(2019-12-16). Human Rights, Myopic Perspectives, and Ideological Manipulations. counterpunch.org 
Since the 1990s, the U.S. government has launched manipulative ideological campaigns with respect to human rights in order to justify interventions in the affairs of nations that resist subordination to U.S. imperialist intentions. The U.S. ideologically manipulated human rights campaign has ignored the evolution of the meaning of democratic rights during the last two and More
(2019-12-16). Medical Doctors Issue Urgent Australian Appeal to Save Julian Assange. globalresearch.ca More than 100 medical doctors have issued an urgent appeal to the Australian government to protect the life of its citizen, imprisoned WikiLeaks journalist and publisher Julian Assange. | The doctors' action follows warnings from medical and human rights experts that …
(2019-12-16). Chilean President's Disapproval Rating Jumps to 79 Percent. telesurenglish.net A recent survey revealed that the disapproval of the management of President Sebastián Piñera increased to 79 percent, two points more than the previous week. | RELATED: | 'Concert for Dignity' Marks 8 Weeks of Social Unrest in Chile | While support for the Chilean President did not manage to lower or rise, it remained at 13 percent, despite the fact that Piñera focused on a constitutional accusation for human rights violations in the social protests that have occurred in the Sout…
(2019-12-16). EXPLAINED: What Really Happened in Jamia? peoplesdispatch.org In the afternoon of December 15, news broke about violent clashes between youths and students protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the police in Delhi's Jamia area. What followed was a series of violent attacks and detentions through the evening and night to early Monday morning. As these developments took place, social media started getting flooded with different reports about the events, some true, and some unverified. But what really happened? NewsClick brings to you a timeline of events, as they took place yesterday.
(2019-12-16). B'Tselem: When You Work for Thirty Years You Learn a Few Things. Here's What We've Learned Since 1989. imemc.org The Palestinian News and Info Agency (WAFA) reported that during a speech at Khan al-Ahmar, marking 30 years since the establishment of B'Tselem, Executive Director of the Israeli human rights center, Hagai El-Ad delivered the following speech: "When you work for thirty years you learn a few things. Here's what …
(2019-12-16). Open Rights Group Reveals How UK Political Parties Are Using Data to Profile Voters. globalresearch.ca The Open Rights Group …
(2019-12-16). 2019 was a Watershed Year in the Movement to Stop Solitary Confinement. aclu.org Back in 2016, then President of the United States, Barack Obama, called | solitary confinement " an | affront to our common humanity" and ordered the Justice Department to | implement reforms to the practice in U.S. prisons. Although just three short | years ago, in too many ways it seems a different age: We have seen a resurgence | of the "tough on crime" rhetoric that favors harsh policies and approaches that | we know don't work. Despite these…
(2019-12-16). March For Housing Now Confronts MacArthur Commons in Oakland. indybay.org The East Bay Housing Justice Week of Action included Moms4Housing reclaiming a West Oakland home, demonstrations at Citibank and Wells Fargo on Broadway downtown, and housing rights banner hangs, among other actions. On November 23, a large March for Housing Now confronted the economic injustices represented by the new high-end MacArthur Commons housing complex.
(2019-12-16). Sri Lankan authorities delay on whether to prosecute award-winning writer Shakthika Sathkumara. wsws.org Sri Lanka's ruling elite is whipping up religious communalism to counter the development of unified mass action by workers, youth and the rural poor against government austerity and attacks on democratic rights.
(2019-12-16). Those Torture Drawings by Guantanamo Prisoner in the NYT. globalresearch.ca In 2002, John Kiriakou captured the Guantanamo prisoner who drew those sickening pictures. Abu Zubaydah has a constitutional right to face his accusers in court, or be released, Kiriakou says. | *** | The New York Times last week published shocking drawings…
(2019-12-16). After Impeachment and Acquittal, Expect a Vicious Republican Counterattack. truthout.org In the past, despite their differences, our political leaders were in agreement that to at least preserve the ideals behind our democratic system it was important to pay lip service to the spirit of the law. For instance, during the Iraq war, the Bush administration committed war crimes. But officials didn't come right out and say, "Yes, we torture people. What are you going to do about it?" There were consequences to openly defying the law, which they knew could get quite serious down the road.
(2019-12-16). 100+ Doctors Urge Australian Govt to Ensure Julian Assange's Safe Passage to Australian Hospital 'Before It Is Too Late'. commondreams.org "That we, as doctors, feel ethically compelled to hold governments to account on medical grounds speaks volumes about the gravity of the medical, ethical, and human rights travesties that are taking place." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2019-12-16). US-Turkey relations at critical crossroads: what's behind Erdogan's threat to shutter Incirlik Air Base? rt.com 
When Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to close a vital airbase used by American forces, he wasn't bluffing, and Washington should take his threats at face value, or risk losing a NATO ally, analysts say. | The Turkish leader announced on Sunday that Incirlik Air Base – a vital hub for US and NATO forces stationed in the Middle East – could close its doors if US lawmakers press ahead with sanctioning Turkey for its acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system. | Incirlik is not a backwater airstrip, the kind the United States utilizes for its drone missions in Africa, for example. I…
(2019-12-16). Russia keeps strengthening its position among international arms market leaders — Putin. rt.com 
Despite attempts to stall Moscow with sanctions and unfair competition, Russian arms sales to foreign buyers are continuing to grow and reached $13 billion this year, President Vladimir Putin said. | The figure is more than $2 billion higher than in 2018, Putin announced during a meeting of Russia's Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation with Foreign States. | The overall portfolio of orders for Russian arms remains stable and has exceeded $50 billion, he added. | Russian positions in the global arms market are strengthening… despite the tightening of the sanctions regime and unfair competition. | "Unf…
(2019-12-15). 'Campaign of Terror' Targeting Iraqi Protesters: Rights Group. telesurenglish.net The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (Unami) said last week it had received "credible allegations" that thousands of demonstrators have been kidnaped by "unknown armed men," since protests erupted in October against rampant political corruption in the country. | RELATED: | Iraq's Communists Support Uprising, Urge for New System | Activists Salman Khairallah Salman and Omar al-Amri were seen for the last time on Dec. 11 as they were going to Baghdad's Kadhimiya district, where…
(2019-12-15). Brazil's Amazon Deforestation Rises Over 100% Year-Over-Year. telesurenglish.net Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon jumped to the highest level for the month of November since record-keeping began in 2015, according to preliminary government data published on Friday. | RELATED: | Bolsonaro: Torture Methods of Dictatorship to Fight Corruption | Destruction of the world's largest tropical rainforest totaled 563 square km (217.38 square miles) in November, 103% more than in the same month last year, according to the country's space research agency INPE. | That wo…
(2019-12-15). US Treasury chief applauds sanctions as ALTERNATIVE to military conflicts…but it hardly sits well with those sanctioned. rt.com 
Sanctions imposed on some stubborn countries are a better option than military conflicts, Steve Mnuchin claimed, just as the US rolled out fresh penalties against Iran and EU firms helping build a German-Russian pipeline. | "The reason why we're using sanctions is because they are an important alternative for world military conflicts. And I believe it's worked," Mnuchin told CNBC's Hadley Gamble at the Doha Forum in Qatar on Saturday. He singled out North Korea and I…
(2019-12-14). Southern Poverty Law Center report highlights abusive conditions in US immigration detention centers. wsws.org The report was based on a comprehensive study of four adult immigrant detention facilities in southern Florida.
(2019-12-14). Julian Assange denied access to lawyers and vital evidence in US extradition case. wsws.org It is clear that the fundamental legal rights of the WikiLeaks founder and world-famous investigative journalist are being trampled in what amounts to an extraordinary rendition.
(2019-12-13). COP25 Was Moved to Spain to Conceal Chilean Government's Human Rights Violations. therealnews.com 
The concept of "loss and damage" and carbon markets are a sticking point at the UN's climate summit, and protests are continuing in Chile, the original site of the talks. Oxfam's Nafkote Dabi and Gary Hughes of Biofuelwatch discuss the realities of COP25.
(2019-12-13). At COP25, Indigenous rights groups protest proposed tar sands mine. peoplesdispatch.org Hundreds of protesters led by Indigenous leaders disrupted the events in the main hall of the 2019 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP25) in Madrid. Activists were protesting the massive tar sands mine being proposed in Northern Alberta, Canada and the lack of action by the assembled governments in addressing the climate emergency. | The Frontier Project of the Vancouver-based mining and energy company Teck Resources has generated a lot of controversy among Indigenous communities and environmentalists in Canada. Once operational, the Frontier Project would be the largest tar sands mine on t…
(2019-12-13). UN human rights report cites 'multiple root causes' of deadly Chile protests. news.un.org During the recent mass protests which led Chile to declare a state of emergency, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a report published on Friday that international human rights norms had been violated by both police and army personnel, which should be prosecuted.
(2019-12-13). Friday's Daily Brief: Yemen exclusive, India rights, Chile, Ebola updates. news.un.org Our top stories for Friday include an exclusive UN News interview with Yemen Envoy Martin Griffiths; India's new "discriminatory" citizenship law; a milestone smallpox eradication anniversary; helicopters deployed in DR Congo Ebola fight; Mediterranean migrant latest, and Chile's deadly protests: UN report finds clear pattern of repression.
(2019-12-13). Chile's Communists Lawmakers Warn About Dangers for Democracy. telesurenglish.net Chile's Communist lawmakers criticized the rejection by the Chamber of Deputies of a constitutional accusation against President Sebastian Piñera, as a mean of supporting continued impunity in Chile. | RELATED: | Chile Denounces Over 350 Eye Injuries On Human Rights Day | Communist legislator Boris Barrera said that the government and the right wing fail to…
(2019-12-13). UN Counters US Claims Of "Proof" Iran Attacked Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu Impunity & Turkey Sanctions. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/12/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2019-12-12). Support the Workers of Iran, but Oppose US Sanctions. therealnews.com 
How is it possible to oppose the violent suppression of Iranian protest while still condemning U.S. sanctions on Iran?
(2019-12-12). MN withstands -10 windchill to demand human rights at home and abroad. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – On December 10, 25 protesters rallied outside of Senator Amy Klobuchar's office to mark International Human Rights Day. After chanting outside the senator's office, Brad Sigal from the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee addressed the crowd to draw attention to Trump's record of human rights abuses against immigrants. The protesters then marched in -10 degrees windchill to the legendary May Day Books in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. | Tracy Molm of the Anti-War Committee spoke at the closing rally inside the bookstore. "On Human Rights Day we come together to call attention to human rights…
(2019-12-12). The 2020 Election Promises Record Turnout. aclu.org Due to high levels of enthusiasm and interest, election experts are predicting record-setting turnout rates in the upcoming 2020 election. In anticipation of this historic election, the ACLU, volunteers, and supporters of voting rights across the country have been advocating for state legislatures to adopt policies that improve registration, the voting process, and ensure that more citizens are eligible to participate. | This year, no state made greater improvements to the registrati…
(2019-12-12). Perth Pride: LGBTI community challenges corporatisation. greenleft.org.au 
LGBTIQ rights Petrina HarleyIssue 1248 Australia Rainbow Rebellion PerthDecember 12, 2019Perth Pride assembled its biggest parade to date on November 30, with 115 floats. But many in the LGBTIQ comm…
(2019-12-11). Elected by Donors: How the University of Cape Town Was Bullied into Embracing Israel. mintpressnews.com 
While the story may only seem relevant in South Africa's political and academic contexts, in reality, it exemplifies the nature of a brewing war between supporters of Palestinian rights and Israeli interests, worldwide.
(2019-12-11). Aung San Suu Kyi defends Myanmar from accusations of genocide, at top UN court. news.un.org Myanmar will have "no tolerance" for human rights abuses committed in Rakhine state and will prosecute the military, if war crimes have been committed there, Aung San Suu Kyi told the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN's main judicial body, on Wednesday.
(2019-12-11). The Battle for Abortion Access Is In the States. aclu.org This past year has been a critical one in | the fight for reproductive freedom. For decades, politicians who want to | interfere with people's personal decisions about pregnancy have worked to push | abortion care out of reach. They've quietly passed 483 state abortion | restrictions since 2011 — including 59 new restrictions passed in 2019 alone. | And after Trump was able to put two new justices who are hostile to abortion | rights on the Supreme Court, politicians decided to go for broke. | Since Justice Kavanaugh's confirmation, | seven states have passed laws banning abortion from the earliest day…
(2019-12-11). How can the U.S. dare lecturing China about Rights of the Muslims? dissidentvoice.org In 2019, I have written a long analysis about "the Uygur issue"; analysis which will be soon published as a book. For some time, I have been warning the world that the West, and the United States in particular, are helping to radicalize the Uyghurs in Xinjiang Province and outside. And not only that: I …
(2019-12-11). The Fight Inside the NLRB for Union Rights. progressive.org The NLRB unions argue that a recent set of executive orders from the board prevent them from undertaking basic union functions.
(2019-12-10). Tuesday's Daily Brief: Human Rights Day, Samoa measles, COP25, economic slowdown, Myanmar at ICJ. news.un.org A recap of Tuesday's stories includes a day of activism on Human Rights Day; 70 Samoan lives now claimed by measles; COP25 news roundup from Madrid; global trade on the slide; and legal proceedings begin at the ICJ against Myanmar, as Aung San Suu Kyi prepares to defend her country against genocide allegations.
(2019-12-10). Aboriginal leader Sam Watson's farewell draws big numbers. greenleft.org.au 
Aboriginal rights Jim McIlroyIssue 1248 Australia BrisbaneDecember 11, 2019More than 1000 people attended the funeral for Wangerriburra and Birri Gubba leader Sam Watson in Musgrave Park on December 6. | Watson passed away on November 26, just two weeks after his 67t…
(2019-12-10). "Listen to Mother Earth": Indigenous Youth Leaders at COP25 in Madrid Protest Fossil Fuel Extraction. democracynow.org 
"Our movements must be bigger than recycling and braver than holding signs," said Rose Whipple, a member of the Santee Dakota and Ho-Chunk, and youth delegate with SustainUS, who joined a panel of youth climate activists at the United Nations climate summit in Madrid, Spain. Indigenous peoples from Canada and the United States are at the summit, speaking out against extraction, new pipeline projects and the environmental devastation of their territories, and calling for movements to center the rights of indigenous peoples.
(2019-12-09). Immigrants have been Denied Due Process for Years. In New England, that's about to Change. aclu.org One of the bedrock principles of our judicial | system is that the government can't just lock people up without showing why | it's necessary. | For noncitizens caught up in Trump's deportation | machine, though, that principle doesn't always apply. But now because of our | litigation in New England that's about to change. | Gilberto Pereira Brito was detained in March by ICE | — snatched from his wife and three children, all of whom are U.S. citizens — and | brought before an immigration judge for a bond hearing. To keep him in | detention, the government had to prove nothing, whereas Gilberto had…
(2019-12-09). Question for Kirbymoorside UK Hustings Meeting: Would you stand up for Julian Assange? dissidentvoice.org To those candidates who are putting themselves forward as MPs to become a voice within the UK Parliament — would you stand up for Julian Assange and for those who. in speaking truth, have the audacity to challenge the dialogue of power? I am disappointed that my question relating to the arbitrary detention of Julian …
(2019-12-09). Arizona educators, progressives confront ALEC summit and Betsy DeVos. fightbacknews.org Tucson, AZ – On December 4, a coalition of union educators, immigrant rights, police crimes, and climate change activists confronted the agenda of corporations like UPS and energy industry giants and billionaires like Charles Koch and Sheldon Achelson. At its height the crowd numbered around 200 with signs reading: "ALEC: Oligarchy in progress" and "Privatization, criminalization, incarceration, climate change, imperialism: #ALECisBehindIt." | The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a notorious organization of hardcore conservatives, was holding its States and Nation Policy Summit in Arizona. ALEC hoste…
(2019-12-09). On Human Rights Day, Let's Abolish Nuclear Weapons. progressive.org A nuclear war would create one of the worst humanitarian crises imaginable, one for which no nation would have an adequate emergency or health response.
(2019-12-09). Three Ways the "Fairness for All Act" Doesn't Protect LGBTQ People from Discrimination. aclu.org On Friday, Congressman Chris Stewart (R-Utah) and | several of his Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives introduced | the so-called "Fairness for All Act." The bill is being described by its | supporters as a compromise that protects both LGBTQ people and religious | liberty. | In reality, the bill facilitates the Trump | administration's ongoing efforts to give a greenlight to those who would turn | LGBTQ people away from jobs, health care, housing, even taxpayer-funded | programs, simply because of who they are. The bill also weakens some | longstanding protections in federal and state laws…
(2019-12-09). Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron & BP Could Be Legally & Morally Liable for Climate Crisis in Philippines. democracynow.org 
The Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines has just determined that 47 major companies, including Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP and Total, could be found legally and morally liable for human rights harms to Filipinos resulting from climate change. The commission found the companies could be held accountable under civil and criminal laws. Climate activists have hailed the decision as a landmark victory for climate justice. According to Greenpeace, this marks the first time big polluting companies have been found responsible for human rights harms resulting from the climate crisis. We speak to Yeb Saño, exe…
(2019-12-07). US Claims "Fresh Intelligence" Of Iran Attacks Yet Provides Zero Evidence — MSM Blindly Regurgitates. thelastamericanvagabond.com Here we go again with "fresh intelligence" to justify the continued sanctions and destabilization of Iran. It's a plan that has been well documented even by their own writings (See Which Path to Persia? — 2009). Of course, complicating U.S. foreign policy is the involvement of Israel. The Last American Vagabond covers the latest political posturing, distortion, and general …
(2019-12-05). Rights for workers means no going soft on Hansonism. greenleft.org.au 
union rights Sam WainwrightIssue 1248 Australia Ensuring Integrity Bill ACTUDecember 5, 2019Supporters of workers' rights breathed a big sigh of relief when the Coalition's union-busting Fair Work (…
(2019-12-04). Massive Colombia strike hits neoliberal policies, repression. liberationnews.org 
All progressive people should stand in solidarity with all those advocating for the immediate end to the political persecution of human rights, social and political leaders in Colombia.
(2019-12-04). Immigrant rights activists protest ICE detention at Sherburne County commissioners' meeting. fightbacknews.org Elk River, MN – Immigrant rights activists mobilized to the Sherburne County commissioners' meeting at 9: 00 in the morning Tuesday, December 3 in Elk River, a town of around 20,000 people an hour northwest of Minneapolis. They held signs throughout the meeting, and several of them spoke passionately during the public comment section of the agenda, appealing to the commissioners to stop participating in and profiting from immigrant detention in the Sherburne County Jail. | The Sherburne County Jail has a contract for 300 beds to detain immigrants for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), making it the la…
(2019-12-04). TIAR Countries Blacklist Top Venezuelan Officials as US Slaps New Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Venezuela of "hijacking" mass anti-neoliberal protests in "our own backyard."
(2019-12-02). Prison By Any Other Name: A Report on South Florida Detention Facilities. splcenter.org …
(2019-12-02). Venezuela's PDVSA Secures Temporary Lease Extension for Curacao Refinery. venezuelanalysis.com Despite the extension, refinery owners are looking to end the 34-year cooperation under pressure from US sanctions.