2019-12-20: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Blood Memory Rising, Book Review of Standing with Standing Rock
Brenda Norrell | indybay.org | 2019-12-20
'Standing with Standing Rock,' is an encyclopedia of resistance, which chronicles the Water Protector movement from the first run to Washington, and on to the camps, and the surveillance by TigerSwan, to the ultimate international divestment campaign. In its 29 chapters are poetry, essays and discussions of Indigenous rights and Treaties.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/20/18829041.php

Activists Demand a Migrant Justice Platform as Democratic Candidates Discuss Immigration in Debate
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-20
Protesters for immigrant rights demonstrated outside the Democratic debate Thursday in Los Angeles, displaying a banner that read "Migrant Justice on Day One" and demanding a moratorium on deportations and immigrant worker protections. We look at how the candidates responded, with Erika Andiola, chief advocacy officer for RAICES, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services. "I'm really happy that immigration came up this time around," she notes. "In the past few debates, the issue didn't even come up."
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/20/democrat…

India's Government is Going to War Against Its Own People
Vijay Prashad | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-20
On December 13, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights released a powerful statement that criticized India's new citizenship law. This "fundamentally discriminatory" Citizenship (Amendment) Act of 2019 would expedite citizenship for persecuted religious minorities from India's neighboring countries. But in the list of those minorities, it names only Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians. It does not name Muslims.
counterpunch.org/2019/12/20/indias-government-is-going-to-war-against-its-own-people/

UN independent experts 'deeply disturbed' by alleged mistreatment of detained Iranian protesters
news.un.org | 2019-12-20
Sixteen independent UN human rights experts called on Friday for the release of arbitrarily detained protesters in Iran who have allegedly been abused while in custody.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/12/1054111

Amid Citizenship Law Outcry, Indian Authorities Ban Protests
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-12-20
NEW DELHI — Police banned public gatherings in parts of the Indian capital and other cities for a third day Friday and cut internet services to try to stop growing protests against a new citizenship law that have left 11 people dead and more than 4,000 others detained. | Thousands of protesters stood inside and on the steps of New Delhi's Jama Masijd, one of India's largest mosques, after Friday afternoon prayers, waving Indian flags and shouting slogans against the government and the citizenship law, which critics say threatens India's secular democracy in favor of a Hindu state. | Police had banned a prop…
truthdig.com/articles/amid-citizenship-law-outcry-indian-authorities-ban-protests/

BDS movement defiant after Tories announce anti-boycott measures and threaten international solidarity
Tom Anderson | thecanary.co | 2019-12-20
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaigners have responded defiantly to Tory plans to pass an anti-BDS law. | The law is a threat to any international solidarity campaign which seeks to boycott companies or products because of the state policies of another country. As such, it presents a threat to international solidarity efforts as a whole. | Boycotting Israeli apartheid: | BDS is an international movement calling for a boycott of Israeli goods. It also calls for grassroots groups to initiate boycott campaigns against companies complicit in Israel…
thecanary.co/opinion/2019/12/20/bds-movement-defiant-after-tories-announce-anti-boycott-measures-and-threaten-international-solidarity/

Trump's Executive Order Targets Federal Funding to Universities in Suppression of Speech on Palestinian Rights
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2019-12-20
(photo: A classroom in Gaza destroyed in Israel's 2014 attacks. Credit:…
imemc.org/article/trumps-executive-order-targets-federal-funding-to-universities-in-suppression-of-speech-on-palestinian-rights/

One appalling detail in the Queen's Speech shows voting Tory was a vote to ruin your children's future
Tracy Keeling | thecanary.co | 2019-12-20
The Queen's Speech on 19 December unveiled Boris Johnson's plans for Britain. | It confirmed that the pledge he made during the election campaign for a £10.50 living wage was, frankly, nonsense — as was the promise not to further weaken workers' rights. And i…
thecanary.co/discovery/analysis-discovery/2019/12/20/one-appalling-detail-in-the-queens-speech-shows-voting-tory-was-a-vote-to-ruin-your-childrens-future/

'Silent plight' carolers show solidarity with county jail inmates
Martha Grevatt | workers.org | 2019-12-20
Cleveland Question: Where are holiday carolers unwelcome this time of year? Answer: In the Cuyahoga County "Justice Center," when they represent the Coalition to Stop the Inhumanity at the Cuyahoga County Jail, and they have changed the words "Silent night, holy night" to "Silent plight, violated rights." Singing rewritten . . . | Continue reading 'Silent plight' carolers show solidarity with county jail inmates at Workers.org…
workers.org/2019/12/45021/

Report: UN Body Criticizes Israel's Racial Segregation Policies
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2019-12-20
A United Nations human rights committee has called on Israel to "ensure equal treatment for all persons on the territories under its effective control and subject to its jurisdiction" — inside Israel, in the Occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem, and in the blockaded Gaza Strip, according to a press …
imemc.org/article/report-un-body-criticizes-israels-racial-segregation-policies/

Four Lawyers. Four Projects. One Non-Stop Year
aclu.org | 2019-12-20
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…
aclu.org/news/civil-liberties/four-lawyers-four-projects-one-non-stop-year

Media, Human Rights Groups Silent Over Politically-Motivated Murder of Journalist in Bolivia
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2019-12-20
Sebastian Moro's last known words before he was found were denouncing the kidnappings of government officials and mob attacks on journalists and media outlets.
mintpressnews.com/human-rights-groups-media-murder-journalist-sebastian-moro-bolivia/263676/

PCHR Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (12 — 18 December 2019)
PCHR | imemc.org | 2019-12-20
Summary This week, PCHR documented 149 violations of the international human rights law and international humanitarian law (IHL) by Israeli occupation forces (IOF) and settlers in the occupied Palestinian territory. As part of the Israeli violations of the right to life and bodily integrity: In terms of excessive use …
imemc.org/article/pchr-weekly-report-on-israeli-human-rights-violations-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-12-18-december-2019/

After Nearly a Century, 2020 May Usher in the Equal Rights Amendment
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-20
The year 2020 could finally bring the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) — the constitutional amendment banning sex-based discrimination that was passed by Congress in 1972 but has been in limbo since 1982, the deadline by which 38 states were required to have ratified it. | If the amendment succeeds, it will be in large part because of Nevada State Sen. Pat Spearman, who championed the legislation that made her state the 36th to ratify the ERA in 2017, 45 years to the day after Co…
truthout.org/articles/after-nearly-a-century-2020-may-usher-in-the-equal-rights-amendment/

Expert Q&A: Trump's executive order on campus antisemitism
Eds. | mronline.org | 2019-12-20
Last week, President Donald Trump issued an executive order requiring federal agencies to use a definition of antisemitism that conflates criticism of Israel with antisemitism when investigating civil rights complaints alleging antisemitism on campus. | Source…
mronline.org/2019/12/20/expert-qa-trumps-executive-order-on-campus-antisemitism/

Right-wing campaigns in Georgia and Wisconsin purge half a million registered voters
wsws.org | 2019-12-20
The continued assault on democratic rights by the ruling class has led to millions of disenfranchised voters.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/20/vote…

'A Win for the Planet!': Dutch Supreme Court Issues Landmark Ruling Mandating Climate Action
Jessica Corbett, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-12-20
Advocates for climate action celebrated Friday after the Supreme Court of the Netherlands upheld a landmark ruling that found the Dutch government is obligated under international human rights law to more ambitiously reduce greenhouse gas emissions that drive global heating. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…
commondreams.org/news/2019/12/20/win-planet-dutch-supreme-court-issues-landmark-ruling-mandating-climate-action?cd-origin=rss

'Monstrous': Docs Show Canadian Mounties Wanted Snipers Ready to Shoot Indigenous Land Defenders Blockading Pipeline
Jessica Corbett, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-12-20
In an exclusive report Friday that outraged human rights advocates worldwide, The Guardian revealed that Canadian police wanted snipers on standby for a January 2019 crackdown on Indigenous land defenders who were blocking construction of a natural gas pipeline through unceded Wet'suwet'en territory. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…
commondreams.org/news/2019/12/20/monstrous-docs-show-canadian-mounties-wanted-snipers-ready-shoot-indigenous-land?cd-origin=rss

Human Rights Watch: Israel Using Draconian Military Orders to Repress Palestinians
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2019-12-20
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has shed light on Israel's decades-long violations of Palestinians' fundamental rights through restrictive military orders, urging the occupying regime to grant the oppressed nation the same rights as Israeli settlers. In a 92-page report published on Tuesday, the New York-based NGO said British Mandate-era regulations …
imemc.org/article/human-rights-watch-israel-using-draconian-military-orders-to-repress-palestinians/

Japan PM seriously concerns about Iran scaling back nuclear deal commitments
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-20
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday expressed serious concerns to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani over Iran scaling back its commitments to a 2015 nuclear deal, and urged him to refrain from taking steps that undermine the agreement, a Japanese government official said.The official was talking to a media briefing after Abe's meeting in Tokyo with Rouhani.President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the nuclear deal last year and ratcheted up sanctions on Iran, which in turn gradually stepped away from the commitments under the agreement.
yenisafak.com/en/news/japan-pm-seriously-concerns-about-iran-scaling-back-nuclear-deal-commitments-3507928

Beaten, electrocuted and institutionalized: Uyghur woman's tale turns into viral manga
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-20
Her husband has been jailed for more than 16 years and one of her young children succumbed to death following detainment, both at the hands of the Chinese government; what follows is the heart wrenching story of one Uyghur woman has become a viral manga."What has happened to me — A testimony of a Uyghur woman" tells the tale of Mihrigul Tursun, a 29-year-old Uyghur, just one of the thousands who have been persecuted by China and its medieval methods of torture used against the Muslim minority.Little did Tursun know that her story, which was adapted into a manga, or Japanese comic book, by Tomomi Shimizu, wo…
yenisafak.com/en/world/beaten-electrocuted-and-institutionalized-uyghur-womans-tale-turns-into-viral-manga-3507919

Harassment of Sputnik reporters by police in Estonia 'beyond all existing norms': Journalist groups call to protect colleagues
rt.com | 2019-12-20
The International Federation of Journalists urged Estonian authorities to stop threatening journalists working for Russian news media Sputnik Estonia with criminal prosecution over EU sanctions on Russia's media chief. | "Media professionals should be allowed to freely carry out their duties, without threats from higher authorities," IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said while commenting on the harassment of Sputnik journalists by Estonian police. At the same time, the organization's Vice President Timur Shafir stressed that the threat of criminal proceedings "goes beyond all existing norms," especially…
rt.com/news/476508-sputnik-estonia-news-sanctions/

Turkey vows to retaliate if US imposes sanctions on Russian gas pipeline
rt.com | 2019-12-20
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hit back against US threats to impose sanctions on the TurkStream pipeline that is set to deliver Russian gas to Turkey and further to southern and southeastern Europe starting next year. | "Now they [the US] say 'we will impose sanctions on TurkStream,'" Erdogan told reporters on Friday in Malaysia. "This is a complete violation of our rights," he said, adding that Ankara would retaliate against such a step. | The TurkStream project was created as an alternative to the South Stream pipeline. The project to deliver Russian gas to southern Europe was blocked by Bulgari…
rt.com/business/476485-erdogan-turkstream-retaliatory-sanctions-us/

From a Blessing to a Curse: How UN Resolution 2334 Accelerated Israel's West Bank Colonization
Ramzy Baroud | mintpressnews.com | 2019-12-19
UN Resolution 2334, although externally supportive of Palestinian rights, turned out to be one of the most costly decisions ever made by the international institution.
mintpressnews.com/un-resolution-2334-israel-settlements-international-law/263603/

Behind the U.S. anti-China campaign
Sara Flounders | workers.org | 2019-12-19
In order to evaluate the claims of massive human rights violations of the Uyghurs, an ethnic and religious minority in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, it is important to know a few facts. Xinjiang Province in the far western region of China is an arid, mountainous and still . . . | Continue reading Behind the U.S. anti-China campaign at Workers.org…
workers.org/2019/12/44963/

Russia, Ukraine to resume talks on energy following Paris summit
wsws.org | 2019-12-19
The talks have resumed just after the US announced sanctions against Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/19/ukra…

Trump's order on 'anti-Semitism' aimed at pro-Palestinian movement
Kathy Durkin | workers.org | 2019-12-19
Photo credit: BDS Movement President Donald Trump's executive order issued Dec.11 would deny federal funds from schools that allow "anti-Semitism" on their campuses, including some anti-Israel activities. It is intended to squelch defense of — or even discussion about — Palestinian rights, and is the result of intense reactionary efforts . . . | Continue reading Trump's order on 'anti-Semitism' aimed at pro-Palestinian movement at Workers.org…
workers.org/2019/12/44972/

Rights expert welcomes Pope's decision to lift 'veil of secrecy' on child abuse cases
news.un.org | 2019-12-19
The Vatican must take action to ensure justice for people who were sexually abused by priests during childhood, a UN independent human rights expert said on Thursday.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/12/1054031

On the picket line
Martha Grevatt | workers.org | 2019-12-19
New Illinois labor law seeks to counter Janus decision The Dec. 2 Labor Tribune reported that a bill to uphold rights of public sector unions, which are threatened by the Supreme Court's 2018 Janus decision, was passed by the Illinois Legislature on Nov. 13. Ill. Gov. Pritzker promises to sign . . . | Continue reading On the picket line at Workers.org…
workers.org/2019/12/44984/

Federal Study on Racial Biases in Facial Recognition Technology Confirms Warnings of Civil Liberties Groups
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-12-19
Confirming what privacy and civil rights groups have warned about for years, the U.S. government on Thursday released the first major federal study of facial recognition surveillance, showing the technology's extreme racial and gender biases. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…
commondreams.org/news/2019/12/20/federal-study-racial-biases-facial-recognition-technology-confirms-warnings-civil?cd-origin=rss

10 LGBTQ Moments that Defined 2019
aclu.org | 2019-12-19
1. Aimee Stephens goes to the Supreme Court: | In October, the Supreme Court heard its first trans civil rights case ever. The case was brought by our client Aimee Stephens, who was fired from her job at a funeral home solely for being transgender. That's sex discrimination and it violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. , | We have yet to see whether the Supreme Court will uphold the civil rights of trans people. But no matter what, history has already been made. , | "I'll never forget the feeling of coming out of the Supreme Court and seeing a crowd of trans people and allies chanting to…
aclu.org/news/lgbt-rights/10-lgbtq-moments-that-defined-2019

A Secret CBP Team is Targeting and Detaining Innocent Travelers. We're Suing
Tarek Ismail | aclu.org | 2019-12-18
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is deploying secret teams that target, detain, and interrogate innocent travelers. We're suing to expose their activities. | In November 2018, three CBP officers detained Andreas | Gal, a former chief | technology officer at Mozilla Corporation and current Apple employee, at San | Francisco International Airport after he landed from a business trip to Sweden. | Andr…
aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/a-secret-cbp-team-is-targeting-and-detaining-innocent-travelers-were-suing

Activists Cheer Approval of Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants in New York, New Jersey
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-18
People in New York and New Jersey are celebrating two victories for immigrants' rights. In New York, thousands of undocumented people waited in line for hours at Departments of Motor Vehicles on Monday to apply for a driver's license, as the "Green Light Law" went into effect six months after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed it. The law allows undocumented people to apply for a driver's license using alternative forms of identification instead of providing a Social Security Number. Meanwhile, in the neighboring state of New Jersey, state lawmakers also passed a bill Monday to allow undocumented people to app…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/18/newyork_…

Torture exposed in Cobb County Detention Center
| workers.org | 2019-12-18
By Arielle Robinson Marietta, Ga. Formerly incarcerated people from the Cobb County Adult Detention Center and loved ones of those currently incarcerated spoke out about the horrid conditions at a town hall meeting at Life Church here on Dec. 9. Seven people have died in the jail since last December. . . . | Continue reading Torture exposed in Cobb County Detention Center at Workers.org…
workers.org/2019/12/44958/

Misery for Venezuelans continues ahead of 2020 elections: UN rights chief Bachelet
news.un.org | 2019-12-18
Demonstrations in Venezuela must be allowed to take place ahead of elections in 2020, the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Wednesday, citing continued reports of harassment, threats, and detention by intelligence services and security forces.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/12/1053791

A Totalitarian Republic?
Dan Corjescu | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-12-18
Faction: A number of citizens, whether amounting to a minority or majority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community — James Madison, The Federalist No. 10, "The Utility …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/12/a-totalitarian-republic/

A Tennessee City Banned Surgical Abortion Within the City Limits. We're Taking Them to Court
Melissa Grant | aclu.org | 2019-12-18
For 30 years, I have | worked in reproductive health care. In my current role as Chief Operating | Officer of carafem, a nonprofit with a national network of health centers, I | know the difference compassionate and comprehensive reproductive health care | makes in the lives of our clients. I have witnessed the personal impact when | people who have the legal right to have a child or to have an abortion are denied | those rights due to outrageous societal barriers. Abortion providers are used | to opposition, but we've never experienced the kind of explicit targeting we | received from politicians in the city…
aclu.org/news/reproductive-freedom/a-tennessee-city-banned-surgical-abortion-within-the-city-limits-were-taking-them-to-court

Wednesday's Daily Brief: Global Refugee Forum, Venezuela human rights, breast cancer hopes
news.un.org | 2019-12-18
Our top stories for Wednesday include: First Global Refugee Forum ends in Geneva; Venezuela misery on multiple fronts, outlined by UN rights chief; and a breast cancer update that could make treatment affordable for millions more women.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/12/1053971

1 killed in mass stabbing in Oregon shopping center, suspect detained
rt.com | 2019-12-18
Several people have been stabbed at the Murray Hill shopping center in Beaverton, Oregon, according to police, who have detained a suspect. One person has been killed. | The incident took place at a Wells Fargo bank within the shopping center on Wednesday. Police report there are multiple victims in addition to the death, but that the suspect is in custody and no longer a danger to the community. | Multiple stabbing victims at the Murray Hill shopping center at SW Murray Blvd / SW Teal Ave. Washington County…
rt.com/usa/476226-oregon-shopping-center-stabbing/

In the Midst of Trump's Attacks, Offshoots of Progress in Congress for Immigrants' Rights
Madhuri Grewal | aclu.org | 2019-12-17
From the continued separation of families, to attacks on asylum-seekers, to the largest immigration raid ever in a state, to an unprecedented number of immigrants jailed by ICE, this year was filled with new lows for the…
aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/in-the-midst-of-trumps-attacks-offshoots-of-progress-in-congress-for-immigrants-rights

Democratic Candidates Focus on Public Education at Historic Forum with Civil Rights & Labor Groups
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-17
Ahead of the last Democratic presidential debate of the year this Thursday, seven candidates appeared Saturday at the historic Democratic Presidential Forum on Public Education in Pittsburgh, an event organized by public education organizations, unions, civil rights organizations and community groups. We play highlights from the forum and get response from Keron Blair, director of the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools in Atlanta; Jitu Brown, national director of the Journey for Justice Alliance; and Carol Burris, executive director of the Network for Public Education Action. She recently authored a report titled "S…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/17/democrat…

For Many of the World's Children, Education Proves Elusive
Elin Martinez | progressive.org | 2019-12-17
Especially in countries with widespread human rights abuses, kids–especially girls–don't get the chance to go to school.
progressive.org/dispatches/for-many-children-education-proves-elusive-martinez-van-esveld-191217/

Tuesday's Daily Brief: Refugees, indigenous languages, Niger, Syria and Kyrgyzstan
news.un.org | 2019-12-17
Our top stories for Tuesday include: UN chief at refugee forum; eyes of the world need to be on Niger; International Year of Indigenous Languages closes; Strengthening minority rights in Kyrgyzstan; hostilities in Syria's Idlib.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/12/1053741

COP25 Was Moved to Spain to Conceal Chilean Government's Human Rights Violations
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-12-13
The concept of "loss and damage" and carbon markets are a sticking point at the UN's climate summit, and protests are continuing in Chile, the original site of the talks. Oxfam's Nafkote Dabi and Gary Hughes of Biofuelwatch discuss the realities of COP25.
therealnews.com/stories/cop25-spain-chile-human-rights-violations

UN Counters US Claims Of "Proof" Iran Attacked Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu Impunity & Turkey Sanctions
Ryan Cristián | thelastamericanvagabond.com | 2019-12-13
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 (12/12/19). 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 …
thelastamericanvagabond.com/daily-wrap-up/un-counters-us-claims-of-proof-iran-attacked-saudi-arabia-netanyahu-impunity-turkey-sanctions/

MN withstands -10 windchill to demand human rights at home and abroad
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-12-12
Minneapolis, MN – On December 10, 25 protesters rallied outside of Senator Amy Klobuchar's office to mark International Human Rights Day. After chanting outside the senator's office, Brad Sigal from the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee addressed the crowd to draw attention to Trump's record of human rights abuses against immigrants. The protesters then marched in -10 degrees windchill to the legendary May Day Books in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. | Tracy Molm of the Anti-War Committee spoke at the closing rally inside the bookstore. "On Human Rights Day we come together to call attention to human rights…
www.fightbacknews.org/2019/12/11/mn-with…

Support the Workers of Iran, but Oppose US Sanctions
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-12-12
How is it possible to oppose the violent suppression of Iranian protest while still condemning U.S. sanctions on Iran?
therealnews.com/stories/support-iran-oppose-us-sanctions

Perth Pride: LGBTI community challenges corporatisation
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2019-12-12
LGBTIQ rights Petrina HarleyIssue 1248 Australia Rainbow Rebellion PerthDecember 12, 2019Perth Pride assembled its biggest parade to date on November 30, with 115 floats. But many in the LGBTIQ comm…
greenleft.org.au/content/perth-pride-lgbti-community-challenges-corporatisation

The Fight Inside the NLRB for Union Rights
Michelle Chen | progressive.org | 2019-12-11
The NLRB unions argue that a recent set of executive orders from the board prevent them from undertaking basic union functions.
progressive.org/dispatches/trump-efforts-target-board-oversees-unions-chen-191211/

Aboriginal leader Sam Watson's farewell draws big numbers
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2019-12-10
Aboriginal rights Jim McIlroyIssue 1248 Australia BrisbaneDecember 11, 2019More than 1000 people attended the funeral for Wangerriburra and Birri Gubba leader Sam Watson in Musgrave Park on December 6. | Watson passed away on November 26, just two weeks after his 67t…
greenleft.org.au/content/aboriginal-leader-sam-watsons-farewell-draws-big-numbers

2019-12-19: News Headlines

Sara Flounders (2019-12-19). Behind the U.S. anti-China campaign. workers.org In order to evaluate the claims of massive human rights violations of the Uyghurs, an ethnic and religious minority in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, it is important to know a few facts. Xinjiang Province in the far western region of China is an arid, mountainous and still . . . | Continue reading Behind the U.S. anti-China campaign at Workers.org

commondreams (2019-12-19). Immigrant Rights Advocates in New York File First Federal Lawsuit to Jointly Block Three Interrelated "Public Charge" Immigration Rules. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2019-12-19). Voces de la Frontera Wins Victory for Immigrants' Rights Movement with the Adoption of Non-Collaboration Policy Between Police and ICE. commondreams.org ______________________________…

yenisafak (2019-12-19). China replicates Tibet repression in Xinjiang: Expert. yenisafak.com Speaking at a panel at the Washington-based Hudson Institute think-tank Wednesday, Ambassador at large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback said China is waging a losing "war on faith, truth and international norms."Brownback highlighted "human rights violations and abuses of China" against Uighurs in mass detention in Xianjiang, a Turkic people in the northwest.Brownback said 1 million Uighurs, since April 2017, in the name of China's countering religious extremism and war on terror, have been forced to part ways with their religious traditions in internment camps, which are officially called the Vo…

yenisafak (2019-12-19). Protests against new citizenship law rock India. yenisafak.com India on Thursday witnessed widespread protests against the new controversial citizenship law that is seen as discriminatory against Muslims.Protesters across 10 Indian states, defied bans on public assembly, prompting authorities to detain hundreds of activists, including prominent historian Ramachandra Guha and many other politicians and top civil society activists, said Indian news channels.Protesters turned violent in Lucknow, the capital of India's largest state of Uttar Pradesh.The police used tear gas and batons to disperse protesters, after vehicles parked outside a police post were set on fire and stones…

Ramzy Baroud (2019-12-19). From a Blessing to a Curse: How UN Resolution 2334 Accelerated Israel's West Bank Colonization. mintpressnews.com UN Resolution 2334, although externally supportive of Palestinian rights, turned out to be one of the most costly decisions ever made by the international institution.

IMEMC & Agencies (2019-12-19). Israel Places 15 Year Old Under Administrative Detention. imemc.org Israeli forces, on Wednesday, placed a Palestinian minor under detention at the Ofer Detention Center, west of Ramallah, the Palestinian News and Info Agency (WAFA) reported. The Prisoners' Affairs Commission said in a statement that Hamza al-Hreimi, 15, was shot and injured in the thigh, by the Israeli soldiers, on …

Tarek Ismail, Scarlet Kim (2019-12-19). A Secret CBP Team Is Targeting and Detaining Innocent Travelers. We're Suing. commondreams.org In fiscal year 2017 alone, these teams denied entry to over 1,400 individuals with valid travel documents. (Photo: CBP/flickr) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

commondreams (2019-12-19). Despite Progress Around Gun Violence Research, Final 2020 Congressional Funding Bills Fall Far Short of Making Human Rights a Priority. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Staff (2019-12-19). Cash-Strapped NRA Discloses Spending on Foreign Fundraising for the First Time. truthout.org The National Rifle Association disclosed spending on foreign fundraising for the first time in the gun rights group's history as it faced a multimillion-dollar shortfall for a third consecutive year, new tax returns reveal. | Despite that foreign fundraising, federal government grants and millions of dollars siphoned from its charities, the…

news.un (2019-12-19). Rights expert welcomes Pope's decision to lift 'veil of secrecy' on child abuse cases. news.un.org The Vatican must take action to ensure justice for people who were sexually abused by priests during childhood, a UN independent human rights expert said on Thursday.

WSWS (2019-12-19). Russia, Ukraine to resume talks on energy following Paris summit. wsws.org The talks have resumed just after the US announced sanctions against Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany.

RT (2019-12-19). EU officially extends economic sanctions against Russia by 6 months over Ukraine conflict. rt.com The European Union extended economic sanctions against Russia, which will expire on January 31, 2020, the EU Council said on Thursday. "Today, the Council prolonged the economic sanctions targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy until 31 July 2020," according to the statement. | The decision was made in connection with "incomplete implementation" of the Minsk agreements on the settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, the document says. | French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel "updated" the European Council on 12 December on the state of implementation of the Minsk a…

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2019-12-19). 'They Are Turning India Into Kashmir': Government Crackdown Intensifies as Protest Movement Grows Across Subcontinent. commondreams.org Security forces shutting down internet access and detaining demonstrators as dissidents swept up and at least three people killed. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Martha Grevatt (2019-12-19). On the picket line. workers.org New Illinois labor law seeks to counter Janus decision The Dec. 2 Labor Tribune reported that a bill to uphold rights of public sector unions, which are threatened by the Supreme Court's 2018 Janus decision, was passed by the Illinois Legislature on Nov. 13. Ill. Gov. Pritzker promises to sign . . . | Continue reading On the picket line at Workers.org

Kathy Durkin (2019-12-19). Trump's order on 'anti-Semitism' aimed at pro-Palestinian movement. workers.org Photo credit: BDS Movement President Donald Trump's executive order issued Dec.11 would deny federal funds from schools that allow "anti-Semitism" on their campuses, including some anti-Israel activities. It is intended to squelch defense of — or even discussion about — Palestinian rights, and is the result of intense reactionary efforts . . . | Continue reading Trump's order on 'anti-Semitism' aimed at pro-Palestinian movement at Workers.org

ACLU (2019-12-19). 10 LGBTQ Moments that Defined 2019. aclu.org 1. Aimee Stephens goes to the Supreme Court: | In October, the Supreme Court heard its first trans civil rights case ever. The case was brought by our client Aimee Stephens, who was fired from her job at a funeral home solely for being transgender. That's sex discrimination and it violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. , | We have yet to see whether the Supreme Court will uphold the civil rights of trans people. But no matter what, history has already been made. , | "I'll never forget the feeling of coming out of the Supreme Court and seeing a crowd of trans people and allies chanting to…

(2019-12-18). Torture exposed in Cobb County Detention Center. workers.org By Arielle Robinson Marietta, Ga. Formerly incarcerated people from the Cobb County Adult Detention Center and loved ones of those currently incarcerated spoke out about the horrid conditions at a town hall meeting at Life Church here on Dec. 9. Seven people have died in the jail since last December. . . . | Continue reading Torture exposed in Cobb County Detention Center at Workers.org

Vijay Prashad (2019-12-18). India's Government is going to war against its own people. mronline.org On December 13, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights released a powerful statement that criticized India's new citizenship law. This "fundamentally discriminatory" Citizenship (Amendment) Act of 2019 would expedite citizenship for persecuted religious minorities from India's neighboring countries. But in the list of those minorities, it names only Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, […] | Source

Vijay Prashad (2019-12-18). India's government is going to war against its own people. peoplesdispatch.org On 13 December, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights released a powerful statement that criticized India's new citizenship law. This "fundamentally discriminatory" Citizenship (Amendment) Act of 2019 would expedite citizenship for persecuted religious minorities from India's neighboring countries. But in the list of those minorities, it names only Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians. It d…

Tarek Ismail (2019-12-18). A Secret CBP Team is Targeting and Detaining Innocent Travelers. We're Suing. aclu.org U.S. Customs and Border Protection is deploying secret teams that target, detain, and interrogate innocent travelers. We're suing to expose their activities. | In November 2018, three CBP officers detained Andreas | Gal, a former chief | technology officer at Mozilla Corporation and current Apple employee, at San | Francisco International Airport after he landed from a business trip to Sweden. | Andr…

news.un (2019-12-18). Misery for Venezuelans continues ahead of 2020 elections: UN rights chief Bachelet. news.un.org Demonstrations in Venezuela must be allowed to take place ahead of elections in 2020, the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Wednesday, citing continued reports of harassment, threats, and detention by intelligence services and security forces.

Peoples Dispatch (2019-12-18). Nine Palestinians arrested in latest crackdown. peoplesdispatch.org On Monday, December 16, Israeli authorities issued an administrative detention order against Palestinian woman journalist Bushra al-Tawil, for a period of four months. Al-Tawil (26) was detained last week after being taken from her family home in the town of al-Bireh, Ramallah's twin city. | According to the PPS, al-Tawil was previously arrested on three occasions by the Israeli authorities. In 2011, she was sentenced to a prison term of 16 and a half months and was released as part of a prisoners' exchange deal. She was re-arrested in 2014 to serve her previous sentence, and again in 2017 on the basis of secret…

IMEMC News (2019-12-18). Including Five Children, Israeli Soldiers Abduct Eight Palestinian Women In Jerusalem. imemc.org Israeli soldiers abducted, Tuesday, five female Palestinian children near Bab ar-Rahma mosque, in Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound in occupied East Jerusalem, and three women in Shu'fat refugee camp, north of the city. The Palestinian Detainees' Media Center has reported that the soldiers abducted five children, identified as Aya Ashour, Tala Nasser, …

Dan Corjescu (2019-12-18). A Totalitarian Republic? dissidentvoice.org Faction: A number of citizens, whether amounting to a minority or majority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community — James Madison, The Federalist No. 10, "The Utility …

Melissa Grant (2019-12-18). A Tennessee City Banned Surgical Abortion Within the City Limits. We're Taking Them to Court. aclu.org For 30 years, I have | worked in reproductive health care. In my current role as Chief Operating | Officer of carafem, a nonprofit with a national network of health centers, I | know the difference compassionate and comprehensive reproductive health care | makes in the lives of our clients. I have witnessed the personal impact when | people who have the legal right to have a child or to have an abortion are denied | those rights due to outrageous societal barriers. Abortion providers are used | to opposition, but we've never experienced the kind of explicit targeting we | received from politicians in the city…

WSWS (2019-12-18). Nikole Hannah-Jones, Shell Oil and mass killings in Africa. wsws.org Hannah-Jones, the principal spokesperson for the "1619 Project," appeared on a platform sponsored by Shell Oil, which is implicated in massive crimes against the human rights of the Ogoni people in Nigeria.

news.un (2019-12-18). Wednesday's Daily Brief: Global Refugee Forum, Venezuela human rights, breast cancer hopes. news.un.org Our top stories for Wednesday include: First Global Refugee Forum ends in Geneva; Venezuela misery on multiple fronts, outlined by UN rights chief; and a breast cancer update that could make treatment affordable for millions more women.

Dan Corjescu (2019-12-18). A Totalitarian Republic? . counterpunch.org Faction: A number of citizens, whether amounting to a minority or majority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community —James Madison The executive of the modern state is but More

WSWS (2019-12-18). North Korean-US tensions rise as end-of-year deadline approaches. wsws.org In the absence of any US sanctions' relief or meaningful talks, North Korea has threatened to resume its nuclear- and missile-testing program.

Staff (2019-12-18). Activists Cheer Approval of Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants in New York, New Jersey. democracynow.org People in New York and New Jersey are celebrating two victories for immigrants' rights. In New York, thousands of undocumented people waited in line for hours at Departments of Motor Vehicles on Monday to apply for a driver's license, as the "Green Light Law" went into effect six months after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed it. The law allows undocumented people to apply for a driver's license using alternative forms of identification instead of providing a Social Security Number. Meanwhile, in the neighboring state of New Jersey, state lawmakers also passed a bill Monday to allow undocumented people to app…

RT (2019-12-18). 1 killed in mass stabbing in Oregon shopping center, suspect detained. rt.com Several people have been stabbed at the Murray Hill shopping center in Beaverton, Oregon, according to police, who have detained a suspect. One person has been killed. | The incident took place at a Wells Fargo bank within the shopping center on Wednesday. Police report there are multiple victims in addition to the death, but that the suspect is in custody and no longer a danger to the community. | Multiple stabbing victims at the Murray Hill shopping center at SW Murray Blvd / SW Teal Ave. Washington County…

Eds. (2019-12-17). The real interest of the United States and transnational corporations in Latin America and the Caribbean. mronline.org What are the real interests of the U.S. and corporations in the region? Freedom, democracy, human rights? No. Their goal is to preserve imperialist domination of our natural resources. | Source

Madhuri Grewal (2019-12-17). In the Midst of Trump's Attacks, Offshoots of Progress in Congress for Immigrants' Rights. aclu.org From the continued separation of families, to attacks on asylum-seekers, to the largest immigration raid ever in a state, to an unprecedented number of immigrants jailed by ICE, this year was filled with new lows for the…

Pavan Kulkarni (2019-12-17). Indian students unite in solidarity against police brutality. peoplesdispatch.org On Sunday December 15, police brutally attacked two institutions (Jamia Millia Islamia University in the New Delhi and Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh) where students were protesting the recently passed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). At least 125 people were injured in the police attacks and 50 were detained. In response to the barbaric violence, students from across India have taken to the streets against police brutality and the 'unconstitutional' CAA. | The university campus and the surrounding areas remain besieged by the police. Despite the imminent risk of further violent repression by the poli…

Elin Martinez (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.

news.un (2019-12-17). Tuesday's Daily Brief: Refugees, indigenous languages, Niger, Syria and Kyrgyzstan. news.un.org Our top stories for Tuesday include: UN chief at refugee forum; eyes of the world need to be on Niger; International Year of Indigenous Languages closes; Strengthening minority rights in Kyrgyzstan; hostilities in Syria's Idlib.

Staff (2019-12-17). Democratic Candidates Focus on Public Education at Historic Forum with Civil Rights & Labor Groups. democracynow.org Ahead of the last Democratic presidential debate of the year this Thursday, seven candidates appeared Saturday at the historic Democratic Presidential Forum on Public Education in Pittsburgh, an event organized by public education organizations, unions, civil rights organizations and community groups. We play highlights from the forum and get response from Keron Blair, director of the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools in Atlanta; Jitu Brown, national director of the Journey for Justice Alliance; and Carol Burris, executive director of the Network for Public Education Action. She recently authored a report titled "S…

Amy Fettig (2019-12-16). 2019 was a Watershed Year in the Movement to Stop Solitary Confinement. aclu.org Back in 2016, then President of the United States, Barack Obama, called | solitary confinement " an | affront to our common humanity" and ordered the Justice Department to | implement reforms to the practice in U.S. prisons. Although just three short | years ago, in too many ways it seems a different age: We have seen a resurgence | of the "tough on crime" rhetoric that favors harsh policies and approaches that | we know don't work. Despite these…

Staff (2019-12-13). COP25 Was Moved to Spain to Conceal Chilean Government's Human Rights Violations. therealnews.com The concept of "loss and damage" and carbon markets are a sticking point at the UN's climate summit, and protests are continuing in Chile, the original site of the talks. Oxfam's Nafkote Dabi and Gary Hughes of Biofuelwatch discuss the realities of COP25.

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-13). UN Counters US Claims Of "Proof" Iran Attacked Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu Impunity & Turkey Sanctions. 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 (12/12/19). 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 …

Staff (2019-12-12). Support the Workers of Iran, but Oppose US Sanctions. therealnews.com How is it possible to oppose the violent suppression of Iranian protest while still condemning U.S. sanctions on Iran?

Fight Back (2019-12-12). MN withstands -10 windchill to demand human rights at home and abroad. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – On December 10, 25 protesters rallied outside of Senator Amy Klobuchar's office to mark International Human Rights Day. After chanting outside the senator's office, Brad Sigal from the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee addressed the crowd to draw attention to Trump's record of human rights abuses against immigrants. The protesters then marched in -10 degrees windchill to the legendary May Day Books in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. | Tracy Molm of the Anti-War Committee spoke at the closing rally inside the bookstore. "On Human Rights Day we come together to call attention to human rights…

pip.hinman (2019-12-12). Perth Pride: LGBTI community challenges corporatisation. greenleft.org.au LGBTIQ rights Petrina HarleyIssue 1248 Australia Rainbow Rebellion PerthDecember 12, 2019Perth Pride assembled its biggest parade to date on November 30, with 115 floats. But many in the LGBTIQ comm…

Michelle Chen (2019-12-11). The Fight Inside the NLRB for Union Rights. progressive.org The NLRB unions argue that a recent set of executive orders from the board prevent them from undertaking basic union functions.

pip.hinman (2019-12-10). Aboriginal leader Sam Watson's farewell draws big numbers. greenleft.org.au Aboriginal rights Jim McIlroyIssue 1248 Australia BrisbaneDecember 11, 2019More than 1000 people attended the funeral for Wangerriburra and Birri Gubba leader Sam Watson in Musgrave Park on December 6. | Watson passed away on November 26, just two weeks after his 67t…

Fight Back (2019-12-09). Arizona educators, progressives confront ALEC summit and Betsy DeVos. fightbacknews.org Tucson, AZ – On December 4, a coalition of union educators, immigrant rights, police crimes, and climate change activists confronted the agenda of corporations like UPS and energy industry giants and billionaires like Charles Koch and Sheldon Achelson. At its height the crowd numbered around 200 with signs reading: "ALEC: Oligarchy in progress" and "Privatization, criminalization, incarceration, climate change, imperialism: #ALECisBehindIt." | The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a notorious organization of hardcore conservatives, was holding its States and Nation Policy Summit in Arizona. ALEC hoste…

Martin Fleck (2019-12-09). On Human Rights Day, Let's Abolish Nuclear Weapons. progressive.org A nuclear war would create one of the worst humanitarian crises imaginable, one for which no nation would have an adequate emergency or health response.

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-07). US Claims "Fresh Intelligence" Of Iran Attacks Yet Provides Zero Evidence — MSM Blindly Regurgitates. thelastamericanvagabond.com Here we go again with "fresh intelligence" to justify the continued sanctions and destabilization of Iran. It's a plan that has been well documented even by their own writings (See Which Path to Persia? — 2009). Of course, complicating U.S. foreign policy is the involvement of Israel. The Last American Vagabond covers the latest political posturing, distortion, and general …

Mina Khanlarzadeh (2019-12-06). Anti-Imperialism As An Intellectual Trap. zcomm.org The US-led economic sanctions have caused a great deal of death and destruction in Iranian society, and the IMF policies in Iran, similar to other developing countries, have resulted in a widening of the class gap, poverty, severe marginalization of the peripheries, and a lowering of living standards. Yet, the US sanctions together with IMF Read more…