2020-03-15: News Headlines

Labor Video Project (2020-03-15). ILWU & Migrant Organizations Defend Grand Princess Crew & US Workers. indybay.org The Bay Area ILWU and migrant rights organizations joined together to support the Grand Princess crew health and safety as. well as the health and safety conditions of longshore workers and all port workers. They also discussed the fight of all working people to defend and protect their health and safety rights.

Anthony Ravlich (2020-03-15). We are headed towards a one world government. indybay.org The following shows that domestically you can have a left-wing totalitariansim and a right-totalitarianism which are both compatible with the UN's one world government and its new and hidden globally dominant ideology neoliberal absolutism. I consider human rights truth is more important than any so-called national security.

splcenter (2020-03-14). CIVIL RIGHTS MEMORIAL CENTER, SPLC OFFICES CLOSE. splcenter.org Our work continues…

Staff (2020-03-14). To Help Stem Coronavirus, Lift Sanctions on Iran. truthout.org The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic is far from the first proof of how intertwined we are as a global community. The climate crisis and the refugee crisis have long been glaring examples that the wars or CO2 emissions on one continent risk the lives and well-being of people on another continent. What coronavirus is providing, however, is a unique opportunity to look specifically at how the intentional damage caused to one country's healthcare system can make it harder for the entire world to address a pandemic. | The cor…

Joe Emersberger (2020-03-13). No, Venezuela does not have a six child per family policy. zcomm.org I respect UK journalist Andrew Buncombe. As I noted for FAIR last year, he was one of the few corporate journalists who reported on a study linking Trump's financial sanctions on Venezuela to thousands of deaths by the end of 2018. Since 2018, Trump has repeatedly intensified the sanctions and threatened Venezuela with military action,

CGTN (2020-03-13). America a Reality Check: Human Rights under U.S. Military Intervention. dissidentvoice.org Domestic policies aside, America has often billed itself as a promoter of freedom globally. But what's its foreign policy record in recent years?

news.un (2020-03-13). UN human rights chief: racism and xenophobia are 'contagious killers' too. news.un.org The coronavirus outbreak may have forced millions around the world already into "social distancing", keeping a metre apart to prevent its spread, but it will not stop them from uniting to combat racism, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights declared in Geneva on Friday.

Ariel Gold (2020-03-13). To Help Stem Spread of Coronavirus, Trump Must Lift Sanctions on Iran. mintpressnews.com US Sanctions, according to Human Rights Watch, have not only been devastating to Iranian civilians, but they have also crippled the country's ability to effectively deal with the coronavirus.

Tehran Times (2020-03-13). Zarif calls for removal of all U.S. sanctions in fight against COVID-19. iranian.com Iranian FM Zarif, sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, urging the need to lift all U.S. sanctions on Iran, which are impeding the country's combat against coronavirus. Zarif in this letter, copies of which were sent to the heads of international organizations and FMs of all states, touched upon the need for the removal of all …

Mark Gruenberg (2020-03-12). Workers' rights win in Virginia, lose in Florida. peoplesworld.org RICHMOND, Va.—What a difference an election makes. When it comes to workers' rights, Virginia (yes) and Florida (no) proved that in the first week of March. In the Old Dominion, lawmakers put finishing touches on HB582, to let local public workers—teachers, Fire Fighters, sanitation workers, nurses and others—collectively bargain with local governments over wages and …

Ben Norton (2020-03-12). US House rams through Nicaragua regime-change bill with zero opposition. thegrayzone.com Not one member of the House of Representatives spoke up against a bipartisan bill sponsored by hardliners that ramps up…

Staff (2020-03-12). Headlines for March 12, 2020. democracynow.org World Health Organization Declares Coronavirus Pandemic, Top Italian Health Official Among 827 Coronavirus Dead as Italy Faces "Darkest Hour", Iran Condemns U.S. Sanctions as "Medical Terrorism" as Coronavirus Death Toll Hits 429, President Trump Announces Europe Travel Ban in Error-Laden Oval Office Speech, U.S. Labs Face Shortage of Supplies Needed to Test for Coronavirus, Sen. Lamar Alexander Blocks Quick Passage of Paid Sick Leave Bill, School Closures from Coronavirus Affecting Over 1 Million K-12 Students Nationwide, Bernie Sanders Promises to Question Biden Over Progressive Policies at Next Debate, Joe Bid…

PCHR (2020-03-12). New IOF Crime in Nablus: Palestinian Child Killed and 14 Civilians Wounded including a Journalist. imemc.org The Palestinian Centre For Human Rights (PCHR): Israeli occupation forces (IOF) killed on Wednesday, 11 March 2020, a Palestinian child and wounded 14 other civilians, including a journalist during its suppression of civilian gathering on al-'Arma Mountain, southeast Bita village, Nablus, Northern West Bank. Two of the wounded were deemed …

Alora Thomas-Lundborg (2020-03-12). This Law Makes Voting Nearly Impossible for Native Americans in Montana. aclu.org Voting has never been easy for In a state where the majority of individuals vote | by mail, rural tribal communities often work with get-out-the-vote organizer…

Fight Back (2020-03-12). Commentary: Phony Civilian Oversight bill defeated in Chicago. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – In true Chicago fashion, Mayor Lori Lightfoot had expected to easily ramrod through a police reform bill this week that would have affirmed her grip on power. If passed, the "Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability" ordinance would have left the entire police accountability system in her control, rendering it at the discretion of the executive branch whether to hold itself accountable for abuses of power committed by its police department, rather than giving communities terrorized by police tyranny the power to defend their rights. | In a stunning turnabout, the mayor's efforts wer…

news.un (2020-03-12). War in Syria: 'Carnage', flouting of rights and international law, must stop: Guterres. news.un.org UN agencies have underscored their commitment to continue supporting civilians affected by the war in Syria, which this month enters its tenth year. The Secretary-General issued a statement on Thursday, declaring that "we cannot allow the tenth year to result in the same carnage, the same flouting of human rights and international humanitarian law."

Peter Kuper (2020-03-12). Our President's Virus Containment Strategy. thenation.com Our President's Virus Containment Strategy…

Sputnik News (2020-03-12). Russia Hands to Iran Coronavirus Diagnostic Systems Designed for 50,000 Tests — Watchdog. iranian.com Iran has received from Russia coronavirus diagnostic systems designed for 50,000 tests, Russian consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said. "Due to the deteriorating epidemiological situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran because of the spread of the novel coronavirus infection, Rospotrebnadzor provided free of charge test systems for laboratory diagnosis of the new coronavirus infection in …

RT (2020-03-11). Chelsea Manning attempted suicide while in jail for refusing to testify against WikiLeaks — lawyers. rt.com Former US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, jailed a year ago for refusing to testify before a federal jury investigating WikiLeaks, has attempted suicide ahead of a court hearing, her lawyers said. | Manning is in the hospital and recovering, Gizmodo reported on Wednesday citing the imprisoned activist's legal team. The 31-year-old reportedly used a sheet to hang herself inside the Alexandria Detention Center in Virginia, according to the Daily Mail. That report has not been officially confirmed. | Manning has been locked up since March 2019, when she refused to appear before the federal grand jury a…

Medea Benjamin (2020-03-11). Saudi Arabia's Brave Women Pull Back the Curtain on Crown Prince MBS. mintpressnews.com The case of Al-Hathloul and the other women's rights activists on trial in Saudi Arabia is a tremendous embarrassment for MBS, who has been putting an enormous effort into convincing his Western allies that he is a reformer and that the Kingdom is becoming more liberal.

news.un (2020-03-11). Democracy is sliding away in Myanmar, warns top rights investigator. news.un.org Daily fighting in Myanmar, widespread internet blackouts and reporting restrictions, indicate that the shift to more democratic rule is "sliding away", a senior UN-appointed independent rights investigator said on Wednesday.

Nicole Hansen (2020-03-11). Keep Calm and Carry on Voting: How to Vote By Mail During the Coronavirus Outbreak. aclu.org Coronavirus should not be a political issue, but with presidential primaries and the general election coming up, it could soon directly impact our politics. We should protect not only our health, but our civil liberties at this time — and one of those civil liberties is our fundamental right to vote. , , For many, the best way to vote while safeguarding your health during this time may be to vote by mail. It's easy to request an absentee ballot and there's still enough time to do so for most states with upcoming primaries. While some states limit who can vote absentee — for example, to people with…

news.un (2020-03-11). Iran: BBC and other broadcast journalists harassed; families threatened — UN experts. news.un.org Threats, unlawful surveillance and harassment by the authorities, are just some of the concerns facing journalists in Iran, prompting a group of independent UN human rights experts on Wednesday, to once again sound the alarm.

news.un (2020-03-11). Educate children in their mother tongue, urges UN rights expert. news.un.org Children from linguistic minorities should be taught in their own mother tongue, said the UN independent expert on minority issues, presenting his latest report‚ÄØon Wednesday to the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Staff (2020-03-10). Immigrants in WA Detention Center Demand Protection from Coronavirus, Not Posters in English. democracynow.org As the world responds to the COVID-19 outbreak, we look at how the Trump administration's immigration policies may put everyone at risk. We go to Seattle, Washington, not far from the Life Care Center in the suburb of Kirkland, which was the epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak. In nearby Tacoma, Washington, our guest says she saw posters in English only when she went to visit immigrants held in the Northwest Detention Center, which is run by private prison company GEO Group. We speak with Maru Mora-Villalpando, an activist and undocumented immigrant with the groups La Resistencia and Mijente, who issued a…

Staff (2020-03-10). Prisons Worldwide Face Coronavirus Crisis: Overcrowding, Lack of Sanitation & Labor at Slave Wages. democracynow.org As Italy went on lockdown, nearly 30 prisons across the country broke into riots Sunday and Monday after visitation rights were suspended in response to the outbreak. In a prison in southern Italy, a riot left at least six incarcerated people dead and caused 50 people to escape. Prisoners have reportedly lit fires, charged guards and even escaped at multiple facilities. This comes as the United Nations confirmed that coronavirus had reached Iran's prisons, as the number of cases there continues to soar. Iran has temporarily freed some 70,000 prisoners in response to the coronavirus. And concerns are growing about…

splcenter (2020-03-10). Civil Rights Memorial Center closed through March. splcenter.org The Civil Rights Memorial Center (CRMC) in Montgomery, Alabama, is closed and will remain closed through the end of March 2020.

news.un (2020-03-10). Burundi election countdown amid 'deteriorating' human rights situation. news.un.org Two months ahead of Burundi's planned local and presidential elections, senior UN-appointed independent rights investigators have urged the Government to reopen the "democratic, civil and political space" there.

Maria Morris (2020-03-06). Are Our Prisons and Jails Ready for COVID-19? aclu.org The | country and the world face a public health emergency in the new coronavirus | causing COVID-19. The media is filled with concerns about how we will respond. | Will we close schools? Cancel sporting events and other large gatherings? Work | from home? Avoid public transportation? | But | little has been said about one of the most vulnerable sectors of our | population: the people in our prisons and jails. Although people often think of | prisons and jails as closed environments, they are not. Medical staff, correctional | staff, and visitors come from the community into the facilities every day and | then…

pip.hinman (2020-03-06). Activists rally for detained Tamil family. greenleft.org.au

Staff (2020-03-05). The New Poll Tax? Long Lines, Closed Polling Stations Hurt Black, Latinx & Student Voters in TX, CA. democracynow.org Long wait times plagued polling places in Texas throughout Super Tuesday, especially in districts with high numbers of black and Latinx voters and college students. Many voters reported waiting in line for more than three hours to cast a ballot. At least 750 Texas polling sites have been shuttered since 2013, when the Supreme Court slashed federal oversight of Texas and other Southern states under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. There were long lines, too, in Los Angeles, where many polling places reported problems with a brand-new $300 million voting system. The Sanders campaign sued to keep polling places open a…

Naureen Shah (2020-03-05). Trump is Sending Special Forces-style Agents into Pro-Immigrant Cities. aclu.org As part of its governments that choose not to collaborate with Immigration and Customs | Enforcement (ICE), Trump administration officials have confirmed plans for two new tactics in their anti-immigrant | agenda. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will deploy Border Patrol's | special forces-style unit, known as BORTAC, and other Customs and Border | Protection (CBP) agents — dressed in plainclothes [m…

Ajit Singh (2020-03-05). Inside the World Uyghur Congress: The US-backed right-wing regime change network seeking the 'fall of China'. thegrayzone.com While posing as a grassroots human rights organization, the World Uyghur Congress is a US-funded and directed separatist network that…

Ashoka Mukpo (2020-03-03). TRAP Laws are the Threat to Abortion Rights You Don't Know About. aclu.org This week, the Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in a case | that will have wide-reaching consequences for reproductive freedom and abortion | rights in America. It's the first time the Court has weighed those rights since | gaining a new conservative majority with the appointments of Justices Neil | Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. And the stakes are high. | The case that the court will | hear, June Medical Services LLC v. Russo, | is being argued by the Center for Reproductive Rights (CCR), and it involves a | law in Louisiana known as a "TRAP" — Targeted Restriction on Abortion | Providers. The detai…

splcenter (2020-02-28). Weekend Read: 55 years after 'Bloody Sunday,' voting rights are still under attack. splcenter.org When they looked over the steel-arched crest of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965, the voting rights activists knew there would be trouble.

Hannah Gais (2020-02-28). How Kevin DeAnna Orchestrated the Alt-Right's Approach to Conservative Institutions. splcenter.org Months after the loosely bound white nationalist movement known as the "alt-right" began to coalesce around then-candidate Donald Trump, Kevin DeAnna won the attention he felt he long deserved.

splcenter (2020-02-21). Weekend Read: SPLC files civil rights complaints as asylum seekers wage hunger strikes. splcenter.org

Tyler Durden (2020-02-08). Iraq and Russia Prepare to Boost Military Ties as US Threatens Sanctions. theantimedia.com Iraq and Russia are preparing for deepening military coordination.