(2019-01-09). Longtime Reporter Leaves NBC Saying Media Is "Trump Circus" That Encourages Perpetual War. democracynow.org 
"Prisoners of Donald Trump." That's how longtime NBC reporter and analyst William Arkin described the mainstream media in a scathing letter last week announcing he would be leaving the network, accusing the media of warmongering while ignoring the "creeping fascism of homeland security." He issued the blistering critique after a 30-year relationship with NBC, calling for "Trump-free" media days and a reckoning about how the network encourages a state of perpetual warfare. We speak with Arkin, whose award-winning reporting has appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post. He is the author…
(2019-01-09). Mozambique Ex-Minister Faces Fraud Charge Extradition Hearing. telesurenglish.net Mozambique's former Finance Minister Manuel Chang's legal team argued Tuesday that his detention in South Africa, related to a US$2 billion of fraudulent loans, is illegal and demanded his release. | RELATED: | Mozambique: China Helps Fund US$2.7B Railway Coal Project | Chang, who denied any wrongdoing, in court, has been detained in South Africa since Dec. 29 as part of a United States case involving several arrests made in London and New York and eventually stretching to Mozambique.
(2019-01-09). 'Prisoners Eating Steak' Non-Story. zcomm.org Many major media outlets thought it newsworthy to point out that prisoners at Coleman federal prison in Wildwood, Florida, received a routine holiday meal that was slightly above their normal, bottom-of-the-barrel provisions…
(2019-01-09). 'You Guys Are Coming Home'. thenation.com 'You Guys Are Coming Home'
(2019-01-09). PFAW's Latinos Vote! on Trump's Immigration Speech: Eight Minutes of "Monotone Racism". commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-01-09). "A Racist, Xenophobic Attack": Immigrant Rights Activist Decries Trump Remarks About Southern Border. democracynow.org 
President Donald Trump addressed the nation Tuesday night in his first prime-time speech from the Oval Office. He urged Congress to approve $5.7 billion to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, but he opted not to declare a national emergency to force construction of the wall, in a xenophobic speech riddled with falsehoods. We speak with Oscar Chacón, executive director of Alianza Americas, an immigrant rights group based in Chicago.
(2019-01-09). Chicano leader blasts Trump's racist, anti-immigrant speech. fightbacknews.org Los Angeles, CA — Longtime Chicano and immigrant rights leader Carlos Montes condemned President Trump's January 8 Oval Office speech, stating, "We are opposed to Trump's attacks on refugees at the border – and his wall. We will continue to oppose his measures, and build the movement to dump Trump." | Trump's push to further militarize the U.S. border has resulted in a prolonged partial government shutdown. | The Los Angeles community organization, Centro CSO, has called for a January 9 bannering in the Boyle Heights neighborhood, at the corner of 4th and Soto, from 4 to 6 p.m.
(2019-01-09). William Barr Helped Build America's Surveillance State. aclu.org Senators should ask Barr about his support for unconstitutional spying that endangers our rights. | William Barr, President Trump's nominee for attorney general, has a history of getting it wrong. From designing warrantless surveillance programs to justifying the president's power to disregard acts of Congress, Barr has advanced dubious legal theories that have been rejected by the courts, Congress, and the public. | As Barr begins the confirmation process, senators must question Barr on his record regarding the right to privacy and the Fourth Amendment — which raises serious concerns about his suitability…
(2019-01-09). Barcelona Soccer Star Iniesta Under Fire Over Blackface Photo. telesurenglish.net Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta has apologized under pressure after posting a photo on social media with two people in blackface as part of controversial Epiphany celebrations. | RELATED: | Maradona Shows Support To Koulibaly, 'I Too Suffered' Racism | The 34-year-old superstar who currently plays at Japan's Vissel Kobe had no intention "to upset anyone by displaying that photo," according to a statement by his agency sent to AFP on Wednesday. "He would like to apologize to those peop…
(2019-01-09). Iraq: Children Tortured in Kurdish Jails, Activist Group Says. telesurenglish.net Human Rights Watch (HRW) report stated that security forces in Kurdish regions of Iraq have been and continue to torture children in order to gain confessions regarding links to ISIS. | RELATED: | Iraqi Lawmakers Demand Vote to Expel US Military | The report is based on interviews conducted with 20 boys between the ages of 14 and 17 who have either been charged or conv…
(2019-01-09). Leaving Legacy of 'World-Altering Work' for Women, 'Godmother of Title IX' Bernice Sandler Dies at 90. commondreams.org Dr. Bernice Sandler, whose experiences of sex discrimination on a college campus in the 1960s became the basis for sweeping reforms to ensure an equitable learning environment for women, died last weekend at the age of 90. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-01-09_at_3.18.03_pm1.jpg…
(2019-01-09). Longtime Reporter Leaves NBC Calling Media a "Trump Circus" truthout.org "Prisoners of Donald Trump." That's how longtime NBC reporter and analyst William Arkin described the mainstream media in a scathing letter last week announcing he would be leaving the network, accusing the media of warmongering while ignoring the "creeping fascism of homeland security." He issued the blistering critique after a 30-year relationship with NBC, calling for "Trump-free" media days and a reckoning about how the network encourages a state of perpetual warfare. We speak with Arkin, whose award-winning reporting has appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post. He is the aut…
(2019-01-08). My Child Has to Show Her Entire School That She's Failing With a 'Scarlet Badge'. aclu.org A mother of an Arizona high school student responds to the school's policy of publicly shaming students who are struggling academically. | When my daughter Jordan began her junior year at Mingus High School in Cottonwood, Arizona, she immediately felt stigmatized. On her first day of school, the school's administration forced Jordan to wear a bright red identification badge. Everyone on campus knows what this "scarlet badge" means. Upperclassmen at Mingus wear grey colored badges, but any junior or senior student with missing credits are given a red badge, and it doesn't signify courage. | Publicly shaming my chi…
(2019-01-08). Freedom now for PFLP leader Ahmad Sa'adat. fightbacknews.org It's time to step up the struggle to free Ahmad Sa'adat, a noted Palestinian political prisoner and General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Sa'adat, who has been imprisoned for nearly 20 years, first by the corrupt and occupation-complicit Palestinian Authority, and now by the Israelis, has come to symbolize the resistance of the Palestinian people. He is a brilliant Marxist and advocate for socialism, who stands for liberation of every inch of Palestine. Sa'adat's courage in the face of the Israel's brutality shines as an example to everyone who yearns for a just world.
(2019-01-08). Despite the Efforts of Anti-LGBTQ Extremists, 'Drag Queen Story Time' Will Go On. aclu.org In a victory for the LGBTQ community of Lafayette, a Louisiana public library agreed to lift its unconstitutional ban on Drag Queen Story Time. | Last week, in response to a lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Louisiana, the Lafayette Public Library agreed to lift its unconstitutional ban on patrons organizing events called Drag Queen Story Time. | This was welcome news for our clients, the LGBTQ community, and everyone in Lafayette who will once again be able to use library space without being unfairly interrogated or censored by library officials. | Drag Queen Story Time was designed by Lafayette residents to give yo…
(2019-01-08). "Crime + Punishment" Exposes Racial Quotas in the NYPD & Retaliation Against Officers Who Speak Out. democracynow.org 
A group of New York Police Department officers are challenging what they call a racially charged policy of quotas for arrests and summonses. Known as the "NYPD 12," they risked their reputations and livelihoods to confront their superiors, fight illegal quotas and demand a more just police force. We look at a film following their story called "Crime + Punishment." It has just been shortlisted for an Academy Award for Best Documentary. We speak with Stephen Maing, the film's director and producer, and Lieutenant Edwin Raymond, the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by the NYPD 12.
(2019-01-08). Too anti-Israel? Birmingham institute abruptly revokes Angela Davis' civil rights award. rt.com 
Alabama-based Birmingham Civil Rights Institute has changed its mind about honoring civil rights activist Angela Davis, without much of an explanation. Critics are pointing to Davis's positions on Israel and Palestine for clues.
(2019-01-08). US man 'possessed through Uber app' pleads guilty to murdering 6 strangers. rt.com 
An Uber driver who claimed the app was controlling him has pleaded guilty to murdering six strangers in between rides, admitting to the crimes even in the absence of a plea deal. He now faces life in prison without parole.
(2019-01-08). Anti-BDS Bill Slammed as 'Absurd' Amid US Government Shutdown Crisis. theantimedia.com 
(MEE) — A US Senate measure encouraging states and local governments to "divest" from companies that boycott Israel has stirred controversy in Washington, with civil rights groups rallying against the proposal and Senator Bernie Sanders slamming it as "absurd". The measure, presented in a wider Middle East foreign policy bill, was introduced last week amidst a …
(2019-01-08). Twenty-two deaths reported in immigrant detention centers since Trump took office. wsws.org A review of the circumstances leading to the death of each person in ICE custody reveals that nearly all died as the result of criminal neglect or abuse.
(2019-01-08). How we can defeat the neo-Nazis. greenleft.org.au 
On January 5, convicted neo-Nazi criminals Blair Cottrell, Neil Erikson and their followers, gathered on the foreshore of St Kilda Beach to vilify Sudanese Australians and once again scapegoat that community as "African gangs". | The group of 100 to 150 predominantly white males from various neo-Nazi gangs — The Lads, Soldiers of Odin and the Proud Boys — were racist and hostile towards the gathering counter protesters. | Erikson, a convicted stalker and former head of the neo-Nazi group the United Patriot Front, knows how to do hate speech and play the game on social media. The rally to "reclaim St K…
(2019-01-08). Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Detained Children Tortured. hrw.org 
| | Exterior of the Women and Children's Reformatory in Erbil, where several dozen children are held in pre-trial detention or are serving sentences for alleged ISIS affiliation. | © 2018 Jo Becker/Human Rights Watch | (Beirut) — The Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq is torturing children to confess to involvement with the Islamic State (ISIS), Human Rights Watch said today. | Children told Human Rights Watch tha…
(2019-01-08). Australia Starts Tackling Modern Slavery. hrw.org 
| | Women work in the sewing division of a factory in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital. Women constitute about 90 percent of the workforce in Cambodia's garment industry, which produces for many international apparel brands. Human Rights Watch has documented that workers in Cambodia frequently experience forced overtime, pregnancybased discrimination, and denial of paid maternity leave.
| © 2014 Samer Muscati/Human Rights Watch | A new law in Australia requires companies of a certain size operating in Australia to pu…
(2019-01-08). Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal Granted Right Of Appeal. therealnews.com 
The world's most renowned death-row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal has been granted the right of appeal after 30 years. Eddie Conway, former Black Panther wrongfully convicted and Imprisoned for 44 years himself, now released, discusses Mumia's case with Scholar Anthony Monteiro
(2019-01-07). We Should Be Able to Take Facebook to Court. aclu.org A privacy violation is a real harm, never mind what the social media giant argues. | This piece originally appeared at The New York Times. | After The New York Times revealed last month that Facebook continued to share personal information of millions of consumers with companies like Netflix, Yahoo, Spotify and Google — despite contrary assertions to Congress — man…
(2019-01-07). UAW files lawsuit against GM to halt use of temporary workers. fightbacknews.org Washington, DC – The UAW filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court, January 2, against General Motors for breach of labor contract. The suit requests that the court order GM to transfer seniority union members to the Fort Wayne, Indiana Assembly Plant in keeping with the contractual agreement between the parties. GM is currently circumventing the agreement by using temporary employees. | There are approximately 1000 seniority employees on layoff nationwide, including 690 employees laid off at the Lordstown, Ohio Assembly Plant, many of whom have applied to transfer to openings at the Fort Wayne Plant.
(2019-01-07). Boyle Heights families file lawsuit against mega KIPP Charter School, urge support for UTLA teachers strike. fightbacknews.org Los Angeles, CA — Residents of the Boyle Heights neighborhood, joined by families of students of local public schools, announced, at a January 5 press conference and picket, the filing of a lawsuit in Superior Court against the city of Los Angeles and KIPP Promesa charter school to stop the mega project. KIPP Promesa wants to build a large charter school at the former Lincoln Hospital in Boyle Heights. | On January 4, attorneys with Advocates for the Environment filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against the city for failing to conduct an Environmental Impact Report (EIR); and asking to halt pr…
(2019-01-07). Instead of Ending the Shutdown, Senators Plan to Encourage Punishment of Israel Boycotts. aclu.org 
The Senate wants to provide legal cover to the many states violating the First Amendment by punishing people for their views on Israel. | In the middle of a government shutdown, the Senate leadership's first order of business in the 116th Congress is not legislation to reopen the government. | Instead, and incredibly, the Senate is again trying to slip a measure intended to suppress protected political expression past public scrutiny. The bill is the " Combatting BDS Act," which would express federal approval of state laws that place re…
(2019-01-07). Nathan Damigo, founder of white nationalist group Identity Evropa, files for bankruptcy protection. splcenter.org The founder of the white nationalist group Identity Evropa is seeking federal bankruptcy protection in what appears to be a pre-emptive move stemming from a lawsuit over "Unite the Right."
(2019-01-07). Ari Berman: Dems Introduce Sweeping Voting Rights Bill to Combat Rampant Voter Suppression. democracynow.org 
Voting rights activists are hailing a new House bill that aims to restore voting rights to millions, crack down on the influence of dark money in politics, restore the landmark Voting Rights Act, establish automatic and same-day voter registration and other measures. The bill has been dubbed the For the People Act. It is the first piece of legislation introduced by the new Democratic majority in the House. We speak with Ari Berman, senior writer at Mother Jones, reporting fellow at The Nation Institute and author of "Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America." His latest piece is titled…
(2019-01-07). See No Evil: Pentagon Issues Blanket Denial That It Knows Anything About Detainee Abuse in Yemen. theintercept.com A U.N. panel found that detainees in prisons controlled by U.S. allies were beaten, electrocuted, hung upside down, and raped.
(2019-01-05). An Unconscionable Shutdown. naacp.org Today marks day 14 of the partial government shutdown and importantly, it also marks the second week without pay for the 800,000 government workers and millions of others who depend on government agencies. It's unconscionable that Americans are forced to suffer the brunt and being held as political hostages because of President Trump's unreasonable pursuit […]
(2019-01-05). Exploring the institutional drivers of gender bias. zcomm.org The Social Institutions and Gender index (SIGI) was first launched in 2009, and then updated in 2012 and 2014. The fourth edition of the SIGI was launched in December 2018. The index uses these four dimensions to measure the institutional effects on gender parity: Discrimination in the family Restricted physical integrity Restricted access to productive Read more…
(2019-01-05). DR Congo: Voter Suppression, Violence. hrw.org 
| | A polling official counts votes in a school in Kinshasa after the Democratic Republic of Congo's general elections, December 30, 2018. | © 2018 Luis Tato/AFP/Getty Images | (Kinshasa) — Widespread irregularities, voter suppression, and violence significantly marred elections on December 30, 2018 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Election officials should ensure that the announced results in the presidential, legislative, and provincial elec…
(2019-01-04). Rhode Island Supreme Court Allows Unfairly Shut Down Strip Club to Reopen. aclu.org Providence's licensing board, we argue, violated the club's rights when it was shut down based solely on allegations of solicitation of prostitution. | Imagine a symphony orchestra barred by the state from performing again because a musician was found to have sold marijuana to a colleague backstage. Imagine a bookstore being shuttered by the government because peace activists planned acts of civil disobedience in a backroom. Imagine a movie theater permanently closed because an employee assaulted a patron. | In Providence, Rhode Island, you don't have to imagine it, because it happened to a strip club c…
(2019-01-04). Christmas in Tornillo: Activists, Lawmakers Demand Trump Shut Down Prison Camp for Migrant Children. democracynow.org 
As the government shutdown heads into its 14th day and Trump doubles down on his demands for a border wall, we turn to look at the ongoing crisis unfolding at the U.S. border and the protesters on the ground fighting back. In West Texas, immigrant rights activists are staging daily actions to shut down the Tornillo prison camp, where thousands of immigrant youth are being detained. The organizers call themselves the "Christmas in Tornillo" occupation. On New Year's Eve, they shut down the entrance of the sprawling prison camp, where 2,300 children are being held in more than 150 tents. We speak with Juan Ortiz, i…
(2019-01-04). Top Human Rights Tweets of the Week. hrw.org Trending rights tweets this week: Netflix agreed to censor a comedy episode because Saudi Arabia complained about it; powerful film showing China's detention of upwards of one million Uighur Muslims for forced indoctrination; the Democratic Republic of Congo's elections marred by systemic irregularities; and everyday people who inspired HRW in 2018.
(2019-01-03). Why Should My Newspaper Pledge Not to Boycott Israel? aclu.org An unconstitutional Arkansas law requires companies contracting with the state to certify that they will not boycott Israel. | Last year, letters from the state of Arkansas began drifting across my desk, demanding that our weekly newspaper, the Arkansas Times, either sign a pledge not to boycott Israel or forfeit all state advertising. | The letters were the result of an obscure, cookie-cutter law passed in 2017 by our Republican-controlled legislature. Specifically, it requires any company entering into a contract with a public entity to certify that it "is not currently engaged in, and agrees for the duration o…
(2019-01-03). States and Localities Move to Reverse Racist and Regressive Tax Policies. progressive.org Forty-five states have regressive tax codes. State and local policies could change that.
(2019-01-03). '50th NAACP Image Awards' To Air Live on Tv One March 30, 2019 from The Dolby Theatre In Hollywood. naacp.org 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE '50th NAACP IMAGE AWARDS' TO AIR LIVE ON TV ONE MARCH 30, 2019 FROM THE DOLBY THEATRE IN HOLLYWOOD 2 Hour Telecast to Spotlight and Celebrate 50 Years of NAACP Image Awards Significant Moments and NAACP Contributions During It's 110 Year History Reginald Hudlin and Phil Gurin to Return as […]
(2019-01-03). SPLC statement on the 116th Congress. splcenter.org The challenges facing the 116th Congress are great, and none are greater than the role of the White House in exacerbating racism and extremism in nearly every facet of American life.
(2019-01-02). As the 115th Congress Ends, Here Are the Important Civil Rights Battles We've Won. aclu.org During the last two years of Trump, ACLU activists have won fights ranging from advancing criminal justice reforms to stopping border wall funding. | The past two years have been challenging times, as we have witnessed attacks on our shared values and civil rights from the Trump White House and a Republican-dominated Congress. It can sometimes feel difficult to make change happen, but even in this hostile climate, ACLU activists helped drive key legislative victories to advance civil liberties during the 115th Congress, which ends on Thursday. As the new Congress is sworn in on Thursday, these victories should re…
(2019-01-02). Headlines for January 2, 2019. democracynow.org Brazil Swears In Far-Right President Jair Bolsonaro, Gov't Shutdown Enters 12th Day, Causing Chaos for Workers, Border Agents Tear-Gas Migrants at U.S.-Mexico Border, Texas: Activists Block Access to Tornillo Youth Immigration Jail, AZ: Prosecutors to Investigate Child Abuse at Immigrant Prison, Sec. of State Pompeo Reaffirms U.S. Military Relationship with Israel, Israeli PM: Bolsonaro Pledged to Move Brazilian Embassy to Jerusalem, Gaza: Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Man at Protest, U.S. and Israel Formally Leave UNESCO, North Korea: Kim Jong-un Offers Both Threats and Peaceful Overtures to U.S., Netflix Pull…
(2019-01-01). Four Days in Occupied Western Sahara—A Rare Look Inside Africa's Last Colony. democracynow.org 
In this special rebroadcast of a Democracy Now! exclusive documentary, we break the media blockade and go to occupied Western Sahara in the northwest of Africa to document the decades-long Sahrawi struggle for freedom and Morocco's violent crackdown. Morocco has occupied the territory since 1975 in defiance of the United Nations and the international community. Thousands have been tortured, imprisoned, killed and disappeared while resisting the Moroccan occupation. A 1,700-mile wall divides Sahrawis who remain under occupation from those who fled into exile. The international media has largely ignored the occupat…
(2018-12-31). An Extraordinary Year for Civil Rights. naacp.org This was an extraordinary year for the NAACP. From building more political power in communities of color to fighting to protect the federal bench from those who have a record of purposefully harming our communities, we've had great successes—and it was your support that made it all happen. Here's a look at what we did […]
(2018-12-31). UAE: Rights Defender's Conviction Upheld. hrw.org 
| | Ahmed Mansoor speaks to Reuters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, November 30, 2011. | © 2011 Reuters | The United Arab Emirates Federal Supreme Court, the country's court of last resort in state security cases, on December 31, 2018, upheld a 10-year sentence for Ahmed Mansoor, an award-winning human rights activist, Human Rights Watch said today. | In May, an Abu Dhabi court sentenced Mansoor to 10 years in prison for "defaming" the UAE on s…
(2018-12-31). Bahrain: Rights Defender's Conviction Upheld. hrw.org 
| | Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab arrives for his appeal hearing at court in Manama, February 11, 2015. | © 2015 Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters | (Beirut) — The Bahrain Court of Cassation, the country's court of last resort, on December 31, 2018 upheld a five-year sentence for Nabeel Rajab, a prominent human rights defender, Human Rights Watch said today. | The sentence arose from comments criticizing torture in a Bahrain prison and the Saudi-…
(2018-12-27). #LogOutFacebook: Because of You, We Did. Thank You! naacp.org Thank you. During the week-long #LogOutFacebook protest, you were joined by thousands of advocates, celebrities, elected officials and partners to take a stand, to let Facebook know that they need to do better. You made it known that you will no longer tolerate privacy breaches, hate speech, bias, and misinformation. This logout cycle is done, but our […]
(2018-12-27). Rally on 3rd anniversary of David Dungay's death at Long Bay Jail. greenleft.org.au 
The Dungay Family supported by the Indigenous Social Justice Association (ISJA) has invited all to attend a rally on December 29, the third anniversary of David Dungay's death in Sydney's Long Bay Jail. | David Dungay was a 26-year-old Aboriginal man who was killed when under the control of Correctional Services Officers (CSO) and Justice Health (JH) nurses, just four weeks before he was due to be released. Dungay died simply because he ate a biscuit he wasn't supposed to. | Dungay's death has been shrouded in mystery; his family have spent the last three years fighting for information and some kind of justi…
(2018-12-23). Iraq/Kurdistan Region: Risk of Double Trials for ISIS Ties. hrw.org 
| | Cigarette burns cover the hands and arms of 18-year-old "Karim." Kurdish authorities held him for 13 months. He then returned home and was rearrested by authorities under Baghdad's control, who tortured and held him for months. | © 2018 San Saravan | (Beirut) — Sunni Arab boys who serve prison time in Iraq's Kurdistan region for Islamic State (also known as ISIS) connections risk rearrest after their release if they try to reunite with their families…