(2020-10-18). Latest UN report on Venezuela is not remotely honest (Part 2). zcomm.org On September 15, UN investigators published a 411 page report about the human rights situation in Venezuela.[1] Part 1 of my analysis of the report focused on its gross dishonesty about opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez. The report reviewed his career since 2000 but never mentioned his proud participation in coup attempts, in particular the briefly
(2020-10-18). Women March in SF for Rights and to Protest Trump. indybay.org Women protest in cities throughout US…
(2020-10-18). Security Resources for Anarchists and Activists. indybay.org Federal regulations state that government agencies "May not investigate U.S. persons or collect or maintain information about them solely for the purpose of monitoring activities protected by the First Amendment or the lawful exercise of other rights secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States". – But the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Anti-Terrorism Office (JBLMATO) is ignoring the law and still spying on you!
(2020-10-18). Iran "Resistance" strategy defeats US " Maximum Pressure" en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 18 (MNA) — Ali Rabiei noted, "Pushing back sanctions, reducing the effects of sanctions and increasing social resistance were the strategies of the Islamic Republic of Iran to overcome the US policy of maximum pressure."
(2020-10-18). Thais want Coalition gov't to sanction Thai dictatorship. greenleft.org.au Thai democracy activists took to streets after the violent police attack on a peaceful mass democracy protest in Bangkok, reports Peter Boyle.
(2020-10-17). Persecuting Assange Is A Blow To Reporting And Human Rights Advocacy. popularresistance.org If it were not for a tiny handful of journalists—ShadowProof's Kevin Gosztola preeminent among them—Americans might be utterly unaware that a London magistrate, for the last month, has been considering nothing less than whether journalists have a right to publish information the US government doesn't want them to. Not whether outlets can leak classified information, but whether they can publish that information on, as in the case of Wikileaks, US war crimes and torture and assorted malfeasance to do with, for instance, the war on Afghanistan, which just entered its 19th year, with zero US corporate me…
(2020-10-17). Unelected Bolivian govt detains, doxxes, threatens international observers on eve of election. thegrayzone.com Bolivia's unelected transitional administration has repeatedly threatened international electoral observers, detained monitors from Argentina in the airport, and shared the private information of Spanish supervisors with a far-right activist. By Ben Norton LA PAZ, BOLIVIA — On the eve of Bolivia's first election since a violent November 2019 military takeover that removed President Evo Morales from office, the un-elected de facto government has detained, doxxed, and threatened international electoral observers. On October 16, Bolivia's migration department shared the private information …
(2020-10-17). Minneapolis protest demands legalization for immigrants. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – Around 100 people marched through downtown Minneapolis, October 14, from Senator Amy Klobuchar's office to the Hennepin County Jail. The march was part of an ongoing campaign by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) demanding legalization for all immigrants including those eligible for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), TPS (Temporary Protected Status), and DED (Deferred Enforced Departure) status. More than a million immigrants that hold these statuses are in increasing danger of deportation because of recent court rulings that open the door to the Trump administra…
(2020-10-17). Iran claims victory over US as UN arms embargo expires. rt.com 
Iran's foreign ministry has declared the victory of "multilateralism, peace and security", claiming the UN's conventional arms embargo effectively expired on October 18, despite Washington's pressure to reimpose sanctions. | "As of today, all restrictions on the transfer of arms, related activities and financial services to and from The Islamic Republic of Iran, and all prohibitions regarding the entry or transit through territories of the United Nations Member States previously imposed on a number of Iranian citizens and military officials, are all automatically terminated," Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a…
(2020-10-17). Black Civil Rights Leaders Fear Barrett "Invites a Return to a Racist Past" truthout.org After four days of confirmation hearings, Black leaders of five major civil rights organizations are lining up in opposition to the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme court and the "deeply flawed" process Senate Republicans are using to secure her confirmation just weeks ahead of a contentious presidential election. | Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, Kristen Clarke, president of the National Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, said Barrett…
(2020-10-17). Argentinean Lawmaker Released After Being Arrested in Bolivia. telesurenglish.net Lawmaker Federico Fagioli, who is part of the Argentine delegation to observe the presidential elections in Bolivia, was released this Saturday hours after being detained upon his arrival at the airport in El Alto. | RELATED: | Fagioli, is safe at the Argentine embassy in La Paz after being mistreated by Bolivian police. | Political actors denounced on social media the arrest of Fagioli and the mistreatment…
(2020-10-17). Bolivian security forces detain Argentine deputy Federico Fagioli. peoplesdispatch.org The deputy from Frente de Todos coalition in Argentina was detained at the airport in El Alto by immigration officials, police and unidentified individuals and taken to a detention center in the airport…
(2020-10-17). Chile To Mark First Anniversary Of Its Social Outbreak. popularresistance.org Chile's Constituent Unity Pact (CUP) called on citizens to commemorate the first anniversary of the social outbreak with pot-banging, honking, cycling, caravans, and cultural activities. | "Although the best way to remember this date will be to take part in the plebiscite, the people will also take to the streets peacefully," the CUP stated. | On Sunday, a massive rally is expected in "The Dignity Square," which has been the epicenter of demonstrations in Santiago City. | "In the last year, over a million Chileans have taken to the streets to demand their rights."
(2020-10-17). Tehran Declares Arms Embargo Lifted, Iran Free to Procure, Export Arms as Sees Fit. sputniknews.com In 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and the European Union, requiring Iran to scale back its nuclear program and severely downgrade its uranium reserves in exchange for sanctions relief, including lifting the arms embargo five years after the deal's adoption.
(2020-10-17). Critics Say Deregulatory Rush Shows Even If Defeated the Trump White House Willing to 'Scorch the Earth Before They Go'. commondreams.org From bomb trains to biometrics to workers' rights, the administration is pushing for last-minute rollbacks that could prove hard for its successor to overturn. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-10-16). Preserving Roe: West Virginia Mom Tells Abortion Story in Heartfelt Speech Against Amy Coney Barrett. democracynow.org 
The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony this week from Crystal Good, who spoke about her experience of having an abortion and expressed concerns that Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court would limit access to safe, affordable care. During three days of hearings, Judge Barrett has repeatedly refused to answer questions about her views on abortion and the future of Roe v. Wade, despite her public record opposing reproductive rights. "If confirmed, Judge Barrett will be a fifth vote to eviscerate the important protections that have been afforded by Roe v. Wade," says Kristen Clarke, president…
(2020-10-16). Deeply Troubling: Kristen Clarke on How Rush to Confirm Barrett Endangers Voting & Civil Rights. democracynow.org 
The Senate confirmation hearing for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett ended Thursday with Republicans on the Judiciary Committee scheduling a vote on her nomination for October 22, with a full Senate vote to follow shortly thereafter — less than two weeks before the presidential election, in which the Supreme Court could play a decisive role. The right-wing judge's confirmation looks all but assured, after four rushed days of questioning in which Barrett refused to state her position on abortion rights, gay marriage, the Affordable Care Act, voting rights, climate change, and even if…
(2020-10-16). Dark Money & Barrett Nomination: The Link Between Big Polluters & the War on ACA, Roe & LGBT Rights. democracynow.org 
During confirmation hearings this week for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island opted not to ask the judge any questions. Instead, he gave a 30-minute presentation on how right-wing groups, including the Federalist Society and Judicial Crisis Network, use dark money to shape the nation's judiciary. We air excerpts from his presentation and get reaction from Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
(2020-10-16). ICE is Trying to Deport My Husband While I Treat COVID Patients. aclu.org 
I work as a registered nurse in an intensive care unit in Southern California. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, I've been working alongside my colleagues as we try to save the lives of the sickest patients and comfort their families. The hours have been long, and we have all seen more than our share of sorrow., , Fortunately, for most of the pandemic I had my husband to lean on. It was comforting to know that while I was in the unit, he was at home caring for our two young children and that when I came home he would be there to support me., , That changed in July, when ICE detained him during a routine check…
(2020-10-16). Amnesty urges participants at W20 Saudi summit to speak out for human rights. middleeasteye.net 
Amnesty urges participants at W20 Saudi summit to speak out for human rights | Rights groups says G20 women's summit is chance to hold Riyadh accountable for its treatment of women's rights activists | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 18: 17 | Loujain al-Hathloul, Nobel prize-nominated activist, has allegedly been tortured while in prison (AFP/File photo) | Amnesty International has urged participants at this year's Women 20…
(2020-10-16). After 55 years of repression Indonesian workers, youth take to streets. workers.org 
Thousands of workers and students marched and rallied in Indonesia on Oct. 7 to protest a new antilabor law. "Labor rights activists, workers and students are protesting Indonesia's new labor law they say will undermine pay and benefits, as well as the environment. The law is part of the president's . . . |
(2020-10-16). 'Don't get yourselves caught': How the British state allowed its secret agents to commit crime. middleeasteye.net 
'Don't get yourselves caught': How the British state allowed its secret agents to commit crime | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 22: 39 | The Covert Human Intelligence Sources Bill marks the UK government's latest attempt to permit its intelligence and security agencies to break the law lawfully | In the early months of 2011, as Muammar Gaddafi and the people around him fought for their lives, significant numbers of youn…
(2020-10-16). Yemen — Prisoner Swap and What May be Behind it. globalresearch.ca Background | The fourth batch of Yemeni detainees has arrived the in Sana'a as part of the largest prisoner swap between the country's warring sides. The residents in the capital received 112 prisoners after their plane landed in the Sana'a international …
(2020-10-16). West Virginia Mom Tells Her Abortion Story in Speech Against Amy Coney Barrett. truthout.org The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony this week from Crystal Good, who spoke about her experience of having an abortion and expressed concerns that Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court would limit access to safe, affordable care. During three days of hearings, Judge Barrett has repeatedly refused to answer questions about her views on abortion and the future of Roe v. Wade, despite her public record opposing reproductive rights. "If confirmed, Judge Barrett will be a…
(2020-10-16). FCC Head and Internet's Most Hated Man Ajit Pai Just Vowed to Kill First Amendment Rights Online. mintpressnews.com FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has vowed to reinterpret Section 230 of the Communications Act on President Trump's orders in a move that threatens to curb what's left of Americans' first amendment rights online.
(2020-10-16). Structural Racism in Liberal Armor: Newsome's Veto Domestic Workers' Rights Bill. counterpunch.org On Thursday October 1st, self-professed Liberal Governor Gavon Newsome vetoed SB 1257, the Health and Safety for All Workers Act. The governor's action, say advocates for the three-hundred thousand domestic workers directly impacted by the veto, is reckless and racist at its very core. The workers are overwhelming women of color, already living at the
(2020-10-16). Victory for Cuba at the UN Human Rights Council. globalresearch.ca Today Cuba obtained a new and resounding victory in the UN Human Rights Council, gaining election to the body for the 2021-2023 period. | Despite the aggressive campaign by the United States against the Cuban candidacy for the Council, the General …
(2020-10-16). Palestinian administrative detainee on 'verge of death' as his hunger strike nears 90 days. peoplesdispatch.org Israeli human rights group B'Tselem says more than 350 Palestinians are currently being held under the illegal colonial-era policy of administrative detention adopted by the state of Israel…
(2020-10-16). Israel Stops Granting Visas to UN Human Rights Employees. globalresearch.ca Israel has stopped granting any visas to employees at the United Nations' human rights agency, effectively forcing the body's top staff to leave, Middle East Eye can reveal. | In February, Israel announced it was suspending ties with the United Nations …
(2020-10-16). Bolivia elections, an opportunity to defuse extreme polarization: UN rights chief. news.un.org The UN's top human rights official has called on everyone active in Bolivian politics, to ensure calm on the streets, and refrain from any action that could undermine the peaceful conduct of the general elections, taking place on Sunday.
(2020-10-16). Amy Coney Barrett's Take on Voting Rights Act Exposes Her Entire Legal Philosophy as a Lie. zcomm.org Barrett claims to defer to the original meaning of statutes, but when it comes to the Voting Rights Act, that deference is out the window…
(2020-10-16). Priest Sentenced To 33 Months For Protesting Nuclear Weapons. popularresistance.org Fifteen supporters in a carefully Covid masked and distanced courtroom witnessed Father Steve Kelly receive a sentence of 33 months today. After a 20 minute delay to get the telephone conference line working and properly muted 160 people listened in to the proceedings on the audio link. | Fr. Steve's sentence falls in the middle of the proposed guidelines and will likely allow his release from the Glynn County Detention Center where he is presently being detained 30 months after the action.
(2020-10-16). Four People Detained as Part of Investigation Into Teacher's Killing Near Paris – Report. sputniknews.com Earlier in the day, media reported that an unknown criminal beheaded a middle school history teacher near an educational institution in the commune of Conflans-Saint-Honorine. He was later shot dead by police officers.
(2020-10-16). 'Distraction Mechanism': NYT's Crocodile Tears Over Iran Sanctions Disguise Role in Justifying Them. sputniknews.com What seems to be a compassionate plea for mercy from Washington by a major US newspaper is actually just a furthering of the US propaganda war against Iran that's responsible for the strangling sanctions that frustrate its ability to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, a doctor and activist told Sputnik.
(2020-10-16). Why America Still Needs to Abolish ICE. commondreams.org A silent protest in New York's World Trade Center on Jan. 6, 2020 in support of children who have died in ICE custody. (Photo: Erik McGregor / LightRocket via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Won't Say Climate Change Is Real; Forgets 1st Amendment Protects Right to Protest. democracynow.org 
We air highlights from the second day of questioning of President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, who faced eight hours of questions on Wednesday about her views on issues ranging from climate change to voting rights to gay marriage and abortion, as Republicans race to confirm her ahead of the election and secure a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court for conservatives.
(2020-10-15). How Hitler Found His Blueprint For A German Empire. popularresistance.org Native peoples in the United States continue to struggle for justice. While this year brought some important victories, such as Washington's NFL team finally dropping its racist name and logo, and a landmark win in the Supreme Court for Native rights in McGirt v. Oklahoma, the difficult work of recognizing and redressing the country's legacy of oppressing its first inhabitants continues. | Efforts by Native and allied activists to spread observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day as an alternative to Columbus Day is an important part of this work.
(2020-10-15). Add voting rights to list of questions ducked by Barrett. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Add voting rights, both at the polls and who has the right to vote, to the list of key issues which U.S. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett is ducking. And as for the presidential election this fall, "occasions where courts decide elections should be [cases] where courts protect the right to vote," she said—and …
(2020-10-15). Syrian and Russian officials should face sanctions over Idlib strikes, states HRW. middleeasteye.net 
Syrian and Russian officials should face sanctions over Idlib strikes, states HRW | Rights group says analysis of attacks between April 2019 and March 2020 revealed a 'callous disregard for civilian life' | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 12: 21 | HRW based its report on interviews with more than 100 victims and witnesses, analysis of hundreds of photographs and videos taken on the site of attacks and o…
(2020-10-15). EU sanctions senior Putin aides over Libya, Navalny poisoning. middleeasteye.net 
EU sanctions senior Putin aides over Libya, Navalny poisoning | Yevgeny Prigozhin, nicknamed 'Putin's chef', sanctioned for supporting Wagner Group in Libya | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 18: 37 | Members of Khalifa Haftar's self-proclaimed Libyan National Army gather in Benghazi on way to Sirte (AFP/File photo) | Members of Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle were hit with sanctions by t…
(2020-10-15). Egypt: Prisoners begin mass hunger strike against abusive treatment. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt: Prisoners begin mass hunger strike against abusive treatment | Inmates at Tora's Istiqbal jail are demanding an end to harsh disciplinary measures, say rights groups | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 10: 47 | A policeman stands guard at the Tora Prison Complex, in southern Cairo (AFP) | Detainees at one of Egypt's most notorious prisons have gone on hunger strike in protest against ill-treatment, several rights group…
(2020-10-15). How the Christian Right Won the Culture Wars. counterpunch.org 
The likely appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court may mark the end of this round of the culture wars. For half-a-century, the U.S. has been a battleground over "moral" and sexual values. Key issues like abortion, health care (i.e., the ADA), gay rights and the meaning of "family" have been contested. With Barrett's appointment,
(2020-10-15). Gulf states using coronavirus pandemic to crackdown on dissent: Amnesty. middleeasteye.net 
Gulf states using coronavirus pandemic to crackdown on dissent: Amnesty | Rights group accuses Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman of suppressing expression on social media | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 22: 08 | Amnesty says social media restrictions imposed by Gulf states not necessary to protect public health (AFP/File photo) | Gulf states are using the coronavirus pandemic as a pretext to crack down on free s…
(2020-10-15). UK supports new EU sanctions against Moscow that will 'significantly punish' Russian officials over alleged poisoning of Navalny. rt.com 
Britain will support a fresh round of EU sanctions against Russia. The targets are six high-level officials and a state research institute London believes is responsible for managing stocks of the nerve agent Novichok. | The UK Foreign Office declared on Thursday that the new sanctions, effective from October 15, will "send a strong message" and "significantly punish Russia's reckless and malign behaviour". The London government has announced that it will impose travel bans and asset freezes on the six individuals listed by the EU. | "The UK and its partners have agreed that there is no plausible explanation f…
(2020-10-15). Saudi minister defends kingdom over Khashoggi murder, Yemen war. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi minister defends kingdom over Khashoggi murder, Yemen war | Foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan also accuses jailed women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul of 'serious crimes' during visit to Washington | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 22: 38 | Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan defends incarceration of women's rights activists (File image/AFP) | Less than two weeks after the second anniversary of the mu…
(2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Says Climate Change Is a "Very Contentious Matter" truthout.org We air highlights from the second day of questioning of President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, who faced eight hours of questions on Wednesday about her views on issues ranging from climate change to voting rights to gay marriage and abortion, as Republicans race to confirm her ahead of the election and secure a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court for conservatives. | TRANSCRIPT: | This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. | AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I'
(2020-10-15). Indonesia rises up against attack on labor rights, environmental protections. peoplesdispatch.org Thousands of Indonesians have taken the streets of Jakarta, Bandung, and other cities in protest against the government's push to enact the "omnibus law." The law overturns major labor protection laws, including a federal minimum wage, drastically reduces weekly holidays and paid leaves, cuts down severance pay, and also opens up several polluting and hazardous industries to private investment. Major trade unions have been organizing demonstrations since the law was passed by the national legislature on October 5.
(2020-10-15). At the Polls, Episode 5: Why is Voting so Inaccessible to People with Disabilities? aclu.org Voters with disabilities make up the largest minority voting bloc in the country, but too often, voting is inaccessible. It's a bigger problem than it may seem: One in four American adults has a disability and 45 percent have a chronic illness, including health conditions that impact their ability to vote safely during a global pandemic. , , In this week's episode of
(2020-10-15). UN: Parties To Yemen Conflict To Protect Women From Violence. telesurenglish.net "In Yemen, as in all sub situations, women have worked tirelessly, mostly behind the scenes, always below the radar to stop the war, reduce violence, release detainees and build back peace. They do this against all odds with a courage we can only imagine and often under circumstances which threaten their lives, their livelihoods and their families," says UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths.
(2020-10-15). Rape is wrong but death penalty, castration, not the answer: UN rights chief. news.un.org While perpetrators of rape and other forms of sexual violence must be held accountable, capital punishment and torture are not the answer, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Thursday.