(2019-09-19). Indonesian police arrest scores of people linked to huge forest fires. thecanary.co 
Indonesian police said they have arrested 230 people suspected of starting fires that are spreading health-damaging haze across a large part of south-east Asia.They include three men caught on Monday trying to clear land to plant crops in the Tesso Nilo National Park, which is home to about 140 endangered wild elephants, said Dedi Prasetyo, the national police spokesman.Those arrested could be prosecuted under an environmental protection law that mandates a maximum 10-year prison sentence for setting fires to clear land.Firefighters in Riau province (Rafka Majjid/AP)Indonesia's fires are an annual problem that st…
(2019-09-19). Trump Singles Out California's Homeless for Abuse. truthdig.com President Donald Trump, along with his father, Fred Trump, were the defendants in a 1973 lawsuit brought by the Justice Department, in which housing and civil rights activists laid bare the Trumps' practices of turning away black renters. "It was front-page news," The New York Times stated in 2016, "and for Donald, amounted to his debut in the public eye." | Now, the man who began his real estate career being sued for d…
(2019-09-19). California Is Ready to Ensure Every Public College Student Has Access to Abortion. aclu.org The state legislature has passed the first bill in the nation ensuring medication abortion is available on UC and CSU campuses. | In a year when we've seen states throughout the South and Midwest move to ban abortion and restrict access to reproductive health, California could soon cement its reputation as a leader in reproductive freedom. This past week, the state legislature passed SB 24 to ensure that medication abortion is available to college students in public universities. | Jessy Rosales, a UC student, stru…
(2019-09-19). Purdue Pharma Hired PR Firm That Rebranded BP After Deepwater Horizon Spill. theintercept.com Purdue Pharma, the pharmaceutical firm that manufactures OxyContin and allegedly helped fuel widespread addiction to painkillers, has turned to some of the same corporate spin doctors hired by BP after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. | The relationship was revealed in a legal document disclosed on September 15 when Purdue filed for bankruptcy protection. The filing, designed to settle thousands of lawsuits over its role in the opioid epidemic, revealed creditors seeking payments from the Connecticut-based pharmaceutical giant. | Bankruptcy documents have offered a window into corporate dark money in recent y…
(2019-09-19). Australia's radical history of school strikes. greenleft.org.au 
civil rights Greg AdamsonIssue 1238 Australia high school students social conscienceSeptember 19, 2019What could 15-year-old School Strike 4 Climate activist Harriet O'Shea Carre possibly te…
(2019-09-19). The Only Jewish Ghetto in the Middle East. dissidentvoice.org 
The results from Tuesday's Israeli elections have confirmed what many of us have known for a long while. The Jewish state is an ultra nationalist right wing swamp. Israel is more hawkish than more hawkish than ever. There is not a single Jewish Israeli Left wing party. The Democratic Party is led and mentored by a …
(2019-09-18). Join the Global Climate Strike. Oppose Israel's climate apartheid. bdsmovement.net 
Join the Global Climate Strike. Oppose Israel's climate apartheid.: Action AlertTell multinational corporations to stop investing in fossil fuels and in Israel's oppression of the Palestinian people. | Economic BoycottSeptember 19, 2019 | By: | | Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC)
(2019-09-18). Controversial moments from John Humphrys' Today programme career. thecanary.co 
John Humphrys has divided opinion during his long tenure on the Today programme.His years of interviewing have produced moments that provoked criticism from listeners.While many listeners see Humphrys as the voice of Today and praise his interrogation of politicians, some critics have claimed a tactless approach in some conversations in his long BBC radio career.These are some of the presenter's controversial moments: — Pay cutFormer BBC China editor Carrie Gracie alleged pay discrimination (Dominic Lipinski/PA)The veteran Radio 4 broadcaster was revealed to have earned between £600,000 and £649,0…
(2019-09-18). Rwandan Hutu Militia Commander Killed in Congo, Army Says. telesurenglish.net The Democratic Republic of Congo's army said on Wednesday that it had killed Sylvestre Mudacumura, the commander of a Rwandan Hutu militia who is wanted by the International Criminal Court. | RELATED: | Rwanda to Take in Refugees Trapped in Libya's Detention Centers | The FDLR has waged periodic war with the Congolese government and rival militias, and Rwanda's government has cited its presence on Congolese soil to justify repeated interventions across the border. | "Sylvestre…
(2019-09-18). Kevin Spacey Accuser Dies After Finalizing Sexual Assault Lawsuit. theantimedia.com No details yet on the circumstances of death.
(2019-09-17). 70 arrested in NYC demanding 'close the camps!'. workers.org 
Hundreds of people demanding the closing of detention camps on the U.S.-Mexico border joined in an energetic protest that began at the New York Public Library in Manhattan on Sept. 14. Protesters marched to Microsoft's 5th Avenue store where they sat in the entrance demanding that the company stop doing . . . | Continue reading 70 arrested in NYC demanding 'close the camps!' at Workers.org
(2019-09-17). US sues Snowden for violating 'CIA & NSA non-disclosure pact' with his new book, but it also wants the proceeds. rt.com 
The US government has filed a lawsuit against the National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, alleging that his newly-published memoir 'Permanent Record' violates nondisclosure agreements he signed with the CIA and NSA. | The civil lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, claims that Snowden violated these agreements by not sending a draft of the book to the spy agencies for review — and presumably redaction — before publication. It also alleges that the whistleblower's public speeches on "intelligence-related matters" violated the agreements. | Rather than pull the book from the shelves, the government…
(2019-09-17). The Untold Story: Joe Biden Pushed Ronald Reagan to Ramp Up Incarceration — Not the Other Way Around. theintercept.com 
Biden has argued that the focus on his 1994 crime bill as a driver of mass incarceration is misplaced. He's right — it was his earlier push that was responsible.
(2019-09-17). Iran: Labour and student activists sentenced to more than 100 years. greenleft.org.au 
Workers rights Susan PriceIssue 1238 Iran Haft-Tappeh sugar mill workersSeptember 17, 2019Union leader Esmail Bakhshi, student and civil rights activist, Sepideh Gholian, and four activist journalists were sentenced to long prison sentences by the Iranian…
(2019-09-16). OxyContin maker files for bankruptcy faced with over 2,000 lawsuits over opioid epidemic. rt.com 
Purdue Pharma, accused of fostering the US opioid crisis with its drug OxyContin, filed for bankruptcy protection in a New York court, after a tentative settlement deal faced opposition from multiple states. | The company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in White Plains, New York on Sunday evening, as part of its efforts to finalize a settlement with state and local governments, which sued the pharmaceutical giant en mass for its role in the nation's deadly opioid crisis. | The much-anticipated filing aims to help the company to shield itself from 2,600 lawsuits, including from 26 states. | Also on rt.com…
(2019-09-16). Chicago elected officials to join human rights delegation to Philippines Consulate. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – On September 16, community, civil rights, faith-based and peace activists will join 35th Ward Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, 33rd Ward Alderman Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez and State Representative Jaime Andrade (40th District) in a delegation to the Consulate General of the Philippines, 11: 00 a.m.,122 S. Michigan Avenue. | The delegation will deliver a letter to Consul General Gina Jamoralin with regards to Brandon Lee, an American citizen who was shot in Ifugao, Philippines. Lee is a human rights activist and a native of San Francisco. | Lee was attacked by suspected elements of the 54th Infantry Batt…
(2019-09-16). AmeriCorps Adopts Health Screening Process That's Fair to Candidates with Disabilities. aclu.org Susie was disqualified from AmeriCorps NCCC for seeking therapy. Now they're changing their screening process so everyone can apply to serve. | Susie Balcom was overjoyed when she received a conditional offer to serve as a support team leader in Mississippi with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), a national, residential service program for young adults. After graduating from college with a 4.0 GPA and spending two terms in the AmeriCorps state program, Susie was ready, willing, and able to fulfill her dream of serving in the national program. | However, a few weeks later, AmeriCorps NCCC to…
(2019-09-16). Headlines for September 16, 2019. democracynow.org U.S. Threatens Military Action Against Iran After Oil Attacks in Saudi Arabia, United Auto Workers Strike to Demand Fair Wages, Healthcare & Job Security from GM, Purdue Pharma Files for Bankruptcy, Calls Mount to Impeach Justice Kavanaugh After NYT Report on Sexual Misconduct, Hong Kong Protesters Appeal to U.S., U.K. as Uprising Shows No Sign of Slowing Down, Outsiders Lead Tunisia's Presidential Exit Polls, Algeria Announces Elections Amid Ongoing Protests Against Ruling Elite, U.K. Judge Says Julian Assange a Flight Risk, Must Remain in Prison, Appeals Court Revives Emoluments Case Against Trump, Felicity Huf…
(2019-09-15). Remembering the Birmingham church bombing. splcenter.org Fifty-six years ago today, four precious little girls were murdered in one of the most heinous acts of white supremacist terror of the civil rights era.
(2019-09-13). Challenging the NDP on Palestine During the Election Campaign. dissidentvoice.org Last week I interrupted Jagmeet Singh at a public event to criticize the NDP's suppression of Palestine solidarity activism. Holding a placard with the words "Jagmeet, Palestinian Lives Matter", I demanded the NDP leader apologize for overturning the vote of members who elected Rana Zaman to represent the Dartmouth-Cole Harbour ridding because she defended Palestinians …
(2019-09-13). West Papua: End Australian and US training of Indonesian military. greenleft.org.au 
civil rights Peter BoyleIssue 1237 Australia West Papua independence Indonesian repressionSeptember 13, 2019″We are winning the struggle with Indonesia," said Benny Wenda, chair of the…
(2019-09-11). Being Black is Not a Crime: Yunek's Story of Police Brutality. aclu.org A personal story of police brutality at the hands of the police in Peoria, Illinois. | My name is Yunek Moore. I am a Black woman, a college graduate, and a survivor of police brutality. I'm choosing to tell my story because, sadly, this wasn't the last time something like this happened to a person of color in Peoria, Illinois, and that must change. | On June 4, 2013, I was a happy 17-year-old looking forward to attending college at Millikin University. I had just graduated high school, where I was ranked 11th in my entire class and spoke at graduation as one of my final duties as Senior Class President. | That n…
(2019-09-11). Chrystul Kizer bail reduction and justice denied. fightbacknews.org Kenosha, WI – When Cyntoia Brown's case was brought forward to the media, there was a large public outcry for justice. How could a victim of human trafficking be imprisoned for killing her rapist and trafficker? Unfortunately, her case is not novel. Chrystul Kizer, a Milwaukee native, has been charged with multiple counts for defending herself against a sexual predator, Randall Volar III. | Only 17 years old at the time of the incident, Kizer's case is incredibly similar to Cyntoia Brown's. Even more concerning is the fact that they were young, Black teenagers, charged with killing older white males who had sexua…
(2019-09-05). Was the imprisonment of Iranian-American journalist Marzieh Hashemi spun into expanded US sanctions? thegrayzone.com The relationship between former Air Force analyst-turned-Iranian spy Monica Witt and Hashemi — who was jailed by US authorities this…
(2019-09-05). Judge blocks ICE from denying parole to asylum-seekers. splcenter.org A federal judge ordered the Trump administration today to change its blanket policy of locking up people lawfully seeking asylum in the United States as a lawsuit filed by the SPLC and the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana makes its way through the federal courts.
(2019-09-03). No' Money, Mo' Problems: Militiaman's Fundraising Plea Devolves into Lawsuit and Mistrust. splcenter.org The jailed militiaman had an interesting fundraising appeal.
(2019-09-03). A New York Jail Forced a Trans Woman Into a Men's Facility. aclu.org Trans women routinely face harassment and discrimination in jails and prisons. | Jena Faith's experience in the Steuben County Jail was a living nightmare. | The military veteran spent four weeks in the jail awaiting trial last spring. She was initially housed in the jail's women's facility without incident, but things changed when officials suddenly transferred her to the men's facility, despite the fact that she is a woman. | During the weeks that Jena spent as a woman in a men's jail, she was routinely targeted with physical and verbal harassment from other incarcerated people and guards. On her first day in t…
(2019-08-29). Taxpayers Have Been Ordered to Pay Over $2 Million For Discriminating Against LGBTQ People. aclu.org Government officials should know that discrimination comes with a cost to taxpayers. | Last week, a federal appeals court ruled that the Commonwealth of Kentucky was liable for $224,000 for the actions of Kim Davis, who refused to do her job and issue marriage licenses (to same-sex or different-sex couples) as county clerk. | While Davis' story made national headlines, her case isn't the only one in the past year where a court case filed by the ACLU has led to a bill for discriminatio…
(2019-08-27). Stripped of Their Rights. aclu.org In 2011, guards at an Illinois prison violated the constitution when they carried out a mass strip-search of incarcerated women. | In March 2011, a tactical team of guards at a state prison in Lincoln, Illinois gathered 200 women and ushered them into a gymnasium, where they were brought in small groups into a separate room nearby. Inside that room, they were told to strip naked in plain view of other guards, cadets, and civilians, without any explanation. Women on their periods were ordered to remove their tampons and sanitary pads. One-by-one, each woman was ordered to lift her breasts, cough and squat, and dis…
(2019-08-27). New Resource Tool Sheds Light on Government's Prepublication Review System. aclu.org Millions of current and former government employees are subjected to this far-reaching censorship system. | This piece was originally published in Just Security. | For more than three years, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University have been litigating a series of Freedom of Information Act requests relating to "prepublication review." Under this far-reaching censorship system, millions of current and former government employees, con…
(2019-08-23). Will North Carolina's Supreme Court Allow Racism to Remain a Persistent Factor in its Death Penalty? aclu.org North Carolina's Supreme Court will determine whether evidence of racism in capital punishment can be swept under the rug. | In 2009, North Carolina passed the Racial Justice Act (RJA), which allowed defendants to strike the death penalty from their cases if they could show that racial discrimination was a factor in their prosecution. The law came as a response to a series of exonerations of Black people who were falsely convicted of crimes they did not commit by all-white or nearly all-white juries. The legislature took a bold step to address was what suspected to be deeply troubling evidence of racism infe…
(2019-08-22). A Louisiana Parish Jailed a U.S. Citizen for Being Latinx. We're Suing. aclu.org Officers in a Louisiana jail held a U.S. citizen for four days on an immigration hold simply because of his skin color and name. | Ramon Torres had been a U.S. citizen for nearly ten years when he was detained for four days on an immigration hold — despite having a U.S. passport, a Louisiana driver's license, and a Social Security card, and despite that fact that a court ordered his release. | Torres' ordeal began in August 2018, when he was pulled over and arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Torres, a naturalized U.S. citizen since 2009, was carrying multiple forms of identification, inclu…
(2019-08-21). An Arizona Law Requires Surveillance of People Who Are Presumed Innocent. aclu.org The government cannot take shortcuts around constitutional rights. | A pillar of our democracy is the presumption of innocence: before a person has been convicted of a crime, they are considered completely innocent under the law. Yet across the country, people who have not been convicted are punished—both explicitly and implicitly—based on the mistaken assumption that they are dangerous, purely on the basis of an accusation. We do not live in a society where you can be incarcerated or monitored simply because you have been accused of a crime. Doing so violates constitutional rights, fuels mass incarce…
(2019-08-15). The BDS movement calls to boycott three anti-Palestinian German clubs. bdsmovement.net 
The BDS movement calls to boycott three anti-Palestinian German clubs: PACBI StatementConne Island, Golden Pudel and : //about blank are complicit in Israel's oppression of Palestinians | Cultural Boycott Right To BoycottAugust 15, 2019…