aljazeera--2019-02-16--Haitis political crisis disrupts economy and day-to-day life

Haiti's political crisis disrupts economy and day-to-day life

Protesters in Haiti say they won't back down until President Jovenel Moise resigns.  However, Moise has refused to step down despite more than a week of unrest, sparked by anger over corruption and soaring prices.


aljazeera--2019-02-28--Nicaragua resumes talks over political crisis after long delay

Talks to resolve Nicaragua's political crisis have resumed in the capital Managua.  Negotiations between the government and the opposition stalled last year over a violent crackdown on protests demanding the resignation of President Daniel Ortega.  Dozens of protesters arrested during the unrest were released before Wednesday's meeting.


aljazeera--2019-03-16--Algeria protests politics loom over derby of Algiers

Algeria protests, politics loom over derby of Algiers

From the working class neighbourhoods of Bab El Oued and the Casbah to central Algiers, public spaces are brimming with jersey-wearing supporters of MC Alger (MCA) and USM Alger (USMA).  But on Thursday, as the two rival clubs prepared to battle for the local bragging rights, fans seemed more interested in the political arena than the football pitch.  "I love MC Alger, I never miss a match," explained Abdellaoui, a vendor of football scarves and flags in the Lower Casbah.  "But right now, this is more important," he added, pointing to an Algerian flag perched on his cart.  A customer nearby jumped in: "If I just suffered a death in the family, how could I celebrate my friend's wedding? We have to fix the problems in the country before we can have fun in the stadium."  Since February 22, hundreds of thousands of people have been protesting in Algiers and other parts of the country against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's bid to run for a fifth term in elections next month.  As public pressure grew, the 82-year-old Bouteflika was earlier this week forced to withdraw from the race, postpone the April 18 polls and organise a national conference to restructure the constitution.  The moves, however, have failed to appease protesters, who have continued taking to the streets to denounce what they see as the government's attempt to illegally extend the ailing leader's hold on power.  On the streets, both MCA and USMA have been hugely influential in giving a voice to protesters - including the song La Casa del Mouradia by the latter's fans which has been completely adopted by Algerians from all walks of life.  The song was named after Netflix's La Casa de Papel (Money Heist) TV series and lambasts Bouteflika's four terms of governance.  "In the first [term], they tricked us with 'reconciliation',    In the second [term] it became clear: 'La Casa del Mouradia',    In the third [term] the country suffered due to personal interests,    In the fourth [term] the puppet died and the problem remains."  MCA supporters also have a song that has seeped into the movement - Fi Sog Elil, which translates as The Night Market.  "Ask me why? I'll tell you to look underneath you,    There are people who have lunch but not dinner,    Ask me how? I'll tell you it's just like this,    The authorities have left nothing,    Ask me since when? I'll tell you for a while,    In fact, I don't even remember,    None of us have lived a good life..."  On derby days, there are usually tens of thousands of supporters cramming into narrow ticket booth queues three to four hours before kick-off.  But on Thursday, movement wasn't nearly as restricted.  Earlier in the week, rumours began circulating that the rival fans would choreograph a "tifo" display before the match, brandishing an anti-establishment message for the world to see. However, the two groups of supporters quickly denied any possible cooperation, regardless of their shared stance against "Le Pouvoir" - a vague term Algerians use to refer to the shadowy clique of politicians, high-ranking military officials and oligarchs who they believe have been running the country.  Late on Wednesday evening, two of MCA's biggest ultra groups decided to boycott the match, which on Thursday left some of the lower blocks of the Stade du 5 Juillet conspicuously empty. USMA's supporters, however, showed up en masse.  As the match went under way, MCA largely dominated first-half possession on the pitch  - but USMA won the all-important battle of the terraces. There's a saying in Algerian football that the spectacle is not on the pitch but rather in the stands.  USMA fans sang Qilouna, a song that criticises the government's exploration of shale gas reserves in the Algerian Sahara.  On the stroke of half time, Mehdi Benaldhia put MCA ahead and, for a fleeting moment, 20,000 spectators were solely concentrated on a football match.  After the break, every member from the USMA supporters' Ouled El Bahdja group raised their open palms and belted out "Oh, oh, there won't be a fifth [term]".  Both sides went on to trade goals in the dying moments of the match but the most captivating moment of the second half came in the final five minutes.  With the two teams deadlocked at 2-2, spontaneous unified chants broke out from the east and west stands.  The first rallying cries responded to Ahmed Ouyahia, Algeria's recently deposed prime minister, who had previously told the tossing-flower protesters that that was how the war had started in Syria.  "Oh Ouyahia, Algeria isn't Syria!" echoed throughout the bowels of the stadium.  These chants were immediately followed by those in attendance addressing Bouteflika, who has yet to resign after delaying the elections despite his term coming to an end in late April.  "Bouteflika, there won't be a fifth term," the fans sung.  Meanwhile, the proceedings on the pitch ended with MCA converting a dubious penalty in the final moments of the match - and claiming the local bragging rights.  As spectators filed out, focus shifted from the hotly contested football match to Friday's mass protests, which went on attract the highest number of demonstrators yet.  One USMA supporter from out of town even laughed off the loss.  "We are all still first in the league, and tomorrow [protesting on the streets], we are going to win!"


aljazeera--2019-11-16--Bolivia expels Venezuelan diplomats amid political crisis

The interim administration has accused the diplomats of organising unrest in the wake of the former President Evo Morales' resignation.  Venezuela has been a key ally of former president Evo Morales, who resigned this week and sought asylum in Mexico, following weeks of protests.  On Friday, demonstrators were back on the streets demanding a democratic handover of power.


aljazeera--2019-12-03--Iraqi parties gather amid political crisis

Baghdad, Iraq - A delegation representing parliamentary bloc Sairoon (Forward), led by Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr, has met with President Barham Salih as Iraqi politicians gathered in Baghdad to discuss a way forward after two months of anti-government protests.  The meeting on Tuesday, which a source in the president's office confirmed to Al Jazeera, came after Iraq's parliament accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi. Abdul Mahdi, who has taken on a caretaker role, had offered to step down after Iraq's topic Shia scholar, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, urged a change in leadership.  The delegation handed an official letter, seen by Al Jazeera, to Salih saying that "in line with our leader Muqtada al-Sadr's aim to end the sectarian muhasasa system, we relinquish our right as the largest bloc to nominate the next prime minister to the people."  "The people are the largest bloc and should be the ones to nominate the next prime minister. Their choice is ours," added the letter.  Introduced after the US invasion in 2003, the muhasasa political system apportions power among religious and ethnic groups, but many Iraqis believe that it has enabled rampant corruption among political elites and thousands have taken to the streets to call for an overhaul of the system.  The protests have gripped Baghdad and the country's mainly Shia south since early October. At least 430 people have been killed and thousands of others wounded in a violent crackdown by security forces against the demonstrations.  According to article 76 of the Iraqi constitution, the largest parliamentary bloc has the right to nominate a new prime minister within two weeks. The candidate will then be tasked by the president to form a new government within 30 days.  As the winner of the highest number of seats in Iraq's May 2018 elections, Sairoon reiterated in its letter that it considers itself the largest bloc in Parliament. But Iraqi politicians have been unable to agree which parties control the largest bloc of seats in Parliament.  Officials and experts have warned of potential political crisis similar to the one that arose after the May elections. Parliament's two main blocs, Sairoon and Fatah - which includes leaders associated with the paramilitary Popular Mobilisation Units headed by Hadi al-Amiri - resolved the political crisis by agreeing to form an alliance that nominated Abdul Mahdi as prime minister.  As part of the ongoing negotiations to nominate a new prime minister, a delegation of 22 MPs representing 130 parliamentarians from across various Sunni, Shia and Kurdish parliamentary blocs and alliances also met Salih at the presidential palace in Baghdad, a parliamentary source told Al Jazeera.  Considering themselves "the largest bloc" the delegation handed over a letter - seen by Al Jazeera - and signed by all 130 parliamentarians saying that they should be the ones to nominate the next prime minister in coordination with the protesters' demands and choice.  The meetings came after a parliamentary session that was due to convene to discuss a new electoral law, one of the protesters' key demands, was postponed indefinitely.  The proposed law increases the share of independent candidates but retains considerable power in the hands of political parties, including the right to appoint the prime minister.  It was unlikely that demonstrators, who want a new electoral law that allows them to vote in their own leader, will accept the proposal.  The United Nations Iraq envoy on Tuesday warned that the country was "at a crossroads" and that leaders must rise to the moment to build a stable, inclusive and prosperous country.  Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert told the UN Security Council that demonstrators have taken to the streets to demand the country reach its "full potential for the benefit of all Iraqis".  Meanwhile, in Iraq's southern city of Najaf, a parliamentary committee met with the security forces at police headquarters in the holy city after protesters surrounded a key shrine amid concerns of a new outbreak of violence.  At least 70 people were injured in clashes between protesters and security forces on Monday night near the grave of late Ayatollah Mohammed Bakr al-Hakim, a Muslim leader who founded a major Shia political party, after security forces opened fire to disperse protesters, witnesses and security sources told Al Jazeera.  Tribal leaders attempted to mediate on Tuesday, calling on Sadr and his Peace Brigades (Saraya al-Salam) to intervene, tribal leaders told Al Jazeera.  "We agreed with Muqtada al-Sadr's representatives to help calm down the situation," Shaykh Saeb Abu Ghoneim, one of the tribal leaders in Najaf, told Al Jazeera.  "We are working on encouraging protesters to remain in the main demonstration sites away from the shrine so as to avoid further escalations," he added.  Sources in Najaf told Al Jazeera that Sadr's Peace Brigades deployed in large numbers across the city to serve as a buffer between security forces and demonstrators.  The Hakim shrine has been the focus of recent clashes in Najaf which has been rocked by violence since protesters torched the Iranian consulate on Wednesday, following a similar incident last week.


breitbart--2019-11-25--Gender Politics, Climate Change Dominate at American Music Awards

Political and cultural topics – from gender politics to climate change – dominated the 2019 American Music Awards performances on Sunday.  Activist artists did more than promote their political agendas in grandiose speeches, as is usually custom, during Sunday night’s AMAs at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, as Newsbusters notes. Many opted to advance their causes in more subtle ways – through set design, costumes, and lyrics.  Kesha performed “Raising Hell” alongside reality TV star Big Freedia, a gay man who is “gender-nonconforming.” The “TiK ToK” singer opened the performance by telling the audience, “Welcome to our Sunday Service” – a direct reference to Kanye West’s gospel-filled church services, which have resulted in thousands of people accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior. A rainbow church set served as a backdrop for the performance.  Pop star Camila Cabello, who won Collaboration of the Year for “Señorita” with singer Shawn Mendes, performed her song “Living Proof,” which featured male dancers wearing lace dresses.  Taylor Swift, who highlighted her newfound devotion to “social justice” in her latest album Lover and won six awards including Artist of the Decade, opened her performance with the song “The Man,” which laments gender double standards.  I’m so sick of running as fast as I can   Wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man   And I’m so sick of them coming at me again   ‘Cause if I was a man, then I’d be the man  Pop sensation Billie Eilish – the recipient of the New Artist of the Year award – performed “All the Good Girls Go to Hell” and wore a black shirt that featured the words “No Music On a Dead Planet” in red sequins and featured flames emblazoned beneath, a reference to global warming.  It is hardly the first time the 17-year-old pop star has spoken out about the climate change “crisis.”  “Our Earth is warming up and our oceans are rising,” Eilish said in a video in September. “Extreme weather is wrecking millions of lives.”


businessinsider--2019-01-31--Facebook and Twitter just took down hundreds of fake accounts from Iran and elsewhere that were tryi

Facebook and Twitter just took down hundreds of fake accounts from Iran and elsewhere that were trying to influence politics

Facebook and Twitter have taken down hundreds of fake accounts designed to influence politics and public debate, the two social networks announced on Thursday.  Facebook took down 783 accounts linked to Iran that targeted countries ranging from Afghanistan to France, Germany, Israel, Morocco, South Africa and the US.  Twitter, meanwhile took down accounts linked to Iran, Venezuela, and Russia, it said, that were active during the US 2018 midterm elections. According to The Washington Post, 418 and were from Russia, 764 were from Venezuela.  "This morning we removed 783 Pages, groups and accounts for engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior tied to Iran. There were multiple sets of activity, each localized for a specific country or region," Facebook cybersecurity exec Nathaniel Gleicher wrote in a blog post.  "The Page administrators and account owners typically represented themselves as locals, often using fake accounts, and posted news stories on current events. This included commentary that repurposed Iranian state media's reporting on topics like Israel-Palestine relations and the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, including the role of the US, Saudi Arabia, and Russia.  "Some of the activity dates back to 2010. Although the people behind this activity attempted to conceal their identities, our manual review linked these accounts to Iran."


businessinsider--2019-02-07--INSIDER is hiring a Politics reporter to cover the Trump administration congress policy and the 2

INSIDER is hiring a Politics reporter to cover the Trump administration, congress, policy, and the 2020 campaign

The ideal candidate brings with them an array of sources among Washington's power players, as well as a minimum of three years of experience in political journalism. He or she is always thinking up an angle on the news that has gone unnoticed — the real story behind the superficial news — able to break news and write exclusive, attention-grabbing stories.  What we're looking for:  Please note that this full-time position requires that you work either at INSIDER's headquarters in Manhattan, or remotely in Washington, D.C. INSIDER offers competitive compensation packages complete with benefits.  INSIDER is great journalism about what passionate people actually want to know. That's everything from news to food, celebrity to science, politics to sports and all the rest. It's smart. It's fearless. It's fun. We push the boundaries of digital storytelling. Our mission is to inform and inspire.  APPLY HERE with a resume and cover letter if this sounds like the job for you.


cbsnews--2019-02-15--Trump Organization scraps plans for hotel chains blaming politics

Trump Organization scraps plans for hotel chains, blaming politics

President Donald Trump's company is ditching plans for two new hotel chains announced two years ago, casting blame in part on a hostile political environment.  The Trump Organization said Thursday that it will no longer try to open hotels under its Scion and American Idea brands catering to budget and mid-priced travelers, a departure from its focus on luxury hotels. The announcement comes as the company has posted losses at a few of its golf properties and brand experts say it has lost some of its appeal.  When the plans were announced in 2017, they raised ethics concerns because of the company's strategy to convince local real estate developers and investors to pay for the properties. Ethics experts said such a structure could raise the possibility that some investors would use the properties as ways to gain favor with the Trump administration. In a statement, Mr. Trump's son, Eric Trump, blamed the political environment.  "We live in a climate where everything will be used against us, whether by the fake news or by Democrats who are only interested in presidential harassment and wasting everyone's time, barraging us with nonsense letters," the president's son, Eric Trump, said in an emailed statement. "We already have the greatest properties in the world and if we have to slow down our growth for the time being, we are happy to do it."  The rollout began with promises of fast success. The company said in March 2017 that nearly two dozen developers had already signed letters of intent to open mid-priced Scion hotels, and was enthusiastic about the future prospects.  "It's full steam ahead," said Eric Danziger, who oversees the hotel business for the family. "It's in our DNA."  But the avalanche of deals never materialized, as was the case for its budget-priced American Idea, which was launched a few months later at a party at the Trump Tower in New York.  The only developer willing to strike a deal was Chawla Hotels of Mississippi. It planned to open as many as four hotels in the state — but now that is off, too. On Facebook, businessman Dinesh Chawla wrote that the Trump Organization deal had ended.  "We never had political discussions," Chawla wrote. He added, "We were together for two years, but I learned so much from them. I'm sorry that they are not with us anymore legally, but we are partners of a different sort--spiritually on this project."  He added that the "breakup" wasn't talked about in "any negative tone."  "In today's politically charged environment," hotel consultant Lee Hunter told The Associated Press recently, "everyone is cautious."  The company is also struggling with some self-imposed restraints on expanding its business.  When Trump became president, he handed day-to-day control of the company to Eric and his other adult son, Donald Jr. He also agreed his company would not pursue new deals abroad and that domestic deals would be vetted by a lawyer hired to make sure they posed no conflicts with Trump's presidency.  "We walked away from billions of dollars' worth of deals and ceased virtually all expansion," said Eric Trump in his statement. "We continue to make tremendous sacrifices and understand the bigger picture more than anyone — our father has the most important and powerful job in the world."  The Trump Organization did not dismiss the possibility that it could revive the new brands someday, perhaps when Trump leaves the presidency.  The end of the rollout follows bad news for the company in other areas.  Charities have canceled events at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, his Scottish clubs lose millions of dollars each year and several buildings have stripped the Trump names off their facades.  The Trump Organization owns or has licensed its name to 17 golf clubs and more than two dozen hotels and residential buildings around the world.  The Trump Organization has also drawn scrutiny in federal probes into Russian interference in the 2016 election and Michael Cohen's campaign finance violations. More recently, it is facing blowback from Democrats in Congress for firing long-time workers at several of its U.S. golf clubs for being in the country illegally, raising doubts about its hiring practices amid the president's vow to crack down on such workers and build a wall to keep more from coming in.  The company has said it had no choice but to fire workers once it discovered they were in the country illegally.


cbsnews--2019-03-29--How gerrymandering became one of the biggest issues in politics

As the 2020 Democratic primary takes shape, progressives across the country are once again taking aim at gerrymandering, the process by which state legislatures draw congressional maps to benefit one party over the other.  On Tuesday, for the second time in two years, the Supreme Court heard arguments about limiting the practice. The last time the high court considered gerrymandering, the justices declined to rule on the merits. And given the court's conservative lean, they could do so again in this most recent case, which involves House district maps drawn by state legislatures in Maryland and North Carolina.  The hope among those challenging gerrymandering is that these district maps were drawn in such a partisan manner that they violate the Constitution. And while liberals have taken the lead in challenging gerrymandering in recent years, the Maryland map was drawn up by Democrats, who also had partisan aims.  Former Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley in a 2017 deposition, admitted his party's goal in its 2011 redistricting efforts was to make a GOP-held district in Maryland much more favorable to Democrats. In a 2018 USA Today op ed, O'Malley explained that 2010 had been a terrible year for Democrats, who helplessly watched "Republican governors carve Democratic voters into irrelevance in state after state in order to help elect lopsided Republican congressional delegations."  O'Malley said he saw it as his duty to "provide some check" against GOP governors by drawing a Democrat-friendly map. His effort was successful, and John Delaney won the seat from longtime GOP congressman Roscoe Bartlett in 2012. Delaney is now a Democratic candidate for president.  But by 2018, O'Malley regretted the move and said he hoped the high court would ban partisan redistricting.  The current governors of North Carolina and Maryland, Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Larry Hogan, wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post earlier this week arguing that the Supreme Court should "end gerrymandering once and for all." Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, a Democrat running for president, has made anti-gerrymandering efforts a central plank of his platform.  But ending gerrymandering might not be that easy, in part because both parties occasionally benefit from the process.  The word "gerrymandering" dates back to the early 19th century. The name comes from Elbridge Gerry, a Massachusetts governor who signed a redistricting bill that benefited his Democratic-Republican Party against the Federalists. One of the new districts was said to resemble a salamander, and so a Boston newspaperman decided to call the new map a gerrymander.  "The epithet at once became a Federalist war cry, the map caricature being published as a campaign document," wrote Charles Ledyard Norton in his 1890 book "Political Americanisms."  So gerrymandering is not a new phenomenon, having been a political issue for over 200 years. Since nearly the creation of the United States, House district maps have been littered with oddly-shaped seats that try to group together voters according to their partisan lean.  In most states, the legislature draws up new congressional maps following the conclusion of the U.S. census, which takes place every ten years. The state's governor then has to approve the new map by signing it into law.  This system was generally good news for Republicans following their landslide victories in the 2010 elections, which occurred the same year as the last census. The next round of redistricting is due to start in 2021, following the completion of the 2020 census.  It's impossible to know which party will enjoy the upper hand in drawing new maps following the 2020 elections, or whether the Supreme Court will step in to limit redistricting in the interim. A number of states, most recently Utah, have tried to sidestep partisan redistricting by creating independent commissions tasked with drawing maps that better reflect the will of voters.  Even if the Supreme Court chooses to once again sit out the fight over gerrymandering, state courts can sometimes step in. In 2018, for example, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out a Republican-drawn map and instituted a new one that helped Democrats pick up several seats in the most recent midterms.  The rules governing redistricting are different from state to state, meaning that activists can't always depend on judges stepping in to redraw maps they see as unfair. At this point, four states use independent nonpartisan commissions to draw district lines.  States like Utah are also trying this approach, creating independent commissions that would limit legislatures' involvement in redistricting. The Utah law, which was narrowly passed by voters in the state last November, created a seven-person commission to draw up new maps and send them to the legislature for approval. California, the largest state with an independent redistricting commission, has a 14-member panel consisting of 5 Democrats, 5 Republicans, and 4 independents to draw new maps.  Former Attorney General Eric Holder now leads the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, a group that looks to back independent commissions and reduce GOP control of state legislatures. But given the Republican electoral success at the state level during the Obama years, Democrats still have their work cut out for them.  Democrats have scored major victories at the state level in recent elections, and according to The Washington Post, they would now have the ability to draw the boundaries of 76 House seats nationwide should redistricting happen tomorrow. But buoyed by its strength in southern states, the GOP would still be able to redraw 179 seats. Another 113 seats would be drawn by independent commissions, while 60 would be redrawn in states where Republicans and Democrats share control of the state government.  Unless the Supreme Court intervenes, the 2020 elections remain Democrats' best hope of undoing Republican gerrymanders and instituting new maps. And that means Democrats will have to expend major resources on capturing state legislatures and governorships while still looking to retake the Senate and the White House.  It's also something of an open question whether Democrats would restrain themselves from partisan gerrymandering in any states they take control of in 2020 and put in place independent commissions. It's easy to talk a big game about reform and fair maps in the minority. But as history has shown again and again, both parties tend to indulge in gerrymandering when given the chance.


channel4uk--2019-04-01--Why have our politics become so heated MPs Heidi Allen and Anne Marie Morris discuss

Why have our politics become so heated? MPs Heidi Allen and Anne Marie Morris discuss

Why have our politics become so heated? And how might we start to heal the divisions in our country?  Heidi Allen left the Conservatives to become one of the Independent Group of MPs, and Anne Marie Morris is a Tory Brexiteer.


channel4uk--2019-07-26--No-deal Extension Election Boris Johnsons Brexit plan Politics Where Next podcast

No-deal? Extension? Election? – Boris Johnson’s Brexit plan | Politics: Where Next? podcast

Listen and subscribe to Politics: Where Next? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other good apps.  As Boris Johnson moves into Number 10, who better to talk to this week than Peter Foster, the Europe Editor of The Daily Telegraph – widely seen as the best plugged in analyst of the Brexit saga on the bloc…  And Francis Elliott – The Times Political Editor – the first to spot a snap election was coming down the tracks back in 2017. What does he think is coming down the tracks now?  There are new episodes of Politics: Where Next? every Friday.


channel4uk--2019-09-06--Brexit can we trust politicians to do whats right for the country Politics Where Next podca

Brexit: can we trust politicians to do what’s right for the country? – | Politics: Where Next? podcast

What is going to happen on Monday? Will there be an election? Are we leaving the EU on the 31st?  This week we talk to John McTernan – the political strategist and a downing street aide to Tony Blair -and Adrian Wooldridge, the political editor of The Economist magazine.  We met just as Boris Johnson’s brother Jo announced he couldn’t serve in his brother’s government any more – and couldn’t be a Conservative MP either.


channel4uk--2019-09-19--The youth and the future is what is at stake right now DrillMinister on the politics of pollution

‘The youth and the future is what is at stake right now’: DrillMinister on the politics of pollution

Drill music and climate change aren’t the most obvious pairing, but now one artist has made it his mission to rap about toxic air.  DrillMinister gained popularity last year when he quoted the violent language used by MPs in his track ‘Political Drillin’, highlighting the hypocrisy of politicians who say drill music drives crime.  His latest political message in the track ‘Choke’ has been released in conjunction with a new online service that rates air quality at any London address. A warning, this piece contains strong language.


channel4uk--2019-11-15--Who’s most likely to win the general election? | Politics: Where Next? podcast

In this week’s podcast, veteran political analyst Professor John Curtice and Professor Matthew Goodwin of the University of Kent share their predictions for this general election.  Both are agreed that a Conservative majority is most likely at this stage, but aren’t ruling out a hung parliament.  According to Curtice, “the Tories are about 2:1 on to get the majority at the moment. So 66% probability.”  When asked about the chances of a Labour majority, Curtice says it’s “as close to zero as to be effectively zero, but that’s not what this election is about. This election is a choice between whether Boris Johnson gets a majority or not.”  The full discussion is available wherever you get your podcasts, or watch it in full on YouTube.


cnsnews--2019-02-07--Kamala Harris Health Care and Education Are Fundamental Rights

Kamala Harris: ‘Health Care and Education Are Fundamental Rights’

(CNSNews.com) - Sen. Kamala Harris (D.-Calif.) sent out a Tweet on Thursday afternoon in which she expressed her view that health care and education ought to be considered “fundamental rights” in the United States.  “Together, we’re fighting for a country where the economy works for working people,” she said. “Where health care and education are fundamental rights. Where we honor our service members and veterans. Where no parent has to send their child to school with a bulletproof backpack.”


osce--2019-02-25--Fundamental rights generally respected in competitive Moldovan elections though campaign tainted by

Fundamental rights generally respected in competitive Moldovan elections, though campaign tainted by violations, international observers say

CHISINAU, 25 February 2019 – Moldova’s 24 February parliamentary elections were competitive and fundamental rights were generally respected, but the campaign took place against the backdrop of disaffection with public institutions and was tainted by allegations of pressure on public employees, strong indications of vote buying and the misuse of state resources, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today.  Control and ownership of the media by political actors limited the range of viewpoints presented to voters, the observers said. Most aspects of the elections were administered in a professional and transparent manner, and the observers assessed the voting positively, despite difficulties and confusion caused by the introduction of a new electoral system and the concurrent holding of a referendum, which caused problems in counting procedures.  “This was an active, hard-fought and polarized campaign in generally well-run elections. It is no secret that there is overall disappointment among citizens in political processes and institutions here,” said George Tsereteli, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission. “I call on my newly elected parliamentary colleagues to now deliver on promises, address the problems we identified, and meet the expectations of the people.”  These were the first elections held under the new mixed electoral system, which was adopted without inclusive public debate and consultation. Under the new system, 50 members of parliament are elected through proportional representation from national party lists and 51 in single-member constituencies.  “The changes to the electoral system and the concurrent holding of the referendum clearly led to confusion, both on the part of voters and some polling station workers,” said Rebecca Harms, Head of the European Parliament delegation. “The decision by the Central Election Commission (CEC) that only holders of valid passports could vote abroad came just six weeks before election day, and departed from practice in past elections, where holders of national ID cards could also vote. There were concerns about the motives behind this decision.”  The legal framework generally provides an adequate basis for conducting democratic elections, and recent amendments partially addressed some previous recommendations by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission. These elections demonstrated, however, that important issues remain to be addressed, including the application of provisions against the misuse of state resources, loopholes concerning the use of charities to finance campaigns, and the concentration of media ownership.  Substantial recent amendments to party and campaign finance regulations addressed some previous recommendations, but other key recommendations remain unaddressed, particularly those to enhance the supervision and enforcement of party and campaign finance rules and strengthening sanctions. According to the CEC, it lacks sufficient human resources to monitor campaign finance effectively, and it conducted inquiries only in response to complaints.  Claude Kern, Head of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) delegation, said: “Election day was generally well organized. As demonstrated by the campaign, the new electoral system regrettably confirmed the main concerns raised by the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission, in particular the lack of effective mechanisms to prevent undue influence by wealthy businesspeople, combined with a poor system of supervision of party and candidate funding, and inadequate penalties.”  The media landscape is diverse, with television as the main source of political information, followed by online media. Media monitoring showed that some national TV channels did not comply with the legal requirement to provide fair, balanced and impartial campaign coverage.  Most technical aspects of the election were managed professionally at all levels, and election commission sessions were open to observers and media. Women were well represented at all levels of the election administration. The lack of clarity over jurisdiction to hear complaints and the CEC’s view that it could not overrule district committee decisions on candidate registration resulted in the denial of the right to an effective remedy in a number of cases.  “The prominent role that women play in running elections was on display yesterday in polling stations across the country,” said Kari Henriksen, Head of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegation. “Considering that women are the majority of the population, political leaders must assume their responsibility to step up and effectively translate this into equal political power and representation.”  In an inclusive process, the CEC registered all 14 parties and one bloc that submitted national lists. Of the 632 candidates on national lists, 264 are women, but only 49 were in top 10 positions. There were 325 candidates registered in single member constituencies, of whom 70 are women and 58 ran as independents.  “The elections offered voters a wide choice of political alternatives, the campaign was competitive and fundamental rights were respected, but reports of pressure on public employees, vote-buying and the misuse of state resources have to be addressed to increase public confidence in elections,” said Matyas Eörsi, Head of the ODIHR election observation mission. “We hope the authorities will follow up on the recommendations contained in our final report on these elections to address these issues.”  Citing security considerations, the CEC changed the locations of 31 of 47 polling stations opened for the first time specifically for voters residing in Transniestria. One major contesting party alleged this was a government attempt to reduce the number of votes from Transniestria. The CEC established 123 polling stations in 37 countries for out-of-country voting, an increase from previous elections. The lack of transparency in how these polling stations were allocated contributed to a perception that the decision was made for political reasons.  Candidate, citizen and international observers have broad rights, including the right to attend sessions of all election commissions and to receive results protocols, and contributed to transparency. Citizen observers conducted long-term observation, deployed short-term observers on election day and conducted a parallel vote tabulation.


21stcenturywire--2019-02-01--GILETS JAUNES Macrons State-Sanctioned Violence against Civilians is Condemned by Doctors and Huma

GILETS JAUNES: Macron’s State-Sanctioned Violence against Civilians is Condemned by Doctors and Human Rights Groups

The face of French Interior Minister, Christophe Castaner, with images of civilians injured by Police violence, superimposed. (Photo: Twitter)  The Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovic, recently visited Paris to discuss issues of human rights violations relating to the Gilets Jaunes (GJ) or Yellow Vest protests that were sparked in France on the 17th November 2018. The protests, that began peacefully descended into state violence against civilians from the 24th November onwards.  “The heightened tensions that persist now in France have triggered my concern and I consider that there is an urgent need to appease the situation” Mijatovic said after her visit. Mijatovic was particularly alarmed by the increasing number of civilians and bystanders seriously injured by the use of the LBD40 “flashball” bullet and the Grenades d’encerclement or GLIF4 grenades. To date, 159 people have been hit in the head by the LBD40 rubber bullets, causing fractured jaws, 17 loss of eyes, one induced coma and many other serious and debilitating injuries.  According to an article in France 24, “France’s legal advisory body, the Council of State, was due to examine an urgent request by the CGT trade union the French Human Rights League on Wednesday to ban police from using the hand-held launchers, which fire rubber projectiles roughly the size of golf balls.”  Lawyers of victims of state-sanctioned violence against protestors have also called for the banning of the GLIF4 grenades which contain 25g of TNT and can contain 10g rubber pellets, capable of shredding flesh if used at close quarters, as you can see in the following video filmed in Dijon during recent GJ protests. A policeman nonchalantly throws a grenade at a nearby GJ who is immediately seen hopping in pain after detonation:  …   The LBD40 is described as a “sub-lethal” weapon but the injuries they have inflicted upon civilians during the GJ protests contradict this description. Police officers are cautioned to only use the “flashball” in cases of absolute necessity, where they are strictly “proportional” to the situation – they should be fired at least 10 meters from their target and never aimed at the head. Below is one of the infractions being signalled to the French Interior Ministry by independent journalist, David Dufresnes.  The protestor was hit in the face by an LBD40 bullet during Acte IX of the protests in Nimes. He suffered a fractured jaw, 3 upper teeth were torn out and his lower teeth were displaced. “The CRS (civilian reserve police) didn’t allow us to rejoin the firemen and they told me that it was for my own good” said the injured GJ.     French police using the LBD40 bullet during GJ protests. (Photo: Valery Hache)  French Interior Minister, Christophe Castaner, has defended the use of the LBD40 bullets despite the mounting tally of horrifying mutilation of civilians as a result of their use. In defiance of the release of a Police laboratory investigation that declared the GLIF4 grenade to be too dangerous for use in crowd control situations, Castaner has declared that they will continue to be used by Police controlling the GJ protests “until stocks are used up” without specifying the amount of remaining stocks. The French government is in violation of recommendations from internal and external human rights investigative bodies.  An article in Le Monde revealed that 9,228 LBD40 bullets have been fired during the two months of GJ protests. Desarmons.net a collective of activists against state violence in France, have calculated that this number equates to 1000 shots per week or 838 bullets fired during each protest, which are held weekly. 123 bullets fired per day from November 17th to 31st of January 2019. 159 civilians have now been hit in the head by the LBD40 bullets. Desarmons also make the claim that most of the bullets do hit their target and the weapons are extremely accurate so this would suggest a far higher number of injured among the GJs than the 2-3000 recorded by most analysts. What is rarely discussed by state-aligned media is the psychological trauma suffered by civilians who have been mutilated or have witnessed the hideous effects of these bullets often fired at close range into crowds.  If anyone were in any doubt over the brutality of the policeman behind the gun in many instances, please watch this video recorded in Nantes during Acte XI (January 26th 2019). Police violently arrest a civilian who was carrying a small hammer. Witnesses urge the police to stop “its shameful” “he is bleeding” “you don’t have the right to do that”. Those filming the use of disproportionate force are pushed back to a “security distance of 50 meters” and told to stop videoeing.  The following video shows the moment after war correspondent, Florent Marcie, is hit in the face by a LBD40 bullet that leaves a deep hole in his cheek. In later interviews, Marcie describes how he has survived multiple war zones without injury only to be targeted by the National Police in France as he is covering peaceful protests. One of the witnesses describes how he was the target but the bullet passed over his left shoulder and hit the journalist in the face.  …   A Doctor’s Petition to Prohibit Police use of LBD40s and GLIF4 Grenades  Doctor Laurent Thines is a professor of neurosurgery at Besancon general hospital. Thines has launched a petition demanding a moratorium on the use of “sub-lethal” arms to highlight the extreme risk of their use.  In an interview with Inter, Dr Thines explained why he had been persuaded to intervene. “I am not a politician, above all I am a doctor and a citizen of France – I was so shocked, as a neurosurgeon, by the seriousness of the wounds inflicted upon peaceful protestors”. Although Besancon itself has not witnessed the extreme use of the LBD40, Thines has seen the reports of surgeons across France on head injuries treated in their hospitals. Thines describes the injuries as equivalent to war wounds or the result of a serious traffic incident.  Thines tells Inter that the petition has raised 65,000 signatures to date from medical staff, including paramedics who have to deal with the injuries at the scene. “We cant remain silent” Thines said “..what we are witnessing is intolerable both medically and from a humanitrian point of view”. Thines has the view that the Minister of Interior, Castaner, has a political agenda behind his drive to strike fear into the GJs and to dissuade them from demonstrating.  Another doctor, Larbi Benali, based at Bordeaux University, specialist in legal medicine, did not sign the petition but considers it to be a very good initiative. “that will enable a real debate on the subject of these weapons” Benali told Inter. Speaking about the the cases of two people seriously injured in the eye that Benali personally studied, the doctor stated:  In 2016, Benali took part in a study on the risk of the “Flashballs” (now replaced by the LBD40) – The hazardous nature of Flash-Ball®: A case of cranioencephalic trauma and a literature review. This scientific article appeared in the legal medicine review but never prompted a public debate in governmental circles. The following is taken from the summary of the report:  Justice for the Victims of State-sanctioned Brutality. Acte XII -Saturday 2nd February across France. Paying homage to the mutilated, the wounded and the “disappeared”.  After a short speech the wounded Gilets Jaunes will lead the march.  During the march there will be a pause to demand the prohibition of weapons such as Flashball LBD40 and the GLIF4 grenades.  The march will be peaceful and without any violence.  Protestors are asked to wear eye patches, bandages and to put fake blood on the bandages in honour of those who have been mutilated and injured.  This will be a national hommage to the Gilets Jaunes victims.  Paris and all cities of France will collectively pay their respects to the wounded, the Gilet Jaunes victims, injured in their thousands and dozens mutilated for life.  Even though protesting is a right for all French citizens, even though the demonstrations are declared in advance across France – in Paris and in every provincial town, Macron’s government sanctions police repression and extreme violence against the movement. The arms used by the “forces of order” against the demonstrators are Flashball bullets LBD40, GLIF4 grenades – Grenades d’encerclement.  Associated with a “kettling” strategy that shuts down any exit route for the protestors (so they find themselves surrounded by police forces) the use of these arms, targeting the head with Flashballs, result in very serious injuries that are described by the medical teams as “war wounds”.  Many have had their lives permanently turned upside down by state violence. Some have lost hands, others an eye.  Psychologically the repercussions are profoundly painful and it will take a long time to recover from the trauma. The families and the friends of the victim are also affected.  Their life is permanently ruined, they are simple, peaceful citizens of this country who were exercising their right to protest against a capitalist dictatorship which refuses to allow them to live a dignified life.  For more than two months the people who come out into the streets are met with governmental repression. Since the 17th November 2018 we have been on the streets but we have not been listened to.  Every weekend, the same weapons are used, in the full knowledge of their effect on human lives. The circumstances do not justify their use (remember the fireman injured in Bordeaux. The BAC fired at him even though he had his back to them, he was leaving the protest peacefully by a side street)  We demand that Macron brings an end to the repression of the legal citizen protests of the Gilets Jaunes and prohibits the use of LBD40 Flashball bullets and GLIF4 grenades immediately.  “The Powerful will stop dominating us when the “little people” stop crawling” – translation of the poster created by Jerome Rodrigues for Acte XII.  The Council of State (Conseil d’Etat, highest administrative jurisdiction ) officially declined to forbid or even suspend the use of LBD40 bullets, despite all available evidence that are being used against all rules of police engagement and are causing terrible mutilation to civilians, risking life in many cases.  The Council of State effectively dismissed all evidence of Police violations of their own regulations and infractions against civilians. So, Acte XII will go ahead in the knowledge that there is a high risk of further injuries and targeting of civilians by the forces of law and order with weapons described as “sub-lethal” but lethal when misused.  Vanessa Beeley is an independent journalist, peace activist, photographer and associate editor at 21st Century Wire. Vanessa was a finalist for one of the most prestigious journalism awards – the 2017 Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism – whose winners have included the likes of Robert Parry in 2017, Patrick Cockburn, Robert Fisk, Nick Davies and the Bureau for Investigative Journalism team. Please support her work at her Patreon account.


abcnews--2019-10-18--US slaps new sanctions on Cuba over human rights, Venezuela

The United States on Friday imposed new sanctions on Cuba over its support for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and its human rights record at home.  The Department of Commerce said in a statement it is revoking existing licenses for aircraft leases to Cuban state-owned airlines and will deny future applications for aircraft leases. It will also expand the sanctions on Cuba to include more foreign goods containing U.S. contents.  Washington said the measures seek to hold the Cuban regime accountable for repressing its own people and for providing support to the Venezuela's government, which it accuses of human rights abuses and collapsing the country's economy.  "This action by the Commerce Department sends another clear message to the Cuban regime - that they must immediately cease their destructive behavior at home and abroad," said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.  Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel rejected the decision and on Twitter called it "inhumane, cruel, unfair and genocidal."  Relations between Cuba and the U.S. have deteriorated under President Donald Trump. His administration has restricted travel to the island and imposed new economic sanctions.


abcnews--2019-12-27--UN official: Past decade has seen human rights `backlash'

UNITED NATIONS -- The past decade has seen a backlash against human rights on every front, especially the rights of women and the LGBT communities, according to a top U.N. human rights official.  Andrew Gilmour, the outgoing assistant secretary-general for human rights, said the regression of the past 10 years hasn’t equaled the advances that began in the late 1970s — but it is serious, widespread and regrettable.  He pointed to “populist authoritarian nationalists” in North America, South America, Europe and Asia, who he said are taking aim at the most vulnerable groups of society, including Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims, Roma, and Mexican immigrants, as well as gays and women. He cited leaders who justify torture, the arrests and killing of journalists, the brutal repressions of demonstrations and “a whole closing of civil society space.”  “I never thought that we would start hearing the terms ‘concentration camps’ again,” Gilmour told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview. “And yet, in two countries of the world there’s a real question.”  He didn’t name them but appeared to be referring to China’s internment camps in western Xinjiang province, where an estimated 1 million members of the country's predominantly Muslim Uighur minority are being held; and detention centers on the United States' southern border, where mostly Central American migrants are being held while waiting to apply for asylum. Both countries strongly deny that concentration camp-like conditions exist.  Gilmour is leaving the United Nations on Dec. 31 after a 30-year career that has included posts in hot spots such as Iraq, South Sudan, Afghanistan, the Palestinian territories and West Africa. Before taking up his current post in 2016, he served for four years as director of political, peacekeeping, humanitarian and human rights affairs in former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s office.  Despite his dim view of the past decade, Gilmour — a Briton who previously worked in politics and journalism — said he didn’t want to appear “relentlessly negative.”  “The progress of human rights is certainly not a linear progression, and we have seen that,” he said. “There was definite progression from the late ’70s until the early years of this century. And we’ve now seen very much the counter-tendency of the last few years.”  Gilmour said human rights were worse during the Cold War between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union, “but there wasn't a pushback as there is now.”  He pointed to the fact that in the past eight years or so, many countries have adopted laws designed to restrict the funding and activities of nongovernmental organizations, especially human rights NGOs.  And he alleged that powerful U.N. member states stop human rights officials from speaking in the Security Council, while China and some other members “go to extraordinary lengths to prevent human rights defenders (from) entering the (U.N.) building even, let alone participate in the meetings.”  In March 2018, for example, Russia used a procedural maneuver to block then-U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein from addressing a formal meeting of the Security Council, the U.N.’s most powerful body, Gilmour said.  Zeid was able to deliver his hard-hitting speech soon after, but only at a hurriedly organized informal council meeting where he decried "mind-numbing crimes" committed by all parties in Syria.  Gilmour also cited the United States' refusal to authorize the council to hold a meeting on the human rights situation in North Korea, a move that effectively killed the idea.  The rights of women and gays are also at stake, Gilmour said. He said nationalist authoritarian populist leaders such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have made “derogatory comments” about both groups.  He said the U.S. is “aggressively pushing” back against women's reproductive rights both at home and abroad. The result, he said, is that countries fearful of losing U.S. aid are cutting back their work on women’s rights.  Gilmour also pointed out a report issued in September that cited 48 countries for punishing human rights defenders who have cooperated with the U.N.  "I feel that we really need to do more — everybody ... to defend those courageous defenders,” he said.  Gilmour said the U.N. should also stand up when it comes to major violations of international law and major violations of human rights, but “I have found it extremely difficult to do so in all circumstances.”  He said he was happy to hear that the new U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Kelly Craft, feels strongly about ensuring human rights.  “And I do hope that she will be gently and firmly held to that high standard," he said.  Gilmour said that after his departure from the U.N, he will take a fellowship at Oxford’s All Souls College, where he will focus on the importance of uniting human rights and environmental rights groups.  “The human rights impact of climate change — it’s going to be so monumental,” he said.  As he relinquishes his post, Gilmour said he is counting on younger generations to take up the mantle of human rights and fight for other causes aimed at improving the world.  “What gives me hope as we start a new decade is that there will be a surge in youth activism that will help people to get courage, and to stand up for what they believe in,” he said.


activistpost--2019-02-20--Saudi Tracking App Under Fire By Human Rights Organizations for Putting Women At Risk

The media is in a frenzy in regards to a Saudi Arabian app that allows men to monitor and control women, including wives and unmarried daughters, with many human rights organizations calling to ban the app, NY Times reported.  The app, Absher, was created in 2015 by the Saudi government and, more specifically, by the National Information Center within the Saudi Ministry of Interior, but hasn’t received much attention until now, according to PC MAG.  Some basic background on Saudi Arabia and how the country functions; Saudi men have what’s known as guardianship laws, which is a decree stating that every woman must have a male guardian to make critical life decisions on her behalf. The guardian can be a father, brother, husband, or son, according to Human Rights Watch.  The app is described in the app store as software that helps you to “safely browse your profile or your family members, or labors working for you, and perform a wide range of eServices online.”  The Absher app also handles some standard government functions such as paying fines, according to a report by the ThisIsInsider.  ThisIsInsider ran a bombshell story entitled: “Saudi Arabia runs a huge, sinister online database of women that men use to track them and stop them from running away.” They recounted a horrifying example where a Saudi woman, Shahad al-Mohaimeed, escaped from her father and family while on vacation in Turkey. As a result, the woman had to steal the family’s smartphones because the Absher app was loaded on them, which allowed them to track her every move.  Several human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), are urging Apple and Google to remove Absher from their app stores.  “We call on Apple and Google to assess the risk of human rights abuses on women, which is facilitated by the App, and mitigate the harm that the App has on women,” Amnesty International said in a statement. “The use of the Absher app to curtail the movement of women once again highlights the disturbing system of discrimination against women under the guardianship system and the need for genuine human rights reforms in the country, rather than just social and economic reforms.”  “Saudi men can also reportedly use Absher to receive real-time text message alerts every time these women enter or leave the country or to prevent these women from leaving the country,” Sen. Ron Wyden wrote.  “By permitting the app in your respective stores, your companies are making it easier for Saudi men to control their family members from the convenience of their smartphones and restrict their movement,” Wyden expressed in a letter addressed to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai.  Cook replied uncertainly when asked about the app during an NPR interview this week. “I haven’t heard about it,” he said. “But obviously we’ll take a look at it if that’s the case.”  Meanwhile, Google told CNN the company would “look into it” when it was questioned about the app.  However, Absher is far from the only app that can track a user on the app store; there are several others which advertise someone’s location in a dangerous manner or are advertised to spy on another person. While many media reports are focusing on the obvious oppression by the app against women, very few are mentioning that Absher and other apps like it could put women in danger. The following screenshot below is not related to Absher; however, its an alleged app going around that allows would-be attackers to track the person who downloads the app.  In which case all sorts of bad things can happen; you can end up kidnapped, killed or raped if you are a woman or child. The scary part is it doesn’t even need to be a malicious app; unfortunately, apps that enable other users to see each others’ location are all a risk.  In 2013, you may find it sickening to know that an app developer suggested making an app called kidnApp where users could opt to be kidnapped.  Motherboard had a now-deleted article on the shocking app which allowed people willing to be kidnapped called Waiters. How that seemed like a good idea, this author will never know, but the app literally allowed users (Waiters) to post an ad to be kidnapped for X amount of time. Although, what if the person known as a “Taker” never let the willing participant go and it turned into a hostage situation? Again, I am unsure how this would ever be a good idea in anyone’s head.  Back in 2017, when Snapchat first released its Snap Map update, which has since been updated, police warned parents of the dangers of the app’s new addition and to turn off Snap Map on their children’s phones. In the UK, Preston Police had this to say on the department’s Facebook page:  The Telegraph quoted a spokesperson for the National Society for the Protection of Children:


activistpost--2019-12-23--Abduction of Human Rights Activist Highlights Chilling Trend in Tanzania

Prominent human rights activist Tito Magoti was abducted in broad daylight by five unknown people in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and is now being detained by police.  Magoti, who works as a public affairs officer with the Legal and Human Rights Center, was abducted on Friday, December 20, 2019, at 10 a.m., as he was on his way to purchase a new mobile phone, according to a statement by the LHRC. Police denied having any information about Magoti’s whereabouts when the LHRC first reported him missing on Friday.  Magoti’s abduction echoes a chilling trend toward the disappearances of journalists, human rights defenders and opposition leaders in Tanzania since 2015 when President John Magufuli first took office.  Later on Friday, the police confirmed that Magoti had been arrested, along with three other unnamed people, on “various allegations,” according to Dar es Salaam police chief Lazaro Mambosasa, as reported by Reuters. However, police have not released information about where Magoti is being held and no official charges have been made as of Saturday, December 21, according to The Citizen.  As one of the most vocal human rights advocacy groups in the nation, the LHRC has spoken out loudly against diminishing press freedoms and opposition repression under President Magufuli’s administration.  Magfuli has denied allegations of cracking down on the media and human rights defenders but ran on a strong campaign to root out corruption in the East African nation. In 2017, he warned that “press freedom has limits.”  Zaituni Njovu, who works with Africa Human Rights Network (AHRN), told Global Voices through a Whatsapp text:  This incident is not good for human rights because everyone has the right to protection and freedom. Mr. Tito [Magoti] has been arrested by civilian police, although at the beginning it was announced to the public that he had been abducted by unknown people. Police [finally] made a formal statement that they arrested him, although they have not said so far [where].  It’s true that human rights defenders [HRDs] are hunted like animals in Tanzania and arrested by police and government agencies — especially when you do your job correctly. In short, it’s not wanted for HRDs to speak at all about anything in TZ [Tanzania]. The human rights situation is unsatisfactory here in TZ [Tanzania]. The safety of HRDs is very low and they are often exposed to adverse events until some [even] lose their lives.  Magoti’s colleagues and friends continue to search for him by making visits to various police stations in Dar es Salaam, inquiring into his safety and whereabouts:  Magoti, who specializes in human rights in business, has worked with the LHRC for three years in Tanzania, where human rights protections have steadily deteriorated.  In early December, in the Magufuli administration’s latest blow to human rights, the government withdrew Tanzanians’ right to “directly seek redress from the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”  Netizens came out on Twitter in Magoti’s defense, noting his disappearance and arrest as part of a larger human rights crisis in Tanzania.  Jeff Msangi saw Magoti’s arrest as a major setback for human rights:  Under the hashtags, #BringBackTito and #FreeTitoMagoti, activists and human rights defenders have launched a campaign on social media to find Magoti and ensure justice for him.  Political scientist Aikande C. Kwayu made a call for compassion on Magoti’s behalf:  Magoti’s abduction and arrest mark a disturbing trend in Tanzania, prompting Angela Quintal of Committee to Protect Journalists to tweet:  In July 2019, journalist Erick Kabendera was abducted using similar techniques by six plainclothes policemen in broad daylight. For months, he has languished in prison on trumped-up charges of economic crimes and may face up to 15 years in prison.  Kabendera’s lawyers have said that his arrest was politically motivated.  As a journalist, Kabendera has been critical of the Magufuli administration and produced reports on Tanzania’s divisive politics for international and local media such as The Guardian, African Arguments and The East African.  Kabendera will spend the holidays behind bars as his case has been postponed ten times in court. The next hearing is scheduled for January 2, 2020, the BBC reports.  As Tanzania heads into the new year, human rights defenders, journalists, activists and concerned citizens continue to paza sauti, a Swahili phrase meaning “raise voices,” so that cases like Magoti’s and Kabendera’s don’t go silent.  This article was sourced from Global Voices.  Top image: Tito Magoti is a human rights activist from Tanzania. Photo courtesy of the Legal and Human Rights Center.  Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, Flote, Minds, Twitter, and Steemit.  Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


breitbart--2019-09-05--39 Human Rights Abusers Arrested in National ICE Roundup

39 'Human Rights Abusers' Arrested in National ICE Roundup

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers teamed up with investigators from ICE’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC) to identify and arrest foreign nationals with final orders of removal from immigration judges who are suspected of human rights violations in their countries of origin. ERO officers carried out the targeted operation known as “Operation No Safe Haven V” in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York City, Newark, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco, a three-day roundup that occurred at the end of August, resulted in the arrests of 39 known or suspected human rights violators and war criminals, according to information obtained from ICE officials.  Sixteen of the 39 known or suspected individuals are also criminal aliens in the U.S. with crimes that include domestic violence, driving under the influence of liquor, drug distribution, firearm possession, grand theft, reckless endangerment, robbery, fraud and theft, officials stated. The migrants will be removed to El Salvador, Guatemala, China, Liberia, Cambodia, Chad, Chile, Colombia, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, and Sudan.  “ICE will not allow war criminals and human rights abusers to use the U.S. as a safe haven,” Acting Director Matthew Albence said in a written statement. “We will never stop looking for them and we will never cease seeking justice for the victims of their crimes.”  Six of the 39 were arrested in New York. Those include:  “The six arrested during this operation used the backdrop of New York City to shadow their illicit pasts in their home countries,” Thomas R. Decker, field office director for ERO New York added. “ICE officers will continue to focus their enforcement efforts on criminal aliens and others, like these known or suspected human rights violators, and will seek to have each one removed to their home country.”  In Baltimore, ERO officers picked up two more human rights violators. One, “a Central American man who was affiliated with an organization complicit in alleged kidnappings, inflicted prisoner injuries, and alleged murders in his home country,” officials stated. The other, “a West African man connected to a regime directly responsible for human rights abuses of citizens in his home country.”  “Since 2003, ICE has arrested more than 415 individuals for human rights-related violations of the law under various criminal and/or immigration statutes,” officials stated. “During that same period, ICE obtained deportation orders against and physically removed more than 990 known or suspected human rights violators from the United States. Additionally, ICE has facilitated the departure of an additional 152 such individuals from the United States.”


breitbart--2019-10-08--NBA's Woke Warriors Silent on Human Rights Abuses in China

The National Basketball Association considers itself one of the most “progressive” organizations in America, and is always ready to criticize President Donald Trump or other Americans who members of the league think are not woke enough.  But this weekend’s apology to China shows that the NBA is quick to attack Americans while turning a blind eye to China’s serious human rights abuses.  Over the weekend, the NBA rebuked Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey who tweeted his support of the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. The league apologized to the oppressive Chinese government for Morey’s support of the democracy activists.  But according to a recent report at Human Rights Watch, China is still one of the worst abusers of human rights in the world. In its 2018 report, the organization reported that China has “dramatically stepped up repression and systematic abuses against the 13 million Turkic Muslims, including Uyghurs and ethnic Kazakhs, in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region.”  “Authorities have carried out mass arbitrary detention, torture, and mistreatment of some of them in various detention facilities, and increasingly imposed pervasive controls on daily life,” HRW wrote. “New regulations in Tibet now criminalize even traditional forms of social action, including community mediation by religious figures. In Hong Kong, a region promised ‘a high degree of autonomy’ under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the Chinese and Hong Kong governments hastened their efforts in 2018 to undermine people’s rights to free speech and political participation.”  HRW also reiterated China’s oppression of its homosexual citizens, refugees, asylum seekers, women, and girls, and that is not to even mention its actions against Tibet.  This is the country that the NBA is falling all over itself to support.  But the woke members of the NBA has been very quick to attack Americans who they think aren’t woke enough. Especially when they feel that they can safely attack such people without hurting their financial bottom line.  For instance, when NBA player Jason Collins came out as gay in 2013, the whole NBA was effusive in its praise of the player. Stars from Kobe Bryant to Kirk Gibson jumped to praise Collins for his bravery for coming out.  In another case, in 2016, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich — an outspoken leftist and critic of President Donald Trump — attacked the Trump administration for what Popovich insisted was Trump’s “bullying of gays and minorities.”  It was right after Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016, and Popovich was livid.  “Not basically because the Republicans won or anything, but the disgusting tenure and tone and all the comments that have been xenophobic, homophobic, racist, misogynistic,” Popovich exploded. “I live in that country where half the people ignored all that to elect someone. That’s the scariest part of the whole thing to me.”  Then in 2017, Warriors coach Steve Kerr and his team hosted an “LGBTQ Pride Night,” to “educate kids” about gay rights.  But according to the Lancet, China, home to one of the largest LGBTQ populations in the world, commits serious persecution and discrimination against gays. Not only does government take harsh action, Chinese society takes harsh action against gays. LGBTQ children even face serious oppression and abuse by parents, while Chinese authorities turn a blind eye.  Despite China’s abuse of its LGBTQ citizens, the woke NBA has been utterly silent about the mistreatment of gays in the country the league is courting for big dollars.


breitbart--2019-12-04--China: Using Facial Recognition Technology Protects Human Rights

China’s use of facial recognition technology is an effort to protect people’s human rights, the country’s state media declared on Tuesday.  In a typically brazen editorial by Global Times, the English language state propaganda outlet boasts that despite having developed the fastest and most effective facial recognition technology in the world, Western media outlets have been using the “cliché of human rights to attack China” over concerns of privacy.  “They have not realized that the convenience and security brought by the new technology are also a guarantee of human rights,” the editorial reads.  The core of the editorial’s argument goes to the heart of the Chinese communist worldview, the outlet argued, that security triumphs liberty as the most important human right of them all.  “What is the most important human right? It might be security. Facial recognition and the real-name system are currently the most effective ways to crack down on telecommunications fraud and identity theft,” it continues. “These measures have successfully protected the personal and property security of Chinese mobile phone users.”  The writers use the example of Xinjiang, where facial recognition technology is being used to help carry out the mass repression of its Uyghur Muslim population, as an effective way to “detect terrorists and protect ordinary people,” adding that it has played an important role in countering terrorism and bringing peace back to Xinjiang.  China is currently in the process of aggressively implementing such technology, with new legislation coming into effect this weekend requiring telecom operators to collect face scans of their new customers. Authorities have already successfully rolled out other facial recognition systems in a number of other sectors, including at supermarket checkouts, transport systems, and public walkways.  Jeffrey Ding, a researcher on Chinese artificial intelligence at Oxford University, told the BBC that although the technology can be utilized to bolster cyber-security and reduce Internet fraud, the principal intention is to monitor the population.  “It’s connected to a very centralized push to try to keep tabs on everyone, or that’s at least the ambition,” he explained, in reference to China’s ambition of becoming the world’s most effective surveillance state.  In the editorial, Global Times also points out that similar systems are being trialed in France and the United Kingdom, adding that the worldwide roll-out of such technology is now “unstoppable” anyway.  “The development of new technology is unstoppable. Instead of accusing China of putting so-called electronic anklets on Chinese people, Western media should see that China has been exploring the boundaries of the rules of new technology,” it reads. “Such exploration can also be a reference for other countries. Some Western countries should not ignore or even blacken China’s efforts.”  Follow Ben Kew on Facebook, Twitter at @ben_kew, or email him at bkew@breitbart.com.


21stcenturywire--2019-01-30--WATCH Londoners Protest UK Governments Regime Change Policy on Venezuela

WATCH: Londoners Protest UK Government’s Regime Change Policy on Venezuela

Journalist Robert Inlakesh reported live from the streets of London earlier this week, covering a protest against the U.K. Government’s ‘Trump train’ support of regime change on Venezuela.     Protesters marched on the streets of London in the late afternoon on Monday. Protests like these aren’t covered by the mainstream press.  During this captivating 13-minute video, Inlakesh speaks with some of the Venezuelan protesters to get their candid views on the current crisis unfolding in their home country. The people gathered at this demonstration are in clear opposition to the regime change tactics used by foreign powers on oil-rich nations like Venezuela. Watch:


21stcenturywire--2019-03-27--The US Government Is A Corporate Gang Venezuelas Foreign Minister Exclusive Press TV

‘The US Government Is A Corporate Gang’ – Venezuela’s Foreign Minister [Exclusive Press TV]

The Foreign Minister of Venezuela, Jorge Arreaza, stated in an exclusive interview with PressTV’s Ahmed Kaballo, that the United States government is a corporate gang.  Venezuela’s Foreign Minister also addressed the ongoing attempt to undermine and take down the government of Venezuela. Watch the interview here:


21stcenturywire--2019-08-19--Maduro Government Showed Willingness for New Elections During Secret Talks

Maduro Government Showed ‘Willingness’ for New Elections During Secret Talks

Earlier this year, Norway was hosting multiple rounds of talks between Venezuela’s actual government, and the US-backed opposition, which posits a future situation in which they will end up being the government.  The demands from the opposition and the US are to hold new elections, and according to those familiar with the May talks, they say the Maduro government signaled a willingness to hold an election in 9-12 months, assuming it would end the persistent US regime change attempts.  That Maduro was willing for a new vote is surprising, and he might see it as a way out, since the US-backed opposition didn’t run in the 2018 election at all, which led them and the US to declare the vote illegitimate.  It’s also interesting that the US was involved at all, as the US expressed anger at the very idea of the Norway talks at the time, and chided Norway for having them. Now, officials say the US has opened up secret lines of communications with a number of members of Maduro’s inner circle.  The secret US talks don’t seem directly related to the secret Norway election proposal, but rather to the already failed US coup attempt, as the US is still trying to convince Venezuela’s leadership they won’t face further retribution if they betray Maduro and allow regime change.  The US inclination to have regime change just happen unilaterally based on a demand seems intact, related to Trump’s talk of a naval blockade of the entire, large country. It’s not clear where that leaves the election as of right now, though the US may ultimately view a proper election as a very last resort kind of idea.


21stcenturywire--2019-10-08--ECUADOR: Protests Heat Up in Quito, Moreno Government Leaves Capital City

Ecuador’s President Lenin Moreno has announced his administration is leaving the capital city of Quito amid new protests.  Protesters have been met with tear gas from police on the streets of Quito, as they came out against the Moreno government and “austerity cuts tied to a recently implemented IMF deal,” RT reports.    Mass protests were also cracked down on by police last April, after the US-backed Moreno regime allowed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to be illegally rendered by British abductors from its embassy. Those demonstrations were also met with violence from the Ecuadorian police including beatings, tear gas attacks, and the use of trained attack dogs against peaceful demonstrators.  A central focus of the protests for Ecuadorians has been the role of what critics have dubbed the “International Misery Fund,” or, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the austerity measures tied to its loan guarantees.  It has also been reported that Moreno has since relocated his administration to the city of Guayaquil, about 400 kilometers southwest of Quito.


21stcenturywire--2019-12-27--Istanbul’s ‘Syrian Government in Exile’, Now Demanding Military Action in Idlib

Ever since the beginning of the US-led regime change effort against Syria began in 2011, the West and its Gulf state financiers have tried to prop-up a “Syrian Interim Government” in the desperate hope that this western creation could somehow be parachuted into the country after the real government in Damascus was decapitated by the western and Gulf-backed conclave of radical jihadist terrorist militants who formed what the western media and political operatives commonly referred to as the “rebel opposition” in Syria. The first iteration of this ‘interim government’ was known as the Syrian National Council (SNC), which collapsed for obvious reasons (starting with the fact that its members have been hand-picked by Washington, and also because no one in Syria, other than militant factions receiving western patronage, actually recognizes it). The SNC then morphed into a series of other entities, before reaching its current form, now sponsored by the Turkish state. But past failures have not deterred them, as this latest version of “legitimate Syrian government” seems to have found a permanent home in Istanbul, Turkey, where it’s now calling for military action against Damascus in order to save the remaining al-Qaeda terrorist brigades currently occupying Syria’s northern province of Idlib.  In addition to the their parallel ‘government’ in Turkey, the opposition confab has also given a marketing facelift their western-backed militant forces, formerly known as the Free Syrian Army (FSA). As 21WIRE previously reported, Turkey’s president Tayyip Erdogan has been hosting but has now absorbed the terrorist-infested FSA into Turkey’s military ranks, and has redeployed them under a new brand, cynically named the “Syrian National Army”. Their new Turkish lifeline has no doubt pleased Washington who themselves have already invested billions in US taxpayer funds financing, training and arming these very same jihadist brigades that Erdogan has employed on the front lines of his latest incursions into Syria in the attempt to carve out a Turkish-friendly ‘safe zone’ along its border and inside of Syrian territory. Not content with matters, Istanbul’s ‘Syrian government’ is now demanding that Erdogan reassign all FSA terrorist fighters to Syria’s northern province of Idlib to help repel the current Syria Army and Russian offensive launched this past week.     The West’s “Syrian government” still on life-support, residing in Istanbul (Image Source: Hadi Abdullah)  Nonetheless, there is still a faint glimmer of hope held by the foreign-based opposition that the West will re-enter the theatre, topple the Assad government in Damascus, and help install them into power, thus rescuing the ephemeral “revolution” which some still claim happened in 2011, but which never actually happened in reality.  Of course, if the money ever dries up, then so will so-called “Interim Government” of Syria.  Late on December 23, the Turkish-based “Syrian Interim Government” (an entity funded by Turkey in an attempt to legalize its actions in Syria) threatened the real Syrian government with a military action.  In a released statement, it claimed that forces that participated in Turkey’s Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield operations are now moving to Greater Idlib in order to support their counterparts in repelling an attack by “regime forces, Russia and Iranian militias”.  It remains unclear what “forces” the barely existing “defense ministry” is planning to send to Idlib because Turkish-backed militant groups are already supporting al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in the battle against the Syrian Army. The Turkish-backed coalition of militant groups, the National Front for Liberation, has always been a useful partner for al-Qaeda in Idlib.  On December 24, united forces of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the National Front for Liberation and several other militant groups launched a counter-attack in an attempt to retake the town of Jarjnaz from the Syrian Army and its allies.  Clashes between militants and government forces erupted near Jarjnaz itself and the villages of Ghadfa and Abud Dawha. Militants used at least one suicide vehicle borne improvised explosive device.  Pro-militant sources that “rebels” destroyed several pieces of military equipment belonging to the army and captured an armoured vehicle and a battle tank. The fighting in the area continued on December 25.  On December 24, a Turkish delegation visited Moscow to discuss the situation in Syria and Libya, as well as the existing bilateral cooperation. Taking into account that Turkey’s soft reaction to the encirclement of its observation post in Surman and the lack of Turkish Army attempts to establish more observation posts to stop the Syrian Army advance, it seems that Ankara once again sold its Idlib proxies to Russia.


abcnews--2019-01-03--Government shutdown delays immigration hearings as an already historic backlog grows

The federal government shutdown has led to the closure of a number of U.S. immigration courts handling cases for tens of thousands of people whose status is in limbo – another twist in the protracted showdown between President Donald Trump and Democrats over border wall funding.  The closures, which impact people whose immigration status is uncertain in dozens of courts across the country, has led to cases being indefinitely delayed and has further added to the already record-setting backlogs and years-long wait times, immigration legal experts told ABC News.  Immigration judges already face a heavy burden dealing with the current caseload, said Amiena Khan, an immigration judge who serves as vice president at the National Association of Immigration Judges.  "It is extremely frustrating," Khan said. "There is a tremendous amount of irony to all of this. As the government is shut down for this process to ensure greater border security, look at what it's doing to our system as a whole."  Though immigration courts, which operate under the Department of Justice, continues to handle cases for detained migrants, the majority of people who face pending deportation proceedings are not detained.  The clients of immigration lawyer Jeremy McKinney may have to wait a full year before the court can even set a later date for a judge to assess the case, McKinney said. Two of his clients, who were supposed to appear Wednesday, had their court dates canceled.  “You have to give this court system proper resources and proper integrity for it to do its job,” McKinney said.  President Trump has pushed Democrats to vote for more border security, using the government shutdown as leverage for funding. He told reporters in the White House on Wednesday that he’ll keep the government closed, “as long as it takes.”  However, the case delays pose a further challenge to the Trump administration's efforts to expedite deportation processes and crackdown on illegal immigration.  In the past year, the backlog of immigration court cases has surpassed one million, according to Department of Justice data compiled by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University.  “For immigrants with legitimate claims for certain types of immigration relief delays launch them further into a vulnerable limbo with no legal status,” said Sarah Piece, an analyst at the Migration Policy Institute.  The delays could put families of asylum applicants at risk as they wait in the applicant's home country, potentially facing violent conditions that would qualify them for refuge in the U.S., immigration experts say.  Even if the courts reopened tomorrow, cases with dates that took place during the shutdown would have to be rescheduled – potentially months later – since immigration judges have their calendars booked far in advance.  The extra time to establish family roots by getting married or waiting for case law to be decided in federal court could offer more options for avoiding removal, according to legal experts.  “When it comes to victims of domestic violence and gang-based crime the law has been thrown into turmoil … having a delay of game for those individuals, that’s not bad news,” McKinnley told ABC News.  And for some immigrants with weak legal cases, the delay buys time in the US before they are deported.  One possible solution to helping relieve the backlog is a fundamental restructuring of how such courts are funded and resourced, Khan said. This method would include removing courts from the executive branch where they are currently under the purview of the Department of Justice and creating a system where the courts function and are funded more independently.  "Immigration courts have been starved of resources for so long because we are so low on the totem pole with regard to appropriate funding," she said.


abcnews--2019-01-04--House votes to end partial government shutdown despite White House veto threat

House Democrats took their first major legislative votes of the new Congress, approving two measures to end the 13-day partial government shutdown -- despite a presidential veto threat.  Though both measures are expected to stall in the Senate, newly minted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ruled out approving any funding towards the president’s $5.6 billion request for a physical barrier at the southern border – renewing the impasse that led to the shutdown last month.  "We are not doing a wall. Does anybody have any doubt? We are not doing a wall," Pelosi, D-California, said, dubbing the President Donald Trump as a “master of diversion.”  In light of newly divided government, Thursday’s votes set down a legislative marker for the House of Representatives, but did not produce a bipartisan resolution to the border wall stalemate or bring the shutdown any closer to its end.  “The fact is a wall is an immorality. It's not who we are as a nation,” Pelosi said. “It’s a wall between reality and his constituents, his supporters."  A vote on a package of six appropriations bills late Thursday night passed 241-190, while lawmakers also approved a narrow measure to extend funding for the Department of Homeland Security until Feb. 8 by a tally of 239-192.  “As Representatives, funding the federal government is one of our most important duties,” House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-New York, said on the House floor during debate on the bills. “When Congress allows a president to dictate ridiculous demands and lets petty partisanship prevent the timely passage of appropriations bills, we abdicate that responsibility. Our new Democratic majority was elected to end the chaos and govern responsibly.”  Prior to the votes, Trump made a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room on Thursday afternoon to underscore his demand for the border wall, asserting that “without a wall, you cannot have border security.”  “You can call it a barrier. You can call it whatever you want,” Trump said. “But essentially, we need protection in our country. We're going to make it good. The people of our country want it.”  Separately, the White House signaled Thursday that the president would veto either measure if the legislation reached the Resolute Desk.  "The Administration has made it clear that the Government needs an investment of at least $5 billion for border security, along with the flexibility necessary to utilize these funds efficiently,” a statement of administration policy stated. “The appropriations bill, H.R. 21, and the corresponding H.J. Res. 1, does not come close to providing these necessary investments and authorities."  Congressional leaders were slated to meet with Trump at 11 a.m. Friday to resume negotiations, though neither side appears ready to cave.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has also pledged to block the measures from a vote in the upper chamber.  “The Senate will not take up any proposal that does not have a real chance of passing this chamber and getting a presidential signature,” McConnell, R-Kentucky, said. “Let’s not waste the time. Let’s not get off on the wrong foot, with House Democrats using their new platform to produce political statements rather than serious solutions.”  While Trump said last month that he would be proud to own a shutdown in order to secure funding he has demanded to build a southern border wall, counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway argued that the president no longer bears responsibility for the shutdown that's resulted in the closure of approximately a quarter of the federal government, impacting 800,000 federal workers.  “He doesn't own the shutdown any longer,” Conway said when asked if the president regrets his past statement willingly taking the blame.  She argued that because the House of Representatives passed a package last month that included the president’s requested $5.6 billion in funding, the buck now passes to the Senate. That measure expired with the end of the 115th Congress earlier Thursday.  "He doesn't own the shutdown any longer. The House voted, the House did its job. The House passed a 5.6 billion border security funding, and it's not just for a wall it's for border security, and now the Senate has to do its job," Conway said.  Trump tweeted Thursday morning that the shutdown could be explained by the 2020 presidential election and Democratic efforts to stall his administration, citing the showdown as an example of "presidential harassment."  The broader measure includes funding for the remainder of the fiscal year for every government agency currently closed, with the exception of agencies within the Department of Homeland Security.  The second bill would fund DHS through Feb. 8 at the current funding rate of $1.3 billion for border security.  "We asked him to give us one good reason -- I asked him directly. I said, Mr. President, 'give me one good reason why you should continue your shutdown of the eight cabinet departments while we are debating our differences on homeland security?' He could not give a good answer. So we would hope that they would reconsider and would support the very bills that pass the Senate," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.