(2018-12-26). Kevin Spacey Criminally Charged in Sex Case. truthdig.com BOSTON — Kevin Spacey has been charged with groping the 18-year-old son of a Boston TV anchor in 2016 — the first criminal case brought against the Oscar-winning actor since his career collapsed amid a string of sexual misconduct allegations over a year ago. | Spacey, 59, is due in court Jan. 7 on the resort island of Nantucket to be arraigned on a charge of indecent assault and battery, Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe said in a statement Monday. Spacey could get up to five years in prison if convicted. | A criminal complaint was issued by a clerk magistrate at a hearing Thursday, O…
(2018-12-26). Generation Hate Part 1. aljazeera.com Al Jazeera investigation reveals Generation Identity members carrying out racist attacks, making Nazi salutes in Lille.
(2018-12-26). China: Trial of lawyer Wang Quanzhang a "cruel charade" amnesty.org The trial of Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang is a cruel charade and he should be immediately and unconditionally released, Amnesty International said. | Wang is one of the few lawyers still held in detention after the Chinese government's mass crackdown in 2015, which targeted nearly 250 lawyers and activists. He is on trial at the Tianjin Municipal No.2 Intermediate People's Court accused of "subverting state power," which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. | "This is a sham trial in which Wang Quanzhang is being persecuted only for peacefully defending human rights," said Doriane Lau, C…
(2018-12-26). Federal law enforcement agencies sued for keeping Americans in the dark about hacking activities. rt.com 
The American Civil Liberties Union, along with several non-profits, has sued seven US federal agencies over their failure to disclose information regarding government hacking activities that target the American public.
(2018-12-26). 'System of white supremacy' blocked anti-lynching law for 100yrs — law professor. rt.com 
Systemic racism and an unwillingness to confront the past have served as major roadblocks to the US adopting federal anti-lynching legislation, a law professor told RT.
(2018-12-26). Congress Is Trying to Use the Spending Bill to Criminalize Boycotts of Israel. indybay.org According to recent reports, congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle are planning to sneak a bill criminalizing politically motivated boycotts of Israel into the end-of-the-year omnibus spending bill.
(2018-12-26). The Dutch racist tradition/Goodbye to Black Pete/Fascism is coming. indybay.org Similar to the former "Blackface" [USA] and "Golliwog" [Great Britain], in the Netherlands "Zwarte Piet" [Dutch for | Black Pete] is a racist caricature, that is invented in the 19th century, the era of slavery, diehard colonialism | and racist theiries about the superiority of the "white race" | Black Pete is the stupid servant of Saint Nicholas [in Dutch "Sinterklaas] and leads to discrimination and | teasing of black children. Time to say goodbye to Black Pete!
(2018-12-25). Lula Followers Celebrate Xmas, 'Hope, Resistance' at His Prison. telesurenglish.net Brazilian former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's supporters gathered in front of the jail where he is imprisoned to celebrate Christmas in solidarity with him. | RELATED: | Lula Pens Thank You Letter to Cuban People For Their Generosity | Members of the Lula Livre (Free Lula) movement called on Lula's followers to attend a vigil outside the Curi…
(2018-12-25). Doctor Women and Moms Struggle with Discrimination, Too. telesurenglish.net Doctor moms regularly run up against discrimination, sometimes subtle and sometimes blatant, a new survey finds. | RELATED: | Women to Wait 202 Years For Economic Equality | "Experiences of discrimination resonate and relate with the experiences of women in other fields, but some are unique to the structure of medicine," said Dr. Eleni Linos of the University of California, San Francisco. "And some (have) downstream consequences that could affect not only the woman herself and her family and care…
(2018-12-25). ICE Agents Leave 100s of Refugees in El Paso With Nowhere To Go. telesurenglish.net Hundreds of asylum-seekers, mainly from Central America, were dropped off at the El Paso bus station on Christmas Eve by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. | RELATED: | Refugees Lawyer Slams Trump Admin as 'Racist, Xenophobic' over Rejecting Migrant Children | On Sunday night, ICE began dropping off asylum seekers and migrants at an El Paso bus terminal without warning local shelters that usually take in the groups after they seek asylum and…
(2018-12-25). A Tribute to Blacklisted Lyricist Yip Harburg: The Man Who Put the Rainbow in The Wizard of Oz. democracynow.org 
His name might not be familiar to many, but his songs are sung by millions around the world. Today, we take a journey through the life and work of Yip Harburg, the Broadway lyricist who wrote such hits as "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" and who put the music into The Wizard of Oz. Born into poverty on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Harburg always included a strong social and political component to his work, fighting racism and poverty. A lifelong socialist, Harburg was blacklisted and hounded throughout much of his life. We speak with Harburg's son, Ernie Harburg, about the music and politics of his father. T…
(2018-12-25). Second Guatemalan Child Dies in U.S. Immigration Custody. truthdig.com HOUSTON—An 8-year-old boy from Guatemala died in government custody in New Mexico early Tuesday, U.S. immigration authorities said, marking the second death of an immigrant child in detention this month. | U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a news release that the boy died shortly after midnight. | The death came during an ongoing dispute over border security and with a partial government shutdown underway over President Donald Trump's request for border wall funding. The White House referred questions to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, CBP's parent agency. CBP officers and the Border Patr…
(2018-12-25). Second child dies in custody — US immigration authorities. rt.com 
An eight-year-old boy from Guatemala has died at a detention facility on Tuesday night, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection has confirmed. This is the second immigrant child this month to die in custody.
(2018-12-24). Angela Davis: We Owe It to People Who Came Before Us to Fight to Abolish Prisons. democracynow.org 
Angela Davis is a leading advocate for prison abolition, a position informed by her own experience as a prisoner and a fugitive on the FBI's top 10 wanted list more than 40 years ago. Once caught, she faced the death penalty in California. After being acquitted on all charges, she spent her life fighting to change the criminal justice system. Amy Goodman sat down with Angela Davis at Busboys and Poets in Washington, D.C., in October to talk about the prison abolition movement.
(2018-12-24). Lessons for the Left From the Spanish Elections. counterpunch.org In what seems a replay of recent German and Italian elections, an openly authoritarian and racist party made major electoral gains in Spain's most populous province, Andalusia, helping to dethrone the Socialist Party that had dominated the southern region for 36 years. Vox (Voice)—a party that stands for "Spain First," restrictions on women's rights, ending More
(2018-12-24). From 1968 to 2018: Angela Davis on Freedom Struggles Then and Now, and the Movements of the Future. democracynow.org 
Legendary scholar and activist Angela Davis's work around issues of gender, race, class and prisons has influenced critical thought and social movements across several generations. Amy Goodman sat down with her in Washington, D.C., in October to discuss freedom struggles over the past 50 years, and where people's movements are going next.
(2018-12-24). Angela Davis on Running from the FBI, Lessons from Prison and How Aretha Franklin Got Her Free. democracynow.org 
For more than four decades, Davis has been one of most influential activists and intellectuals in the United States. An icon of the black liberation movement, Davis's work around issues of gender, race, class and prisons has influenced critical thought and social movements across several generations. She is a leading advocate for prison abolition, a position informed by her own experience as a prisoner and fugitive on the FBI's top 10 most wanted list more than 40 years ago. Once caught, she faced the death penalty in California. After being acquitted, she has spent her life fighting to change the criminal justic…
(2018-12-24). Denouncing 7-Year-Old's Death, UN Rights Expert Demands US Halt Child Detentions. commondreams.org A day after the 7-year-old girl's small body returned to Guatemala in a coffin, a United Nations human rights expert demanded an independent probe into the death of Jakelin Caal while she was in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)—and made a broader call for the U.S. to stop its international law-violating practice of detaining children on the basis of their migratory status. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/un-human-rights-expert-jakelin-caal.png…
(2018-12-24). Blackwater mercenary convicted of first-degree murder in Iraq massacre. wsws.org Nick Slatten will face life in prison for his role in the 2007 massacre in Baghdad's Nisour Square.
(2018-12-23). The United States Didn't Lose the Cold War. Racist Plutocrats Won It. commondreams.org President Donald Trump chats with Russia's President Vladimir Putin as they attend the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit in the central Vietnamese city of Danang on Nov. 11, 2017. (Photo: Mikhail Klimentyev/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/trump_vlad_0.jpg…
(2018-12-23). Iraq/Kurdistan Region: Risk of Double Trials for ISIS Ties. hrw.org 
| | Cigarette burns cover the hands and arms of 18-year-old "Karim." Kurdish authorities held him for 13 months. He then returned home and was rearrested by authorities under Baghdad's control, who tortured and held him for months. | © 2018 San Saravan | (Beirut) — Sunni Arab boys who serve prison time in Iraq's Kurdistan region for Islamic State (also known as ISIS) connections risk rearrest after their release if they try to reunite with their families…
(2018-12-23). They Rescued Pigs and Turkeys From Factory Farms — and Now Face Decades in Prison. theintercept.com In the fall of 2017, Glenn Greenwald reported on a nationwide FBI manhunt for two pigs named Lily and Lizzie. The pigs had been removed from a factory farm in Utah by animal rights activists from a group called Direct Action Everywhere. From the perspective of the activists, the pigs were rescued. From the perspective of Smithfield Farms, the Chinese-owned multinational corporation that owns the factory farm, they were stolen. | Direct Action Everywhere, also known as DxE, engages in a practice calle…
(2018-12-22). Chicago city council candidates support community control of police. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – There are 212 candidates for the 50 seats in the February 19, 2019 Chicago city council elections. Of this total, 38 came out to a December 20 forum in support of an elected civilian police accountability council (CPAC). It's unusual for so many candidates to be together in one room unless they're seeking the support of a powerful union or political organization. But this wasn't an endorsement session. The candidates came to join the movement establish community control over the Chicago Police Department. | The forum was convened by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, the o…
(2018-12-22). The First Step Act Could Be a Big Gift to CoreCivic and the Private Prison Industry. theintercept.com 
As people continue to die inside CoreCivic's prisons, the First Step Act opens opportunities for the company to keep profiting from incarceration.
(2018-12-21). Houthis to Demand Body of Slain Journalist Jamal Khashoggi as Part of Saudi Prisoner Exchange. mintpressnews.com 
"If [slain journalist Jamal] Khashoggi's sons ask or if they want us to demand their father's body [as part of the Saudi-Yemeni prisoner swap] then we will do it." — Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, President of Ansar Allah's Supreme Revolutionary Committee
(2018-12-21). Spanish regional elections: Socialist Party falters, far-right advances. peoplesworld.org 
In what seems a replay of recent German and Italian elections, an openly authoritarian and racist party made major electoral gains in Spain's most populous province, Andalusia, helping to dethrone the Socialist Party that had dominated the southern region for 36 years. Vox (Voice)—a party that stands for "Spain First," restrictions on women's rights, ending …
(2018-12-21). Single Moms Get Sucked Into the Cruelest Debtors' Prison We've Ever Seen. aclu.org In Lexington County, SC, moms struggling to make ends meet get jailed for weeks or months at a time when they can't afford to pay court fines and fees | Twanda Marshinda Brown is a single mom in South Carolina who was supporting her children by working at Burger King. In 2016, a court in Lexington County fined her around $2,300 for two traffic offenses. The judge ordered her to make monthly payments of $100, even though she explained she could only afford to pay $50 a month whil…
(2018-12-21). The Death Penalty in 2018: A Punishment on the Decline. aclu.org We have much to celebrate in 2018, and much work towards abolition in the years ahead. | An annual survey conducted by the Death Penalty Information Center shows a significant decline in 2018 in the use of the death penalty nationwide. This is as it should be — the nation is turning away from the barbaric practice of killing its people as punishment. | In 2018, 25 people were executed, marking the fourth year in a row the United States has had fewer than 30 executions. That's down dramatically from the peak of 98 executions we saw in 1999. Death sentenc…
(2018-12-21). Extremists' collectibles used to fund today's hate movement. splcenter.org Attempts to sell neo-Nazi memorabilia online are nothing new, but a recent marketing ploy attempts to use the sale of racist antiquities to fund modern-day racist activities.
(2018-12-21). Donorbox Shutters BDS Fundraising After Complaint by Israeli-Government Linked Group. mintpressnews.com 
JERUSALEM (AP) — A U.S. software company said Friday it blocked the fundraising account of the Palestinian-led boycott movement against Israel following a complaint by a pro-Israel group that the campaign has links to militant organizations. | Donorbox, which makes fundraising management software, confirmed that the BDS campaign's account was temporarily blocked while it investigates the allegations. | The BDS movement called the Israeli move "McCarthyite." | The decision came in response to a complaint from Shurat HaDin, an Israeli advocacy group that files lawsuits around the world against Israel's foes,…
(2018-12-21). Émirats arabes unis: Jugement attendu pour un défenseur des droits humains. amnesty.org Le 24 décembre 2018, la Cour suprême fédérale des Émirats arabes unis doit examiner l'appel interjeté par l'éminent défenseur des droits humains et prisonnier d'opinion Ahmed Mansoor. La cour devrait rendre un verdict définitif. Le 29 mai, Ahmed Mansoor a été déclaré coupable entre autres d' ´ outrage aux Émirats arabes unis et à leurs symboles ª et condamné à 10 ans de prison.
(2018-12-21). United Arab Emirates: Further Information: Possible Verdict For Human Rights Defender: Ahmed Mansoor. amnesty.org On 24 December 2018 the Federal Supreme Court in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to hear the appeal of prominent human rights defender and prisoner of conscience, Ahmed Mansoor. The court may issue a final verdict. On 29 May 2018, Ahmed Mansoor was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges including "insulting the UAE and its symbols".
(2018-12-21). Taiwan: Open Letter on legal recognition of same-sex unions. amnesty.org Dear Premier Lai, | We write concerning the results of the recent referendums in Taiwan in which same-sex marriage rights and LGBT-inclusive education in schools were rejected by voters on 24 November. We urge the Taiwanese authorities not to implement the outcomes of the referendums as this would violate human rights law, bolster discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and undermine comprehensive and inclusive education on gender and sexuality. | We would like to recall that despite the referendum results, the Taiwanese government still is under court order to enact legislation for recognizing same-se…
(2018-12-21). #SaveHakeem — Stop deportation of Bahraini refugee. greenleft.org.au 
Bahraini refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi has been held in detention in Thailand since November 27, facing the terrifying prospect of deportation to the country where he was tortured. | Al-Araibi fled to Australia in 2014 and was accepted as a refugee. In November, he travelled on UN travel documents to Thailand for a short holiday with his wife. When he arrived at Bangkok airport, Al-Araibi was arrested under an Interpoll "Red Notice" (an international arrest warrant) issued by the Bahrain government. | Interpol is not meant to issue red notices for refugees, so this red notice should never have been issued for Al-Araib…
(2018-12-20). PRISON AND SENTENCING REFORM PASSES THE US SENATE. naacp.org On December 18, 2018, the U.S. Senate passed, by a vote of 87 yeas to 12 nays, its version of the First Step Act, legislation which begins to reform our nation's sentencing laws and prison terms. This bipartisan legislation, which has been strongly supported and promoted by the White House, offers some important improvements to the current federal criminal […]
(2018-12-20). Congress Just Took a Big Step Toward Ending the Shackling of Pregnant Prisoners. aclu.org Passing the First Step Act will be a step toward upholding the rights and protecting the health of pregnant prisoners. | Congress on Thursday passed the Senate version of the First Step Act, which is now headed for signature to President Trump. He is expected to sign it on Friday. | The First Step Act would, in addition to enacting other important criminal justice reforms, prohibit the shackling of p…
(2018-12-20). Screen Shot 2018-12-20 at 7.46.15 AM.png. progressive.org "It was Paul Ryan and Reince Priebus who transformed the politics of Wisconsin with racist dog-whistle messaging, and that laid the foundation for Donald Trump."
(2018-12-20). 'Domestic Workers Don't Have Protections Against Discrimination and Harassment' – CounterSpin interview with Mariana Viturro on Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. fair.org 
Janine Jackson interviewed Mariana Viturro about the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights for the December 14, 2018, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…
(2018-12-20). The Lives We Changed in 2018. aclu.org 
Because of the generosity of ACLU members, these people are free to live their lives again. | This year hasn't been easy: Thousands of families are still suffering the effects of family separation; the Muslim ban continues to keep loved ones apart; and whole generations of family trees are being decimated by an unfair, out-of-control mass incarceration machine. But beneath the headlines, the news alerts, and the legal battles are a few glimmers of hope that ACLU supporters made possible., , Here are some of our favorite moments from 2018. | Ansly Breathes Free Again : | Ethics teacher Ansly Damus fled…
(2018-12-20). NAACP Launches Boycott of Facebook: Platform Is Unhealthy for African Americans & U.S. Democracy. democracynow.org 
Facebook is under fire again, this time for new revelations that Russian trolls targeted African Americans on social media in an effort to influence the vote ahead of the 2016 election. A pair of bipartisan reports published by the Senate Intelligence Committee Monday claim the Russian government focused on African Americans in its effort to suppress the turnout of voters likely to cast ballots for Hillary Clinton, spreading fake news and sowing discord in the run-up to the election. The NAACP has launched a Facebook boycott in response, demanding the social media giant be held responsible. We speak with Derrick…
(2018-12-20). Anti-Lynching Bill Passes the U.S. Senate. naacp.org Late in the afternoon of 12/19, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed S. 3178, the Justice for Victims of Lynching Act, which was originally introduced by Senators Kamala Harris (CA), Cory Booker (NJ) and Tim Scott (SC). This crucial legislation would make lynching a hate crime, therefore eligible for the additional federal tools and resources used […]
(2018-12-20). United Arab Emirates: Further Information: Hunger-Striking Academic In Critical Condition: Dr Nasser bin Ghaith. amnesty.org Dr Nasser bin Ghaith's health has severely deteriorated. The prominent Emirati economist and academic has been on hunger strike for over 70 days in al-Razeen prison in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to protest the detention conditions and the denial of access to medical care. He is a prisoner of conscience.
(2018-12-20). Algeria: Forced to leave: Stories of injustice against migrants in Algeria. amnesty.org Over the past two decades Algeria has become a country of transit or final destination of many nationals from West and Central Africa looking for employment opportunities in a variety of sectors, mainly construction and agriculture. Yet despite the large number of Sub-Saharan migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in the country, Algeria still lacks a clear legal framework for migrant workers and has a law criminalizing irregular migration making it an offence punishable by up to five years in prison. | Arbitrary arrests and mass expulsions of migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa have reached an all-time high, in star…
(2018-12-20). Emirats arabes unis: Un universitaire en grève de la faim est dans un état critique. amnesty.org La santé de Nasser bin Ghaith s'est gravement détériorée. Cet éminent économiste et universitaire émirien observe une grève de la faim depuis plus de 70 jours dans la prison d'Al Razeen, aux Émirats arabes unis, pour dénoncer les conditions de détention et la privation de soins médicaux dans cet établissement. Cet homme est un prisonnier d'opinion.
(2018-12-20). UAE: Fears grow for health of unjustly imprisoned academic. amnesty.org The authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) must immediately and unconditionally release Dr Nasser bin Ghaith, a prisoner of conscience whose health has deteriorated sharply in recent days, said Amnesty International today. | Dr Nasser bin Ghaith is serving a 10-year sentence for criticizing the UAE in comments posted on Twitter after a grossly unfair politically motivated trial. | "News that Dr Nasser bin Ghaith's health has deteriorated sharply…
(2018-12-20). Déjà vu on the Greek-Turkey Border. hrw.org 
| | Migrants that crossed the land border between Greece and Turkey are seen at the Pre-Removal Detention Center in the village of Fylakio, Northern Greece, February 24, 2017. | © 2017 Alexandros Avramidis /Reuters | Ten years ago, I documented a systematic pattern of brutal Greek border police pushbacks of migrants and asylum seekers at the Evros River border that divides Greece and Turkey. Last week, as I edited a new Human Rights Watch report, I felt as though I was re-reading my old report. | Here's a paragraph fro…
(2018-12-20). US Deporting Iraqis Without Valid Documents. hrw.org 
| | Protesters rally outside the federal court just before a hearing to consider a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of Iraqi nationals facing deportation, in Detroit, Michigan, US, June 21, 2017. | © 2017 Reuters/Rebecca Cook | (Beirut) — The United States government has deported at least 30 of a planned 1,400 people originally from Iraq back to their country, in some cases threatening long imprisonmen…
(2018-12-20). Iran: Imprisoned Dissident Dies. hrw.org 
| | Rajai Shahr Prison, Karaj, Iran. | © 2004 Private | (Beirut) — Iranian authorities should immediately carry out an independent and impartial investigation into the death of an imprisoned activist on a hunger strike, Human Rights Watch said today. Anyone found responsible for wrongdoing in the death of Vahid Sayadi Nasiri should be held accountable. Iranian authorities have systematically failed to conduct transparent investigations into at least prio…
(2018-12-20). Despite Assurances From Trump, the U.S. Battle Against ISIS in Eastern Syria Is Far From Over. theintercept.com 
Despite assurances from President Donald Trump that the Islamic State is no more, the U.S.-led battle to oust the militant group from its last Syrian stronghold has intensified in recent weeks. | Amid heavy fighting between the Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces and hardened Islamic State fighters, scores of civilians and prisoners have been killed by American airstrikes in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, according to sources on the ground. | As part of that campaign, U.S. warplanes bombed a hospital in the village of Al Shaafa…
(2018-12-20). Revisiting the Taco Bell Killing. theintercept.com 
In the fall of 2001, lawmakers in Cook County, Georgia voted to raise taxes for the coming year. The $1.75 million hike passed "unanimously but reluctantly," according to the Adel News Tribune, which cited large expenditures in the name of law and order. There was the opening of the new county jail, requiring new staff and equipment, but, more significantly, the previous spring Adel had seen its first death penalty trial in a generation. The weeklong trial of 20-year-old Devonia Inman for the killing of a single mother named Donna Brown "quadrupled the Superior Court budget," according to the newspaper. The seque…