January | 2020 | Positive Practices: Human Rights Monitor

Monthly Archives: January 2020

2020-01-13: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Shedding 'crocodile tears' and 'dishonoring' Persian language: Iranian officials blast Trump's Farsi tweets
rt.com | 2020-01-13
Officials in Tehran slammed both the language and the message of US President Donald Trump's tweets in Farsi, in which he backed anti-government protesters in the country and claimed to be standing up for ordinary Iranians. | "Hands and tongues smeared with threatening, sanctioning and terrorizing the #Iranian nation, are not entitled to dishonor the ancient #Persian language," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abbas Mousavi tweeted on Monday. | By the way, are you actually 'standing by' millions of Irania…
rt.com/news/478106-iran-trump-persian-language/

New Poll Shows Most Americans Oppose Trump's Iran Agenda
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-01-13
All nations unwilling to subordinate their sovereign rights to US interests are on its target list for regime change. | US policies toward them are based on Big Lies and mass deception. | Throughout…
globalresearch.ca/new-poll-shows-most-americans-oppose-trump-iran-agenda/5700452

US imposes sanctions on 7 Venezuelans, Treasury Department says
rt.com | 2020-01-13
The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on seven Venezuelans, the US Treasury Department said. The move is Washington's latest action to ramp up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro's government. | The US special envoy for Venezuela said on January 6 that Washington was looking at imposing additional sanctions on Caracas. Elliott Abrams made the statement at the US State Department a day after troops blocked Venezuelan opposition legislators, including their leader Juan Guaido, from entering parliament, Reuters said. | Washington imposed sanctions on the Venezuelan state company PDVSA in early 2019 in a…
rt.com/newsline/478152-us-sanctions-venezuelans-treasury/

Rank-and-file teachers in San Diego County initiate fight against layoffs and school cuts
wsws.org | 2020-01-13
After union-sanctioned mass layoffs, San Diego area teachers call for rank-and-file committees in every school to mobilize students, parents and workers to defend hundreds of educators' jobs.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/13/swee…

'Stop buying Iranian oil or face sanctions': US in talks with China over Iran
rt.com | 2020-01-13
Washington has managed to "cut off probably over 95 percent of the oil revenues" of Iran, according to US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. | He told Fox News that US officials are now working on the issue with China, as the country accounts for a significant part of Iran's remaining oil exports. | "I sat down with the Chinese officials. They flew in a delegation to meet with us and the State Department to talk about this. They've cut off all of the state companies from buying oil, and we're working closely with them to make sure that they cease all additional oil activities," Mnuchin said. | Also on rt.com…
rt.com/business/478104-us-china-iranian-oil/

Big Tech Firms Are Joining Trump's All Out War Against Iran
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2020-01-13
Deleting messages of support for Iran may seem a petty, childish retaliation for opposing the Trump administration, but it has profound ramifications for freedom of access to information.
mintpressnews.com/social-media-joining-trump-war-against-iran-sanctions/264066/

Saudi Arabia Executed 184 People in 2019: Rights Organization
telesurenglish.net | 2020-01-13
184 people were executed in Saudi Arabia in 2019, according to a statement released Monday by United Kingdom-based human rights organization Reprieve. | RELATED: | Human Rights Advocates Demonstrate, Demand Guantanamo's Closure | The organization said the figure is the highest in a calendar year since it started tracking down executions six years ago. | "This is another grim milestone for Mohammed Bin Salman's Saudi Arabia," Reprieve dire…
telesurenglish.net/news/Saudi-Arabia-Executed-184-People-in-2019-Rights-Organization–20200113-0008.html

Review: "To The Promised Land," King's fight for economic justice
Tony Pecinovsky | peoplesworld.org | 2020-01-13
As we near the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday we would do well to reassess the role that economic justice played in the 1960s civil rights movements, especially for African Americans. Dr. King said in 1967, "It is the black man who to a large extent produced the wealth of this nation…the black man …
peoplesworld.org/article/review-to-the-promised-land-kings-fight-for-economic-justice/

UK summons Iran's ambassador over brief detention of British envoy accused of taking part in 'illegal rally' in Tehran
rt.com | 2020-01-13
The Foreign Office has summoned the Iranian ambassador to express its "strong objections" over the brief detention of his UK counterpart in Tehran who was nabbed by law enforcement when he took part in an "illegal rally." | In the ongoing diplomatic spat, London summoned Ambassador Hamid Baeidinejad in an apparent tit-for-tat move. UK envoy Rob Macaire was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Sunday over his "unconventional behavior." | "This was an unacceptable breach of the Vienna Convention and it needs to be investigated," the Foreign Office said on Monday. "We are seeking full assurances from the I…
rt.com/news/478131-uk-summons-iran-ambassador/

Turkey nabs over 2,500 irregular migrants past week
yenisafak.com | 2020-01-13
Nearly 2,530 irregular migrants were arrested across Turkey over the last week, according to data compiled by Anadolu Agency from security sources.Turkish gendarmerie forces held 962 of migrants in the northwestern Edirne province, which borders Greece and Bulgaria.According to local sources in Edirne, Greece has stepped up efforts to send irregular migrants to Turkey in violation of the Geneva Conventions, the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Convention Against Torture.In the coastal western cities of Mugla, Canakkale, Izmir and Aydin, the Turkish Coast Guard and gendarmerie forces rounded up…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkey-nabs-over-2500-irregular-migrants-past-week-3509547

Finnish court rejects Rotenberg's suit against Nordic banks
yenisafak.com | 2020-01-13
Boris Rotenberg, a Russian businessman under U.S. sanctions over the Ukraine conflict due to his close ties with President Vladimir Putin, on Monday lost a discrimination lawsuit he filed in a Finnish court against four Nordic banks."Helsinki District Court has rejected Boris Rotenberg's complaint over the right to banking services and damages for discrimination," the court said in its decision.Rotenberg, who also holds Finnish citizenship, accused Nordea, Danske Bank, Handelsbanken and OP Bank of refusing to allow him to make payments and of violating his right to equal treatment as an EU citizen.
yenisafak.com/en/news/finnish-court-rejects-rotenbergs-suit-against-nordic-banks-3509550

Iraq | considers buying Russian S-400 missile system as Mideast tensions | boil
yenisafak.com | 2020-01-13
The Iraqi government has gravitated toward the Russian defense industry amid simmering tensions between Washington and Baghdad after the killing of top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, in a move that might trigger U.S. sanctions.Members of the Iraqi parliament said the country was considering purchasing the Russian-made S-400 air defense missile systems, the Wall Street Journal on Monday quoted Karim Elaiwi, a member of the Iraqi parliament's Security and Defence Committee, as saying."We are talking to Russia about the S-400 missiles but no contracts have been signed yet. We need to get these missiles, especiall…
yenisafak.com/en/world/iraqconsiders-buying-russian-s-400-missile-system-as-mideast-tensionsboil-3509546

Human Rights Advocates Demonstrate, Demand Guantanamo's Closure
telesurenglish.net | 2020-01-12
As Jan. 11 marked the 18th anniversary of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp opening by the United States, human rights activists rallied Saturday outside the White House to demand the prison's immediate closure and an end to "years of torture and human rights violations." | RELATED: | Roger Waters Plays 'Wish You Were Here' Live in Support of Assange | The organizers explained on social media that their goal was to call "attention to the brutality of the prison, including in…
telesurenglish.net/news/Human-Rights-Advocates-Demonstrate-Demand-Guantanamos-Closure-20200112-0019.html

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/

Activists Demand U.S. Close Guantánamo and End 18 Years of Torture
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-01-12
Human rights advocates marked the 18th anniversary of the opening of the U.S. military prison at the Guantánamo Bay Naval Station in Cuba with a rally outside the White House on Saturday to "demand an end to years of torture and human rights violations" and call for the detention camp's immediate closure. | In January 2018, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to keep the prison open. The move, which revoked an order from Trump's predecessor that called for the pri…
truthdig.com/articles/activists-demand-us-close-guantanamo-and-end-18-years-of-torture/

'Totally up to them': Trump says he 'couldn't care less' if Iran negotiates with US or not
rt.com | 2020-01-12
US President Donald Trump said his maximum pressure campaign against Iran is not about bringing it to the negotiating table, but ensuring that Tehran doesn't obtain nuclear weapons or kill protesters. | "Actually, I couldn't care less if they negotiate. Will be totally up to them but, no nuclear weapons and 'don't kill your protesters'," Trump said in a tweet Sunday night, contradicting the narrative of National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien. | National Security Adviser suggested today that sanctions & protests have Iran "choked off", will force them to negotiate. Actually, I couldn't care less if they negot…
rt.com/usa/478088-trump-iran-negotiate-sanctions/

Iran Summons UK Ambassador Over Role in Anti-Gov't Protest
telesurenglish.net | 2020-01-12
The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that the U.K.'s Ambassador to Tehran was summoned over his participation in the anti-government protests this weekend. | RELATED: | Iran Rejects New Sanctions Imposed by the US | "Today, Rob Macaire was summoned because of his unconventional behaviour of attending an illegal rally on Saturday", the Foreign Ministry's website said. | Prior to his summoning, Macaire was reportedly detained by the Iranian authorities for breaking diplomatic protocol…
telesurenglish.net/news/Iran-Summons-UK-Ambassador-Over-Role-in-Anti-Govt-Protest-20200112-0003.html

Detainee Zahran on Hunger Strike for 112 Days
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2020-01-12
A Palestinian detainee in Israeli jails, Ahmad Zahran, has been on hunger strike for 112 days in a row, protesting his administrative detention without charge or trial, amid very critical health conditions. An Israeli occupation court dismissed, on Tuesday, an appeal submitted by Zahran, where it asked him to …
imemc.org/article/detainee-zahran-on-hunger-strike-for-112-days/

Pentagon Had No Evidence of Iran's Plan To Attack US Embassies
telesurenglish.net | 2020-01-12
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper admitted Sunday that he has seen no concrete "evidence" that Iranian General Qasem Soleiman, killed this month in a U.S. operation in Baghdad, planned to attack four U.S. embassies, as President Donald Trump claims. | RELATED: | Iran Rejects New Sanctions Imposed by the US | Esper said he agreed with Trump that attacks against U.S. embassies were likely, however, stated that Trump's remarks to Fox News about Iran's plan to attack four U.S. embassies were not bas…
telesurenglish.net/news/pentagon-had-no-evidence-of-iran-plan-to-attack-us-embassies–20200112-0017.html

Facebook 'thought police' censors pro-Iran posts 'to comply with US sanctions'… as Trump warns Tehran against censorship
rt.com | 2020-01-12
Facebook has admitted to selectively censoring pro-Iranian government Instagram posts about the murdered General Soleimani, as US President Donald Trump hypocritically championed free speech and warned Tehran against censorship. | Instagram has confirmed that they have been removing posts that voice support for Qassem Soleimani, with a Facebook spokesperson claiming that censorship is fully justified in order to comply with US sanctions. Instagram is one of the few social media platforms that is not blocked in Iran, and it is where many within the country went to fuel outrage over the US assassination strike i…
rt.com/news/478044-instagram-iran-trump-censorship/

Chilean Government Prepares Bill To Regulate Right To Assembly
telesurenglish.net | 2020-01-12
Chile's Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hernan Larrain revealed this Sunday in an interview with the newspaper "El Mercurio" that the government is working on a bill to regulate the right to assembly. | RELATED: | Star War Actor Rejects Advertising Depicting Pinochet as Jedi | According to Larrain, this "is a complex issue" and work is being done with the legal community, including the director of the Human Rights National Institute (HRNT) to provide good legislation. On th…
telesurenglish.net/news/chilean-government-prepares-bill-regulating-right-to-assembly-20200112-0014.html

Israeli to Demolish Detainee's Home for Second Time
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2020-01-12
Israeli forces, for the second timeo, have ordered the punitive demolition of the family house of Ahmad Jamal Qunbu, a Palestinian in Israeli detention, who comes from the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, according to local sources. Qunbu's father told WAFA that Israeli authorities handed him a notice informing …
imemc.org/article/israeli-to-demolish-prisoners-home-for-second-time/

Israel Escalates Violates Against Detained Palestinian Children
IMEMC News | imemc.org | 2020-01-12
The Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) issued a statement, Saturday, strongly denouncing Israel's escalating violations against the detained Palestinian children, especially after forcing them in solitary confinement. The PPS said that the Israeli Prison Authority transferred imprisoned Palestinian children from Ofar Prison and placed them in solitary condiment cells. It added …
imemc.org/article/israel-escalates-violates-against-detained-palestinian-children/

Human Rights Advocates Rally at White House to Demand US 'Close Guant√°namo and End Torture'
Jessica Corbett, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-01-12
Human rights advocates marked the 18th anniversary of the opening of the U.S. military prison at the Guant√°namo Bay Naval Station in Cuba with a rally outside the White House on Saturday to "demand an end to years of torture and human rights violations" and call for the detention camp's immediate closure. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/news/2020/01/12/human-rights-advocates-rally-white-house-demand-us-close-guantanamo-and-end-torture?cd-origin=rss

Canada, the RCMP, and Human Rights Obligations to the Wet'suwet'en Nation
Brent Patterson | commondreams.org | 2020-01-11
The impartiality of state institutions and international human rights obligations towards Indigenous land defenders are crucial elements in making space for peace.
commondreams.org/views/2020/01/11/canada-rcmp-and-human-rights-obligations-wetsuweten-nation?cd-origin=rss

Women's March Global Worldwide Protests Against the Rollback of Women's Human Rights One Week Away
commondreams.org | 2020-01-11
______________________________…
commondreams.org/newswire/2020/01/11/womens-march-global-worldwide-protests-against-rollback-womens-human-rights-one?cd-origin=rss

Iran Rejects New Sanctions Imposed by the US
telesurenglish.net | 2020-01-11
The Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, condemned Saturday the new U.S. sanctions against the Persian country, after the increase of tensions between the parties for the murder of the Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani. | RELATED: | US Announces New Sanctions on Iran, Refuses to Pull Out Troops | "Unfortunately, the Americans are taking unilateral, illegal and unsuccessful measures, and insist on repeating that," said Abbas Mousavi, referring to Washington's actions…
telesurenglish.net/news/Iran-Rejects-New-Sanctions-Imposed-by-the-US-20200111-0012.html

The DWP is taking Greggs' staff bonuses
Steve Topple | thecanary.co | 2020-01-11
THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SEEK SUPPORT FROM A WELFARE RIGHTS PROFESSIONAL WHEN NEEDED, BASED ON YOUR OWN PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCE. | The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is taking the bonuses of some Greggs' staff. This is because many workers receive Universal Credit. But a court case from 2019 could provide a route of appeal for some of the high streets firm's employees. | The DWP: taking away bonuses?: | As much of the media reported, Greggs is going…
thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2020/01/11/the-dwp-is-taking-greggs-staff-bonuses/

Iranian Americans Have Rights, Too—No Matter What's Happening Abroad
Abdi Soltani | commondreams.org | 2020-01-11
What happened at the U.S. border this past weekend was a painful reminder that sometimes, we are still considered outsiders.
commondreams.org/views/2020/01/11/iranian-americans-have-rights-too-no-matter-whats-happening-abroad?cd-origin=rss

Salt Lake denounces war on the homeless and war with Iran at four energetic rallies
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-01-11
Salt Lake City, UT – The Trump administration rang in the New Year by putting millions of lives at risk with the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and threatening a war with Iran. Similarly, Salt Lake City police began 2020 with a violent raid on the homeless community and the organizers fighting to protect them. | Salt Lake residents responded fiercely with no less than three anti-war rallies in the last week, as well as a rally in support of unsheltered folks and tenants' rights. | On January 4, 200 gathered at an event organized by supporters of Bernie Sanders, and on January 8, hundreds…
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/1/10/salt-lak…

International Criminal Court Prepares to Try Israelis over War Crimes
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2020-01-11
Shawan Jabarin of the Al-Haq human rights organization discusses the International Criminal Court decision to prepare a lawsuit against the state of Israel regarding war crimes committed against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. Israeli authorities are already panicking. (Transcript unavailable.
imemc.org/article/international-criminal-court-prepares-to-try-israelis-over-war-crimes/

'Utterly Shameful': Progressives Slam Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott's Decision to Refuse New Refugees
Jessica Corbett, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-01-11
Progressive politicians, refugee advocates, and human rights groups swiftly condemned Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's announcement on Friday that Texas will no longer accept the resettlement of new refugees—a move enabled by an executive order President Donald Trump signed in September. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/news/2020/01/11/utterly-shameful-progressives-slam-texas-gop-gov-greg-abbotts-decision-refuse-new?cd-origin=rss

California's New 'Gig Worker' Law Will Hurt Freelancers
Sasha Abramsky | thenation.com | 2020-01-10
California's New 'Gig Worker' Law Will Hurt Freelancers…
thenation.com/article/immigration-california-labor-rights/

Women's March 2020
Sue Davis | workers.org | 2020-01-10
The 2020 Women's March is happening Saturday, Jan. 18. The slogan for this year's intersectional, international protest is "Women's Rights Are Human Rights and Human Rights Are Women's Rights." This will be the fourth multinational, multigenerational, multigendered march since its founding Jan. 21, 2017. That date was chosen to protest . . . | Continue reading Women's March 2020 at Workers.org…
workers.org/2020/01/45404/

Elizabeth Warren Has Made Disability Rights Central to Her Campaign
Sara Luterman | thenation.com | 2020-01-10
Elizabeth Warren Has Made Disability Rights Central to Her Campaign…
thenation.com/article/elizabeth-warren-disability-rights/

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

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

'Iranian with MACHETE & knives' arrested near Trump resort of Mar-a-Lago, US media report
rt.com | 2020-01-10
Palm Beach police have arrested a man armed with a set of knives near President Donald Trump's Florida resort. US media emphasized he is an Iranian national while bringing up a non-existent $80mn Iranian 'bounty' on Trump's head. | The man had no known address and was detained on the Flagler Memorial Bridge on Friday morning. He had "several knives" and an undisclosed amount of cash on him, according to WPTV. | Other local outlets claimed the man's arsenal included a machete, two knives, a pick axe and $22,000 in cash, and that a bomb squad was searching his vehicle, found at the Palm Beach International Airpo…
rt.com/usa/477983-iranian-knives-arrested-mar-a-lago/

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

Millions protest anti-Muslim laws in India
Joe Piette | workers.org | 2020-01-09
Muslim women's occupation in Shaheen Bagh neighborhood of Delhi began Dec. 15. Millions of people have taken to the streets in India in massive protests to denounce Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies that pose immediate threats to Muslims and their citizenship rights. On Dec. 11, he orchestrated passage of the . . . | Continue reading Millions protest anti-Muslim laws in India at Workers.org…
workers.org/2020/01/45384/

Andrew Bacevich: Trump Sparked "Unnecessary Crisis" by Killing Soleimani, Barely Avoiding War
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-01-09
President Trump vowed on Wednesday to hit Iran with new sanctions but appeared to pull back from taking any new military action. Tension between the two countries soared after the U.S. assassinated Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani at the Baghdad International Airport last week. Early on Wednesday, Iran retaliated by firing 22 ballistic missiles at military bases in Iraq housing U.S. forces, but no one was injured in the attack. Iran had warned the Iraqi government about the strike in advance. Two small rockets also later hit the Green Zone near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. During a televised address on Wednesda…
www.democracynow.org/2020/1/9/andrew_bac…

Sanctions Are Economic Warfare
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2020-01-09
Sanctions Are Economic Warfare…
thenation.com/article/sanctions-iraq-economic-warfare/

International Criminal Court Prepares to Try Israelis over War Crimes
Staff | therealnews.com | 2020-01-09
Shawan Jabarin of the Al-Haq human rights organization discusses the International Criminal Court decision to prepare a lawsuit against the state of Israel regarding war crimes committed against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. Israeli authorities are already panicking.
therealnews.com/stories/international-criminal-court-prepares-israel-war-crimes

Trump Backs Away from Threats to Retaliate for Iranian Missile Strikes, Promises New Sanctions
Whitney Webb | mintpressnews.com | 2020-01-08
Following Iran's military response to the deaths of Soleimani and his Iraqi ally, Trump's tone

Last Process: 50 Postees: 2020-01-14 00:50 GMT (19:50 EST)

2020-01-12: News Headlines

RT (2020-01-12). Iran summons UK ambassador over his participation in 'illegal rally' following his arrest at anti-govt protest. rt.com The UK envoy's detention during an anti-government rally in Tehran has sparked a diplomatic scandal. The envoy, summoned on Sunday by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, says he was at a "vigil" for victims of the Ukrainian plane crash. | "Today, Rob Macaire was summoned because of his unconventional behavior of attending an illegal rally on Saturday," the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It also demanded that the British government provide clarification on the matter. | The diplomat was briefly detained late on Saturday outside of Amirkabir University in Tehran, as part of a group of people attending a…

RT (2020-01-12). Facebook 'thought police' censors pro-Iran posts 'to comply with US sanctions'… as Trump warns Tehran against censorship. rt.com Facebook has admitted to selectively censoring pro-Iranian government Instagram posts about the murdered General Soleimani, as US President Donald Trump hypocritically championed free speech and warned Tehran against censorship. | Instagram has confirmed that they have been removing posts that voice support for Qassem Soleimani, with a Facebook spokesperson claiming that censorship is fully justified in order to comply with US sanctions. Instagram is one of the few social media platforms that is not blocked in Iran, and it is where many within the country went to fuel outrage over the US assassination strike i…

RT (2020-01-12). US sanctions will delay Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline but WON'T END IT, Polish PM admits. rt.com The Polish prime minister has admitted that US sanctions will fail to torpedo the major Baltic Sea pipeline intended to supply Germany with Russian natural gas, and says he wishes the project had "never begun in the first place." | "I believe the US sanctions will delay the project but will not end it," Mateusz Morawiecki told German newspaper Die Welt in an interview. | Swiss-Dutch pipe-laying company Allseas stopped its work on the pipeline in December through fear of getting hit by the sanctions, which were adopted by the US earlier that month. | Morawiecki, whose government argues that the project will mak…

sputniknews (2020-01-12). Spain and Gibraltar Detain 47 Migrant Smugglers – Reports. sputniknews.com The Spanish National Police and the law enforcement agencies of Gibraltar conducted a joint operation against a criminal group that transported migrants, according to 20 Minutos Editora media otlet.

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

Staff (2020-01-12). Activists Demand U.S. Close Guantánamo and End 18 Years of Torture. truthdig.com Human rights advocates marked the 18th anniversary of the opening of the U.S. military prison at the Guantánamo Bay Naval Station in Cuba with a rally outside the White House on Saturday to "demand an end to years of torture and human rights violations" and call for the detention camp's immediate closure. | In January 2018, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to keep the prison open. The move, which revoked an order from Trump's predecessor that called for the pri…

teleSUR (2020-01-12). Iran Summons UK Ambassador Over Role in Anti-Gov't Protest. telesurenglish.net The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that the U.K.'s Ambassador to Tehran was summoned over his participation in the anti-government protests this weekend. | RELATED: | Iran Rejects New Sanctions Imposed by the US | "Today, Rob Macaire was summoned because of his unconventional behaviour of attending an illegal rally on Saturday", the Foreign Ministry's website said. | Prior to his summoning, Macaire was reportedly detained by the Iranian authorities for breaking diplomatic protocol…

sputniknews (2020-01-12). Italian Vessel Travelling to GNA-Controlled Port in Libya Detained by Haftar's Forces. sputniknews.com Earlier, the Libyan National Army warned marine traffic about using the ports of Misrata and Khoms, but the UN-backed Libyan government said that the cities were under their control and vessels could enter the ports unimpeded.

RT (2020-01-11). UK envoy to Tehran briefly detained for 'inciting & directing' anti-govt protesters at Amirkabir University. rt.com British Ambassador to Iran Rob Macaire was briefly detained outside of Amirkabir University in Tehran for questioning over his alleged role in "inciting and directing" anti-government protesters, Tasnim News Agency reports. | The diplomat was among a group of people detained while seeking to "to organize, instigate and direct some radical and destructive actions," according to the Tehran-based news agency. He was released several hours later, but will…

RT (2020-01-11). Nord Stream 2 is an economic project to benefit Germany AND Europe, Washington's stance is wrong — Merkel. rt.com German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the Nord Stream 2 is an economic project that will benefit large parts of Europe, criticizing US attempts to undermine it. | Speaking to journalists in Moscow along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Merkel argued that "sanctions are the wrong way to go." Both leaders vowed that the gas pipeline project will be finished against all odds. | In December, the US State Department issued an ultimatum to European companies taking part in the project, threatening them with sanctions if they do not cease their work by January 20. The US says the project will harm the interests…

Brent Patterson (2020-01-11). Canada, the RCMP, and Human Rights Obligations to the Wet'suwet'en Nation. commondreams.org The impartiality of state institutions and international human rights obligations towards Indigenous land defenders are crucial elements in making space for peace.

commondreams (2020-01-11). Women's March Global Worldwide Protests Against the Rollback of Women's Human Rights One Week Away. commondreams.org ______________________________…

IMEMC & Agencies (2020-01-11). Syrian National Released After 5 Years in Israeli Prison. imemc.org According to the Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS), Israeli authorities, on Friday, released a Syrian national who has been in Israeli detention for five years, the Palestine News and Info Agency reported. Sidqi al-Maqt, 53, was jailed in 2015 on alleged charges of "treason and espionage, support for terrorism and contact …

Fight Back (2020-01-11). Salt Lake denounces war on the homeless and war with Iran at four energetic rallies. fightbacknews.org Salt Lake City, UT – The Trump administration rang in the New Year by putting millions of lives at risk with the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and threatening a war with Iran. Similarly, Salt Lake City police began 2020 with a violent raid on the homeless community and the organizers fighting to protect them. | Salt Lake residents responded fiercely with no less than three anti-war rallies in the last week, as well as a rally in support of unsheltered folks and tenants' rights. | On January 4, 200 gathered at an event organized by supporters of Bernie Sanders, and on January 8, hundreds more…

Abdi Soltani (2020-01-11). Iranian Americans Have Rights, Too—No Matter What's Happening Abroad. commondreams.org What happened at the U.S. border this past weekend was a painful reminder that sometimes, we are still considered outsiders.

Steve Topple (2020-01-11). The DWP is taking Greggs' staff bonuses. thecanary.co THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SEEK SUPPORT FROM A WELFARE RIGHTS PROFESSIONAL WHEN NEEDED, BASED ON YOUR OWN PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCE. | The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is taking the bonuses of some Greggs' staff. This is because many workers receive Universal Credit. But a court case from 2019 could provide a route of appeal for some of the high streets firm's employees. | The DWP: taking away bonuses?: | As much of the media reported, Greggs is going…

teleSUR (2020-01-11). Iran Rejects New Sanctions Imposed by the US. telesurenglish.net The Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, condemned Saturday the new U.S. sanctions against the Persian country, after the increase of tensions between the parties for the murder of the Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani. | RELATED: | US Announces New Sanctions on Iran, Refuses to Pull Out Troops | "Unfortunately, the Americans are taking unilateral, illegal and unsuccessful measures, and insist on repeating that," said Abbas Mousavi, referring to Washington's actions…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-01-11). 'Utterly Shameful': Progressives Slam Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott's Decision to Refuse New Refugees. commondreams.org Progressive politicians, refugee advocates, and human rights groups swiftly condemned Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's announcement on Friday that Texas will no longer accept the resettlement of new refugees—a move enabled by an executive order President Donald Trump signed in September. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …

RT (2020-01-10). 'Iranian with MACHETE & knives' arrested near Trump resort of Mar-a-Lago, US media report. rt.com Palm Beach police have arrested a man armed with a set of knives near President Donald Trump's Florida resort. US media emphasized he is an Iranian national while bringing up a non-existent $80mn Iranian 'bounty' on Trump's head. | The man had no known address and was detained on the Flagler Memorial Bridge on Friday morning. He had "several knives" and an undisclosed amount of cash on him, according to WPTV. | Other local outlets claimed the man's arsenal included a machete, two knives, a pick axe and $22,000 in cash, and that a bomb squad was searching his vehicle, found at the Palm Beach International Airpo…

Staff (2020-01-10). The Critical Role Auditing Plays in the Battle Against Police Surveillance. therealnews.com 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.

Sasha Abramsky (2020-01-10). California's New 'Gig Worker' Law Will Hurt Freelancers. thenation.com California's New 'Gig Worker' Law Will Hurt Freelancers…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-01-10). Activists demand overturning of death sentence to Pakistani professor. peoplesdispatch.org The death sentence awarded to 33-year-old professor Junaid Hafeez in Pakistan, on charges of blasphemy has been termed as a travesty of justice by human rights groups who claim that it is blatantly against international law…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-01-10). The continuing ordeal of Ahmad Zahran. peoplesdispatch.org An Israeli court refused to release Palestinian administrative detainee Ahmad Zahran who has been on hunger strike for 109 days. The court said that an investigation into his release could not be conducted until he withdrew his protest…

Sara Luterman (2020-01-10). Elizabeth Warren Has Made Disability Rights Central to Her Campaign. thenation.com Elizabeth Warren Has Made Disability Rights Central to Her Campaign…

Vania Leveille (2020-01-10). Pregnant Workers Are Still Fighting for the Right to Work. aclu.org 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…

Cathy Breen (2020-01-10). Why Do We Allow This Madness To Continue? commondreams.org Trump's threats a few days ago to put sanctions on Iraq, "sanctions that would make Iran sanctions seem tame," can only be called blasphemous. (Photo: Adrian Dennis/EPA) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …

Venezuela Analysis (2020-01-10). Venezuela's Guaido Installs Parallel Parliament After US Threatens Sanctions. theantimedia.com Opposition leader Juan Guaido installed a "parallel" parliament in Caracas on Tuesday.

teleSUR (2020-01-10). US Announces New Sanctions on Iran, Refuses to Pull Out Troops. telesurenglish.net The United States government Friday announced new economic sanctions against Iran's officials and companies in response to the attack with ballistic missiles at two bases with U.S. troops. | RELATED: | Iran Denies 'Illogical Rumors' About Ukrainian Plane Crash | "These sanctions will continue until the regime stops the financing of global terrorism and commits to never having nuclear weapons," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. | The new punishments will affect eight senior Per…

teleSUR (2020-01-10). Palestinian Militants Not Yet Ready to Avenge Iran. telesurenglish.net Despite the latest conflict between Iran and the U.S., Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, Iran's allies, are not ready to attack Israel, the U.S. ally, in revenge on Iran's behalf, analysts said. | RELATED: | US Announces New Sanctions on Iran, Refuses to Pull Out Troops | The Palestinians are afraid that the Iran-U.S. conflict would lead to a new wave of confrontation between Palestinian militants in Gaza Strip and Israel, as the enclave is ruled by the Islamic Hamas move…

pip.hinman (2020-01-10). Venezuela: Guaido installs parallel parliament, US threatens more sanctions. greenleft.org.au 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…

Staff (2020-01-09). International Criminal Court Prepares to Try Israelis over War Crimes. therealnews.com Shawan Jabarin of the Al-Haq human rights organization discusses the International Criminal Court decision to prepare a lawsuit against the state of Israel regarding war crimes committed against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. Israeli authorities are already panicking.

Staff (2020-01-09). Andrew Bacevich: Trump Sparked "Unnecessary Crisis" by Killing Soleimani, Barely Avoiding War. democracynow.org President Trump vowed on Wednesday to hit Iran with new sanctions but appeared to pull back from taking any new military action. Tension between the two countries soared after the U.S. assassinated Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani at the Baghdad International Airport last week. Early on Wednesday, Iran retaliated by firing 22 ballistic missiles at military bases in Iraq housing U.S. forces, but no one was injured in the attack. Iran had warned the Iraqi government about the strike in advance. Two small rockets also later hit the Green Zone near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. During a televised address on Wednesda…

John Nichols (2020-01-09). Sanctions Are Economic Warfare. thenation.com Sanctions Are Economic Warfare…

Staff (2020-01-08). Iranian-American Lawmaker Warns of Rising Xenophobia as U.S.-Iran Tension Escalates. democracynow.org In the midst of escalating U.S.-Iran tensions, Border Patrol has been detaining Iranian Americans at the U.S.-Canada border. At least 100 people were delayed at ports of entry along the border over the weekend, following the U.S. assassination of Qassem Soleimani on January 3. For response, we speak with Anna Eskamani, Florida Democratic state representative of Orlando. She is the first Iranian American to be elected to any public office in Florida. "The reality is that when we see the potential war rise in countries like Iran … we'll see xenophobia rise right here locally" in the U.S., Eskamani says.

Staff (2020-01-08). Trump Announces Additional 'Punishing' Sanctions on Iran. therealnews.com Updated 1: 15 PM ET | U.S. President Donald Trump made a statement Wednesday morning at 11: 30 AM EST and announced that Iran "appears to be standing down" following strikes on U.S. air bases in Iraq. He said there were no American or Iraqi casualties resulting from the attacks. | Trump said that while the U.S. was evaluating its options, it would "immediately impose additional punishing sanctions" against Iran until it "changes its behavior." He called Iran the "leading sponsor of terrorism" and repeatedly said that he would not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Since 2017, the Trump administration has impose…

Betsey Piette (2020-01-08). Coast to coast U.S. protests demand: "U.S. out of Iraq! No war or sanctions on Iran!" workers.org Just days into the new year and a new decade, on Jan. 4, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in 80 cities across 38 states to demand U.S. out of Iraq and no war or sanctions on Iran. Many activists described the massive turnout as the largest . . . | Continue reading Coast to coast U.S. protests demand: "U.S. out of Iraq! No war or sanctions on Iran!" at Workers.org

RT (2020-01-08). 'No lives lost': Trump holds fire on 'big missiles,' talks peace after Iran's strikes on US bases in Iraq. rt.com US President Donald Trump is delivering an eagerly-awaited address to America, as the country stands on the brink of war with Iran. Trump's speech comes hours after Iranian missiles struck two US bases in Iraq. | Speaking from the White House, Trump backed away from threatening further strikes against Iran, describing Tehran's stand-down as "a good thing for all parties concerned." | Our missiles are big, powerful, accurate, lethal and fast…The fact that we have this great military and equipment, however, does not mean that we have to use it. | Trump did, however, vow to impose new economic sanctions on the…

Abdi Soltani (2020-01-08). Iranian Americans Have Rights, Too — No Matter What's Happening Abroad. aclu.org Like most Iranian Americans, my family immigrated to the United States in the aftermath of the 1979 revolution in Iran, hoping to find safety and acceptance in a country that prides itself on diversity and freedom of expression. We learned and embraced the principles of the Constitution, including freedom of speech and religion, due process, and equal protection — protections that apply to every person, citizen and non-citizen alike. But what happened at the U.S. border this past weekend was a painful reminder that sometimes, we are still considered outsiders. | In the state of Washington this weekend,…

Whitney Webb (2020-01-08). Trump Backs Away from Threats to Retaliate for Iranian Missile Strikes, Promises New Sanctions. mintpressnews.com Following Iran's military response to the deaths of Soleimani and his Iraqi ally, Trump's tone

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

Staff (2020-01-07). Iranian Americans Harassed and Detained at US Border. therealnews.com Dozens of people, including American citizens, faced hours of questioning at the Washington entry point. Jamal Abdi of the National Iranian American Council says the reports could indicate a directive for heightened screening of people born in Iran.

Madhuri Grewal (2020-01-07). It Is Time for a New Way Forward. aclu.org In 1996, at the height of the "tough on crime" era, President Bill Clinton signed two laws that dramatically changed the criminal legal system and radically altered the U.S. immigration system. Just as the 1994 crime bill instituted unjust mandatory minimum sentences and ballooned the prison population, the immigration bills of that same era led to similarly disastrous consequences for immigrants — an explosion in the growth of detention and unfairly harsh punishments for immigrants, including mandatory deportations for minor…

Staff (2020-01-06). Trump's Killing of Qassem Soleimani Means "Rules of the Game Have Totally Changed" in Middle East. democracynow.org The Iraqi Parliament voted Sunday to expel all U.S. military forces from Iraq. President Trump responded by threatening to impose sanctions on Iraq "like they've never seen before." Iraq has already been the target of some of the harshest sanctions the world has even seen. U.S.-backed sanctions killed more than a million Iraqis, including over 500,000 children, between 1990 and 2003. From Baghdad, we talk to Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, correspondent for The Guardian newspaper.

Staff (2020-01-06). Headlines for January 6, 2020. democracynow.org Iraqi Parliament Votes to Oust U.S. Military; Trump Threatens Sanctions, In Dozens of U.S. Cities, Protesters Say No War with Iran, Elizabeth Warren Accuses Trump of Killing Soleimani to Distract from Impeachment, Al-Shabab Kills U.S. Soldier and 2 U.S. Contractors in Attack in Kenya, 17 Killed, Dozens Wounded in Airstrike in Tripoli, Libya, 14 Killed, including 7 Children, in IED Attack in Burkina Faso, Australia Deploys Military as Unprecedented Wildfires Rage, Death Toll in Jakarta Flooding & Landslides Rises to 53, Masked Men Attack Students at Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, 36 Killed in Collapse of Ho…

splcenter (2020-01-06). SPLC Statement on the Detainment of Iranians and Iranian Americans. splcenter.org 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:…

Ryan Cristián (2020-01-06). More Rockets Fired At US Embassy, US Iranians Detained & Trump Says Twitter Is "Notifying Congress" 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 (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 …

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

Aaron Maté (2020-01-04). Trump's march to war on Iran aided by Democrats' weakness on sanctions, nuclear deal. thegrayzone.com The US assassination of Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian military commander, is the culmination of three years of Trump administration…

Leila Rafei (2019-12-20). Four Lawyers. Four Projects. One Non-Stop Year. aclu.org It isn't news that the Trump administration has kept ACLU attorneys working at breakneck speed for the past three years. In 2019 alone, we saw historic moments and victories—from defeating the citizenship question on the 2020 census and bringing the first trans civil rights case to the Supreme Court, to blocking a wave of abortion bans and many of the administration's attempts to dismantle the asylum system. To name a few. | Here are some of our attorneys' takes on 2019 and the year ahead—what's changed for the better and for the worse, and how the outcome of the 2020 presidential election will a…

Bill Van Esveld (2019-12-17). For Many of the World's Children, Education Proves Elusive. progressive.org Especially in countries with widespread human rights abuses, kids—especially girls—don't get the chance to go to school.

Last Process: 50 Citations: 2020-01-13 04:29 GMT (23:30 EST)

w3c-requires-heading