Daily Archives: 2019-05-01

2019-05-01: News Headlines

teleSUR (2019-05-01). Israeli Official Slams Bernie Sanders For Calling PM 'Racist'. telesurenglish.net An Israeli cabinet minister condemned U.S. Democratic Party presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders on Tuesday for describing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government as racist over its treatment of Palestinians. | RELATED: | Biden Campaign Use Dirty Trick to Steal Donations from Sanders | Sanders, who previously stated that he is "100 percent pro-Israel" attacked Netanyahu after he was reelected to the premiership. | "The goal must be to try to bring people together and n…

Editor (2019-05-01). El humo, los espejos y el viejo juego de conchas. workers.org La política capitalista ha sido durante mucho tiempo un juego de conchas. Mientras que a las masas se les dice que acudan a las elecciones para abordar sus innumerables reclamos: los verdaderos problemas de la pobreza, el racismo, la falta de empleos permanentes bien remunerados y la atención médica asequible, . . . | Continue reading El humo, los espejos y el viejo juego de conchas at Workers.org

Fight Back (2019-05-01). May Day 2019: Build the fight to defeat Trump and the 1%. fightbacknews.org May 1, International Workers Day, is a celebration of the heroic struggle for a better world waged by workers and oppressed people around the world. Monopoly capitalism is the system we fight against. This system is everywhere, from our low wages and the lack of affordable health care, to racist and bigoted laws, to the neverending war and oppression felt around the globe. | Monopoly capitalism is a doomed system that is destined to give way to socialism, a system that puts working people before profits. The road to revolution and socialism grows shorter as workers and oppressed people gather together and organiz…

Adam Lee (2019-05-01). NAACP OPPOSES TRUMP JUDICIAL NOMINEE ANDREW BRASHER FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA. naacp.org President Trump has nominated Andrew Brasher to serve on the Federal Court for the Middle District of Alabama, and the full Senate is expected to vote on the nomination as soon as the middle of this week. The NAACP is strongly opposed to this nomination. Put simply, Mr. Brasher has demonstrated that he would put …

teleSUR (2019-05-01). Julian Assange Sentenced To 50 Weeks In Prison For Bail Breach. telesurenglish.net Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been sentenced by a London court on Wednesday to 50 weeks in jail for skipping bail. | RELATED: | Assange's Defense File Complaint on Ecuadorean Diplomats for Espionage | According to the Reuters News Agency, Assange violated the terms of his bail to enter the Ecuadorean embassy almost seven years ago. He was dragged out of the embassy last month and charged by the United States for one of the biggest ever leaks of classified informa…

Elijah J. Magnier (2019-05-01). Iran Rejects All Negotiations but Signals Domestic Differences: Its Confidence Remains Intact in the Face of Severe Sanctions. globalresearch.ca Despite the positive approach by Iran Foreign Minister Jawad Zarif proposing a humanitarian exchange of prisoners between Washington and Tehran (in an attempt to break the stalemate and ease the current tension), Iranian Speaker Ali Larijani and 'Iranian Revolutionary Guard …

Ernesto Huerta (2019-04-30). Long Beach, CA rally stands against far right. liberationnews.org "We have the power, as people, to stop racists from organizing and having a platform."

splcenter (2019-04-30). Court certifies class action in lawsuit on behalf of children detained by Trump administration. splcenter.org A federal court certified as a class action an SPLC lawsuit challenging the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement's (ORR) policies and practices regarding the release of unaccompanied minors and the reunification of immigrant families — a ruling with the potential to help end the prolonged detention of immigrant children across the United States.

Maj. Danny Sjursen (2019-04-30). The United States of Incarceration. truthdig.com This piece originally appeared in anti-war.com. | You've got to give it to the Defense Department — they're assiduous planners. I know: I used to be one. So the latest news that the DOD is preparing its 40 remaining forever prisoners at the extralegal detention center of Guantanamo Bay for nursing home and hospice care, should come as little surprise. It still shocks the senses a bit, though, doesn…

Democracy Now! (2019-04-30). Angela Davis: I Would Like to Accept Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Award After BDS Controversy. democracynow.org In February, Angela Davis returned to her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. She originally planned the visit to receive the Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, but the institute withdrew the award in January, soon after the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center sent a letter urging the board to reconsider honoring Davis due to her support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting the Israeli government and Israeli institutions. Facing swift and widespread outcry, the institute then reversed its decision and reinstated the award. While Angela Davis…

Democracy Now! (2019-04-30). Angela Davis & Barbara Ransby: We Stand with Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Courageous, Bold Black Woman. democracynow.org Two of the founders of Black Lives Matter, as well as professor Angela Davis and scores of other black women, are holding a rally today on Capitol Hill to defend Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and to urge Congress to censure President Trump for his attacks on her. Omar made history earlier this year when she and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan became the first Muslim women in Congress. She is also the first member of Congress to wear a hijab. Omar, who was born in Somalia and came to the United States as a refugee, has been at the center of numerous right-wing attacks since taking office. Omar recently said deat…

ACLU (2019-04-30). We Got U.S. Border Officials to Testify Under Oath. Here's What We Found Out. aclu.org ICE and CBP allow unfettered, warrantless searches of travelers' digital devices, and empower officers to dodge the Fourth Amendment | In September 2017, we, along with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, sued the federal government for its warrantless and suspicionless searches of phones and laptops at airports and other U.S. ports of entry. | The government immediately tried to dismiss our case, arguing that t…

ACLU (2019-04-30). There's a Battle Brewing at Google Over Employee Speech. The Outcome Affects Us All. aclu.org Retaliating against Big Tech employees who push their employers to do the right thing is a threat to us all. | The outcome of a battle heating up at Google over the limits of employee free speech will have huge consequences for all of us. Will Google shut down internal dissent and silence whistleblowers? Or will the company live up to its initial motto, "Don't be evil?" | In 2017, researchers Meredith Whittaker and Kate Crawford founded the AI Now Institute at New York University, with the goal of "produc[ing] interdisciplinary research on the social implication…

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2019-04-30). New Report Names Nearly 4,000 Companies Profiting Off of Private Prison Industry. commondreams.org "Today, more than half of the $80 billion spent annually on incarceration by government agencies is used to pay the thousands of vendors that serve the criminal legal system." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/prison_industry.jpg

Democracy Now! (2019-04-30). With U.S. Support, Venezuelan Opposition Launch a Coup in Latest Attempt to Oust Maduro. democracynow.org Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó says a coup is underway in Caracas. Guaidó appeared this morning, in a video posted online, standing among heavily armed soldiers, proclaiming he is "starting the final phase of Operation Liberty." He appeared alongside formerly jailed opposition leader Leopoldo López, who said he'd been freed from house arrest by military officers loyal to the opposition. Venezuela's defense minister said the government of Nicolás Maduro remains in control and that military units reported "normality" at barracks and bases across Venezuela. We speak to attorney Eva Golinger, who who served…

Venezuelanalysis (2019-04-30). A Military Uprising is Unfolding in Venezuela. mintpressnews.com A military coup attempt is underway in Venezuela on Tuesday, April 30, with imprisoned right wing leader Leopoldo Lopez, and self-proclaimed "Interim President" Juan Guaido and some members of the armed forces blocking a highway in Caracas and calling on the military to rise up. | According to reports, a group from Venezuela's Sebin intelligence service freed Leopoldo Lopez from house arrest early Tuesday morning. Lopez then joined Guaido and a handful of members from different branches of the armed forces in the Altamira highway in eastern Caracas close to La Carlota airbase. Lopez and Guaido published videos on…

teleSUR (2019-04-30). US: Almost 4,000 Companies Profit from Prison Industry. telesurenglish.net A non-profit advocacy organization has issued a new report for 2019 Tuesday which provides information on the corporations profiting from the prison industrial complex. | RELATED | US: Understaffed Prison Mailrooms Cause Ban on Book Donations | The report published by the advocacy group Worth Rises, who states their mission as "dedicated to dismantling the prison industrial complex and ending the exploitation of those it touches," has been keeping track of corporations that prof…

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2019-04-30). As Bernie Sanders Says 'No Apologies' for His Position, 70+ Groups Back Call for Prisoner Voting Rights. commondreams.org The advocacy organizations called on all 2020 presidential candidates to "publicly commit to ending felony disenfranchisement" | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/voting_rights.jpg

Gus Hall (2019-04-30). May Day flashbacks: Memories of a Communist and working-class leader. peoplesworld.org This collection of May Day memories from former Communist Party USA General Secretary Gus Hall (1910-2000) is an excerpt of an article that originally appeared in the Daily World newspaper on April 30, 1977. Hall shares flashbacks to some May Days in his own life—in his neighborhood, with his family, in prison during the Cold …

WSWS (2019-04-30). Pentagon fires Guantanamo prison commander for calling attention to US crimes. wsws.org Vice Admiral Ring was removed from his post after telling the media that the US prison camp had to prepare for "end-of-life" care for detainees.

Tim Requarth (2019-04-30). How Private Equity Is Turning Public Prisons Into Big Profits. thenation.com How Private Equity Is Turning Public Prisons Into Big Profits…

Michelle Chen (2019-04-30). Seeking Justice at Home. progressive.org Virginia juvenile justice advocates envision a correctional system not about police and prisons but about stability, families, and a continuum of care.

Workers World Philadelphia bureau (2019-04-30). Hundreds march in Philly to 'Free Mumia Now!'. workers.org On the heels of a favorable court decision that will allow Mumia Abu-Jamal to reopen his appeals, hundreds of people marched in the streets in the historically African-American Germantown section of Philadelphia April 27, days after the imprisoned activist/journalist's 65th birthday. The event kicked off with a rally at Vernon . . . | Continue reading Hundreds march in Philly to 'Free Mumia Now!' at Workers.org

Fight Back (2019-04-29). International Workers Day to be celebrated in Chicago. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL — Freedom Road Socialist Organization will host a major celebration of International Workers Day, on May 2, 6 p.m. at the UE Hall, 37 S. Ashland. | A teachers and support staff strike is set to begin on May 1, and leaders of the strike will be participating in the event. | Other speakers at the May Day event will include Frank Chapman, Field Organizer of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression; Aurelius Raines, a Chicago Teachers Union leader in the charter school strike that starts May 1; Anne Kirkner, Co-President of the Graduate Employees Organization, fresh from their st…

Fight Back (2019-04-29). Primero de mayo 2019: Derroquemos a Trump y al 1%. fightbacknews.org El primero de mayo, el día internacional de los trabajadores, es una celebración de la lucha heroica por un mundo mejor por los trabajadores y los oprimidos de todo el mundo. El imperialismo es el sistema contra que luchamos. Este sistema está en todas partes, desde nuestros bajos salarios y la falta de atención médica, hasta las leyes racistas e intolerantes, hasta la interminable guerra y opresión que se siente en todo el mundo. | El imperialismo es un sistema condenado que está destinado a dar paso al socialismo, un sistema que pone a los trabajadores primero. El camino hacia la revolución y el socialismo se a…

Adam Lee (2019-04-29). Crucial Climate change bill coming to the House floor this week! naacp.org Primarily as a result of human activities, the earth's climate is now changing faster and more extremely than at any point in the history of modern civilization. In response, in 2016, a large number of countries, including the U.S., signed onto the Paris Agreement. Sadly, in June of 2017 President Trump announced his intention to withdraw the …

Austyn Ross (2019-04-29). NAACP Releases Toolkit and Launches Compton Pilot Project. naacp.org "Our Communities, Our Power: Advancing Resistance and Resilience in Climate Change Adaptation" Compton, CA. April 20th, 2019—On Tuesday, April 30th at 9: 30amPT on the steps of the Compton City Hall at 205 S Willowbrook Ave, Compton, CA 90220, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) will release the Our Communities, Our Power: Advancing Resistance and Resilience …

Austyn Ross (2019-04-29). NAACP Mourns the Loss of John Singleton. naacp.org John Singleton was an amazing director and a great storyteller who was never afraid to show African Americans in complex, multi-dimensional roles. From Boyz n the Hood to Poetic Justice to the Fast and Furious franchise, Singleton helped usher in a new "Black Renaissance" of filmmaking that brought the joys and pains of the Black community into the …

Vanessa Mbonu@naacpnet (2019-04-29). NAACP Participates in Congresswoman Marcia Fudge's Voting Rights Hearings. naacp.org The NAACP joined leading civil rights and voting rights advocates in Halifax, North Carolina and Cleveland, Ohio to bring attention to voter suppression barriers in those states. Headed by Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH), the House Subcommittee on Elections hosted the hearings on voting rights and election administration and will continue to do so for the upcoming month. The NAACP …

RT (2019-04-29). Satanic Temple sues city for withdrawing permission for DEVILISH monument (PHOTO). rt.com The controversial Satanic Temple is giving its lawyers another workout, this time suing a city in Minnesota for withdrawing permission for a monument dedicated to the devil.

Staff (2019-04-29). Bernie Sanders Supports Voting Rights for the Imprisoned. therealnews.com Corporate media's twisted narrative frames voting rights as "letting terrorists and rapists vote."; Anoa Changa and Norman Solomon join host Jacqueline Luqman to discuss the battle over voting rights for people in jail…

Whitney Webb (2019-04-29). 50,000 Palestinian Children Imprisoned by Israeli Kangaroo Courts Since 1967. mintpressnews.com While Israel's government often touts itself as the "only democracy" in the Middle East, it is also the only government in the entire world that detains children through military courts with a near 100 percent conviction rate, something that even Saudi Arabia does not do.

Jared Ware & Miles Quarles (2019-04-29). How Movement To Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Prevailed Over Obstruction Of A Progressive Prosecutor. shadowproof.com A late December ruling by the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas Judge Leon Tucker re-opened pathways for long-time political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal to litigate his freedom. | "Progressive prosecutor" Larry Krasner's appeal of the ruling stood in the way until Wednesday, April 17. At issue was whether Ronald Castille—a former Philadelphia District Attorney, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice, and Krasner transition team member—had a constitutional duty to recuse himself from Mumia's appeals of…

Shadowproof (2019-04-27). The Shameful Moralizing On Prisoner Voting Rights. shadowproof.com Editor's Note: We're pleased to publish this preview of our member newsletter, "Keeping The Issues Alive," which provides a closer look at the stories we're following at Shadowproof. | Subscribe for $9/month and receive this weekly newsletter: SUBSCRIBE NOW | For this week's newsletter, Shadowproof publishing editor Brian Sonenstein responds to the backlash against the notion of allowing prisoners to vote, including those convicted of "violent offenses." | Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sander…

Vanessa Mbonu@naacpnet (2019-04-26). BAXTER, NAACP AND THE ALLIANCE FOR HOME DIALYSIS EXPAND PROGRAM TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF KIDNEY CARE AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS. naacp.org Partnership focuses on educating at-risk individuals about kidney disease and treatment options so they are inspired to make informed choices DEERFIELD, Ill., April 26, 2019 — Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX), a global leader in renal care, along with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Alliance for Home Dialysis, today announced that the Dialysis Health Imperative for Access, Choice, and Equity (ACE) program will be expanded for …

ACLU (2019-04-26). Social Media Blackouts Are an Authoritarian Power Move. aclu.org When Americans see governments shutting down Internet communications, they should see nothing but counterproductive, authoritarian exercises of power. | In the wake of the terrible Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka, that government shut down access to Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, and other social media services. The shutdown garnered praise from some within the United States and other democratic countries, but as tragic as the circumstances may be, Americans must never come to see social media or other Internet shutdowns as anything other than an authoritarian power move and/or a mistake. | Some commentators …

Jamila Johnson, SPLC Senior Supervising Attorney (2019-04-26). SPLC: Louisiana's title of incarceration capital of the world an opportunity for reform. splcenter.org Louisiana once again has the highest incarceration rate, imprisoning 719 of every 100,000 residents, according to a report released this week by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Democracy Now! (2019-04-26). Filipina Journalist Maria Ressa Helped Expose Duterte's Deadly Drug War; He's Now Trying to Jail Her. democracynow.org The award-winning Filipina journalist Maria Ressa has been arrested twice in recent months by the Philippines government as President Rodrigo Duterte cracks down on critics and the media. In February, she was detained in a cyber libel case that's widely seen as politically motivated. She was arrested again in late March for allegedly violating a ban on foreign media ownership. Duterte has long attempted to shut down Rappler, which has published groundbreaking work on Duterte's deadly war on drugs that has killed thousands. Duterte has repeatedly described the site as fake news outlet. We speak with Maria Ressa, t…

Consortiumnews (2019-04-26). Assange's Imprisonment Arguably Reveals Even More Corruption Than WikiLeaks Did. consortiumnews.com By locking up Assange, the U.S, its allies and corporate media have inadvertently exposed themselves for what they are, and we're now able to point that out for everyone to see, writes Caitlin Johnstone. By Caitlin Johnstone CaitlinJohnstone.com Consortium News has launched… Read more →

unitedEditor (2019-04-25). A Dangerous global trend (part two). uwidata.com The Belgian intelligence service (VSSE) had earlier warned that members of a far-right racist group, mainly based in Austria and Belgium, were "actively arming themselves." According to the VSSE, the far-right in Western Europe began to "call on their members to learn to shoot and acquire weapons both legally and illegally." This information, alongside a …

pip.hinman (2019-04-25). Still in detention after 10 years, Tamil refugee must now fight cancer. greenleft.org.au Sivaguru Navanitharasa is a Tamil refugee who fled Sri Lanka in 2008. After staying for a year in Malaysia with no legal status, he set out for Australia, where he has been detained for nearly 10 years, first on Christmas Island and then in Villawood detention centre. | Navanitharasa is now in MITA immigration detention centre in Broadmeadows, Melbourne, where he faces a new challenge: overcoming cancer. | Navanitharasa has been recognised as a refugee, but remains in detention because ASIO classified him as a security risk. This was due to his previous membership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a…

Democracy Now! (2019-04-25). From Crime Bill to Iraq War Vote, Biden's Legislative History Under Scrutiny as He Enters Race. democracynow.org Former Vice President Joe Biden has entered the 2020 race for the White House, becoming the 20th Democrat to seek the nomination in the largest and most diverse field of Democratic candidates ever to run for president. Biden will face scrutiny for his long and checkered record in the coming weeks, including his 1994 crime bill, that helped fuel mass incarceration with financial incentives to keep people behind bars, and his handling of Anita Hill's sexual harassment allegations against Supreme Court justice nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991. Biden is also known for close ties to the financial industry and voting to…

Staff (2019-04-25). Sen. Warren Wants to Jail Those Who Caused 2008's Meltdown. therealnews.com BIll Black examines the historical context of Warren's bills for easier prosecution of banks and corporate leaders…

Democracy Now! (2019-04-25). Headlines for April 25, 2019. democracynow.org President Trump Vows to Fight "All the Subpoenas" from Congress, U.S. Forces and Allies Killed More Afghan Civilians in Early 2019 Than the Taliban, U.S.-Led Coalition Killed 1,600 Syrian Civilians in Raqqa, Syria, China Jails Hong Kong Activists Who Led 2014 Pro-Democracy Rallies, Wealthy Sri Lankan Spice Trader Among Those Arrested over Easter Bombings, U.N. Condemns Saudi Arabia's Mass Execution of 37 Prisoners, Texas Executes White Supremacist Behind 1998 Lynching of James Byrd Jr., Joe Biden Enters 2020 Presidential Race, Kirstjen Nielsen Warned Against Discussing Russian Election Meddling with Trump, Thousa…

pip.hinman (2019-04-25). Refugee sends plea from Manus Island. greenleft.org.au Thousands turned out for refugee rights rallies across the country on Palm Sunday, April 14. | Kurdish refugee Farhad Bandesh, who is detained on Manus Island, addressed the rally in Newcastle by phone. Below is an edited transcript of his speech. | *** | My name is Farhad Bandesh. | I speak to you from Manus Island, where I have been imprisoned and tortured with others, like our friends on Nauru, for nearly six years. | I wish to acknowledge the land of the Awabakal people of the Kulin Nation, stolen land, and I pay respect to Indigenous people, past, present and future. | I want to thank you all so very much fo…

ACLU (2019-04-24). An Indictment in All But Name. aclu.org The report dispassionately lays out the facts, which are an indictment in all but name. | Special Counsel Robert Mueller's long-awaited report, released to the public in a redacted version on April 18, lays out in meticulous detail both a blatantly illegal effort by Russia to throw the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump and repeated efforts by President Trump to end, limit, or impede Mueller's investigation of Russian interference. Trump's efforts included firing or attempting to fire those overseeing the investigation, directing subordinates to lie on his behalf, cajoling witnesses not to cooperate, and…

Democracy Now! (2019-04-24). Bernie Sanders Spurs Debate on Prisoner Voting Rights, But the Idea Is "Not as Radical as It Seems" democracynow.org Presidential candidate and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said at a town hall Monday that he believed in restoring voting rights for prisoners, sparking a national discussion about re-enfranchisement for the more than 2 million Americans behind bars. Presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg has spoken out against prisoner voting rights, while Senator Elizabeth Warren said "I'm not there yet" on the issue. Senator Kamala Harris said "there has to be serious consequence for the most extreme types of crimes," referencing her background as a prosecutor. We speak with Ari Berman, senior writer at Mother Jones, about the pu…

Democracy Now! (2019-04-24). Headlines for April 24, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Says White House Aides Should Not Testify to Congress, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin Ignores Congressional Deadline on Trump's Tax Records, U.S. Uses Veto Threat to Gut U.N. Resolution on Sexual Violence, Death Toll from Sri Lanka Easter Bombings Climbs to 359, Saudi Arabia Carries Out Mass Execution of Prisoners, Including Public Crucifixion, Hasan Minhaj Confronts Jared Kushner over His Support of Saudi Crown Prince, Kim Jong-un Arrives in Russia for First Meeting with Vladimir Putin, Malawi Begins First-Ever Malaria Vaccination Campaign, NYT Report: Navy SEALs Were Ordered to Remain Silent on War Crimes, Dr…

Democracy Now! (2019-04-23). Right-Wing Vigilantes Hold Migrants Hostage on U.S. Border. Did Border Patrol Give Tacit Approval? democracynow.org The FBI has arrested the head of an armed vigilante group that has repeatedly filmed itself detaining migrant border crossers at gunpoint. Sixty-nine-year-old Larry Mitchell Hopkins is the leader of the far-right, pro-Trump group calling itself United Constitutional Patriots, which the American Civil Liberties Union described as an "armed fascist militia organization." His arrest came just days after the ACLU accused the vigilantes of illegally detaining 300 migrants, including young children, near Sunland Park, New Mexico, last week. We speak to Peter Simonson, executive director of the ACLU of New Mexico.

ACLU (2019-04-22). Supreme Court Takes Cases of People Fired for Being LGBTQ. aclu.org The court will consider whether to take anti-discrimination protections away from LGBTQ people. | Can a business fire someone because they're LGBTQ? The Supreme Court will soon tell us. | After a funeral home outside Detroit fired Aimee Stephens because she is transgender, Aimee won a federal appeals court ruling that the firing violated the federal law barring sex discrimination in the workplace. After Don Zarda was fired from his job as a skydiving instr…

2019-05-01: Social Media Postees

El humo, los espejos y el viejo juego de conchas
Editor | workers.org | 2019-05-01
La política capitalista ha sido durante mucho tiempo un juego de conchas. Mientras que a las masas se les dice que acudan a las elecciones para abordar sus innumerables reclamos: los verdaderos problemas de la pobreza, el racismo, la falta de empleos permanentes bien remunerados y la atención médica asequible, . . . | Continue reading El humo, los espejos y el viejo juego de conchas at Workers.org
workers.org/2019/04/30/el-humo-los-espejos-y-el-viejo-juego-de-conchas/

May Day 2019: Build the fight to defeat Trump and the 1%
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-05-01
May 1, International Workers Day, is a celebration of the heroic struggle for a better world waged by workers and oppressed people around the world. Monopoly capitalism is the system we fight against. This system is everywhere, from our low wages and the lack of affordable health care, to racist and bigoted laws, to the neverending war and oppression felt around the globe. | Monopoly capitalism is a doomed system that is destined to give way to socialism, a system that puts working people before profits. The road to revolution and socialism grows shorter as workers and oppressed people gather together and organiz…
fightbacknews.org/2019/4/30/may-day-2019-build-fight-defeat-trump-and-1

Israeli Official Slams Bernie Sanders For Calling PM 'Racist'
telesurenglish.net | 2019-05-01
An Israeli cabinet minister condemned U.S. Democratic Party presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders on Tuesday for describing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government as racist over its treatment of Palestinians. | RELATED: | Biden Campaign Use Dirty Trick to Steal Donations from Sanders | Sanders, who previously stated that he is "100 percent pro-Israel" attacked Netanyahu after he was reelected to the premiership. | "The goal must be to try to bring people together and n…
telesurenglish.net/news/Israeli-Official-Slams-Bernie-Sanders-For-Calling-PM-Racist-20190501-0007.html

NAACP OPPOSES TRUMP JUDICIAL NOMINEE ANDREW BRASHER FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA
Adam Lee | naacp.org | 2019-05-01
President Trump has nominated Andrew Brasher to serve on the Federal Court for the Middle District of Alabama, and the full Senate is expected to vote on the nomination as soon as the middle of this week. The NAACP is strongly opposed to this nomination. Put simply, Mr. Brasher has demonstrated that he would put …
naacp.org/latest/naacp-opposes-trump-judicial-nominee-andrew-brasher-middle-district-alabama/

Julian Assange Sentenced To 50 Weeks In Prison For Bail Breach
telesurenglish.net | 2019-05-01
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been sentenced by a London court on Wednesday to 50 weeks in jail for skipping bail. | RELATED: | Assange's Defense File Complaint on Ecuadorean Diplomats for Espionage | According to the Reuters News Agency, Assange violated the terms of his bail to enter the Ecuadorean embassy almost seven years ago. He was dragged out of the embassy last month and charged by the United States for one of the biggest ever leaks of classified informa…
telesurenglish.net/news/Julian-Assange-Sentenced-To-50-Weeks-In-Prison-For-Bail-Breach-20190501-0009.html

Iran Rejects All Negotiations but Signals Domestic Differences: Its Confidence Remains Intact in the Face of Severe Sanctions
Elijah J. Magnier | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-01
Despite the positive approach by Iran Foreign Minister Jawad Zarif proposing a humanitarian exchange of prisoners between Washington and Tehran (in an attempt to break the stalemate and ease the current tension), Iranian Speaker Ali Larijani and 'Iranian Revolutionary Guard …
globalresearch.ca/iran-rejects-all-negotiations-signals-domestic-differences-confidence-remains-intact/5676150

Long Beach, CA rally stands against far right
Ernesto Huerta | liberationnews.org | 2019-04-30
"We have the power, as people, to stop racists from organizing and having a platform."
liberationnews.org/long-beach-ca-rally-stands-against-far-right/

The United States of Incarceration
Maj. Danny Sjursen | truthdig.com | 2019-04-30
This piece originally appeared in anti-war.com. | You've got to give it to the Defense Department — they're assiduous planners. I know: I used to be one. So the latest news that the DOD is preparing its 40 remaining forever prisoners at the extralegal detention center of Guantanamo Bay for nursing home and hospice care, should come as little surprise. It still shocks the senses a bit, though, doesn…
truthdig.com/articles/the-united-states-of-incarceration/

Court certifies class action in lawsuit on behalf of children detained by Trump administration
splcenter.org | 2019-04-30
A federal court certified as a class action an SPLC lawsuit challenging the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement's (ORR) policies and practices regarding the release of unaccompanied minors and the reunification of immigrant families — a ruling with the potential to help end the prolonged detention of immigrant children across the United States.
splcenter.org/news/2019/04/30/court-certifies-class-action-lawsuit-behalf-children-detained-trump-administration

Angela Davis: I Would Like to Accept Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Award After BDS Controversy
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-04-30
In February, Angela Davis returned to her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. She originally planned the visit to receive the Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, but the institute withdrew the award in January, soon after the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center sent a letter urging the board to reconsider honoring Davis due to her support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting the Israeli government and Israeli institutions. Facing swift and widespread outcry, the institute then reversed its decision and reinstated the award. While Angela Davis…
www.democracynow.org/2019/4/30/angela_davis_i_would_like_to

Angela Davis & Barbara Ransby: We Stand with Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Courageous, Bold Black Woman
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-04-30
Two of the founders of Black Lives Matter, as well as professor Angela Davis and scores of other black women, are holding a rally today on Capitol Hill to defend Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and to urge Congress to censure President Trump for his attacks on her. Omar made history earlier this year when she and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan became the first Muslim women in Congress. She is also the first member of Congress to wear a hijab. Omar, who was born in Somalia and came to the United States as a refugee, has been at the center of numerous right-wing attacks since taking office. Omar recently said deat…
www.democracynow.org/2019/4/30/angela_davis_barbara_ransby_we_stand

There's a Battle Brewing at Google Over Employee Speech. The Outcome Affects Us All
aclu.org | 2019-04-30
Retaliating against Big Tech employees who push their employers to do the right thing is a threat to us all. | The outcome of a battle heating up at Google over the limits of employee free speech will have huge consequences for all of us. Will Google shut down internal dissent and silence whistleblowers? Or will the company live up to its initial motto, "Don't be evil?" | In 2017, researchers Meredith Whittaker and Kate Crawford founded the AI Now Institute at New York University, with the goal of "produc[ing] interdisciplinary research on the social implication…
aclu.org/blog/free-speech/employee-speech-and-whistleblowers/theres-battle-brewing-google-over-employee

We Got U.S. Border Officials to Testify Under Oath. Here's What We Found Out
aclu.org | 2019-04-30
ICE and CBP allow unfettered, warrantless searches of travelers' digital devices, and empower officers to dodge the Fourth Amendment | In September 2017, we, along with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, sued the federal government for its warrantless and suspicionless searches of phones and laptops at airports and other U.S. ports of entry. | The government immediately tried to dismiss our case, arguing that t…
aclu.org/blog/privacy-technology/privacy-borders-and-checkpoints/we-got-us-border-officials-testify-under

New Report Names Nearly 4,000 Companies Profiting Off of Private Prison Industry
Eoin Higgins, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-04-30
"Today, more than half of the $80 billion spent annually on incarceration by government agencies is used to pay the thousands of vendors that serve the criminal legal system." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/prison_industry.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/04/30/new-report-names-nearly-4000-companies-profiting-private-prison-industry?cd-origin=rss

With U.S. Support, Venezuelan Opposition Launch a Coup in Latest Attempt to Oust Maduro
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-04-30
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó says a coup is underway in Caracas. Guaidó appeared this morning, in a video posted online, standing among heavily armed soldiers, proclaiming he is "starting the final phase of Operation Liberty." He appeared alongside formerly jailed opposition leader Leopoldo López, who said he'd been freed from house arrest by military officers loyal to the opposition. Venezuela's defense minister said the government of Nicolás Maduro remains in control and that military units reported "normality" at barracks and bases across Venezuela. We speak to attorney Eva Golinger, who who served…
www.democracynow.org/2019/4/30/with_us_support_venezuelan_opposition_launch

How Private Equity Is Turning Public Prisons Into Big Profits
Tim Requarth | thenation.com | 2019-04-30
How Private Equity Is Turning Public Prisons Into Big Profits…
thenation.com/article/prison-privatization-private-equity-hig/

Pentagon fires Guantanamo prison commander for calling attention to US crimes
wsws.org | 2019-04-30
Vice Admiral Ring was removed from his post after telling the media that the US prison camp had to prepare for "end-of-life" care for detainees.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/04/30/guan-a30.html

US: Almost 4,000 Companies Profit from Prison Industry
telesurenglish.net | 2019-04-30
A non-profit advocacy organization has issued a new report for 2019 Tuesday which provides information on the corporations profiting from the prison industrial complex. | RELATED | US: Understaffed Prison Mailrooms Cause Ban on Book Donations | The report published by the advocacy group Worth Rises, who states their mission as "dedicated to dismantling the prison industrial complex and ending the exploitation of those it touches," has been keeping track of corporations that prof…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-Almost-4000-Companies-Profit-from-Prison-Industry-20190430-0022.html

As Bernie Sanders Says 'No Apologies' for His Position, 70+ Groups Back Call for Prisoner Voting Rights
Jake Johnson, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-04-30
The advocacy organizations called on all 2020 presidential candidates to "publicly commit to ending felony disenfranchisement" | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/voting_rights.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/04/30/bernie-sanders-says-no-apologies-his-position-70-rights-groups-back-call-prisoner?cd-origin=rss

May Day flashbacks: Memories of a Communist and working-class leader
Gus Hall | peoplesworld.org | 2019-04-30
This collection of May Day memories from former Communist Party USA General Secretary Gus Hall (1910-2000) is an excerpt of an article that originally appeared in the Daily World newspaper on April 30, 1977. Hall shares flashbacks to some May Days in his own life–in his neighborhood, with his family, in prison during the Cold …
peoplesworld.org/article/may-day-flashbacks-memories-of-a-communist-and-working-class-leader/

Hundreds march in Philly to 'Free Mumia Now!'
Workers World Philadelphia bureau | workers.org | 2019-04-30
On the heels of a favorable court decision that will allow Mumia Abu-Jamal to reopen his appeals, hundreds of people marched in the streets in the historically African-American Germantown section of Philadelphia April 27, days after the imprisoned activist/journalist's 65th birthday. The event kicked off with a rally at Vernon . . . | Continue reading Hundreds march in Philly to 'Free Mumia Now!' at Workers.org
workers.org/2019/04/30/hundreds-march-in-philly-to-free-mumia-now/

A Military Uprising is Unfolding in Venezuela
Venezuelanalysis | mintpressnews.com | 2019-04-30
A military coup attempt is underway in Venezuela on Tuesday, April 30, with imprisoned right wing leader Leopoldo Lopez, and self-proclaimed "Interim President" Juan Guaido and some members of the armed forces blocking a highway in Caracas and calling on the military to rise up. | According to reports, a group from Venezuela's Sebin intelligence service freed Leopoldo Lopez from house arrest early Tuesday morning. Lopez then joined Guaido and a handful of members from different branches of the armed forces in the Altamira highway in eastern Caracas close to La Carlota airbase. Lopez and Guaido published videos on…
mintpressnews.com/venezuela-coup-attempt-military/257980/

Seeking Justice at Home
Michelle Chen | progressive.org | 2019-04-30
Virginia juvenile justice advocates envision a correctional system not about police and prisons but about stability, families, and a continuum of care.
progressive.org/dispatches/seeking-justice-at-home-chen-190430/

International Workers Day to be celebrated in Chicago
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-04-29
Chicago, IL — Freedom Road Socialist Organization will host a major celebration of International Workers Day, on May 2, 6 p.m. at the UE Hall, 37 S. Ashland. | A teachers and support staff strike is set to begin on May 1, and leaders of the strike will be participating in the event. | Other speakers at the May Day event will include Frank Chapman, Field Organizer of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression; Aurelius Raines, a Chicago Teachers Union leader in the charter school strike that starts May 1; Anne Kirkner, Co-President of the Graduate Employees Organization, fresh from their st…
fightbacknews.org/2019/4/29/international-workers-day-be-celebrated-chicago

Primero de mayo 2019: Derroquemos a Trump y al 1%
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-04-29
El primero de mayo, el día internacional de los trabajadores, es una celebración de la lucha heroica por un mundo mejor por los trabajadores y los oprimidos de todo el mundo. El imperialismo es el sistema contra que luchamos. Este sistema está en todas partes, desde nuestros bajos salarios y la falta de atención médica, hasta las leyes racistas e intolerantes, hasta la interminable guerra y opresión que se siente en todo el mundo. | El imperialismo es un sistema condenado que está destinado a dar paso al socialismo, un sistema que pone a los trabajadores primero. El camino hacia la revolución y el socialismo se a…
fightbacknews.org/node/7397

Crucial Climate change bill coming to the House floor this week!
Adam Lee | naacp.org | 2019-04-29
Primarily as a result of human activities, the earth's climate is now changing faster and more extremely than at any point in the history of modern civilization. In response, in 2016, a large number of countries, including the U.S., signed onto the Paris Agreement. Sadly, in June of 2017 President Trump announced his intention to withdraw the …
naacp.org/latest/crucial-climate-change-bill-coming-house-floor-week/

NAACP Participates in Congresswoman Marcia Fudge's Voting Rights Hearings
Vanessa Mbonu@naacpnet | naacp.org | 2019-04-29
The NAACP joined leading civil rights and voting rights advocates in Halifax, North Carolina and Cleveland, Ohio to bring attention to voter suppression barriers in those states. Headed by Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH), the House Subcommittee on Elections hosted the hearings on voting rights and election administration and will continue to do so for the upcoming month. The NAACP …
naacp.org/latest/naacp-participates-congresswoman-marcia-fudges-voting-rights-hearings/

NAACP Mourns the Loss of John Singleton
Austyn Ross | naacp.org | 2019-04-29
John Singleton was an amazing director and a great storyteller who was never afraid to show African Americans in complex, multi-dimensional roles. From Boyz n the Hood to Poetic Justice to the Fast and Furious franchise, Singleton helped usher in a new "Black Renaissance" of filmmaking that brought the joys and pains of the Black community into the …
naacp.org/latest/naacp-mourns-loss-john-singleton/

NAACP Releases Toolkit and Launches Compton Pilot Project
Austyn Ross | naacp.org | 2019-04-29
"Our Communities, Our Power: Advancing Resistance and Resilience in Climate Change Adaptation" Compton, CA. April 20th, 2019–On Tuesday, April 30th at 9: 30amPT on the steps of the Compton City Hall at 205 S Willowbrook Ave, Compton, CA 90220, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) will release the Our Communities, Our Power: Advancing Resistance and Resilience …
naacp.org/latest/naacp-releases-toolkit-launches-compton-pilot-project/

Satanic Temple sues city for withdrawing permission for DEVILISH monument (PHOTO)
rt.com | 2019-04-29
The controversial Satanic Temple is giving its lawyers another workout, this time suing a city in Minnesota for withdrawing permission for a monument dedicated to the devil. | …
rt.com/usa/457831-satanic-temple-monument-lawsuit/

Bernie Sanders Supports Voting Rights for the Imprisoned
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-04-29
Corporate media's twisted narrative frames voting rights as "letting terrorists and rapists vote."; Anoa Changa and Norman Solomon join host Jacqueline Luqman to discuss the battle over voting rights for people in jail…
therealnews.com/stories/bernie-sanders-supports-voting-rights-for-the-imprisoned

How Movement To Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Prevailed Over Obstruction Of A Progressive Prosecutor
Jared Ware & Miles Quarles | shadowproof.com | 2019-04-29
A late December ruling by the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas Judge Leon Tucker re-opened pathways for long-time political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal to litigate his freedom. | "Progressive prosecutor" Larry Krasner's appeal of the ruling stood in the way until Wednesday, April 17. At issue was whether Ronald Castille–a former Philadelphia District Attorney, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice, and Krasner transition team member–had a constitutional duty to recuse himself from Mumia's appeals of…
shadowproof.com/2019/04/29/how-movement-to-free-mumia-abu-jamal-prevailed-over-obstruction-of-a-progressive-prosecutor/

50,000 Palestinian Children Imprisoned by Israeli Kangaroo Courts Since 1967
Whitney Webb | mintpressnews.com | 2019-04-29
While Israel's government often touts itself as the "only democracy" in the Middle East, it is also the only government in the entire world that detains children through military courts with a near 100 percent conviction rate, something that even Saudi Arabia does not do.
mintpressnews.com/50000-palestinian-children-imprisoned-israel/257973/

The Shameful Moralizing On Prisoner Voting Rights
shadowproof.com | 2019-04-27
Editor's Note: We're pleased to publish this preview of our member newsletter, "Keeping The Issues Alive," which provides a closer look at the stories we're following at Shadowproof. | Subscribe for $9/month and receive this weekly newsletter: SUBSCRIBE NOW | For this week's newsletter, Shadowproof publishing editor Brian Sonenstein responds to the backlash against the notion of allowing prisoners to vote, including those convicted of "violent offenses." | Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sander…
shadowproof.com/2019/04/27/the-shameful-moralizing-on-prisoner-voting-rights/

BAXTER, NAACP AND THE ALLIANCE FOR HOME DIALYSIS EXPAND PROGRAM TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF KIDNEY CARE AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS
Vanessa Mbonu@naacpnet | naacp.org | 2019-04-26
Partnership focuses on educating at-risk individuals about kidney disease and treatment options so they are inspired to make informed choices DEERFIELD, Ill., April 26, 2019 — Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX), a global leader in renal care, along with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Alliance for Home Dialysis, today announced that the Dialysis Health Imperative for Access, Choice, and Equity (ACE) program will be expanded for …
naacp.org/latest/baxter-naacp-alliance-home-dialysis-expand-program-increase-awareness-kidney-care-among-african-americans/

Social Media Blackouts Are an Authoritarian Power Move
aclu.org | 2019-04-26
When Americans see governments shutting down Internet communications, they should see nothing but counterproductive, authoritarian exercises of power. | In the wake of the terrible Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka, that government shut down access to Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, and other social media services. The shutdown garnered praise from some within the United States and other democratic countries, but as tragic as the circumstances may be, Americans must never come to see social media or other Internet shutdowns as anything other than an authoritarian power move and/or a mistake. | Some commentators
aclu.org/blog/free-speech/internet-speech/social-media-blackouts-are-authoritarian-power-move

SPLC: Louisiana's title of incarceration capital of the world an opportunity for reform
Jamila Johnson, SPLC Senior Supervising Attorney | splcenter.org | 2019-04-26
Louisiana once again has the highest incarceration rate, imprisoning 719 of every 100,000 residents, according to a report released this week by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.
splcenter.org/news/2019/04/26/splc-louisiana%25E2%2580%2599s-title-incarceration-capital-world-opportunity-reform

Filipina Journalist Maria Ressa Helped Expose Duterte's Deadly Drug War; He's Now Trying to Jail Her
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-04-26
The award-winning Filipina journalist Maria Ressa has been arrested twice in recent months by the Philippines government as President Rodrigo Duterte cracks down on critics and the media. In February, she was detained in a cyber libel case that's widely seen as politically motivated. She was arrested again in late March for allegedly violating a ban on foreign media ownership. Duterte has long attempted to shut down Rappler, which has published groundbreaking work on Duterte's deadly war on drugs that has killed thousands. Duterte has repeatedly described the site as fake news outlet. We speak with Maria Ressa, t…
www.democracynow.org/2019/4/26/filipina_journalist_maria_ressa_helped_expose

Assange's Imprisonment Arguably Reveals Even More Corruption Than WikiLeaks Did
consortiumnews.com | 2019-04-26
By locking up Assange, the U.S, its allies and corporate media have inadvertently exposed themselves for what they are, and we're now able to point that out for everyone to see, writes Caitlin Johnstone. By Caitlin Johnstone CaitlinJohnstone.com Consortium News has launched… Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/04/26/assanges-imprisonment-arguably-reveals-even-more-corruption-than-wikileaks-did/

A Dangerous global trend (part two)
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-04-25
The Belgian intelligence service (VSSE) had earlier warned that members of a far-right racist group, mainly based in Austria and Belgium, were "actively arming themselves." According to the VSSE, the far-right in Western Europe began to "call on their members to learn to shoot and acquire weapons both legally and illegally." This information, alongside a …
uwidata.com/3213-a-dangerous-global-trend-part-two/

Still in detention after 10 years, Tamil refugee must now fight cancer
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2019-04-25
Sivaguru Navanitharasa is a Tamil refugee who fled Sri Lanka in 2008. After staying for a year in Malaysia with no legal status, he set out for Australia, where he has been detained for nearly 10 years, first on Christmas Island and then in Villawood detention centre. | Navanitharasa is now in MITA immigration detention centre in Broadmeadows, Melbourne, where he faces a new challenge: overcoming cancer. | Navanitharasa has been recognised as a refugee, but remains in detention because ASIO classified him as a security risk. This was due to his previous membership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a…
greenleft.org.au/content/still-detention-after-10-years-tamil-refugee-must-now-fight-cancer

From Crime Bill to Iraq War Vote, Biden's Legislative History Under Scrutiny as He Enters Race
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-04-25
Former Vice President Joe Biden has entered the 2020 race for the White House, becoming the 20th Democrat to seek the nomination in the largest and most diverse field of Democratic candidates ever to run for president. Biden will face scrutiny for his long and checkered record in the coming weeks, including his 1994 crime bill, that helped fuel mass incarceration with financial incentives to keep people behind bars, and his handling of Anita Hill's sexual harassment allegations against Supreme Court justice nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991. Biden is also known for close ties to the financial industry and voting to…
www.democracynow.org/2019/4/25/from_crime_bill_to_iraq_war

Sen. Warren Wants to Jail Those Who Caused 2008's Meltdown
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-04-25
BIll Black examines the historical context of Warren's bills for easier prosecution of banks and corporate leaders…
therealnews.com/stories/sen-warren-wants-to-jail-those-who-caused-2008s-meltdown

Headlines for April 25, 2019
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-04-25
President Trump Vows to Fight "All the Subpoenas" from Congress, U.S. Forces and Allies Killed More Afghan Civilians in Early 2019 Than the Taliban, U.S.-Led Coalition Killed 1,600 Syrian Civilians in Raqqa, Syria, China Jails Hong Kong Activists Who Led 2014 Pro-Democracy Rallies, Wealthy Sri Lankan Spice Trader Among Those Arrested over Easter Bombings, U.N. Condemns Saudi Arabia's Mass Execution of 37 Prisoners, Texas Executes White Supremacist Behind 1998 Lynching of James Byrd Jr., Joe Biden Enters 2020 Presidential Race, Kirstjen Nielsen Warned Against Discussing Russian Election Meddling with Trump, Thousa…
www.democracynow.org/2019/4/25/headlines

Refugee sends plea from Manus Island
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2019-04-25
Thousands turned out for refugee rights rallies across the country on Palm Sunday, April 14. | Kurdish refugee Farhad Bandesh, who is detained on Manus Island, addressed the rally in Newcastle by phone. Below is an edited transcript of his speech. | *** | My name is Farhad Bandesh. | I speak to you from Manus Island, where I have been imprisoned and tortured with others, like our friends on Nauru, for nearly six years. | I wish to acknowledge the land of the Awabakal people of the Kulin Nation, stolen land, and I pay respect to Indigenous people, past, present and future. | I want to thank you all so very much fo…
greenleft.org.au/content/refugee-sends-plea-manus-island

An Indictment in All But Name
aclu.org | 2019-04-24
The report dispassionately lays out the facts, which are an indictment in all but name. | Special Counsel Robert Mueller's long-awaited report, released to the public in a redacted version on April 18, lays out in meticulous detail both a blatantly illegal effort by Russia to throw the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump and repeated efforts by President Trump to end, limit, or impede Mueller's investigation of Russian interference. Trump's efforts included firing or attempting to fire those overseeing the investigation, directing subordinates to lie on his behalf, cajoling witnesses not to cooperate, and…
aclu.org/blog/executive-branch/indictment-all-name

Bernie Sanders Spurs Debate on Prisoner Voting Rights, But the Idea Is "Not as Radical as It Seems"
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-04-24
Presidential candidate and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said at a town hall Monday that he believed in restoring voting rights for prisoners, sparking a national discussion about re-enfranchisement for the more than 2 million Americans behind bars. Presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg has spoken out against prisoner voting rights, while Senator Elizabeth Warren said "I'm not there yet" on the issue. Senator Kamala Harris said "there has to be serious consequence for the most extreme types of crimes," referencing her background as a prosecutor. We speak with Ari Berman, senior writer at Mother Jones, about the pu…
www.democracynow.org/2019/4/24/bernie_sanders_spurs_debate_on_prisoner

Headlines for April 24, 2019
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-04-24
Trump Says White House Aides Should Not Testify to Congress, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin Ignores Congressional Deadline on Trump's Tax Records, U.S. Uses Veto Threat to Gut U.N. Resolution on Sexual Violence, Death Toll from Sri Lanka Easter Bombings Climbs to 359, Saudi Arabia Carries Out Mass Execution of Prisoners, Including Public Crucifixion, Hasan Minhaj Confronts Jared Kushner over His Support of Saudi Crown Prince, Kim Jong-un Arrives in Russia for First Meeting with Vladimir Putin, Malawi Begins First-Ever Malaria Vaccination Campaign, NYT Report: Navy SEALs Were Ordered to Remain Silent on War Crimes, Dr…
www.democracynow.org/2019/4/24/headlines

Right-Wing Vigilantes Hold Migrants Hostage on U.S. Border. Did Border Patrol Give Tacit Approval?
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-04-23
The FBI has arrested the head of an armed vigilante group that has repeatedly filmed itself detaining migrant border crossers at gunpoint. Sixty-nine-year-old Larry Mitchell Hopkins is the leader of the far-right, pro-Trump group calling itself United Constitutional Patriots, which the American Civil Liberties Union described as an "armed fascist militia organization." His arrest came just days after the ACLU accused the vigilantes of illegally detaining 300 migrants, including young children, near Sunland Park, New Mexico, last week. We speak to Peter Simonson, executive director of the ACLU of New Mexico.
www.democracynow.org/2019/4/23/right_wing_vigilantes_hold_migrants_hostage

Supreme Court Takes Cases of People Fired for Being LGBTQ
aclu.org | 2019-04-22
The court will consider whether to take anti-discrimination protections away from LGBTQ people. | Can a business fire someone because they're LGBTQ? The Supreme Court will soon tell us. | After a funeral home outside Detroit fired Aimee Stephens because she is transgender, Aimee won a federal appeals court ruling that the firing violated the federal law barring sex discrimination in the workplace. After Don Zarda was fired from his job as a skydiving instr…
aclu.org/blog/lgbt-rights/lgbt-nondiscrimination-protections/supreme-court-takes-cases-people-fired-being