(2019-05-15). Action Day to Stop 5G – Protest Antenna at Oakland Wildlife Sanctuary and Elsewhere. indybay.org Starting at 3264 Lakeshore Ave in Oakland, and going to Oakland City Hall for 6pm Planning Commission…
(2019-05-15). UK Tory government maintains benefit sanctions as misery and deaths continue. wsws.org There are almost daily reports of the savage human toll of the austerity agenda imposed by successive Labour and Conservative governments in the UK.
(2019-05-15). Modern Merchants of Death: Spyware and Human Rights. globalresearch.ca Arms manufacturers of old, and many of the current stable, did not care much where their products went. The profit incentive often came before the patriotic one, and led to such dark suspicions as those voiced by the Nye Committee …
(2019-05-15). Trump planning nationwide military round-up of 10,000 immigrants. wsws.org The unprecedented scope of the raid would require de facto martial law and serve as a test run for the mass arrest and detention of political dissidents.
(2019-05-14). Government eyes up Jeremy Kyle for DWP position. thecanary.co Jeremy Kyle has tortured poor people for years. He's potentially driven one of them to their death. That makes him nearly as bad as an apprentice Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) assessor. As such, the government is eyeing him up for a position. | Misery: | The absolute hell inflicted on poor and disabled people is coming from the very top of the Tory government. Not every assessor is gleefully carrying out this malign programme. But enough are. | A DWP…
(2019-05-14). Minneapolis protest demands: Sanctuary for all, no to border militarization! fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – The national flags of Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador fluttered above the Plaza Centenario in one of Minneapolis's most immigrant-rich neighborhoods on May 11 as around 40 demonstrators demanded, "Stop militarization of the border!" | The protesters distributed fliers to pedestrians on bustling Lake Street and bannered their message to the honks and fists raised in solidarity of passing drivers. Group chants included, "No ban! No wall! Sanctuary for all!" and " °Zapata vive! °La lucha sigue!" | Organized by the Minnesota Caravan Solidarity/Minnesota en Solidaridad con la Caravana coalit…
(2019-05-14). USA: Hands off Iran! workers.org 
As if the White House gang felt incomplete simply leveling economic threats against China, making hostile comments about Russia and imposing illegal sanctions — illegal because they amount to collective punishment of the populations — on Venezuela, Cuba and north Korea — they have once again put the Islamic Republic . . . | Continue reading USA: Hands off Iran! at Workers.org
(2019-05-14). The Plot to Overthrow Venezuela Is Decades in the Making. truthdig.com Washington has wanted to crush the Bolivarian Revolution since Hugo Chavez assumed power, and its sanctions have killed tens of thousands.
(2019-05-14). US officials discuss sending up to 120,000 troops to Middle East as war propaganda begins over Iran. thecanary.co The Donald Trump administration is edging Washington closer to war with Iran. After pulling out of the Iran deal in 2018, the US once again applied crushing economic sanctions on the country. And recent reports show that top US officials are now drafting plans for war that c…
(2019-05-14). Tuesday's Daily Brief: hate speech, dementia, Libya and Yemen, human rights in Brazil and Lebanon. un.org This Tuesday, we cover: the UN chief in New Zealand's Christchurch calls for end to hate speech; how a healthy lifestyle can prevent dementia; updates on fighting in Libya and Yemen; the human rights of detainees in Lebanon and people affected by leprosy in Brazil.
(2019-05-14). Administración Trump lleva guerra contra mujeres a O.N.U. workers.org 
La semana pasada, en el 22 de abril, el Presidente Donald Trump llevó su guerra a los derechos de las mujeres y las personas no conformes con el género a la ONU. Es terriblemente irónico que el gobierno de Trump amenazara con vetar la resolución de la ONU sobre el . . . | Continue reading Administración Trump lleva guerra contra mujeres a O.N.U. at Workers.org
(2019-05-14). Collapse of USS Cole Bombing Case Marks Another Failure for Guantánamo's Military Courts. theintercept.com Without the political will to move Guantánamo detainees to federal courts, the case against Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri will drag on for many more years.
(2019-05-13). Headlines for May 13, 2019. democracynow.org Sweden Reopens Julian Assange Sexual Assault Case, Seeks His Extradition, Pompeo to Discuss Iranian "Threats" in Europe as U.S. Ramps Up Military Presence, Saudi Oil Tankers Damaged in "Sabotage Attack" off UAE Coast, 187 Countries, Not Including the U.S., Agree to Landmark Deal Curbing Plastic Waste, U.S.-China Trade Talks End Without Deal, Increased Sanctions, Pentagon Redirects $1.5 Billion To Fund Border Wall, Afghanistan: Gunmen Kill Ex-Broadcast Journalist and Gov't Adviser Mina Mangal, Pakistan: Attack on Hotel Kills at Least 5, Burkina Faso: Gunmen Kill 6 People, Incl. Priest and Burn Down Church, At Leas…
(2019-05-13). Arundhati Roy on the Indian Election and Narendra Modi's "Far-Right, Hindu Nationalist" Agenda. democracynow.org 
In India, the sixth phase of voting has concluded in a highly anticipated parliamentary election that is widely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking a second term in office. India is the world's largest democracy with 900 million eligible voters. The final phase of voting will take place on May 19 and vote counting will begin on May 23. Modi's Hindu nationalist BJP won a landslide victory in 2014. His government has been criticized for a crackdown on civil society, targeting political opponents, journalists, human rights activists, lawyers and writers. Human rights groups have also…
(2019-05-13). I've Been to Guantanamo. It's No Place for Kids. aclu.org The Administration's proposal of sending immigrant children to Guantanamo Bay is dangerous and inhumane. | Over the last year, the country has been shocked by reports of the inhumane treatment of children and families in immigrant detention. Now, the Trump administration appears to be increasing the scope and severity of its immigrant detention scheme by potentially detaining immigrants at Guantanamo Bay. | News broke last week that the Defense Department awarded a $23 million dollar contract to construct a "Contingency Mass Migra…
(2019-05-13). Turkey's Harsh Reaction to the US' Religious Freedom Report. uwidata.com 
A spokesman for Turkish President Ibrahim Kalin and the Turkish Foreign Ministry strongly criticized a report prepared by the American International Commission on Religious Freedom. The International Commission on Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recently published its annual report on the topic of the rights and freedoms of Religious minorities in countries around the world. According to …
(2019-05-13). Embassy Protection Collective Releases Statement on 34th Day of Venezuelan Embassy Standoff. mintpressnews.com "The Embassy Protectors will not barricade ourselves, or hide in the embassy in the event of an unlawful entry by police. We will gather together and peacefully assert our rights to remain in the building and uphold international law."
(2019-05-13). What's Trending: Black News Recap. naacp.org 
Blavity: Civil Rights Organizations Are Fighting For Crystal Mason, Who Was Imprisoned For Voting, To Be Released From Prison Crystal Mason, a Texas woman who was sent to prison for voting, is fighting for her freedom with the help of new additions to her legal team.The Texas Civil Rights Project, American …
(2019-05-13). SPLC launches voting rights legal team, testifies before U.S. House panel in Alabama. splcenter.org Ever since state and local law enforcement officers attacked peaceful civil rights marchers with billy clubs and tear gas on "Bloody Sunday" in 1965, Alabama has been at the epicenter of the fight for voting rights.
(2019-05-12). Florida Activists Fight Against Bill Preventing Former Felons from Voting. therealnews.com 
Last year Florida voters approved a ballot measure called Amendment 4 which restored voting rights of an estimated 1.5 million former felons. To counteract this amendment 4, Republicans proposed a bill that would require former felons to pay court costs and fines before they are able to vote — what activists are calling a poll…
(2019-05-12). As Animal Rights Activists Push Legal Boundaries, Canada Considers What Makes a Terrorist. theintercept.com 
Industry representatives in Canada have pointed to special penalties in the U.S. for those who trespass or capture footage on animal agriculture properties.
(2019-05-11). Statement from Venezuelan social movements to Embassy Protectors in U.S. liberationnews.org 
"Your defense of the headquarters of the Embassy of the Venezuelan State in Washington, D.C. is an emblematic case of struggle for respect of international law, human rights and the right of peoples to choose their own form of government."
(2019-05-10). Denying Impact of Venezuela Sanctions is 'Like Climate Denial'. therealnews.com 
CEPR co-director Mark Weisbrot responds to Guaidó economic advisors' dismissal of the U.S. sanctions' effects on Venezuela…
(2019-05-10). Headlines for May 10, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Increases Tariffs on $200 Billion of Chinese Goods, Trump Nominates Patrick Shanahan as Pentagon Chief, Former U.S. Intel Analyst Charged Over Whistleblowing About Drone Program, Chelsea Manning Freed from Jail After 62 Days as WikiLeaks Grand Jury Expires, Dozens of Civilians Die as Syrian and Russian Warplanes Pound Idlib, Baghdad Suicide Bomb Claimed by ISIS Kills 8, French Activists Contest Saudi Arms Shipment, Citing Civilian Deaths in Yemen, U.S. Seizes North Korean Ship, Accusing it of Violating Sanctions, Water and Power Cut to Venezuelan Embassy in D.C. as Activists Continue Occupation, Alabama Sen…
(2019-05-10). Colombia: 'Terrible trend' of rights defenders killed, harassed; UN calls for 'significant effort' to tackle impunity. un.org Alarmed by the "strikingly high number" of human rights defenders being killed, harassed and threatened in Colombia, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) in the country on Friday, called on authorities to "make a significant effort" to "tackle the endemic impunity" surrounding these cases.
(2019-05-10). Nakba 2019: Eurovision fails to hide suffering of Palestinians. greenleft.org.au 
The annual commemoration of al Nakba on May 15 — the 1947 catastrophe when 750,000 Palestinians were evicted from their homes and thousands of Palestinian villages wiped off the map — coincides this year with the Eurovision Song Contest, taking place in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv. | Ramadan has also begun, and Israeli crackdowns during Ramadan and around al Nakba commemorations are a given. What is different this year is the viciousness of the attacks and Israel's determination that its Eurovision PR showcase will proceed, uninterrupted by questions about its human rights record. | As Palestine…
(2019-05-10). Friday's Daily Brief: human rights in Colombia, Myanmar and Nigeria, global displacement, and more. un.org This Friday, we cover: the UN calling for an end to attacks against human rights defenders; a record number of displaced due to conflict and disasters; human rights issues in Myanmar; 900 children released from the ranks of a north-east Nigeria self-defense armed group; and referenda asking for the border dispute between Belize and Guatemala to be examined by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
(2019-05-10). Iraqi Immigrants Deserve Their Day in Court. aclu.org My dad was almost deported without a fair hearing. But a new bill could ensure that doesn't happen again. | This week, two of my home-state congressmen introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure that approximately 1,000 Iraqis who are now at risk of deportation or detention are given two years to have their immigration cases heard. I'm so grateful to Congressman Andy Levin (D-Mich.) and Congressman John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) for their action because no other family should h…
(2019-05-10). House Funding Bill Shows How Far We've Come in the Fight for Reproductive Freedom—And How Far We Have to Go. aclu.org A key bill makes important strides for reproductive health, and shows why we need presidential candidates to show leadership on abortion coverage. | This week the House Appropriations Committee advanced the Labor, Health, and Human Services appropriations bill, the annual bill that funds federal health and education programs. It makes important strides forward on reproductive health and rights–and it also shines a light on the need for presidential leadership on abortion coverage…
(2019-05-10). Workers rally around the world for May Day. greenleft.org.au 
As the gap between rich and poor widens, millions of workers around the world marched for workers' rights on May Day. | May Day, also known as Labor Day, began in 1890 with the campaign for the 8-hour work day. It has since become a key day for workers' campaigns around the world. | This May Day, workers marched against the fascist Rodrigo Duterte regime in the Philippines, against austerity and the rise of the far-right in Europe and against US President Donald Trump's attacks on immigrants. | Low-paid workers in Indonesia marched for fair pay, millions of Cubans celebrated 60 years of the ongoing revolution, an…
(2019-05-10). Government Targeting of Black Activists Reminiscent of COINTELPRO. therealnews.com 
In October 2017, a leaked memo entitled, "Black Identity Extremist Intelligent Assessment" revealed a government surveillance program targeting black activist liberation movements. Eddie Conway talks with Professor Adjoa Aiye and Sue Udry, executive director of Defending Rights and Dissent. They are members of the BIE Abolition Collective, a coalition of lawyers, activists and advocates who…
(2019-05-10). NAACP to Hold People's Hearing for Voting Rights in Birmingham. naacp.org On May 13, the NAACP, a member of the W.K. Kellogg Racial Equity Anchor Collaborative, will hold a People's Hearing on voting rights in Birmingham, Alabama. At the hearing, Birmingham-area residents will publicly share their personal experiences facing voting rights interference and barriers at the polls — which disproportionately impact historically disenfranchised voters and communities …
(2019-05-10). Sri Lanka: bombings a pretext for intensified repression. greenleft.org.au 
The Sri Lankan army and police have used the bombings of churches and hotels on Easter Sunday as a pretext for repression, targeting people who have no connection with the group responsible, the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ — National Monotheism Society). | The NTJ, an extremist Islamic group, is believed to be linked to the Islamic State, based in Iraq and Syria. | Sri Lankan police have been raiding numerous Muslim groups with "Thowheed" in their name, even if they are opposed to the NTJ. As of May 2, at least 130 Muslims had been detained, according to Tamilnet. | Non-Muslims have also been affected. On…
(2019-05-09). Headlines for May 9, 2019. democracynow.org House Judiciary Votes to Hold Attorney General Barr in Contempt of Congress, Senate Panel Subpoenas Donald Trump Jr. to Testify About Russia, Trump Administration Announces New Sanctions on Iranian Metal Exports, Bodies of 4 Migrants Found in Arizona as Trial of Humanitarian Aid Volunteer Wraps Up, New York Bill Would Allow Congress to Obtain Trump's State Tax Records, Trump Laughs and Jokes as a Supporter Suggests Shooting Migrants, Maryland Judge Approves Supervised Release for White Nationalist Accused of Terror Plot, Five Killed in Kabul, Afghanistan as Taliban Attack U.S. Nonprofit, Pakistani Taliban Claims…
(2019-05-09). Thursday's Daily Brief: ambulance attack in Libya, #GlobalGoals defenders, human rights in Cambodia, Swine Fever. un.org On Thursday, we cover: a tragic attack against an ambulance in Libya; six new advocates for the 17 Sustainable Development Goals; a call for a change in political culture in Cambodia; and how Swine Fever in China is affecting global food prices.
(2019-05-09). Trump ratchets up anti-immigrant campaign. greenleft.org.au 
While much of the media continues to focus on the Mueller report and the squabbles between the White House and the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, US President Donald Trump's real crimes are scarcely addressed or are ignored altogether. | This column will take up one of these crimes, Trump's intensification of his racist war on immigrants. He is not alone on this — the ultra-right throughout Europe and elsewhere have similar anti-immigrant policies. | In recent weeks Trump has appointed new officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
(2019-05-09). No One Should be Forced to Give Birth Alone in a Jail Cell. aclu.org A mentally ill woman gave birth in a county jail in Florida. Incredibly, she is not the first. | At 3 a.m., inside her solitary jail cell in Broward County, Florida, Tammy Jackson began having contractions. It took hours for corrections officers to reach a doctor, who said he'd check on Jackson when he came into work…
(2019-05-09). After Judge's Ruling, Charlottesville May Be Stuck With Statues of Confederate Generals Lee, Jackson. splcenter.org A judge has ruled that a civil rights-era law forbidding the removal of "war memorials" applies to Confederate statues that became flashpoints during a deadly Virginia gathering of white nationalists and neo-Nazis.
(2019-05-09). Congress, Laws Suppressing Boycotts of Israel Are Unconstitutional. Sincerely, Three Federal Courts. aclu.org Congress has a constitutional duty to protect the rights of the American people, including the First Amendment right to participate in boycotts. | Congress just got yet another reminder that the First Amendment right to political boycotts is alive and well in the United States, and any legislative attempt to infringe on that right puts them squarely against the Constitution. | Last week a federal district court in Texas blocked as unconstitutional a state law that required government contractors to certify that they d…
(2019-05-09). National Assembly VP Detained and 55 Armed Forces Officers Expelled in Attempted Putsch Fallout in Venezuela. venezuelanalysis.com Three more lawmakers also had their immunity from prosecution revoked on Wednesday.
(2019-05-09). Trump's achievements in pressure on Iran: from economic sanctions to military confrontation. uwidata.com 
Exactly a year ago, on May 8, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump took a pivotal decision on pulling his country unilaterally out of the international nuclear agreement on the Iran nuclear deal brokered by international mediators — the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany. Trump claimed that the Administration of his …
(2019-05-08). US Venezuela Sanctions Violate Human Rights, International Law: UN Expert. venezuelanalysis.com UN expert Idriss Jazairy stated that unilateral measures are against the U.N.'s Declaration on the Principles of International Law concerning friendly relations and cooperation among States.
(2019-05-08). Headlines for May 8, 2019. democracynow.org Iran to Suspend Part of Nuclear Deal Citing U.S. Sanctions, Pompeo Makes Surprise Visit to Iraq As U.S.-Iran Tensions Mount, UN Rapporteur Slams U.S. For Using Sanctions to Precipitate Humanitarian Disasters, 1 Dead, 8 Injured in Colorado School Shooting Near Columbine, NYT: Trump's Tax Records Show He Lost Over $1 Billion Between 1985 and 1994, House Prepares to Hold Barr in Contempt as Justice Dept. Advises Trump to Invoke Executive Privilege, Georgia Enacts One of Nation's Most Restrictive Abortion Bans, Uber & Lyft Drivers Strike Ahead of Uber's Wall Street Debut, Tens of Thousands of Teachers in Oregon to Wa…
(2019-05-08). Saying 'No' to Immigrant Detention. progressive.org Private companies want to build new immigrant detention facilities, but communities around Chicago are stopping them in their tracks.
(2019-05-08). Chelsea Manning: Despite Heartbreak And Hardship, Cooperation With WikiLeaks Grand Jury Not An Option. shadowproof.com Editor's Note: The following declaration from Chelsea Manning was filed in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on May 6. It is part of her defense attorneys' ongoing efforts to free her from the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center. Shadowproof is republishing the statement to help bring further attention to what Manning has endured. | Throughout her declaration, Manning makes it abundantly clear she will never testify before the grand jury investigating WikiLeaks. "I can either go to jail or betray my…
(2019-05-08). Transgender People's Rights Are in Peril. progressive.org The majority-conservative Supreme Court is poised to review the rules on discriminating against trans people in the workplace.
(2019-05-08). New Era for the ERA? 35 Years Later, Will Equal Rights Amendment Finally be Ratified? democracynow.org 
Activists and lawmakers testified last week before a House Judiciary subcommittee in the first congressional hearings on the Equal Rights Amendment in more than 35 years. The constitutional amendment was approved by Congress in 1972, and was ratified by 35 states over the next decade — three states short of the required total needed by a 1982 deadline. Nevada and Illinois have since ratified the amendment. A bill by Rep. Jackie Spear would eliminate the 1982 deadline, leaving the ERA just one state away from becoming a part of the U.S. Constitution. We speak with co-presidents and CEOs of the ERA Coalition/…
(2019-05-08). NAACP Statement on House Hearings Regarding Domestic Terrorism. naacp.org The NAACP, the nation's foremost civil rights organization, released the following statement in response to the House Committee on Homeland Security hearing on domestic terrorism today: "We welcome this vital and necessary hearing. The hatred and venom that has already harmed our nation needs to be addressed at the highest levels of government. Nothing is …
(2019-05-08). Remembering the Woman Who Renovated the House that RBG Built. aclu.org Lenora Lapidus led the ACLU's Women's Right Project for nearly two decades. She died on Sunday, May 5. | On the 50th anniversary of Selma's Bloody Sunday, one of the darkest stains in our nation's civil rights history, President Obama spoke with hope and confidence about Americans who were "unencumbered by what is, because you're ready to seize what ought to be." Lenora Lapidus lived her life by this principle. | Public servants come in many forms. They're elected officials, politicians, activists, lawyers, organizers, students, ordinary citizens, and steadfast patriots. Our beloved Lenora represen…
(2019-05-08). 'Climate Change Is the Real Job Killer' – CounterSpin interview with Joe Uehlein on Green New Deal. fair.org 
"It's the best framework that we, in labor, have seen in a very long time for advancing workers' rights. It sets a federal jobs guarantee for people who want to go to work fighting the climate crisis, and it also provides for what they call living wages, or family-supporting wages, in that jobs guarantee."