(2021-04-21). Guilty on All Counts: Derek Chauvin Verdict Triggers Relief & Determination to Keep Fighting. democracynow.org 
A jury in Minneapolis has convicted former police officer Derek Chauvin on three counts for murdering George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds last year. The jury reached its decision after 10 hours of deliberation. Derek Chauvin will be sentenced in two months. He faces up to 40 years in prison for the most serious charge, second-degree murder. He is the first white police officer in Minnesota to ever be convicted of killing a Black man. We feature reactions from people gathered outside the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, comments from George Floyd's brother and nephew, as…
(2021-04-21). Ocasio-Cortez: "Verdicts Are Not Substitutes for Policy Change" truthout.org 
After a jury on Monday afternoon found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin "For a lot of us that have been in this fight for justice, in this…
(2021-04-21). Black Visions Collective: We Need to Abolish the Police & End Militarized Occupations of Our Cities. democracynow.org 
The police murder of George Floyd added jet fuel to a nationwide push to defund the police. We go to Minneapolis to speak with Kandace Montgomery, co-executive director of Black Visions Collective, about their response to the guilty verdict for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd and an update on the push to divest from Minneapolis police and invest in communities.
(2021-04-21). Historian Khalil Gibran Muhammad: Policing in U.S. Was Built on Racism & Should Be Put on Trial. democracynow.org 
A Minnesota jury's conviction of former police officer Derek Chauvin on three counts for murdering George Floyd does not go far enough in dismantling police brutality and state-sanctioned violence, says historian and author Khalil Gibran Muhammad. "We know that while the prosecution was performing in such a way to make the case that Derek Chauvin was a rogue actor, the truth is that policing should have been on trial in that case," Muhammad says. "We don't have a mechanism in our current system of laws in the way that we treat individual offenses to have that accountability and justice delivered." Muhammad also l…
(2021-04-21). Headlines for April 21, 2021. democracynow.org Jury Finds Derek Chauvin Guilty on All Counts for Murdering George Floyd, Police Shoot Dead 16-Year-Old Ma'Khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio, Judge Denies Dismissal of Prison Sentence for Officer Who Shot and Killed Walter Scott in 2015, India Faces COVID "Storm"; AMLO Gets COVID Vaccine; U.S. Warns Against Travel to 80% of Globe, Johnson & Johnson Resumes European Rollout After Regulator Says Benefits Outweigh Blood Clot Risk, AOC and Sen. Markey Reintroduce Green New Deal as Biden Sets Ambitious Emissions Target, Idriss Déby's Son Named Interim Leader Following Chadian President's Death, Journalists in Over 100 Cou…
(2021-04-21). The Saudi Lobby Moves From K Street to Main Street. counterpunch.org Princess Reema bint Bandar Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the U.S., was on the hot seat. In early March 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic swept the world, oil prices collapsed and a price war broke out between Saudi Arabia and Russia, leaving American oil and gas companies feeling the pain. As oil prices plummeted, Republican
(2021-04-21). US Resumption Of Foreign Aid To The Palestinians — Analysis. eurasiareview.com By Jim Zanotti and Rhoda Margesson* | On April 7, 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the Biden Administration's plan to resume various forms of aid to the Palestinians that had been discontinued under the Trump Administration. Separately in March, the Biden Administration allocated $15 million in International Disaster Assistance for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) response needs and emergency food assistance in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. | Secretary Blinken's statement and other documents indicate that the Administration plans to provide: | $75 million in bilateral Economic Support Fund…
(2021-04-21). Could Malaysia's Fake News Ordinance Stifle Public Debate? — Analysis. eurasiareview.com By Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani* | On 12 January 2021, Malaysia's king, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, announced a nationwide state of emergency that will last until 1 August 2021. That same day, the Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced the imposition of stricter movement controls in states most badly affected by COVID-19. The Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 was gazetted on 14 January 2021. | On 12 March, the Emergency (Essential Powers) (No. 2) Ordinance 2021 followed, taking action against the spread of fake news across video, written and audio platforms. The ordinance raises concerns abou…
(2021-04-21). Biden's Big Spending Plans Won't Revive The Economy — Analysis. eurasiareview.com By Frank Shostak* | On March 11, 2021, US president Biden introduced his $1.9 trillion covid-19 stimulus plan. The president also announced a plan of more than $2 trillion to rebuild US infrastructure, which includes repairing roads and bridges, as well as expanding access to long-term care services under Medicaid, building schools, and expanding internet access across the US. | It is commonly accepted that during difficult economic times the government should run large budget deficits in order to keep the economy going. This is because when overall demand in the economy weakens, the government should step in…
(2021-04-21). System Fail # 8: The Ghosts of Democracy. dissidentvoice.org Discussion about sexual assault (including against minors), torture; scenes of police brutality, murder. In this episode, Dee Dos takes a look at recent developments in the social war in Greece, including the COVID-19 lockdown, the #MeToo movement and the hunger strike waged by 17th of November member Dimitris Koufontinas. We also include an interview with …
(2021-04-21). Russia Threatens Ukraine? Biden Has Transformed Russia's Border with Ukraine into A Dangerous Hot Spot. globalresearch.ca Throughout its 30 year history, the Russian Federation never attacked or …
(2021-04-21). Manifest Destiny? U.S. Immigration 'Crisis' a Bipartisan Toxic Legacy. strategic-culture.org Migration is here to stay regardless of fences or chicken coops used for vetting migrants as labor, and the corruption of gangsterism will continue to normalize itself with the U.S. corporatist state. | Since Joe Biden took over the White House nearly three months ago, a recurring controversy dogging his administration is the plight of migrants crossing the southern border from Mexico. In the following interview, Randy Martin gives his take on the subject as a seasoned observer and campaigner based near the border. He says much of the political heat on the subject recently is being generated by the bitterly divis…
(2021-04-21). Systemic Racism won't End with One Trial, But Biden-Harris can enlist Government in addressing Economic Inequality at its Root. juancole.com 
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — African-Americans face aggressive policing in part because, on average, they lack resources. Household wealth allows a family to donate to political campaigns, to ensure a good education for their children, and to join influential civic clubs and organizations. The Center for American Progress reports that in 2019, before the distortions …
(2021-04-21). Biden isn't Ending the Afghanistan War, he's Privatizing it: Special Forces, Pentagon Contractors, Intelligence Operatives will Remain. orinocotribune.com 
By Jeremy Kuzmarov — Apr 16, 2021 | Over 18,000 Pentagon contractors remain in Afghanistan, while official troops number 2,500. Joe Biden will withdraw this smaller group of soldiers while leaving behind US Special Forces, mercenaries, and intelligence operatives — privatizing and downscaling the war, but not ending it. | On April 14, President Joe Biden announced that he would end the U.S.'s longest war and withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan on the 20th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks. | Over 6,000 NATO troops will also be withdrawn by that time. | "War in Afghanistan was…
(2021-04-21). US Has No Moral Standing to Criticize Russia or China. counterpunch.org 
President Joe Biden and his Secretary of State Antony Blinken are worried about Russian Putin critic and presidential aspirant, currently in a Russian prison after conviction on charges of skipping bail and leaving the country and other charges, being abused and at risk of dying in jail. That threat may or may not be real,
(2021-04-21). Biden's Announcement That Trump Got Military Spending Just Right Is Dead Wrong. zcomm.org With friends like the Pentagon, the environment has no need of enemies, real or imagined…
(2021-04-21). Tax Stock Returns: If Biden Really Wants to Close Corporate Income Tax Loopholes. counterpunch.org 
President Biden has indicated that he wants to raise much of the money to cover the cost of his infrastructure program by raising the corporate income tax. The amount of money raised through the corporate income tax plummeted following the Trump tax cut in 2017. In non-recession years it had been averaging close to 2.0
(2021-04-21). Washington is Spoiling for a new Cold War with China, but this Ambition needs a Reality Check. juancole.com 
( Tomdispatch.com ) — Like his immediate predecessor, Joe Biden is committed to a distinctly anti-China global strategy and has sworn that China will not "become the leading country in the world, the wealthiest country in the world, and the most powerful country in the world… on my watch." In the topsy-turvy universe created by …
(2021-04-21). Personal Dispute Sparked Heavy Clashes Between Government Forces, SDF In Syria's Al-Qamishli (Videos). southfront.org 
Screen grab from a video released by the Hawar News Agency (ANHA). | Late on April 20, heavy clashes broke out between the pro-government Syrian National Defense Forces (NDF) and Asayish, the security wing of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the northeastern Syrian city of al-Qamishli. | Asayish claimed that NDF forces attacked one of its checkpoints near the Tayy district in the city. An officer known as Ahmad Hajji was killed and four others were injured in the incident. Asayish responded by launching a lar…
(2021-04-21). First Of Many To Come: US Supply Convoy Attacked In Northeastern Syria (Photos). southfront.org 
Illustrative image | On April 20, a convoy moving supplies and vehicles for the US-led coalition in northeastern Syria came under attack. | The convoy, which was escorted by units from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), was targeted with an improvised explosive device (IED) in the town of al-Sabhah in southeastern Deir Ezzor. The supply convoy was on its way to the Omar oil fields, where US forces maintain a large presence. | As a result of the attack, a pickup of the SDF was damaged. Furthermore, two civilians,…
(2021-04-21). Syrian Presidential Elections: Assad Files To Run For Third Term Despite Criticism. southfront.org 
Syrian President Bashar Assad. FILE IMAGE: Michael Klimentiev/TASS | On April 21, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad submitted documents to run for a third term in an election scheduled for May 26. | The news was announced by Hammouda Sabbagh, the Speaker of Syrian People's Assembly. Under Syria's electoral laws, al-Assad, like all other candidates, needs the support of at least 35 members of the People's Assembly to officially enter the presidential race. | President al-Assad was the sixth to file for the upcoming presidential…
(2021-04-21). Are Republicans Breaking Up With Big Business? Don't Hold Your Breath. truthout.org 
Mitch McConnell doesn't seem to be adjusting well to the new limits of his power, following his ouster from the majority leader seat last November. A once nigh-omnipotent power broker, McConnell has now found his influence diminished to the point that he's yelling strange things at stranger targets. He spent a chunk of last week unspooling some doozies directed at corporate America, which has long been a close ally of the Republican Party. | The trouble began in Georgia, a state whose GOP officials we…
(2021-04-21). Sanders, Jayapal Introduce Bill to Make College Free for Nearly 80% of Americans. truthout.org 
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington) introduced a bill on Wednesday that would make college and university tuition-free for most people living in the United States. | The legislation would allow for families that earn less than $125,000 in yearly household income
(2021-04-21). You Reap What You Sow: Weeds Are Destroying Crops Globally — But the Real Problem Is Big Agriculture. globalresearch.ca That we live on a hugely degraded, biologically impoverished planet, in …
(2021-04-21). Israeli Intelligence Chiefs Assess that Biden, Iran will Rejoin Nuclear Deal; Netanyahu wants to Stop it. juancole.com By Motasem A Dalloul | — After two weeks of deliberations in Vienna about reactivating the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal with Iran, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell told reporters on Monday that, "There is a real goodwill on both parts to reach an agreement." He pointed out that the …
(2021-04-21). 24 Senators Send Letter To President Biden Urging Him To Close Guantánamo — OpEd. eurasiareview.com In the long struggle to try to secure the closure of the prison at Guantánamo Bay, there has rarely been adequate support from lawmakers, so it was extremely reassuring, on April 16, to see that 24 Democratic Senators — almost half of the Democrats in the Senate — have written Led by Senate Majority Whip and Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, and including Patrick Leahy, Dianne Feinstein, Elizabeth Wa…
(2021-04-21). Biden Administration Seeking $300 Million In Aid To Afghanistan. eurasiareview.com U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that the Biden administration is working with Congress to provide nearly $300 million in additional aid for Afghanistan in 2021. | "The funding will be targeted at sustaining and building on the gains of the past 20 years by improving access to essential services for Afghan citizens, promoting economic growth, fighting corruption and the narcotics trade, improving health and education service delivery, supporting women's empowerment, enhancing conflict resolution mechanisms, and bolstering Afghan civil society and independent media," Blinken said in a statement. | Th…
(2021-04-21). Climate Change Will Force Us to Rethink Migration and Asylum. thenation.com Climate Change Will Force Us to Rethink Migration and Asylum…
(2021-04-21). USA: UN Experts Call for President Biden to End Death Penalty. strategic-culture.org UN human rights experts* have called on President Biden to do everything in his power to end executions in the United States, at both the federal and state level. | "The death penalty is an abhorrent practice. It serves no deterrent value and cannot be reconciled with the right to life," said the experts. | "Despite retentionist States' pretence that capital punishment can be implemented in a 'humane' fashion, executions have repeatedly resulted in degrading spectacles. The death penalty is an inherently flawed form of punishment which disproportionately impacts African-Americans and people living in poverty," th…
(2021-04-21). Why Renewables Cause Blackouts And Increase Vulnerability To Extreme Weather — OpEd. eurasiareview.com In recent congressional hearings, Democratic leaders
(2021-04-21). GOP introduces largest package of Iran sanctions in Congress. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 21 (MNA) — The Republicans in the US Congress unveiled on Wednesday what they described as the largest package of Iran sanctions in history, US media reported.
(2021-04-21). These Attacks on Maxine Waters Reveal the Grifter Politics of Republican Dog-Whistlers. thenation.com These Attacks on Maxine Waters Reveal the Grifter Politics of Republican Dog-Whistlers…
(2021-04-21). Bashar al-Assad to run for 2021 Syrian presidential election. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 21 (MNA) — Bashar al-Assad has officially announced his run for the Syrian presidential election in 2021.
(2021-04-21). The United States' Extensive Knowledge of the 1976 Planned Military Coup in Argentina. strategic-culture.org While the released documents portray the U.S. as having knowledge of the coup as opposed to intervening overtly or covertly, the aftermath shows U.S. involvement was considerable. | Last March, on the 45th anniversary of Argentina's descent into dictatorship, the National Security Archive posted a selection of
(2021-04-20). Jurors Deliberate in Derek Chauvin Trial as Prosecution Urges Them to "Believe What They Had Seen" democracynow.org 
As jury deliberations are underway in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder and manslaughter for killing George Floyd last May, we go to Minneapolis to discuss final arguments and what is next in the case. We speak with civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, who says the prosecution "started strong and ended strong" by reminding "the jury that they could believe what they had seen with their own eyes."
(2021-04-20). Police Killed John Thompson's Friend Philando Castile. Now He Is a Lawmaker Fighting Racist Policing. democracynow.org 
We look at the long history of police killings of Black men during traffic stops in Minnesota with state Representative John Thompson, a community activist who was elected last year and has attended protests demanding justice for George Floyd and other victims of police brutality. His friend Philando Castile was killed by police during a 2016 traffic stop in a suburb of St. Paul. "We have every right to be angry, we have every right to be mad, and we have every right to use our voices," Thompson says. "We have a problem here in this state with policing." Thompson is part of the People of Color and Indigenous Cauc…
(2021-04-20). Miguel Díaz-Canel Elected First Secretary of Cuba's Communist Party. orinocotribune.com Havana, April 19 (Prensa Latina).- The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) today elected the President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel, as first secretary of the leading political organization of the Caribbean nation. | In its first plenary meeting, the new Central Committee—elected one day earlier by the delegates to the 8th Congress of the PCC—also elected the members of the Political Bureau [Politburo] and the Party Secretariat. | Díaz-Canel will hold the position held by Army General Raúl Castro—exemplar of the historic Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro—whose l…
(2021-04-20). Biden's Afghan Withdrawal Isn't a Blow to China. globalresearch.ca Bloomberg published an op-ed last week provocatively claiming that "
(2021-04-20). Biden's Anti-China Ambitions. tomdispatch.com Like his immediate predecessor, Joe Biden is committed to a distinctly anti-China global strategy and has sworn that China will not "become the leading country in the world, the wealthiest country in the world, and the most powerful country in the world… on my watch." In the topsy-turvy universe created by the Covid-19 pandemic, it was, however, Jamie Dimon, the CEO and chairman of JP Morgan Chase, a banking giant with assets of $3.4 trillion, who spoke truth to Biden on the subject. While predicting an immediate boom in the U.S. economy "that could easily run into 2023," Dimon had grimmer news on the future as…
(2021-04-20). How To Make A Gulf Monarchy All-American. popularresistance.org Princess Reema bint Bandar Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the U.S., was on the hot seat. In early March 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic swept the world, oil prices collapsed and a price war broke out between Saudi Arabia and Russia, leaving American oil and gas companies feeling the pain. As oil prices plummeted, Republican senators from oil-producing states turned their ire directly on Saudi Arabia. Forget that civil war in Yemen — what about fossil-fuel profits here at home? | To address their concerns, Ambassador Bandar Al-Saud agreed to speak with a group of them in a March 18th conference call [m…
(2021-04-20). Biden Regime Behind Czech Expulsion of Russian Diplomats. globalresearch.ca The Czech Republic is virtual US occupied territory, its pro-Western puppet …
(2021-04-20). Military Bases Housing Migrant Children Plagued by Serial Sexual Abuse Claims. orinocotribune.com 
By Whitney Webb — Apr 16, 2021 | The Biden administration is now housing unaccompanied migrant children on military bases in Texas and California. Some of these bases have been plagued for years by record sexual abuse claims, one with the highest in the nation. All of them suffer from dangerous environmental contamination. | Over the first few months of 2021, the migrant crisis at the US-Mexico border has exploded. Due to the policies of the Obama, Trump and now Biden administrations, many of those migrants, particularly unaccompanied minors, remain housed in increasingly controversial "overflow facilities."
(2021-04-20). Headlines for April 20, 2021. democracynow.org Jury Begins Deliberations in Derek Chauvin Murder Trial, Thousands Protest in Minnesota as Derek Chauvin Murder Trial Wraps Up, U.N. Warns Planet Is "On the Verge of the Abyss" from Relentless Climate Change, Hundreds of Climate Scientists Warn Against Criminalizing Peaceful Protests, White House Holds Virtual Climate Summit as U.S. and China Pledge Cuts to Emissions, Migrant Workers Flee India's Capital Ahead of Lockdown as Coronavirus Cases Soar, Climate Activist Greta Thunberg Joins Fight for Vaccine Equity, President Biden Urges All U.S. Residents 16 and Over to Get Vaccinated, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Can…
(2021-04-20). Has the Biden Administration Quietly Given Up on Recognizing Juan Guaidó as the President of Venezuela? orinocotribune.com By Les Blough — Apr 11, 2021 | Has the Biden administration quietly given up on recognizing Juan Guaidó as the President of Venezuela? | Not yet, but they will. They know they picked the wrong horse for destabilization and "regime change" but they have to find a way to dump him while saving face. | Venezuelans, including the opposition, have no love for out-and-out traitors. Poor "Juanito" ("Little John", as he's known here) has found himself in a very very dark place, despised by his fellow citizens, impossible to show his face in the streets anymore, directly responsible for many deaths when grandstanding…
(2021-04-20). Ady Barkan Takes Medicare for All Fight to California to Prove 'Single Payer Healthcare Works in America'. commondreams.org After years of lobbying political candidates and lawmakers in Washington to support Medicare for All and helping to bring the issue to the forefront of the healthcare debate in the 2020 election, advocate Ady Barkan announced Tuesday he is bringing the fight to his home state of California. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-895503492_1.jpg …
(2021-04-20). Why the Founding Fathers would have approved of Biden banning phrase "Illegal Alien" juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — The Biden administration has announced that it will no longer use the phrase "illegal alien" and will replace it with "undocumented noncitizen." Biden will also drop "assimilation" in favor of "integration." These changes are long overdue and necessary for human dignity. For one thing, human beings cannot be "illegal." They …
(2021-04-20). Make aid to Israel conditional on protecting Palestinian human rights, say Sanders, Warren. peoplesdispatch.org Successive US governments, irrespective of the ruling party, have been providing billions of dollars in aid to Israel each year. Israel has been accused of using the money to sustain its occupation of Palestine…
(2021-04-20). The Chauvin Trial is Dangerously Deceptive. counterpunch.org 
Since most U.S.-Americans know little about social and political reality beyond their own limited experience and bubbles, powerfully deceptive narratives and images disseminated by the corporate media easily distort public perceptions. The election and presidency of Barack Obama fed the dangerous illusion that racism no longer posed barriers to Black advancement and equality in the
(2021-04-20). The Dirty Campaign Underlying Ecuador's "Free and Fair" Election. counterpunch.org Ecuador's April 11 election that led to a 5-point victory by conservative banker Guillermo Lasso over progressive candidate Andrés Arauz was not what it appeared to be. On the surface, it was a surprisingly clean and professional election, as our CODEPINK official observer delegation witnessed. But a fraud-free process for casting and counting ballots does
(2021-04-20). The Dirty Campaign Underlying Ecuador's 'Free And Fair' Election. popularresistance.org Ecuador's April 11 election that led to a 5-point victory by conservative banker Guillermo Lasso over progressive candidate Andrés Arauz was not what it appeared to be. On the surface, it was a surprisingly clean and professional election, as our CODEPINK official observer delegation witnessed. But a fraud-free process for casting and counting ballots does not mean that the election was free and fair. Behind the scenes was a monumentally unequal playing field and dirty campaign designed to quash an Arauz win. | For starters, Arauz—a 36-year-old follower of the political leanings of former president Rafael C…
(2021-04-20). Senator Markey and Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Introduce Civilian Climate Corps for Jobs and Justice to Rebuild America. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-04-20). Mass Shooting at Indianapolis FedEx Warehouse "Follows Pattern of Violence Against Sikhs" Nationwide. democracynow.org 
As the Sikh community in Indianapolis and across the United States is in mourning after a gunman killed eight people at a FedEx facility last week, where four of the victims are Sikh, we speak with Simran Jeet Singh, scholar, activist and senior fellow for the Sikh Coalition, which is calling for a full investigation into the possibility of racial or ethnic hatred as a factor in the killings in Indianapolis. A majority of the workers at the warehouse are Sikh, and while authorities have not shared evidence Brandon Hole was targeting Sikh workers when he attacked the FedEx facility, police revealed Monday they pre…
(2021-04-20). The Family of FedEx Mass Shooter Warned Police About Him. How Did He Still Manage to Buy His Guns? democracynow.org 
Authorities in Indianapolis say the mother of Brandon Hole, the former FedEx employee who shot and killed eight people at a company facility last Thursday, called police in 2020 to say her son might commit "suicide by cop," prompting them to seize his pump-action shotgun. But officials say they did not push for Hole to have a hearing under Indiana's "red flag" law, which allows police or courts to seize guns from people who show warning signs of violence. "The very thing that the law is designed to prevent — going and buying a new gun — was not even ever sought," says Nick Suplina, managing director f…
(2021-04-20). AOC, Sanders Are Reintroducing Their Green New Deal for Public Housing Bill. zcomm.org "We're here to make sure the Democratic Party upholds its values and keeps its promises, and to also push and expand the scope and the ambition of the Democratic Party"
(2021-04-20). The Public Should Have Access to the Surveillance Court's Opinions. aclu.org For decades, a special court—the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, or "FISC"—has issued secret legal opinions authorizing the U.S. government to conduct sweeping programs of electronic surveillance. These opinions have had a profound impact on Americans' rights to privacy, free expression, and free association. But many of them are entirely hidden from public view. | Secret law undermines democracy and the legitimacy of the judicial system—especially when the law being withheld from the public affects the rights of millions of people. So today, the ACLU is asking the Supreme Court to o…
(2021-04-20). Panama: Activists Reject Non-Guilty Verdict for Lawmaker Arias. telesurenglish.net Protesters took to the streets in Panama to reject a Supreme Court's rule exonerating Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) lawmaker Arquesio Arias over the crime of rape and aggravated lewd acts against two women. | RELATED: | On Monday, women's rights activists gathered at the Parliament headquarters to demand justice shouting "violator" and "we are tired of corruption." | "We are tired of impunity, of abusers a…
(2021-04-20). Vietnam, Afghanistan, Yemen: What is all this needless death for? therealnews.com 
President Biden announced an end to the U.S. war in Afghanistan, but what does that actually mean? What was it all for? Then, we talk with a Yemeni-American activist about their hunger strike against U.S. support for the catastrophic war in Yemen.
(2021-04-20). Cape Verde Trends in Venezuela Due to Contradiction Between Alex Saab Case & Election. orinocotribune.com 
The ruling party of Cape Verde won the parliamentary elections on Sunday. The event was attended by international observers from ECOWAS, the organization that ordered the release of Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab through its court. | Cape Verde's government did not recognize the ECOWAS resolution, though it should ostensibly abide by it. Analysts say they have not done so due to pressure from the US regime. | This situation, in which the government of Cape Verde invited electoral observers of ECOWAS, but does not comply with their judicial decisions, triggered a widespread reaction by Venezuelans on social media n…
(2021-04-20). Unions, lawmakers, Biden administration unite on carbon capture as a job creator. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Top union officials, Democratic senators, energy industry reps, and Biden administration Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm have united in a labor-energy alliance to push carbon recapture projects as one key centerpiece of Democratic President Joe Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure American Jobs Plan. Carbon recapture from burning coal and oil has been around for decades. It was …
(2021-04-20). Chad's President Killed Day After Winning Presidential Election. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | Chad's President Idriss Deby has died of injuries suffered on the frontline where he had gone to visit soldiers battling rebels, an army spokesman said on April 20. Deby died a day after he won a sixth term, according to provisional election results that were released on April 19. | The 68-year-old Deby, who came to power in a rebellion in 1990, took 79.3 percent of the vote in the April 11 presidential election, the results showed, according to Al Jazeera reports. | The National Assembly and th…
(2021-04-20). Sanders and Bowman Push Biden to Bolster SSI for People With Disabilities. truthout.org 
A bicameral group of dozens of lawmakers led by Rep. Jamaal Bowman, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and other prominent progressives sent a letter Monday urging President Joe Biden to include "desperately needed" improvements to the Supplemental Security Income program in his forthcoming American Families Plan, which is Bolstering SSI — a li…
(2021-04-20). Just 12 Super-Rich Donors Spent $3.4 Billion to Sway US Elections Since 2009: Study. commondreams.org "The time is now to get big money out of politics, and move to the public funding of elections," said Sen. Bernie Sanders in response. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bloomberg_sanders.jpg …
(2021-04-20). Make Aid To Israel Conditional On Protecting Palestinian Rights. popularresistance.org The US Democratic party's leading senators and last year's presidential aspirants, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, on Monday, April 20 called on the Joe Biden administration to use the billions of dollars of aid given to Israel to pressurize it to protect Palestinian human rights and work for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. The senators were speaking at the conference of J Street, a "pro-Israel, pro-peace" lobbying group in the US. | Both Sanders and Warren, speaking separately, asked for putting conditions on the military aid to Israel. They argued that the US aid is used by Israel to prolong its occ…
(2021-04-20). Country Catching Up to Bernie Sanders' Way of Thinking. zcomm.org Today it's clear that on issue after issue, Sanders' thunder on the left has carried the day among a majority of Americans, including substantial numbers of Republicans…
(2021-04-20). US Ambassador To Temporarily Leave Moscow as Tensions Grow High. telesurenglish.net John Sullivan's departure leaves both countries' embassies without their respective ambassadors when both Washington and Moscow have announced new sanctions. Sullivan said on Tuesday that "I believe it is important for me to speak directly with my new colleagues in the Biden administration in Washington about the current state of bilateral relations between the United States and Russia." | RELATED: | "Also, I have…
(2021-04-20). Civil rights groups urge Biden administration to cancel $50,000 in student debt per borrower. nationofchange.org "The $1.7 trillion student loan crisis is crushing individuals, families, and our economy, and the weight of this burden is disproportionately borne by women and Black and Latino borrowers."
(2021-04-20). UK sends warships to the Black Sea, targeting Russia. wsws.org US President Joe Biden's decision to cancel the deployment of two American warships to the region last week was a tactical pause in a still escalating conflict.
(2021-04-20). US Pushes New "Theatre of Conflict" in the Arctic. telesurenglish.net U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Monday that climate change could turn the Arctic into a new "theatre of conflict" for his country and Russia., as president Vladimir Putin confirmed he would participate in April 22 climate virtual summit hosted by Joe Biden. | RELATED: | "Climate change exacerbates existing conflicts and increases the chances of new ones — particularly in countries where governm…
(2021-04-20). Biden's Progressive Path Through Afghanistan. commondreams.org No greater bleeding wound exists for the United States in the world than the unending Global War on Terror. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/biden_14.jpg …
(2021-04-20). New Buddhist Uprising? Taiwan Vows to Train Buddhists, Taoists to Fight Off Chinese Invasion. sputniknews.com In March, the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified the American Institute in Taiwan that US President Joe Biden was set to approve his administration's first weapons sale to Taiwan, in a move intended to beef up the island nation's armed forces against possible attack from Chinese troops.
(2021-04-20). US Resuming Arms Sales to United Arab Emirates is Disastrous, Given its Wars on Yemen, Libya. juancole.com By Afrah Nasser | — Yemen Researcher, Middle East and North Africa Division | — ( Human Rights Watch) — United States President Joe Biden called in early February for "ending all American support for offensive operations in Yemen, including relevant arms sales." At the time, I, like many human rights advocates who have been …
(2021-04-20). Biden's Amtrak Infrastructure Scam — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By William L. Anderson* | When he was in the US Senate, President Biden was famous for taking Amtrak home to Wilmington, Delaware, each night and he often was called "Amtrak Joe" for his enthusiasm about passenger rail. Indeed, people who live in the Northeast Corridor from Washington to Boston find rail travel—whether it be from Amtrak or other passenger lines—to be a regular part of life. | I include myself among people who enjoy traveling by rail, and to celebrate New Year's Day 2020, my wife and I took the overnight train from Seattle to Sacramento and thoroughly enjoyed our trip. When we go to…
(2021-04-20). US, EU step up campaign over right-wing Putin critic Navalny. wsws.org Amid mounting military tensions in the Black Sea region and a diplomatic crisis between the US and Russia, the EU and the Biden administration have stepped up the campaign over Alexei Navalny.
(2021-04-20). Estados Unidos — Desaciertos de un prepotente presidente. globalizacion.ca Los vaivenes del Presidente Biden son notorios: primero llamó asesino a su homólogo Putin, después le propuso celebrar una reunión, pues es el momento de reducir tensiones, y el camino a seguir es el diálogo y el proceso diplomático. | Le…
(2021-04-20). US and Russia Won't Have Ambassadors in Each Other's Capitals as Tensions Simmer. news.antiwar.com Due to the hostile policies of the Biden administration, tensions between the US and Russia are soaring. Now, amid the souring relations, US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan
(2021-04-20). Israel's Cabinet Concerned US Wants an Iran Deal 'At All Costs'. news.antiwar.com Israel continues to express its opposition to the Biden administration rejoining the 2015 Iran nuclear deal known as the JCPOA. "The Americans want a deal at all costs and the Iranians know it," one minister said at the meeting. The minister told…
(2021-04-20). Russia Increases Its Defense, While U.S. Backs Down From Provoking WWIII. strategic-culture.org The stooge-President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, appears to be trapped between what he has promised to do — which is for Ukraine to retake both Donbas and Crimea — and what will be within his power to do. | Ever since Joe Biden became America's President in January, America's hostile and threatening actions and rhetoric against (as Biden refers to him) the '
(2021-04-20). United States: Biden announces 'America is back', pressures Europe on China, Russia. greenleft.org.au President Biden is attempting to shore up the US' role as an international leader through multilateral agreements, with the expectation that Europe will fall in behind Washington, writes Barry Sheppard.
(2021-04-20). Neither the Israeli Elections Nor the Palestinian Elections Are About Democracy. globalresearch.ca Chances are, you are unaware that Palestinian elections are in the …
(2021-04-20). Large protest at U of MN demands justice for Daunte Wright. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Black Student Union held a protest on the University of Minnesota campus, April 17, to demand justice for Daunte Wright, to call for community control of the campus police (UMPD), and to speak out against the recent deployment of the UMPD to brutalize protesters in Brooklyn Center. About 1000 students were in attendance, marking the largest on-campus demonstration in recent history. Speakers included students and community members who have experienced brutality at the hands of the National Guard this week while out in the streets demanding justice…
(2021-04-20). Gen Z and the Battle for Democracy in Myanmar. progressive.org Young people are leading this struggle against a stolen election and ongoing repression.
(2021-04-20). As Democrats Rise In Virginia, So Does Intra-Party Distrust. thenation.com As Democrats Rise In Virginia, So Does Intra-Party Distrust…
(2021-04-20). After 'the Death of Hong Kong's Democracy,' an Ex-Legislator Fights Beijing From Exile. thenation.com After 'the Death of Hong Kong's Democracy,' an Ex-Legislator Fights Beijing From Exile…
(2021-04-20). Following US, EU to Boost Presence in Indo-Pacific to Counter China. news.antiwar.com The European Union is following the US and looking to EU foreign ministers released a statement on the strategy. Borrowing language from the US, the ministers said the EU should "reinforce its strategic focus, presence and actions in the Indo-Pacific … based on the promotion of democracy, rule of law, human rights and intern…
(2021-04-20). The Grand Old Duke of Edinburgh He Had Ten Million Pounds. orinocotribune.com By Fra Hughes — Apr 17, 2021 | So the Duke is dead and to be buried on the afternoon of April 17 2021. | I am not a Royalist, in fact I am a Republican. | The time has long since passed when Monarchies should have been condemned to the dustbin of history as a feudal anachronistic parasite that is long past its use-by date. | The history of the Monarchs and their divine god-given right to rule has been overthrown in many societies, while some may claim they are a modern figurehead which promotes consistency in society while governments come and go, we must always challenge their origins, their history of slav…
(2021-04-20). Governor DeSantis Signs Unprecedented Anti-Protest And Anti-Public Safety Law. popularresistance.org Tallahassee, Fla. – This morning, just days after the Republican-led Florida Senate voted to pass an unprecedented, costly and racially charged bill (House Bill 1) to censor protest, preempt local policing budgets and preserve symbols of white supremacy, Governor DeSantis is signing it into law. The bill passed despite widespread opposition by Floridians of all political ideologies and diverse sectors, after Governor DeSantis made it his number one legislative priority and lobbied behind doors to make sure it passed both Chambers as early as possible. The new law, which does nothing more than silence dissent and…
(2021-04-20). Green Bay, WI: Community gathers alongside family of Jonathon Tubby for day of solidarity. fightbacknews.org Green Bay, WI – On April 18, nearly 100 members of the Green Bay and surrounding communities gathered for a rally to show solidarity and support with each other in the face of racism and police crimes. Leading the event was Justice for Jonathon, who seeks justice for Jonathon Tubby, an Oneida man who was murdered in 2018 by Green Bay police officer Erik O'Bryan while Tubby was handcuffed on the ground in the station sally port, pepper sprayed, and restrained by a police dog. | Speaking at the event was Marla Mahkimetas, a Menominee woman who spoke for her daughter-in-law Katelyn Kelly, who disappeared in June of…
(2021-04-20). Green Bay, WI: Community gathers alongside family of Jonathon Tubby for day of solidarity. fightbacknews.org Green Bay, WI – On April 18, nearly 100 members of the Green Bay and surrounding communities gathered for a rally to show solidarity and support with each other in the face of racism and police crimes. Leading the event was Justice for Jonathon, who seeks justice for Jonathon Tubby, an Oneida man who was murdered in 2018 by Green Bay police officer Erik O'Bryan while Tubby was handcuffed on the ground in the station sally port, pepper sprayed, and restrained by a police dog. | Speaking at the event was Marla Mahkimetas, a Menominee woman who spoke for her daughter-in-law Katelyn Kelly, who disappeared in June of…
(2021-04-20). Happy Doge Day! But Hold on to Your (Digital) Wallet. thenation.com Happy Doge Day! But Hold on to Your (Digital) Wallet.