(2021-02-15). Turkey: Hundreds arrested after PKK's execution of 13 hostages. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey: Hundreds arrested after PKK's execution of 13 hostages | Erdogan lashes out at United States for allegedly providing Kurdish militants with weapons | Mon, 02/15/2021 – 13: 48 | The funerals of three Turkish military personnel killed in Iraq, at the Ahmet Hamdi Akseki Mosque, Ankara, on 12 February 2021 (AFP) | Turkey on Monday announced the detention of 718 people suspected of having links to the…
(2021-02-15). British government jails migrants as "people smugglers," excludes and mistreats child migrants. wsws.org The continued pursuit by the Conservative government of a "hostile environment" for those seeking shelter in the UK is devoid of any decency and boundaries…
(2021-02-15). Gagging opponents is not unity, conservative reporter who was shoved & rubbed with dirty diaper at BLM rally tells RT. rt.com 
Days after the Capitol Hill riot, a conservative journalist was assaulted and harassed at a BLM rally in New York. Her ordeal shows how people sharing their political beliefs in today's America risk physical harm, she told RT. | Tara Anne Szczepanski, 33, is a Polish-American political commentator and independent reporter. On January 10, she attended a small protest in Madison Square Park where Black Lives Matter (BLM) activists accosted her after she started filming them. | "The mob turned against me after recognizing that I am a Trump supporter," she told RT. "With the hatred that is going on currently in Am…
(2021-02-15). Harsh jail sentence over drug use spurs legalization debate in Tunisia. laprensalatina.com Tunis, Feb 15 (efe-epa).- Three young Tunisians have received a 30-year prison sentence for possessing and using cannabis, a ruling that has sparked a nationwide debate over the drug use law in the country. The unprecedented prison sentence has led to mutual understanding between both civil society groups and politicians, who seem to agree that …
(2021-02-15). Zuma could face prison sentence after corruption inquiry no-show. laprensalatina.com Johannesburg, Feb 15 (efe-epa).- Former South African president Jacob Zuma could be facing a prison term after he failed to appear before a commission investigating corruption allegations, the head of the inquiry said on Monday. "It is a pity that Mr Zuma has decided not to appear before the commission today, in defiance of the …
(2021-02-15). Formerly incarcerated organizer on Feb. 6 St. Louis jail protest. zcomm.org Interview on the conditions in St. Louis jails, the protests and organizing of incarcerated people and the responses of jail officials and the media…
(2021-02-15). Hundreds of artists denounce Spanish rapper Pablo Hasél's imminent jailing. wsws.org Hasél's prison sentence for "insulting crown and state institutions" sparked mass protests and a petition for his release signed by 300 internationally-renowned artists including director Pedro Almodovar, actor Javier Bardem and folk singer Joan Manuel Serrat.
(2021-02-14). Premier League hopefuls announce they will stop taking knee for Black Lives Matter after realizing stunt is not 'having an impact'. rt.com 
London club Brentford have met a divided response after becoming the latest high-profile club in the UK to announce that they will no longer taking a knee before matches, explaining that they feel the gesture has run its course. | The sight of squads taking a knee before kick-off has been a feature of elite matches in England since last summer, but its value has become increasingly questioned against a backdrop of escalating racism against players on social media. | On the same day as Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha attacked the authenticity of some public efforts to genuinely curb the problem, players fro…
(2021-02-14). Swedish lawmaker calls for being tough on Germany over Berlin's commitment to Nord Stream 2 pipeline project. rt.com 
A member of Sweden's parliament, Bjorn Soder, is urging its government to take steps to persuade Germany to withdraw from the Russian-led Nord Stream 2 offshore gas pipeline, as a response to Russia's latest "actions." | In an official inquiry addressed to Swedish foreign minister Ann Linde and seen by RT, Soder, who is a member of the country's Democrats party, highlights that the European Union should take the necessary measures as a reaction to what some perceive as the Kremlin's actions towards jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny, and towards the three EU diplomats booted out of Russia. The lawmaker al…
(2021-02-14). Female supporters of Russian activist Navalny gather in central Moscow to form Valentine's Day 'solidarity chain' (PHOTO, VIDEO). rt.com 
Some 240 women held on to a long white ribbon to form a human chain on an iconic pedestrianized street in Moscow, on Sunday. It was part of a protest organised by supporters of Western-leaning opposition figure Alexey Navalny. | The gathering, on the central Arbat Street, coincided with Valentine's Day and was dubbed "Love is stronger than fear." Some of the participants were given flowers, balloons and leaflets with black hearts. | Those involved told reporters the "chain of solidarity" was aimed at showing support to figures they referred to as "female political prisoners" detained in Russia. | –&iacut…
(2021-02-14). Democrats' Shameful Cave. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-12923215461.jpg …
(2021-02-14). Systematic human rights violations ongoing in Bahrain. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 14 (MNA) — Today the continuous violation of human rights, suppression of people seeking their own minimalist demands along with al-Khalifa alliance with Zionism can be witnessed in Bahrain, a senior Iranian Parliamentary advisor said.
(2021-02-14). Living and loving with HIV: a UN Resident Coordinator blog. news.un.org To mark Valentine's Day, the annual 14 February celebration of love and affection, Gita Sabharwal, UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand, and Patchara Benjarattanaporn, Thailand Country Director for UNAIDS, call for an end to discrimination against people living with HIV, and recognition of the contribution they make to Thai society.
(2021-02-14). Russian women hold human chain protests in support of Yulia Navalnaya. laprensalatina.com Moscow, Feb 14 (efe-epa).- Some 300 women formed a human chain in Moscow on Sunday in solidarity with Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of leading Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny. The protest, which was unauthorized, doubled up as a call to release all political prisoners and came after several large protests were met by a police …
(2021-02-14). Friday 2/19: Setsuko's Secret: Heart Mountain and the Legacy of the Japanese American Incarceration. indybay.org Online event…
(2021-02-14). NYC cops Keep Rioting; Protesters Resist. zcomm.org In contrast to January 6 in Washington, DC, police in New York on Martin Luther King Jr. Day reverted to type. At least 29 people were arrested and multiple protesters were hospitalized when NYPD broke up a Black Lives Matter march held in honor of MLK Day…
(2021-02-14). For Biden Administration, Black Lives Don't Matter In Haiti! popularresistance.org The people of Haiti have been demanding freedom from the succession of U.S.-imposed dictators for decades. One such dictator, Jovenel MoàØse, refused to leave office February 7, which marked the end of his term five years after an illegal election. This move catapulted yet another intense episode in the historic struggle of the Haitian masses against colonial intervention. Tens of thousands of Haitians went to the streets demanding democracy and an end to dictatorship. And what was the response from the U.S. puppet regime? Bullets, paramilitary terror, curfews, house raids, beatings and the imprisonment of…
(2021-02-14). Formerly Incarcerated Organizer On February 6 St. Louis Jail Protest. popularresistance.org EXPO is an organization of formerly incarcerated individuals and other people involved with the criminal justice system. We are a voice for people adversely affected by this system. We are an offshoot of EXPO Wisconsin, which started in 2014. In just a few years, we have made tremendous strides to address issues that reduce the quality of life for people transitioning after being incarcerated. | We are leading a few campaigns now. One is Unlock the Vote, which is a fight to restore voting rights for individuals convicted of a felony and who are now on probation or parole. We hope to restore these rights because p…
(2021-02-14). Forced Labor In The United States. popularresistance.org By any measure, the United States has the worst human rights record among the nations called democratic or developed or advanced or "free world" or any of the other labels that rich capitalist countries use to describe themselves. The U.S. has the worst health care system in that group, the worst benefits for workers, and the worst income inequality. It also has the dubious distinction of being the world's biggest jailer, with some 2.3 million people behind bars. This country which treats its people so terribly is also the one most likely to project its evil doing on to others. | There is a method to the madness.
(2021-02-13). $3 billion to spare? Alabama's governor spends on prisons. liberationnews.org 
Alabama is making one of the largest public expenditures in the state's history—on building new prisons. Governor Ivey should put $3 billion dollars towards making Alabamians' lives better, and not towards justifying mass incarceration.
(2021-02-13). Interview: Formerly incarcerated organizer on Feb. 6 St. Louis jail protest. liberationnews.org 
On February 10, Liberation News interviewed Ronnie Amiyn, an organizer with EXPO (Ex-Incarcerated People Organizing) St. Louis about the organization, the conditions in St. Louis jails, the protests and organizing of incarcerated people and the responses of jail officials and the media.
(2021-02-13). Wrongly jailed Queens youth organized own defense from prison: Free Prakash Churaman! liberationnews.org 
The Free Prakash Alliance continues to demand that the Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz drop all charges against Prakash Churaman.
(2021-02-13). Amid deadly pandemic, Canada deported record number of refugees in 2020. wsws.org The working class must reject the nationalist poison of the ruling elite and defend the right of workers of all origins to work and live in the country of their choice, without fear of discrimination or deportation.
(2021-02-13). ANALYSIS – Palestinian elections to test Fatah's cohesion. yenisafak.com Abbas is facing stiff competition from two candidates — Marwan Barghouti, a member of the central committee currently serving a life sentence in an Israeli jail, and Muhammad Dahlan, a controversial figure who was dismissed and is currently harbored by the United Arab Emirates as he faces legal cases from Palestine and Turkey on several charges, including murder, corruption, and involvement in a 2016 defeated coup in Turkey.Palestinian factions agreed Tuesday in Cairo to establish an elections court based on a national consensus among judges from Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza.- Barred from runningAbdullah K…
(2021-02-13). UK's 'The Independent' apologizes to Roman Abramovich, pays Chelsea owner's legal fees after parroting 'Putin's bag carrier' claim. rt.com 
Britain's The Independent has been forced to make an apology to Russian tycoon and Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich, after publishing a story accusing the billionaire of holding illicit cash for Russian President Vladimir Putin. | Amid the uproar surrounding the jailing of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, the Independent, like many Western media outlets, has sided with Navalny's associates in demanding punitive sanctions on Moscow. Yet in its fervor to boost the protest leader, the liberal journal has fallen foul of the law. | In an article published last week, the Independent quoted an associate of…
(2021-02-13). The Independent apologizes to Roman Abramovich, pays Chelsea owner's legal fees after parroting claim of 'Putin's bag carrier'. rt.com The Independent has been forced to eat crow and apologize to the Russian tycoon and Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich, after publishing a story accusing the billionaire of holding illicit cash for Russian President Vladimir Putin. | Amid the uproar surrounding the jailing of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, the Independent, like many Western media outlets, has sided with Navalny's associates in demanding punitive sanctions on Moscow. Yet in its fervor to boost the protest leader, the liberal newspaper has fallen foul of the law. | In an article published last week, the Independent quoted an associate…
(2021-02-13). UK's 'The Independent' apologizes to Roman Abramovich, pays Chelsea owner's legal fees after parroting 'Putin's bag carrier' claim. rt.com Britain's The Independent has been forced to make an apology to Russian tycoon and Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich, after publishing a story accusing the billionaire of holding illicit cash for Russian President Vladimir Putin. | Amid the uproar surrounding the jailing of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, the Independent, like many Western media outlets, has sided with Navalny's associates in demanding punitive sanctions on Moscow. Yet in its fervor to boost the protest leader, the liberal journal has fallen foul of the law. | In an article published last week, the Independent quoted an associate of…
(2021-02-13). Biden to 'review' Guantanamo prison with 'intention' to close facility by end of term — 12 years after Obama made same promise. rt.com 
The Joe Biden administration will carry out a "robust review" of the Guantanamo Bay prison, aiming to shutter the detention center before his term is up, the White House said, some 12 years after Barack Obama vowed to do the same.
(2021-02-13). [Editorial] Improving prisoner health for stronger public health. thelancet.com COVID-19 vaccine policy for prisoners has been in the headlines across the USA and the UK. Discordant strategies exist, ranging from no vaccination, to vaccination equivalent to people in the community, to higher prioritisation for people in prison. Prisons are dangerous hotspots for acquiring SARS-CoV-2, and individuals who return to the community could unwittingly transmit the virus. In the USA alone, 372‚Äà583 prisoners have had COVID-19, with 2359 deaths, according to the Marshall Project. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to address racial and social inequalities globally, but…
(2021-02-13). [Articles] Transdermal oestradiol for androgen suppression in prostate cancer: long-term cardiovascular outcomes from the randomised Prostate Adenocarcinoma Transcutaneous Hormone (PATCH) trial programme. thelancet.com Long-term data comparing tE2 patches with LHRHa show no evidence of a difference between treatments in cardiovascular mortality or morbidity. Oestrogens administered transdermally should be reconsidered for androgen suppression in the management of prostate cancer.
(2021-02-13). Wrongly Jailed Queens Youth Organized Own Defense From Prison. popularresistance.org On Feb. 10, now 21-year-old Prakash Churaman of Queens, New York, stood on the steps of Queens Criminal Court addressing a crowd of supporters just before his latest trial. He spoke confidently into the mic: "I'm ready to fight. This is round two. And I just want to say…free them all!" | At age 15, Churaman was held and aggressively interrogated by the New York Police Department for the fatal shooting of his best friend Taquane Clark. After he and his mother were subjected to hours of intimidation tactics by Detectives Barry Brown and Daniel Gallagher, Churaman agreed to say whatever they wanted to hear: in thi…
(2021-02-13). UN and others urge Egyptian government to stop persecution of activists in the country. peoplesdispatch.org Thousands of activists, journalists, lawyers and opposition figures have been thrown in prison in the country as part of a massive, ongoing crackdown on human rights and dissent since the regime of president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi came to power in 2014…
(2021-02-13). Former California Assemblyman sentenced to federal prison for money laundering. nationofchange.org U.S. District Judge James Donato sentenced the former State Assemblyman to one year and one day in prison and ordered him to pay $685,000 in restitution.
(2021-02-12). 'Progressive' prosecutors put thousands of lives at risk. workers.org 
Philadelphia The novel coronavirus has claimed an unlikely victim in the United States: the Sixth Amendment. The right to a "speedy trial" is in critical condition. Philadelphia's county jail population has risen to 4,500 and is growing steadily. Half of those behind bars have "detainers," meaning they aren't eligible for . . . |
(2021-02-12). Make Our Schools and Communities Safe caravan takes to streets of San Francisco. liberationnews.org 
More than 100 cars bearing signs saying "More resources, less lawsuits"; "Fund our schools"; and "Fund our communities" traveled through San Francisco Feb. 10. The Make Our Schools and Communities Safe caravan was called in response to City Attorney Dennis Herrera's announcement that the City would sue the school district to reopen schools. Over 100 …
(2021-02-12). Biden and Harris won't help prisoners. workers.org 
The following are lightly edited remarks from a Workers World Party webinar on January 21. It's actually been a very painful time for those of us who are involved in supporting incarcerated workers. And people behind the walls are incarcerated workers, and they're part of our working class. They're part . . . |
(2021-02-12). 'We want real justice': Loujain al-Hathloul's family slams conditions of release. middleeasteye.net 
'We want real justice': Loujain al-Hathloul's family slams conditions of release | Since Loujain's sentence was only suspended, not pardoned, Saudi Arabia retains right to return her to prison for any perceived criminal activity | Fri, 02/12/2021 – 16: 27 | A woman viewing a tweet posted by sister of Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul, Lina, in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh on 10 February (AFP/File photo) | Af…
(2021-02-12). Biden administration says it aims to close Guantanamo Bay by end of term. middleeasteye.net 
Biden administration says it aims to close Guantanamo Bay by end of term | White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki says closing prison camp before Biden leaves office 'certainly is our goal and our intention' | Fri, 02/12/2021 – 21: 31 | Demonstrators dressed in Guantanamo Bay prisoner uniforms march past Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on 9 January 2020 | The Biden administration has launched a formal review of…
(2021-02-12). Ralph Nader on Corporate Crime, Holding Boeing Accountable for 737 MAX Deaths & Biden's First Weeks. counterpunch.org 
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(2021-02-12). Hearings continue against anti-terror law in the Philippines. peoplesdispatch.org On Tuesday, February 9, the second day of the hearings on Philippines' controversial Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), the Supreme Court continued to receive oral arguments from the petitioners. Lawyers representing 37 petitioners against the law focused their attack on the new law's potential to do away with protections that were earlier afforded to prisoners and the accused. | According to
(2021-02-12). NY AG brands Amazon 'corporate bully' after tech giant sues to block lawsuit on alleged Covid worker negligence. rt.com 
New York state's attorney general has dismissed Amazon's move to preemptively sue the office over its inquiries into the e-commerce retailer's alleged neglect of employee safety amid the pandemic as a "sad attempt" at distraction. | On Friday, Amazon sued NY Attorney General Letitia James, accusing her of legally threatening the company and overstepping her remit. The suit also said that an unannounced city inspection of Amazon's Staten Island facility on March 30 — the first day of worker protests over conditions at the site — found that complaints about safety were "completely baseless". | Respondi…
(2021-02-12). Syrian militants urged to release US journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem. middleeasteye.net 
Syrian militants urged to release US journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem | Idlib-based reporter was arrested six months ago after raising concerns about alleged torture of prisoners by HTS | Fri, 02/12/2021 – 15: 55 | Bilal Abdul Kareem has reported from opposition-held Syria since 2014 (Screengrab) | A leading media freedom monitor has called for the release of US journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem, six months aft…
(2021-02-12). Ralph Nader: Biden Must Hold Boeing Accountable for Deaths Due to Faulty Planes. truthout.org 
Legendary consumer advocate Ralph Nader says the U.S. is experiencing a "corporate crime wave," and that the Trump administration's $2.5 billion settlement with Boeing over the manufacturer's faulty 737 MAX jets amounts to a "slap on the wrist." Boeing's faulty planes were involved in two fatal crashes that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, including Nader's 24-year-old grandniece Samya Stumo. Nader says the Biden Justice Department should reopen the previous administration's settlement and…
(2021-02-12). Ralph Nader on Corporate Crime, Holding Boeing Accountable for 737 MAX Deaths & Biden's First Weeks. democracynow.org 
Legendary consumer advocate Ralph Nader says the U.S. is experiencing a "corporate crime wave," and that the Trump administration's $2.5 billion settlement with Boeing over the manufacturer's faulty 737 MAX jets amounts to a "slap on the wrist." Boeing's faulty planes were involved in two fatal crashes that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, including Nader's 24-year-old grandniece Samya Stumo. Nader says the Biden Justice Department should reopen the previous administration's settlement and hold Boeing fully accountable. "This is just another example of giant companies getting away with their corporate criminal…
(2021-02-12). Where Are the Witnesses? Ralph Nader Says Democrats' Impeachment Case Is "Prescription for Defeat" democracynow.org 
As the historic Senate impeachment trial of Donald Trump continues, we speak with longtime consumer advocate, corporate critic and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, who says Democrats have set themselves up for defeat by rushing proceedings and failing to call witnesses — including Trump himself. "The narrow approach of the articles of impeachment keep the Democrats from having a full hand," says Nader. "They have like 10 arrows in their quiver and they're using one or two."
(2021-02-12). Jettison the Johnson: Transwomen Athletes Crashing Female Sports Will Only Hurt the Game. strategic-culture.org 
As the Biden administration moves to make it illegal to deny the participation of birth males in female sport, a number of courageous athletes and academics are beginning to speak out on the issue, warning that the presidential orders will have disastrous consequences on their profession, and possibly their lives. | On the very same day of his locked-down inauguration, Joe Biden signed off on dozens of executive orders, including one gem entitled, 'Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation'. The controversial legislation, which has never been the subject of seri…
(2021-02-12). 'End… This Human Rights Atrocity,' Says Amnesty After Biden Admin Signals Goal to Close Gitmo. commondreams.org Asked whether the president will shutter the prison, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, "That certainly is our goal and our intention." | www.flickr.com/photos/shriekingtree/6688582501…
(2021-02-12). If Navalny deserves support, why not Issa Amro? zcomm.org Where is the U.S. government on a Palestinian activist at a time when it has highlighted the freedom of other groups to protest (notably the imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Russia)…
(2021-02-12). Saudi Arabia releases Women's Rights Activist Loujain al-Hathloul but Bans her Travel. juancole.com (Beirut) — Saudi authorities released from prison the prominent women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul on February 10, 2021, Human Rights Watch said today. However, she is banned from travel and has a suspended sentence, which allows the authorities to return her to prison at any time for any perceived criminal activity. In late December 2020, …
(2021-02-12). President Biden Must Close Guant√°namo Bay Detention Center, End Twenty Years of Human Rights Abuses. commondreams.org ______________________________…