(2021-10-05). Duterte to prepare his defense against ICC probe. asiatimes.com 
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has said he will prepare his defense against an International Criminal Court probe into his deadly drug war, after previously insisting he would not cooperate. ICC judges authorized in September a full-blown investigation into Duterte's anti-narcotics campaign, which rights groups estimate has killed tens of thousands of people, saying it resembled …
(2021-10-05). Pandora Papers Find US Trusts' Links to Foreign Bribery, Rights Abuse Suspects, Reports Say. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The authors of the Pandora Papers – a large-scale journalistic investigation of shadow financial schemes and participation of world politicians in them – found in the US almost 30 trusts with assets of foreign individuals or companies accused of fraud, bribery or human rights violations, The Washington Post reported.
(2021-10-05). Cherished citizen, NATO enhanced partners: Ukrainian council consoles Saakashvili in jail. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Ukrainian consul visits Saakashvili, his condition is satisfactory — MFA A Ukrainian consul has visited former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, a citizen of Ukraine, in the detention facility of the city of Rustavi in Georgia, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko said. **** The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and the Ukrainian embassy to Tbilisi will continue …
(2021-10-05). Russian Communist leader warns Putin that police 'brutality' & controversial online voting are 'bomb' waiting to 'blow up' society. rt.com 
The leader of Russia's Communists has written an open letter to President Vladimir Putin bemoaning the arrests of his comrades and what he sees as the "unjustified brutality" of the police, warning that trouble may lie ahead. | In the missive, published on the party's official website, Gennady Zyuganov complained about the detentions of Communists following protests on September 20 and 25. He described the arrests as "groundless" and "unlawful." | Last month, the party organized two demonstrations against the results of September's parliamentary election, which, for the first time, was held over multiple days.
(2021-10-05). Chile is Taking the Final Steps of Dismantling Dictatorship. counterpunch.org Chilean author and human rights activist Ariel Dorfman delivered these remarks at the 45th anniversary Letelier-Moffitt Memorial Program on September 19, 2021. A collection of photos from the event has been made available for those who weren't able to attend in person. The Institute for Policy Studies holds this program every year at the site of the
(2021-10-05). U.S., Ukraine rush to Saakashvili's defense. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com U.S. Urges 'Fair Treatment' of Saakashvili The U.S. State Department has urged the Georgian Government to ensure former President Mikheil Saakashvili "is afforded fair treatment" as per Georgia's legislation and international human rights commitments and obligations. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told a press briefing on October 4 the U.S. is aware of the reports …
(2021-10-05). African Union: Drop Israel's observer status, rights groups tell AU leaders. middleeasteye.net 
African Union: Drop Israel's observer status, rights groups tell AU leaders | Israel's human rights violations should disqualify country from seat at African Union table, groups tell AU in legal submission | Tue, 10/05/2021 – 09: 00 | African Union commission chair Moussa Faki Mahamat granted observer status to Israel this July (Reuters) | The African Union should withdraw Israel's observer status because the…
(2021-10-05). 'Just Stick to the Facts': Duterte Reveals He's Begun Preparing for His Defense in ICC Probe. sputniknews.com The Hague-based court earlier announced in September that it had launched an official probe into the Filipino president's anti-narcotics campaign, which human rights groups say has killed tens of thousands of people as part of a larger systematic strike against civilians.
(2021-10-05). Turkey intensifies saber-rattling over its military outpost in Cyprus. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Ankara to keep defending Turkey's, Turkish Cypriots' rights in east Med: FM "We defend our rights and the rights of the Turkish Cypriots all the way. We'll also do what's necessary when there's action that will harm these rights," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlàºt àáavu≈üoƒülu said at joint press conference with his Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau …
(2021-10-05). Was the G.I. Bill of Rights a Safety Net Bill? counterpunch.org Many of us have been giving reporters grief about the constant reference to a $3.5 trillion spending bill (pre-Manchin), without pointing out that this is over ten years and would be just over 1.2 percent of projected GDP over this period. Also, the intention is to have the bill offset by tax increases and cuts
(2021-10-05). California Democrats pass toothless law against work quotas at Amazon warehouses. wsws.org The legislation is a toothless measure, which allows California's Democrats to posture as defenders of workers' rights while doing nothing to seriously challenge the regime of electronically-enforced speedup, which is pervasive in Amazon warehouses.
(2021-10-05). Academic Freedom, Palestinian Rights and the "Zoomification" of University Education. globalresearch.ca
(2021-10-05). Prisoners are 'sitting ducks' for COVID-19. greenleft.org.au Prisoner rights activists are demanding that authorities heed the health advice and protect people in prison. Adam Trumper and Rachel Evans report.
(2021-10-05). Turkey's Erdogan hails decline of the West, breathes fire over Cyprus, Greece, Syria, Kurds. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Turkey will not accept fabricated maps in east Med: Erdogan "We are not hesitating to protect our interests….Aren't we going to protect our rights in the eastern Mediterranean? Are we going to accept fabricated maps?" [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan said in an interview with the magazine Kriter on Oct 5. Erdogan referred to a …
(2021-10-05). Forbes Reveals why the US Government is Trying to Extradite Venezuelan Diplomat Alex Saab. orinocotribune.com By Roger D. Harris — Oct 2, 2021 | Alex Saab is "the key that unlocks the Venezuelan monetary mystery—that is, how a country facing sanctions from the US, the UK and the European Union—is still able to export things like gold and oil…and really the only man who can actually explain how the country [Venezuela] survives today," according to The US would far prefer to just quietly extradite Saab to Miami, use whatever means nec…
(2021-10-05). Iran: Biden aides to tell Israelis that US will pursue 'other avenues' if diplomacy fails. middleeasteye.net 
Iran: Biden aides to tell Israelis that US will pursue 'other avenues' if diplomacy fails | Remarks comes as Israel's national security adviser Eyal Hulata on visit to Washington to share latest intelligence | Tue, 10/05/2021 – 08: 26 | Under a 2015 deal, Iran curbed its uranium enrichment programme, a possible pathway to nuclear arms, in return for the lifting of economic sanctions (AFP)…
(2021-10-04). Bolivia: Añez's Pre-Trial Detention Extended By Five Months. telesurenglish.net On Saturday, Bolivia's Tenth Criminal Investigation Court extended by five months the pre-trial detention of the 2019 coup leader Jeanine Añez, Ex-Justice Minister Alvaro Coimbra, and Ex-Energy Minister Rodrigo Guzman. Imprisoned since March, these right-wing politicians face charges of terrorism, sedition, and conspiracy. | RELATED: | "The Tenth Court has extended the investigation into the coup d'état since many of…
(2021-10-04). Six-Month Sentence For Lawyer Who Took On Chevron Denounced. popularresistance.org The sentence, delivered by U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska in New York City, represents "an international outrage," tweeted journalist Emma Vigeland following its announcement. | Donziger's sentence came a day after the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said it was "appalled" by the U.S. legal system's treatment of the former environmental lawyer and demanded the U.S. government "remedy the situation of Mr. Steven Donziger without delay and bring it in conformity with the relevant international norms" by immediately releasing him. | Donziger represented a group of farmers and Indigenous peopl…
(2021-10-04). How a US lawyer's attempt to make Chevron pay for pollution landed him a jail sentence. peoplesdispatch.org Lawyer Steven Donziger was sentenced to jail by a federal judge despite a UN working group having found his detention to be in violation of international law…
(2021-10-04). Libya: Warring parties may be guilty of war crimes, says UN. middleeasteye.net 
Libya: Warring parties may be guilty of war crimes, says UN | Report to Human Rights Council was based on hundreds of documents, satellite imagery and interviews with more than 150 people | Mon, 10/04/2021 – 14: 58 | Soldiers fire rounds in the air during the funeral of a Libyan National Army commander in the eastern city of Benghazi on 1 November 2020 (AFP) | Warring parties in Libya, including Russian mercen…
(2021-10-04). Expo 2020 Dubai: The Tolerance Narrative of the United Arab Emirates is a Sham. juancole.com Human Rights Watch — (Beirut, October 1, 2021) — United Arab Emirates authorities are using Expo 2020 Dubai to promote a public image of openness that is at odds with the government's efforts to prevent scrutiny of its rampant systemic human rights violations, Human Rights Watch said today. Expo 2020 is a prominent global cultural …
(2021-10-04). President Castillo Launches New Land Reform in Peru. telesurenglish.net On Sunday, Peru's President Pedro Castillo launched the "second agrarian reform", which is a national policy for the development of agriculture through the incorporation of technology, the provision of technical advice, and the construction of productive infrastructure. | RELATED: | "I want to make it very clear: this second agrarian reform does not seek to expropriate land or take away property rights from anyone,"
(2021-10-04). Reports from across the country: Women's March 2021. peoplesworld.org 
Hundreds of thousands marched in defense of women's reproductive health rights on Saturday Oct. 2 in more than 600 actions across the United States. In this running thread, People's World will present dispatches from our correspondents in cities and towns all around the country. Check back here for updates, and see our main story on …
(2021-10-04). Horgan's Fairy Creek Excuses Betray Citizens. popularresistance.org The NDP government can't keep dodging responsibility for the debacle at Fairy Creek — or the much bigger questions about the RCMP's role in the province. | Especially as increasing RCMP resources — with provincial government approval — are devoted to shutting down protests, frequently by Indigenous people. | Last week, the BC Supreme Court refused to extend an injunction against protesters blocking logging, citing RCMP civil rights' abuses — facilitated by the provincial government — in enforcing the court order. | The dispute is about old-growth forests on southern Vancouver Island.
(2021-10-04). NYC socialist candidate tells abortion rights action, 'We are fighting for the future!'. liberationnews.org 
This week, reproductive rights demonstrations were held across the country protesting Texas anti-abortion Law SB 8 and affirming a women's right to choose abortion. In New York City, the Oct. 2 action of approximately 5,000 was addressed by PSL mayoral candidate Cathy Rojas, to a rousing response. Here is her talk. ABORTO SI, ABORTO NO, …
(2021-10-04). Anti-Imperialism is Inseparable from Anti-Capitalism: A Socialist Feminist Perspective — Part 3. orinocotribune.com By Madeleine Freeman and Sou Mi — Sep 11, 2021 | With the narrative of justifying imperialist intervention in the name of women's rights called into question by 20 years of disastrous U.S. occupation in Afghanistan, the space is open for rethinking what it means to take up the fight for women's emancipation with a staunchly anti-imperialist perspective. | This article is the third in a Left Voice series on the situation of women in Afghanistan and the tasks of the international feminist movement in the fight against gender oppression. The return of Taliban rule in Afghanistan promises, and in many areas has…
(2021-10-04). Brazil: Indigenous lands in danger due to capitalist exploitation. greenleft.org.au Brazil's Supreme Court reserved its judgment on a historic case winding back Indigenous land rights, known as marco temporal (timeframe), on September 15, reports Davi Bertges.
(2021-10-04). A Problem of Clerical Hypocrisy: The Two Tiers of "Progressive Except for Palestine" counterpunch.org Anyone who pays attention to the struggle for Palestinian rights, and the corresponding fight for a just and egalitarian Israel, is familiar with the phenomenon PEP: Progressive Except for Palestine. There are literally tens of thousands of Jews and non-Jews who think of themselves as liberals, progressives, devoid of racism, proponents for peace, and otherwise
(2021-10-04). GIGS UP! UC AFT Lecturers FIGHT GIG Slave Labor. indybay.org UC-AFT lecturers are fighting for labor rights and against Gig conditions. They rallied at UC Berkeley on 9/29/21 and AFT-UC Council bargain team member David Walter talked about their Gig conditions.
(2021-10-04). Women's March Is Linking Abortion Rights to Fight for Democracy in Austin and DC. truthout.org 
Austin, Texas—Hundreds protested Texas's new six-week abortion ban, rallying on the south lawn of the State Capitol Saturday as part of nationwide demonstrations for abortion justice. Organized by the Women's March and more than 90 partnering organizations, including the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, Planned Parenthood and SisterSong, the actions spread across 610 cities in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. | Texas leaders in the fight for reproductive rights a…
(2021-10-04). "We Demand Better": Reps. Cori Bush, Pramila Jayapal & Barbara Lee Share Their Own Abortion Stories. democracynow.org 
Thousands marched Saturday in more than 600 demonstrations across the United States to protest increasing state restrictions on abortion. The "Bans Off Our Bodies" rallies were sparked in part by a near-total ban on abortion that went into effect in Texas on September 1, which bans the procedure after about six weeks and lets anyone sue the doctor and others who help a person obtain an abortion. Ahead of Saturday's nationwide actions, several Democratic House members shared their own experiences getting abortions during a hearing Thursday, including California Congressmember Barbara Lee, who said she was just 16…
(2021-10-04). The CIA Plan to Poison Assange Wasn't Needed. The US Found a 'Lawful' Way to Disappear Him. counterpunch.org Assange has not been deprived of his freedom for more than a decade because of an unimplemented rogue operation by the CIA. Rather, he has been held in various forms of captivity — disappeared — through the collaborations of various national governments and their intelligence agencies, aided by legal systems and the media, that have systematically violated his rights and legal due process.
(2021-10-04). The Weekly Round-Up: Women and the Police. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
In the news: The relationship between women's rights and the police has been at the forefront of the news again this week, with shocking new revelations in the Sarah Everard case increasing concerns about institutional sexism in the police force, in addition to a scathing judgement from the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) condemning the sexual …
(2021-10-04). Bans Off Our Bodies: Planned Parenthood Pres. on Abortion Bans, Bills in Congress & the Supreme Court. democracynow.org 
After thousands of people marched in hundreds of rallies across the United States to protest against tightening abortion restrictions, we speak with Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson, who says the weekend actions represent "a movement moment" for reproductive rights. "More than 80% of Americans believe that Roe should be the law of the land," she says. "And yet, in state after state, these horrific restrictions and bans are continuing to further erode our ability to access our constitutional right."