(2019-05-20). What's Trending: Black News Recap. naacp.org 
Washington Post: Billionaire Robert F. Smith pledges to pay off Morehouse College Class of 2019‚Ä≤s student loans Smith told the graduates how he launched his lucrative career. He gave them wise words on grit and success. Then he deviated from his prepared remarks. "My family is going to create a grant to …
(2019-05-20). Chelsea Manning Returned to Prison; Illegal Arrests of Embassy Protectors. indybay.org On the same day, May 16, 2019, the remaining 4 Venezuelan Embassy Protectors were falsely arrested by US police who illegally entered the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington D.C. and Chelsea Manning was returned to prison as a political prisoner for refusing to cooperate with the witchhunting grand jury, and this time, the reactionary Judge Anthony Trenga added the threat of daily fines of up to $500 a day after 30 days and rising to $1000 a day after 60 days. We heard not a peep of opposition to these reactionary actions by Nazi Trump from the Democratic Party candidates for president.
(2019-05-20). London hunger striker tells The Canary why she's prepared to die. thecanary.co The Canary recently spoke to a 48-year-old woman in London who's on hunger strike. And she explained exactly why she took this drastic step. | Nahide Zengin has a positive attitude which is so contagious that I can't help but grin. Like many others, she's in exile. Branded as a 'terrorist' by the Turkish state, she now lives in London. Along with roughly 7,000 other Kurdish people around the world, she is on an indefinite h…
(2019-05-20). FARC party in Colombia Demands Dignified Treatment for Santrich. plenglish.com Bogota, May 20 (Prensa Latina) The FARC leadership demanded the Colombian State due process and dignified treatment for Jesus Santrich as a political prisoner and given his status as a signer of the Peace Agreement.
(2019-05-20). India Brutally Tortures Kashmiri Prisoners: Report. telesurenglish.net The Kashmiri prisoners under Indian occupation are subjected to brutal physical, psychological and sexual abuse, said a report published Monday. | ANALYSIS: | 71 Years of Occupation and Piling Bodies in Indian-Occupied Kashmir | The 560-page report provides details on the torture Kashmiri prisoners are made to under…
(2019-05-20). The war on women is still on. nationofchange.org On Wednesday, in the wake of the majority vote by 25 white Republican men in the senate of one of the most impoverished states in the U.S., #AlabamaAbortionBan was trending both south and north of the Canadian border. | Also trending, #Talabama. | That's because the Alabama abortion | ban is one of the most draconian revocations of women's rights since | women won the vote, a ban tha…
(2019-05-20). They're Just About Ready to Destroy Roe v. Wade. counterpunch.org Militarism, consumerism, and racism have drawn alongside, and even to, misogyny and anti-immigrant hate. The juggernaut of greed, power, and hate may be impossible to stop at this point in U.S. history. Those of goodwill have been fighting the good fight against these regressive forces for decades. When the Vietnam War ended, only a brief More
(2019-05-20). Racist Voter Suppression Made Alabama's Abortion Ban Possible. truthout.org I was devastated when I saw the news that Alabama passed a near-total abortion ban set to take effect in six months if not challenged. My husband is from Alabama, and it's a place I've come to love as well. Yet it's impossible not to consider how different our lives would be right now if the difficult pregnancy I experienced at the beginning of our romantic relationship had happened in his home state instead of my own, New York. | A little less than six years ago, I found myself excitedly holding a positive pregnancy test. Though the timing was sooner than expected, we were fortunate to have the emotional and…
(2019-05-20). Alabama's Abortion Ban Is a Political Stunt That Will Cost Its Taxpayers. aclu.org The draconian law is a flagrantly unconstitutional attack on more than 40 years of established Supreme Court precedent. | This piece originally appeared at the Alabama Political Reporter. | For years, the Alabama legislature has been passing laws that push abortion out of reach. Now politicians have finally shown their true colors and are trying to ban abortion outright. | On Wednesday, Governor Ivey signed H.B. 314 — one of the most extreme attacks on the ri…
(2019-05-20). Headlines for May 20, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Threatens "Official End of Iran" Via Tweet If It Provokes the U.S., First Phase of Kushner's Middle East Peace Plan to Focus on Palestinian Economy, Sweden Requests Detention of Assange as WikiLeaks Accuses U.S. of Illegally Seizing His Property, Australian Voters Choose Conservative PM Morrison Over Opponent Who Vowed to Tackle Climate Change, Austria Calls Snap Election After Far-Right Leader Caught in Corruption Scandal, Protesters Take to the Streets Ahead of European Parliament Elections, Narendra Modi on Track for Second Term as Prime Minister as Voting Ends in India, Taiwan Legalizes Same-Sex Marriag…
(2019-05-20). France Threatens Journalists With Jail Time for Exposing Government Lies About Yemen. theantimedia.com (MEE) — France has threatened three French journalists with potential jail time for using secret documents to reveal the country's involvement in the Yemen civil war. In a series of reports published in April, investigative journalists from Disclose and Radio France revealed the number of French arms sold to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The documents, authored by …
(2019-05-19). Inhumane Illegal Treatment Widespread in Israel Prisons: Report. telesurenglish.net A new report has found that prisoners in Israeli jails are often kept in facilities "unfit for human residence" and constantly face illegal punitive measures, according to a probe made by the Israeli Public Defense Office (PDO) published on May 12. | RELATED: | Israel Detained 500 Palestinians, Including 89 Children So Far in 2019 | "This is a nationwide problem that causes a daily violation of prisoners' and detainees' basic rights and a violation of their human rights,…
(2019-05-19). Selected Articles: US War Agenda: Venezuela before Iran? globalresearch.ca Online independent analysis of US-led wars, rampant corruption, corporate greed, civil rights and fraudulent monetary transactions is invariably relegated to the bottom rung of search engine results. | As a result we presently do not cover our monthly running costs which …
(2019-05-19). Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Is Being Pushed By 'Islamophobia Industry'. therealnews.com 
Civil rights lawyer and activist Arjun Singh Sethi says, "Even the CIA actually came out and said it would be a mistake, because in many ways the Muslim Brotherhood more recently has been a force of moderation and democratization in the Middle East."
(2019-05-18). For the Latest News on WikiLeaks Watch the 30th Online Vigil. consortiumnews.com Host Elizabeth Vos led a discussion with author George Szamuely on Chelsea Manning returning to prison; Sweden reopening its case against Assange and the other big headlines of the week. Read more →
(2019-05-18). The epidemic of e-cigarettes: Judge rules FDA must implements regulations, sides with public health groups. nationofchange.org An increase of underage vaping has created an epidemic of e-cigarette use by teens. Without any warning or information about e-cigarettes, the FDA have given manufacturers a free pass to sell and market "these harmful products" a lawsuit filed by several public health groups said. | On Wednesday, a federal judge sided with the groups behind the lawsuit requiring the Food and Drug Administration was responsible for regulating e-cigarettes and cigars much sooner than the agency planned. The lawsuit, which was filed by the AAP, its Maryland Chapter, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart As…
(2019-05-18). Ellen & Rachel Meeropol and Boots Riley on art and resistance. mronline.org 
Ellen Meeropol is the author of two novels about law, justice, and government surveillance. Her most recent book, "On Hurricane Island," explores a fictional secret domestic detention camp for citizens. | Source
(2019-05-17). NAACP and Civil Rights Groups Hold Rally on the 65th Anniversary of Brown v. Board. naacp.org 
On May 16, NAACP along with civil rights organizations and members of Congress held a rally on Capitol Hill to make the promise of Brown v. Board of Education a reality for all. In honor of the 65th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, speakers addressed the still urgent struggle for education equity as well …
(2019-05-17). Chelsea Manning Back in Prison After Refusing to Testify. therealnews.com 
Freed eight days ago, Manning was subpoenaed before a new grand jury investigating Assange. Despite grave danger to her health, she refused to testify, saying she would rather die in prison than change her principles…
(2019-05-17). Headlines for May 17, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Immigration Plan Favors Job Skills Over Asylum Claims and Family Ties, Trump Officials Reportedly Clash Over U.S. Sabre-Rattling With Iran, UNICEF Chief Calls Yemen War "a Test of Our Humanity" That "We Are Badly Failing", Venezuelan Government Blasts U.S. Seizure of Embassy as Vienna Convention Violation, Brazilian Teachers and Students March Against Education Cuts, Mexican Journalist Francisco Romero Killed in Playa del Carmen, Lawyer Says Tennessee Prisoner "Suffered Excruciating Pain" During Execution, Alabama Prisoner Put to Death After "Pro-Life" Governor Denies Reprieve, Senate Confirms Anti-Choice A…
(2019-05-17). Meet The Alabama Doctor Who Could Face 99 Years In Prison For Providing Abortions Under New Law. democracynow.org 
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed the nation's most restrictive abortion ban into law on Wednesday, effectively banning the procedure except in cases where a pregnant person's life is at serious risk. The law does not make exceptions in cases of rape or incest and doctors could face 99 years in prison for performing abortions. We speak with Dr. Yashica Robinson, the medical director of the Alabama Women's Center for Reproductive Alternatives, one of only three clinics left in the state that offer patients abortion services. She is one of only two abortion providers living and working in Alabama. Under the new Alab…
(2019-05-17). Far right winning the social media war. greenleft.org.au 
A decade ago the left believed that it could use social media to outflank the established mass media. But it is the far right that now dominates social media. | Two recent events have focused attention on extreme right social media. The shooter in the Christchurch massacre was an addict of white supremacist message boards on platforms like Reddit and 4Chan. Like the alt-right platform Gab, these noticeboards are filled with overt racism, homophobia, misogyny and Hitler worship. | A very different sort of hard-right social media fuels Vox, the Spanish neo-fascist party that won 13% of the vote in the April general…
(2019-05-17). New York Passes a Bill to Ensure No One Loses Their Home for Calling the Police. aclu.org 
Americans shouldn't be threatened with losing housing because they called for help. | In cities and towns across New York state — and around the country — you can be evicted just for calling for police or emergency assistance. Fortunately, that's about to change in New York. The State Legislature recently passed a bill — unanimously in the Assembly and 58 to 1 in the Senate — to prote…
(2019-05-17). Ohio Lawmakers Ignored Us When They Banned Abortion. They Can't Ignore Us in the Courtroom. aclu.org When Ohio legislators decided to sign the bill into law, we knew we had to both continue to provide care and defend access to that care in the courts. | Last month, Gov. Mike DeWine signed the Ohio Legislature's abortion ban into law. The law recklessly prohibits abortions starting around six weeks. As an abortion provider, I can tell you this is, in fact, a ban on all abortions in Ohio. Approximately 90% of abortions in Ohio take place at or after six weeks. Before six weeks, most people do not even know they are pregnant. | In defense of people across Ohio, I knew that our clinic couldn't stand by and do nothin…
(2019-05-17). 'Don't get comfortable:' Trump announces record detentions, says migrants will be 'sent home'. rt.com 
Donald Trump has called on Democrats to vote for his immigration reform to fix the 'National Emergency" on the US' border with Mexico, saying that migrants are being detained in record numbers to be repatriated.
(2019-05-17). 'This was treason:' Trump hints at 'long jail sentences' over 'FBI spying' on his campaign. rt.com 
President Donald Trump has hit back at the FBI and Justice Department officials accused of spying on his 2016 campaign, calling the actions "treason" and suggesting serious jail time may be in order.
(2019-05-17). Chelsea Manning jailed again after telling judge she'd rather 'starve to death' than cooperate with grand jury. thecanary.co After just six days of freedom, former US intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning was remanded into custody on 16 May for refusing to testify before a federal Grand Jury. | Manning will be held in confinement for the entire investigation. And Judge Anthon…
(2019-05-17). Woman Gets 15 Years for Posing as Sheriff to Break Her Boyfriend Out of Jail. theantimedia.com (TMU) — After Maxine Feldstein's boyfriend was jailed, the pair hatched a plot akin to something out of a Bonnie and Clyde movie. While in jail, Nicholas Lowe suggested to his girlfriend that she pose as a Ventura County sheriff deputy in an attempt to trick employees into releasing him into her care. And so she …
(2019-05-17). France Takes Unprecedented Action Against Reporters Who Published Secret Government Document. theintercept.com Journalists in France are facing potential jail sentences in an unprecedented case over their handling of secret documents detailing the country's involvement in the Yemen conflict. | Earlier this week, a reporter from Radio France and the co-founders of Paris-based investigative news organization Disclose were called in for questioning at the offices of the General Directorate for Internal Security, known as the DGSI. The agency is tasked with fighting terrorism, espionage, and other domestic threats, similar in function to the FBI in the United States. | The two news organizations published stories in April [md…
(2019-05-17). Chelsea Manning Sent Back to Jail for Refusing to Testify Against Wikileaks. mintpressnews.com Manning already spent two months in jail for refusing a previous subpoena to testify to a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks. She was released last week when that grand jury's term expired, but prosecutors quickly hit her with a new subpoena.
(2019-05-17). 'We fight too many wars!' Rev. Jackson denounces US militarism after Venezuela embassy raid. rt.com 
Renowned American civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson has spoken out against US militaristic foreign policy after delivering food supplies to peace activists at the Venezuelan embassy in DC before their forceful eviction.
(2019-05-16). Arizona Officials Say It's Unsafe for Prisoners to Read About Race and Criminal Justice. They're Wrong. aclu.org The ban is not only unnecessary and inhumane, it's unconstitutional. | For many people behind bars, books can be a lifeline to the outside world. In the words of poet, attorney, and former prisoner Reginald Dwayne Betts, "Books weren't really magic when I was a child, they were just something that I [enjoyed] reading. I thought it was important, but when I got locked up it became magic,…
(2019-05-16). "Inside Syria's Secret Prisons": A Harrowing Account of How Assad's Torture Machine Crushed Dissent. democracynow.org 
A shocking exposé by the New York Times looks at how Bashar al-Assad's government has jailed and tortured tens of thousands of Syrians since the uprising began in 2011. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, nearly 128,000 people have disappeared. They are presumed to be either dead or still in custody. The group estimates almost 14,000 individuals have died under torture. The detentions are continuing even as the fighting winds down. More than 5,600 Syrians were reportedly arbitrarily detained last year in a 25 percent jump from the previous year. While the Syrian government has denied running a secre…
(2019-05-16). Our Government Has Failed to Defend the Sixth Amendment. aclu.org There is a crisis in our nation of disregard for protecting the right to counsel for people accused of crimes. | On May 8, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) elevated the crisis of federal and state governments' disregard for protecting the right to counsel for people charged with crimes. She did so by introducing the Ensuring Quality Access to Legal Defense Act (EQUAL Defense Act) a bill that uses federal money — $250 million dollars annually for five years — to incentivize pay parity between public defenders and prosecutors, ensure manageable defender caseloads, and reauthorize the student loan repayment pro…
(2019-05-16). Protesters say 'Dutton out, refugees in'. greenleft.org.au 
Refugee rights activists rallied outside home affairs minister Peter Dutton's electorate office in Queensland on May 11. They are hoping Dutton will lose his seat at the federal election on May 18. | Regardless of who wins the election, the Refugee Action Coalition is organising another protest on July 19 — six years after the Rudd Labor government announced that, from that point on, all refugees who arrived by boat would be sent to offshore detention. | Mark Gillespie, spokesperson for RAC, said that the movement needs to continue to press its demands for refugee rights no matter which party forms governme…
(2019-05-16). Fight Against Voter Suppression Continues in Georgia. therealnews.com 
Plaintiffs argue before the GA Supreme Court that malfunctioning voting machines caused tens of thousands of missing votes in the Georgia Lt. Gov. race. What could it mean if this case goes forward?
(2019-05-16). Chelsea Manning Faces More Jail And Steep Fines To Force Compliance With Grand Jury Subpoena. shadowproof.com *Listen to the story by clicking the above player. Unable to break Chelsea Manning's spirit by jailing her, the United States escalated efforts to force her to testify before a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks by imposing steep financial penalties. Judge Anthony Trenga held Manning in civil contempt and ordered her…
(2019-05-16). GOP-Led Efforts to Crush Unions Have a New Target: Home Health Care Workers. theintercept.com Five states are suing the Trump administration for a rule that would impede home care workers' ability to deduct union fees from Medicaid-funded paychecks.
(2019-05-16). As EPA Insists Weed Killer Roundup is Safe, a Jury Orders Monsanto to Pay $2B to Couple With Cancer. democracynow.org 
U.S. agribusiness giant Monsanto has been ordered to pay its highest damages yet in a massive lawsuit over the popular weedkiller Roundup. A jury ordered Monsanto to pay more than $2 billion in punitive damages to Alva and Alberta Pilliod, a couple who were both diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cancer after using Roundup on their properties for decades. Monsanto is owned by German pharmaceutical giant Bayer. The main ingredient in the weed killer Roundup, glyphosate, is said to cause the cancer. Attorneys estimate that there are thousands of similar cases against Roundup pending in courts around the country.
(2019-05-15). Justice Department: If FDA Regulated Execution Drugs, They Would Ban Them. shadowproof.com The Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel drafted an opinion that definitively argues the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may not ban or regulate drugs used to execute prisoners. | As state governments that have yet to abolish the death penalty struggle to obtain drugs for lethal injections, a key issue is whether certain lethal injection protocols violate the Constitution's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. | Texas sued the FDA in 2017 after the agency blocked [ PDF] a shipment of lethal in…
(2019-05-15). Alabama Passes Near Total Ban on Abortion as Part of "Stealth Campaign" to Overturn Roe v. Wade. democracynow.org 
Alabama lawmakers voted to effectively ban abortion Tuesday, passing the most restrictive anti-choice law in the country in a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade. The bill approved by the Senate Tuesday and the Alabama House last month bans abortions at all phases. Doctors could face up to 99 years in prison for performing abortions. The bill's only exception is grave risk to the mother's life — not cases of rape and incest. The legislation is now heading to the desk of anti-choice Republican Governor Kay Ivey, and many expect she'll sign it. Opponents say they'll challenge the bill in court should it become la…
(2019-05-15). We're Suing to Block Ohio's Abortion Ban. aclu.org Abortion is a constitutional right. | Today we filed a lawsuit challenging Ohio's ban on abortion starting at six weeks of pregnancy. Our lawsuit comes a day after Alabama passed a similar law and weeks after Georgia, Kentucky, and Mississippi passed similar measures. | A ban on abortion starting at six weeks is a ban on almost all abortions. Before six weeks, most people do not even know that they are pregnant. | Legally, this case is…
(2019-05-15). New Homeland Security Secretary, Same Anti-Immigrant Agenda. aclu.org Beware of walls, money grabs, and other sham solutions as DHS leadership shifts. | Kevin McAleenan, the new acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, abruptly assumed office in April because his predecessor reportedly wasn't tough enough for President Trump. Ironically, McAleenan claims that "you can be tough and compassionate at the same time." But actions speak louder than words., , Don't be fooled, McAleenan does not represent a new leaf. He is d…
(2019-05-15). Police Unions Should Never Undermine Constitutional Policing. aclu.org Seattle's consent decree was meant to bolster accountability and transparency by law enforcement; it needs to have teeth to be effectuated properly. | In 2017, the Seattle City Council adopted an ordinance establishing a number of progressive police reforms aimed at strengthening community trust in police and ensuring police accountability. Fast forward to today and these reforms are under fire by a familiar opponent: Police unions. | The comprehensive reforms in Seattle…
(2019-05-15). New Orleans Prosecutors Routinely Violate Defendants' Right to Counsel to Keep Them in Jail. theintercept.com Prosecutors are sidestepping the Sixth Amendment by seeking bail hikes in undisclosed meetings with judges, according to a new report by Court Watch NOLA.
(2019-05-14). NAACP Opposes Wendy Vitter and all Nominees Who Refuse to Affirm Brown v Board of Education. naacp.org BALTIMORE — Today, the NAACP announced its opposition to the nomination of Wendy Vitter to the Eastern District of Louisiana and all nominees refusing to endorse the Supreme Court's seminal ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. "This week, we celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Brown v. Board of …
(2019-05-14). Pesticide Lawsuits and the Threat Hiding in the Perfect Lawn. progressive.org More than 13,400 consumer lawsuits against Monsanto and Bayer AG, which manufacture the weed-killer Roundup, allege it is the cause of various cancers. Now, a new judgment has awarded one couple $2 billion in damages.
(2019-05-13). What's Trending: Black News Recap. naacp.org 
Blavity: Civil Rights Organizations Are Fighting For Crystal Mason, Who Was Imprisoned For Voting, To Be Released From Prison Crystal Mason, a Texas woman who was sent to prison for voting, is fighting for her freedom with the help of new additions to her legal team.The Texas Civil Rights Project, American …
(2019-05-13). I've Been to Guantanamo. It's No Place for Kids. aclu.org The Administration's proposal of sending immigrant children to Guantanamo Bay is dangerous and inhumane. | Over the last year, the country has been shocked by reports of the inhumane treatment of children and families in immigrant detention. Now, the Trump administration appears to be increasing the scope and severity of its immigrant detention scheme by potentially detaining immigrants at Guantanamo Bay. | News broke last week that the Defense Department awarded a $23 million dollar contract to construct a "Contingency Mass Migra…
(2019-05-13). Arundhati Roy on Why She Admires WikiLeaks & Opposes Assange's Extradition to the U.S. democracynow.org 
In Sweden, prosecutors are reopening an investigation into sexual assault allegations against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and are seeking his extradition to face charges in Sweden. Prosecutors had dropped the investigation in 2017 because they said the case could not proceed while Assange was holed up at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he lived for seven years before being forcibly removed by British police last month. Assange has since been sentenced to 50 weeks in jail in Britain for skipping bail in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden. Assange has denied the sexual assault accusations. Assange pr…