2020-05-03: News Headlines

Eliza Egret (2020-05-03). Greek refugee camps 'beyond breaking point' as UK government continues its racist policies. thecanary.co Human rights campaigners on the Greek island of Samos have told The Canary that the situation for refugees is "beyond breaking point". Since the Europe Must A…

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-05-03). 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".

Dylan Gamez Citron and Kimberly Barzola (2020-05-03). Mashpee Wampanoag tribe's trust status threatened by Department of Interior. liberationnews.org "This is a violation of our rights…"

Elliot Henney (2020-05-03). Washingtonians Play Dumb — Take Advantage of a State-Sanctioned Military Worship to Get Fresh Air. anti-empire.com Editor's note: The Imperial military sidelined by the Covid craze trying to get in on some of that action by engaging in public health worker worship, which has temporarily displaced the cult of the military and of the police. Washingtonians similarly taking advantage of the military and health worker worship event to get out and rub shoulders and get some sunshine (without the risk of police, informants or social media condemnation). |
| If there was a stay-at-home order in place for Washington, D.C., you certainly wouldn't have thought so this morning. | Despite orders from local leaders to not gather i…

Tyler Durden (2020-05-03). Pompeo Demands Countries Block Airspace to Iran's Sanctions-Busting Air Bridge to Venezuela. anti-empire.com The US is going on the offensive once again against Venezuela, this time attempting to break up growing Iranian cooperation and assistance to Caracas. The two so-called 'rogue states' recently targeted for US-imposed regime change are helping each other fight coronavirus as well as Washington-led sanctions. Specifically Tehran has ramped up cargo deliveries related getting Venezuela's derelict oil refineries fully operational. | Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in new statements has called on international allies to block airspace specifically for Iran's Mahan Air, currently under US sanctions, and which has in…

scott huminski (2020-05-03). 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.

Steve Sweeney (2020-05-03). This Weekend We Mark "Press Freedom Day". But Whose Freedom? globalresearch.ca Global human rights organisations and press freedom groups will today hold events across the world to mark International Press Freedom day, held annually on May 3. | It was established by the United Nations in 1993 on the second anniversary of …

Timothy Alexander Guzman (2020-05-03). Challenging the Narrative: Media Propaganda Launches Conspiracy Theories Against Covid-19 Skeptics. globalresearch.ca Following the September 11th attacks in New York City, it instantaneously changed everything, from expanding US wars abroad against Afghanistan and Iraq, the dismantling of whatever civil rights you had left to the increased use of drones for surveillance and …

Graton Day Labor Center and others (2020-05-03). Sacramento: May Day Car Caravan for Immigrant & Worker Rights. indybay.org Car Caravan: Southside Park, Sacramento…

The Lancet (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.

Ted Kelly (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 . . . |

Scott Ritter (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…

Marcia Brown (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.

teleSUR (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…

Mnar Muhawesh (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.

news.un (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.

Peoples Dispatch (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…

ACLU (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…

news.un (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.

news.un (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.

PCHR (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 …

news.un (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.

Jack Herrera (2020-04-30). In ICE Detention, Forced to Pay for Soap. thenation.com In ICE Detention, Forced to Pay for Soap…

Pablo Vivanco (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.

yenisafak (2020-05-03). Syrian tycoon Makhlouf says security forces are arresting his employees. yenisafak.com Sanctions-hit Syrian tycoon Rami Makhlouf on Sunday said that security forces are arresting employees at his diversified companies in what he said were "mounting pressures" on him days after Syrian authorities asked him to repay hefty taxes."Today pressures began in an unacceptable ways and the security forces, in an inhumane way, are arresting our employees," Makhlouf said in a video.Makhlouf, a maternal cousin of President Bashar al-Assad and widely considered part of the president's inner circle, has a business empire that ranges from telecoms and real estate to construction and oil trading. He had played a bi…

sputniknews (2020-05-03). Iran Nuclear Deal Will 'Die Forever' If US Uses 'Sanctions Virus' to Extend Arms Embargo — Tehran. sputniknews.com The Trump administration has been searching for options to try to extend the United Nations ban on the sale of conventional weapons to Iran beyond October, proposing sanctions and even considering making the argument that the US is still effectively a party to the Iran nuclear deal, despite its decision to walk out of the agreement in 2018.

sputniknews (2020-05-03). Ex-German Chancellor Urges Lifting 'Senseless' Anti-Russian Sanctions Amid COVID-19 Pandemic. sputniknews.com Crimea rejoined Russia in March 2014 as a result of a referendum which saw over 96 per cent of the peninsula's residents backing the option. However, the move was opposed by Ukraine and a majority of Western countries, including EU members, with several rounds of sanctions slapped on Moscow.

Stephen Lendman (2020-05-03). Iran Bashing, a US Media Specialty. iranian.com Operating as imperial mouthpieces, US establishment media are hostile toward all sovereign independent nations on its target list for regime change. They're countries unwilling to sacrifice their sovereign rights to US interests. Iran tops the list of Middle East nations Washington wants transformed into a vassal state — to gain control over its vast hydrocarbon …

Zero Hedge (2020-05-01). Pompeo Demands Countries Block Airspace To Iran's 'Terrorist Airline' After Venezuela Deliveries. iranian.com The US is going on the offensive once again against Venezuela, this time attempting to break up growing Iranian cooperation and assistance to Caracas. The two so-called 'rogue states' recently targeted for US-imposed regime change are helping each other fight coronavirus as well as Washington-led sanctions. Specifically, Tehran has ramped up cargo deliveries related getting Venezuela's …

Fars News (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 …

Chase Strangio (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

Aaron Maté (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…

Miko Peled (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.

Kanya Bennett (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)

news.un (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.

Staff (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…

Staff (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."

Staff (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.

Staff (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."

splcenter (2020-04-24). Florida voting rights trial to be argued online. splcenter.org

Ben Norton (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…

Ana Santoyo (2020-04-17). Solidarity needed; non-citizen 'essential workers' under increased attack. liberationnews.org Immigrant detainees fight back against unsafe conditions in ICE centers.

Ricardo Vaz (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.

splcenter (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.

Paul Dobson (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.

Ryan Cristián (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 …

CounterSpin (2020-04-10). Mike Elk on Frontline Worker Rights, Joe Emersberger on Pandemic Sanctions. fair.org Media…

VINS (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…

Kathy Kelly (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…

Lucas Koerner (2020-03-31). Venezuela Blasts US 'Transition' Plan as 'Tutelage'. venezuelanalysis.com Washington has threatened to "increase" crippling sanctions until Caracas accepts the deal.