(2018-12-18). Shine a Light for Immigration Rights in Providence. counterpunch.org 
Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) is a network of nationwide groups that puts its energy and focus into educating and organizing so-called white people to oppose white supremacy and racism. Recently the co-founders were interviewed on The Laura Flanders Show (youtu.be/mq5NbdVcR_U). On December 18 from 4 to 6 PM the Rhode Island SURJ chapter More
(2018-12-18). Trump Foundation To Be Dissolved over allegations of Corruption. telesurenglish.net U.S. President Donald Trump's namesake charitable foundation has agreed to dissolve under court supervision following a lawsuit by New York's attorney general claiming a "shocking pattern of illegality" and accusing Trump of misusing the foundation to advance his 2016 presidential campaign and his businesses. | RELATED: | Refugees Lawyer Slams Trump Admin as 'Racist, Xenophobic' over Rejecting Migrant Children | New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood…
(2018-12-18). New Lawsuit Over Trump Muslim Ban. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2018-12-18). How Come So Many Bernie Bros Are Women and People of Color? commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks at "Workers' Right=Civil Rights" rally in Canton, Mississippi on March 4, 2017. (Photo: Youtube/Screenshot) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/sanders_civil_rights_2017.jpg…
(2018-12-18). Meet the Texas Speech Pathologist Who Lost School Job for Refusing to Sign Pro-Israel, Anti-BDS Oath. democracynow.org 
A Palestinian-American speech pathologist in Austin, Texas, has filed a federal lawsuit for losing her job after refusing to sign a pro-Israel oath. Bahia Amawi is an Arabic-speaking child language specialist who had worked for nine years in the Pflugerville Independent School District. But she lost her job last year after she declined to sign a pledge that she would "not boycott Israel during the term of the contract" and that she would not take any action that is "intended to penalize, inflict economic harm on, or limit commercial relations with Israel." We speak with Bahia Amawi and Gadeir Abbas, senior litiga…
(2018-12-18). Texas Educator Files Lawsuit after She was Fired for Refusing to Sign an Oath to Israel. mintpressnews.com Bahia Amawi's federal court suit may constitute the first direct challenge to new legislation aimed at curbing support for the growing Boycott Divest Sanctions (BDS) movement in the United States, which ultimately aims to end apartheid in Palestinian and Israeli territories.
(2018-12-18). Israel: Ethnic Cleansing, Land Theft, Apartheid and Racism against Palestinians. globalresearch.ca In recent weeks, racism against Palestinian people and the expansion of apartheid-Jim Crow policies have escalated. The Israeli lobby and its supporters attacked freedom of speech in the United States, showing how far they will go to prevent the US …
(2018-12-18). New Hampshire Police Arrested a Man for Being Mean to Them on the Internet. aclu.org 
Criminal defamation laws belong in the dustbin of history. | Should it be a crime to call public officials corrupt? Yes, according to the police in Exeter, New Hampshire. Earlier this year, they arrested a local man for writing a comment on a news website accusing Police Chief William Shupe of covering for a corrupt officer. | Robert Frese was accused of violating New Hampshire's criminal defamation law, which makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally and falsely disparage another person. New Hampshire's law [mda…
(2018-12-18). Trump Foundation to shut down amid lawsuit. aljazeera.com Decision comes after lawsuit by New York attorney general claimed Trump misused foundation to advance his 2016 campaign.
(2018-12-18). Trump Admin 'Racist' for Rejecting Migrants: Refugees Lawyer. telesurenglish.net Lawyers from the immigration advocacy group Al Otro Lado are denouncing the United States immigration policy in place at the U.S. southern border calling it 'racist' and 'xenophobic', not willing to accept refugees from Central America and Mexico. | RELATED: | Caravan Couple Awaits Asylum Bid After Son's Birth in US | During several Facebook videos posted on Mond…
(2018-12-18). Racist 'Russians' targeted African-Americans in 2016 election ploy, reports claim. rt.com 
Low voter turnout among African-Americans is usually blamed on purged voter rolls or decades of socioeconomic stasis — but in 2016, 'evil' Russia was the main culprit, according to two controversial reports for the US Senate.
(2018-12-18). Sri Lanka: Action committee of Abbotsleigh Estate workers holds inaugural meeting. wsws.org The meeting passed resolutions calling for independent action committees to fight for decent wages and conditions, and pledged support to "yellow vest" protesters in France, US auto workers and jailed Maruti Suzuki workers in India.
(2018-12-18). MENA governments must end discriminatory crackdowns and abuse of migrants. amnesty.org Governments across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are collectively failing to protect the rights of migrants in their countries, said Amnesty International, marking International Migrants Day. | Across the region, migrants regularly face discrimination, exploitation and other forms of abuse as well as in some cases arbitrary arrest, detention and unlawful expulsion. Whether they are sub-Saharan African migrants passing through North African countries on their way to Europe or domestic or const…
(2018-12-18). Crowdsourced Twitter study reveals shocking scale of online abuse against women. amnesty.org Content warning: contains screenshots of racist and sexist abuse and threats of violence | One in ten tweets mentioning black women politicians and journalists in a sample analyzed by Amnesty International was abusive or problematic, the organization said today, as it released a ground-breaking study into abuse against women on Twitter conducted with Element AI, a global artificial intelligence software product company. | More than 6,500 volunteers from 150 countries signed up to take part in Troll P…
(2018-12-18). Egypt: Court orders release of woman human rights defender imprisoned for speaking out against sexual harassment. amnesty.org Egyptian authorities must immediately comply with a court decision to release Amal Fathy, a woman human rights defender who was given a two-year sentence in September for posting a video online in which she criticized the Egyptian authorities for failing to tackle sexual harassment. | A Cairo criminal court today ordered Amal Fathy's release on probation after accepting…
(2018-12-18). Take the Money Out of Prison Slavery. therealnews.com 
Activists and students continue a national divestment movement to stop the corporate funding of private prisons. Sylvester Owino, a Kenyan immigrant, spent 10 years in an immigrant detention center while his case bounced between the lower and higher courts. Owino and other activists talk about the private prison divestment movement and abuses in the transporting…
(2018-12-18). Texas Speech Pathologist Loses School Job for Refusing to Sign Anti-BDS Oath. truthout.org A Palestinian-American speech pathologist in Austin, Texas, has filed a federal lawsuit for losing her job after refusing to sign a pro-Israel oath. Bahia Amawi is an Arabic-speaking child language specialist who had worked for nine years in the Pflugerville Independent School District. But she lost her job last year after she declined to sign a pledge that she would "not boycott Israel during the term of the contract" and that she would not take any action that is "intended to penalize, inflict economic harm on, or limit commercial relations with Israel." We speak with Bahia Amawi and Gadeir Abbas, senior lit…
(2018-12-18). Workplace Violence Against Women Health Workers Hurts Us All. truthout.org The worldwide #MeToo movement has revealed how sexual harassment and assault are part of most women's professional lives. However, we must not overlook other forms of violence that women suffer at work — and how this affects society at large. The experiences of emergency nurses and other health workers, a majority of whom around the world are women, shows this clearly. | Insults, humiliation, and discrimination have become 'natural' aspects of many work relationships. When attacked, many women do not report these incidents, not knowing who to turn to or out of fear of losing their jobs. Even worse, some…
(2018-12-18). DeVos' Solution to Mass School Shootings? Scrap the Rules Designed to End Discrimination Against Students of Color. commondreams.org The highly anticipated Final Report from the Federal Commission on School Safety, led by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, was released Tuesday—and includes a long-rumored recommendation that is alarming civil rights advocates: to rescind Obama-era policies crafted to end racial disparities in school disciplinary practices. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/education_civil_right.jpg…
(2018-12-18). Corporate Advertisers Jump Ship as Tucker Carlson Vows to Defend Xenophobic, Racist Attacks 'Until the Last Day'. commondreams.org "Tucker Carlson makes America poorer and dirtier in ways that he could never understand, or care about." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2018-12-18_at_8.29.29_am.png…
(2018-12-18). Charged With 'Shocking Pattern of Illegality,' Trump Foundation Agrees to Dissolve. commondreams.org The Trump family's charity, the Trump Foundation, agreed to dissolve Tuesday amid a lawsuit filed by New York State which accuses the organization of a "shocking pattern of illegality"—but the Trumps' legal troubles won't end with the dissolution. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/16954470200_1c601a6bda_o11.jpg…
(2018-12-18). Charged With 'Shocking Pattern of Illegality,' Trump Foundation Agrees to Dissolve. theantimedia.com 
"This is an important victory for the rule of law, making clear that there is one set of rules for everyone." (CD) The Trump family's charity, the Trump Foundation, agreed to dissolve Tuesday amid a lawsuit filed by New York State which accuses the organization of a "shocking pattern of illegality"—but the Trumps' legal troubles won't end with …
(2018-12-17). Peru: Supreme Court Delays Vote on Fujimori Appeal By 48 Hours. telesurenglish.net The Peruvian Supreme Court Justice will put former President Alberto Fujimori's case appeal to a vote Wednesday after hearing testimonies from the defense and prosecution Monday. | RELATED: | Peru's President Announces Political and Electoral Reforms | Jorge Luis Salas Arenas, president of the Special Criminal Chamber investigating the case, announced that the decision will be announced within the legal time frame. | Fujimori is appealing the 25-year prison sentence he received for a…
(2018-12-17). Brazil: Indigenous People Slam 'Authoritarian, Racist' Bolsonaro. telesurenglish.net Indigenous groups in Brazil are speaking out against right-wing president-elect Jair Bolsonaro's "careless" statement earlier this month about Indigenous peoples who he says are in reserves "as if they were animals in a zoo." | RELATED: | Brazil: New Warnings on Bolsonaro's Plans on Public Sector | In a response letter to the Bolsonaro statement on Dec. 4, the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) say they aren't "inferior beings, as projected in (the president-elect's) statement." | In…
(2018-12-17). Salvadoran Woman Set Free, Ruled Innocent of Abortion Charges. telesurenglish.net Imelda Cortez, 20, walked away from a Salvadoran court, a free woman, Monday after a judge found her 'not guilty' of the murder charges which detained her in prison for over a year. | RELATED: | Another Salvadoran Woman Freed After Years in Jail for Stillbirth | A victim of intrafamilial sexual abuse since the age of 12 by her 70-year-old stepfather, Cortez was accused of trying to abort her rapist's baby after she was found suffering a miscarriage in Jiquilisco in 2016. | Acc…
(2018-12-17). Theresa May Days in Britain, Stonewalled in Europe and the Parliament. globalresearch.ca It is hard to envisage sympathy for a person who made a name as a home secretary (prisons, detentions, security and such) taking the mast and banner of her country before hopeless odds, but inadequate opponents will do that to …
(2018-12-17). We Need to Address Police Brutality in Alabama. aclu.org The ACLU and NAACP in Alabama have filed public records requests for police policies pertaining to use of force, body cameras, and racial bias. | E.J. Bradford. Chikesia Clemons. Ulysses Wilkerson. Sureshbhai Patel. Greg Gunn. | These are only a few of the names of those who have been in headlines after being brutalized or killed at the hands of law enforcement in the state of Alabama in recent years. Each of these incidents represents a state-wide pattern of police using excessive, and sometimes fatal, force against the people they're supposed to protect and serve. Disproportionately, the victims are people of c…
(2018-12-17). Study Finds Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Brazil Pork. telesurenglish.net Pork products sold at retailers in Brazil contain antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to a study funded by animal rights group World Animal Protection (WAP), providing potential evidence of overuse of the medicines in food livestock. | RELATED: | Brazil: Indigenous People Slam 'Authoritarian, Racist' Bolsonaro | The study, which also looked at pork in three other countries, was conducted by the University of Sà£o Paulo on behalf of WAP in Brazil. It examined 100 meat sam…
(2018-12-17). Will the Supreme Court Overturn Roe v. Wade After All? aclu.org Reading the tea leaves on abortion rights. | This piece was originally published in The New York Times. | When the Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear cases brought by Louisiana and Kansas attempting to exclude Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers from their Medicaid programs, legal soothsayers were out in full force opining about what it means for the future of abortion rights un…
(2018-12-17). Man who killed 100s of deer is sentenced to watch cartoon classic Bambi repeatedly. rt.com 
A Missouri man, convicted for illegally killing hundreds of deer just for their heads, has been jailed and ordered by a judge to repeatedly watch Disney's Bambi as part of his punishment.
(2018-12-17). Texas school pathologist files lawsuit after being denied work for refusing to sign pro-Israel oath. rt.com 
A Texas elementary school speech pathologist has filed a federal lawsuit after her school district refused to renew her contract unless she signed a pro-Israel oath.
(2018-12-17). Turquie: Un tribunal a levé les interdictions de voyager de manifestants pacifistes. amnesty.org Un tribunal turc a levé les interdictions de voyager de 30 étudiants inculpés d'infractions liées au terrorisme pour avoir participé à une manifestation pacifique le 19 mars. Le tribunal a rejeté les allégations de torture et d'autres mauvais traitements des étudiants pendant qu'ils se trouvaient en détention, au motif que ´ les faits n'ont pas eu lieu en présence du tribunal ª. Les étudiants sont toujours accusés de ´ propagande pour une organisation terroriste ª et risquent jusqu'à cinq ans d'emprisonnement s'ils sont déclarés coupables.
(2018-12-17). Morocco: Hirak El-Rif appeal must deliver justice after deeply flawed trial. amnesty.org Dozens of journalists, protesters and others detained in connection with Hirak El-Rif peaceful protests have been denied their right to a fair trial by Casablanca's first instance court, said Amnesty International, as it published analysis exposing serious flaws in the trial, as the second appeal hearing session gets underway. | Fifty-four people with ties to the Hirak El-Rif social justice protests were convicted of security-related offences and sentenced to prison terms of up to 20 years by a Casablanca court in June 2018, in relation to prot…
(2018-12-17). Maroc: Le procès d'appel du Hirak El-Rif est une occasion pour annuler des peines prononcées à l'issue d'un procès inéquitable. amnesty.org Les 26 et 28 juin 2018, une cour de Casablanca a condamné 54 personnes à de lourdes peines de prison pour avoir participé aux manifestations du mouvement du Hirak El — Rif qui ont eu lieu dans la région du Rif, dans le nord du Maroc, en 2017. Le 21 août, 11 d'entre elles ont été graciées par le roi. Quatre autres ont bénéficié d'une libération provisoire en juin et juillet 2017. Les 39 personnes restantes purgent leur peine à la prison d'AàØn Sebaâ 1 (Okacha), à Casablanca. | Le 17 décembre, la cour d'appel de Casablanca procèdera à l'audition des cas des 43 personnes déclarées coupables lors de la d…
(2018-12-17). Mexico: Reject Bill Expanding Pretrial Detention. hrw.org 
| | Police officers guard the prison after an internal fight between two gangs in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on August 22, 2018. | © 2018 REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez | (New York) — The Mexican Congress should reject a bill to modify the constitution that would expand the use of mandatory pretrial detention, Human Rights Watch said today. The modification would dramatically increase the number of people in Mexican jails who haven't been convicted of a crime. | The bill…
(2018-12-16). NAACP Calls Recent Prada Ads Reprehensible. naacp.org BALTIMORE—(December 16, 2018) The NAACP President Derrick Johnson issued the following statement regarding Prada's recent advertisement: "Although Prada did the right thing by removing this particular product line, their initial choice to display such items is reprehensible and just dumbfounding. Blackface is no laughing matter, and has no place in their window displays or any […]
(2018-12-16). Butina may have pleaded guilty under 'pressure' & in order to get back home — ex-state senator to RT. rt.com 
The US may have used months of solitary confinement to "pressure" jailed Russian gun activist Maria Butina into pleading guilty, international law attorney and former Pennsylvania State Senator Bruce Marks told RT.
(2018-12-14). The Right to Record Police Doesn't Disappear When You Put Your Phone in Your Pocket. aclu.org In Massachusetts, a federal court affirmed that the First Amendment protects secret recording of police performing their duties in public. | The First Amendment right to record the police is a critical check and balance for people living in a free, open, and democratic society. It promotes the free discussion of governmental affairs as well as protects the democratic process. And for some communities, it's a vital tool for uncovering, if not deterring, police misconduct. | But Boston-based civil rights activists Eric Martin and René Pérez were afraid to record the police. Under a state wiretap law passed in 1968,…
(2018-12-14). Bill improving young offenders passes the Congress! naacp.org After 16 years, more than 6 bills, strong bipartisan support, and countless hours of letter-writing campaigns and advocacy, the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate both passed — unanimously — legislation to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention Act (JJDPA) and sent the bill to the President for his signature. While the final bill […]
(2018-12-14). 7-Year-Old Migrant Girl Dies in US Border Patrol Custody. hrw.org 
The headline alone made my heart sink. "7-year-old migrant girl taken into Border Patrol custody dies of dehydration, exhaustion." I felt a wave of deep sadness, but no surprise. | | | A girl stands in the lobby of the Adelanto immigration detention center, in Adelanto, Californ…
(2018-12-13). Headlines for December 13, 2018. democracynow.org Former Trump Lawyer Cohen Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison, National Enquirer Admits to Suppressing Trump Affair Story to Aid 2016 Presidential Bid, Yemen: Hodeidah Ceasefire Declared, Rep. Pelosi Secures Votes for House Speaker Role, Guardian: FBI Was Surveilling Members of Environmental Group 350.org, NYT: ALEC & Oil Industry Secretly Campaigning to Weaken Car Emission Standards, U.K.: Prime Minister May Survives Leadership Challenge, China Detains 2 Canadians as Huawei CFO Gets Out on Bail, Turkey Threatens Offensive Against U.S.-Backed Kurds in Syria, Australian Media Barred from Reporting on Vatican Official C…
(2018-12-13). Arkansas Is Attempting to Ban a Safe and Effective Abortion Method. aclu.org Banning D&Es is part of a national campaign to push abortion out of reach. | The ACLU is in a federal appeals court on Thursday, challenging a slate of Arkansas laws intended to prevent women from being able to get abortions. One of the four laws we are challenging is a ban on the dilation and evacuation (D&E) procedure, a safe and effective abortion method. If enforced, the ban would prevent women from being able to obtain an abortion at all. | Arkansas' ban is part of an anti-abortion campaign being orchestrated by state…
(2018-12-13). Occupied Western Sahara: A rare look inside Africa's last colony. greenleft.org.au 
In an exclusive broadcast, US-based independent news outlet Democracy Now! broke the media blockade and visited the occupied Western Sahara in the northwest of Africa to document the decades-long Sahrawi struggle for freedom and occupying power Morocco's violent crackdown. | Morocco has occupied the territory since 1975 in defiance of the United Nations and the international community. Thousands of Sahrawi people have been tortured, imprisoned, killed and disappeared while resisting the Moroccan occupation. A 1700-mile wall…
(2018-12-12). Africa, Diaspora Must Collaborate to Develop. naacp.org 
For Immediate Release From the office of Ghana Vice President: Dr Mahamudu Bawumia Africa, Diaspora must collaborate to develop — Ghana Vice Presiden Bawumia The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has called for greater interaction and collaboration between Africa and people of African descent across the world in order to help achieve our collective aspirations.This […]
(2018-12-12). Hatewatch Headlines 12/13/2018. splcenter.org Campus racism thrives in age of Trump; Gohmert says SPLC stirs up hate; Heyer's mother questions 'Bikers for Trump' presence; and more.
(2018-12-12). Donald Trump's Travel Ban Faces a New Day in Court. theintercept.com Opponents of Donald Trump's travel ban have a chance to chip away at it this week by challenging the way it's been implemented. If they're successful, Trump will have only his own administration to blame. | The argument that a group of plaintiffs is making is straightforward: Because the travel ban was upheld, individuals impacted by it can only enter the United States through a waiver system that was said to be a safeguard against arbitrarily keeping people out of the country. Yet the administration has done next to nothing to set the waiver system up, which suggests that a total ban of Muslim travelers from the…
(2018-12-11). Jury recommends life plus 419 years for James Alex Fields in Unite the Right attack. splcenter.org A jury in Charlottesville has handed up a life prison sentence plus 419 years behind bars for a neo-Nazi sympathizer convicted of driving his car into a crowd of counter-protesters after the "Unite the Right" rally.
(2018-12-10). NRA: You Can No Longer Stay Silent. naacp.org NAACP, the nation's foremost civil rights organization released the following statement to the National Rifle Association (NRA): "The senseless killing of Emantic J. Bradford and the silence from the NRA has confirmed that the 2nd amendment does not apply to legally licensed Black gun owners. Instead of standing by their principles, the NRA continues to demonize and […]
(2018-12-10). Doctors Who Facilitate Torture Must Be Held to Account. aclu.org To prevent further stains on the medical profession, the names of those involved in torture and executions need to be made public. | Physicians hold a special position in U.S. society. They are given a place of honor in return for the expectation that they will use their knowledge and skills in the public interest and adhere to a clear set of ethical standards. | Under pressure from the government to misuse their expertise, though, some doctors have been willing to rationalize cooperation in unethical behavior. In recent years, nowhere has such ethical deviation been so starkly on display as in the case of the pa…
(2018-12-10). How the 'Unite the Right' murder trial helped debunk alt-right myths. splcenter.org Within hours of the arrest of neo-Nazi sympathizer James Alex Fields Jr. and the death of 32-year-old paralegal Heather Heyer after the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the racist "alt-right" began spinning conspiracy theories about the collision that killed Heyer and wounded multiple other people.