2019-04-29: News Headlines

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 …

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…

Staff (2019-04-29). Bernie's Powerful Proposal to Enfranchise America's Prisoners. truthdig.com What follows is a conversation between Truthdig contributor Norman Solomon, attorney Anoa Changa and Jacqueline Luqman of the Real News Network. Read a transcript of their conversation below or watch the video at the bottom of…

Staff (2019-04-29). New Group Aims to Harness Political Power of Women. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — Three of the nation's most influential activists are launching an organization that aims to harness the political power of women to influence elections and shape local and national policy priorities. | Dubbed "Supermajority," the organization is the creation of Cecile Richards, the former head of Planned Parenthood; Alicia Garza, co-founder of Black Lives Matter; and Ai-jen Poo, executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. The group, which describes itself as multiracial and intergenerational, has a goal of training and mobilizing 2 million women over the next year to become or…

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

Andrew Korybko (2019-04-29). The Otto Warmbier Scandal Is All About Challenging Trump's Credibility. globalresearch.ca The Washington Post's surprise revelation that Trump agreed to pay North Korea $2 million in exchange for releasing imprisoned student Otto Warmbier is intended to challenge his credibility by drawing "politically uncomfortable" comparisons between him and his predecessor. | *** | The …

Patricia J. Williams (2019-04-29). Why Everyone Should Care About Mass E-carceration. thenation.com Why Everyone Should Care About Mass E-carceration…

teleSUR (2019-04-29). UAE Spy Suspect Committed Suicide in Istanbul Prison: Turkey. telesurenglish.net A man held by Turkey on suspicion of spying for the United Arab Emirates has committed suicide by hanging himself in prison, the Istanbul prosecutor's office said Monday. | RELATED: | Killers of Saudi Journalist Khashoggi Trained in US: Report | The suspect, named as Zaki Y. M. Hasan, was found hanging from the bathroom door in his one-person cell in Silivri prison, west of Istanbul, when guards arrived to give him food on Sunday morning, the prosecutor's office statement said.

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…

teleSUR (2019-04-29). US Fires Commander of Guantanamo Bay Prison. telesurenglish.net The U.S. commander in charge of the infamous Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba has been fired "due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command," U.S. Southern Command said in a statement on Sunday. | RELATED: | US Admiral: Guantanamo Could Welcome 24 New Inmates | Rear Admiral John Ring was reportedly removed from his post on Saturday, the brief statement said, without giving details about why. | Jose Ruiz, a spokesman for Southern Command, which oversees Guantanamo, told Reuters the d…

WSWS (2019-04-29). Trump orders officials to refuse congressional subpoenas. wsws.org The Democrats have responded by threatening to withhold funds from noncomplying agencies and to jail administration officials who are in contempt of Congress.

Global Research News (2019-04-29). Selected Articles: Terror Attack in Sri Lanka by ISIS. globalresearch.ca A future without independent media leaves us with an upside down reality where according to the corporate media "NATO deserves a Nobel Peace Prize", and where "nuclear weapons and wars make us safer" | . | . | | | If, like us, this is …

RT (2019-04-29). Guantanamo prison chief sacked 'due to loss of confidence,' 1.5 months before his term's end. rt.com US Navy Rear Adm. John Ring, a commander in charge of the infamous Guantanamo bay prison has been fired over the "loss of confidence in his ability to command" after a monthlong probe details of which the Pentagon didn't disclose.

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.

teleSUR (2019-04-28). Tanzania Albinos Fear for Lives after Exhumation of 'Bestial' Act. telesurenglish.net Tanzanian albinos said Sunday they were living in fear of their lives after the remains of an albino were exhumed in what they said was a "bestial" and "barbaric" act. | RELATED: | South Africa Launches Anti-Racist, Anti-Sexist Action Plan | The Tanzanian Albino Society called on President John Magufuli to "intervene personally and denounce this bestial act and provide financial support for programmes aimed at eradicating this barbarism…

Dave Zirin (2019-04-27). Nick Bosa and the NFL's Double Standards. thenation.com Nick Bosa and the NFL's Double Standards…

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…

Nick Pinto (2019-04-27). ICE's Attempt to Deport a Critic Was "Outrageous" and "Egregious," Appeals Court Rules. theintercept.com The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that activist Ravi Ragbir's lawsuit against ICE for violating his First Amendment rights can move forward.

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.

Editor (2019-04-26). Smoke, mirrors and the old shell game. workers.org Capitalist politics have long been a shell game. While the masses of people are told to look to elections to address their myriad of grievances — the real issues of poverty, racism, lack of good-paying permanent jobs and affordable health care, the struggle for women's and LGBTQ rights — these . . . | Continue reading Smoke, mirrors and the old shell game at Workers.org

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 …

Stanley L. Cohen (2019-04-26). Death Can be a Slow Traveler: Peltier, Mumia and Rap Brown. counterpunch.org When the history of our times is recorded, any volume on domestic political prisoners must, per force, begin with the legendary ones of conscience. To these icons of principle, determination and courage we owe much. It is, after all, not by mere default that they risked, and often paid, all to demand the gale of change sweep away generations of ignorance, hatred and greed that have long fed on communities of color and poverty, from coast to coast, in the United States. For them, it was never about personal risk for they knew all too well the price that can be exacted for such integrity. For them, the alternative…

Stanley Cohen (2019-04-26). Death Can be a Slow Traveler: Peltier, Mumia and Rap Brown. mintpressnews.com While movements such as the Black Panther Party, the BLA, AIM and MOVE still resonate among some in a new generation of activists, many of their former members, now riddled with poor health and buried in prison, have been all but lost to the passage of time.

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 →

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…

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 …

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). 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…

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…

Bryan Wall (2019-04-25). Bernie Sanders calls the Israeli government 'racist' on live TV — to rapturous applause. thecanary.co Bernie Sanders has criticised Israel's treatment of Palestinian people during a live town hall event. The 2020 presidential hopeful also described Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government as "racist". | If Sanders becomes president, he would be the first Jewish person to hold the office. | Israel and the US: | Sanders was…

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.

Democracy Now! (2019-04-23). Headlines for April 23, 2019. democracynow.org Sri Lankan Minister Says Easter Bombings Were Retaliation for NZ Mosque Attacks, Trump Admin to Ratchet Up Unilateral U.S. Sanctions on Iranian Oil, House Democrats Subpoena Former White House Counsel Don McGahn, Trump Sues to Quash Subpoena Requesting 10 Years of Financial Records, Sen. Kamala Harris Calls for Trump's Impeachment, Breaking from Democratic Leaders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren Proposes Canceling Student Loan Debt, Making Public Colleges Free, Supreme Court to Weigh Citizenship Question on 2020 Census, Supreme Court to Decide If LGBTQ Workers Are Protected by Civil Rights Act, Charges Dropped Against 3 A…

Staff (2019-04-23). 'Mafioso Capitalism' and the Suicide of Peru's President. therealnews.com Prof. Gerardo Renique discusses the three other ex-presidents already in jail over the Odebrecht scandal, and Alan Garcia's death, just as he was about to be arrested for corruption…

Kevin Gosztola (2019-04-22). In Rejecting Chelsea Manning's Appeal, Court Essentially Ignores All Arguments For Release From Jail. shadowproof.com The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an appeal from Chelsea Manning, which challenged a district court's order that found her in civil contempt. | On March 8, a federal district court jailed Manning for refusing to testify before a grand jury investigation into WikiLeaks. She was held in prolonged solitary confinement for around 27 days before authorities at the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center moved her to general population. | Judges for the appeals court offered no explanation [ PDF] as to wh…

Democracy Now! (2019-04-22). Dallas Goldtooth: Hold Banks Accountable for Financing Climate Chaos & Violating Indigenous Rights. democracynow.org As millions celebrate Earth Day around the globe, we speak with organizer Dallas Goldtooth about indigenous-led anti-pipeline activism in the United States. President Trump signed two executive orders earlier this month to facilitate the approval of pipeline projects at a federal level, limiting states' ability to regulate such projects. The move is intended in part to clear the way for permitting on the northeastern Constitution pipeline, which has stalled after New York invoked the Clean Water Act to reject the project on environmental grounds. This comes as climate activists have filed a federal lawsuit with t…

Austyn Ross (2019-04-22). 2019 NAACP Convention in Detroit Announces Diversity Career Fair. naacp.org The NAACP has announced it will feature a Diversity Career Fair as part of the 110th NAACP National Convention in Detroit, Michigan July 20-24 at Cobo Center. The NAACP Diversity Career Fair will be held on July 23 from 12pm — 6pm and will be open to NAACP delegates as well as the entire community. …

Democracy Now! (2019-04-22). Headlines for April 22, 2019. democracynow.org Easter Sunday Attacks Kill Nearly 300 Across Sri Lanka, House Judiciary Chair Subpoenas Unredacted Mueller Report, Sen. Elizabeth Warren Calls on Congress to Impeach President Trump, Afghanistan: 10 Killed in Suicide Attack as Taliban Peace Talks Collapse, Libya Death Toll Climbs to 227 as Trump Backs Renegade General, Hundreds of Thousands of Algerians March Demanding Democratic Reforms, Thousands March on Morocco's Parliament, Demanding Release of Political Prisoners, Sudan Protest Leaders End Talks with Ruling Military Council, Volodymyr Zelensky, Who Played a President on TV, Elected to Lead Ukraine, France:…

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…

ACLU (2019-04-20). Marijuana Legalization Is a Racial Justice Issue. aclu.org When it comes to legalizing weed, economic justice for communities of color must be our guiding principle. | Marijuana has been a key driver of mass criminalization in this country and hundreds of thousands of people, the majority of whom are Black or Latinx, have their lives impacted by a marijuana arrest each year. But the tide is turning a…