(2020-02-24). Assange's US extradition hearing begins: What's it all about and how did we get here? rt.com 
A London court is set to begin hearings to determine whether or not jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be extradited to the US on charges of conspiracy where he faces life in prison. | Assange has languished in London's top security Belmarsh Prison since he was dragged from London's Ecuadorian Embassy by British police in April last year and subsequently slapped with 18 charges under the US Espionage Act, which could see him sentenced to up to 175 years in prison. | The Australian journalist and whistleblower had, for the seven years prior, been living in the London embassy, where he had sought asylu…
(2020-02-24). 'Oppression, arbitrary detention & torture will happen to journalists if extradition is successful' — Assange's father. rt.com 
If Julian Assange's transfer to the US isn't stopped, other journalists and publishers face the imminent risk of being persecuted, detained or even tortured, his father exclaimed as his extradition trial got under way in London. | A crowd of supporters have gathered outside London's Woolwich Crown Court, which will hear arguments from lawyers for US authorities who want Assange extradited on espionage charges that carry a maximum sentence of 175 years behind bars. | "We're here to vigorously and firmly support Julian in this ten-year-long oppression and political action that's [reached its] culmination here i…
(2020-02-24). Tampa students rally for justice for Jamee Johnson. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally at the University of South Florida calling for justice and all victims of police brutality, highlighting Jamee Johnson, a Black man who was murdered by officers in Jacksonville. At the February 19 protest, about 15 students promoted the need for community control of the police through police accountability councils. They also demonstrated for their ongoing campaign to increase Black enrollment at USF. | With chants saying, "USF shame on you! Black lives matter too!" the students used the rally to reach out to the student body about the wa…
(2020-02-24). 'It Would be the End of Free Speech': Protest Against Assange's Extradition at Belmarsh Prison. sputniknews.com Today is the day a London court begins hearing on what looks to become (or at least precede) one of the defining cases of the decade — the extradition trial of Julian Assange. The WikiLeaks founder has found support from human rights advoctes from across the globe, including France's Yellow Vest movement.
(2020-02-24). Because #NeverAgainIsNow, Japanese Americans, Allies Stage Rally Demanding Closure of Immigration Prison. commondreams.org "We believe the best way to honor our history is by fighting to end detention sites today." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/day-remembrance-nwdc.jpg …
(2020-02-24). 'The Worst Kind of Fascists': Trump Visits Modi's India and Announces $3 Billion Arms Deal. commondreams.org "For decades, the U.S.-India relationship was anchored by claims of shared values of human rights and human dignity. Now, those shared values are discrimination, bigotry, and hostility towards refugees and asylum seekers." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/modi_2.jpg …
(2020-02-24). Selected Articles: Bioweapons as Weapons of Modern Warfare? 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 …
(2020-02-23). A Guide to Restoring Faith in Democracy. truthdig.com 
"In Defence of Democracy" | American democracy is in trouble as never before. In the past, there have been moments when democratic process and democratic guarantees have been suspended — Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus, the internment of the Japanese Americans during World War II, the McCarthy hearings with their extralegal destruction of lives and careers — and we have lived through tragic errors in judgment, as in the Vietnam War — but never has the whole system of America democracy b…
(2020-02-23). Updated: Israeli Soldiers Abduct Eight Palestinians In West Bank. imemc.org Israeli soldiers abducted, on Sunday at dawn, seven Palestinians from their homes, in several parts of the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem, the Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) has reported. Another Palestinian was abducted, on Sunday afternoon, near Jerusalem. | Update:…
(2020-02-23). "We want to show the DNC that the people have the power," says Milwaukee coalition. fightbacknews.org New York, NY – On February 22, a Wisconsin delegation invited a conference of nearly 60 organizations to join a major protest at the Democratic National Convention taking place in Milwaukee in July. | The members of the Coalition to March on the DNC made their announcement on the second day of the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) national conference. The UNAC conference is a major gathering of international solidarity and anti-oppression activists from across North America, taking place at the People's Forum in New York City. | The coalition is calling on all progressive, left, democratic and socialist or…
(2020-02-22). Bid to free Manning launched as explosive new evidence threatens to end Assange extradition. thecanary.co Lawyers acting on behalf of imprisoned whistleblower Meanwhile, more evidence has emerged to further the argument that the extradition hearings should end on th…
(2020-02-22). Minnesota progressives say 'Don't vote for Amy Klobuchar'. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN — Minnesota progressives are urging voters around the country to reject Democratic Party contender Amy Klobuchar. | Jess Sundin, a leader in the fight against police crimes says, "Amy Klobuchar is a racist. When she was Hennepin County District Attorney, she always sided with law enforcement against the interests of community members. She never charged a single cop in 40 cases of police murder of civilians. She sent an African American child, Myon Burrell, to prison for life, despite evidence that he was not involved in the crime she prosecuted him for." | Sundin continued, "The people of He…
(2020-02-22). How Wall Street and Real Estate Exploited Anti-Housing Discrimination Policies. truthout.org In 1970, Janice Johnson, a Black single mother in Philadelphia, was facing eviction from an old apartment building condemned by the city. She was desperately seeking a place for her and her 8-year-old son to live, and her attempts to rent nearby apartments were coming up short. A landlord suggested she buy rather than rent a home, and just two weeks later, Johnson was approved for a Federal Housing Administration-backed mortgage loan of $5,800. | Conditions in their new home quickly deterio…
(2020-02-21). Malcolm X's Daughter Ilyasah Shabazz on Her Father's Legacy & the New Series "Who Killed Malcolm X?" democracynow.org 
Fifty-five years ago today, Malcolm X was assassinated. The civil rights leader was shot to death on February 21, 1965, at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. He was only 39 years old. Details of his assassination remain disputed to this day. Earlier this month, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said he was considering reopening the investigation, just days after a new documentary series about the assassination was released on Netflix called "Who Killed Malcolm X?" It makes the case that two of the three men who were convicted for Malcolm X's murder are actually innocent and that his uncaught killers wer…
(2020-02-21). Headlines for February 21, 2020. democracynow.org Roger Stone Sentenced to 40-Month Prison Term, Trump Lashed at Intel Chief over Warning of Russian Meddling in 2020 Election, Germany Mourns Victims of Right-Wing Terror Attacks, Suspect Arrested in Stabbing at London Mosque, U.K. to Close Borders to "Unskilled" and Non-English-Speaking Immigrants, Protests Erupt as Acting ICE Director Challenges New York Pro-Immigrant Laws, Mexican Radio Journalist Murdered in Ciudad Juárez, February Flowers Bloom in Moscow Amid Record-High Winter Temperatures, 28 Arrested in Seattle Protesting Chase Bank Fossil Fuel Ties, Rail Blockades Continue as Protests Grow Against Coastal…
(2020-02-21). Weekend Read: SPLC files civil rights complaints as asylum seekers wage hunger strikes. splcenter.org …
(2020-02-21). Racist Drug Laws Lead to Racist Enforcement in Cities Across the Country. aclu.org The way which America enforces its drug laws has been Across racial and ethnic groups, Americans use and sell drugs at rates, but law enforcement has targeted Black and brown people for stops, arrests, prosecution, and | imprisonment at wildly disproportionate rates. | This race-…
(2020-02-20). Minnesota House subcommittee passes bill to end local jail contracts with ICE. fightbacknews.org St. Paul, MN – On February 19, the House Subcommittee on Local Government voted to pass House File 3060. HF 3060 is a bill that would end contracts that local jails in Minnesota have with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain people facing civil immigration charges. Currently several county jails in Minnesota have contracts with ICE to hold hundreds of immigrants facing deportation. | The bill, sponsored by democrat Representative Fue Lee, who represents part of north Minneapolis, will now advance to the Government Operations Committee. | Before voting on the bill, the committee heard testimony fr…
(2020-02-20). The Supreme Court Will Decide Whether Asylum Seekers Receive Their Day in Court. aclu.org In March, we will be in front of the U.S. Supreme Court to defend the right to a day in court for asylum seekers and other vulnerable noncitizens. That decision w…
(2020-02-20). U.S. Resident Indefinitely Detained Without Charge Secures His Day In Court. aclu.org Adham Hassoun will | finally have his day in court. A federal judge has rejected the government's sweeping | claim that it can, on its own say-so, indefinitely imprison him without charge | and without a fair trial. | Adham is a long-time U.S. resident and a father of three. As we previously his criminal sentence and was set to be released from prison almost three years | ago. But the government — claiming unprecedented and unconstitutional…
(2020-02-20). San Jose Day of Remembrance marks 40th anniversary with large turnout. fightbacknews.org San José, CA – On February 16, the San Jose Day of Remembrance held its 40th annual event with the second-highest attendance ever – more than 550 people. The event started in 1981 as part of the nationwide movement of Japanese Americans demanded redress (an official apology) and reparations (monetary compensation) for their incarceration during World War II. | The San Jose Day of Remembrance is held on the Sunday of Presidents Day weekend, which is near the date of February 19, 1942 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which laid the legal basis for the incarceration of more than 120,…
(2020-02-20). Venezuela files ICC lawsuit over US sanctions. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-02-19). No to religious discrimination. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-02-19). Uphold rainbow rights and kill the religious privilege bill. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-02-18). Journalist: Harvey Weinstein's Defense Team Is Waging a War Against the #MeToo Movement. democracynow.org 
A jury of seven men and five women meet today in New York Supreme Court to begin deliberations on whether to find disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault. The case has drawn international attention amid the #MeToo movement. If the jurors find Weinstein guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 100 women but in this case faces five charges based on evidence relating to two main accusers. One woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, alleges she was raped by Weinstein in a New York hotel, for which he has been charged wit…
(2020-02-18). Our Vision to Transform What it Means to Be a Prosecutor. aclu.org 
It's a long-established fact that the United States is the largest incarcerator in the world. Over two million people are behind bars, roughly a quarter of whom are simply awaiting trial. Millions more are under some form of state supervision, such as parole or probation. | Many players have a hand in our mass incarceration crisis, but there's one actor with almost
(2020-02-18). ICE's Destruction of Records Must Be Stopped. aclu.org Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is | notorious for committing rampant unconstitutional and inhumane abuses in its | detention system — something advocates, communities, and years. Public oversight of ICE detention is about to become even harder, | further eroding accountability and endangering the health and safety of more than | 50,000 people in ICE custody every day. That's because the National Archives | and R…
(2020-02-18). There is a Coordinated Attack Against Trans Youth in State Legislatures. aclu.org Less than a | month and a half into 2020, this state legislative session has seen on bills that would harm trans youth. | Also | alarming: These bills, and the terminology used in them, use playbook. | Right now, | bills are pending in 10 states that | would criminalize l…
(2020-02-17). Headlines for February 17, 2020. democracynow.org Americans Aboard Cruise Ship Repatriated as 71,000 Global Cases of Coronavirus Confirmed, 1,100+ Ex-DOJ Staff Call on Attorney General Barr to Resign, Sen. Klobuchar Can't Say Name of Mexican President, Sen. Sanders Calls Out Bloomberg on Campaign Trail, Bloomberg's Company Faced Years of Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Lawsuits, LGBT Activists of Color Call Out Pete Buttigieg for Ties to Big Money, Conservative Positions, Airstrikes Kill 31 People, Including Children, in Yemen, Intensifying Syrian Gov't Offensive Has Displaced 800,000 Civilians Since December, Airstrike Kills 8 Civilians in Afghanistan as U…
(2020-02-14). Detroit Overtaxed Residents by $600M, Causing Foreclosure Crisis. Residents Are Now Fighting Back. democracynow.org 
In Detroit, a showdown between progressive lawmakers and the city is taking on racist housing policies that robbed African Americans in Detroit of their homes and widened the racial wealth gap. On Thursday, the Coalition for Property Tax Justice announced a class-action lawsuit against the city of Detroit, Wayne County and the state of Michigan in response to unfair property tax foreclosures. One in four Detroit properties have been subject to property tax foreclosure, a level comparable only to tax foreclosure rates during the Great Depression. According to legal experts, many of the foreclosures were caused by…
(2020-02-14). Weekend Read: Department of Justice may force Mississippi to fix deadly prison system. splcenter.org …
(2020-02-14). Headlines for February 14, 2020. democracynow.org Senate Passes Resolution Limiting Trump's War Powers Authority, Attorney General William Barr Criticizes Trump's Tweets, Bloomberg Criticized for Falsely Blaming 2008 Crisis on End of Redlining, Top Wall Street Executives on Biden Guest List for Manhattan Fundraiser, Ex-Ohio State Wrestler Says Rep. Jim Jordan Begged Him to Cover Up Sexual Abuse, Last Month Was Hottest January on Record, Indigenous Anti-Pipeline Blockades Cripple Canada's Rail Transportation, Intercept: Canadian Fossil Fuel Company "Bought" Oregon Sheriff Department Unit, Judge Temporarily Blocks Microsoft-Pentagon Contract After Amazon Lawsuit,…
(2020-02-14). The Corporate Media Is Directly Profiting from Mike Bloomberg's Rise as He Spends Fortune on TV Ads. democracynow.org 
Billionaire Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg is rising in the polls in the wake of the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary. Democracy Now! co-host Juan González speaks with us about Bloomberg's approach to campaign spending, the administration's policies during his three terms as mayor of New York City and the scores of lawsuits filed against Bloomberg and his company. "It's amazing to me that Michael Bloomberg is getting as much attention as he is," González says.
(2020-02-13). Bill Barr Wants Sheriffs to Join His Attacks on State and Local Governments. aclu.org Attorney General Bill Barr, For | Barr's Department of Justice, that escalation includes new lawsuits against | states and municipalities with immigrant-protective policies.
(2020-02-12). Congress Should Outlaw State Attacks on Abortion Access. aclu.org Before I finished | high school, I learned I was pregnant. As a result of fear and a lack of | resources, by the time I confided in my mother and grandmother, I had no choice | — I was going to be a mother. Becoming a parent as a teenager came with many | harsh realities. I love my children with all my heart, but I know that everyone | should be able to make the decision to parent for themselves. | This personal | experience, along with my passion for young people, is how I came to my work at | the Alabama Women's Center. As a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and medical | director of a Huntsvil…
(2020-02-12). Deadline Looming, Strongest Surveillance Reform Bill Yet Emerges. aclu.org Congress has just five weeks to decide the fate of key foreign | intelligence surveillance powers — forcing a showdown between surveillance | reformers and defenders. And now, a group of Republicans and Democrats have | unveiled the strongest comprehensive reform proposal that we have seen | yet. | The Safeguarding Americans' Private Records Act of 2020, introduced by a
(2020-02-11). Desperate asylum seekers 'starving for justice' in immigrant prison hunger strikes across Louisiana. splcenter.org Guards shackled Sai Mahad to a chair, placed a mask over his mouth and snaked a long tube through one of his nostrils.
(2020-02-04). Biden Threatens Lawsuit to Halt Release of Real Iowa Caucus Results. theantimedia.com American democracy—ain't it grand?>
(2020-02-02). SPLC and the SPLC Action Fund Hire Internationally Renowned Human and Civil Rights Leader as New President and CEO. splcenter.org Margaret Huang brings 25 years of experience advocating against discrimination and oppression around the world.