Politics
I agree with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Foreign Bases
You may have heard that the U.S. House of Representatives just passed a bill to spend $741 billion renaming military bases that have been heretofore named for Confederates. You may think that’s a grand idea but still wonder at the price tag. Of course, the secret is that — even… »
Low Turnout, but Free, Elections in Venezuela Are a Blow to Regime Change
By Leonardo Flores Venezuela held legislative elections on December 6 and, as has become the norm, the U.S. and sectors of the opposition that boycotted the election are claiming fraud without presenting evidence. The coalition of parties supporting President Maduro won 68% of the vote and a supermajority in the… »
EU court case sees British citizen seek post-Brexit rights in France
A UK citizen who has been living in France for 36 years has brought a case to the Court of Justice of the European Union that could have profound implications for British people living in European countries after Brexit. The woman is hoping to retain some citizenship rights after… »
Belarus: End ongoing human rights violations, UN rights chief urges
The human rights situation in Belarus continues to deteriorate, particularly with respect to peaceful assembly, the UN rights chief said on Friday, urging the government to put an end to ongoing violations and “take steps towards a genuine, respectful and inclusive national dialogue”. Speaking at a meeting of the … »
No to FTAA 15 yrs on: overcoming capitalism still best alternative for Latin America
Brasil de Fato Michele de Mello “Alca, al carajo!”, was Hugo Chávez’s war cry in Mar Del Plata, located in southern Argentina, on November 5th 2005, expressing the will of the people in the 35 countries of the American continent. The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) was a… »
Why the USDA Is Being Sued—Again
The USDA is facing lawsuits for shirking its responsibility to protect birds from animal welfare violations. By Dena Jones The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was sued three times this past summer for shirking its responsibility to protect birds from egregious welfare violations and safeguard workers at… »
Some Surprises in the European Commission’s New Intellectual Property Strategy
The European Commission’s new intellectual property (IP) strategy is out and it holds a number of surprises for access to medicines. After restating the importance of IP for innovation and for fostering a competitive European industry, the Commission lays out a number of actions relevant for access to… »
Payments for the poor, taxation of the rich: Bolivia’s left-wing party returns to power
Bolivia elections 2020: MAS, the left-wing party of Evo Morales and Luis Acre claimes a landslide win. With this election victory, the Bolivian population has taught the ruling right-wing elite several lessons. It is a clear rejection of the opression and violence against the Indigenous population, social injustice and the… »
Venezuela Wins Simply By Holding an Election
By Vijay Prashad / Carlos Ron Venezuela’s National Assembly has been stalled ever since it was made an instrument for regime change by Washington. Now, with this election, it is hoped that the legislative process can resume. On December 6, the Venezuelan people will vote… »
In the Middle East, words escape prison walls to inspire freedom and hope
This post was written by Khalid Ibrahim, executive director of the Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR), an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly in the MENA region. Human rights defenders have nothing but words to defend the civil and human rights of their people. Their enemies,… »