2020-11-07: News Headlines

_____ (2020-11-07). Media Silence Marks Ongoing OPCW Cover-Up Of Syria Chemical Weapons Scandal. popularresistance.org This should be a global scandal," said journalist Aaron Maté on the suppression of evidence from experts from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in order to push for war in Syria. "This is the U.S. government bombing Syria based on allegations that were later found by the investigating team to be false. But then once that team came back to write their report they were pressured by the U.S. government and had their evidence censored." | Unfortunately, it has not become a global scandal.

MEE and agencies (2020-11-07). Iran temporarily releases jailed rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh. middleeasteye.net Iran temporarily releases jailed rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh | Release follows warnings by rights groups that Sotoudeh's health had severely deteriorated after a hunger strike | Sat, 11/07/2020 – 13: 43 | Nasrin Sotoudeh, pictured after being freed in 2013 after serving around half of a six-year jail sentence for spreading propaganda and conspiring to harm state security, charges she den…

Talha Burki (2020-11-07). [World Report] Report released on Women Deliver allegations. thelancet.com An investigation into accusations of discrimination at advocacy group Women Deliver has said that rapid growth was a major cause. Talha Burki reports.

Kate Aronoff (2020-11-07). The Philadelphia Left Holds the Line. zcomm.org After decades of voter suppression, organizing efforts pay off…

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-11-06). Roaming Charges: the Fog of Bores. counterpunch.org I keep hoping that one day there'll be a presidential candidate who just says very plainly: I don't want to invade anyone else's country or drone their wedding parties; I don't want to torture anyone; I don't want your family to go bankrupt from the bills for your daughter's chemo; I want you to be paid fairly for the work you do and not be preyed upon by bill collectors when you're unemployed; I want you to have a roof over your head and clean water to drink; I don't want your kids to go hungry at school or be thrown in jail for smoking grass or be shot by the police while walking home from the 7/11; I want you…

MEE staff (2020-11-06). Palestinian ends 103-day hunger strike after Israel agrees not to extend detention. middleeasteye.net Palestinian ends 103-day hunger strike after Israel agrees not to extend detention | Maher al-Akhras, set to be released at end of November, has spent nearly four months in detention without charge or trial | Fri, 11/06/2020 – 16: 56 | Palestinians carry placards demanding release of Maher al-Akhras at demonstration in Hebron (AFP) | Palestinian political prisoner Maher al-Akhras, who had been held without cha…

Daniel Beaumont (2020-11-06). Prison, the Plague, Writing and Exile: an Interview With Aslı Erdogan. counterpunch.org This interview with the Turkish author Aslı Erdogan was conducted by mail in recent weeks. She is a renowned author in Turkey, and well known in Europe where works have been translated into English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and possibly some other languages. Her works have won numerous international literary prizes. She is also

RT (2020-11-06). Vienna's anti-terrorism chief suspended after deadly attack in Austrian capital. rt.com The head of the agency in charge of anti-terrorism operations in Vienna has been suspended pending an investigation into a deadly Islamist attack which took place in Austria's capital earlier this week. | "The head of the regional Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Anti-Terrorism (BVT) asked me to suspend his functions because he doesn't want to stand in the way of an orderly inquiry," Gerhard Puerstl, the head of the city's police, said during a press conference on Friday. | On Monday, a 20-year-old man, who had previously served time in prison for trying to join Islamic State (IS, formerly ISI…

Staff (2020-11-06). Headlines for November 6, 2020. democracynow.org Biden Takes Lead in Georgia & Pennsylvania, Moving Him Closer to Presidency, Biden Calls for Counting Every Ballot; Trump Claims Dems Are Stealing Election, Trump Campaign Faces Legal Setbacks in Election-Related Lawsuits, Trump Campaign Adviser: "Hopefully Amy Coney Barrett Will Come Through" to Help Trump Win Election, Sen. Graham: State GOP Lawmakers Should Consider Invalidating Election Results, Philly Police Foil QAnon-Linked Plot to Attack Ballot-Counting Site, Bannon Calls for Beheading of Dr. Fauci & FBI Director Wray, 18 Protesters Arrested in NYC in Demo Against Trump Stealing Election, Georgia May Have…

Fight Back (2020-11-06). New Orleans protesters march to defeat Trump, defend people's freedoms. fightbacknews.org New Orleans, LA – On November 4, a coalition of progressive groups took to the streets under the slogan "Defeat Trump!" As the rally moved through the central business district, speakers highlighted local issues and areas of action in the city. | While the march came after the national election, it made broad demands. The group united around a shared progressive agenda and the need for more coalition actions. Marchers chanted, "Count the votes!" and "No justice, no peace, no racist police!" They also shouted their demands for housing, quality healthcare, economic relief, safe education, prison abolition and more.

Fight Back (2020-11-06). Pro-cop DA Jackie Lacey defeated, millions vote in Los Angeles. fightbacknews.org Los Angeles, CA – More than 3 million voted by mail and in person on November 3 in Los Angeles. District Attorney Jackie Lacey was defeated in a hard-fought race for district attorney of Los Angeles County, the most populous in the United States. Reform candidate George Gascon beat Lacey. | For the past three years, Black Lives Matter-LA has led weekly protest rallies at the 'Hall of Injustice' office demanding prosecution of killer cops and chanting, "Jackie Lacey must go! Jackie Lacey will go!" The weekly protests were attended by many Black and Chicano families whose sons and daughters have been killed by LAP…

Taylor Pendergrass (2020-11-06). Criminal Justice Reform Takes Another Big, Messy Step Forward in 2020 Elections. aclu.org Criminal justice reform was a key issue in Tuesday night's elections, from the presidential race all the way down to municipal ballot initiatives., , One exciting indication of just how far the movement to end mass incarceration has come? On Election Day it used to be possible to round up all reform-related electoral results in a few bullet points, but this week, there were so many criminal justice victories that it is impossible to summarize them all in a few paragraphs., , Below are some of the highlights we were tracked most closely on election night. These results show a vibrant movement growing in stren…

ACLU (2020-11-06). Friday 11/6: Post-Election Town Hall w/ ACLU Leaders in Battle Ground States. indybay.org Online/virtual town hall…

MEE staff (2020-11-05). Palestinian prisoner Maher al-Akhras passes 100 days on hunger strike. middleeasteye.net Palestinian prisoner Maher al-Akhras passes 100 days on hunger strike | Taghreed, Akhras's wife, says her husband has been in and out of a coma as his health deteriorates | Thu, 11/05/2020 – 12: 01 | Palestinians carry placards demanding the release of administrative detainee in Israeli custody Maher al-Akhras during a demonstration Hebron, 3 November (AFP) | Palestinian prisoner Maher al-Akhras is on the "ver…

Ralph Nader — Bruce Fein (2020-11-05). How Trump, Hannity and Limbaugh Violated Election Law. counterpunch.org Conservative media celebrities Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh have flagrantly violated the federal election law prohibition of donating anything of value exceeding $2,800 to a presidential candidate. The ongoing strategic collaboration between Trump, Hannity and Limbaugh is obvious and has been widely documented in newspapers and books. Both Hannity and Limbaugh have collaborated with President

Staff (2020-11-05). There is no democracy without felon voting rights. therealnews.com TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez talks with Executive Producer and host of Rattling the Bars Eddie Conway about prisoners' right to vote, or lack thereof, and about the obstacles ex-prisoners face in securing their voting rights, particularly in Florida.

Susie Day (2020-11-05). That's Not Gangster, That's Love: Eddie Conway and Jose Saldaña Talking. counterpunch.org Why do prison abolitionists argue that people who spend years behind bars are exactly the ones we need out in the world to help mend our broken communities? The answer starts to emerge when you listen to Eddie Conway and Jose Saldaña. Eddie was Lieutenant of Security for Baltimore's Black Panther Party when he was

Yasmina Allouche (2020-11-05). Even in death, Algerian war veteran and Hirak activist defies authorities. middleeasteye.net Even in death, Algerian war veteran and Hirak activist defies authorities | Lakhdar Bouregaa's record as a freedom fighter was smeared by the state, after he was imprisoned for six months following anti-corruption protests in 2019 | Thu, 11/05/2020 – 12: 21 | Bouregaa was a senior military official in the National Liberation Army and founded the Socialist Forces Front (Ryad Kramdi/AFP) | C…

Nadda Osman (2020-11-05). UN raises alarm over Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul's health following hunger strike. middleeasteye.net UN raises alarm over Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul's health following hunger strike | The Saudi activist launched a hunger strike last month to protest against restrictions on contacting her family | Thu, 11/05/2020 – 12: 56 | UN experts have raised concerns about Loujain's health after launching her second hunger strike(AFP) | UN experts have raised concerns over the deteriorating health of jailed…

Staff (2020-11-05). Bruce Franklin 40 years ago: 'American empire is coming undone'. therealnews.com In 1980, TRNN's Eddie Conway helped organize a prisoners' educational outreach program called "Say Their Own Word," where thinkers and scholars came to Maryland Penitentiary and spoke about topics like impending US fascism, the prison-industrial complex, capitalism, increasing surveillance, and many other issues that have become even more pressing today. These speakers included Amiri Baraka, Askia Muhammad, Bruce Franklin, Nijole Benokraitis, and Charlie Cobb. As part of a series, TRNN will be speaking with these individuals about their predictions in 1980 and how they resonate today. This interview is with…

Patricia Gorky (2020-11-05). Right wing mobilizations intensify racist voter suppression drive. liberationnews.org Right wing protesters mobilized in several hotspots across the country following Tuesday's election, using intimidation tactics in an attempt to tip the scales for Trump.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-05). Chilean protesters demand release of those arrested during October 2019 uprising. peoplesdispatch.org Chilean protesters have been demanding the release of political prisoners who were detained during the October 2019 uprising. The protests last year triggered a movement that led to last month's historic constitutional referendum…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-05). Mass detention of health workers in India; union to continue fight. peoplesdispatch.org As many as 2,000 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) were forcefully detained in the State of Andhra Pradesh on November 2. They were staging protests to demand the implementation of the National Health Mission guidelines…

Zafar Syed Zaffsyed (2020-11-05). "I Found Out that My Father Was Imprisoned in Guantánamo on Google" globalresearch.ca The article below was written by Zafar Syed Zaffsyed for the Pakistan Independent and published on November 2, 2020. The original is available Our thanks to Reprieve for bringing this …

WSWS (2020-11-05). Three short films—including The Present, about the brutality of Israeli checkpoints. wsws.org Oppression of the Palestinians, child hunger and the COVID-19 pandemic are dealt with in two short films and an hour-long documentary.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-05). Egyptian court orders release of over 600 political prisoners and detainees. peoplesdispatch.org A criminal court in Cairo ordered the release of detainees being held in remand under 19 different cases. As per claims by family members and lawyers, over 300 detainees were released on Tuesday, with more expected to be released in the coming days…

news.un (2020-11-05). UN rights experts call for release of Saudi activist championing women's right to drive. news.un.org The deteriorating health‚ÄØof Saudi women's rights activist Loujain Al-Hathloul is‚ÄØ"deeply alarming", UN-appointed rights experts said on Wednesday, calling for her release along with "all other women human rights defenders in detention".

Mohammed al-Deirawi, Ramzy Baroud (2020-11-04). "They Tried to Freeze Me to Death:" Torture and Resistance in Israeli Prisons. counterpunch.org Mohammad Ibrahim Ali al-Deirawi was born on January 30, 1978 in Nuseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. His family is originally from Bir Al-Saba', an ethnically cleansed Palestinian town located in the southern Naqab desert. Mohammad was arrested by the Israeli army at a military checkpoint in central Gaza on March 1, 2001. He

Mohammad al-Deirawi and Ramzy Baroud (2020-11-04). "They Tried to Freeze Me to Death": Torture and Resistance in Israeli Prisons. dissidentvoice.org Mohammad Ibrahim Ali al-Deirawi was born on January 30, 1978 in Nuseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. His family is originally from Bir Al-Saba', an ethnically cleansed Palestinian town located in the southern Naqab desert. Mohammad was arrested by the Israeli army at a military checkpoint in central Gaza on March 1, 2001. He …

Fight Back (2020-11-04). Green Bay, WI: Vigil and caravan for Donna Christensen and missing, murdered indigenous women. fightbacknews.org Green Bay, WI – On November 1, the Wisconsin Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression held a car caravan and vigil for Donna Christensen, an Ojibwe woman and member of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, who was found dead in a jail cell in Vilas County, Wisconsiin. | The car caravanners displayed signs and chanted slogans calling for justice for Donna Christensen and for all Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), as well as justice for all victims of police crimes. They flew a banner with the words "Native lives matter" and "Justice for Jonathan," an indigenous man murdered by Gree…

Ted Kelly (2020-11-04). International calls for release of Palestinian prisoner on hunger strike. workers.org Hunger striker Maher al-Akhras The International Association of Democratic Lawyers, in a resolution released late last month, called for the immediate release of Maher al-Akhras, a Palestinian man imprisoned by Israeli occupation. Detained without charges under the notorious "administrative detention" policy, al-Akhras has been staging a hunger strike for almost . . . |

MEE staff (2020-11-04). Bahrain convicts dozens on allegations of membership of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. middleeasteye.net Bahrain convicts dozens on allegations of membership of Iran's Revolutionary Guard | Conviction of 51 people, mostly in absentia, decried by activists as proof of 'systemic corruption of Bahrain's judiciary' | Wed, 11/04/2020 – 11: 05 | Bahraini women demonstrate in solidarity with political prisoners, in the village of Shakhora, west of Manama, on 1 June 2012 (AFP) | The Bahraini government announced on Tuesd…

Judy Greenspan (2020-11-04). Prison, COVID, and Disabilities. workers.org From a talk given at the Oct. 22 Workers World Webinar on "Voter Suppression & COVID & their Impact on Disabled People." Betsey [Piette] and I are both members of the Prisoners Solidarity Committee of Workers World Party. Every week, we publish 1-2 pages of articles about the struggles . . . |

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-04). Iranian prisoners in Georgia repatriated to Islamic Republic. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 04 (MNA) — Georgia handed over 6 Iranian prisoners to the Islamic Republic on Wednesday due to the efforts made by the Iranian Embassy in Tbilisi.