(2020-05-02). [Editorial] COVID-19: remaking the social contract. thelancet.com "Allegiance, after all, has to work two ways; and one can grow weary of an allegiance which is not reciprocal." The British playwright David Hare quoted this line by the American writer James Baldwin in his recent reflections on the UK Government's response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Baldwin's reminder and warning in the context of civil rights in the mid-20th century USA speak now in the pandemic to communities the world over who are unsure of their governments' allegiances to them.
(2020-05-02). May Day Protests at SF City Hall. Anti Shutdowners Also Demonstrate. indybay.org Labor and human rights groups demand rent and mortgage strike. Others want country "reopened".
(2020-05-02). PA prisoners tortured for protesting racist policies. workers.org Eric McGill was locked up in Lebanon County Correctional Facility in Lebanon, Pa., on Jan. 19, 2019. For 15 months now he has been held there, not because he has been convicted of a crime, but because he cannot afford the preposterous $1 million bail the judge set. And during . . . |
(2020-05-02). Shamkhani reacts to German ban against Lebanon's Hezbollah. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 02 (MNA) — In reaction to German ban on Lebanon's Hezbollah, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Rear Admiral Shamkhani said that suppliers of chemical weapons to former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein have become defenders of human rights and call Lebanon's Hezbollah as 'terrorist' for fear of its child-killer friend.
(2020-05-02). Trump, Pence, G W Bush, Hannity and Sen. Rick Scott's best sheriff fried under DOJ investi. indybay.org The Justice Department and Florida Department of Health are investigating Sheriff Carmine Marceno for civil rights abuses, human rights abuses, ADA violations and felony abuse of a disabled adult.
(2020-05-02). Sacramento: May Day Car Caravan for Immigrant & Worker Rights. indybay.org Car Caravan: Southside Park, Sacramento…
(2020-05-02). Russian diplomat calls on US to talk about its commitments under resolution 2231. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 02 (MNA) — Referring to US officials' remarks to extend Iran's arms embargo, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Mikhail Ulyanov said that the US officials address their rights UNSC resolution 2231, but do not mention their commitments.
(2020-05-02). Postal Bankruptcy Would Hit Rural America Hardest. zcomm.org The 15 most rural states would face heavy blows to jobs, revenue, mail and package deliveries, and voting rights…
(2020-05-02). To impose further sanctions on Iran, the US rewrites history and engages in semantic gymnastics. thealtworld.com On May 8, 2018, President Trump withdrew from the Iran Nuclear deal. In an effort to enact crippling "snap-back" sanctions, his administration is now pretending it did no such thing. | "All our words", the American-Lebanese poet-philosopher Kahlil Gibran observed, "are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind." If words are judged by their intellectual weight and adherence to integrity, the statements issued by the Trump administration in relation to its standing as a "participating nation" in the context of the agreement (known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA,) is more famine than…
(2020-05-02). US imposes new sanctions on Iran regardless of COVID-19 situation. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 02 (MNA) — The United States has imposed new sanctions against Iran in the midst of the country's fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
(2020-05-02). British PMs call for sanctions if Netanyahu carries out threat to annex parts of West Bank. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 02 (MNA) — Nearly 130 parliamentarians have written to Boris Johnson urging him to impose economic sanctions against Israeli regime if Benjamin Netanyahu's new coalition government goes ahead with its threat to annex parts of the West Bank.
(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). 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). 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). 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). 'Rights and dignity' of older people must be respected during COVID-19 and beyond. news.un.org The COVID-19 fatality rate for people over 80-years-old, is five times the global average, the UN Secretary-General said on Friday, launching a new policy initiative to address this and many other challenges faced by the elderly, during and after the biggest public health crisis to hit the world in a century.
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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 …
(2020-05-02). Tehran Denies US Envoy's Claims About Iran Helping Venezuela in Exchange for Gold. sputniknews.com The US special envoy for Venezuela earlier claimed that Iran has been helping Venezuela to restore its oil refineries, crippled by American sanctions, in exchange for gold. The official, however, presented no evidence to support his claims.
(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
(2020-04-29). 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…
(2020-04-29). 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). 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)
(2020-04-28). 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). 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). "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). 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). Florida voting rights trial to be argued online. splcenter.org …
(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…