(2018-12-19). Turkey jails nephew of Muslim leader accused of organising coup. aljazeera.com Selman Gulen, nephew of self-exiled Muslim leader Fethullah Gulen, sentenced to years prison on terror-related charges.
(2018-12-19). Trump Foundation Reaches Deal to Dissolve Amid Lawsuit. truthdig.com NEW YORK—President Donald Trump's charitable foundation reached a deal Tuesday to go out of business, even as Trump continues to fight allegations he misused its assets to resolve business disputes and boost his run for the White House. | New York's attorney general and lawyers for the Trump Foundation agreed on a court-supervised process for shutting down the charity and distributing about $1.7 million in remaining funds to other nonprofit groups. | The agreement resolved one part of the legal drama surrounding Trump, whose campaign, transition, inauguration and real estate empire are all under investigati…
(2018-12-19). May Days in Britain. counterpunch.org 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 you. Vicious, venal and underdone, the enemies from within Theresa May's own Tory ranks resemble More
(2018-12-19). Starting again from Marx. mronline.org 
Let us start again from Marx.(1) Why? Is it because we are communists? No, this answer is not convincing. We could start again from somewhere else, from Lenin, or Mao; or, we could believe that current feminist or anti-racist struggles have no need for Marx; we could even think that Marx's Eurocentrism makes him an […] | Source
(2018-12-19). Senate Passes a Sweeping Criminal Justice Bill. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a sweeping criminal justice bill Tuesday that addresses concerns that the nation's war on drugs had led to the imprisonment of too many Americans for non-violent crimes without adequately preparing them for their return to society. | Senate passage of the bill by a vote of 87-12 culminates years of negotiations and gives President Donald Trump a signature policy victory, with the outcome hailed by scores of conservative and liberal advocacy groups. The House is expected to pass the bill this week, sending it to the president's desk for his signature. | The bill gives judges mo…
(2018-12-19). Trump's Criminal Justice Reform Act Is a Meaningless Smoke Screen (Pt 2/3). therealnews.com 
Congress's Criminal Justice Reform Act boosts privatization, fails to dismantle mass incarceration, nor does it implement sentencing reform. We speak to Eddie Conway and Natasha Pratt Harris about the proposed reform
(2018-12-19). Trump's Criminal Justice Reform Act Is a Meaningless Smoke Screen (Pt 1/3). therealnews.com Congress's Criminal Justice Reform Act boosts privatization, fails to dismantle mass incarceration, nor does it implement sentencing reform. We speak to Eddie Conway and Natasha Pratt Harris about the proposed reform
(2018-12-19). DOJ faces lawsuits & NRA wrath as it outlaws bump stocks used in Las Vegas massacre. rt.com 
The US Department of Justice has banned bump stocks — firearm modifications that simulate automatic fire — to the ire of pro-gun advocates. Guns fitted with bump stocks are now legally considered machineguns.
(2018-12-19). Bangladesh to relocate Rohingya refugees on remote island. wsws.org Nervous about criticism of its plans, the government is attempting to hide information about the new detention facilities and has placed the island under naval control.
(2018-12-19). ALP National Conference a sham. greenleft.org.au 
Bill Shorten surprised no one with his laughingly tiny reforms at the Australian Labor Party National Conference over December 16—18. | If you expected debate, let alone proposals to stop the Adani coalmine or refugee boat turn-backs or the closure of off-shore detention centres, then you would have been disappointed as these things did not happen. | If you were hoping that there might be a commitment to increase the Newstart Allowance or to back progressive industrial relations reforms that will actually change the rules for workers, you would be doubly disappointed as these things were also rejected. | Cl…
(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). US Pledges Billions in Aid to Limit Central American Migration. telesurenglish.net The United States will spend billions of dollars in Central America and Mexico, as part of a plan to officially strengthen economic growth in the region but also aimed at deterring immigrants who want to travel to the United States as they are forced to flee poverty and violence, the U.S. and Mexican governments said on Tuesday. | RELATED: | Refugees Lawyer Slams Trump Admin as 'Racist, Xenophobic' over Rejecting Migrant Children | Mexican President Andres…
(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). 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). The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Condemns School Safety Commission Recommendation to Rescind School Discipline Guidance. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2018-12-18). New Lawsuit Over Trump Muslim Ban. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2018-12-18). People Should Be Allowed to Sue Facebook If It Violates Law on Face Recognition Privacy. aclu.org 
We filed a court brief opposing Facebook's effort to make it harder to enforce a pro-privacy law. | Ten years ago, Illinois enacted a law that imposes important protections against companies collecting and storing our biometric information — including using facial recognition— without our knowledge and consent. The law is called the Biometric Information Privacy Act. Although facial recognition was relatively crude when it was passed, the wisdom of Illinois' decision has been borne out over the last decade, as facial recognition and other biometric collection has developed and spread. | On Monday, the…
(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). 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). Natural Fawn Killer: US Poacher Sentenced to 'Bambi' Viewings. telesurenglish.net A judge in Missouri has sentenced a prolific poacher to repeat screenings of "Bambi," the Walt Disney classic weepy about a fawn whose mother is slain by a hunter. | RELATED: | Glass Eel Poaching is World's Worst Wildlife Crime: Activists | David Berry Jr will be forced to watch the animated movie at least once a month during his year-long jail term, the result of what law enforcement officials described as one of their largest-ever poaching investigations. | Berry and two family me…
(2018-12-18). Court docs: Suspects in 'Martyr's Day' beating of black man were wearing Crew 38 attire. splcenter.org Several people arrested in the "Martyr's Day" beating of a black man at a Lynnwood, Washington, bar were sporting T-shirts and patches of the racist skinhead group Crew 38, according to recently released court records.
(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). 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 …
(2018-12-18). Trump Foundation charity agrees to dissolve after lawsuit alleging Trump used it as a 'checkbook'. rt.com 
The US president's charitable Trump Foundation is being forced to dissolve under the supervision of the New York Attorney General. The Defense argues that the case against the charity has been politicized.
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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…
(2018-12-17). 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). 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). 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…
(2018-12-17). 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). 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). 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…
(2018-12-16). 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 […]
(2018-12-14). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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.