(2021-01-27). Masking Up under Biden: The Perils of Tribalism, Bureaucracy and Lawsuits. dissidentvoice.org One crackling theme streaking through the US elections of 2020 was the issue of mask wearing. Critics initially felt that face masks were of the too important category in combating the novel coronavirus: purchasing and using them was tantamount to prizing valuable protective equipment from doctors and front-line workers. But COVID-19 continued to rage, and …
(2021-01-27). Saudi Arabia begins repatriation of detained workers to Ethiopia. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi Arabia begins repatriation of detained workers to Ethiopia | Ethiopian migrants said they were chained and forced to relieve themselves on the floor of their cells | Wed, 01/27/2021 – 11: 39 | Ethiopian officials hope to repatriate at least 1,000 workers every week and aim to increase that number (Screengrab) | Saudi Arabia has begun repatriating thousands of Ethiopians who have been held in detent…
(2021-01-27). Movement for Black Lives Activists Respond to Biden's Orders on Racial Equity. truthout.org 
President Joe Biden was elected with massive support from people of color, and in his second week in office he issued four executive orders to advance what the White House calls his "racial equity" agenda. The orders aim to strengthen anti-discrimination policies in housing, end Justice Department contracts with private prison companies, reaffirm sovereignty of Native American tribes and combat xenophobia against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Biden's racial justice push comes as COVID-1…
(2021-01-27). "A Step Forward": Black Lives Matter Protests Forced Biden to Push Racial Equity, But More Is Needed. democracynow.org 
President Joe Biden was elected with massive support from people of color, and in his second week in office he issued four executive orders to advance what the White House calls his "racial equity" agenda. The orders aim to strengthen anti-discrimination policies in housing, end Justice Department contracts with private prison companies, reaffirm sovereignty of Native American tribes and combat xenophobia against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Biden's racial justice push comes as COVID-19 has devastated communities of color in the U.S., who are experiencing higher rates of infection, death and unemploymen…
(2021-01-27). Amnesty International: Navalny a Prisoner of Conscience. But not Manning, Assange or Mandela. mintpressnews.com Amnesty International has a long and sordid history with its prisoner of conscience designation, denying it to enemies of the US government and granting it to some less than savory characters.
(2021-01-27). I'm Nonbinary. My Passport Should Show That. aclu.org 
My driver's license is just like yours. It has my photo, date of birth, and other standard descriptors. Under gender, however, you'll find not M or F, but X., , In 2017, I became the first person in the country to obtain an official nonbinary, gender-neutral X-marker on my driver's license. I live in Washington D.C., which was among the first jurisdictions in the U.S. to officially offer an X marker to recognize nonbinary people as well as those who simply want a gender-neutral form of ID. At the same time, D.C. also removed requirements for a medical or third-party certification of gender to correct a gender…
(2021-01-27). Biden's Private Prison Executive Order Doesn't Undo Mass Incarceration. truthout.org 
On January 26, 2021, President Joe Biden signed a series of executive orders in the name of advancing racial equity.
(2021-01-27). Emma and Emmanuel: a Marriage Through Prison Walls. counterpunch.org 
Emmanuella and Emmanuel Pierre call each other "Twin." It makes sense, since they both have practically the same first name and were both born on April 10, 1978, to different Caribbean immigrant families, one in Canada; the other in the U.S. They met when they were ten years old, on a Brooklyn playground. Emmanuella —
(2021-01-27). Headlines for January 27, 2021. democracynow.org Biden Ramps Up Vaccine Rollout as World Tops 100 Million COVID Cases, U.S. Records Deadliest Month, U.K. Tops 100,000 Deaths as European Nations Move Toward Requiring Medical-Grade Masks, COVID Curfew Riots Rock Dutch Cities; Canadian Mogul Fined for Receiving Vaccine Meant for Indigenous Group, 45 Senate Republicans Back Dismissal of Trump Impeachment Trial, Biden Orders DOJ to End Contracts with Private Prisons, HUD to End Discrimination in Housing, Biden Issuing Orders Promoting Environmental Justice, Combating Climate Crisis, U.S. Judge Blocks Biden Deportation Moratorium While Texas Challenge Is Reviewed, U.
(2021-01-27). If Biden Wants to End Death Penalty, He Must Also End Death by Incarceration. zcomm.org For every seven people in prison, one is serving a death-by-incarceration sentence…
(2021-01-27). Freedom: The Burden of Accountability — Part 2. realprogressives.org "Great power involves great responsibility" -Franklin Delano Roosevelt | The following article is part of a larger, five—part series on accountability and reform as they pertain to freedom. Focusing primarily on American politics and history, the series draws on America's continual struggle towards that "more perfect society.". "Our hopes have been blasted and our dreams have been shattered. The promise of a great society was shipwrecked."Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, "The Three Evils of Society" | We all think we know the story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the Civil Rights mo…
(2021-01-27). As a Democracy, Israel Shows No Moral Tenet: El-Halabi's Outcry for Justice. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles including the E-Book can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | Israel's continued treatment of Palestinian political prisoners is …
(2021-01-27). Former VA doctor sentenced to 25 years in federal prison. nationofchange.org "Today, [Jonathan] Yates has been called to account for his heinous acts. While his prison sentence will not undo the significant harm Yates inflicted on the victims, we hope that it will ease their pain."
(2021-01-26). Masking Up Under Biden: the Perils of Tribalism, Bureaucracy and Lawsuits. counterpunch.org 
One crackling theme streaking through the US elections of 2020 was the issue of mask wearing. Critics initially felt that facemasks were of the too important category in combating the novel coronavirus: purchasing and using them was tantamount to prizing valuable protective equipment from doctors and frontline workers. But COVID-19 continued to rage, and various
(2021-01-26). Amazonian Peoples Denounce Discrimination in Vaccination. telesurenglish.net The Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin (COICA) denounced that governments maintain discriminatory policies in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. | RELATED: | "Governments have failed all the inhabitants of the Amazon," said COICA Coordinator Jose Diaz, who is a member of the Wakuenai Kurripaco people. | "The advance of the Brazilian COVID-19 strain affects the most vulnerable and exp…
(2021-01-26). 'A Big Step': Progressives Welcome Biden Executive Order Ending DOJ Private Prison Contracts, But Say This Is Just the Start. commondreams.org "There's more to be done to end the for-profit caging of people in the U.S.," stressed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
(2021-01-26). Fred Hampton: The Fight for Truth. truthout.org 
The event will take place at 7 pm ET, January 26, 2021. | Long-time civil rights attorneys Flint Taylor and Jeffrey Haas will join Defending Rights & Dissent (DRAD) and Truthout as DRAD Policy Director and Still Spying Podcast host Chip Gibbons discusses the latest revelations about the FBI's role in Fred Hampton's death and why it matters. | Fifty-one years ago, the Chicago Police raided the office of the Illinois Black Panther Party, killing Fred Hampton and Mark Clark. The police initially claimed they acted in self-defense, but this w…
(2021-01-26). US court issues summons for MBZ over hacking of Al Jazeera anchor via Twitter. middleeasteye.net 
US court issues summons for MBZ over hacking of Al Jazeera anchor via Twitter | Al Jazeera presenter Ghada Oueiss says she hopes lawsuit will reveal UAE and Saudi Arabia are leading 'campaign of terror against journalists and activists' | Tue, 01/26/2021 – 18: 49 | The summonses were previously issued to MBZ through mail last month (AFP) | The crown prince of Abu Dhabi and top Saudi officials have…
(2021-01-26). Iraq: Kurdish presidency files defamation lawsuit against poet. middleeasteye.net 
Iraq: Kurdish presidency files defamation lawsuit against poet | Activists warn of risk to freedom of speech after KRG launch legal action over critical rap video | Tue, 01/26/2021 – 13: 23 | A still from Helgord Qehar's video 'Confusion', in which he berates the KRG parliament on a digital stage (screenshot) | The presidency of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region has filed a legal case against…
(2021-01-26). Iraq: Kurdish parliament presidency files defamation lawsuit against poet. middleeasteye.net Iraq: Kurdish parliament presidency files defamation lawsuit against poet | Activists warn of risk to freedom of speech after KRG launches legal action over critical rap video | Tue, 01/26/2021 – 13: 23 | A still from Helgord Qehar's video 'Confusion', in which he berates the KRG parliament on a digital stage (screenshot) | The presidency of parliament in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region has…
(2021-01-26). Say Their Own Word. therealnews.com 
Eddie Conway reconnects with thinkers and scholars from the 1980 "To Say Their Own Word" series he helped organize at Maryland Penitentiary, and discusses how their predictions about surveillance, the prison-industrial complex, and impending U.S. fascism resonate today.
(2021-01-26). Biden Reverses Trump's Trans Military Ban, But Assault on Rights Continues at State Level. democracynow.org 
President Joe Biden has signed an executive order repealing the Trump administration's ban on transgender people serving in the U.S. military and ordered the Pentagon to review the files of troops who were forced out because of the ban and to immediately halt discharges of transgender troops now serving. Chase Strangio, deputy director for transgender justice with the ACLU's LGBT & HIV Project, calls it "an incredibly important development," but warns the attack on transgender rights is continuing at the state level, with a raft of new legislation targeting trans people in education, healthcare and more. "We have…
(2021-01-26). US judge derails Biden's vaunted 100-day deportation freeze after Texas sues. rt.com 
A federal judge, citing a lawsuit by the Texas Attorney General, has issued a two-week temporary restraining order shutting down US President Joe Biden's effort to halt all illegal immigrant deportations for 100 days. | US District Judge Drew Tipton blocked the deportation freeze for 14 days after the state of Texas sued to stop it from taking effect. The two parties have until January 28 to set a re-hearing date. | Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton declared victory upon hearing the news, posting on Twitter that he and his team had stopped "a seditious left-wing insurrection." | VICTORY. | Texas is the FIRST s…
(2021-01-26). Biden Reversed Trans Military Ban, But States' Attacks on Trans Rights Continue. truthout.org 
President Joe Biden has signed an executive order repealing the Trump administration's ban on transgender people serving in the U.S. military and ordered the Pentagon to review the files of troops who were forced out because of the ban and to immediately halt discharges of transgender troops now serving. Chase Strangio, Deputy Director for Transgender Justice with the ACLU's LGBT & HIV Project, calls it "an incredibly important development," but warns the attack on transgender rights is continu…
(2021-01-26). The Parler precedent? Lawsuit calls on Google to drop Telegram from app store, a week after Apple was targeted in the same way. rt.com 
A California court has been asked to force Google to remove Telegram from its Play store, over claims that the messenger app is used to incite violence. The legal challenge mirrors a similar suit brought against Apple. | Filed by Marc Ginsberg, a former US ambassador to Morocco, the lawsuit claims that the popular app is used to spread violence, extremism and anti-Semitism. Ginsberg's non-profit, Coalition for a Safer Web (CSW), was also listed as a plaintiff. | The complaint notes that Google suspended Parler, a Twitter-like conservative microblogging site, from its app store due to some users expressing supp…
(2021-01-26). 'I'm a Crazy Guy': Giuliani Says Dominion's $1.3 Bn Defamation Lawsuit Might Be Good News for Him. sputniknews.com The former New York mayor and Trump's personal lawyer recently came into the public spotlight over his support of the ex-president's claims of massive voter fraud that purportedly took place in the 2020 election. As a part of the claims, Giuliani peddled a theory that Dominion's voting machines were part of the alleged schemes.
(2021-01-26). Ecuador Adds Another Sentence To Ex-Vice President Jorge Glas. telesurenglish.net Ecuador's Superior Court on Monday sentenced former Vice-Presidente Jorge Glas to eight years in prison for misuse of public funds in an oil contract. | RELATED: | The Prosecutor's Office accused Glas of having participated in the irregular awarding of an oil field in Sucumbios province n 2012, which resulted in a US$28.4 million loss to the State. | As a strategic sectors coordinator and member of the Hydrocarb…
(2021-01-26). Human rights study exposes brutal conditions in Sri Lankan prisons. wsws.org The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka report is a damning indictment of successive governments.
(2021-01-26). Chile: Senate Commission Debates Pardon To Political Prisoners. telesurenglish.net Chile's Senate Human Rights Commission on Monday approved the discussion of a bill that seeks to grant pardon to political detainees linked to the 2019 social unrest. | RELATED: | On Dec. 9, 2020, Senate President Adriana Muñozel promoted the bill that must also be debated in the Security and Constitution Commissions. | Excepting people prosecuted for terrorist crimes, the bill seeks to annul the criminal liability and cancel the…
(2021-01-26). Civil Commitment: The New Double Jeopardy. projectcensored.org After completion of a prison sentence, individuals considered a danger to society can continue to be held indefinitely under what is called "civil commitment." Civil commitment, which has been instituted…
(2021-01-26). President Biden: The Time To Restore Net Neutrality Is Now. aclu.org Just over four years ago, Donald Trump's Federal Communications Commission eliminated
(2021-01-26). Paying Symbolic Tribute to César Chávez Isn't Enough. progressive.org If Biden really wants to honor the civil rights activist, he'd ensure farmworkers have the same protections as other workers.
(2021-01-26). Nicaragua Approves Life Imprisonment for Femicides. telesurenglish.net Nicaragua approved life imprisonment for misogynists who rape and murder a woman in front of the victim's children. | RELATED: | Life imprisonment "will not be retroactive. It will apply to those who commit grave crimes against girls or women as of Monday," said criminal law expert Jose Pallais. | The rule will also apply to those found guilty of aggravated murder, such as poisoning, asphyxiation, and arson, or when the victim was either pregnant or a…
(2021-01-26). Hitmen Kill An Urban Artist and Youth Leader in Cali, Colombia. telesurenglish.net Colombia's Institute for Development and Peace Studies (Indepaz) Monday confirmed the murder of urban artist Julian Muñoz by an armed group in the Valle del Cauca Department. | RELATED: | On Saturday, a group of hooded men shot the young man, 25, outside a barbershop in Comuna 18, in Cali city. His body was identified hours later by relatives and friends. | "Muñoz was a youth leader who belonged to the Prisoners of Hope Group, a movement that…
(2021-01-26). Former LA City Councilman sentenced to prison for obstructing corruption probe. nationofchange.org U.S. District Judge John F. Walter sentenced Englander to 14 months in federal prison. The former city councilman was also ordered to pay a $15,000 fine.
(2021-01-25). Hotel Workers Turn To Courts To Fight Pandemic Firings. popularresistance.org A former worker is proposing a class action lawsuit against a major Vancouver hotel over alleged wrongful terminations during the COVID-19 pandemic. | Romuel Escobar, who worked at the Pan Pacific hotel for 24 years before being fired in August, filed a notice of civil claim in B.C. Supreme Court Wednesday. | His lawsuit accuses the hotel of terminating workers without cause or notice. It also seeks to represent some 250 current and former regular hourly employees directly impacted by the pandemic in a class action suit. | Unite Here Local 40, which represents B.C. hotel workers, supports the legal action. Worker…
(2021-01-25). Refusing to vaccinate prisoners is both cruel and dangerous. therealnews.com 
Prisons and jails are hotbeds of coronavirus contagion—for incarcerated people and staff, but also for the wider community. Prioritizing them for vaccinations is a humanitarian and public health necessity.
(2021-01-25). End the Filibuster: Calls Grow to Retire Relic of Slavery & Jim Crow to Make Senate More Democratic. democracynow.org 
President Joe Biden has promised swift action on the pandemic, the economic crisis and more, but much of his agenda hinges on whether he can get enough support in the Senate, where an unprecedented number of bills in recent years has required a 60-vote supermajority in order to overcome filibusters. Many progressives and civil rights groups have urged Democratic leaders to kill the filibuster, warning that if they don't, Senate Republicans will obstruct Biden's plans just as they did with the Obama administration. Former Senate aide Adam Jentleson, author of the new book "Kill Switch: The Rise of the Modern Senat…
(2021-01-25). Covid patients face layoffs, pay cuts in Wuhan as pandemic trauma persists. laprensalatina.com By Javier García Wuhan, China, Jan 25 (efe-epa).- Many of the residents in the Chinese city of Wuhan who contracted the new coronavirus have to not only struggle with the many possible aftereffects of the disease, but have also faced social and workplace discrimination, leading to feelings of shame and other self-esteem issues. Psychologists in …
(2021-01-25). Dominion Voting Systems Files $1.3 Billion Lawsuit Against Rudy Giuliani. truthout.org 
Dominion Voting Systems has filed a $1.3 billion defamation lawsuit against former President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani for pushing a "Big Lie" about their machines flipping votes from Trump to President Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential election. | The company claims that "the harm to Dominion's business and reputation is unprecedented and irreparable because of how fervently millions of people believe it." | "Just as Giuliani and his allies intended, the Big Lie went viral…
(2021-01-25). Stand Up America Calls On Congress To Pass Protecting Our Democracy Act After SCOTUS Dismisses Emoluments Lawsuits. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-01-25). Amnesty Calls on Biden to Close Guant√°namo and End Military Commissions 'Once and For All'. commondreams.org The group says the prison symbolizes U.S. "use of torture, rendition, and indefinite detention without charge or trial—in complete violation of internationally agreed-upon standards of justice and human rights." | www.flickr.com/photos/susanmelkisethian/31897209800/…
(2021-01-25). Biden Restores Transgender People's Right To Serve in US Army. telesurenglish.net U.S. President Joe Biden repealed on Monday a transgender ban imposed by Donald Trump to prevent transgender individuals from serving in the military. | RELATED: | "It shall be the policy of the United States to ensure that all transgender individuals who wish to serve in the United States military and can meet the appropriate standards shall be able to do so openly and free from discrimination," the text of Biden's executive…
(2021-01-25). Russia protests US over posts backing Navalny demos. yenisafak.com Russia submitted a formal protest to Washington on Monday after the US Embassy in Moscow shared posts in support of demonstrations for the release of opposition politician Alexey Navalny.Speaking to a Russian TV network, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow viewed these posts as "direct interference in our country's domestic affairs.""Russia strongly protested against the US embassy's social media posts," Zakharova said, claiming that some US outlets spread "fake news" that Russia has taken note of.Tens of thousands gathered in Russia on Saturday to protest Navalny's detention and dema…
(2021-01-25). Samsung chief will not appeal bribery case prison sentence. laprensalatina.com Seoul, Jan 25 (efe-epa).- Samsung's de facto leader, Lee Jae-yong, will not appeal a ruling by a court in South Korea last week sentencing him to two-and-a-half years in prison for his role in a corruption scandal, his lawyer said Monday. Lee In-jae told reporters that his client respected the ruling and would not appeal …
(2021-01-25). Dominion sues Trump attorney Giuliani for defamation. laprensalatina.com Washington, Jan 25 (efe-epa).- Dominion Voting Systems, a company that makes voting machines, on Monday filed a defamation lawsuit against ex-President Donald Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, demanding $1.3 billion in damages for causing "irreparable" harm to the firm's reputation. Giuliani was one of the most visible figures on Trump's legal team working to spread …
(2021-01-25). Trump's legal problems are only just beginning. nationofchange.org Multiple investigations at the state and federal level—plus private lawsuits—await Trump in private life.
(2021-01-25). Interview with Mark Burton, attorney for Colombian revolutionary Simon Trinidad. fightbacknews.org Fight Back! interviews Mark Burton, attorney for Colombian revolutionary Simon Trinidad who is a political prisoner held by the U.S. government. Simon Trinidad, also known as Ricardo Palmera, is a good man who has done nothing wrong. His only crime is to fight for the freedom and independence of his own country, taking the side of Colombian workers and peasants. Due to U.S. government repression, we are unable to interview Simon Trinidad directly. Check out the campaign to Free Simon Trinidad at Fight Back!: Who Is Simon Trinidad? | Mark B…
