(2020-10-02). The Leahy Laws: Why Biden's Promise to Israel is Illegal. counterpunch.org 
While co-hosting an interview on the Palestine Chronicle, I asked Dr. Richard Falk, former UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian human rights, about his thoughts on Kamala Harris' promise to maintain unconditional aid to Israel. "I am disappointed of course by the Harris-Biden positions on Israel. I would have hoped for something closer to what Bernie
(2020-10-02). LA Sheriffs Attack Compton Protestors, Arrest KPCC Journalist. counterpunch.org The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (LASD) has been under fire for years for violating people's rights, struggling with corruption, and so much more. Despite proclamations of reform (Remember the Ramparts Police station beatings? How about body cams that were called for and never purchased?) Now, with two recent shootings in the city of Compton, on
(2020-10-02). Israel detains senior Hamas leader in Ramallah. yenisafak.com Israel on Friday detained a senior leader of the Palestinian group Hamas in the central West Bank, according to local Palestinian media.Palestinian news website Donia al-Watan reported that Israeli forces detained Hasan Yousef, 64, in his home in the town of Beitunia to the west of Ramallah city.Israeli authorities released Yousef in July after he was jailed for 15 months.Yousef spent a total of 21 years in Israeli jails — mostly without trial under Tel Aviv's policy of administrative detention.He was actively involved in a recent rapprochement between the two Palestinian rival parties, Hamas and Fatah.* Ahmed A…
(2020-10-01). Indigenous Leaders in the Amazon Need Immediate Protection. telesurenglish.net The Inter-Ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Jungle (AIDESEP) and the Law, Environment, and Natural Resources (DAR) NGO reported that Indigenous peoples asked the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to "intercede" so that the governments of the Amazonian countries "take effective protection measures." | RELATED: | Leaders of Indigenous communities in the Amazon asked this multilateral org…
(2020-10-01). Using human rights to promote war: debunking UN's new Venezuela report. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil debunks a new report issued by the UN Human Right's Council which accuses Venezuela's government of "crimes against humanity". Transcript below. By Anya Parampil A new report by a special mission of the United Nations Human Rights Council was released in September and is making headlines after it accused Venezuela's government of crimes against humanity. Because it is getting so much attention, several people have reached out to me asking for clarification regarding the information …
(2020-10-01). Evidence of war crimes, torture, surveillance and assassination plots: Assange hearing nears final day. wsws.org The CIA's surveillance was targeted against Assange's communication with his legal representatives, considered "priority targets."
(2020-10-01). Top humanitarian award winner 'nothing short of heroic': UN refugee chief. news.un.org An educator and rights defender who has spent more than 20 years rescuing exploited and trafficked children in Colombia, represents "the best of us", the UN refugee chief said on Thursday, as she was named the winner of this year's Nansen Refugee Award.
(2020-10-01). Two Iranian-Flagged Tankers Reportedly Arrive in Venezuela as Maduro Vows to Improve Gasoline Output. sputniknews.com In May, five Iranian tankers delivered more than a million barrels of oil to Venezuela, hit by a serious fuel shortage caused by US sanctions.
(2020-10-01). Stranded migrants need safe and dignified return, says independent UN rights panel. news.un.org Governments should immediately address the inhumane conditions in detention faced by migrant workers who are also being blamed for spreading the coronavirus, a UN panel of independent rights experts said on Thursday.
(2020-10-01). Trump administration prepares anti-immigrant raids in Democratic Party-led "sanctuary cities" ahead of November election. wsws.org The latest maneuver in Trump's war on immigrants cannot be separated from his effort to carry out a coup d'état and establish a presidential dictatorship.
(2020-10-01). Rights Groups Warn Trump 'Jeopardizes Lives' with Cuts to Refugee Resettlement Program. commondreams.org The Trump administration is "trying to grind our refugee system to a halt and ensure that Black and Brown immigrants don't have refuge here." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-10-01). France temporarily detains relatives of citizens trapped in Syria camps. middleeasteye.net 
France temporarily detains relatives of citizens trapped in Syria camps | At least six people were arrested by anti-terrorism unit for sending funds to family members | Thu, 10/01/2020 – 17: 18 | A woman covers her face with a veil as she holds a manifest of names while sitting by children outside a tent at al-Roj camp, 30 September 2020 (AFP) | French authorities arrested at least six French citizen…
(2020-10-01). Iranian press review: Tensions flare in Iraq and Iran over criticism of Sistani. middleeasteye.net 
Iranian press review: Tensions flare in Iraq and Iran over criticism of Sistani | Meanwhile, oil exports sharply increase despite US sanctions and three authors are jailed for 'propaganda against the state' | Thu, 10/01/2020 – 12: 58 | Mask-clad members of the Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) paramilitary force stand near portraits of Sistani, left, and Soleimani, right (AFP) |
(2020-10-01). US lawsuit challenges Trump's sanctions against ICC. middleeasteye.net 
US lawsuit challenges Trump's sanctions against ICC | Rights group and law professors are suing the administration to block US measures against International Criminal Court | Thu, 10/01/2020 – 21: 15 | President Donald Trump during a visit to US troops in Afghanistan in November 2019 (AFP/File Photo) | A human rights group, along with four law professors, have filed a lawsuit against the US President Donald Tr…
(2020-10-01). EU agrees on 'immediate' sanctions against 40 Belarus officials, but not President Lukashenko… yet. rt.com 
Breaking opposition from Cyprus, the 27 EU members agreed to immediately blacklist some 40 officials from Belarus — but not President Alexander Lukashenko — over what the bloc claimed were rigged presidential elections in August. | "We have unblocked sanctions on Belarus," a senior EU official told Reuters in the early hours of Friday in Brussels. | European Council President Charles Michel said the sanctions would go into effect right away and noted that while Lukashenko wasn't among the 40 officials, that "can change." | Cyprus had sought to tie any moves against Belarus to punishment of Turkey o…
(2020-10-01). Russia's FSB detains Siberian nuclear scientist suspected of passing classified technologies & state secrets to China. rt.com 
A Russian physicist is being accused of divulging state secrets, after conducting research at a physics lab in China. He couldn't return to his work there due to Covid rules and had recently been working at Tomsk State University. | The Urals-based news site Znak identified the suspect as 64-year-old nuclear physicist Alexander Lukanin. Znak reported that Lukanin was arrested for disclosing classified information belonging to the Russian government, but there has been no official confirmation of this. The outlet also reported that the scientist is currently in a pre-trial detention centre, and that the FSB has…
(2020-10-01). UAE police chief accused of torture 'frontrunner for top Interpol job'. middleeasteye.net 
UAE police chief accused of torture 'frontrunner for top Interpol job' | Nasser Ahmed al-Raisi, accused of serious human rights abuses, could be named Interpol president in December | Thu, 10/01/2020 – 14: 26 | UAE police chief Ahmed Nasser al-Raisi (L), pictured in 2018 (Wikicommons) | A United Arab Emirates security chief accused of presiding over the "torture" of a British student is at…
(2020-10-01). Khashoggi murder: US lawmakers pledge to push for accountability. middleeasteye.net 
Khashoggi murder: US lawmakers pledge to push for accountability | Speaking at event commemorating slain journalist, members of Congress slam Trump for 'forfeiting responsibility' to protect human rights | Thu, 10/01/2020 – 17: 10 | Tom Malinowski, Ro Khanna, Chris Van Hollen and Tim Kaine (L-R) spoke at POMED event honouring Khashoggi ahead of murder anniversary (AFP/File photo) | On the eve of the second annive…
(2020-10-01). Coronavirus: Killer Virus or Common Flu? globalresearch.ca First published on September 27, 2020 | "Implementation of the current draconian measures that are so extremely restrict fundamental rights can only be justified if there is reason to fear that a truly, exceptionally dangerous virus is threatening us. Do any …
(2020-10-01). COVID-19 underscores need to deliver on promise of landmark women's rights conference. news.un.org Unless countries act now, the COVID-19 pandemic could erase recent "fragile progress" towards gender equality, the UN Secretary-General warned on Thursday, urging governments to put women at the centre of recovery and response.
(2020-10-01). Will the 2020 Election Be Decided in the Streets? scheerpost.com Anthony Crider / CC BY 2.0] By John Feffer / TomDispatch The white mobs didn't care whom they killed as long as the victims were Black. They murdered people in public with guns and rocks. They set fire to houses and slaughtered families trying to escape the flames. In East St. Louis in July 1917, white vigilantes lynched Blacks with impunity. It was the prelude to what civil rights activist James… |
(2020-10-01). What The A-Level Results Fiasco Revealed About This Government. truepublica.org.uk The short article below is by one of our media partners — Open Rights Group. It makes an extremely important point. It highlights the fact that the A-level fiasco was not just the fault of the government, it was the fault of an algorithm that the government decided it was not going to fix. It …
(2020-10-01). US announces fresh sanctions on war-ravaged Syria. peoplesdispatch.org The newly imposed unilateral sanctions by the US are likely to harm the Syrian government's efforts to rejuvenate the economy. Already existing EU and US sanctions are seen as among the main hurdles to the reconstruction process in Syria…
(2020-10-01). At the Polls, Episode 3: The Role of the Courts in Election 2020. aclu.org Election Day is fast approaching, and while we're doing everything we can to prepare, some questions remain unanswered. , , Dale Ho, director of the ACLU Voting Rights Project, and University of Michigan law professor Leah Litman join the Election years are always busy for the ACLU…
(2020-10-01). Safe at Home: Fighting Against Sexual Harassment in Housing. aclu.org Rita, a single mother, was desperate to find an affordable home in Palm Beach County, Florida, after suffering a foreclosure a few years earlier. After searching for some time, she finally found an apartment within her price range but there was one huge problem: Soon after she moved in, the property manager began to sexually harass her., , He took advantage of Rita's financial circumstances — and his position of power over her — to extort sexual acts from her in exchange for reduced rent. The harassment escalated, as he tracked her whereabouts, monitored her guests, and installed surveillance came…
(2020-10-01). Palantir Protests Make Business News. indybay.org Palantir's public offering is founded on the company's sales pitch that its software represents the ultimate tool of surveillance. The secretive company's history of working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and countries with questionable human rights records makes it a bad investment, say activists. Protests at the company's new and old headquarters are the subject of major media attention as the company makes its first public trades today.
(2020-10-01). 'Re-Education Camp': US Cadet Sues Naval Academy Following Expulsion Over 'Racist' Tweets. sputniknews.com A 21-year-old cadet of the US Naval Academy claims service leadership is violating his First and Fifth Amendment rights and intends to expel him from the military school over social media posts that many have deemed racist.
(2020-10-01). Leaders of EU Countries Agreed During EU Summit on Sanctions Against Belarus. sputniknews.com EU politicians have declined to endorse Alexander Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus, despite him winning the August election with over 80 percent of the popular vote.
(2020-10-01). UK's Huawei 5G Ban To Cost Over £41bn, Gov't Urged To Reform Plans Amid COVID-19 Crisis – CPS Report. sputniknews.com The UK announced reversal of its decision on the Chinese telecoms giant in July, forcing British telecos to remove kit from existing networks over potential threats to network supply lines due to US sanctions. But the delays are set to cost billions in GDP and cause Britain to lose its place as Europe's 5G capital, numerous reports have shown.
(2020-10-01). GOP-Led Inquest Decried as Effort to Suppress Florida Voters With Felony Records. truthout.org Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody's call for state and federal investigations into billionaire Michael Bloomberg's effort to raise millions to pay off court fees to help Florida felons restore their voting rights was a "gross abuse" of power, "voter suppression," "a fearmongering tactic used before" and based on a "fundamental misconception" of anti-corruption laws, according to experienced campaign lawyers and former federal election regulators. | "It's not just that an investigative…
(2020-10-01). London mayor latest to boycott Saudi Arabia summit. yenisafak.com The mayor of London will not participate in the Urban 20 summit being hosted by Saudi Arabia, British media reported on Wednesday.Sadiq Khan has joined the mayors of Paris and two US cities of Los Angeles and New York "in refusing to attend or send a representative to" the event, according to The Guardian newspaper.The decision was taken amid calls for boycotting the event due to Saudi Arabia's contentious human rights record.Eric Garcetti, mayor of Los Angeles, earlier announced he would not attend the summit due to concerns over women's rights in the kingdom.On Tuesday, Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris, also pulled…
(2020-10-01). 2020 Right Livelihood Laureates Honored for Fighting 'Increasing Threats to Democracy' Across Globe. commondreams.org Human rights defenders in Iran, the U.S., Nicaragua, and Belarus were recognized this year for what is known as the "Alternative Nobel Peace Prize." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-10-01). 'Everything Is at Stake': Reproductive Rights Advocates Say Barrett Signing 'Extremist' Anti-Choice Ad Confirms Worst Fears. commondreams.org "Trump said he's only nominating justices who'll end Roe and criminalize abortion," says NARAL Pro-Choice America's president Ilyse Hogue. "We take him at his word." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-09-30). Ecuador: Indigenous Peoples Harassed When Filing Complaint. telesurenglish.net The Union of Natives of the Ecuadorian Amazon (FCUNAE) rejected on Tuesday the temporary detention of some of its leaders who traveled to Quito city to file a complaint with the Judicial Council for the damage caused by an oil spill that occurred in April. | RELATED: | The FCUNAE president Carlos Jipa explained that the police tried to prevent the indigenous leaders from arriving in Quito by intercepting the bus…
(2020-09-30). Human Rights Groups Applaud London Mayor for Boycotting Saudi Summit. commondreams.org "No mayors in good conscience should agree to attend the U20 Summit until Loujain and the other imprisoned Saudi human rights defenders are freed and the bombing and blockading of Yemen ceases." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-09-30). Headlines for September 30, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Refuses to Condemn White Supremacists or Rule Out Post-Election Violence, New York City Coronavirus Infections Surge for First Time in Months, Indian Health Officials Claim 60 Million Coronavirus Infections Nationwide, House Democrats Unveil Pared-Down $2.2 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Bill, Texas Sheriff and Prosecutor Indicted for Evidence Tampering in Javier Ambler Police Killing, Kentucky AG Didn't Recommend Murder Charges for Breonna Taylor's Killers, Trump Plans Pre-Election ICE Raids in U.S. Sanctuary Cities, More Women Detail Forced Sterilizations, Unnecessary Surgeries at Georgia ICE Jail, World Hea…
(2020-09-30). 'Notorious RBG' had a mixed climate justice record. therealnews.com 
Ruth Bader Ginsburg voted on behalf of environmental protections in many Supreme Court cases. But her track record was mixed on climate justice issues, particularly on Indigenous rights and corporate land expropriation.
(2020-09-30). 5G Technology Cooperation Between Germany and China Is a Major Blow Against American Interests. globalresearch.ca In Germany, a major blow is being delivered against the United States in the trade war between Washington and Beijing. Despite pressures, Berlin is opting for cooperation with China on 5G technology, refusing to impose any sanctions against Huawei, ignoring …
(2020-09-30). Victory: After Three Years of Battling in Court, the Trump Administration Abandons its Policy of Banning Abortion for Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors. aclu.org As a direct result of the immense courage of our clients and three years of litigation, the Trump administration has officially abandoned its policy of preventing young immigrants in its custody from accessing abortion care. Yesterday, the administration adopted a new policy that prohibits Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) staff and staff employed by any ORR-funded shelter from blocking or interfering with unaccompanied pregnant minors' access to abortion. ORR's adoption of this new
(2020-09-30). CBP Wants to Destroy Records of Misconduct. We Can't Let Them. aclu.org Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the nation's largest federal law enforcement agency, operates with
(2020-09-30). US imposes sanctions on 'key enablers' of Syria's Assad government. middleeasteye.net 
US imposes sanctions on 'key enablers' of Syria's Assad government | Washington blacklists head of Syrian General Intelligence Directorate and governor of Central Bank of Syria | Wed, 09/30/2020 – 15: 56 | US says its main goal is not regime change, but to force Assad government to adhere to international standards (AFP/File photo) | The United States slapped sanctions on several "key enablers" of President Ba…
(2020-09-30). Lawmakers urge Trump to 'personally' intervene in trial of US-Saudi national. middleeasteye.net 
Lawmakers urge Trump to 'personally' intervene in trial of US-Saudi national | Salah al-Haidar faces as long as 33 years in prison as he goes before court that has imprisoned rights activists, journalists, clerics and minority Shia Muslims | Wed, 09/30/2020 – 17: 43 | Lawmakers have also urged president to intervene in case of Salah al-Haidar's mother, prominent Saudi women's rights activist Aziza al-Yousef (A…
(2020-09-30). Barrett on the bench: Bad news for workers. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—In her three years as a federal appellate court judge, Amy Coney Barrett, whom GOP Oval Office occupant Donald Trump has nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court, has shown herself to be bad news for workers' rights, legal analysts report. But what may be scarier about the former Notre Dame University law professor is her …
(2020-09-30). War crimes are being committed in Yemen, says report. peoplesdispatch.org A group of eminent experts has demanded that the UN security council refer the situation in Yemen to the International Criminal Court and expand the list of persons sanctioned…
(2020-09-30). The Global Semiconductor Market: China Deploys Sun Tzu to Prevail in the Chip War. globalresearch.ca This article was originally published on Let's cut to the chase: with or without a sanction juggernaut, China simply won't be expelled from the global semiconductor market. | The real amount of
(2020-09-30). Colombians Denounce Assassination of Social Leader in Risaralda. telesurenglish.net There have been 222 leaders and human rights defenders murdered in Colombia in 2020 alone. | Social and peace organizations in Colombia denounced the murder Monday of the president of the Community Action Board of the Sabanitas neighborhood of the Dosquebradas municipality of Risaralda department, Jorge Quintero Villada. | RELATED: | Quintero was intercepted in the rural area of the municipality of Dosquebradas i…
(2020-09-30). Listen to older people's 'suggestions and ideas' for more inclusive societies, urges UN chief. news.un.org Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is reckoning with the disproportionate and severe impact that the virus has wrought on the "health…rights and well being" of older persons, the UN chief has said, marking the international day highlighting their issues.
(2020-09-30). Outrage over Indian rape victims' cremation by police. yenisafak.com The covert cremation by police of the body of a 19-year-old gang-rape victim early Wednesday triggered protests and condemnations by citizens and activists in India.The Dalit (lower caste) woman was tortured and gang-raped by four men from an upper caste at her village in Hathras in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Sept. 14. She battled for her life for two weeks before succumbing to her injuries on Tuesday.In a video going viral on social media, the victim's mother is seen pleading with police to allow her to see her daughter one last time, and bring her body home, as the police cremated the body amid tigh…
(2020-09-30). 'Fascism at Our Door': Asked to Condemn White Supremacist Groups, Trump Tells Them to 'Stand By' Instead. commondreams.org "Trump fans the flames of racism, embraces white supremacy, and employs state violence against Americans exercising their rights," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren. "That's Donald Trump's America." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-09-30). UN Human Rights Expert Calls for Immediate End to Military Assaults on Rakhine Villages, Decries Mounting Death Toll of Children. commondreams.org ______________________________…