2020-11-27: News Headlines

Staff (2020-11-27). Four Days in Occupied Western Sahara — A Rare Look Inside Africa's Last Colony as Ceasefire Ends. democracynow.org In this special rebroadcast of a Democracy Now! exclusive documentary, we break the media blockade and go to occupied Western Sahara in the northwest of Africa to document the decades-long Sahrawi struggle for freedom and Morocco's violent crackdown. Morocco has occupied the territory since 1975 in defiance of the United Nations and the international community. Thousands have been tortured, imprisoned, killed and disappeared while resisting the Moroccan occupation. A 1,700-mile wall divides Sahrawis who remain under occupation from those who fled into exile. Earlier this month, a three-decade ceasefire in Western…

John Pilger (2020-11-27). Britain's Class War on Children. globalresearch.ca In this abridged article published by the London Daily Mirror & based on his 1975 film, Smashing Kids, John Pilger describes class as Britain's most virulent disease, causing record levels of child poverty. | *** | When I first reported on child …

_____ (2020-11-27). Maradona: The Bolivarian Soccer Genius. popularresistance.org The fighting peoples of the world lost a humble legend yesterday. Diego Armando Maradona was 60 years old. Arguably the greatest soccer player to ever grace the pitches, the spirited striker combined unparalleled skills in his sport and an unflinching outspokenness before oppression. No other sports figure's public statements and transformation has equally captured the changing momentum across Latin America. | The hundreds of thousands of tributes being paid throughout the world portray a particular image: Maradona in close solidarity with the biggest progressive leaders of the social reformist wave embraced by t…

teleSUR (2020-11-27). Venezuela Convicts Six CITGO Former Executives of Corruption. telesurenglish.net Six former executives of the CITGO Petroleum Corporation were sentenced to between eight and 13 years in prison after being found guilty of corruption. | RELATED: | Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) announced that Citgo former President Jose Pereira will be in jail for 13 years and seven months for the crimes of "intentional embezzlement and conspiracy." | Pereira also will have to pay a fine of US$2 million, equivalent to…

_____ (2020-11-27). Venezuela Convicts Six CITGO Former Executives Of Corruption. popularresistance.org Six former executives of the CITGO Petroleum Corporation were sentenced to between eight and 13 years in prison after being found guilty of corruption. | Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) announced that Citgo former President Jose Pereira will be in jail for 13 years and seven months for the crimes of "intentional embezzlement and conspiracy." | Pereira also will have to pay a fine of US$2 million, equivalent to 40 percent of the value of the embezzled goods. | Former executives Tomeu Vadell, Jorge Toledo, Gustavo Cardenas, Jose Zambrano, and Alirio Zambrano will serve eight years and ten months in priso…

David Schultz (2020-11-27). Trump and a Republic That We Could not Keep. counterpunch.org Donald Trump refuses to concede and claims the 2020 election was rift with fraud. American democracy is in peril. Then the GSA will fund the Biden presidential transition. His lawsuits are coming to an end. The electoral college will soon cast its ballots. And Donald Trump will no longer be president of the US. The

John Pilger (2020-11-27). Britain's Class War on Children. counterpunch.org When I first reported on child poverty in Britain, I was struck by the faces of children I spoke to, especially the eyes. They were different: watchful, fearful. In Hackney, in 1975, I filmed Irene Brunsden's family. Irene told me she gave her two-year-old a plate of cornflakes. "She doesn't tell me she's hungry, she

Mohammad Ayesh (2020-11-27). Arabic press review: 'Mass corruption' probe at Saudi defence ministry. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: 'Mass corruption' probe at Saudi defence ministry | Meanwhile, French foreign minister says France is being defamed, a plane full of dollars arrives in Damascus from the UAE, and Egypt's prisoners denied visits | Fri, 11/27/2020 – 14: 45 | Saudi authorities are reportedly investigating 158 criminal cases involving 226 Saudi citizens and residents suspected of squandering hun…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-27). Court in Tunisia sentences blogger to two years in prison over social media posts. peoplesdispatch.org Blogger Wajdi Mahouechi was reportedly arrested after he criticized the public prosecutor in Tunisia. On November 12, the Tunis First Instance Court convicted him of all charges and sentenced him to two years in prison along with a fine of 1,000 Tunisian Dinars (USD 300)…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-27). Palestinian administrative detainee Maher al-Akhras free at last. peoplesdispatch.org Palestinian administrative detainee Maher al-Akhras was finally released from Israeli custody on November 26, Thursday. Al-Akhras had earlier been on a 104-day hunger strike to protest his illegal administrative detention by Israel and to demand his release. He agreed to end his hunger strike after successfully securing an agreement for his release at the end of his current term of administration detention, which would have otherwise most likely been renewed for another term. | Since reaching the agreement, al-Akhras has been treated at the Israeli Kaplan hospital. He was transferred there from prison due to a dr…

David Schultz (2020-11-27). Trump and a Republic That We Could not Keep. counterpunch.org Donald Trump refuses to concede and claims the 2020 election was rift with fraud. American democracy is in peril. Then the GSA will fund the Biden presidential transition. His lawsuits are coming to an end. The electoral college will soon cast its ballots. And Donald Trump will no longer be president of the US. The

A. Majumdar (2020-11-26). PDF of November 26 issue. workers.org Download the 12-page PDF. Detroit smashes racist plot in U.S. election Editorial: Crimes against humanity: We charge genocide! Storms, hurricanes devastate Indigenous communities; Vincent Truitt: another police victim; Black Lives Matter & disabled people; Women fight military trauma; Defend post office, workers' homes; Political forces vs #45; Will Biden stop . . . |

Nadda Osman (2020-11-26). Egyptian artist Ramy Essam's new song inspired by poet jailed for 1,000 days. middleeasteye.net Egyptian artist Ramy Essam's new song inspired by poet jailed for 1,000 days | Ramy Essam, who was at the forefront of the 2011 protests in Egypt, has released a new song to highlight Galal El-Behairy's imprisonment | Thu, 11/26/2020 – 10: 52 | Essam has released a new song to raise awareness of the imprisonment of Galal El-Behairy (MEE/Patrick Fore/Ganzeer) | Egyptian artist and musician Ramy Essam rele…

MEE and agencies (2020-11-26). Turkey: Leaders of 2016 coup receive multiple life sentences. middleeasteye.net Turkey: Leaders of 2016 coup receive multiple life sentences | Verdicts are the culmination of a trial that began in August 2017 and involved a total of 475 suspects | Thu, 11/26/2020 – 10: 18 | More than 250 people were killed in Turkey on 15 July 2016 when rogue soldiers commandeered warplanes, helicopters and tanks (Reuters) | A Turkish court has jailed 337 people, including pilots and…

MEE staff (2020-11-26). Palestinian hunger striker Maher al-Akhras released from Israeli prison. middleeasteye.net Palestinian hunger striker Maher al-Akhras released from Israeli prison | Akhras spent 103 days on hunger strike in protest against his administrative detention | Thu, 11/26/2020 – 09: 30 | Palestinian detainee Maher al-Akhras arrives at al-Najah Hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus following his release by Israeli authorities on 26 November (AFP) | Israeli authorities have released Palestinian prisoner Ma…

RT (2020-11-26). READ: From hormone treatment to punishment in solitary, Maria Butina's book lays bare her US prison horror and what she saw there. rt.com In a freshly-published book, Maria Butina has documented her time inside the American prison system, where she spent more than a year after being dubbed a foreign agent acting on behalf of Moscow's 'influence campaign.' | The book '#Prison diary' is based on the journal Butina kept chronicling her experiences behind bars, including the time she spent in solitary confinement. | The young gun rights activist from Siberia was in the US on a student visa when she was arrested in July 2018. It was the height of the Russiagate scandal surrounding allegations that Moscow actively meddled in American affairs to get Do…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-26). Major COVID-19 outbreak in Belmarsh prison, Assange's family raise alarm. peoplesdispatch.org According to Julian Assange's partner, Stella Moris, at least 56 inmates were found to be infected in the block where he is held. Assange, along with nearly 200 other inmates of his house block, had been under lockdown since November 18…

teleSUR (2020-11-26). Chile: 7 Arrested Amid Protest for Political Prisoners' Release. telesurenglish.net Seven people Wednesday were arrested during a protest for the release of hundreds of political prisoners who were captured during the 2019 social outbreak against Chile's President Sebastian Piñera. | RELATED: | Thousands of people took to the streets to "demand the freedom of the young people who remain in custody for their participation in the protests that followed October 18, 2019," protestor Ana Bohemia tweeted. | Pi…

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-11-26). 'We Have Won Over the Occupation': Israel Frees Maher Al-Akhras After 103-Day Hunger Strike. commondreams.org The Palestinian father of six was released after refusing all food and drink to protest Israel's administrative detention policy. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/free.jpg

teleSUR (2020-11-26). French Retailer Carrefour Sued for Black Man Death in Brazil. telesurenglish.net A Brazilian state attorney filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Carrefour to seek US$37.6 million in damages after a black man was beaten to death by security guards at the retailer's store in Porto Alegre city. | RELATED: | Apart from claiming damages, the lawsuit by the attorney asked a court to shut the store in the city to "reduce the risk of possible hostile acts that could occur during protests." | Carrefour Brazil said in a…

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-26). VIDEO: Kylie Gilbert released from jail in prisoner swap. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 26 (MNA) — One Iranian businessman along with two other Iranian nationals who were detained abroad due to false charges were exchanged with Kylie Moore Gilbert, a spy working for the Zionist regime.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-26). Colombian social leader Julián Gil released after 900 days unjustly held in prison. peoplesdispatch.org "This is a victory of people's movements," declared Julián Gil as he left the prison and was greeted by dozens of family members, friends as well as militants and leaders of his organization Congreso de los Pueblos (the People's Congress). Gil, who worked as the technical secretary of the organization was arrested 902 days ago outside the organization's office and falsely accused of having participated in and planned acts of terrorism. | On Tuesday November 24, the Specialized Judge of Cundinamarca absolved Gil of all charges and declared that he should be released immediately. Gil had been accused of rebellion a…

teleSUR (2020-11-26). Turkey Jails Hundreds for Life Over 2016 Failed Coup Attempt. telesurenglish.net A Turkish court has jailed 337 former pilots and other suspects for life, including former top-ranking officials in the military, over a plot to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a failed coup attempt four years ago, a court document obtained by AFP news agency showed on Thursday. | RELATED: | Nearly 500 defendants were accused of carrying out the attempt to overthrow the government on July 15, 2016, fro…

WSWS (2020-11-25). Spain's PSOE-Podemos government builds migrant concentration camps on Canary Islands. wsws.org Like Syriza in Greece, the "left populist" Podemos party is supporting the building of mass internment camps to imprison thousands of refugees.

Sameena Rahman (2020-11-25). COVID explodes inside prisons, but only guards to get first doses of vaccine. liberationnews.org Over the past week, 14,697 new cases of Coronavirus infection were reported inside of state and federal prisons — the highest level since the pandemic began.

MEE and agencies (2020-11-25). 'Faint and shaky' Loujain al-Hathloul transferred to Saudi terrorism court. middleeasteye.net 'Faint and shaky' Loujain al-Hathloul transferred to Saudi terrorism court | Family warns that women's rights activist looks visibly weak after more than two years in jail | Wed, 11/25/2020 – 16: 33 | Undated photograph released on 6 August 2019 on Facebook page of Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul shows her at undisclosed location (AFP) | Imprisoned Saudi women's rights activist Loujain…

Dennis Broe (2020-11-25). France bans citizens from filming and identifying violent police officers. peoplesworld.org PARIS — Against a backdrop of street protest—even in the midst of a COVID lockdown—and increasing police violence and repression, France Tuesday passed the draconian Global Security Law which could make it an offense punishable by a year in jail and a 45,000 euro fine to film, post, and identify police officers committing violent actions. …

Workers World Portland, Oregon, bureau (2020-11-25). Portland disabled Black Lives Matter protesters demand rights under ADA. workers.org A claim was filed in U.S. District Court here on Nov. 1 charging that disabled people are being denied their right to protest against "systemic racism" by local, state, and federal police agencies. The claim cites Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). August 2020 protest. Joining in . . . |

Ragip Soylu (2020-11-25). Turkey: Erdogan demands legal probe into calls for release of Kurdish leader. middleeasteye.net Turkey: Erdogan demands legal probe into calls for release of Kurdish leader | Angry president attacked former ally Bulent Arinc, who resigned after asking that political prisoners, including Selahattin Demirtas, be freed | Wed, 11/25/2020 – 11: 26 | Erdogan addressed his ruling AK Party group at the Turkish parliament on 25 November 2020 (Turkish Presidency) | In a fiery speech on Wednesday, Turkish Pre…

WSWS (2020-11-25). Assange's life in danger as major COVID-19 outbreak hits Belmarsh Prison. wsws.org Assange's partner Stella Moris has reported a mass outbreak in the house block where the WikiLeaks founder is imprisoned, with 56 prisoners and staff testing positive to the coronavirus.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-25). Thai protesters face charges of insulting monarchy on eve of planned rally. peoplesdispatch.org 15 protesters have been summoned to face lèse-majesté charges that can carry upto to 15 years in prison if found guilty. The summons were sent to some of the most prominent faces of the nearly four-month long protest movement…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-25). "We demand an end to patriarchal violence in all its expressions" peoplesdispatch.org On November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, working class women across the world raise their voices against patriarchal violence, exploitation and oppression…

MEE correspondent (2020-11-24). Egypt urged to release two women whose pretrial detention has expired. middleeasteye.net Egypt urged to release two women whose pretrial detention has expired | On 21 November, the two-year pretrial detention limit of Hoda Abdelmonem and Aisha al-Shater ended, making their continued imprisonment unlawful, says rights group | Tue, 11/24/2020 – 13: 40 | Abdelmonem (L) and Shater were held in November 2018 as part of a wave of detentions which targeted nearly 40 human rights w…

MEE staff (2020-11-24). French app users sue Muslim Pro over alleged data sharing with US military. middleeasteye.net French app users sue Muslim Pro over alleged data sharing with US military | Lawsuit accuses Muslim Pro of data protection offences, abuse of trust, endangering other people's lives, and conspiracy to commit murder | Tue, 11/24/2020 – 15: 50 | Muslim Pro told MEE that it denies selling its data to US military and that it was ending all sharing of its data with companies (Facebook/Muslim Pro) | French users of…

MEE staff (2020-11-24). Egyptian rights group says jailed director is in 'danger' from inhumane treatment. middleeasteye.net Egyptian rights group says jailed director is in 'danger' from inhumane treatment | The arrest of EIPR staff has triggered rare western condemnation of the Sisi government's crackdown on human rights | Tue, 11/24/2020 – 14: 02 | Gasser Abdelrazek was detained on 19 November, a few days after two of his colleagues were arrested over a human rights seminar their organisation held with western diplomats (EIPR)…

Ragip Soylu (2020-11-24). Turkey: Erdogan ally Bulent Arinc resigns in dispute over reforms. middleeasteye.net Turkey: Erdogan ally Bulent Arinc resigns in dispute over reforms | Arinc left the Turkish president's high advisory council after he called for the release of two high-profile prisoners | Tue, 11/24/2020 – 15: 14 | Then-Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, talks to his then-deputy Bulent Arinc during a debate at the parliament in Ankara on 25 February 2010 (AFP) | One of the leading associ…

Jade Crosbie (2020-11-24). Colorado governor waters down Elijah McClain investigation, protesters continue to demand justice. liberationnews.org The movement's demands are clear, "Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail; the whole damn system is guilty as hell!"

Musawenkosi Cabe (2020-11-24). South Africa's constitutional Court protects domestic workers. peoplesdispatch.org "It's unbelievable. We feel like flying, we are so happy. I nearly broke into song inside [the Constitutional Court], breaking the law…" These were the words of 77-year-old Eunice Dhladhla, a domestic workers' union organizer, after the court ended years of unfair exclusion and discrimination against domestic workers. | Twenty-six years into democracy, and still domestic workers could not claim compensation for contracting a disease, being injured or disabled, or even dying while at work. The Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Disease Act expressly excluded domestic workers from the class of workers who…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-24). Persecution of political prisoners and activists intensifies in Egypt. peoplesdispatch.org Imprisoned human rights activist Gasser Abdel-Razek has been subjected to cruel treatment in prison, claimed his lawyers. Meanwhile, on Monday, a criminal court in Cairo designated 28 Egyptians, including prominent activists, as terrorists…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-24). Human rights organizations demand release of jailed student activists in Myanmar. peoplesdispatch.org Several activists and students, many from the All Burma Federation of Student Unions, have been recently arrested by the Myanmar authorities for protesting against human rights violations in the country's Rakhine and Chin States…

WSWS (2020-11-24). Alabama juvenile hall teacher speaks out on hazardous conditions. wsws.org An educator at one of Alabama's juvenile detention facilities described the dangerous conditions she and her students are forced to confront daily.

news.un (2020-11-24). 'Deplorable' killing of Afro-Brazilian man shows need to address racism, discrimination. news.un.org The killing of an Afro-Brazilian man, and the widespread outrage it has sparked, underscores the urgent need for the Government to tackle racism and racial discrimination in South America's largest country, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.