(2020-12-31). Saudi preacher Yousef al-Ahmad sentenced to four years in prison. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi preacher Yousef al-Ahmad sentenced to four years in prison | Charges against the Islamic scholar and academic said to include attending a book fair and visiting detainees in jail | Thu, 12/31/2020 – 13: 50 | Ahmad was detained by Saudi authorities in September 2017 as a part of a widespread crackdown on scholars and intellectuals (Screengrab/Twitter) | Saudi preacher Yousef al-Ahmad has been sen…
(2020-12-31). The Death Of Democracy In Brazil. popularresistance.org The dismantling of Brazil's democracy, which culminated in the jailing of former president Lula Da Silva as he looked certain to be reelected, is the subject of a new English-language investigative podcast. | Cícero Ezequiel Filho lay beneath the sweltering sun of Brazil's capital, Brasilia. He wore khaki shorts, John Lennon glasses and a long white beard, which stretched far below his chin and over a red long-sleeved shirt with the face of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the front. | When I met him in August 2018, Cícero had been outside Brazil's Supreme Court for two weeks. He refused to eat until…
(2020-12-31). National Park Ranger Condemned for Attacking Unarmed Indigenous Man on Sacred Native Land. commondreams.org "Public lands are stolen lands," asserted Red Nation. "Indigenous people have the right to practice their culture and spiritual ways on Indigenous land without fear of repression, discrimination, or violence." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/house_3.jpg …
(2020-12-31). Yemen sets condition for freeing Saudi pilots. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Head of the National Committee for Prisoners Affairs Abdulqadir Al-Murtadha in the Salvation Government said that Saudi pilots will not be released from prison except in exchange for the Palestinian prisoners.
(2020-12-31). Argentina: 'Ground-breaking' new abortion law crucial to ending gender discrimination — UN experts. news.un.org The year drew to a close in Argentina with "a ground-breaking law" that legalizes abortions up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, in a move that independent UN rights experts called on Thursday, "a crucial step in eliminating discrimination against women and girls".
(2020-12-31). What an Ex-Cop Learned in Prison About Police Culture. thenation.com What an Ex-Cop Learned in Prison About Police Culture…
(2020-12-31). Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy back in jail again. laprensalatina.com Hong Kong, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Hong Kong's top court on Thursday remanded pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai in custody again after allowing prosecutors to appeal against his bail in a national security law case. The Court of Final Appeal granted an interim order to detain the 73-year-old founder of Apple Daily until a hearing on …
(2020-12-30). A rave, a DJ and a debate: Palestinians outraged over techno party at holy site. middleeasteye.net 
A rave, a DJ and a debate: Palestinians outraged over techno party at holy site | Despite issuing an event permit, the Palestinian government arrests renowned DJ Sama Abdulhadi and extend her detention for 15 days | Wed, 12/30/2020 – 12: 26 | Palestinian DJ Sama Abdulhadi poses outside her Parisian flat during a photo session on 7 December 2017 (AFP) | A dance party on Saturday has caused contro…
(2020-12-30). COVID-19, Prison and Another Pandemic Clare Grady Made Me Remember. counterpunch.org 
Clare Grady is going to prison. On February 10, this nice Irish Catholic lady of 62, who lives with her family in Ithaca, New York will enter Alderson Prison, West Virginia, to begin a one-year-and-one-day sentence. That's because, on April 4, 2018, Clare and six cohorts, also white and Catholic, broke into the world's largest
(2020-12-30). A rave, a DJ and a debate. Palestinians outraged over techno party at holy site. middleeasteye.net A rave, a DJ and a debate. Palestinians outraged over techno party at holy site | Despite issuing an event permit, the Palestinian government arrests renowned Palestinian DJ Sama Abdulhadi and extend her detention for 15 days | Wed, 12/30/2020 – 12: 26 | Palestinian DJ Sama Abdulhadi poses outside her Parisian flat during a photo session on 7 December 2017 (AFP) | A dance party on Saturday has c…
(2020-12-30). Pompeo and State Department face legal action over $23bn UAE arms sale. middleeasteye.net 
Pompeo and State Department face legal action over $23bn UAE arms sale | New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs claims in lawsuit that massive weapons sale violates US Arms Export Control Act | Wed, 12/30/2020 – 17: 05 | The $23bn arms sale to UAE includes killer drones and American-made F-35 jets (AFP/File photo) | An American NGO has filed a lawsuit against the State Department and its head,…
(2020-12-30). Civil Rights Groups Fight Back Against Georgia's Voter Purges. zcomm.org The importance of the January 5 Senate runoff elections in Georgia cannot be overestimated…
(2020-12-30). Unreported COVID-19 Outbreak at Santa Rita Jail: 200+ Cases. indybay.org COVID-19 Outbreak happening Right Now in Santa Rita – Unreported, 200+ cases & Jail refuses to uphold safety policies…
(2020-12-30). Patriarchy and the pandemic: Disentangling the web of oppression. peoplesdispatch.org We discuss Coronashock and Patriarchy, a study done by Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, with Renata Porto Bugni to understand the impact of the pandemic on women and the LGBTQIA+ community.
(2020-12-30). Brazil: Bolsonaro's Remarks Targeting Rousseff Spark Critics. telesurenglish.net Brazil's former President Dilma Rousseff (2011-2016) on Tuesday condemned spiteful comments made by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro who discarded acts of torture committed against her during the dictatorship's rule (1964-1985). | RELATED: | Previously, through a video posted on social networks, Bolsonaro cast doubts on acts of torture committed against Rousseff during her years of imprisonment and requested an X-ray sho…
(2020-12-30). Boeing's deadly 737 Max resumes US commercial flights. wsws.org Nearly two years after the 737 Max was grounded, not a single corporate executive or federal regulator has gone to jail for his role in the deaths of 346 people.
(2020-12-30). The Activist Roots Of Black Feminist Theory. popularresistance.org The idea that race, class and gender are interrelated dynamics of power and oppression has gained sufficient currency in the academic world to go by the shorthand "intersectionality," or "intersection theory." But the origins of contemporary Black feminist theory are not sufficiently known or acknowledged, and, given the invaluable work of university-based theorists, too many assume that the core concepts of Black feminism were born in the academy. In fact, much can be traced to activists in groups including the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Third World Women's Alliance, and the Combahee…
(2020-12-29). For the Ruthless Abolition of the Caste System. An Interview with Brinda Karat, Politburo Member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). mronline.org 
The Communist movement in India celebrated its centenary on October 17, 2020. The party was founded in Tashkent (USSR) in 1920. A decade later, most of the leaders of the Communist Party of India (CPI) were arrested by the British colonial state and imprisoned in Meerut.
(2020-12-29). Recidivist Criminal and Constitutional Outlaw Trump Rushes to Pardon Criminal Lawbreakers. counterpunch.org 
Serial lawbreaker Donald J. Trump is embarking on the most sordid presidential pardon spree in American history. He has already pardoned convicted crooks, thieves, and violent outlaws. Trump's pardon lawyers are frantically assembling more MAGA besotted individuals and groups to be pardoned wholesale. The number may climb into the hundreds. The queue is long. Trump
(2020-12-29). When Bolivians defeated US imperialism with democracy. peoplesdispatch.org 
[Peoples Dispatch brings you a series of articles and videos on 2020, a momentous year that saw humanity face unprecedented challenges. The beacon of hope remained the historic resistance mounted by people's movements, and the care and solidarity they epitomized, proving yet again that our collective struggles alone can dismantle and end oppression] | As 2019 ended, Bolivia faced the grim reality of life under a US-backed coup d'état, the advances of over a decade under threat. However, within a year, with their firm conviction and tireless resistance, millions of Bolivians defeated imperialism with democracy in…
(2020-12-29). 9-Year-Old Ali Kinani Was Among Victims of Killers Pardoned by Trump. truthout.org Note: This interview contains graphic descriptions of violent deaths. | Image Credit: Blackwater's Youngest Victim | President Trump's pardon of four former Blackwater contractors convicted for their role in a massacre in Baghdad has sparked outrage in Iraq. The Blackwater guards include Nicholas Slatten, who was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder for his role in the 2007 Nisoor Square massacre, when he and other Blackwater mercenaries opened fire with machine guns…
(2020-12-29). Advocates Call for Medical Parole to Avoid 'Unintentional Death Sentences' as Covid-19 Ravages US Prisons. commondreams.org "The bottom line is, there are still thousands of people who are at very high risk of death trapped in a prison system where there's no way that they can avoid the virus." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/covid-prisons-1in5_0.png …
(2020-12-29). 2020: The year of united struggles against racism. peoplesdispatch.org [Peoples Dispatch brings you a series of articles and videos on 2020, a momentous year that saw humanity face unprecedented challenges. The beacon of hope remained the historic resistance mounted by people's movements, and the care and solidarity they epitomized, proving yet again that our collective struggles alone can dismantle and end oppression. You can see the full series As far-right forces are gaining power in different regions, racism is finding courage to rear its ugly head again. Humanity, as a result, is regressing, instead of mo…
(2020-12-29). Loujain al-Hathloul convicted and sentenced to nearly 6 years in prison; may be released in March. peoplesdispatch.org A Saudi court dealing with terrorism cases sentenced Loujain al-Hathloul to five years and 8 months in prison. The court suspended a part of the term and also backdated the term due to which she may be released in March…
(2020-12-29). Biden Chooses Tom "Mr. Monsanto" Vilsack As Agriculture Secretary. popularresistance.org After weeks of rumors, President-elect Joe Biden confirmed last week that he has picked Tom Vilsack as his secretary of agriculture. Vilsack previously held the position under the Obama administration, from 2009 to 2017. This decision has disappointed many progressive Democrats who were hoping Biden's cabinet picks would include a more diverse coalition and signal a push to the left. Vilsack, on the contrary, is quite literally more of the same: a wealthy white man and establishment Democrat with countless corporate interests and an atrocious record on climate change and civil rights. | We should not be surprised…
(2020-12-29). Citing Violation of Federal Law, Judge Halts Voter Purges in Rural Georgia Counties Ahead of Senate Runoffs. commondreams.org Officials in two rural counties in Georgia late Monday were ordered by a U.S. District judge to stop invalidating voter registrations due to so-called "unreliable" change of address information, in a ruling that could protect more than 4,000 Georgia residents from voter suppression. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/georgia_0_0_1_0.jpg …
(2020-12-29). Black Lives Matter and the Future of Humanity. zcomm.org Those of us organizing and theorizing need to see commonalities between movements and recognize we are in this for the long haul…
(2020-12-29). A Feminist Blueprint for Saving Democracy in the U.S.—and Beyond. zcomm.org Feminists know that building transnational solidarity is often crucial when trying to counter domestic oppression…
(2020-12-29). The DOJ's Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google Is Gaining Ground. truthout.org Janine Jackson interviewed EFF's Mitch Stoltz about breaking up Google for the Janine Jackson: There is such a thing as a company simply having too much power; even without evidence of malign intent, it just isn't healthy. | That's the basic thinking behind antitrust law in this country. And if the power is ove…
(2020-12-29). NGOs denounce holding Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia despite repression. laprensalatina.com Beirut, Dec 29 (efe-epa).- The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and other associated NGOs on Tuesday criticized the decision to hold the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia for a second consecutive year, despite ongoing repression, including the recent jailing of a woman's rights activist. "A year later, the repression orchestrated by the Saudi authorities …
(2020-12-28). Bolivia: Cochabamba Farmers Request a Lawsuit Against Añez. telesurenglish.net The Six Federations of the Cochabamba Tropics (CTF) held an assembly to demand justice for the victims of the Sacaba and Senkata massacres, which were committed by the coup-born government led by Jeanine Añez in 2019. | RELATED: | Chaired by the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) leader Evo Morales, the CTF requested the activation of a lawsuit against Añez and other officials for crimes against humanity, including…
(2020-12-28). The Mythology of Fire Suppression. counterpunch.org 
The recent piece published in the December 22 Guardian titled: Heat, wind, and a cruel twist of Nature: inside Oregon's nightmarish wildfire season was, on the whole, a very good overview of events. The article's general thrust was how climate/weather conspired to create the perfect conditions for large-scale wildfire in Oregon's Cascade Range. Despite making
(2020-12-28). "I Just Felt Like I Had No Control Over My Body": Survivors of Alleged ICE Medical Abuse Speak Out. democracynow.org 
Dozens of immigrant women detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia have joined a class-action lawsuit against ICE over allegations they were subjected to nonconsensual and invasive gynecological procedures and surgeries that were later found to be unnecessary, and in some cases left them unable to have children. The lawsuit cites sworn testimony from at least 35 women about their treatment by Mahendra Amin, a physician in Ocilla, Georgia, and describes retaliation and threats of deportation for speaking out. "We have more than 40 women who filed sworn testimo…
(2020-12-28). Saudi rights activist launches hunger strike over conditions at al-Hair prison. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi rights activist launches hunger strike over conditions at al-Hair prison | Former economics professor Mohammed Fahad al-Qahtani becomes latest political detainee to challenge conditions at notorious Saudi facility | Mon, 12/28/2020 – 13: 28 | Mohammed Fahad al-Qahtani, a Saudi professor and human rights activist, has been detained since 2012 (Screengrab/Twitter) | Jailed Saudi human rights activ…
(2020-12-28). Tuesday 12/29: COVID-19 Vaccine & the Black Community: Safety, Efficacy & Dispelling Fear. indybay.org Online via Zoom…
(2020-12-28). Corporate Dictatorship, Mass Incarceration, and Imperialism. dissidentvoice.org Settle your quarrels, come together, understand the reality of our situation, understand that fascism is already here, that people are already dying who could be saved, that generations more will live poor butchered half-lives if you fail to act. Do what must be done, discover your humanity and your love in revolution. — George Jackson, …
(2020-12-28). China court confirms prison sentence to human rights lawyer. laprensalatina.com Beijing, Dec 28 (efe-epa)- A court in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu has confirmed a 4-year prison sentence to well-known human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng for inciting subversion against state power, his wife Xu Yan informed EFE on Monday. According to Xu, the defense attorneys she hired to appeal the sentence, Lin Qilei and …