(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…
(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…
(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…
(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.
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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.
(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…
(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…
(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.
(2020-01-11). Women's March Global Worldwide Protests Against the Rollback of Women's Human Rights One Week Away. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(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 …
(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…
(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.
(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…
(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…
(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… …
(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…
(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.
(2020-01-10). California's New 'Gig Worker' Law Will Hurt Freelancers. thenation.com California's New 'Gig Worker' Law Will Hurt Freelancers…
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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… …
(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.
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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.
(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…
(2020-01-09). Sanctions Are Economic Warfare. thenation.com Sanctions Are Economic Warfare…
(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.
(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…
(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
(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…
(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,…
(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
(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.
(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.
(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…
(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.
(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…
(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:…
(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 …
(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.
(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…
(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…
(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.