(2021-02-09). Demands To Drop The Charges On The 646 Mass Arrested. popularresistance.org Minneapolis, MN — Three months after six hundred forty-six people were mass arrested on Interstate 94 in Minneapolis, calls to drop the charges are continuing. A February 5 rally at the Hennepin County Government Center demanded specifically that a felony charge on college student Amina McCaskill be dropped, along with the charges and citations given to the other 645. Dozens braved single-digit temperatures for the Friday rally that featured Amina and numerous speakers that were also part of the 646. Unicorn Riot live streamed the rally and spoke with Amina afterwards. Civil rights lawyer, Nekima Levy Armst…
(2021-02-09). Stand with Newsclick: Journalism With a Spine. peoplesdispatch.org We, a group of publications from around the world, join together against the harassment of Newsclick, the Indian web-based news portal. The detention of its editors and the smearing of its reputation in the press is a calculated move to intimidate coverage of the farmer's revolt and other mass struggles that are ongoing in India. | We stand with Newsclick, journalism with a spine. | Vijay Prashad, Chief Correspondent Globetrotter, Executive Director Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research | Zoe Alexandra, Co-Editor Peoples Dispatch | Eugene Puryear, Host BreakThrough News | Ben Becker, Editor-in-Chief Break…
(2021-02-09). Twitter suspends accounts, removes verification of Saudi political prisoners. middleeasteye.net 
Twitter suspends accounts, removes verification of Saudi political prisoners | Decision criticised as 'uncalled for' as the detainees are held in situations beyond their control | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 11: 54 | Ali al-Omari (L) and Awad al-Qarni have been in jail since 2017. Their verified Twitter badge has recently been removed by the social media giant (Twitter) | Twitter has removed the blue verified badge from…
(2021-02-09). Army Abducts Three Palestinians In Hebron, One In Ramallah. imemc.org 
Israeli soldiers abducted, on Tuesday at dawn, three young Palestinians from their homes in Hebron governorate, in southern West Bank, and one near Ramallah, in the central part of the occupied territory. The Hebron office of the Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) has reported that several army jeeps invaded Doura town, south of the city, before …
(2021-02-09). How the West Burns and Why Logging Only Makes It Worse. counterpunch.org 
A new documentary titled The West is Burning continues to promote a flawed narrative that large blazes are a consequence of "fire suppression" and "fuel build-up." Starting from this perspective, it promotes policies like thinning the forest and prescribed burning to counter the large blazes occurring across the West. 1) Fire suppression has created unnatural
(2021-02-09). This is Biden's Chance to End ICE's Abuses — For Good. aclu.org President Biden's 100-day deportation moratorium, announced late last month, was a monumental achievement for immigrant justice activists and immigrant communities. Less visible but potentially groundbreaking: The Department of Homeland Security's promise to conduct a top-to-bottom review of programs and policies governing the arrests and deportations of immigrants in the United States. | While a Texas court temporarily enjoined the deportation moratorium (the ACLU has
(2021-02-09). Democrats Disarm Themselves Before Trump's Senate Impeachment Trial. zcomm.org If the Democrats do not go full throttle in this trial — this last clear chance to exercise the Constitution against Tyrant Trump — they will be remembered as profiles of infamy…
(2021-02-09). Dershowitz 'tried to free paedophile George Nader' to work on Israel-UAE deal. middleeasteye.net 
Dershowitz 'tried to free paedophile George Nader' to work on Israel-UAE deal | Report suggests Trump ally lobbied US and Israel governments to commute sex offender's 10-year prison sentence | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 09: 54 | Attorney Alan Dershowitz, a member of former US President Donald Trump's legal team, and convicted paedophile George Nader (AFP/C-Span) | Lawyer Alan Dershowitz helped craft a proposal for the…
(2021-02-09). Fox News moves to dismiss Smartmatic $2.7 billion defamation suit, blasts as 'meritless'. rt.com 
Fox News is pushing back against a lawsuit from voting firm Smartmatic, which goes after the network and specific hosts, including the recently canceled Lou Dobbs, for pushing election-fraud conspiracy theories. | Others cited in the lawsuit for tying Smartmatic to alleged election fraud are Jeanine Pirro and Maria Bartiromo. The company takes umbrage with everything from being tied to foreign nations to reports it was used across the country when it was only used in Los Angeles County. | Fox News has now filed a motion in New York Supreme Court, defending themselves under the First Amendment and using former…
(2021-02-09). Family of 20yo who committed suicide says Robinhood caused his death with 'reckless tactics' that prey on the inexperienced. rt.com 
The family of a Robinhood investor who took his own life last year has sued the platform, alleging it misled the 20-year-old into thinking he was nearly $1 million in debt and that "reckless tactics" directly led to his death. | Filed in California's Santa Clara County Superior Court on Monday, the
(2021-02-09). Activist accuses Avon and Somerset police of unlawful arrest, detention and discrimination. thecanary.co On 25 January, Avon and Somerset police arrested literary activist Ros Martin outside Bristol magistrates court for damage to the pavement by chalking and a breach of coronavirus (Covid-19) regulations. Martin has made a number of complaints to the police force for what she believes is "unlawful arrest, detention & discriminatory treatment". Her case reflects widespread issues of police disregarding people's health, using coronavirus regulations to clamp down on protest, and institutionalised racism in the Avon and Somerset police force. | Blatant disregard for safety during a pandemic: | While taking her…
(2021-02-09). Sunday 2/14: San Jose Day of Remembrance of E.O. 9066 Japanese American Imprisonments WWII. indybay.org Livestream via YouTube…
(2021-02-09). Hong Kong top court denies bail to media mogul Jimmy Lai. laprensalatina.com Beijing, Feb 9 (efe-epa).- Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, accused of colluding with foreign forces, will remain in prison after the city's top court on Tuesday upheld an appeal by the government against his release on bail in December. Lai can appeal the ruling by the Court of Final Appeal. The court said the …
(2021-02-09). IOC bills sexist remarks by Tokyo 2020 chief Mori 'absolutely inappropriate'. laprensalatina.com Madrid, Feb 9 (efe-epa).- The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday slammed sexist remarks made by the head of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee Yoshiro Mori last week as "absolutely inappropriate." The sports community "can rest assured that the IOC will continue to deliver on its commitment to gender equality, inclusivity, solidarity and non-discrimination," the committee …
(2021-02-09). New Government Tracking System Paves the Way for Expanded Role of Drones. aclu.org The Federal Aviation Administration recently took a major step toward expanding the prevalence of aerial drones in American life by creating a system for identifying and tracking them. The new system is part of a steady march by the FAA to Since drones first came to real public attention about a decade ago, the technology hasn't lived up to either its promise or its threat, primarily due to the FAA's cautious approach to allowing…
(2021-02-09). Neoliberal Authoritarianism in Egypt. dissidentvoice.org The whiplash of authoritarianism is being ruthlessly used in Egypt. On January 6, 2021, Ahmed Khalifa, social news editor of Egypt 360 website, was arrested after publishing a series of reports on workers' legitimate protests. He was falsely charged with joining a terrorist group and spreading fake news, and remains in detention to date. Before his arrest, Khalifa …
(2021-02-09). To End Systemic Racism, Ensure Systemic Equality. aclu.org Over the past four years, we grew accustomed to a regular barrage of blatant, segregationist-style racism from the White House. Donald Trump
(2021-02-08). "Send in the Army": Oppression and the Hunger for Authority. dsausa.org The following is an excerpt from Empire's Endgame: Racism and the British State, an upcoming book co-authored by British academics Gargi Bhattacharyya, Adam Elliott-Cooper, Sita Balani, Kerem Nisancioglu, Kojo Koram, Dalia Gebral, Nadine El-Enany, and Luke de Noronha. Published by Pluto Press, Empire's Endgame engages with recent political movements such as Brexit and Black Lives Matter in order to provide a new and much-needed analysis of the confluence of race, government, and the media during these turbulent times. | Although Empire's Endgame is primarily a study of events in the United Kingdom, this chapt…
(2021-02-08). Jailed Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul set to be released, sister says. middleeasteye.net 
Jailed Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul set to be released, sister says | Hathloul has been in prison for more than 1,000 days, where her family says she endured torture | Mon, 02/08/2021 – 22: 20 | Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul had been sentenced to almost six years in jail (AFP/File photo) | After more than 1,000 days in detention where she endured torture and hunger strikes, Saudi women's rights activis…
(2021-02-08). Loujain al-Hathloul to be freed on Thursday, sister says. middleeasteye.net Loujain al-Hathloul to be freed on Thursday, sister says | Saudi women's rights activist has been in jail, where her family says she endured torture, for more than 1,000 days | Mon, 02/08/2021 – 22: 20 | Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul had been sentenced to almost six years in jail (AFP/File photo) | After more than 1,000 days in detention where she endured torture and hunger strikes, Saudi women's rights acti…
(2021-02-08). Newsom, Stop The Executions! Rally & Caravan to End the COVID Deaths in Prisons. indybay.org Activists in Oakland caravanned across the Bay Bridge to San Francisco on January 31, calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to grant the mass release of incarcerated individuals. They said that Gov. Newsom and the California Department of Corrections (CDC) are responsible for the deaths of at least 180 people in prisons since the start of the COVID pandemic.
(2021-02-08). 'No families are opting out': Utah school REVERSES decision to allow children to skip Black History Month classes after backlash. rt.com 
A charter school in Utah made a U-turn on its decision to allow families to "exercise their civil rights" and opt their children out of lessons relating to Black History Month, after facing a major backlash online. | "We regret that after receiving requests, an opt-out form was sent out concerning activities planned during this month of celebration," Maria Montessori Academy's board of directors The school in North Ogden, which has a majority white student base according…
(2021-02-08). Abolishing Guam's Colonial Past Must Include Protecting Access to Abortion. aclu.org Recently I joined as an expert in a lawsuit filed by the ACLU to challenge two laws that block the rights of women on Guam to abortion access. As a Chamoru, community activist and independent scholar who specializes in Guam history and the teaching of the language of its indigenous people, the Chamorus, I see helping ensure that Chamoru and other women today on Guam are empowered to make decisions about their bodies, their futures as part of our process of decolonization. | The issue of abortion access for women in Guam is something I have studied as part of Guam's history, but something that also resonates in my…
(2021-02-08). Lawsuit Launched Over Army Corps' Failure to Protect Endangered Wildlife From Nationwide Permit Program. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-02-08). The Fight to Save Ballona Wetlands. counterpunch.org Los Angeles, California On January 29, Defend Ballona Wetlands and two individuals, Molly Basler and Robert van de Hoek, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court challenging the California Department of Fish & Wildlife's (CDFW) approval of an environmental impact report (EIR) that they claim would allow for the "complete destruction" of the fragile Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve in Los Angeles
(2021-02-08). El Salvador To Keep in Detention Defendants of FMLN Murder Case. telesurenglish.net A court in El Salvador Monday ordered the pre-trial detention against three people accused of the murder of Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) supporters on January 31. | RELATED: | The three suspects face charges of aggravated homicide for the deaths of Juan Portillo and Gloria Rogel. They also face attempted aggravated homicide charges for the wounding of Roberto Hernandez and Aquiles Ayala. | The court rejected th…
(2021-02-07). Jailed Saudi teen Ali al-Nimr has death sentence commuted to 10 years in prison. middleeasteye.net 
Jailed Saudi teen Ali al-Nimr has death sentence commuted to 10 years in prison | Rights group Reprieve welcomes the news but calls for others imprisoned as minors to receive similar treatment | Sun, 02/07/2021 – 14: 11 | Ali al-Nimr, a Saudi youth facing the death penalty for taking part in pro-reform protests, posing for a photo at an unknown location (AFP) | Saudi Arabia has commuted the deat…
(2021-02-07). Ali al-Nimr and two other Saudis jailed as minors have death sentences commuted. middleeasteye.net Ali al-Nimr and two other Saudis jailed as minors have death sentences commuted | Rights group Reprieve welcomes the news but calls for others imprisoned as minors to receive similar treatment | Sun, 02/07/2021 – 14: 11 | Ali al-Nimr, a Saudi youth facing the death penalty for taking part in pro-reform protests, posing for a photo at an unknown location (AFP) | Saudi Arabia on Sunday commuted th…
(2021-02-07). Russia Expels Diplomats From Germany, Sweden and Poland for Attending Protests in Russia. anti-empire.com 
Moscow has revoked the credentials of three officials from EU nations, over claims they took part in unauthorized rallies in support of jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny, local media reported on Friday. | In a statement issued on Friday, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had made formal protests to the embassies of Germany, Poland and Sweden. Representatives of these countries are said to have participated in mass-demonstrations that saw thousands take to the streets in cities across Russia over the past two weeks. According to officials, they have now been made "personae non grata" and "ordered…
(2021-02-07). St. Louis Inmates Take Over Units After Weeks Of Complaints. popularresistance.org More than 100 inmates at the St. Louis City Justice Center took over two units of the jail early this morning, shattering fourth-floor windows and setting small fires as they called out jubilantly to a crowd of supporters who gathered on the street below. | The uprising began around 2: 30 a.m., and detainees held control of the units for more than six hours before teams of city sheriff's deputies and police regained custody. | For weeks, tensions have been high at the downtown jail. Inmates staged two protests in late December and early January to complain about COVID-19 protocols and other conditions in the facil…
(2021-02-07). School faces backlash after allowing kids to 'opt out' of Black History Month to 'exercise their civil rights'. rt.com 
A Utah charter school is facing a major backlash after it was revealed to be allowing parents to opt their students out of lessons relating to Black History Month. | In a letter sent to families by Maria Montessori Academy Director Micah Hirokawa, the school said complaints from a handful of families had led to them offering the decision for everyone to "exercise their civil rights to not participate in Blac…
(2021-02-07). MyPillow's Mike Lindell says he could be suing Dominion, Smartmatic 'for the American people'. rt.com 
MyPillow founder Mike Lindell continues to push controversial election fraud claims, this time saying he could possibly sue voting software companies like Dominion in an effort to get to "the truth." | Discussing his new film 'Absolute Proof' on Steve Bannon's 'War Room' podcast, Lindell had an "epiphany" when speaking about Dominion and Smartmatic, two companies he continues to say implemented machines that were manipulated in Joe Biden's favor during the presidential election. | Lindell's epiphany was a threat to figure out a way to sue Dominion if they did not agree to meet with him to discuss his election…
(2021-02-07). Solidarity protests mark Tamils Oppression Day. greenleft.org.au Protests were organised in Melbourne and Sydney on February 6 to demand an end to the oppression of Tamils and Muslims in Sri Lanka. Chris Slee reports.
(2021-02-07). Suu Kyi's party asks world not to recognize military junta. yenisafak.com Myanmar's former ruling party on Sunday called on the UN and international community not to recognize the State Administrative Council formed following a military coup in the country.Established on Feb. 2 following the detention of scores of government officials, the council, led by commander-in-chief of the armed forces, is the executive body currently governing the country.The National League for Democracy (NLD), led by ousted State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, who was among those detained during the coup, released a statement on Sunday calling on the UN and the international community not to recognize the milit…
(2021-02-07). Flames of protests against Kremlin burn behind bars. laprensalatina.com Zakharova, Russia, Feb 7 (efe-epa).- Bags of cigarettes, sachets of tea and boxes of cookies are piled up in the snow in front of the detention center. They are for demonstrators who were detained in the mass protests in favor of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The demonstrations have stopped, but the discontent of these young …
(2021-02-07). Venezuelan Parliamentary Commission Charges Guaidó. popularresistance.org Today, February 5, the Comptroller Commission of Venezuela's National Assembly (AN) presented before the Public Ministry (MP) charges against the 2015 deputy Juan Guaidó for damage to the Republic and usurpation of functions. | In statements transmitted by Venezolana de Televisión, the president of the commission, deputy José Brito, stated that the charges presented by the Commission included criminal association, organized crime, usurpation of functions, assassination, attempted coup, homicide, and others. | "The sum of penalties would add up to more than 200 years in prison," said Brito. In this regard, he ment…
(2021-02-07). Thursday 2/11: How To Advance Racial Justice Town Hall w/ ACLU. indybay.org Online town hall via livestream…
(2021-02-07). Egyptian student Ahmed Samir Santawy remanded to 15 days in prison. peoplesdispatch.org Ahmed Samir Santawy, a student of the Central European University (CEU) in Vienna, was detained by the police in Cairo on February 1, leading to an international outcry…
(2021-02-06). Citizen Scientists Are Filling Research Gaps. popularresistance.org The rapid spread of COVID-19 in 2020 disrupted field research and environmental monitoring efforts worldwide. Travel restrictions and social distancing forced scientists to cancel studies or pause their work for months. These limits measurably reduced the accuracy of weather forecasts and created data gaps on issues ranging from bird migration to civil rights in U.S. public schools. | Our work relies on this kind of information to track seasonal events in nature and understand how climate change is affecting them. We also recruit and train citizens for community science — projects that involve amateur or vo…
(2021-02-06). NYPD launches probe into 'domestic terrorist' cop wearing 'political patch' amid calls for purges & cleansing of 'Trump's Army'. rt.com 
A New York City police officer was caught on video wearing pro-Trump patches, leading to an investigation after liberals claim the entire force is "Trump's Army" and label the cop a "domestic terrorist." | At a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Brooklyn on Friday evening, video was captured of the officer in uniform with two Trump badges attached to her vest. One is of a skull styled after the comic book character The Punisher — which some have called for to be retired — with Trump's hair, while the other has a similar image along with Trump's name and the phrase "make enforcement great again." | "
(2021-02-06). 'Now fire Hannity, Ingraham, Carlson': Liberals call for BIGGER PURGE at Fox News as canceled Lou Dobbs shares tweets of support. rt.com 
Donald Trump and other fans are expressing support for Lou Dobbs after the sudden cancellation of his "number one news program" on Fox News, but liberals are so giddy they want other conservatives like Sean Hannity pulled. | The axing of 'Lou Dobbs Tonight' follows a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit from SmartMatic, a company behind voting software used in the presidential election, against Fox News and multiple hosts who aired election fraud conspiracy theories, including Dobbs. | A spokesperson for the network, however, did not name the lawsuit or controversies surrounding Dobbs' election coverage — he a…
(2021-02-06). Republicans Have Already Introduced Over 100 Voter Suppression Bills This Year. truthout.org 
Since former President Donald Trump failed to reverse the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, Republicans in more than two dozen states have introduced over 100 bills to restrict voting access, an alarming development that voting rights advocates have pointed to as yet another reason for Democrats to
(2021-02-06). At least 456 Palestinians arrested by Israel in January: NGOs. yenisafak.com Israeli forces rounded up 456 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in January, according to Palestinian organizations that monitor the conditions of Palestinian prisoners.Ninety-three minors and eight women were among those detained last month, the Palestinian Authority's Prisoners' Affairs Commission, the Palestinian Prisoner Society, the Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, and the Wadi Hilweh Information Center said in a joint statement.According to the statement, 105 administrative detention orders were carried out by occupation authorities, including 30 new orders along with the extensio…