(2020-05-01). A County Jail Battles COVID-19 and the Opioid Crisis—At the Same Time. progressive.org The pandemic and an increase in immigration detainees create a double whammy for the rural Ohio jail.
(2020-05-01). Chomsky: COVID-19 strikes, solidarity can help defeat Trump and the neoliberal assault. thegrayzone.com Noam Chomsky on COVID-19 workers' strikes; Trump's attacks on China and the WHO; "lesser evil" voting; bipartisan war-mongering/sanctions; & what…
(2020-05-01). Germany: Working Class Protests Against Unemployment in May Day. telesurenglish.net On International Workers' Day, Germany's trade unions protested over the collapse of labor rights and the significant increase of unemployment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. | RELATED: | According to forecasts by Angela Merkel's administration, Germany will experience the worst recession since World War II this year. | Recent unemployment figures have soared despite the economic aid that Germany's authorities have set up to prevent mass layoffs. | In Apr…
(2020-05-01). May 1 Actions to Counter "ReOpen America" Rallies; Demand Trump/Pence #OutNOW. indybay.org Join us to demand Trump, Pence, the whole fascist regime #OutNow in social distancing counter protest of the May 1st fascist rallies that demand the end to sheltering at home and demand their rights to disregard the health and lives of the most vulnerable. In contrast to this, unite with refuse fascism by saying Humanity first and in the name of humanity we refuse to accept a fascist America.
(2020-05-01). Podcast: Dan Kovalik on How Sanctions and Humanitarian Interventions are Used to Plunder Nations. mintpressnews.com 
Dan Kovalik discusses the history of Washington's policy of sanctions and humanitarian intervention, a policy that provides the framework for the mass pillaging of foreign nations on behalf of the U.S. establishment.
(2020-05-01). El Salvador's President faces criticism for violating rights of imprisoned gang members. peoplesdispatch.org National and international human rights organizations have condemned the president's actions as the crackdown on inmates comes amid fears over the spread of the novel coronavirus…
(2020-05-01). Iran's judiciary express concern over health of Iranian scientist imprisoned in US. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 01 (MNA) — Iranian Judiciary's High Council for Human Rights Ali Bagheri-Kani expressed concern over the health condition of an Iranian scientist imprisoned in the United States.
(2020-05-01). Sacramento: May Day Car Caravan for Immigrant & Worker Rights. indybay.org Car Caravan: Southside Park, Sacramento…
(2020-05-01). In India, lockdown is being used to attack workers' rights. peoplesdispatch.org On the occasion of International Workers' Day, president of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions K. Hemalatha talks about the conditions of Indian workers who are bearing the brunt of the lockdown…
(2020-05-01). Podcast: Netanyahu's Fake Documents Pushed the US Towards War. anti-empire.com 
On FPF #486, I discuss how Israel apparently used fake documents to push Trump towards war with Iran in April 2018. | Netanyahu released the documents in April of 2018 before Trump withdrew from the Iran Nuclear Deal and imposed a 'maximum pressure' sanctions campaign against Iran. | The economic war – and other provocative actions by Trump – has moved the US un…
(2020-05-01). Dispute Resolution Mechanism of JCPOA is open "only" to current JCPOA parties: Finaud. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 02 (MNA) — Marc Finaud, the former French Foreign Ministry spokesman, says If the UN Security Council does not agree to extend the arms embargo, the United States can always apply unilateral sanctions as it has been doing since 2018 without legal force on third countries.
(2020-04-30). Prisoners Affairs Committee: Majority of Palestinian Prisoners Belong to the Labor Sector. imemc.org Head of the Ramallah-based Palestinian Prisoners Affairs Committee, Qadri Abu Baker, said on Thursday, on the eve of International Workers Day, that majority of Palestinian prisoners, inside Israeli jails and detention centers, belong to the labor sector and that their lives have been spent in jail. In his remarks, Abu …
(2020-04-30). How the ACLU is Responding to the Pandemic, Visualized. aclu.org 
The COVID-19 pandemic has closed down many businesses, but the ACLU's work of defending and expanding civil liberties and civil rights continues, essential as ever. At the ACLU, our most immediate focus has been on issues arising from the government's response — or lack thereof — to the pandemic., , Since the start of the outbreak, we've filed over 90 legal actions and have seen thousands of people released from prisons, jails, and immigration detention. | We and ACLU offices across the country are working in nearly every state to save lives, advocate for vulnerable communities, safeguard the r…
(2020-04-30). Greta Thunberg launches campaign to support UNICEF protection efforts against COVID-19. news.un.org Climate activist Greta Thunberg along with Danish NGO Human Act, on Thursday launched a child rights-driven campaign to support the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in protecting young lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2020-04-30). Democrats fume as armed protesters descend on Michigan Capitol to protest lockdown. rt.com 
Crowds of protesters, some carrying weapons, descended on the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan, as legislators considered extending Covid-19 lockdown measures. Democrats blamed President Donald Trump. | Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a stay-at-home order late last month, as the coronavirus epidemic took hold in her state. When the governor — a Democrat and fierce critic of Trump — extended the order by 15 days last week, a group of residents filed a lawsuit claiming Whitmer had infringed their constitutional rights. | After the Michigan Court of Claims rejected the suit, the state legislature sat…
(2020-04-30). Lift Cuba embargo or risk many lives lost to COVID-19, UN rights experts warn US. news.un.org The United States must urgently lift its blockade on Cuba to save lives amid the expanding COVID-19 crisis, UN human rights experts stressed on Thursday, emphasizing that the more than six-decades-old sanctions are impeding the supply of medicine, medical equipment, food and other goods essential to surviving the pandemic.
(2020-04-30). Coronavirus and human rights: New guidance highlights support for persons with disabilities. news.un.org New guidance issued on Thursday sets out key actions, to counter what the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called the "double risk" faced by persons with disabilities in the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2020-04-30). PCHR: Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (23 — 29 April 2020). imemc.org Summary of Israeli violations of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory (23 — 29 April 2020) Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued to violate Palestinians' human rights and commit crimes against civilians and their properties, conducting raids into Palestinian cities without regard to the state of emergency declared across the …
(2020-04-30). In ICE Detention, Forced to Pay for Soap. thenation.com In ICE Detention, Forced to Pay for Soap…
(2020-04-30). Cuba is Ready to Aid the U.S. in its Fight Against COVID-19. progressive.org Despite Trump's sanctions, Cuba advocates international solidarity as the only way to overcome this pandemic.
(2020-04-30). BRICS ministers demand removal of US sanctions amid outbreak. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 30 (MNA) — Foreign ministers of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) have called for the cancellation of the US sanctions that have hampered some countries' efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
(2020-04-30). Israeli Troops Detain Eleven Palestinians, Shoot One, Assault Three. imemc.org Israeli forces, on Wednesday, attacked Palestinian young men in the old city of occupied East Jerusalem, Quds News Network reported. According to local sources, Israeli soldiers assaulted 3 Palestinian youths from the Salaymeh family in the old city, arresting them afterward. Soldiers shot a Palestinian young man, on Wednesday, identified …
(2020-04-29). Roger Waters: We need to save this fragile planet. peoplesdispatch.org Vijay Prashad speaks to Roger Waters on issues ranging from the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the protests in Chile to the coup against Evo Morales Ayma in Bolivia and the struggle to liberate Palestine.
(2020-04-29). Israel Orders One Halt Construction and Two Demolition Orders of Palestinian Structures. imemc.org The Israeli army, on Tuesday, ordered a Palestinian resident of Bardala village in the northern Jordan Valley to halt construction on his home, citing a lack of Israeli permission to build, a local source reported. Aref Daraghme, a human rights activist, told Palestinian WAFA News Agency that occupation authorities instructed …
(2020-04-29). Bezalel Smotrich: Israel's New Minister for Jerusalem Affairs Takes Aim at the Holy Sanctuary. mintpressnews.com 
Israel's right-wing poster boy has been slated for the role of Minister for Jerusalem Affairs, giving him both the position and power to carry out his apocalyptic vision of building a Jewish Temple on the site of the Dome of the Rock.
(2020-04-29). Small vendors hard hit by government ordered demolitions in Zimbabwe. peoplesdispatch.org Human rights organizations allege that the Zimbabwe government is taking advantage of the lockdown powers to go on a demolition spree, displacing small vendors en masse…
(2020-04-29). Federal Bill Would Release Vulnerable People from Prisons to Help Stop Spread of COVID-19. aclu.org A month ago, Congress gave the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
(2020-04-30). BRICS Members Ask for Removal of US Sanctions on Iran. iranian.com Members of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) stressed the need for Washington to lift sanctions that have impeded the targeted countries' efforts to fight against the coronavirus epidemic, including Iran. "Such restrictive measures violate international law, interfere with the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and cause significant damage to the …
(2020-04-30). Four Myths About Trans Athletes, Debunked. aclu.org For years state lawmakers have pushed legislation attempting to shut trans people out of public spaces. In 2020, lawmakers zeroed in on sports and introduced
(2020-04-30). Greta Thunberg Advances Fight Against Another 'Child-Rights Crisis' With UNICEF Campaign to Support Kids Impacted by Covid-19. commondreams.org Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg joined with the Danish development organization Human Act on Thursday to launch a global funding campaign that aims to help "save and protect the most vulnerable children" affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-04-28). Minnesotans protest Trump's threats on Iran. fightbacknews.org St. Paul, MN – Over 30 cars occupied the parking lot of Minnesota Senator Tina Smith, April 26, to call on her to denounce President Trump's attacks and sanctions on Iran. Trump has escalated the threats against Iran by announcing on Twitter, April 22, that he told the Navy "to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea." Unlike Minnesota's Representative Ilhan Omar, Senator Smith has remained silent while Trump again threatened Iran with further acts of war. | The safe-distance car protest was the first Twin Cities anti-war action during the coronavirus pandemic. It was o…
(2020-04-28). Sudan: Coronavirus could be tipping point for 'untold suffering', Bachelet urges sanctions relief. news.un.org In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government and people of Sudan could experience "untold suffering" unless donors act fast to shore up a country still in transition, the top UN human rights official warned on Tuesday.
(2020-04-27). FRSO online event: COVID-19 pandemic striking Black and brown communities. fightbacknews.org New York City, NY — On Sunday, April 26, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) Central Committee members Frank Chapman and Masao Suzuki gave talks in the livestreamed webinar "Pandemic + Racism = Genocide: Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on Oppressed Nationalities & How We can Fight Back!". | As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the country, certain communities are affected more than others. The webinar's purpose was to explore how COVID-19 has affected Black and brown communities, why the virus is especially dangerous in prisons and detention centers, and how imperialism is at the center of it all…
(2020-04-27). Headlines for April 27, 2020. democracynow.org Global Coronavirus Deaths Top 207,000 as Hard-Hit European Nations Start Relaxing Lockdowns, States Prepare to Reopen Economies as Cases Continue to Mount, Doctors See Rise in Strokes Caused by Coronavirus; CDC Expands List of Possible Symptoms, Oakland Police Tackle and Detain Unhoused Outreach Workers, Poison Control Center Calls Spike After President Trump Suggests Injections of Disinfectant, WHO Warns Against Issuing "Immunity Passports", Activists Hold "Cancel the Rent" Protests Around the Country, Coronavirus Outbreak Reported at Tyson Foods Meat Processing Plant, "Larry King Live" Tape from 1993 Supports T…
(2020-04-27). "Unconscionable": Planned Parenthood Pres. Condemns States Using Pandemic to Limit Abortion Access. democracynow.org 
As much of the U.S. remains on lockdown, abortion rights are under attack nationwide. We get an update on the fight for abortion access with Alexis McGill Johnson, acting president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. "Our bodies have literally been deemed essential," she says, "and yet the control of our bodies and the right to control our own bodies has not."
(2020-04-24). They Were Willing to Make the Ultimate Sacrifice for the U.S., but Trump Won't Let Them Become Americans. aclu.org 
Ange Samma, a 22-year-old green card holder from Burkina Faso, came to the United States seven years ago, when he was still a teenager. After studying electrical engineering at community college, he decided to enlist in the U.S. Army in 2018. He wanted to give back to his adopted country and also hoped joining the military would help him achieve his goal of becoming an electrical engineer. , , Ange currently serves on active duty as a soldier in South Korea. But despite serving this country on a U.S. military base in a foreign country, he still hasn't been able to obtain citizenship through his military servic…
(2020-04-24). Stir Crazy! Episode #21: Don't Bleach Me Bro! therealnews.com 
On today's show: TRNN Managing Editor Marc Steiner, TRNN Executive Political Editor Don Rojas, and special guest Sahar Aziz, director of the Center for Security, Race and Rights. Hosted by Kim Brown.
(2020-04-24). "We Don't Have the Capacity to Treat": Palestinian-Canadian Doctor Says Israel Must Lift Gaza Siege. democracynow.org 
As fears continue to grow about what a rampant outbreak of the coronavirus might do to the occupied Palestinian territory, already crippled by years of Israeli sanctions, we get an update from Dr. Tarek Loubani, Palestinian-Canadian doctor and emergency physician who volunteers in the Gaza Strip and returned from a trip there last month. "Testing is severely limited," he says. "There have been fewer tests in Gaza so far throughout the entire pandemic than there were in South Korea yesterday."
(2020-04-24). Florida voting rights trial to be argued online. splcenter.org …
(2020-04-24). We're Going to Court on April 27 to Strike Down This Poll Tax for Good. aclu.org On April 27, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ACLU of Florida, and our litigation partners will go to trial in U.S. District Court against the state of Florida to win the ability to vote for hundreds of thousands of eligible state voters now being denied that basic right. | In November 2018, more than 64 percent of Florida voters approved Amendment 4, returning the right to vote to Floridians convicted of felonies who completed their sentence and supervision. The only persons excluded are those convicted of homicide or sexual crimes. | Immediately, the Florida Legislature set out to undermine voters'
(2020-04-20). Human Rights Watch cabildea por sanciones letales contra Nicaragua y Venezuela, mientras arrecia la crisis de Covid-19. thegrayzone.com Human Rights Watch está orgullosamente asumiendo el crédito por sanciones devastadoras contra Nicaragua, mientras busca escalar la guerra económica en…
(2020-04-17). Solidarity needed; non-citizen 'essential workers' under increased attack. liberationnews.org 
Immigrant detainees fight back against unsafe conditions in ICE centers.
(2020-04-16). Venezuelan Crude Production Falls amid Coronavirus Crisis. venezuelanalysis.com The Caribbean country has seen worsening gasoline shortages as the US ramps up secondary sanctions.
(2020-04-13). Congressman John Lewis shares message of support for SPLC's work. splcenter.org Congressman John Lewis has been a tireless champion for equal rights and justice for more than six decades.
(2020-04-13). Venezuela Extends COVID-19 Quarantine as Pope Criticizes Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com This is the first time the Pontiff has spoken out against the measures.
(2020-04-12). Derrick Broze Interview — Government Induced Coronavirus Fear, Removal Of Your Rights & SOLUTIONS. thelastamericanvagabond.com Joining me today is the founder of The Conscious Resistance, activist, researcher and author Derrick Broze. He is here today to discuss his outstanding work on the Coronavirus event, his coverage of 5G (both as it pertains to Coronavirus and just its inherent dangers as a technology) and the real world solutions for the many …
(2020-04-10). Mike Elk on Frontline Worker Rights, Joe Emersberger on Pandemic Sanctions. fair.org 
Media…
(2020-04-10). Get-out-the-vote effort goes digital for COVID-19 pandemic. splcenter.org Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Alexis Carr was able to knock on doors in Montgomery, Alabama, register people to vote, instruct them on voting rights and encourage them to cast their ballots on Election Day.
(2020-04-06). Senate Bill Challenges Online Encryption, Constitutional Rights to Speech and Privacy. projectcensored.org A Senate bill, the EARN IT Act of 2020, introduced by Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in March 2020, appears to revise regulations aimed at preventing online sexual…
(2020-04-04). Stop Tightening the Thumb Screws: A Humanitarian Message. zcomm.org One way to help others survive is to insist that the United States lift sanctions against Iran and instead support acts of practical care…