Daily Archives: July 26, 2019

2019-07-26: News Headlines

The Canary (2019-07-26). Dozens of bodies recovered after refugee boats capsize off Libya. thecanary.co Libya's coast guard recovered dozens of bodies of Europe-bound refugees who perished at sea as search operations continued on Friday, a day after up to 150 people, including women and children, went missing and were feared drowned after their boats capsized in the Mediterranean Sea.A top UN official described Thursday's shipwreck as "the worst Mediterranean tragedy" so far this year.Also on Friday, Libyan authorities transferred dozens of people rescued from the disaster to a detention centre near Tripoli that was hit by an airstrike earlier this month despite UN objections to such a move, the UN refugee agency s…

Reese Erlich (2019-07-26). Foreign Correspondent: Elizabeth Warren on War and Peace. progressive.org Warren's troubling foreign policy history includes uncritical support of Israel, supporting sanctions on Venezuela, and vilifying Russia and China as national security threats. But her views are also evolving.

Patrick Howlett-Martin (2019-07-26). Germany and France: Old Demons. counterpunch.org The suspension of arms sales is a classic instrument of diplomacy. It has been wielded on a number of occasions against nations whose governments and armed forces are accused of flagrant human rights violations. In May 1977, the U.S. administration under Jimmy Carter suspended arms sales to the Argentine military junta after the coup of More

splcenter (2019-07-26). Family of Herbert Lee to visit Civil Rights Memorial that honors his sacrifice. splcenter.org Clifton Franklin was a high school football running back who — at 16 — wanted to play in a big game between Louisiana rivals. His mother, however, had other plans.

Register Peace & Freedom or Green (2019-07-26). AIPAC's Anti-BDS Resolution Easily Wins Bipartisan Support. indybay.org Palestine remains the litmus test issue and once again, the Democrats showed their true colors on July 23, 2019 with 209 Democrats joining 189 Republicans in voting for pro Zionist Israel AIPAC's HRes 246, Roll Call 497 opposing the Boycott Divest Sanctions Movement of the Palestinian Liberation Struggle. See http: //clerk.house.gov/evs/2019/roll497.xml. The bill may be found at www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/hou…

Nausicaa Renner (2019-07-25). As Immigrants Become More Aware of Their Rights, ICE Steps Up Ruses and Surveillance. theintercept.com "ICE's mission is to apprehend people that it believes shouldn't be in our communities and it will go to great lengths to do that, particularly in the face of increased knowledge of rights."

ACLU (2019-07-25). Hawaiians are Taking to the Streets and Exercising their First Amendment Rights. aclu.org We're ensuring the right to protest and cultural access at the world's tallest mountain. | Driving up Daniel K. Inouye Highway on the Big Island of Hawai'i at 4: 30 in the morning is a sight few will forget: a silent, pitch-black road, with black lava and sparse trees. The dark air is a chilly 50 degrees. In our backpacks are packaged tuna, crackers, water, walkie talkies, and a voice recorder. However, the most important items are without a doubt our blue ACLU of Hawai'i legal observer vests and first aid kit, which is stocked with goods like antacid (to rinse our eyes of pepper spray) and earbuds. Sitting in the…

David Cavendish (2019-07-25). The legacy of the militant workers of 1919 lives on. peoplesworld.org The Communist Party was founded in the middle of a year of intense militant workers struggle. From coast to coast and among workers in a wide variety of industries, the U.S. working class stood up for its rights and for the dignity of labor. It was met at every step by the forces of capital, be …

teleSUR (2019-07-25). Tulsi Gabbard, Ayanna Pressley Votes in Favor of Anti-BDS Bill. telesurenglish.net The 2020 U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard came under fire for voting in favor of condemning the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. | RELATED: | Ilhan Omar Introduces Bill Backing Pro-Palestine BDS Movement | The U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday passed (398-17) a nonbinding resolution condemning the BDS…

Karen Greenberg (2019-07-25). No Fairy Tale: The Trump Administration's Declaration of Inhuman Rights. commondreams.org In whose world are filth, disease, and persistent emotional cruelty acceptable? (Photo: Ronen Tivony/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

United Nations (2019-07-25). Despite 'considerable progress,' Somalia needs help tackling political, economic and rights challenges, says UN expert. un.org Although Somalia has made "considerable progress" in its political, economic, social and human rights situation over the past six years, "there is much more to do," a United Nations expert said on Thursday, urging the international community to assist.

Staff (2019-07-25). Trump's Declaration of Inhuman Rights Includes Children in Migrant Jails. truthout.org | | Lately, I've been thinking about the Grimm's fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel. Terrified by cruel conditions at home, the brother and sister flee, winding their way, hungry and scared, through unknown woods. There, they encounter an old woman who lures them in with promises of safety. Instead, she locks one of them in a cage and turns the other into a servant, as she prepares to devour them both. | Written in nineteenth-century Germany, it should resonate eerily in today's America. In place of…

John Shafthauer (2019-07-25). Johnson reveals where he got the idea for a cabinet of treacherous numbskulls. thecanary.co Despite stiff competition from May and Cameron, Boris Johnson has formed what may be the worst cabinet of all time: | Boris Johnson — Prime Minister | Sajid Javid — Chancellor | Priti Patel — Home Secretary | Dominic Raab — Foreign Secretary | Gavin Williamson — Education Secretary | Theresa Villiers — Environment Secretary | This isn't a cabinet. It's a medieval torture chamber. #cabinetreshuffle | — Chuka Umunna's Flip Flops (@Wa…

teleSUR (2019-07-25). Bolsonaro Refuses to Supply Fuel to Iranian Cargo Ships. telesurenglish.net Since the beginning of June, two Iranian commercial ships have been stranded at the port of Paranagua, in the state of Parana, in Brazil because the state-owned company, Petrobras has so far refused to supply fuel to them, in line with sanctions imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Iran, according to comments made by President Jair Bolsonaro to reports earlier this week. | RELATED: | Iran Hints at Possible Swap of Seized Tankers | "You know we are aligned with the U.S. policy. That is why…

teleSUR -EF-mrs (2019-07-25). Venezuela Decries Latest US Sanction on Food System. telesurenglish.net Venezuelan authorities say they reject the newest set of sanctions by the United States government aimed at cutting off food aid for the poor into the South American country. | RELATED: | Lights on in Venezuela After Latest Blackout Attack | In a statement issued by Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, the government denounced "the repeated aggression of the U.S. Government against the people." | "The Trump Administration has blocked bank transactions, purchases of food and medicin…

Ricardo Vaz (2019-07-25). Venezuela: US Sanctions Target Subsidized Food Program as Foro de Sao Paulo Kicks Off. venezuelanalysis.com Washington has targeted companies and individuals it alleges are profiteering from the CLAP food initiative.

pip.hinman (2019-07-25). Nationwide protests say: 'Six years too long'. greenleft.org.au Thousands of refugee rights activists, in more than 20 protests around the country, filled streets chanting "Six years too long, bring them here" on July 20.

teleSUR (2019-07-25). 'Puerto Rico's Fight Not Over': Martin Supports Push for Rights. telesurenglish.net Puerto Rico is celebrating, after 12 days of protest, the island's governor, Ricardo Rossello, finally announced his resignation late Wednesday to be effective as of August 2, 2019. | RELATED: | Puerto Rico's Governor Announces Resignation Effective Aug. 2 | "Puerto Rico did it. And we achieved it in peace. Without weapons, like Gandhi. We demanded respect and they listened to us. Respect for Puerto Rican girls, for the women of Puerto Rico, respect for the LGBT community, respec…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2019-07-25). 'I Was Ready to Sign' Deportation Papers, Says US Citizen After Three Weeks in Horrific Immigrant Detention Center. commondreams.org Francisco Erwin Galicia, an 18-year-old U.S. citizen who was released from ICE custody on Tuesday after being detained for 23 days, said Thursday that he was subjected to "inhumane" conditions along with the dozens of immigrants he met during his detention. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

pip.hinman (2019-07-25). High school students demand: 'Abortion rights now'. greenleft.org.au An abortion rights march was organised by high school students in Newcastle on July 21 wanting the health procedure to be removed from the Crimes Act in NSW.

Staff (2019-07-24). Headlines for July 24, 2019. democracynow.org Robert Mueller Testifies Before Congress, Trump Rails Against Squad, Mueller Report in Speech to Teenagers, Disgraced Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló Expected to Step Down, ORR Says Unaccompanied Migrant Children Could Be Detained for Years, Immigration Agents Detain Texas Teen for 3+ Weeks Despite Being a U.S. Citizen, Tennessee Community Blocks ICE from Taking Neighbor by Forming Human Chain, Trump Threatens Guatemala with Tariffs and Other Penalties After Failure of Immigration Deal, DOJ Pursues Antitrust Probe into Big Tech, Reports: FTC to Accuse Facebook of Misleading Consumers on Personal Data Use, F…

Bennett Guillaume (2019-07-24). North Korea navigates economic reform in a sea of sanctions. peoplesworld.org PYONGYANG—In April, a Japanese newspaper revealed a policy document purportedly detailing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's economic strategy for the 2016-2020 period. The text's authors stressed the need to step-up technological development, diversify the country's trade, chiefly toward Russia, and proceed with the "full introduction of a new economic management method." What "new management …

Ai-jen Poo (2019-07-24). The Soft Power of Héctor Figueroa. progressive.org Wherever working people were hurting, he was ready to organize. From immigrant rights to taxi workers, he believed in the power of everyday people, when organized, to change everything.

ACLU (2019-07-24). Trans People Led the Fight Against HB2 in North Carolina. And We're Winning. aclu.org Transgender people in North Carolina cannot be banned from facilities based on their gender under H.B. 2 replacement law. | It's been more than three years since North Carolina lawmakers passed House Bill 2, the hateful North Carolina law that compromised the ability of transgender people like me to safely navigate our daily lives. | As the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit the ACLU and Lambda Legal filed to stop this measure, I've spent the last three years fighting alongside LGBTQ North Carolinians and others to mitigate the harm caused by H.B. 2…

Gareth Porter (2019-07-23). Did John Bolton Light the Fuse of the UK-Iranian Tanker Crisis? dissidentvoice.org The notice required the Gibraltar government to detain any such ship for at least 72 hours if it entered "British Gibraltar Territorial Waters." Significantly, however, the video statement by Gibraltar's chief minister Fabian Picardo on July 4 explaining the seizure of the Grace 1 made no such claim and avoided any mention of the precise location …

United Nations (2019-07-23). Libya: Renewed commitment to Mediterranean rescues encouraging, but 'overriding priority' must be 'lasting peace', say UN officials. un.org The heads of the two key UN agencies championing refugees and migrants have called for an end to their "arbitrary detention" across Libya, following an agreement on Tuesday by European Union countries to offer those fleeing across the Mediterranean a safe berth through a new distribution mechanism.

Paul Dobson (2019-07-23). Non-Aligned Movement Condemns US Sanctions Against Venezuela. venezuelanalysis.com The 120-member movement held a ministerial meeting in Caracas as a US spy jet reportedly violated Venezuelan airspace.

Kim Petersen (2019-07-22). Never Again: What about the Palestinians? dissidentvoice.org concentration camp: a guarded compound for the detention or imprisonment of aliens, members of ethnic minorities, political opponents, etc., especially any of the camps established by the Nazis prior to and during World War II for the confinement and persecution of prisoners.1 The people seeking a new life in the United States are mainly an …

unitedEditor (2019-07-22). Turkey's Multipolar turn: Ankara and Beijing come to terms on Uyghurs issue. uwidata.com China's relationship to its ethnic minority Uyghur population has been the central issue driving a wedge between China and the Muslim world in recent years. However, the situation is already beginning to change before our eyes — Pakistan, Turkey and many nations throughout the Middle East have suddenly stopped calling the Uyghur education centers in …

Ben Norton (2019-07-22). 'US economic terrorism will backfire': Iranian foreign minister calls for unity in Nicaragua. thegrayzone.com In Nicaragua, Ben Norton and Max Blumenthal asked Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif about US sanctions, Europe's role in the…

Liberation staff (2019-07-21). Justice Dept decision not to charge Eric Garner's killer sparks outrage. liberationnews.org In a blow to all who seek to keep their communities safe from hostile police, on July 1 the Federal government announced that Officer Daniel Pantaleo will not face any federal civil rights charges for murdering Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York, five years ago.

unitedEditor (2019-07-20). US, EU and NATO, once again, threaten Turkey with sanctions. uwidata.com In recent years, Western countries and, above all, the United States, have persistently attempted to make Turkey their proverbial "whipping boy." Ankara, for its part, is aware of the situation, and the times when it's politicians preferred to bow their heads and accept the outside influence are now firmly in the past: Turkey is resolutely …

Staff (2019-07-19). Headlines for July 19, 2019. democracynow.org 70 Catholics Arrested in Capitol Hill Protest of Trump's Immigration Policies, Asylum Seekers in Texas ICE Jail Launch Hunger Strike, House Democrats Grill Acting DHS Chief over Migrant Deaths and Squalid Jails, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Confronts DHS Chief over Racist & Sexist Border Patrol Posts, Trump Disavows "Send Her Home" Chant After Racist Attacks on Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Ilhan Omar Greeted in Minnesota with Chants of "Welcome Home", House Approves Minimum Wage Hike to $15 an Hour, Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Would Bring Overtime Pay, Union Rights, Trump to Nominate Anti-Union Lawyer Eugene Scalia as Labor S…

Alex Kane (2019-07-19). A Pro-Israel Democrat Withdrew Her Support for a Bill Supporting Palestinian Rights. She Now Claims Her Name Was Added by Accident. theintercept.com Rep. Rosa DeLauro's reversal on the legislation is only the latest illustration of how charged the debate over Israel has become in Washington.

unitedEditor (2019-07-19). How Iran is fighting back against Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign. uwidata.com On May 8, 2018, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced his decision to end the US' participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and begin reinstating nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. These extreme measures including the so-called "maximum pressure" policy and attempting to bring Iranian oil exports to "zero" have inflicted excruciating pain on …

Ed Rampell (2019-07-19). Hack the Vote: Big Brother is Still Watching You. progressive.org "Digital rights are human rights." A review of the film, The Great Hack.

James Jeffrey (2019-07-18). The Dark Side of the Moon Mission. progressive.org "For that kind of money," Vonnegut cracked on the CBS Evening News, "the least [NASA] can do is discover God." Civil rights activists, anti-Vietnam War protesters and even top scientists were skeptical of the Apollo moon mission at the time.

Katerina Moore (2019-07-18). Thousands join vigil at Los Angeles detention center. liberationnews.org On July 12, members of ANSWER Coalition and the Party for Socialism and Liberation joined thousands of people for a vigil outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Downtown Los Angeles.

Ricardo Vaz (2019-07-18). Venezuela: Trump Diverts Central America Aid to Guaido as EU Threatens More Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com Guaido's team is receiving over $40 million to fund salaries, travel, training, propaganda and technical assistance.

Staff (2019-07-17). Happiest Place on Earth? Meet the Disney Heiress Speaking Out Against Disneyland's Abuse of Workers. democracynow.org Abigail Disney, the heiress of the Disney fortune, is once again speaking out against the company's unfair labor and wage practices. She recently spoke to Disneyland employees in California, where they shared their experiences with the theme park's work environment. In the past, Abigail Disney has criticized Disney CEO Bob Iger's obscene salary and the drastic pay gap between Iger and other Disney employees. Abigail Disney also testified in May at the House Committee on Financial Services during a hearing on strengthening the rights and protections of workers. We speak with Abigail Disney, filmmaker and granddaug…

Liberation Staff (2019-07-17). Free the children, close the camps. liberationnews.org Trump's racist statements against Mexicans and Central Americans is intended for one purpose: To stir up hatred of immigrants, to mobilize his base and deflect blame away from millionaires and billionaires, who are the real cause of the economic crisis and unemployment.

Megan Klein (2019-07-16). Migrants Are Fleeing Something Worse. progressive.org Clearly, if the appalling conditions in detention centers are an improvement from what they are fleeing, these migrants have a sufficient basis for seeking asylum in the United States.

TeleSur English (2019-07-15). UN Human Rights Council Adopts Resolution Rejecting US Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com The draft resolution was approved with 28 votes in favor, 14 against and five abstentions, and was presented by Venezuela and Palestine on behalf of the Movement of Non-aligned Countries.

splcenter (2019-07-15). Author of 'Emanuel Nine' church massacre book to speak at Civil Rights Memorial Center. splcenter.org As the prosecution made its closing argument, photos of the nine people that Dylann Roof had shot to death in a Charleston, South Carolina, church appeared on the screen in bloody, gruesome detail.

Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz (2019-07-12). Venezuela: 'Progress' Reported in Gov't-Opposition Talks as US Sanctions Counter-Intelligence Agency. venezuelanalysis.com The agenda of the talks has not been disclosed but the topic of elections is reportedly being left for last.

Roger D. Harris (2019-07-12). The Glaring Holes in Michelle Bachelet's Venezuela Human Rights Report. mintpressnews.com UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Michelle Bachelet's report on Venezuela echoes the US government's talking points, which are designed to terminate the two-decade-old Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela. The report fails to acknowledge Venezuela's manifest accomplishments or even recognize victims of US-backed right-wing violence in Venezuela. The US economic war against Venezuela, US threats of a "military option," and opposition violence are treated in the Bachelet report as figments of the imagination, "alleged internal and external threats." | Mean…

Kevin Gosztola (2019-07-12). Then CIA is Invoking Wikileaks to Push for the Expansion of a Cold War Era Secrecy Law. mintpressnews.com Three decades ago, the CIA mobilized to protect itself from radical acts of transparency, and now, with the internet and organizations like WikiLeaks, it hopes to be able to further isolate and criminalize those who challenge it.

ACLU (2019-07-12). Pompeo's New 'Human Rights' Commission is Up To No Good. aclu.org The Trump administration appears to be trying to find new moral footing for the president's discriminatory policies. | This week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo formally announced the creation of a "Commission on Unalienable Rights." Its stated purpose, according to a notice published in the Federal Register in May, is to provide "fresh thinking about human rights discourse where such discourse has departed from our nation's founding principles of natural law and natural rights." | Th…

splcenter (2019-07-11). Manuel Duran, journalist who reported on ICE, freed from detention. splcenter.org Manuel Duran, an investigative journalist who was detained after reporting on the collusion between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local law enforcement in Memphis, Tennessee, was released today from ICE detention and will be reunited with his fiancée.

ACLU (2019-07-11). CBP Can't Detain Domestic Flight Passengers for Refusing Suspicionless ID Checks. aclu.org The Constitution protects passengers deplaning domestic flights just as it protects people on the street or in a car. | In February 2017, two U.S. CBP officers stood on a jet bridge at New York's JFK Airport to meet Delta Flight 1583 as it taxied to the gate upon arrival from San Francisco. As passengers prepared to deplane, they were told by flight attendants — at the direction of the two officers — that all passengers would have to show identification documents to the officer…

2019-07-26: Social Media Postees

Foreign Correspondent: Elizabeth Warren on War and Peace
Reese Erlich | progressive.org | 2019-07-26
Warren's troubling foreign policy history includes uncritical support of Israel, supporting sanctions on Venezuela, and vilifying Russia and China as national security threats. But her views are also evolving.
progressive.org/dispatches/foreign-correspondent-elizabeth-warren-on-war-and-peace-erlich-190726/

Dozens of bodies recovered after refugee boats capsize off Libya
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2019-07-26
Libya's coast guard recovered dozens of bodies of Europe-bound refugees who perished at sea as search operations continued on Friday, a day after up to 150 people, including women and children, went missing and were feared drowned after their boats capsized in the Mediterranean Sea.A top UN official described Thursday's shipwreck as "the worst Mediterranean tragedy" so far this year.Also on Friday, Libyan authorities transferred dozens of people rescued from the disaster to a detention centre near Tripoli that was hit by an airstrike earlier this month despite UN objections to such a move, the UN refugee agency s…
thecanary.co/global/world-news/2019/07/26/dozens-of-bodies-recovered-after-refugee-boats-capsize-off-libya/

Germany and France: Old Demons
Patrick Howlett-Martin | counterpunch.org | 2019-07-26
The suspension of arms sales is a classic instrument of diplomacy. It has been wielded on a number of occasions against nations whose governments and armed forces are accused of flagrant human rights violations. In May 1977, the U.S. administration under Jimmy Carter suspended arms sales to the Argentine military junta after the coup of…
counterpunch.org/2019/07/26/germany-and-france-old-demons/

Family of Herbert Lee to visit Civil Rights Memorial that honors his sacrifice
splcenter.org | 2019-07-26
Clifton Franklin was a high school football running back who — at 16 — wanted to play in a big game between Louisiana rivals. His mother, however, had other plans.
splcenter.org/news/2019/07/26/family-herbert-lee-visit-civil-rights-memorial-honors-his-sacrifice

AIPAC's Anti-BDS Resolution Easily Wins Bipartisan Support
Register Peace & Freedom or Green | indybay.org | 2019-07-26
Palestine remains the litmus test issue and once again, the Democrats showed their true colors on July 23, 2019 with 209 Democrats joining 189 Republicans in voting for pro Zionist Israel AIPAC's HRes 246, Roll Call 497 opposing the Boycott Divest Sanctions Movement of the Palestinian Liberation Struggle. See http: //clerk.house.gov/evs/2019/roll497.xml. The bill may be found at www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/hou…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/07/24/18824957.php

Tulsi Gabbard, Ayanna Pressley Votes in Favor of Anti-BDS Bill
telesurenglish.net | 2019-07-25
The 2020 U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard came under fire for voting in favor of condemning the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. | RELATED: | Ilhan Omar Introduces Bill Backing Pro-Palestine BDS Movement | The U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday passed (398-17) a nonbinding resolution condemning the BDS…
telesurenglish.net/news/tulsi-gabbard-vote-against-bds-ayanna-pressley-united-states-congress-anti-bds-bill-20190725-0009.html

Hawaiians are Taking to the Streets and Exercising their First Amendment Rights
aclu.org | 2019-07-25
We're ensuring the right to protest and cultural access at the world's tallest mountain. | Driving up Daniel K. Inouye Highway on the Big Island of Hawai'i at 4: 30 in the morning is a sight few will forget: a silent, pitch-black road, with black lava and sparse trees. The dark air is a chilly 50 degrees. In our backpacks are packaged tuna, crackers, water, walkie talkies, and a voice recorder. However, the most important items are without a doubt our blue ACLU of Hawai'i legal observer vests and first aid kit, which is stocked with goods like antacid (to rinse our eyes of pepper spray) and earbuds. Sitting in the…
aclu.org/blog/free-speech/rights-protesters/hawaiians-are-taking-streets-and-exercising-their-first-amendment

As Immigrants Become More Aware of Their Rights, ICE Steps Up Ruses and Surveillance
Nausicaa Renner | theintercept.com | 2019-07-25
"ICE's mission is to apprehend people that it believes shouldn't be in our communities and it will go to great lengths to do that, particularly in the face of increased knowledge of rights."
theintercept.com/2019/07/25/ice-surveillance-ruse-arrests-raids/

No Fairy Tale: The Trump Administration's Declaration of Inhuman Rights
Karen Greenberg | commondreams.org | 2019-07-25
In whose world are filth, disease, and persistent emotional cruelty acceptable? (Photo: Ronen Tivony/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…
commondreams.org/views/2019/07/25/no-fairy-tale-trump-administrations-declaration-inhuman-rights?cd-origin=rss

Despite 'considerable progress,' Somalia needs help tackling political, economic and rights challenges, says UN expert
United Nations | un.org | 2019-07-25
Although Somalia has made "considerable progress" in its political, economic, social and human rights situation over the past six years, "there is much more to do," a United Nations expert said on Thursday, urging the international community to assist.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/07/1043191

Trump's Declaration of Inhuman Rights Includes Children in Migrant Jails
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-07-25
| Lately, I've been thinking about the Grimm's fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel. Terrified by cruel conditions at home, the brother and sister flee, winding their way, hungry and scared, through unknown woods. There, they encounter an old woman who lures them in with promises of safety. Instead, she locks one of them in a cage and turns the other into a servant, as she prepares to devour them both. | Written in nineteenth-century Germany, it should resonate eerily in today's America. In place of…
truthout.org/articles/trumps-declaration-of-inhuman-rights-includes-children-in-migrant-jails/

Trump's Declaration of Inhuman Rights Includes Children in Migrant Jails
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-07-25
| Lately, I've been thinking about the Grimm's fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel. Terrified by cruel conditions at home, the brother and sister flee, winding their way, hungry and scared, through unknown woods. There, they encounter an old woman who lures them in with promises of safety. Instead, she locks one of them in a cage and turns the other into a servant, as she prepares to devour them both. | Written in nineteenth-century Germany, it should resonate eerily in today's America. In place of…
truthout.org/articles/trumps-declaration-of-inhuman-rights-includes-children-in-migrant-jails/

Johnson reveals where he got the idea for a cabinet of treacherous numbskulls
John Shafthauer | thecanary.co | 2019-07-25
Despite stiff competition from May and Cameron, Boris Johnson has formed what may be the worst cabinet of all time: | Boris Johnson — Prime Minister | Sajid Javid — Chancellor | Priti Patel — Home Secretary | Dominic Raab — Foreign Secretary | Gavin Williamson — Education Secretary | Theresa Villiers — Environment Secretary | This isn't a cabinet. It's a medieval torture chamber. #cabinetreshuffle | — Chuka Umunna's Flip Flops (@Wa…
thecanary.co/off-the-perch/2019/07/25/johnson-reveals-where-he-got-the-idea-for-a-cabinet-of-treacherous-numbskulls/

The legacy of the militant workers of 1919 lives on
David Cavendish | peoplesworld.org | 2019-07-25
The Communist Party was founded in the middle of a year of intense militant workers struggle. From coast to coast and among workers in a wide variety of industries, the U.S. working class stood up for its rights and for the dignity of labor. It was met at every step by the forces of capital, be …
peoplesworld.org/article/the-legacy-of-the-militant-workers-of-1919-lives-on/

Venezuela Decries Latest US Sanction on Food System
teleSUR -EF-mrs | telesurenglish.net | 2019-07-25
Venezuelan authorities say they reject the newest set of sanctions by the United States government aimed at cutting off food aid for the poor into the South American country. | RELATED: | Lights on in Venezuela After Latest Blackout Attack | In a statement issued by Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, the government denounced "the repeated aggression of the U.S. Government against the people." | "The Trump Administration has blocked bank transactions, purchases of food and medicin…
telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuela-Decries-Latest-US-Sanction-on-Food-System-20190725-0029.html

Bolsonaro Refuses to Supply Fuel to Iranian Cargo Ships
telesurenglish.net | 2019-07-25
Since the beginning of June, two Iranian commercial ships have been stranded at the port of Paranagua, in the state of Parana, in Brazil because the state-owned company, Petrobras has so far refused to supply fuel to them, in line with sanctions imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Iran, according to comments made by President Jair Bolsonaro to reports earlier this week. | RELATED: | Iran Hints at Possible Swap of Seized Tankers | "You know we are aligned with the U.S. policy. That is why…
telesurenglish.net/news/Were-Aligned-With-US-Policy-Bolsonaro-Refuses-to-Supply-Fuel-to-Iranian-Cargo-Ships-20190725-0006.html

Venezuela Decries Latest US Sanction on Food System
teleSUR -EF-mrs | telesurenglish.net | 2019-07-25
Venezuelan authorities say they reject the newest set of sanctions by the United States government aimed at cutting off food aid for the poor into the South American country. | RELATED: | Lights on in Venezuela After Latest Blackout Attack | In a statement issued by Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, the government denounced "the repeated aggression of the U.S. Government against the people." | "The Trump Administration has blocked bank transactions, purchases of food and medicin…
telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuela-Decries-Latest-US-Sanction-on-Food-System-20190725-0029.html

Bolsonaro Refuses to Supply Fuel to Iranian Cargo Ships
telesurenglish.net | 2019-07-25
Since the beginning of June, two Iranian commercial ships have been stranded at the port of Paranagua, in the state of Parana, in Brazil because the state-owned company, Petrobras has so far refused to supply fuel to them, in line with sanctions imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Iran, according to comments made by President Jair Bolsonaro to reports earlier this week. | RELATED: | Iran Hints at Possible Swap of Seized Tankers | "You know we are aligned with the U.S. policy. That is why…
telesurenglish.net/news/Were-Aligned-With-US-Policy-Bolsonaro-Refuses-to-Supply-Fuel-to-Iranian-Cargo-Ships-20190725-0006.html

Venezuela: US Sanctions Target Subsidized Food Program as Foro de Sao Paulo Kicks Off
Ricardo Vaz | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-07-25
Washington has targeted companies and individuals it alleges are profiteering from the CLAP food initiative.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14602

Venezuela: US Sanctions Target Subsidized Food Program as Foro de Sao Paulo Kicks Off
Ricardo Vaz | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-07-25
Washington has targeted companies and individuals it alleges are profiteering from the CLAP food initiative.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14602

'Puerto Rico's Fight Not Over': Martin Supports Push for Rights
telesurenglish.net | 2019-07-25
Puerto Rico is celebrating, after 12 days of protest, the island's governor, Ricardo Rossello, finally announced his resignation late Wednesday to be effective as of August 2, 2019. | RELATED: | Puerto Rico's Governor Announces Resignation Effective Aug. 2 | "Puerto Rico did it. And we achieved it in peace. Without weapons, like Gandhi. We demanded respect and they listened to us. Respect for Puerto Rican girls, for the women of Puerto Rico, respect for the LGBT community, respec…
telesurenglish.net/news/Puerto-Ricos-Fight-Not-Over-Martin-Supports-Push-for-Rights-20190725-0021.html

High school students demand: 'Abortion rights now'
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2019-07-25
An abortion rights march was organised by high school students in Newcastle on July 21 wanting the health procedure to be removed from the Crimes Act in NSW.
greenleft.org.au/content/high-school-students-say-abortion-rights-now

Nationwide protests say: 'Six years too long'
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2019-07-25
Thousands of refugee rights activists, in more than 20 protests around the country, filled streets chanting "Six years too long, bring them here" on July 20.
greenleft.org.au/content/nation-wide-protests-say-six-years-too-long

'I Was Ready to Sign' Deportation Papers, Says US Citizen After Three Weeks in Horrific Immigrant Detention Center
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-07-25
Francisco Erwin Galicia, an 18-year-old U.S. citizen who was released from ICE custody on Tuesday after being detained for 23 days, said Thursday that he was subjected to "inhumane" conditions along with the dozens of immigrants he met during his detention. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…
commondreams.org/news/2019/07/25/i-was-ready-sign-deportation-papers-says-us-citizen-after-three-weeks-horrific?cd-origin=rss

The Soft Power of Héctor Figueroa
Ai-jen Poo | progressive.org | 2019-07-24
Wherever working people were hurting, he was ready to organize. From immigrant rights to taxi workers, he believed in the power of everyday people, when organized, to change everything.
progressive.org/op-eds/hector-figueroa-poo-190724/

North Korea navigates economic reform in a sea of sanctions
Bennett Guillaume | peoplesworld.org | 2019-07-24
PYONGYANG–In April, a Japanese newspaper revealed a policy document purportedly detailing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's economic strategy for the 2016-2020 period. The text's authors stressed the need to step-up technological development, diversify the country's trade, chiefly toward Russia, and proceed with the "full introduction of a new economic management method." What "new management …
peoplesworld.org/article/north-korea-navigates-economic-reform-in-a-sea-of-sanctions/

Trans People Led the Fight Against HB2 in North Carolina. And We're Winning
aclu.org | 2019-07-24
Transgender people in North Carolina cannot be banned from facilities based on their gender under H.B. 2 replacement law. | It's been more than three years since North Carolina lawmakers passed House Bill 2, the hateful North Carolina law that compromised the ability of transgender people like me to safely navigate our daily lives. | As the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit the ACLU and Lambda Legal filed to stop this measure, I've spent the last three years fighting alongside LGBTQ North Carolinians and others to mitigate the harm caused by H.B. 2…
aclu.org/blog/lgbt-rights/transgender-rights/trans-people-led-fight-against-hb2-north-carolina-and-were

Libya: Renewed commitment to Mediterranean rescues encouraging, but 'overriding priority' must be 'lasting peace', say UN officials
United Nations | un.org | 2019-07-23
The heads of the two key UN agencies championing refugees and migrants have called for an end to their "arbitrary detention" across Libya, following an agreement on Tuesday by European Union countries to offer those fleeing across the Mediterranean a safe berth through a new distribution mechanism.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/07/1043071

Did John Bolton Light the Fuse of the UK-Iranian Tanker Crisis?
Gareth Porter | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-07-23
The notice required the Gibraltar government to detain any such ship for at least 72 hours if it entered "British Gibraltar Territorial Waters." Significantly, however, the video statement by Gibraltar's chief minister Fabian Picardo on July 4 explaining the seizure of the Grace 1 made no such claim and avoided any mention of the precise location …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/07/did-john-bolton-light-the-fuse-of-the-uk-iranian-tanker-crisis/

Non-Aligned Movement Condemns US Sanctions Against Venezuela
Paul Dobson | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-07-23
The 120-member movement held a ministerial meeting in Caracas as a US spy jet reportedly violated Venezuelan airspace.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14596

Never Again: What about the Palestinians?
Kim Petersen | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-07-22
concentration camp: a guarded compound for the detention or imprisonment of aliens, members of ethnic minorities, political opponents, etc., especially any of the camps established by the Nazis prior to and during World War II for the confinement and persecution of prisoners.1 The people seeking a new life in the United States are mainly an …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/07/never-again-what-about-the-palestinians/

'US economic terrorism will backfire': Iranian foreign minister calls for unity in Nicaragua
Ben Norton | thegrayzone.com | 2019-07-22
In Nicaragua, Ben Norton and Max Blumenthal asked Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif about US sanctions, Europe's role in the…
thegrayzone.com/2019/07/22/us-economic-terrorism-iranian-foreign-minister-zarif-nicaragua/

'US economic terrorism will backfire': Iranian foreign minister calls for unity in Nicaragua
Ben Norton | thegrayzone.com | 2019-07-22
In Nicaragua, Ben Norton and Max Blumenthal asked Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif about US sanctions, Europe's role in the…
thegrayzone.com/2019/07/22/us-economic-terrorism-iranian-foreign-minister-zarif-nicaragua/

Justice Dept decision not to charge Eric Garner's killer sparks outrage
Liberation staff | liberationnews.org | 2019-07-21
In a blow to all who seek to keep their communities safe from hostile police, on July 1 the Federal government announced that Officer Daniel Pantaleo will not face any federal civil rights charges for murdering Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York, five years ago.
liberationnews.org/demonstrations-hit-justice-dept-decision-not-to-charge-eric-garners-killer/

US, EU and NATO, once again, threaten Turkey with sanctions
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-07-20
In recent years, Western countries and, above all, the United States, have persistently attempted to make Turkey their proverbial "whipping boy." Ankara, for its part, is aware of the situation, and the times when it's politicians preferred to bow their heads and accept the outside influence are now firmly in the past: Turkey is resolutely …
uwidata.com/4382-us-eu-and-nato-once-again-threaten-turkey-with-sanctions/

Hack the Vote: Big Brother is Still Watching You
Ed Rampell | progressive.org | 2019-07-19
"Digital rights are human rights." A review of the film, The Great Hack.
progressive.org/dispatches/hack-the-vote-big-brother-is-still-watching-you-rampell-190719/

A Pro-Israel Democrat Withdrew Her Support for a Bill Supporting Palestinian Rights. She Now Claims Her Name Was Added by Accident
Alex Kane | theintercept.com | 2019-07-19
Rep. Rosa DeLauro's reversal on the legislation is only the latest illustration of how charged the debate over Israel has become in Washington.
theintercept.com/2019/07/19/rosa-delauro-betty-mccollum-israel-palestine-bill-democrats/

How Iran is fighting back against Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-07-19
On May 8, 2018, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced his decision to end the US' participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and begin reinstating nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. These extreme measures including the so-called "maximum pressure" policy and attempting to bring Iranian oil exports to "zero" have inflicted excruciating pain on …
uwidata.com/4372-how-iran-is-fighting-back-against-trumps-maximum-pressure-campaign/

The Dark Side of the Moon Mission
James Jeffrey | progressive.org | 2019-07-18
"For that kind of money," Vonnegut cracked on the CBS Evening News, "the least [NASA] can do is discover God." Civil rights activists, anti-Vietnam War protesters and even top scientists were skeptical of the Apollo moon mission at the time.
progressive.org/dispatches/dark-side-of-moon-mission-jeffrey-190718/

Thousands join vigil at Los Angeles detention center
Katerina Moore | liberationnews.org | 2019-07-18
On July 12, members of ANSWER Coalition and the Party for Socialism and Liberation joined thousands of people for a vigil outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Downtown Los Angeles.
liberationnews.org/thousands-join-vigil-at-los-angeles-detention-center/

Venezuela: Trump Diverts Central America Aid to Guaido as EU Threatens More Sanctions
Ricardo Vaz | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-07-18
Guaido's team is receiving over $40 million to fund salaries, travel, training, propaganda and technical assistance.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14592

Happiest Place on Earth? Meet the Disney Heiress Speaking Out Against Disneyland's Abuse of Workers
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-17
Abigail Disney, the heiress of the Disney fortune, is once again speaking out against the company's unfair labor and wage practices. She recently spoke to Disneyland employees in California, where they shared their experiences with the theme park's work environment. In the past, Abigail Disney has criticized Disney CEO Bob Iger's obscene salary and the drastic pay gap between Iger and other Disney employees. Abigail Disney also testified in May at the House Committee on Financial Services during a hearing on strengthening the rights and protections of workers. We speak with Abigail Disney, filmmaker and granddaug…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/17/abigail_d…

Would Blacklisting Iran's IRGC and Increasing US Military Presence in the Persian Gulf Lead to Hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz? PART 2
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-07-17
Let's delve into the heart of the matter: blacklisting the IRGC, sanctioning Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Dr. Zariff, the Iranian Foreign Minister and General Suleimani, the Commander of the Quds Force wing of the IRGC. Naturally, it was not a surprise to any Middle East senior analysts that Iran's IRGC would eventually be sanctioned …
uwidata.com/4332-would-blacklisting-irans-irgc-and-increasing-us-military-presence-in-the-persian-gulf-lead-to-hostilities-in-the-strait-of-hormuz-2/

Migrants Are Fleeing Something Worse
Megan Klein | progressive.org | 2019-07-16
Clearly, if the appalling conditions in detention centers are an improvement from what they are fleeing, these migrants have a sufficient basis for seeking asylum in the United States.
progressive.org/op-eds/migrants-are-fleeing-something-worse-Klein-190516/

UN Human Rights Council Adopts Resolution Rejecting US Sanctions
TeleSur English | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-07-15
The draft resolution was approved with 28 votes in favor, 14 against and five abstentions, and was presented by Venezuela and Palestine on behalf of the Movement of Non-aligned Countries.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14585

Author of 'Emanuel Nine' church massacre book to speak at Civil Rights Memorial Center
splcenter.org | 2019-07-15
As the prosecution made its closing argument, photos of the nine people that Dylann Roof had shot to death in a Charleston, South Carolina, church appeared on the screen in bloody, gruesome detail.
splcenter.org/news/2019/07/18/author-emanuel-nine-church-massacre-book-speak-civil-rights-memorial-center

Venezuela: 'Progress' Reported in Gov't-Opposition Talks as US Sanctions Counter-Intelligence Agency
Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-07-12
The agenda of the talks has not been disclosed but the topic of elections is reportedly being left for last.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14584

The Glaring Holes in Michelle Bachelet's Venezuela Human Rights Report
Roger D. Harris | mintpressnews.com | 2019-07-12
UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Michelle Bachelet's report on Venezuela echoes the US government's talking points, which are designed to terminate the two-decade-old Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela. The report fails to acknowledge Venezuela's manifest accomplishments or even recognize victims of US-backed right-wing violence in Venezuela. The US economic war against Venezuela, US threats of a "military option," and opposition violence are treated in the Bachelet report as figments of the imagination, "alleged internal and external threats." | Mean…
mintpressnews.com/glaring-holes-michelle-bachelet-venezuela-human-rights-report/260552/

Pompeo's New 'Human Rights' Commission is Up To No Good
aclu.org | 2019-07-12
The Trump administration appears to be trying to find new moral footing for the president's discriminatory policies. | This week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo formally announced the creation of a "Commission on Unalienable Rights." Its stated purpose, according to a notice published in the Federal Register in May, is to provide "fresh thinking about human rights discourse where such discourse has departed from our nation's founding principles of natural law and natural rights." | Th…
aclu.org/blog/human-rights/pompeos-new-human-rights-commission-no-good

Manuel Duran, journalist who reported on ICE, freed from detention
splcenter.org | 2019-07-11
Manuel Duran, an investigative journalist who was detained after reporting on the collusion between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local law enforcement in Memphis, Tennessee, was released today from ICE detention and will be reunited with his fiancée.
splcenter.org/news/2019/07/11/manuel-duran-journalist-who-reported-ice-freed-detention