Palestinian administrative detainee after 116 days of hunger strike
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-01-20
Israel has released Palestinian administrative detainee, Ahmad Zahran, who was on hunger strike for 116 days. Qadri Abu Bakr, the head of the Palestinian Commission of Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners' Affairs announced Zahran's release, as quoted by the Palestine Chronicle, on January 15, Wednesday. Zahran was on hunger strike protesting his illegal and arbitrary administrative detention. | According to Abu Bakr, Zahran was released by the Israeli prison authorities after an agreement was reached by Zahran and the authorities for his release. He added that the commission's lawyer, Jawad Boulos, who was representing Za…
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/01/20/palestinian-administrative-detainee-after-116-days-of-hunger-strike/

US, UK 'Normalised' Targeted Drone Killings in Blow to Human Rights, Study Shows
sputniknews.com | 2020-01-20
The study was conducted before the assassination of Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Qasem Soleimani who died in a US drone strike on the Baghdad International Airport on 3 January, ordered by President Donald Trump.
sputniknews.com/military/202001201078085671-us-uk-normalised-targeted-drone-killings-in-blow-to-human-rights-study-shows/

Dr. Martin Luther King as an Inspiration and a Role Model
Imad Hamad | globalresearch.ca | 2020-01-20
On Dr. Martin Luther King's day (January 20, 2020), we remember a global icon that has been an inspiration to men and women across the globe struggling for human rights for all. Despite all the serious human rights and …
globalresearch.ca/dr-martin-luther-king-inspiration-role-model/5701084

The Drive to Pass the Equal Rights Amendment, Explained
Anna North | zcomm.org | 2020-01-20
The resurgence of interest stems from a combination of factors like the Women's March, the Me Too movement, and the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court even after he was publicly accused of sexual assault…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/the-drive-to-pass-the-equal-rights-amendment-explained/

As neo-Nazis head to Richmond, Trump boosts gun-rights rally
wsws.org | 2020-01-20
The president's tweet is a declaration of solidarity with ultra-right forces on the eve of his impeachment trial.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/20/virg…

Top 10 Civil Rights Songs
Peter Rothberg | thenation.com | 2020-01-20
Top 10 Civil Rights Songs…
thenation.com/article/top-ten-civil-rights-songs/

Rekindling the Movement that Won Abortion Rights
Bob Price | indybay.org | 2020-01-20
New Valencia Hall, 747 Polk St (near Ellis), SF | (near Civic Center BART, Muni Lines 19, 31, 38, 47 49) | Wheelchair accessible…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/01/19/18829888.php

What Would Martin Luther King Jr. Do?
Keith McHenry | indybay.org | 2020-01-20
Chief Andy Mills is pushing a series of cruel civil rights violations against those without housing and is sponsoring the MLK March in Santa Cruz.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/01/18/18829842.php

20th Anniversary of Rosa Parks Day
Michael Harris | indybay.org | 2020-01-20
20 years later the struggle continues in the City of Sacramento to honor the "Patron Saint" of the Women's Political Council who later became the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement." Thankfully, Attorney Fred Gray, Esq. is still on the case and preparing to join us MLK 50 Anniversary – Sacramento Public Library.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/01/17/18829822.php

The 2020 San Francisco Womens' March
Leon Kunstenaaar | indybay.org | 2020-01-20
Photos: Leon Kunstenaar/Pro Bono Photo | Native, immigrant, gay, straight march for their rights…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/01/19/18829868.php

Fears of Unrest Spiral Ahead of Virginia Pro-Gun Rally As State on Cusp of Passing Gun Control Bills
sputniknews.com | 2020-01-20
Lobby Day is an annual event for the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), a pro-gun rights group, that typically draws several hundred gun rights advocates to Richmond, Virginia, to lobby members of the state government.
sputniknews.com/us/202001201078085157-fears-of-unrest-spiral-ahead-of-virginia-pro-gun-rally-as-state-on-cusp-of-passing-gun-control/

Advocates and Unhoused Residents Seek Community Help to Build Small Homes on MLK Weekend
Zach Haber, Oakland Post | indybay.org | 2020-01-20
The Village, a group that fights for unhoused resident rights, is asking for community support on January 18 and 19, 2020, to help with their event Guerrilla Housing: Reclaiming Dr. King's Legacy of Radical Action.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/01/18/18829843.php

Psychologists Behind CIA, FBI Torture to Testify in 9/11 Pre-Trial Hearing – Reports
sputniknews.com | 2020-01-20
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The two psychologists who designed the torture methods which the US used to interrogate suspects are set to publicly testify for the first time this week, media reported Monday.
sputniknews.com/us/202001201078086246-psychologists-behind-cia-fbi-torture-to-testify-in-911-pre-trial-hearing—reports/

Man gets life term for killing student in Turkey
yenisafak.com | 2020-01-20
A Turkish court sentenced university student Ceren Ozdemir's murder suspect to aggravated life imprisonment on Monday.Ozdemir, 20, a music student at Ordu University, was stabbed to death outside of her house on Dec. 3, 2019.In the second trial of the case held in the Black Sea province of Ordu, Heavy Penal Court No. 1 sentenced Ozgur Arduc to aggravated life imprisonment, based on his atrocious feelings during the crime.The defendant confessed the crime last month to prosecutors in the province.Ozdemir family's lawyer said the crime was completely enlightened.The Court determined continuation of detention of the…
yenisafak.com/en/news/man-gets-life-term-for-killing-student-in-turkey-3510046

Israeli Soldiers Abduct A Palestinian Woman In Jerusalem
IMEMC News | imemc.org | 2020-01-19
Israeli soldiers abducted, Saturday, a Palestinian woman at Damascus Gate, one of the gates of the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem, allegedly after she attempted to stab them. Media sources said the many soldiers jumped at the woman near the heavily fortified military gate, and detained her, before moving …
imemc.org/article/israeli-soldiers-abduct-a-palestinian-woman-in-jerusalem/

AFL-CIO to the nation: Make King's dream America's reality
Mark Gruenberg | peoplesworld.org | 2020-01-18
WASHINGTON–Faced with the renewed and rising right-wing onslaught against women, workers, immigrants and people of color, unionists at the AFL-CIO's annual Martin Luther King Civil and Human Rights Conference spent their two days in D.C. focusing on reclaiming voting rights, battling voter suppression and educating and empowering workers to ensure they can vote this year …
peoplesworld.org/article/afl-cio-to-the-nation-make-kings-dream-americas-reality/

Gun-Rights Activists Gear Up for Show of Force in Virginia
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-01-18
They see Richmond protests as a rallying point for their cause, as state officials issue dire warnings over rhetoric and fears of violence.
truthdig.com/articles/gun-rights-activists-gear-up-for-show-of-force-in-virginia/

Dilma Rousseff: "Torture is about pain and death. They want you to lose your dignity"
Brasil de Fato | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-01-18
Fifty years ago today, on Jan. 16, 1970, the 22-year-old militant Dilma Rousseff was arrested by agents of the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil from 1964 and 1985, a period when the country faced a crack down on civil liberties and freedom of speech. The regime persecuted political activists and anyone whose behavior was deemed to deviate from the norm. | "Torture is an extremely complex thing. I think that everyone who went through prison will always bear that mark. I don't like to watch movies where there is torture, for example. It's not that I don't like them. I just don't watch them. I don't want to w…
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/01/18/dilma-rousseff-torture-is-about-pain-and-death-they-want-you-to-lose-your-dignity/

Nuclear Weapons: Trump Regime Pressured E3 Countries (UK, France, Germany) to Trigger JCPOA Dispute Mechanism
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-01-18
Post-WW II, Washington transformed Western European countries into virtual US colonies

Colombia: stories of pain and resistance
Zoe PC | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-01-18
The Colombian tragedy continues without an end in sight. The last two weeks have seen a worrying surge in assassinations of social leaders, human rights defenders and ex-combatants. 19 such leaders have been assassinated since the turn of the decade. The demand by organizations and movements for protection and justice for the leaders

With Passage of NAFTA 2.0, Congress Boosts Fossil Fuel Polluters in Mexico
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-01-18
NAFTA 2.0 cleared another hurdle on January 16 as the U.S. Senate approved the trade deal with bipartisan support. | Officially called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the pact has some improvements but remains a handout to large corporations. | This is particularly evident in the USMCA rules related to investor rights. One of the most controversial aspects of the original NAFTA was that it allowed private corporations to sue governments in international tribunals, demanding co…
truthout.org/articles/with-passage-of-nafta-2-0-congress-boosts-fossil-fuel-polluters-in-mexico/

Former correctional officers plead guilty to causing woman's death in custody
Andrew Emett | nationofchange.org | 2020-01-18
"The FBI New Orleans Field Office, in coordination with the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney's Office, remain committed to protecting the rights of all Americans, to include those incarcerated."
nationofchange.org/2020/01/18/former-correctional-officers-plead-guilty-to-causing-womans-death-in-custody/

3 Arrested for Plans to Incite Violence at 'Gun Rights' Rally in Richmond
Staff | therealnews.com | 2020-01-17
Three suspected neo-Nazis were arrested, accused of planning to incite violence at the upcoming gun rights rally in Richmond, VA. The state's capitol is in a state of emergency after finding a pattern of communications sounding like the leadup to the 2017 Charlottesville rally that killed Heather Heyer.
therealnews.com/stories/arrested_for_plans_incite_violence_at_gun_rights_rally_in_richmond

2019 Proved We Can Stop Face Recognition Surveillance
Abdullah Hasan | aclu.org | 2020-01-17
This piece originally appeared on Fast Company. | In 2019, we proved face recognition surveillance isn't | inevitable. Now, it's time for Congress to rein in the technology once and for | all. | Last year, communities banded together to prove that they | can

The World Looks to Abandon the Dollar as US Sanctions Tighten Their Grip
Ryan McMaken | globalresearch.ca | 2020-01-17
When the US places financial sanctions on one country, it de facto sanctions many other countries as well

Sanctions harm reconstruction in Syria's Homs province
Karin Leukefeld | workers.org | 2020-01-17
Published in Junge Welt, Dec. 16. Translation by John Catalinotto. According to Gov. Talal Barasi, about half a million people fled from Homs province, the largest in Syria, during the war. Some 2.3 million people had lived in Homs before the war, Barasi explained in an interview with Junge Welt. . . . | Continue reading Sanctions harm reconstruction in Syria's Homs province at Workers.org…
workers.org/2020/01/45594/

Conspiracy Theories, Threats of Violence Loom Over Coming Gun Rally in Richmond
splcenter.org | 2020-01-16
Gun-rights activists and antigovernment extremists are planning a protest in Richmond, Virginia, on Monday fueled by antigovernment conspiracy theories and accompanied by online calls for violence.
splcenter.org/hatewatch/2020/01/16/conspiracy-theories-threats-violence-loom-over-coming-gun-rally-richmond

Syrian conflict has 'erased' children's dreams: new UN report
news.un.org | 2020-01-16
Nearly nine years of conflict in Syria have robbed boys and girls of their childhood and subjected them to "unabated violations of their rights", including being killed, maimed, displaced, forced to fight or subjected to torture, rape and sexual slavery.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/01/1055412

Arkansas Legislators' Attack on Abortion is Unconstitutional
Michele Goodwin | aclu.org | 2020-01-16
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled time and again that | reproductive privacy is "central to personal dignity and autonomy, [which] are | central to the liberty protected by" the Constitution. The Court has made | eminently clear that under the Constitution, the right of a pregnant person to | terminate a pregnancy prior to viability is a right so essential to our freedom | that our government cannot ban or impose an undue burden on its exercise. But | despite the long-standing clarity of this principle, reproductive health and rights | continue to come under blistering, unrelenting attack. | Nowhere is this cl…
aclu.org/news/reproductive-freedom/arkansas-legislators-attack-on-abortion-is-unconstitutional

Iraqi Prime Minister Backs Off Expelling US Troops
Jason Ditz | theantimedia.com | 2020-01-16
(ANTIWAR.COM)

Pennsylvania prisoners resist media censorship
Ted Kelly | workers.org | 2020-01-15
When Vol. 61 No. 48 of Workers World newspaper came across the desk of the prison staff at State Correctional Institution Frackville in December, censors seized on an article that criticized the Pennsylvania facility's administration for a variety of offenses. In direct violation of the inmates' First Amendment rights, staff . . . | Continue reading Pennsylvania prisoners resist media censorship at Workers.org…
workers.org/2020/01/45549/

3 people detained after live mortar round found in car at Pearl Harbor base gates
rt.com | 2020-01-15
Three men have been arrested attempting to bring a live mortar round into the US' Pearl Harbor military base in their vehicle, according to military officials. The incident shut down the base for hours. | It's not clear why the group had the explosive device, which authorities said did not have a firing device attached but could be modified and triggered by something other than the usual mortar tube. A spokesman for the Hawaii base, Charles Anthony, called the device a "deadly weapon." | The trio, all civilians without authorized access to the base, were stopped on their way into the sprawling facility by secu…
rt.com/usa/478377-pearl-harbor-live-mortar-gates/

Iran's Rouhani Demands US, EU Troops Leave the Middle East or Face "Danger"
Tyler Durden | theantimedia.com | 2020-01-15
(ZH)

The Trump Administration Weakens Standards for ICE Detention Facilities
Eunice Cho | aclu.org | 2020-01-14
Last month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officially released a new version of its National Detention Standards (NDS), which govern the treatment of immigrant detainees held in almost 140 facilities in 44 states. These facilities include local and state jails and prisons

The World Must End The US' Illegal Economic War
Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-01-14
The United States is relying more heavily on illegal unilateral coercive measures (also known as economic sanctions) in place of war or as part of its build-up to war. In fact, economic sanctions are an act of war that kills tens of thousands of people each year through financial strangulation. An economic blockade places a …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/01/the-world-must-end-the-us-illegal-economic-war/

"Morir Soñando": Martín Espada Reads Poem About Luis Garden Acosta, Young Lord & Community Activist
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-01-14
Last week marked the first anniversary of the passing of Luis Garden Acosta, the founder and longtime president of the nationally known El Puente youth and community leadership program in Brooklyn. Long regarded as one of New York City's foremost human rights and Latino community activists, Garden Acosta died last January at the age of 72. A former seminarian who had been active in the Catholic antiwar movement, Garden Acosta joined the Young Lords Party in 1970 and later founded that group's Massachusetts chapter while he was still a student at Harvard Medical School. He went on to pioneer successful nonviolent…
www.democracynow.org/2020/1/14/luis_gard…

US Sanctions Venezuela's New Parliament Leader, Senior Opposition Lawmakers
Lucas Koerner | venezuelanalysis.com | 2020-01-14
The legislature's new opposition leadership "categorically" rejected the sanctions.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14764

Colombia: 'Staggering number' of human rights defenders killed in 2019
news.un.org | 2020-01-14
The UN human rights office, OHCHR, is "deeply troubled by the staggering number of human rights defenders killed in Colombia" last year, its spokesperson said on Tuesday.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/01/1055272

Venezuela Blames Sanctions After UN Voting Right Suspended
Paul Dobson | venezuelanalysis.com | 2020-01-13
Venezuela, which has one of the highest UN contribution rates in the region, has not paid its dues since 2018.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14762

Ex-US intel officer: Pompeo 'lying through his teeth' on Iran
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2020-01-12
The Trump administration is imposing new sanctions on Iran and defying Iraq's call for a US troop withdrawal. This comes…
thegrayzone.com/2020/01/12/ex-us-intel-officer-pompeo-lying-through-his-teeth-on-iran/

The Critical Role Auditing Plays in the Battle Against Police Surveillance
Staff | therealnews.com | 2020-01-10
Auditors across the country are turning the tables on police surveillance. The Police Accountability Report spoke to an auditor who was arrested to understand how filming cops ultimately preserves our civil rights.
therealnews.com/stories/auditing-battle-against-police-surveillance

Pregnant Workers Are Still Fighting for the Right to Work
Vania Leveille | aclu.org | 2020-01-10
In 2015, | Michelle Durham, an ACLU client, was faced with an impossible choice: | continue working and risk the health of her pregnancy or give up her paycheck. | She was working | as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for Rural/Metro Corporation, a company | in Alabama that provides emergency medical care to people living in areas that | lack basic medical services. Shortly after joining Rural/Metro Corporation in | Alabama, Michelle learned she was pregnant with her first child and was advised | by her health professional not to lift more than 50 pounds. She was confident | the company would grant her a…
aclu.org/news/womens-rights/pregnant-workers-are-still-fighting-for-the-right-to-work

Venezuela: Guaido installs parallel parliament, US threatens more sanctions
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2020-01-10
Venezuela Ricardo VazIssue 1248 Venezuela Juan Guaido US Vice President Mike PenceJanuary 10, 2020Opposition leader Juan Guaido installed a "parallel" parliament in Caracas on January 7. | The…
greenleft.org.au/content/venezuela-guaido-installs-parallel-parliament-us-threatens-more-sanctions

Venezuela: Guaido Installs Parallel Parliament After Washington Threatens More Sanctions
Ricardo Vaz | venezuelanalysis.com | 2020-01-08
The Trump administration is reportedly mulling sanctions against opposition deputies who voted against Guaido.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14759

More Rockets Fired At US Embassy, US Iranians Detained & Trump Says Twitter Is "Notifying Congress"
Ryan Cristián | thelastamericanvagabond.com | 2020-01-06
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 (1/5/19). 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 …
thelastamericanvagabond.com/daily-wrap-up/more-rockets-fired-at-us-embassy-us-iranians-detained-trump-says-twitter-is-notifying-congress/

SPLC Statement on the Detainment of Iranians and Iranian Americans
splcenter.org | 2020-01-06
The following statement is by Southern Poverty Law Center Interim President and CEO Karen Baynes-Dunning following reports that Iranians and Iranian Americans are being detained and questioned at U.S. ports of entry:…
splcenter.org/news/2020/01/06/splc-statement-detainment-iranians-and-iranian-americans

Students learn in the streets: struggle wins release of Connecticut teen from ICE custody
Chris Garaffa | liberationnews.org | 2020-01-05
The struggle for Mario's freedom is not over, and neither is the fight for immigrant rights overall.
liberationnews.org/students-learn-in-the-streets-struggle-wins-release-of-connecticut-teen-from-ice-custody/