Daily Archives: 2020-10-23

2020-10-23: News Headlines

Steve Early, Suzanne Gordon (2020-10-23). A Common Defense: Mobilizing Veterans in Labor. counterpunch.org During his 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump dissed a Gold Star family that lost a son in Iraq. He called Senator John McCain, America's most famous prisoner of war, a "loser" for being captured in Vietnam. When asked about widespread sexual assault in today's military, he dismissed it as a problem. He had to be publicly shamed into making

Beau Peters (2020-10-23). Early Voting, Long Lines, and Voter Suppression. dissidentvoice.org November 3rd, Election Day in America, is rapidly approaching. However, early in-person voting has started in several states across the country and there are some concerning issues already coming to light this election year. Videos by voters have been circulating on social media sites such as Twitter, showing extremely long lines and long waiting periods. …

WSWS (2020-10-23). 50 years since Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act. wsws.org During the October Crisis, the Canadian state, led by Trudeau, exploited two terrorist kidnappings to carry out a coup de force, jailing and intimidating left-wing government opponents amid a growing working class upsurge.

repost (2020-10-23). Eight Black workers sue S.F. health department for racial discrimination. indybay.org Eight Black workers in the City and County of San Francisco filed suit against the city for systemic racism and bullying.

Staff (2020-10-22). Headlines for October 22, 2020. democracynow.org Columbia Researchers Say Trump's Failures Led to at Least 130,000 Coronavirus Deaths, California to Slash San Quentin Prison Population After Massive Coronavirus Outbreak, Obama Blasts Trump's Record as Candidates Head to Nashville for Final Presidential Debate, NYT: Trump Maintains Chinese Bank Account and Paid Nearly $200,000 in Taxes to China, DNI John Ratcliffe Claims Iran Is Meddling in 2020 Election to "Damage President Trump", Democrats to Boycott Senate Committee Vote on Amy Coney Barrett's SCOTUS Nomination, Billionaire Sackler Family Gets No Jail Time in $8 Billion OxyContin Settlement, In Historic Shif…

_____ (2020-10-22). Migrant Parents Separated From Their Kids Still Can't Be Found. popularresistance.org Lawyers tasked with identifying and reuniting families separated in 2017 and 2018 under the Trump administration's so-called "zero tolerance" border policy say they still haven't been able to locate the parents of at least 545 migrant children, according to a Tuesday court filing from the American Civil Liberties Union. | A majority of these parents — "approximately two-thirds," the filing said — are believed to have been deported to Central America without their children, some of whom were "just babies" at the time of the separation, ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt told CNN this week.

_____ (2020-10-22). Say Racism's Name, And Fight It With Solidarity. popularresistance.org The instability of Trump's presidency and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement have upset the U.S. power structure. White supremacist groups such as the Proud Boys and the Boogaloo Movement have increased in number and visibility to protect the right of white America to the historic spoils of stolen land and stolen labor. These groups have found their Great White Hope in Donald Trump and his many appeals to keep them safe from Black Americans, immigrants, and oppressed nations all over the world.

Patricia Gorky (2020-10-22). Purdue Pharma settlement: Opioid kingpin Sackler family gets away with murder. liberationnews.org From this pain and suffering the Sackler family has built their enormous wealth estimated at $13 billion. The Sacklers will not face any jail time or significant fines despite the charges against Purdue Pharma…

Staff (2020-10-22). COVID-19 is raging in prisons. Why are America's aging political prisoners still behind bars? therealnews.com Ericka Payne discusses the struggle to get her uncle Ed Poindexter released, and how political prisoners are left out of the conversation about protecting aging prisoners from the pandemic.

RT (2020-10-22). US federal judge says Trump's tweet calling to release Russiagate docs with 'no redactions' was NOT official order amid FOIA suits. rt.com A US judge has ruled that a tweet sent by President Donald Trump earlier this month did not constitute an order to declassify material linked to the Russiagate probe, as CNN and Buzzfeed press for the docs in ongoing lawsuits. | US District Judge Reggie Walton said on Wednesday that, while the tweet appeared to order the release of new material free of any redactions, a clarification from White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows qualified as a reversal of the move. The judge was also critical of the administration for a lack of clarity on the question. | "It is unfortunate that we are in this situation because,…

RT (2020-10-22). ISIS-linked stabbing suspect monitored on day of Dresden attack right after he left prison, police chief reveals. rt.com A man suspected of killing one person and seriously injuring another in Dresden this month was under observation by German intelligence at the time of the attack, says the region's head of police. | Law enforcement agents arrested a 20-year-old Syrian man on Tuesday in connection with the double stabbing on October 4, with prosecutors saying he has an Islamist background. | Read more | | The suspect was being monitored by Germany's domestic inte…

commondreams (2020-10-22). Rushed Judicial Confirmation Poses Severe Threat to Civil Rights, Damages Legitimacy of the Supreme Court. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Susan Price (2020-10-22). Racism, democracy in the 'land of the free'. greenleft.org.au The racism and lack of democracy that underpins the institutions of the United States has been exposed thanks to the Black Lives Matter movement and President Donald Trump's rush to confirm a new Supreme Court, writes Barry Sheppard.

Susan Price (2020-10-22). United States: Racism, democracy in the 'land of the free'. greenleft.org.au The racism and lack of democracy that underpins the institutions of the United States has been exposed thanks to the Black Lives Matter movement and President Donald Trump's rush to confirm a new Supreme Court, writes Barry Sheppard.

Carl Takei (2020-10-22). When Black Mourners are Threatened with Official Violence. aclu.org In early June, as people around the globe joined in massive protests against the police brutality and racism that killed him, George Floyd was laid to rest at the same Pearland, Texas cemetery where his mother is buried. Led by a horse-drawn carriage containing his body, George Floyd's grieving family and hundreds of supporters walked slowly from the church to the burial ceremony. , , What they did not know is that on the rooftops above them, six teams of snipers were positioned to fire on the crowd of mourners. Manned surveillance aircraft and drones circled in the sky above. And hundreds of local and state…

Abayomi Azikiwe (2020-10-22). Voter Suppression and Right-wing Threats Fail to Keep Millions Away from the Polls. globalresearch.ca Efforts aimed at thwarting the fundamental bourgeois democratic rights of the majority of people in the United States are well underway. | President Donald J. Trump has said repeatedly that mail-in voting and early opportunities to cast ballots are inherently fraudulent …

Press TV (2020-10-22). Yemen: Prisoner Swap and What May be Behind It. dissidentvoice.org Transcript of an Interview with Press TV Background The fourth batch of Yemeni detainees has arrived in Sana'a as part of the largest prisoner swap between the country's warring sides. The residents in the capital received 112 prisoners after their plane landed in the Sana'a international airport. 1,081 men will be released in two days. …

Newsclick (2020-10-22). Explained: The antitrust case against Google. peoplesdispatch.org Newsclick's Prabir Purkayastha examines the reasons for the US justice department filing a landmark antitrust lawsuit against Internet giant Google. He talks about how Google has achieved a near monopoly and the risks of such an approach.

WSWS (2020-10-22). US Justice Department and eleven states file antitrust lawsuit against Google. wsws.org The US Department of Justice submitted a lawsuit against Google on Tuesday saying the $1 trillion corporation was in violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.

ACLU NorCal (2020-10-22). Wednesday 10/21: Voting Plan, CA Ballot Info, & Voting Rights During COVID-19 Webinar w/ ACLU. indybay.org Online voter webinar and online volunteering opportunities…

NAACP (2020-10-22). Sunday 10/25: The Value of a Black Woman's Vote Rountable w/ NAACP. indybay.org Online roundtable…

Fight Back (2020-10-22). Justice for Eric Briceno, killed by ELA Sheriffs. fightbacknews.org Los Angeles, CA – Family, neighbors, supporters and Centro Community Service Organization (CSO) attended an October 16 press conference, rally and celebration of the life of Eric Briceno, who was killed by East LA Sheriffs in Maywood, California. Other families who have lost loved ones to police killings also joined the Briceno family. Well-known civil rights attorney Samuel Paz had asked Centro CSO to help the Briceno family. | Briceno was killed on March 16 after his parents called 911 for help with a mental health crisis. Briceno was beaten and tased to death in his bedroom, after he woke up to sheriffs shouti…

commondreams (2020-10-22). Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Activates Network of 23,000 Legal Volunteers to Safeguard Voting Rights For 2020 General Election. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-10-22). Blasting 'Deliberate Indifference' to Inmate Health, California Court Orders San Quentin Prison to Reduce Population by Half. commondreams.org The ruling called the Covid-19 outbreak at the notorious lockup "the worst epidemiological disaster in California correctional history." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/sq.jpg

Staff (2020-10-21). Headlines for October 21, 2020. democracynow.org Nigerian Soldiers Open Fire on Protesters Opposing Police Brutality, As U.S. Faces Third Coronavirus Surge, CDC Reports 300,000 Excess Deaths in 2020, Pope Wears Mask at Public Event for First Time as EU Coronavirus Cases Surge, Justice Department and 11 States Sue Google in Biggest Antitrust Lawsuit in Decades, ACLU Can't Find Hundreds of Asylum-Seeking Parents Separated from Children by Trump Admin, L.A. Times: Just Three of 265 Reported Crimes at California ICE Jails Led to Prosecutions, Early Voting Opens for Pretrial Prisoners in Chicago's Cook County Jail , Armed Poll Watchers Deploy to Democratic Precincts…

MEE staff (2020-10-21). Syria still not sharing information on missing US journalist Austin Tice, Pompeo says. middleeasteye.net Syria still not sharing information on missing US journalist Austin Tice, Pompeo says | Secretary of State says Washington will not change policy towards Syria to obtain release of detained Americans | Wed, 10/21/2020 – 19: 24 | Austin Tice was detained checkpoint near Damascus in August 2012 while covering Syrian conflict (AFP/File photo) | The Syrian government has not shared any information on the whereabou…

MEE correspondent (2020-10-21). European MPs tell Egypt's Sisi to release prisoners of conscience. middleeasteye.net European MPs tell Egypt's Sisi to release prisoners of conscience | Egyptian president facing mounting calls by lawmakers from the US and Europe to end his government's rights violations | Wed, 10/21/2020 – 11: 17 | Egypt's President Sisi has been accused by international rights groups of presiding over the country's worst crackdown on human rights in its modern history (AFP/file photo)…

Bill Meyer (2020-10-21). Malcolm and Martin come to the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival. peoplesworld.org [To enhance the reading of this review, I suggest you play this classic in the background.] A couple of new films on the lives of two of the most prominent figures in the civil rights movement, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, were released at this year's Toronto International Film Festival. …

RT (2020-10-21). Eco activists sue federal govt., alleging 'grave' environmental impact of 'excessive' tear gas used amid Portland protests. rt.com The ACLU and five environmental groups have taken the DHS to court over what they deemed an "excessive" use of chemical munitions against protesters in Portland, arguing the substances may inflict a dire ecological toll. | The Oregon branch of the ACLU filed a

Gordon Duff (2020-10-21). Too Many Apologists, Time to Silence Trump's Proven Pedo-Rapist Bullshit. thealtworld.com Let's begin with some quotes from a legal document in a lawsuit dropped after Michael Cohen has someone's family threatened. This is just a few highlights, the accusations are made against Donald Trump. The victim was 13 years old. The full legal document is below. VT has considerable corroborating evidence that everything here is true and that the rape parties such as those described below took place in New York, by both Epstein and Trump, many times. | Why was Jeffrey Epstein placed in an unguarded cell at the orders of Attorney General William Barr, where he was murdered after camera's were turned off and staf…

WSWS (2020-10-21). Fair Wayne Bryant, jailed for life for stealing hedge clippers, granted parole by Louisiana Pardon Board. wsws.org Imprisoned for life at the notorious Angola State Penitentiary in Louisiana on one count of attempted simple burglary, he was granted parole by a 3-0 vote of the state Parole Board, after being denied parole on three previous occasions.

Elijah Magnier (2020-10-21). The US proposed a partial withdrawal and ease in sanctions, Damascus rejected the offer. thealtworld.com Damascus confirmed the visit of President Donald Trump's Special envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens and Senior Director for Counterterrorism Kash Patel to Syria and their meeting with the Syrian Director of the National Security Ali Mamluk (sanctioned by the European Union and the US administration). It was the last of three visits the US took to Damascus where the first one was in 2017 when the United Arab Emirates arranged for a visit of a political and a military US delegation whose plane landed at Damascus airport and met with Mamluk. | The title of the US visit concerned the release of US prisoners arr…

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-10-21). ACLU Sues Trump Admin. to Obtain Key Records on 'Dishonest and Incompetent' Federal Handling of Coronavirus Pandemic in Prisons. commondreams.org The suit seeks "the immediate release of improperly withheld agency records related to federal government's failed response to the spread of Covid-19 in prisons in jails." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/carvajal_0.jpg

commondreams (2020-10-21). Lawsuit Challenges Inadequate Federal Review of Endangered Species in Gulf of Mexico. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2020-10-21). Calling Trump a 'Clear Threat to Our Democracy,' Civil Rights Group Sues Admin. Over Voter Intimidation. commondreams.org "The court should protect the fundamental right to vote by blocking Trump's attempt to prevent a free and fair election." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/voting_4.jpg

Staff (2020-10-20). Headlines for October 20, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Continues Attack on Fauci as U.S. Coronavirus Cases Surge and Death Toll Mounts, SCOTUS Deadlock Hands Victory to Voters in Pennsylvania as Floridians Break Early Voting Record, Debate Commission Announces Changes Ahead of Final Presidential Face-Off, Evo Morales Celebrates Victory of MAS Party, Says He Will Return to Bolivia, Trump Admin to Remove Sudan from U.S. List of Terrorist States, At Least 15 People Killed as Nigerian Protests Against Police Violence Continue, WSJ: U.S. Held Talks with Syrian Intelligence About Missing U.S. Citizens, Palestinian Prisoner in Critical Condition After Nearly 3 Months…

Staff (2020-10-20). "A Fire That Has Spread Across the Country": Jelani Cobb on Voter Suppression in the 2020 Election. democracynow.org As tens of millions of people across the U.S. cast their ballots in early voting ahead of the November 3 election, we look at voter suppression efforts with journalist and academic Jelani Cobb. His new "Frontline" documentary "Whose Vote Counts" examines the long lines, record number of mail-in ballots and the legal fights that have marked voting during the pandemic, with a focus on Wisconsin. "This is a state where the presidency was essentially decided in the last election," says Cobb, a professor of journalism at Columbia University and a contributor to The New Yorker. He describes voter suppression as "a fire…

Kathy Kelly (2020-10-20). Afghanistan, Black Lives Matter, and Antiwar Activism. zcomm.org Interview on a variety of topics…

Johnnie Lewis (2020-10-20). Oregon prisoners resist denial of Covid-19 protocol. workers.org Portland, Ore. On four successive days in late September, four prisoners in Oregon state prisons died of Covid-19. On Oct. 17, two more prisoners died of the virus. Family members protest Covid conditions in Oregon prisons, Pendleton, July. Credit: Bob Lonergan In mid-September more than 3,000 prisoners, including over 1,000 . . . |

Walter Smolarek (2020-10-20). Google and Justice Department headed for legal showdown over monopoly practices. liberationnews.org The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against tech giant Google today, claiming the company was functioning as an illegal monopoly. The DoJ claims that Google is "a monopoly gatekeeper for the internet" through its dominance in the field of online search and related businesses. The case against Google is based on antitrust law — …

C.J. Atkins (2020-10-20). Trump's Google antitrust lawsuit: Blow against monopoly or political theater? peoplesworld.org Eager to portray the president as a populist enemy of big business, Attorney General William Barr unveiled the Trump administration's long-expected antitrust lawsuit against search engine giant Google's parent company, Alphabet, on Tuesday morning. Filed jointly with 11 Republican state attorneys general, the Department of Justice's suit alleges Google maintains monopolies in "general search services, …

RT (2020-10-20). US Justice Department & 11 states file antitrust lawsuit against Google, say giant pays 'billions each year' to sideline rivals. rt.com Google has been hit by a lawsuit which alleges that the internet giant engaged in anticompetitive behavior, giving its search engine an unfair advantage over rival services. | The US government has accused Google, a unit of the tech giant's umbrella company Alphabet Inc., of paying "billions" each year to distributors, including mobile phone companies and web browser developers, to secure default status for its search engine. | For years, Google has entered into exclusionary agreements, including tying arrangements, and engaged in anticompetitive conduct to lock up distribution channels and block rivals. | T…

RT (2020-10-20). 'Hold me responsible' for drug war killings — Philippines leader Duterte. rt.com Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has said he takes responsibility for the thousands of killings by police in his anti-drug crackdown, claiming he was ready to go to jail if it served his country. | In a televised speech on Monday night, Duterte, whose government has been heavily criticized by international organizations for nearly 6,000 killings committed during anti-drug police operations, said he was ready to be punished. | If there's killing there, I'm saying I'm the one… you can hold me responsible for anything, any death that has occurred in the execution of the drug war. | "Bring me to court to be…

RT (2020-10-20). Khashoggi fiancee sues Saudi Crown Prince & 20 others for journalist's killing in US court. rt.com The fiancee of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi has sued Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and more than two dozen aides and officials in an American court, accusing them of planning and executing the assassination. | The "The suit seeks to hold accountabl…

Umar A Farooq (2020-10-20). Khashoggi's fiancee sues Saudi crown prince over journalist's murder. middleeasteye.net Khashoggi's fiancee sues Saudi crown prince over journalist's murder | Lawsuit seeks discovery from US officials to prove that the killing was ordered from the top of the Saudi leadership | Tue, 10/20/2020 – 16: 31 | Jamal Khashoggi's fiancee Hatice Cengiz filed the civil lawsuit against Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other officials (AFP/File photo) | Hatice Cengiz, the fiance…

Tony Cartalucci (2020-10-20). US Seeks to Prolong Terrorism in Syria, Not Defeat It. globalresearch.ca Recent attacks on Syrian positions from terrorists of the self-proclaimed "Islamic State" (ISIS) and the release of thousands of prisoners in US-occupied eastern Syria illustrate how Washington is demonstratably prolonging instability in Syria as part of its promise to transform …

WSWS (2020-10-20). Nigerian anti-police protests continue and garner international support. wsws.org The dire social conditions are the product of colonial and neocolonial oppression by the imperialist powers on behalf of their banks and corporations, exacerbated by the venal and corrupt rule of the national bourgeoisie.

Fight Back (2020-10-20). Poughkeepsie march against violence facing Black women and Black trans women. fightbacknews.org Poughkeepsie, NY – More than 100 people gathered in Poughkeepsie in upstate New York for a vigil and protest march, October 17, centered on the endemic violence facing Black women and Black trans women in the United States. | Protesters came from across the Hudson Valley, a popular tourist destination 90 minutes north of New York City. The Hudson Valley is noted for its spectacular fall foliage, its apple orchards, microbreweries, rock climbing and hiking trails. But the Hudson Valley is also a prison economy with nine of the largest prisons in the state of New York. Many of the towns suffer economic underdevelop…

sputniknews (2020-10-20). Two Weeks Until Election Day PLUS Google Lawsuit Filed. sputniknews.com On today's episode, Lee discussed current events, including the new Hunter Biden information to be released by Bannon and Giuliani, the Justice Department's lawsuit against Google, France's closing of a mosque after the beheading of a teacher, an H1B1 visa lawsuit filed by the Chamber of Commerce, and new debate rules announced for debates.

Staff (2020-10-20). COVID-19 in Prisons Is Far Worse Than Previously Thought, Data Trackers Say. truthout.org James King was incarcerated in California's San Quentin State Prison for roughly six years. He spent much of that time analyzing the politics of incarceration by chronicling his experiences living in one of the country's most notorious prisons. When he was released from prison in December 2019, he joined the staff of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, where he has campaigned for decarceration. | While incarcerated, King endured life in a cramped and racially segregated prison — a sit…