(2019-05-18). 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.
(2019-05-18). 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). "What is it that Manning and Assange are being persecuted for? Revealing the truth" wsws.org We are publishing the speech of Niles Niemuth, a leading member of the Socialist Equality Party (US), at the May 12 public meeting in London in defence of jailed WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange and whistleblower Chelsea Manning.
(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). New Lawsuit Challenges Energy-Intensive 'Disaster for Climate, Wildlife, and Colorado River Basin'. commondreams.org The proposed massive oil shale project would drain more than 3 billion gallons of water per year from the Green River | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/whiteriver.jpg…
(2019-05-17). Lawsuit Challenges Trump Administration Approval of Massive Utah Oil Shale Development. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-05-17). Peace Advocates Sue Govt for Objections to Peace Justice in Colombia. plenglish.com Bogota, May 17 (Prensa Latina) A lawsuit was filed on Friday before the Colombian Council of State against the presidential objections to the statutory law of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP).
(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). 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). '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). US Again Jails Chelsea Manning for Refusing to Testify on WikiLeaks. theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — Released only last week after 62 days in detention for "contempt" from a previous grand jury for refusing to testify about WikiLeaks, whistleblower Chelsea Manning has been jailed by a new grand jury for the exact same reason. Manning has refused to testify against WikiLeaks, and her lawyers argued that the law doesn't allow detention to …
(2019-05-17). Thom Hartmann: The GOP Is Hellbent on Locking Up Women. truthdig.com During Mike Pence's first year as governor of Indiana, his state put a young woman in prison for having a miscarriage, alleging that she'd taken an abortion-causing drug. Purvi Patel didn't have a trace of such a drug in her system, but Pence's state sentenced her to 20 years in prison anyway. Just a few years earlier, Indiana had also held Bei Bei Shuai for 435…
(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). As Abortion Restrictions Sweep the South, Look to Southerners to Lead. truthout.org On May 14, the Alabama Senate passed an outright ban on abortion with exceptions only for serious health risks to the pregnant person or a fetal diagnosis incompatible with life. It is the most restrictive anti-abortion measure in the nation, as it classifies abortion as a felony with a punishment of up to 99 years in prison for doctors who perform the procedure. This comes shortly after Georgia joined Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio in passing a law that bans abortion as early as six weeks. | Since 2011, state legislators across the country have passed more than 400 medically unnecessary and politically motiva…
(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). Meet the Alabama Doctor Who Could Face 99 Years for Providing Abortions. truthout.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 A…
(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). 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 jailed again after refusing to testify against WikiLeaks. wsws.org Manning has courageously insisted on principle that she will never testify before any grand jury about her possible contacts with Assange and WikiLeaks or anything else.
(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). Judge Orders Manning Jailed, Imposes Daily $500 Fine After 30 Days Behind Bars. truthout.org In a move press freedom advocates and progressive critics decried as an "outrageous" and "unprecedented" escalation of a prolonged government harassment campaign, a federal judge on Thursday ordered U.S. Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning back to jail for refusing to testify before a secretive grand jury and imposed a $500 fine for every day she is in custody after 30 days. | If Manning refuses to comply with the grand jury subpoena after 60 days, the fine will increase to $1,000 per day. | During a court hearing on Thursday, Manning told Judge Anthony Trenga that she has no intention of giving in to governmen…
(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). Chelsea Manning to Return to Jail in 'Unprecedented' Ruling. truthdig.com Free speech advocates cry foul after a judge slaps the whistleblower with a steep financial fine if she continues to refuse to testify.
(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). Asylum Seekers Are Being "Disappeared" in Private Louisiana Jails. truthout.org Some names in this story have been changed to protect those criminalized for migration.There isn't much to see around the River Correctional Center, a small, privately run jail near the Mississippi River and the tiny town of Ferriday, Louisiana. Farmlands and fields stretch in either direction beyond the jail's barbed wire fence. In the 19th century, enslaved people worked cotton and sugar cane fields here, enriching white plantation owners with their daily l…
(2019-05-17). Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Recognizes 65 Year Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court Ruling. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(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). '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.
(2019-05-17). Trump earns new title: War criminal. peoplesworld.org 
Donald Trump, who has been called almost everything—racist demagogue, vulgar sexist, inept businessman, pathological liar, and moron—now assumes a new mantle: War Criminal. His latest steps into the inner sanctums of infamy involve his granting a pardon on May 6 to an ex-soldier, First Lt. Michael Behenna, who shot to death a naked Iraqi civilian, …
(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). It's "Xenophobia and Racism," Says Sanders, as Trump Threatens "Removal Forces" for Immigrants. commondreams.org President's new tweet forshadowing "removal forces" comes on heels of reporting that his administration will invoke arcane law to use military force to drive out immgrants | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/trump-removal-forces.jpg…
(2019-05-17). 65 years after Brown vs. Board: What happened to multicultural education? peoplesworld.org 
How much progress have we made in getting racism out of our schools since the Supreme Court decision in Brown vs. Board of Education? In 1954, our highest court ruled, "Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." Clearly, that was a great victory. Yet today, in many of our nation's cities, schools remain highly segregated. In former …
(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.
(2019-05-16). 'Senseless death must stop': Five states sue Purdue Pharma for driving opioid crisis. rt.com 
Fives US states have filed lawsuits against OxyContin producer Purdue Pharma for the company's role in driving the opioid epidemic. They join some 1,600 other lawsuits brought against Purdue in recent years.
(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). 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). 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). 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). 'I'd rather starve to death': Manning jailed again for refusing to testify against WikiLeaks. rt.com 
A federal judge has ordered Chelsea Manning to be jailed again for refusing to testify in a grand jury probe of Julian Assange, threatening the whistleblower with fines if the defiance continues. Manning says she would rather die.
(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). 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 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). 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). 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). 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.