2018-11-21: Social Media Postees

United Arab Emirates: Open Letter to Drivers, Teams and Performers at the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix 2018
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-21
In this joint open letter, human rights organizations urge drivers, teams and performers at the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix 2018 to use their celebrity status to call on the UAE authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience who have been detained solely for peacefully criticizing the authorities, or for calling or advocating for the respect and protection of human rights.
amnesty.org/en/documents/mde25/9420/2018/en/

Trinidad and Tobago: Authorities have no justification for failure to respect international obligations over asylum
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-21
The Trinidad and Tobago authorities must stop criminalizing the peaceful protest of migrants and refugees and find human rights-based solutions for them consistent with its existing obligations under international law, Amnesty International said today. | In response to official statements from Trinidad and Tobago's Attorney General, Faris Al-Rawi, suggesting that the country was not yet legally required to establish systems for addressing the growing number of migrants and refugees reaching the Caribbean island, as it has not ratified the UN Refugee Convention, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty In…
amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/11/trinidad-and-tobago-authorities-have-no-justification-for-failure-to-respect-international-obligations-over-asylum/

Zambia: Anti-corruption activist facing trumped-up charges must not be jailed
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-21
A Zambian human rights activist is facing jail simply for accusing the country's judiciary of corruption, Amnesty International said today. | | Gregory Chifire's verdict and sentencing are due to be delivered on 23 November following a grossly unfair trial on four trumped-up contempt of court charges. | "This trial is an affront to t…
amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/11/zambia-anti-corruption-activist-facing-trumped-up-charges-must-not-be-jailed/

Hundreds of teachers walk off for refugees
Fred_F | greenleft.org.au | 2018-11-21
Teachers, education support staff and even some principals walked off government and private schools across Victoria and assembled at the State Library on November 20, in support of refugees currently being detained on Manus Island and Nauru. A similar protest was held in Brisbane that same day. | More than 30 refugee support organisations, including Teachers for Refugees, which organised the protest, had set November 20, Universal Children's Day, as the deadline for the federal government to evacuate refugee children and their families in offshore detention centres to Australia. | The Walk Off for Refugees…
greenleft.org.au/content/hundreds-teachers-walk-refugees

Syria: Thousands of digital activists to track how US-led air strikes destroyed Raqqa
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-21
Thousands of digital activists around the world will take part in an innovative new crowdsourcing data project Amnesty International is launching today, which uses satellite imagery to help plot how the US-led military coalition's bombings destroyed almost 80% of the Syrian city of Raqqa. | "Strike Tracker" is the next phase of an in-depth Amnesty International investigation, in partnership with Airwars, into the shocking scale of civilian casualties resulting from four months of US, UK and French bombardment to…
amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/11/syria-thousands-of-digital-activists-to-track-how-us-led-air-strikes-destroyed-raqqa/

DR Congo: Pre-Election Crackdown on Activists
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2018-11-21
Three members from the Vigilence Citoyenne (VICI) citizens' movement who were arrested in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 14 of their colleagues on November 1, 2018. The activists were charged with incitement to civil disobedience and were provisionally released on November 18. | © Private 2018 | (Kinshasa) — The Democratic Republic of Congo government has made new arrests of pro-democracy activists during November…
hrw.org/news/2018/11/21/dr-congo-pre-election-crackdown-activists

DRC: Human rights concerns persist as electoral campaigns kick-off
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-21
Election campaigning will take place in a hostile political environment that leaves little room for people to freely and safely exercise their human rights, Amnesty International said ahead of the 22 November start of political campaigns for the long-awaited elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). | The government maintains a blanket ban on protests other than those organized by politicians close to outgoing President Joseph Kabila. Opposition supporters, as well as people calling for improvements to security and services, have faced threats, intimidation, harassment, arrests and violent dispersal of…
amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/11/drc-human-rights-concerns-persist-as-electoral-campaigns-kick-off/

Lebanon: Deportation Threat for Sudan Refugees
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2018-11-21
People wave a Lebanese national flag during a protest in Central Beirut December 11, 2006. | © 2006 Reuters | (Beirut) — The Lebanese government should revoke the deportation orders of three United Nations-recognized Sudanese refugees and release them from detention, Legal Agenda, the Anti-Racism Movement (ARM), Human Rights Watch, Insan, and the Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) said today. Dur…
hrw.org/news/2018/11/21/lebanon-deportation-threat-sudan-refugees

NGO WORKER PRISON VISIT DENIED FOR MONTHS
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-21
Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che, the first foreign NGO worker detained after China's new Foreign NGO Management Law came into effect, has been sentenced to five years' imprisonment for "subverting state power". His family is not allowed to see him since the last prison visit on 10 September 2018. His whereabouts remain uncertain.
amnesty.org/en/documents/asa17/9417/2018/en/

Nicholas Kristof and the China Trade War
Dean Baker | counterpunch.org | 2018-11-21
You really have to wonder if there is a ban on columnists and reporters mentioning wanton violation of the copyrights and patents of U.S. companies as a potential weapon for China in its trade war with the United States. Incredibly, as aspects of the trade war get highlighted and debated, wholesale violations of copyrights and…
counterpunch.org/2018/11/21/nicholas-kristof-and-the-china-trade-war/

Harmful 'Gender Identity' Resolution Passed by Ontario Party
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2018-11-21
Revellers hold a giant pride flag during the "WorldPride" gay pride Parade in Toronto, June 29, 2014. | © 2014 Reuters | Delegates to a gathering of the governing political party of Canada's largest province passed a resolution dismissing gender identity theory as an "unscientific 'liberal ideology,'" an ugly contrast to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's supportive stance on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights. | At a party conference last weekend, d…
hrw.org/news/2018/11/21/harmful-gender-identity-resolution-passed-ontario-party

Greece: Dire Conditions for Asylum Seekers on Lesbos
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2018-11-21
A boy holds a bicycle at a camp next to the Moria refugee camp in the island of Lesbos on August 5, 2018. | © 2018 Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images | (Brussels) — The already dire conditions in the overcrowded Moria camp for asylum seekers on the Greek island of Lesbos may deteriorate into a full-blown humanitarian disaster as winter approaches unless urgent action is taken, Human Rights Watch said today. | "Thousands of people seeking protection in E…
hrw.org/news/2018/11/21/greece-dire-conditions-asylum-seekers-lesbos

Council of Europe: A Threat to Rights of People With Disabilities
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2018-11-21
The headquarters of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. | © 2018 Human Rights Watch | (Brussels) — Council of Europe member states should oppose new proposed standards regulating the detention and forced treatment of people with disabilities, Human Rights Watch said today. The body in charge of developing the standards, the Council of Europe's Committee on Bioethics (DH-BIO), consisting of expert…
hrw.org/news/2018/11/21/council-europe-threat-rights-people-disabilities

Libya: Migrants Forced off Ship at Libya Port
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2018-11-21
| (Milan) — Libyan security forces forcibly removed 79 migrants and asylum seekers on November 20, 2018 from the Panama-flagged cargo ship Nivin in the port of Misrata in Libya, after they refused to leave the ship for 10 days, Human Rights Watch said today. Security forces reportedly used force and tear gas. An unknown number of people were taken to hospital, and others were taken to the al-Karareem detention center in…
hrw.org/news/2018/11/21/libya-migrants-forced-ship-libya-port

The Iranian Albatross That Donald Trump Has Hung Around Its Own Neck
Alastair Crooke | iranian.com | 2018-11-21
Trump's policy of not just exiting JCPOA, but of going that 'mile' further in seeking to overthrow Iran as well, through sanctions will eventually become seen as 'the Albatross' which Trump injudiciously — and without compelling need — hung about his own neck. Mr. Trump, nor anyone else in his administration, has announced any conclusions about […] | The post The Iranian Albatross That Donald Trump Has Hung Around Its Own Neck appeared first on The Irania…
iranian.com/2018/11/20/the-iranian-albatross-that-donald-trump-has-hung-around-its-own-neck/

Families Could Be Held Indefinitely in Unlicensed Detention Centers
Staff | truthdig.com | 2018-11-21
Migrant families could be held indefinitely in unlicensed detention centers under a new federal plan that also would end critical court protections for immigrant children, according to new court records. | Under the so-called Flores agreement, created in 1997, the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement "shall release a minor from its custody without unnecessary delay" to a parent, relative, legal guardian or adult designated by a parent. | But new Trump administration regulations would dismantle the landmark Flores agreement and allow authorities to release children only to a parent or legal guardian — even if…
truthdig.com/articles/families-could-be-held-indefinitely-in-unlicensed-detention-centers/

The bravery of those who speak out from Manus Island will go down in history
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-21
By Charmain Mohamed, Head of Refugee and Migrants Rights | Since 2013 Australia has been sending refugees who attempt to reach its shores by boat to be 'processed' on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. On this remote island thousands of people have endured years of detention and abuse while their refugee claims are assessed. | The Australian government has gone to great lengths to hide the magnitude of the suffering it has caused on Manus Island. | Between 2015 and 2017 there were strict secrecy laws in place, designed to stop staff from speaking out about conditions in detention centres. Details about contractors a…
amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/11/the-bravery-of-those-who-speak-out-from-manus-island-will-go-down-in-history/

Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Anti-Immigrant Military Enlistment Policy
aclu | aclu.org | 2018-11-21
Last year, the Pentagon implemented a background investigation process that effectively banned green card holders from serving in the military. | Despite attacking family members of fallen war heroes, criticizing Sen. John McCain for being captured in war, and recently deploying troops…
aclu.org/blog/immigrants-rights/federal-judge-blocks-trumps-anti-immigrant-military-enlistment-policy

Mexico: President-Elect's Party Submits Bill For National Guard
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2018-11-21
The National Regeneration Movement proposes that national guard members receive human rights training and are tried by civil courts.
www.telesurenglish.net/news/Mexico-Presi…

Oprah's Animal Rights Consciousness Needs Improvement
Veritas | indybay.org | 2018-11-21
Please ask Oprah Winfrey to stop advertising meat and dairy.
indybay.org/newsitems/2018/11/19/18819254.php

Senators ask Trump to investigate if MBS was responsible for Khashoggi's death
RT | rt.com | 2018-11-21
In a rare bipartisan effort, the senior Republican and Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have both asked President Donald Trump to launch a human rights probe into Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. | …
rt.com/usa/444504-senate-asks-investigate-crown-prince/

Richard Ojeda Comes Out Swinging on Abortion Rights
Ryan Grim | theintercept.com | 2018-11-21
"Throughout history, rich women have always had access to the care that they want or need and they always will. It's only poor and working class women who have died in back alleys." | The post Richard Ojeda Comes Out Swinging on Abortion Rights appeared first on The Intercept.
theintercept.com/2018/11/21/richard-ojeda-abortion-president/

Boston Police Has a Secret Point System That Turns Normal Teenage Behavior Into Gang Membership
aclu | aclu.org | 2018-11-21
The department arbitrarily labels immigrant teenagers as gang members and helps the federal government deport them. | In the face of the Trump administration's stepped-up deportation efforts, officials in Boston and other progressive cities have declared their communities safe spaces for immigrants. But behind the scenes, progressive havens like Boston are facilitating the deportations of some of our most vulnerable young people. | As the federal government's rhetoric and action around immigration have sharpened and hardened, young immigrants are being systematically slandered and deprived of their rights here in…
aclu.org/blog/immigrants-rights/boston-police-has-secret-point-system-turns-normal-teenage-behavior-gang

Survivors Confront Far Right's #HimToo Campaign in Portland
Shared by Merula Furtado | truthout.org | 2018-11-21
As the speakers began sharing survivors' stories of sexual assault and trauma, the crowd of several hundred rally attendees stood in breathless silence in a downtown Portland, Oregon, park on Saturday, November 17. This event, called Survivors Are Everywhere: A Survivor Shout Out, had been organized by the anti-fascist coalition Pop Mob (short for Popular Mobilization) and was meant to bring together survivors' stories as a challenge to another event being held only feet away, one organized by affiliates of the…
truthout.org/articles/survivors-confront-far-rights-himtoo-campaign-in-portland/

Singapore: Government must end harassment of online news platform targeted over critical article
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-21
A news editor facing a criminal investigation over an article that criticized the Singapore government is the latest victim of an escalating crackdown on freedom of expression in the country, Amnesty International said today. | Singapore police yesterday raided the home of Terry Xu, editor-in-chief of The Online Citizen (TOC) news site, and seized all his electronic equipment. Police informed him he was being investigated for criminal defamation over an article published on his website on 4 September. Authorities have also threatened action against the alleged author of the article, Willy Sum. | "The targeting of…
amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/11/singapore-government-must-end-harassment-of-online-news-platform-targeted-over-critical-article/

The Iranian Albatross that Donald Trump Has Hung Around Its Own Neck
Alastair Crooke | mintpressnews.com | 2018-11-20
Trump's policy of not just exiting JCPOA, but of going that 'mile' further in seeking to overthrow Iran as well, through sanctions will eventually become seen as 'the Albatross' which Trump injudiciously — and without compelling need — hung about his own neck. | The post The Iranian Albatross that Donald Trump Has Hung Around Its Own Neck appeared first on MintPress News.
mintpressnews.com/the-iran-albatross-that-donald-trump-has-hung-around-its-own-neck/252104/

Saudi Arabia: Detained Women Reported Tortured
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2018-11-20
| (Beirut) — Informed sources say that Saudi interrogators tortured at least three of the Saudi women activists detained beginning in May 2018, Human Rights Watch said today. The reports allege that torture by Saudi authorities included administering electric shocks, whipping the women on their thighs, and forcible hugging and kissing, Human Rights Watch said today. The sources were concerned that they and the activists would suffer reprisals if the women were identified publicly. | Saudi Arabia…
hrw.org/news/2018/11/20/saudi-arabia-detained-women-reported-tortured

Democratic Republic of Congo: Activists' whereabouts unknown after arrest
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-20
Activists Arsene Katolo, Alain Muwaka, Oto Shaminga, Heritier Losomba, Miko Booto, Enoch Muanda and Mwanza are being held incommunicado at an unknown location in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). They were arrested on 11 September in the capital Kinshasa while distributing leaflets against plans to use voting machines in the upcoming elections.
amnesty.org/en/documents/afr62/9411/2018/en/

Saudi Arabia: Reports of torture and sexual harassment of detained activists
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-20
Several Saudi Arabian activists, including a number of women, who have been arbitrarily detained without charge since May 2018 in Saudi Arabia's Dhahban Prison, have reportedly faced sexual harassment, torture and other forms of ill-treatment during interrogation, Amnesty International said today. | According to three separate testimonies obtained by the organization, the activists were repeatedly tortured by electrocution and flogging, leaving some unable to walk or stand properly. In one reported instance, one of the activists was made to hang from the ceiling, and according to another testimony, one of the det…
amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/11/saudi-arabia-reports-of-torture-and-sexual-harassment-of-detained-activists/

Undercutting Female Circumcision
Masturah Alatas | counterpunch.org | 2018-11-20
There is this news that a representative of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry in Malaysia recently defended the practice of infant female circumcision in Malaysia at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. It is part of a Malaysian cultural "obligation", he said. But "the type of circumcision practiced is very mild and does not involve any cutting," he added.
counterpunch.org/2018/11/20/undercutting-female-circumcision/

Uzbekistan: Stop Harassing Human Rights Defenders
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2018-11-20
Akzam Turgunov, a former political prisoner and rights activist, has been increasingly subjected to surveillance by security services in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. | © 2017 Steve Swerdlow for Human Rights Watch | (Tashkent) — The Uzbek authorities should stop harassing human rights activists, including those recently released from prison, and ensure their safety, Amnesty International, Civil Rights Defenders, Front Line Defenders, the International P…
hrw.org/news/2018/11/20/uzbekistan-stop-harassing-human-rights-defenders

Bahrain: No Free Elections in Current Environment
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2018-11-20
Protesters hold photos of Sheikh Ali Salman, Bahrain's main opposition leader and Secretary-General of Al-Wefaq Islamic Society, as they march asking for his release in the village of Jidhafs, west of Manama, in Bahrain on June 16, 2015. | | © 2015 Reuters | (Beirut) — The upcoming parliamentary elections in Bahrain, scheduled for November 24, 2018, are occurring in a repressive political environment that is not conducive to free elections,…
hrw.org/news/2018/11/20/bahrain-no-free-elections-current-environment

Azerbaijan: Right to freedom of peaceful assembly must be protected and detained peaceful demonstrators released
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-20
The 17 November 2018 detention of Azerbaijani opposition leaders and activists as they were attempting to organize a peaceful rally in the capital Baku is a violation of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.
amnesty.org/en/documents/eur55/9430/2018/en/

República Democráica del Congo: Activistas en paradero desconocido tras ser arrestados
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-20
Los activistas Arsène Katolo, Alain Muwaka, Oto Shaminga, Héritier Losomba, Miko Booto, Enoch Muanda y Mwanza permanecen recluidos en régimen de incomunicación en paradero desconocido en la República Democrática del Congo. Fueron detenidos el 11 de septiembre en la capital, Kinshasa, cuando distribuían panfletos contra el plan de utilizar máquinas de votación en las próximas elecciones.
amnesty.org/en/documents/afr62/9411/2018/es/

The UN is Right: Families in UK Are Going Hungry
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2018-11-20
Sign outside Wisbech food bank in Cambridgeshire, UK | © 2018 Human Rights Watch | The United Nations expert on poverty and human rights has warned that the UK government is inflicting " unnecessary misery" on people living in poverty. Professor Philip Alston's preliminary findings of his 11-day visit to the country found the go…
hrw.org/news/2018/11/20/un-right-families-uk-are-going-hungry

Israel: Airbnb to End Settlement Rentals
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2018-11-20

| November 20, 2018 Video | West Bank: Bed and Breakfast on Stolen Land: | The decision by Airbnb to stop listing properties in unlawful Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank is a positive step that other global tourism companies should follow, Human Rights Watch and Kerem Navot said in issuing a report today about Airbnb and Booking.com's activities in settlements. |

| (Jerusalem) –…
hrw.org/news/2018/11/20/israel-airbnb-end-settlement-rentals

Russia: LGBT Conference Attacked, Disrupted
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2018-11-20
Yulia Malygina and Anna Golubeva, directors of Resource LGBQIA Moscow. | © 2017 Resource LGBTQIA Moscow | (Moscow) — A prominent Russian lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) support group had to cancel an annual Inclusive Family conference in Moscow after homophobic threats and an attack with pepper spray, Human Rights Watch said today. Police should conduct a thorough and effective investigation capable of identifying and holding those re…
hrw.org/news/2018/11/20/russia-lgbt-conference-attacked-disrupted

Vietnam: End Crackdown on Freedom of Expression
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2018-11-20
(New York) — Vietnam should drop all charges against human rights campaigner Huynh Thuc Vy, who faces trial under article 276 of the 1999 penal code for allegedly disrespecting the national flag, Human Rights Watch said today. She faces up to three years imprisonment if convicted by the People's Court of Buon Ho town, Dak Lak province at trial on November 22. | Huynh Thuc Vy holds a sign that reads "Praying for Tran Huynh Duy Thuc and for Vietnam. S…
hrw.org/news/2018/11/20/vietnam-end-crackdown-freedom-expression

Florida: HIV Care Lacking for Transgender Women
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2018-11-20

| November 20, 2018 Video | US: HIV Care Lacking for Transgender Women in South Florida: | Florida fails to deliver basic HIV services to many transgender women, endangering their health and contributing to an uncontrolled HIV epidemic in the state. |

| (Miami) — Florida fails to deliver basic HIV services to many transgender women, endangering their health and contributing to an…
hrw.org/news/2018/11/20/florida-hiv-care-lacking-transgender-women

Egypt: Joint Statement: Children face shocking violations including torture and enforced disappearance
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-20
The Egyptian authorities must uphold their legal obligation to protect the rights of children, in particular those arrested or detained, said Amnesty International and the Egyptian Front for Human Rights on World Children's day. | Egyptian security forces have forcibly disappeared at least 12 and physically tortured at least six children since 2015 in relation to political cases. Prison officials have failed to separate children from adults in places of detention, while both civilian and military courts regularly prosecuted and sentenced children along with adults in military trials and even sentenced at least th…
amnesty.org/en/documents/mde12/9428/2018/en/

Turkey: European Court decision on detained opposition leader exposes broken judicial system
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-20
Responding to today's ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that Turkey's repeated extensions to the pre-trial detention of opposition leader Selahattin Demirta≈ü, were politically motivated and violated Articles 5(3) and 18 of the European Convention on Human Rights and were "stifling pluralism and freedom of political debate", Turkey Strategy and Research Manager, Andrew Gardner said: | "This ruling by Europe's top human rights court should have far-reaching implications within the country where civil society actors are routinely remanded in prolonged pre-trial detention under trumped up charg…
amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/11/european-court-decision-on-detained-opposition-leader-exposes-turkeys-broken-judicial-system/

US promises to 'disrupt' oil shipments to Syria, sanctions Russian & Iranian companies
RT | rt.com | 2018-11-20
The US has introduced sanctions against what it called a network of petroleum shipments to Syria, including Russian and Iranian companies and individuals. Washington says it wants to disrupt shipments to Syrian-owned ports. | …
rt.com/usa/444472-us-sanctions-russian-iranian-firms-syria/

Iran To Cap Gasoline Sales To Curb Smuggling
RFE | iranian.com | 2018-11-20
Iran is reintroducing fuel cards that will cap petrol purchases in a bid to combat rampant smuggling, state media reported on Tuesday. Smuggling has boomed in recent months as the rial has plummeted against the dollar in the face of the reimposition of crippling US sanctions following Washington's withdrawal from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal […] | The post Iran To Cap Gasoline Sales To Curb Smuggling appeared first on The Iranian.
iranian.com/2018/11/20/iran-to-cap-gasoline-sales-to-curb-smuggling/

Iraqi Dinar May Replace Dollar And Euro In Iran's 2nd Largest Export Market
Zero Hedge | iranian.com | 2018-11-20
Amidst continuing talks between Iran and Iraq over how to settle payments for Iraq's natural gas imports from Iran in the face of Washington sanctions, Iranian officials are mulling over Iraq's offer to pay in Iraqi Dinars instead of the dollar or Euro, according to Iranian state media. This follows the September announcement by Iran that it planned […] | The post Iraqi Dinar May Replace Dollar And Euro In Iran's 2nd Largest Export Market appeared first on The…
iranian.com/2018/11/20/iraqi-dinar-may-replace-dollar-and-euro-in-irans-2nd-largest-export-market/

Trans Day of Remembrance: Expanding focus to include the living
Michelle Zacarias | peoplesworld.org | 2018-11-20
This has proven to be yet another deadly year for the transgender community. In addition to the ongoing effort by the Trump administration to establish a "legal definition of sex" that eradicates federal recognition of 1.4 million transgender Americans, trans deaths are still on the rise. Reports from the Human Rights Campaign indicate at least …
peoplesworld.org/article/trans-day-of-remembrance-expanding-focus-to-include-the-living/

Airbnb Ends West Bank Settlement Listings, Causing Uproar in Israel
Middle East Eye | theantimedia.com | 2018-11-20
(MEE) — Home rental company Airbnb has announced it plans to remove listings in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move that comes after several years of pressure from Palestinian human rights groups. The US-based company said it currently has about 200 listings in Israeli settlements in the West Bank and made its decision after …

Airbnb Ends West Bank Settlement Listings, Causing Uproar in Israel

We Are Thankful for Our Friends
Regan Farley | naacp.org | 2018-11-20
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we're acknowledging a special group of people we are especially thankful to have at our side — our partners in the civil rights and social justice movement with whom we have powerful friendships with. 2018 was a pivotal year for NAACP, a year in which we made great strides […] | The post We Are Thankful for Our Friends appeared first on NAACP.
naacp.org/latest/we-are-thankful-for-our-friends/

#WontBeErased, Won't Be Forgotten, Won't Be Alone
aclu | aclu.org | 2018-11-20
We should honor the transgender people who have died this year by taking action for trans justice and survival. | On Trans Day of Remembrance the trans community honors our dead. Too many names are read and remembered at vigils around the world marking the deaths of trans people who have been murdered during the year. This year is again on pace to be the deadliest year for transgender people in the United States. As of October,
aclu.org/blog/lgbt-rights/transgender-rights/wontbeerased-wont-be-forgotten-wont-be-alone

AUDIO:CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS HOST THOMAS FARR PRESS CALL
Regan Farley | naacp.org | 2018-11-20
Listen to the full audio of Civil Rights groups opposing the nomination of Thomas Farr Organization participants include: NAACP, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and Repairers of The Breach | The post AUDIO: CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS HOST THOMAS FARR PRESS CALL appeared first on NAACP.
naacp.org/latest/audio-civil-rights-leaders-host-thomas-farr-press-call/

Same-sex rights are "Un-Asian"? 7 Myth-busters for your next family gathering
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2018-11-20
A vocal and vibrant movement has now emerged around the world, including in Asia, to empower LGBTI individuals. Yet, we still hear the assertion that same-sex marriage is a "western" concept or is against "traditional values" in Asia. Here, we answer some of the most commonly asked questions on same-sex relationships…
amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2018/11/are-same-sex-rights-un-asian-myth-buster/

2018-11-20: News Headlines

Shared by Hezvo Mpunga (2018-11-20). Georgia Gubernatorial Candidate Stacey Abrams Vows to Continue to Fight Voter Suppression. therealnews.com Republican candidate Brian Kemp will be next Governor of Georgia, but Stacey Abrams vows a legal fight for voter rights while building a new movement

Democracy Now! (2018-11-20). Federal Judge Blocks Trump's "Asylum Ban," Saying President Can't Rewrite Immigration Laws. democracynow.org In the latest pushback against President Trump's attack on immigrants rights, a federal judge in California has temporarily halted Trump's asylum ban, which attempted to deny asylum to anyone entering the country from outside of a legal port of entry. Trump announced the move earlier this month, but Monday, U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar put a temporary halt on the order. Tigar wrote, "Asylum seekers will be put at increased risk of violence and other harms at the border, and many will be deprived of meritorious asylum claims. The government offers nothing in support of the new rule that outweighs the need to avoi…

Masturah Alatas (2018-11-20). Undercutting Female Circumcision. counterpunch.org There is this news that a representative of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry in Malaysia recently defended the practice of infant female circumcision in Malaysia at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. It is part of a Malaysian cultural "obligation", he said. But "the type of circumcision practiced is very mild and does not involve any cutting," he added. More

Staff (2018-11-20). Court Blocks U.S. From Enforcing Trump's Asylum Ban. truthdig.com HOUSTON — A federal judge barred the Trump administration on Monday from refusing asylum to immigrants who cross the southern border illegally. | U.S. District Judge Jon S. Tigar issued a temporary restraining order after hearing arguments in San Francisco. The request was made by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Constitutional Rights, which quickly sued after President Donald Trump issued the ban this month in response to the caravans of migrants that have started to arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border. | Trump issued a proclamation on Nov. 9 that said anyone who crossed the southern bord…

Shared by Samantha Borek (2018-11-20). Federal Judge Blocks Asylum Ban, Saying President Can't Rewrite Immigration Law. truthout.org In the latest pushback against President Trump's attack on immigrants rights, a federal judge in California has temporarily halted Trump's asylum ban, which attempted to deny asylum to anyone entering the country from outside of a legal port of entry. Trump announced the move earlier this month, but Monday, US District Judge Jon Tigar put a temporary halt on the order. Tigar wrote, "Asylum seekers will be put at increased risk of violence and other harms at the border, and many will be deprived of meritorious asylum claims. The government offers nothing in support of the new rule that outweighs the need to avo…

Celine Hagbard (2018-11-20). AirBnB announces: No more listings in Israeli colonial settlements. imemc.org On Monday, the international crowdsourced bed and breakfast company AirBnB announced that they will no longer allow listings that are located in Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land. The decision comes after a two year campaign of Human Rights Watch and other organizations, who pointed out that the promotion of …

Regan Farley (2018-11-20). PRESS CALL TODAY: Civil Rights Leaders Blast Farr Nomination and Timing of Vote. naacp.org Washington, D.C. — Leaders of the NAACP, Repairers of the Breach, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and NAACP Legal Defense Fund will hold a telephone press briefing, Tuesday, November 20 at 3 PM ET, condemning President Trump's nomination of Thomas Farr to the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Senate's expected […]

Middle East Eye (2018-11-20). Airbnb Ends West Bank Settlement Listings, Causing Uproar in Israel. theantimedia.com (MEE) — Home rental company Airbnb has announced it plans to remove listings in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move that comes after several years of pressure from Palestinian human rights groups. The US-based company said it currently has about 200 listings in Israeli settlements in the West Bank and made its decision after …

Veritas (2018-11-20). Oprah's Animal Rights Consciousness Needs Improvement. indybay.org Please ask Oprah Winfrey to stop advertising meat and dairy.

Marilyn Bechtel (2018-11-20). Immigrant rights advocates urge comments against proposed 'public charge' rule. peoplesworld.org As the Dec. 10 deadline approaches for public comment on the Trump administration's proposal to expand "public charge" stipulations, putting immigrants at greater risk when they seek to upgrade their status, a broad coalition of organizations is stepping up its work to mobilize public comment opposing the intended rule change. The Protecting Immigrant Families coalition …

aclu (2018-11-20). #WontBeErased, Won't Be Forgotten, Won't Be Alone. aclu.org We should honor the transgender people who have died this year by taking action for trans justice and survival. | On Trans Day of Remembrance the trans community honors our dead. Too many names are read and remembered at vigils around the world marking the deaths of trans people who have been murdered during the year. This year is again on pace to be the deadliest year for transgender people in the United States. As of October, …

Winds Of Change (2018-11-20). Please Help Mississippians Vote For Mike Espy On Nov 27th. indybay.org Democrat Mike Espy, former USDA Secretary, 4 times elected to Congress as the first black American since Reconstruction to represent a Mississippi district, is an attorney who has worked for black farmer' rights. His opponent Cindy Hyde-Smith is a cattle ranch owner and part owner of a slaughterhouse auction block who has been accused of racism and vote suppression advocacy.

Naomi LaChance (2018-11-20). Who, Exactly, Is Title IX Meant to Protect? truthdig.com While Betsy DeVos' Department of Education investigates federal claims backed by a men's rights group that women's studies programs discriminate against men and violate Title IX, survivors of sexual assault are fighting for the ability to attend school without fear of violence. | DeVos, the secretary of education, enraged advocates against sexual violence and harassment when she issued proposed changes last week to Title IX, a federal civil rights law that says any school that discriminates against students based on their sex will not receive…

Regan Farley (2018-11-20). We Are Thankful for Our Friends. naacp.org As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we're acknowledging a special group of people we are especially thankful to have at our side — our partners in the civil rights and social justice movement with whom we have powerful friendships with. 2018 was a pivotal year for NAACP, a year in which we made great strides […]

RFE (2018-11-20). Iran To Cap Gasoline Sales To Curb Smuggling. iranian.com Iran is reintroducing fuel cards that will cap petrol purchases in a bid to combat rampant smuggling, state media reported on Tuesday. Smuggling has boomed in recent months as the rial has plummeted against the dollar in the face of the reimposition of crippling US sanctions following Washington's withdrawal from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal […]

Nicholas Mulder (2018-11-20). A Leftist Foreign Policy Should Reject Economic Sanctions. thenation.com A Leftist Foreign Policy Should Reject Economic Sanctions…

Alastair Crooke (2018-11-20). The Iranian Albatross that Donald Trump Has Hung Around Its Own Neck. mintpressnews.com Trump's policy of not just exiting JCPOA, but of going that 'mile' further in seeking to overthrow Iran as well, through sanctions will eventually become seen as 'the Albatross' which Trump injudiciously — and without compelling need — hung about his own neck.

RT (2018-11-20). US promises to 'disrupt' oil shipments to Syria, sanctions Russian & Iranian companies. rt.com The US has introduced sanctions against what it called a network of petroleum shipments to Syria, including Russian and Iranian companies and individuals. Washington says it wants to disrupt shipments to Syrian-owned ports.

RFE (2018-11-20). More US Sanctions. This Time, An Alleged Russia-Iran Scheme To Send Oil To Syria. iranian.com The United States on Tuesday said it sanctioned six individuals and three entities to disrupt an Iranian-Russian network that it said was providing millions of barrels of oil to the Syrian government and funding militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah. U.S. officials said Russia facilitated the delivery of oil from Iran to Syria, and that a variety of […]

Zero Hedge (2018-11-20). Iraqi Dinar May Replace Dollar And Euro In Iran's 2nd Largest Export Market. iranian.com Amidst continuing talks between Iran and Iraq over how to settle payments for Iraq's natural gas imports from Iran in the face of Washington sanctions, Iranian officials are mulling over Iraq's offer to pay in Iraqi Dinars instead of the dollar or Euro, according to Iranian state media. This follows the September announcement by Iran that it planned […]

The Iranian (2018-11-19). How Countries Voted On Canada's UN Resolution On Iran's Human Rights. iranian.com A U.N. committee on human rights voted on a resolution sponsored by Canada, last Thursday, urging Iran to stop its widespread use of arbitrary detention and expressing serious concern at its "alarmingly high" use of the death penalty. The General Assembly's Human Rights Committee adopted the resolution by a vote of 85-30, with 68 abstentions. […]

RT (2018-11-19). What democracy? 70% of 'not free' countries get US military aid. rt.com Washington has a habit of bombing defenseless nations in the name of democracy, but isn't the least bit squeamish about selling weapons and giving military aid to countries its own human rights watchdogs deem dictatorial.

Jason Ditz (2018-11-19). US Airstrikes Kill at Least 40, Mostly Civilians, in Eastern Syria. theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — Continuing weeks of near-daily civilian death tolls from the US air war in Eastern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has reported that Saturday's US attacks killed 40 more people, overwhelmingly civilians. The victims were described as mostly women and children. Saturday's attacks were against the village of Abu al-Hassan, along the Iraq border. It …

wsws (2018-11-19). Little Rock, Arkansas teachers' union relinquishes due process rights. wsws.org The union-endorsed agreement will open the door to streamlining the ability of the Little Rock School district to fire educators.

kathy_f (2018-11-19). Gig economy workers have rights — whether companies like it or not. greenleft.org.au As recently as last year, the gig economy's "independent contractor" business model seemed like an unstoppable force. It started with Uber, but soon spread to food delivery and before long was entering new sectors, such as freight, logistics and healthcare. | The model reached hero status in the business community. It was the neoliberal panacea, a cure for all their ills. | Sham gig economy contracting provided the perfect business solution to all those pesky costs, such as minimum wage, superannuation and workers' compensation. | The model soared across the economy like a state-of-the-art fighter jet, out manoeu…

Ramzy Baroud (2018-11-19). The Tide Is Turning: Israel Is Losing On Two War Fronts. iranian.com The botched Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip on 12 November is delineating Tel Aviv's failure to utilise its army as a tool to achieve Palestinian political concessions. Now that Palestinian popular resistance has gone global through the exponential rise and growing success of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS) movement, the Israeli government […]

Joan Walsh (2018-11-17). Stacey Abrams Isn't Going Anywhere. thenation.com Stacey Abrams Isn't Going Anywhere…

Democracy Now! (2018-11-16). Headlines for November 16, 2018. democracynow.org Deadly NorCal Wildfire Kills At Least 63; 631 Reported Missing, Wildfire Smoke Creates Hazardous Air Quality in NorCal, DOJ Accidentally Reveals Indictments Against WikiLeaks' Assange, Florida Senate Race Heads to Manual Recount, Democrats Score House Wins in Maine, California, U.S. Sanctions 17 Saudis over Khashoggi Murder, White House Weighing Extradition of Exiled Turkish Cleric, Central American LGBTQ Migrants Face Additional Hurdles on Journey to U.S. Border, North Korea Deports U.S. Citizen as Kim Jong-un Oversees Weapon Test, Bangladesh Delays Plans to Repatriate Rohingya to Burma Amid Uproar, Renowned Ban…

Vanessa Mbonu@naacpnet (2018-11-16). NAACP GRASSROOTS & VOTER TURNOUT EFFORTS SPUR INCREASED BLACK VOTER PARTICIPATION. naacp.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 16, 2018 CONTACTS: NAACP@sunshinesachs.com and Malik Russell / mrussell@naacpnet.org / 410-580-5761 NAACP civic engagement campaign helped generate record midterm election turnout among Black Voters BALTIMORE — From the passage of Amendment 4 in Florida, which restored voting rights to convicted felons to the record number of early voting among voters of color — including a 77% increase among […] | The post

aclu (2018-11-16). Illinois Police Killed a Black Security Guard While Doing His Job. aclu.org Jemel Robinson saved lives — but because of racially biased policing, he paid for it with his own. | In an alternate reality, Tuesday's national news headlines would have read: "Active Shooter Heroically Subdued by Brave Security Guard." Instead, we woke up to news stories announcing that police in Midlothian, Illinois, responded to a bar shooting by killing the security guard who had bravely detained the shooting suspect. | Jemel Roberson should be alive today. But he's not, and…

aclu (2018-11-16). ICE Is Targeting Activists in Vermont. And the State's DMV Has Been Helping Them. aclu.org ICE partnered with the Vermont DMV to target farmworker rights' activists for political repression. | In October 2017, Vermont-based Migrant Justice scored a major victory in the organization's campaign to extend labor protections to undocumented farmworkers in the state. After years of public action and lobbying, they reached an agreement with Ben & Jerry's that established basic labor standards at the farms supplying dairy products to the company. Those standards included one day off a week, a minimum wage of $10 per…

aclu (2018-11-16). Betsy DeVos Wants to Roll Back Civil Rights Protections For Students Filing Complaints of Sexual Harassment or Assault. aclu.org Our analysis of how DeVos' proposed rule would change how colleges and universities deal with allegations of sexual assault under Title IX. | The Department of Education headed by Secretary Betsy DeVos on Friday released a proposed rule that, if implemented, would dramatically limit schools' obligations to students who experience sexual violence and would not further the stated goal of fair process. The ACLU is equally committed to ensuring students can learn in environments free from sexual harassment and violence and to guaranteeing fair process for both respondents and complainants. | The new rule preserv…

Vanessa Mbonu@naacpnet (2018-11-15). NAACP Strongly Urges Senate Rejection of Farr Nomination. naacp.org BALTIMORE (November 15, 2018)—The NAACP strongly condemns Thomas Farr's nomination and the Senate's scheduling of his vote. The nation just experienced national elections which are not yet over and which were tainted by egregious voting rights violations. That Majority Leader McConnell chooses this moment in time to vote on a judicial nominee known as the vote-suppressor-in-chief […]

Democracy Now! (2018-11-15). Vermont Immigrant Rights Group Sues ICE for Monitoring, Infiltrating & "Hunting Down" Organizers. democracynow.org A major new federal lawsuit claims that immigration agents are targeting undocumented organizers for their activism in Vermont. The suit accuses Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security and the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles of carrying out a multiyear campaign of political retaliation against members of the group Migrant Justice. According to the lawsuit, Migrant Justice was infiltrated by an informant, and its members were repeatedly subjected to electronic surveillance. At least 20 active members of Migrant Justice have been arrested and detained by ICE. We speak with Will…

pip.hinman (2018-11-15). 'SBS: Don't screen Eurovision 2019 in Israel'. greenleft.org.au Protesters gathered outside the SBS offices in Artarmon on November 15 to urge the national multicultural broadcaster not to screen Eurovision 2019, which will be held in Israel. | They handed out leaflets to SBS staff that read: "We love SBS and we love Eurovision, but is a song contest worth more than human rights? Are advertising dollars worth more than international law? | "We can't celebrate Eurovision in Israel while the Israeli government enforces apartheid and ongoing human rights abuses against Palestinians. | "Just like the campaign that ended apartheid in South Africa, your international solidarity is…

aclu (2018-11-15). Prisoners Are Getting Paid $1.45 a Day to Fight the California Wildfires. aclu.org Incarcerated workers fighting wildfires deserve the same wages and protections that civilian workers receive. | As firefighters in California battle the deadliest wildfires in the state's history, they are joined by unlikely allies against the blaze. About 200 prisoners in California's Conservation Camp program are fighting the fires alongside civilian employees, earning just $1.45 a day for their work. Their pay as workers is a fraction of minimum wage. The hazard to their lives is real, as evidenced by a death toll that has…

Ricardo Vaz (2018-11-15). Venezuela: Workers Rally to Demand 'Revolutionary Exit from Crisis'. venezuelanalysis.com The public sector in Venezuela has been mobilizing for revised wages and labor rights.

splcenter (2018-11-14). SPLC seeks justice for journalist facing deportation. splcenter.org SPLC client Manuel Duran, the Spanish-language journalist who was unlawfully arrested and detained in April in retaliation for reporting on controversial issues related to law enforcement in Tennessee, could be deported at any time.

aclu (2018-11-14). The Outgoing Congress Shouldn't Reward Trump With More Homeland Security Funding. aclu.org The Department of Homeland Security is a moral and fiscal disaster. The lame-duck Congress shouldn't reward it with more taxpayer dollars. | Before Dec. 7, Congress will have to make a decision: Will they reward the department responsible for separating families, jailing immigrants, raiding communities of color, and abusing its power at the border by increasing it budget? Or will they stand up and rein in Trump's detention and deportation force? | The Department of Homeland Security is currently funded by a continuing resolution, a short-term bill that extends its budget from last year. It

kathy_f (2018-11-13). Protesters to Qantas: 'Don't profit at the expense of human lives'. greenleft.org.au Thirty refugee supporters protested outside the Melbourne headquarters of Jetstar on November 9, demanding that Qantas (Jetstar's parent company) cease participating in the deportation of asylum seekers. | Tamil Refugee Council member Aran Mylvaganam told the rally that the Australian government has deported hundreds of Tamil asylum seekers to Sri Lanka. Citing a United Nations report, which showed that torture is "endemic and routine" in Sri Lanka, he said Tamils who are sent back are in grave danger. He called on Qantas not to be complicit, saying: "Don't make a profit at the expense of human lives".

Paul Dobson (2018-11-07). Venezuela Looks to Dodge Sanctions & Repatriate Gold from Bank of England. venezuelanalysis.com The reported measure will bring US $550m worth of national reserves back to Caracas only days after Washington announced new gold-targeting sanctions.

TeleSur English (2018-11-05). Maduro: Venezuela Sitting on 2nd Biggest Gold Reserve on Earth. venezuelanalysis.com President Nicolas Maduro described the U.S. sanctions on Venezuela as "crazy" and "criminal."

Paul Dobson (2018-11-05). Gasoline Shortages Hit Western Venezuela. venezuelanalysis.com Whilst the government hinted at import problems due to US sanctions, others have cited additional factors, including cross-border smuggling, poor maintenance and increased demand due to the upcoming price hike.

Sputnik International (2018-11-04). Trump's Latin American Sanctions: Clear 'Political Tactic' For Midterms. venezuelanalysis.com VA's Paul Dobson analyzes the latest US sanctions in this Sputnik News report.

Joe Emersberger (2018-11-03). Assange Case Shows Support for Free Speech Depends on Who's Talking. fair.org by Joe Emersberger Julian Assange, whom the UN has declared to be "arbitrarily detained" by Britain and Sweden, is used by the Guardian ( 10/17/18) to illustrate a gag story on "nightmare flatmates." | The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded in February 2016 that the governments of the UK and Sweden had forced WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange into a condition of arbitrary detention in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he has been since 2012. The group's …

TEV (2018-10-17). Venezuela Ditches Dollar as US Sanctions Hit Private Sector. venezuelanalysis.com International financial transactions using foreign currency were reportedly blocked, agroindustrial and pharmaceutical sectors said.

TeleSur English (2018-10-17). Spain Pushes Dialogue Instead of Sanctions Against Venezuela. venezuelanalysis.com The policy represents a radical change from the sanctions wanted by previous Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, imposed by Brussels last January, and reinforced last June.