fo…
(2019-04-25). Still in detention after 10 years, Tamil refugee must now fight cancer. greenleft.org.au 
Sivaguru Navanitharasa is a Tamil refugee who fled Sri Lanka in 2008. After staying for a year in Malaysia with no legal status, he set out for Australia, where he has been detained for nearly 10 years, first on Christmas Island and then in Villawood detention centre. | Navanitharasa is now in MITA immigration detention centre in Broadmeadows, Melbourne, where he faces a new challenge: overcoming cancer. | Navanitharasa has been recognised as a refugee, but remains in detention because ASIO classified him as a security risk. This was due to his previous membership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a…
(2019-04-24). Supreme Court Appears Set to OK Census Citizenship Question Despite Risk of Undercounting Millions. democracynow.org 
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a case challenging the Trump administration's plans to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census. Voting rights activists fear that adding the question will deter immigrants from participating in the census and lead to a vast undercount in states with large immigrant communities. Census officials have estimated 6.5 million people will not respond to the census if the citizenship question is added. This undercount could affect everything from the redrawing of congressional maps to the allocation of federal funding. The case centers on whether Commerce Secre…
(2019-04-24). UN rights chief 'strongly' condemns 'shocking' mass executions in Saudi Arabia. un.org Despite repeated appeals by the United Nations human rights system, Saudi Arabia's decision to go ahead with the beheading of 37 men, drew strong condemnation on Wednesday from UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet.
(2019-04-24). Bernie Sanders Spurs Debate on Prisoner Voting Rights, But the Idea Is "Not as Radical as It Seems" democracynow.org 
Presidential candidate and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said at a town hall Monday that he believed in restoring voting rights for prisoners, sparking a national discussion about re-enfranchisement for the more than 2 million Americans behind bars. Presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg has spoken out against prisoner voting rights, while Senator Elizabeth Warren said "I'm not there yet" on the issue. Senator Kamala Harris said "there has to be serious consequence for the most extreme types of crimes," referencing her background as a prosecutor. We speak with Ari Berman, senior writer at Mother Jones, about the pu…
(2019-04-23). Protect women's rights 'before, during and after conflict' UN chief tells high-level Security Council debate. un.org Over the course of the past decade, there has been "a paradigm shift" in understanding the devastating impact of sexual violence in conflict on international peace and security, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council during a high-level debate on Tuesday.
(2019-04-23). Trump's Latest Iran Sanctions Show an Unraveling of US Foreign Policy. therealnews.com 
Col. Lawrence Wilkerson says unilateral sanctions against Iran are illegal, and show the ascendancy of John Bolton; they intensify tension with China and threaten our international position…
(2019-04-23). Right-Wing Vigilantes Hold Migrants Hostage on U.S. Border. Did Border Patrol Give Tacit Approval? democracynow.org 
The FBI has arrested the head of an armed vigilante group that has repeatedly filmed itself detaining migrant border crossers at gunpoint. Sixty-nine-year-old Larry Mitchell Hopkins is the leader of the far-right, pro-Trump group calling itself United Constitutional Patriots, which the American Civil Liberties Union described as an "armed fascist militia organization." His arrest came just days after the ACLU accused the vigilantes of illegally detaining 300 migrants, including young children, near Sunland Park, New Mexico, last week. We speak to Peter Simonson, executive director of the ACLU of New Mexico.
(2019-04-23). Headlines for April 23, 2019. democracynow.org Sri Lankan Minister Says Easter Bombings Were Retaliation for NZ Mosque Attacks, Trump Admin to Ratchet Up Unilateral U.S. Sanctions on Iranian Oil, House Democrats Subpoena Former White House Counsel Don McGahn, Trump Sues to Quash Subpoena Requesting 10 Years of Financial Records, Sen. Kamala Harris Calls for Trump's Impeachment, Breaking from Democratic Leaders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren Proposes Canceling Student Loan Debt, Making Public Colleges Free, Supreme Court to Weigh Citizenship Question on 2020 Census, Supreme Court to Decide If LGBTQ Workers Are Protected by Civil Rights Act, Charges Dropped Against 3 A…
(2019-04-23). SPLC answers questions about antigovernment extremists who detain migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border. splcenter.org In recent days, media outlets have reported that armed militia groups, acting as border vigilantes, have been detaining migrants at gunpoint along the along the U.S.-Mexico border.
(2019-04-23). Benjamin Netanyahu Plans to Name an Illegal Settlement in Donald Trump's Honor. theintercept.com Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, announced on Tuesday that he plans to name a new illegal settlement in the occupied Golan Heights in honor of Donald Trump, to thank the American president for agreeing to overlook the unlawful nature of Israel's annexation of the territory seized from Syria in 1967.PM Netanyahu will present to the government a resolution calling for naming a new c…
(2019-04-22). Dallas Goldtooth: Hold Banks Accountable for Financing Climate Chaos & Violating Indigenous Rights. democracynow.org 
As millions celebrate Earth Day around the globe, we speak with organizer Dallas Goldtooth about indigenous-led anti-pipeline activism in the United States. President Trump signed two executive orders earlier this month to facilitate the approval of pipeline projects at a federal level, limiting states' ability to regulate such projects. The move is intended in part to clear the way for permitting on the northeastern Constitution pipeline, which has stalled after New York invoked the Clean Water Act to reject the project on environmental grounds. This comes as climate activists have filed a federal lawsuit with t…
(2019-04-22). In Rejecting Chelsea Manning's Appeal, Court Essentially Ignores All Arguments For Release From Jail. shadowproof.com The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an appeal from Chelsea Manning, which challenged a district court's order that found her in civil contempt. | On March 8, a federal district court jailed Manning for refusing to testify before a grand jury investigation into WikiLeaks. She was held in prolonged solitary confinement for around 27 days before authorities at the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center moved her to general population. | Judges for the appeals court offered no explanation [ PDF] as to wh…
(2019-04-22). Supreme Court Takes Cases of People Fired for Being LGBTQ. aclu.org 
The court will consider whether to take anti-discrimination protections away from LGBTQ people. | Can a business fire someone because they're LGBTQ? The Supreme Court will soon tell us. | After a funeral home outside Detroit fired Aimee Stephens because she is transgender, Aimee won a federal appeals court ruling that the firing violated the federal law barring sex discrimination in the workplace. After Don Zarda was fired from his job as a skydiving instr…