Monthly Archives: April 2021

2021-04-28: News Headlines

Staff (2021-04-28). Jeremy Scahill Discusses Biden's "War Against Whistleblowers" truthout.org We continue our conversation with The Intercept's Jeremy Scahill, who just published a groundbreaking new project on Joe Biden's decades-long foreign policy record. Scahill says that during his years in the U.S. Senate, Biden "almost never meets a war he doesn't support," becoming one of the most hawkish figures in Washington in the 1990s and 2000s. Scahill also discusses Biden's "war against whistleblowers," from Daniel Ellsberg to Edward Snowden. | TRANSCRIPT: | This is a rush transcript. Copy may not b…

Staff (2021-04-28). Jeremy Scahill on Biden's "War Against Whistleblowers," from Daniel Ellsberg to Edward Snowden. democracynow.org We continue our conversation with The Intercept's Jeremy Scahill, who just published a groundbreaking new project on Joe Biden's decades-long foreign policy record. Scahill says that during his years in the U.S. Senate, Biden "almost never meets a war he doesn't support," becoming one of the most hawkish figures in Washington in the 1990s and 2000s. Scahill also discusses Biden's "war against whistleblowers," from Daniel Ellsberg to Edward Snowden.

Staff (2021-04-28). Jeremy Scahill: Joe Biden's Foreign Policy Record Shows Evolution of U.S. Empire Since Vietnam War. democracynow.org An investigation into President Joe Biden's foreign policy record reveals "the history of the evolution of the American empire, from the Vietnam War to the present," says Jeremy Scahill, award-winning journalist and co-founder of The Intercept, which recently published a project titled "Empire Politician" that examines Biden's stances on war and militarism. Scahill says Joe Biden is the first president in decades to come to the White House after spending significant time in Congress, but it's not clear whether that will push him toward greater restraint in matters of war and peace. "Biden has spent his entire lif…

Staff (2021-04-28). "Empire Politician": Joe Biden's Half-Century Record on Foreign Policy, War, Militarism & the CIA. democracynow.org As President Joe Biden nears his 100th day in the White House, we look at his foreign policy record, both as president and over the past five decades. A new project created by Jeremy Scahill, award-winning journalist and senior correspondent at The Intercept, examines Biden's stances on war, militarism and the CIA going back to the early 1970s, when he was first elected as a senator in Delaware. We air a video discussing the project, titled "Empire Politician," featuring Scahill.

Staff (2021-04-28). Headlines for April 28, 2021. democracynow.org FBI Opens Probe into Police Killing of Andrew Brown as Autopsy Confirms He Was Shot in Back of Head, Video of Police Killing of Mario Gonzalez Prompts Comparison to George Floyd, Call for Probe, India Tops 200,000 COVID Deaths as Hospitals, Cremation Sites Are Overwhelmed, Turkey Orders Coronavirus Lockdown; Brazil Rejects Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine, CDC Says Vaccinated People Can Go Unmasked in Most Outdoor Settings, Seattle City Council Calls on Biden to Support IP Waiver for COVID Vaccine Patents, Biden Proposes Crackdown on Tax Evaders, Changes to Capital Gains Tax to Fund American Families Plan, Protesters K…

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2021-04-28). ACLU Urges Biden to Shut Down Detention Facilities 'Used to Abuse and Traumatize Immigrants'. commondreams.org "It's time to end our nation's newest system of mass incarceration of Black and Brown people," says the ACLU's Naureen Shah. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/aclu-biden-close-ice-detention.jpg

Jason Cohen (2021-04-28). The limitations of Biden's climate change plan. workers.org Climate change march Sept. 2014, New York City While on the campaign trail, Joe Biden reiterated that under his presidency, the U.S. would once again become a leader within the global community. During his few months as president, he announced the U.S. will rejoin the Paris Accord and also rejoined . . . |

John Wojcik (2021-04-28). Biden to unveil proposals for radical reform of the economy. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON — On his 99th day in office, President Joe Biden will use his first joint address to Congress to push for a $1.8 trillion program aimed at children, families, and the nation's schools that, if it becomes law, will radically alter the role of government in the U.S. More than at any time since …

Editor (2021-04-28). Que Biden Convierta el Acta PRO en ley por orden ejecutiva. workers.org El 8 de abril fue el "Día Nacional de Acción por la Ley PRO". La AFL-CIO se movilizó para bombardear a los senadores estadounidenses con llamadas telefónicas exigiendo que aprobaran la Ley de Protección del Derecho de Organización, (PRO, siglas en inglés). Esta legislación, aprobada por la Cámara de Representantes . . . |

John Wojcik (2021-04-28). Biden to unveil proposals for radical reform of the economy. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON — On his 99th day in office, President Joe Biden will use his first joint address to Congress to push for a $1.8 trillion program aimed at children, families, and the nation's schools that, if it becomes law, will radically alter the role of government in the U.S. The federal government, more than at …

Howie Hawkins (2021-04-28). Biden's Climate Plan: It's Too Late for Gradualism. counterpunch.org The climate emergency demands a radical and rapid decarbonization of the economy with numerical goals and timetables to transform all productive sectors, not only power production (27% of carbon emissions), but also transportation (28%), manufacturing (22%), buildings (12%), and agriculture (10%). That emergency transformation can only be met by an ecosocialist approach using public enterprise and planning.

Howie Hawkins (2021-04-28). Biden's Climate Plan: It's Too Late for Gradualism. counterpunch.org President Biden gave us his climate plan on March 31. It was buried inside his American Jobs Plan. The 12,000-word Fact Sheet about it released by the White House hardly acknowledges the climate emergency. The plan is presented as a jobs through infrastructure program. The climate emergency demands a radical and rapid decarbonization of the

Yanis Iqbal (2021-04-28). The imperialist origins of Saudi Arabia. mronline.org Why is Saudi Arabia, a Sunni absolute monarchy, enthusiastically supported by the West, considered a global promoter of 'democracy'? This question is rarely asked. | April 28, 2021 | Newswire…

Roger Harris (2021-04-28). U.S. role behind the defeat of Ecuador's Leftist presidential candidate. mronline.org The U.S. role in the defeat of leftist Andrés Arauz in Ecuador's presidential contest on April 11 was not overt because it did not need to be, according to a high-ranking Latin American diplomat. | April 28, 2021 | Newswire…

Roger Harris (2021-04-28). US Role Behind the Defeat of Ecuador's Leftist Presidential Candidate. counterpunch.org The US role in the defeat of leftist Andrés Arauz in Ecuador's presidential contest on April 11 was not overt because it did not need to be, according to a high-ranking Latin American diplomat. We met with the diplomat and others on an official election observation delegation with CODEPINK. Names of some sources remain anonymous

Caoimhghin àì Croidheáin (2021-04-28). Your Honor: Justice in a time of collapse. dissidentvoice.org Cranston at the 68th Berlin International Film Festival in 2018 Your Honor is an American mini-series starring Bryan Cranston *This article contains spoilers* A well-meaning New Orleans judge, Michael Desiato, finds himself in a frightening situation when he discovers that his son, Adam, was in a hit and run accident with a son of the …

Martha Grevatt (2021-04-28). Say her name! Ma'Khia Bryant! workers.org Ohio State University students protest police murder of Ma'Khia Bryant, demand university break ties with Columbus Police Department People in Columbus have been in the streets nearly every day since the police murder of 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant April 22. She was shot four times by Columbus Police Department Officer Nicholas . . . |

Kaya Axelsson, Kate Cullen, Stephen Lezak (2021-04-28). Protecting publicly-owned federal lands essential for reaching net zero emissions. peoplesworld.org Editor's Note: The following article was originally written before the April 22 Earth Day summit of global leaders, at which new emissions targets were set, including a commitment from the Biden administration for a 50% reduction of the U.S. 2005 level by 2030. Biden and the Democratic-controlled Congress are making climate policy central to governing …

Monica Moorehead (2021-04-28). In light of more police killings, Black voices must not be silenced. workers.org On April 17, three days before white police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of two counts of murder and one count of manslaughter, Rep. Maxine Waters — a longtime California Democrat whose district includes South Central Los Angeles — spoke at a rally in Brooklyn Center, Minn. This is . . . |

Staff (2021-04-28). Police Convictions Are Not the Goal. Abolitionists Have Bigger Dreams. truthout.org After a year of upheaval and pandemic, and the unlikely conviction of a police officer, Minneapolis organizers Jonathan Stegall and D.A. Bullock talk with Truthout's Kelly Hayes about what they have built and learned in the last year, what Derek Chauvin's conviction does not accomplish, and what they hope people will do now as the struggle against policing continues. | TRANSCRIPT: | Note: This a rush transcript and has been lightly edited for clarity. Copy may not be in its final form. | Kelly H…

Rajan Menon (2021-04-28). The End of the War in Afghanistan Is In Sight. thenation.com Despite the pressure of the American military high command, Biden has announced the beginning of the end.

Ramzy Baroud (2021-04-28). Bottom-up Politics: Grassroots Activism Behind Pro-Palestine Shift in the US. dissidentvoice.org At a recent virtual J Street Conference, US Senators, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren broke yet another political taboo when they expressed willingness to leverage US military aid as a way to pressure Israel to respect Palestinian human rights. Sanders believes that the US "must be willing to bring real pressure to bear, including restricting …

Tom Tomorrow (2021-04-27). The Confounding Fathers. thenation.com Republicans want to be graded on a curve.

Anonymous007 (2021-04-28). Sanctions, War Preparations And An Endless Supply Of Weapons For Kiev. southfront.org Click to see full-size image | On April 21st a new act entered US Senate that will be voted on soon, titled Ukraine Security Partnership Act. | It passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee without a hitch and aims to increase and improve U.S. military support to Ukraine, and sends a message that the United States will continue to support the people of Ukraine, their ability to defend themselves, and the country's democratic transition."Today, as Russia masses more than 100,000 troops on the Ukrainian border, mor…

Anonymous103 (2021-04-28). Underlying Causes Of Biden's Recognition Of Armenian Genocide. southfront.org Illustrative image | Written by Daniel Deiss and J. Hawk exclusively for SouthFront. | The Armenian Diaspora in the United States has fought for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide for a long time. Finally, on April 24, 2021, President Joe Biden used the term "genocide" for the first time not only in a speech referring to the actions against the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire—such references have taken place in earlier decades, but not since Turkey's accession to NATO—but also in a presidential pr…

Anonymous103 (2021-04-28). Afghanistan, The US Plan For A New Catastrophe. southfront.org Source: New Eastern Outlook | Written by Manlio Dinucci; Originally appeared at General Scott Miller, US and allied forces commander in Afghanistan, announced on April 25 the beginning of foreign troops withdrawal that should be completed by September 11, according to President Biden's decision. Is the US ending the war waged for almost twenty years? In order to understand this communication, it is first of all necess…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2021-04-28). 'We Need Medicare for All': Video Shows People Worldwide Appalled by High US Healthcare Costs. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2021-04-28_at_19.25.26.png

Roger Harris (2021-04-28). US Role Behind the Defeat of Ecuador's Leftist Presidential Candidate. counterpunch.org The US role in the defeat of leftist Andrés Arauz in Ecuador's presidential contest on April 11 was not overt because it did not need to be, according to a high-ranking Latin American diplomat. We met with the diplomat and others on an official election observation delegation with CODEPINK. Names of some sources remain anonymous

_____ (2021-04-28). US Role Behind The Defeat Of Ecuador's Leftist Presidential Candidate. popularresistance.org The US role in the defeat of leftist Andrés Arauz in Ecuador's presidential contest on April 11 was not overt because it did not need to be, according to a high-ranking Latin American diplomat. We met with the diplomat and others on an official election observation delegation with CODEPINK. Names of some sources remain anonymous due to a hostile political environment towards progressives. | This setback for the Citizens Revolution movement, founded by Rafael Correa, will have profound implications for Ecuador and beyond, fortifying the US-allied reactionary bloc in Latin America. | Former President Correa left of…

Richard C. Gross (2021-04-28). Republicans Nationwide are Thwarting Democracy. counterpunch.org Republicans, inspired by Donald Trump's repeated lies of a "rigged" and fraudulent presidential election, boldly are passing and proposing laws that would rig elections in their favor, tarnishing democracy. In another vein, they have gone so far in Florida and Oklahoma as to pass legislation openly aimed at leftist demonstrators that would grant immunity from

WSWS repost (2021-04-28). Pelosi backs commission to cover up Republican complicity in January 6 coup attempt. indybay.org The proposed commission, editorially endorsed by the New York Times, would have equal representation for the Republican Party, whose congressional representatives largely backed the effort by Trump to overturn the 2020 election and establish a presidential dictatorship.

Geopolitical Monitor (2021-04-29). Biden Is Right Not To Abandon Plans For Summit For Democracy After Capitol Siege — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Francis Shin | The Capitol Siege was a sobering reminder of democracy's fragility,

sputniknews (2021-04-29). Biden Admin Pursuing Menthol Cigarette Ban, Despite Concerns of 'Serious Racial Implications'. sputniknews.com Earlier this week, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) issued a memo to US President Joe Biden's administration, warning that a ban on menthol cigarettes alone would "trigger criminal penalties, which will disproportionately impact people of color, as well as prioritize criminalization over public health and harm reduction."

sputniknews (2021-04-29). Biden Urges US Congress to Approve Police Reform in May. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US President Joe Biden urged Congress to approve in May a police reform that would address the issue of racially motivated brutality.

sputniknews (2021-04-29). Dreaming of Cancun? Netizens Giggle at Ted Cruz Nodding Off During Biden's Joint Address. sputniknews.com Cruz' sleepy eyes quickly became a source of memes for Twitter users, many of whom joked the Republican senator might have been somewhere else in his mind as Biden was laying out his administration's ambitions.

sputniknews (2021-04-29). CNN Reporter Triggers Confusion After Praising Joe Biden's 'Moderate Radicalism'. sputniknews.com It is highly questionable that Biden's agenda could be deemed "radical", especially compared to lawmakers from the so-called progressive wing of the Democratic Party. The media had mostly referred to him as a "moderate" or "centrist" Democrat in their coverage of the 2020 election campaign.

ecns.cn (2021-04-28). Biden to address U.S. Congress on eve of his 100th day in office. ecns.cn U.S. President Joe Biden is ready to make his first joint address to Congress on Wednesday night, on the eve of his 100th day in office.

ecns.cn (2021-04-28). Biden to unveil 1.8-trln-USD spending plan on childcare, education. ecns.cn U.S. President Joe Biden is set to unveil a 1.8-trillion-U.S.-dollar spending plan focusing on childcare and education later Wednesday, just a few weeks after proposing a 2-trillion-dollar infrastructure plan.

Common Dreams staff (2021-04-29). WATCH: President Joe Biden Delivers First Address to Congress. commondreams.org "In our first 100 days together, we have acted to restore the people's faith in our democracy to deliver." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/biden_2.png

East Asia Forum (2021-04-29). A Clear Agenda To Save The WTO — Analysis. eurasiareview.com By Inu Manak* | The fate of the World Trade Organization (WTO) hangs in the balance after four years of assault by the Trump administration. But things are not as dismal as they appear. Turning the corner in 2021, the WTO has an opportunity to usher in a new era of trade cooperation. | To ensure the WTO remains fit for purpose, members should pursue changes in three areas: dispute settlement, negotiations and the WTO's monitoring function. | Rules are only as good as they are enforceable. WTO rules have taken a hit with the continued blocking of appointments to its Appellate Body by the United States. Since th…

MISES (2021-04-28). It's Time To End The Embargo Against Cuba — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Jacob G. Hornberger* | Now that Cuban president Raul Castro has resigned the presidency of Cuba, will the U.S. government lift its six-decades-long economic embargo against Cuba? | Don't count it. Squeezing the life out of the Cuban people as a way to get regime change has become such a normalized way of life for the United States that it is unlikely that this cruel and brutal policy will be ended anytime soon. | Back in the day, the embargo was justified as part of the Cold War against "godless communism" and, specifically, the international communist conspiracy that was supposedly based in Moscow, Russia,…

WSWS (2021-04-28). COVID-19 catastrophe overshadows Peru election. wsws.org With its health care system in a state of collapse, Peru trails only Brazil in terms of Latin American countries with the highest per-capita death rates.

sputniknews (2021-04-28). Last-Minute COVID Aid: Trump Era 'Warmth' Toward India Missing in Biden-Harris Admin, Author Says. sputniknews.com The Biden administration's hesitance to lend a hand to India, which has been severely hit by the second wave of COVID-19, was noticeable for all Indians, says journalist and author Suvam Pal. It is especially mind-boggling given Vice President Kamala Harris' praise for her Indian roots during the 2020 election campaign, according to the author.

Madhuri Sastry, Suchitra Vijayan (2021-04-28). How Biden Can Act Now to Address the Covid-19 Surge in India. thenation.com How Biden Can Act Now to Address the Covid-19 Surge in India…

Madhuri Sastry, Suchitra Vijayan (2021-04-28). How Biden Can Act Now to Ensure Covid-19 Vaccine as a Public Good. thenation.com How Biden Can Act Now to Ensure Covid-19 Vaccine as a Public Good…

Eva Putzova (2021-04-28). Contributions to Swing District by AOC Add Obstacle for Challengers. zcomm.org The contributions also signal a retreat from the theory of change upon which Ocasio-Cortez originally ran…

Howie Hawkins (2021-04-28). Biden's Climate Plan: It's Too Late for Gradualism. zcomm.org We need economic democracy to carry through the transition. We need ecosocialist solutions now…

Ramzy Baroud (2021-04-28). Is Grassroots American Activism Shifting Public Opinion toward the Palestinians? juancole.com ( Middle East Monitor) — At a recent J Street Conference online, US Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren broke yet another political taboo when they expressed willingness to leverage US military aid as a way of putting pressure on Israel to respect Palestinian human rights. Sanders believes that the US "must be willing to …

Fight Back (2021-04-28). Fox Valley, WI: Back-to-back weekend protests sparked by multiple police shootings. fightbacknews.org Appleton, WI – Over a dozen people gathered on April 18 and April 25 to continue voicing their outrage over the murders of Daunte Wright and Adam Toledo who were gunned down by police this month. Body camera footage from both incidents quickly went viral, triggering protests around the country. Both incidents prompted local organizers and residents to hold a rally with signs, chants and music demanding action. | The group marched to the Appleton Police Station and held a moment of silence for all victims of police violence. The event organizer, Cole Bennet, wants to continue to rally saying, "We need to let peopl…

Johanna Kichton (2021-04-28). People's Action Statement on President Biden's American Families Plan. peoplesaction.org Contact: Johanna Kichton, press@peoplesaction.org, 240.206.1145 WASHINGTON, D.C.—People's Action Campaigns Director Sondra Youdelman today released the following statement in response to President Biden's American Families Plan: "We are heartened to see President Biden's commitment to working class families. There is enormous potential to jumpstart our economy by redistributing the wealth in our country to make sure …

WSWS (2021-04-28). Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas announces "domestic violence review" at Department following January 6 fascist coup attempt. wsws.org Reflecting the ongoing threat of fascistic violence from within the state, the announcement comes just days before President Biden's first speech before a joint session of Congress.

Gustavo Veiga (2021-04-28). La migración, un grave problema para Joe Biden. globalizacion.ca La cuestión migratoria en Estados Unidos está fuera de control y polariza audiencias. Es un problema estructural, multicausal, de difícil resolución. Hoy se ubica en su centro la situación de los menores que viajan solos desde Centroamérica. Al mes pasado…

Dave DeCamp (2021-04-28). U.S. Still Servicing Saudi Warplanes That Are Bombing Yemen. theantimedia.com The admission comes over two months since Biden said he was ending support for "offensive" Saudi operations in Yemen.

Rajan Menon (2021-04-28). America's Ruinous Pursuit of Mission Impossible in Afghanistan. counterpunch.org On May 1st, the date Donald Trump signed onto for the withdrawal of the remaining 3,500 American troops from Afghanistan, the war there, already 19 years old, was still officially a teenager. Think of September 11, 2021 — the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and the date Joe Biden has chosen for the same

IDN (2021-04-28). Sleepwalking Into Nuclear War? — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Jonathan Power* | Last week on Tuesday (April 20), US Strategic Command, the part of the military responsible for nuclear weaponry and its use, posted an official Tweet that read, "We must account for the possibility of conflict leading to conditions which could very rapidly drive an adversary to consider nuclear use as their least bad option". | This came just as Russia was pulling back its large deployment of troops on Ukraine's border which, in turn, was triggered in part by President Joseph Biden's decision to ship for the first time sophisticated weapons to Ukraine. | The crisis has now passed but the…

Randall G. Holcombe (2021-04-28). President Biden's Climate Pledge: Aspirations Versus Policies — OpEd. eurasiareview.com With regard to climate policy, the main problem with President Biden's declaration is that he has suggested no actua…

Mark Green (2021-04-28). Republicans Are Risking a Major Realignment. thenation.com Republicans Are Risking a Major Realignment…

sputniknews (2021-04-28). Hunter Biden Invited to Speak on 'Media Polarisation' at Tulane University. sputniknews.com Hunter Biden has been promoting his new book "Beautiful Things" this month, where he touches on a number of personal issues, including his struggle with alcohol and drug addiction and the collapse of his marriage.

sputniknews (2021-04-28). Saudi Crown Prince: Kingdom at 90% Agreement With Biden Administration Policies. sputniknews.com Saudi Arabia has remained one of the US' largest trading partners in the Middle East, with business ties linked to the founding of the oil-rich kingdom in 1932. US-Saudi ties saw a boost under former US President Donald Trump, who saw his presidency rise alongside the 2017 ascendancy of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Nick Rabb (2021-04-28). Better for Whom? Biden's Test for the Climate Movement. zcomm.org Unequal power structures, just one of many intersectional causes, are contributing just as much as emissions…

K. Lloyd Billingsley (2021-04-28). The Senator Nobody Voted For Has A Curious Plan For Biden's America — OpEd. eurasiareview.com With Vice President Kamala Harris in the "Biden-Harris" Administration, California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Alex Padilla to replace Harris in the Senate. Both politicians have back stories that people across the nation and around the world should know. | Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was a city councilman in Los Angeles from 1999—2006, and a state senator from 2006—2014. The following year Padilla became California's Secretary of State, and after the 2016 election, Padilla refused to cooperate with a federal probe of voter fraud, a longstanding practice in California. | As a State Department inve…

commondreams (2021-04-28). Welcome Pledge on Biden's 100 Days in Office Signed by Advocates, Attorneys, and Artists Like Ang√©lique Kidjo and George Takei. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2021-04-28). Anti-Hunger Advocates Praise Biden's American Families Plan. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Rick Rozoff (2021-04-28). US Central Command Chief: US Maintains a NATO Article 5 Commitment to Turkey. news.antiwar.com General Kenneth McKenzie, chief of U.S. Central Command, applauded the scheduled meeting of President Joe Biden and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treatment Organization summit to be held in Brussels on June 14. In a virtual discussion with the American Enterprise Institute think tank, the commander praised Turkey …

Sarah Anderson (2021-04-28). Transform the Economy. zcomm.org Progressives Urge Biden to Go Bigger, Bolder, Faster in Spending and Tax Plans…

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2021-04-28). Biden Proposes Hiking Taxes on Richest Americans to Fund Universal Pre-K, Paid Leave, and More. commondreams.org "Taxes have become almost optional for the super-rich. President Biden's plan is a welcome first step in reversing wealth hoarding and tax avoidance." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/biden_american_families_plan.jpg

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2021-04-28). 'Exactly What This Country Needs': Progressives Applaud Biden's Proposal to Raise Taxes on Wealthy. commondreams.org "The era of trickle-down nonsense is over—it's time to tax the rich." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/tax_rich_biden.jpg

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2021-04-28). Biden 'Has Not Yet Done Enough' on Climate Emergency in First 100 Days, Campaigners Say. commondreams.org "Biden has taken bolder steps to tackle the climate crisis than any president in history. Still, he has not yet done enough." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-13140300191.jpg

Dave DeCamp (2021-04-28). US Still Servicing Saudi Warplanes That are Bombing Yemen. news.antiwar.com The Biden administration has finally clarified the extent to which it is still supporting Saudi Arabia's military in Yemen. | "The United States continues to provide maintenance support to Saudi Arabia's Air Force given the crit…

Justice Vanguard (2021-04-28). Saturday 5/1: Love Over Hate Unity March and Rally. indybay.org Mountain View City Hall Plaza | 500 Castro St. | Mountain View, CA…

Robert Reich (2021-04-28). How to stop Republicans from stealing elections. nationofchange.org The stakes could not be higher. Simply put, it's democracy or authoritarianism.

Cristián Cepeda (2021-04-28). Chile — Piñera camina solo. globalizacion.ca Luego de declararle la guerra al pueblo en octubre de 2019 Piñera quebró cualquier posibilidad de seguir jugando en los márgenes de la democracia, tal y como se venía desarrollado en los últimos 30 años. En cualquier sociedad occidental del…

Emir Sader (2021-04-28). Brasil merece una disculpa. globalizacion.ca Brasil está inmerso en una catástrofe humanitaria. El país, que hace poco más de cinco años fue un ejemplo de lucha contra la pobreza, de lucha contra las desigualdades, de democracia distributiva del ingreso, en poco tiempo se convirtió en…

Yanis Iqbal (2021-04-28). The Imperialist Origins of Saudi Arabia. orinocotribune.com By Yanis Iqbal — Apr 22, 2021 | Why is Saudi Arabia, a Sunni absolute monarchy, enthusiastically supported by the West, considered a global promoter of "democracy"? This question is rarely asked. The apparent mismatch between liberal democracy and religious fundamentalism is hastily airbrushed when the matter is about oil trade and arms deals. This attitude is not an expression of mere hypocrisy on the part of the West; it is deeply rooted in a historical process whereby Saudi Arabia was propped up by major powers as an outpost of imperialist interests and a bulwark against revolutionary ideologies. | Creati…

Atilio A. Boron (2021-04-28). La hipocresía democrática de un traidor. globalizacion.ca Confieso que en las muy pocas ocasiones en que utilicé ese vocablo "traidor" para referirme a Mario Vargas Llosa siempre me invadió una ligera, aunque molesta, sensación de incomodidad. Estaba en presencia de un personaje veleidoso y narcisista como pocos….

SA News (2021-04-28). South Africa Celebrates Freedom Day. eurasiareview.com South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa says government has made great progress towards realising the rights of people and advancing human dignity. | "Today we have a country where all enjoy human rights and freedoms," the President said. | Speaking at this year's Freedom Day celebration in Botshabelo in the Free State, President Ramaphosa said the country has a Constitution that is a shield and a protection for all. | "And yet, even as we have lived in a democratic country for the past 27 years, we know that across many parts of South Africa, the promise of 1994 has not yet been fulfilled. Millions of South…

_____ (2021-04-28). America Has a Problem With Poorly Trained Police Officers, Not 'Systemic Racism'. strategic-culture.org America can expect a future of artificially induced racial tensions as a number of good cops are forced to take the blame for a "systemic racism" | In what just might be the most misguided attempt at 'utopian' living ever conceived, progressive Democrats continue to demand the defunding and disbanding of police forces in cities around the country. Yet, like a doctor that has made the wrong diagnosis on a patient, such a radical idea will not bring peace and security to America's ailing neighborhoods. In fact, it will make them virtually unlivable. | The United States desperately needs a national debate on the roo…

ecns.cn (2021-04-28). China says 'independence forces' the root cause for strained cross-strait ties. ecns.cn The root causes for the destabilized relations between the Chinese mainland and the Taiwan region are attempts by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority and "independence forces" seeking so-called "Taiwan Independence".

Robert Reich (2021-04-28). Robert Reich: How To Stop Republicans From Stealing Elections — OpEd. eurasiareview.com Republican-controlled state legislatures

Michael Winship (2021-04-28). An Ugly Picture as State-Level GOP Attempt to Strangle Dissent Nationwide. commondreams.org "Even as they resist a full-scale investigation of the extremists involved and the events leading up to January 6," writes Common Dreams' Michael Winship, "Republicans are using that right-wing riot as a Trojan horse to go after Black Lives Matter and other protesting activists from the left." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/potomac_crowd_0.jpg

Pablo Manríquez (2021-04-28). Nearly 30 Senators Respond to 2019 Sexual Harassment Report of Capitol Custodial Staff. latinorebels.com "My father was a janitor," Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) told Latino Rebels this week. "We have an obligation to all of our workers. I have not yet seen this report. But I'll look into it."

Peoples Dispatch (2021-04-28). Palestinian elections scheduled to take place next month might be postponed. peoplesdispatch.org The first Palestinian general elections in 15 years are at risk of being postponed as Israel is unlikely to permit residents of occupied East Jerusalem to cast their ballots…

WSWS (2021-04-28). Political upheaval in Samoa produces electoral stalemate. wsws.org Neither the HRPP nor its newly formed rival, FAST, contested the election with a program that would in any way address the deepening social, economic and health emergency.

Internationalist 360 ∞ (2021-04-28). Peru: A War Strategy to Prevent the Coming of the New. libya360.wordpress.com Ariana àÅlvarez Orellana Pedro Castillo and Perú Libre have the upper hand in the second round of the Peruvian elections, not only because of the wide lead given by the polls, but also because their rival, Keiko Fujimori, her political and image advisors, as well as her occasional allies from the political right, are carrying…

VOA (2021-04-28). US Agents Raid New York Home, Office Of Rudy Giuliani. eurasiareview.com U.S. federal agents seized electronic devices in daybreak raids Wednesday at the New York home and office of Rudy Giuliani, a former New York mayor who became former President Donald Trump's personal attorney, as investigators probe Giuliani's activities in Ukraine linked to Trump's 2020 reelection campaign. | Robert Costello, Giuliani's lawyer, confirmed that agents had executed a search warrant for the two Giuliani locations, but condemned the raids. | "What they did today was legal thuggery," Costello told The New York Times. "Why would you do this to anyone, let alone someone who was the associate attorney…

Iran News Wire (2021-04-28). Khamenei's Iran Elections Impasse — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Adena Nima | Less than two months to Iran's presidential elections and the regime has yet to officially announce its candidates for the

IDN (2021-04-28). State Funeral For Leader Of Chad Embraced By Western Nations. eurasiareview.com By Lisa Vives | European and American military leaders lost a key African ally in their fight against insurgent movements across Africa. Foreign forces face an uncertain future with the recent death of the President of the African nation of Chad. | Idriss Deby Itno died on April 20 during a firefight with militants of the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) who had crossed into Chad from Libya. His death coincided with his reelection victory for a sixth term that would have made him one of the longest-serving leaders in the world. | Deby, 68, a French-trained officer and pilot, was hailed by his Wester…

Kamal Iranidoost (2021-04-28). Syrian parl. invites Iran parl. to observe presidential votes. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 29 (MNA) — Syrian parliament agreed Wed. to invite some parliaments of the brotherly and friendly countries, including Iran's to observe presidential elections in the country.

_____ (2021-04-28). Vienna Shadow Play Hangs Over Iran Nuke Deal. strategic-culture.org Few people, apart from specialists, may have heard of the JCPOA Joint Commission. That's the group in charge of a Sisyphean task: the attempt to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal through a series of negotiations in Vienna. | The Iranian negotiating team was back in Vienna yesterday, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. Shadowplay starts with the fact the Iranians negotiate with the other members of the P+1 — Russia, China, France, UK and Germany — but not directly with the US. | That's quite something: after all, it was the Trump administration that blew up the JCPOA. There is an A…

sputniknews (2021-04-28). Nigerian President Urges US to Relocate AFRICOM HQ From Germany to Africa. sputniknews.com US Africa Command (AFRICOM) was founded under the US Department of Defense in 2007, and ultimately based in Germany due to concerns about Washington's military presence on Africa. While former US President Donald Trump ordered AFRICOM to move locations, the Pentagon's press secretary recently dashed those hopes.

sputniknews (2021-04-28). Federal Investigators Reportedly Execute Search Warrant at Rudy Giuliani's Apartment. sputniknews.com The search warrant is part of a broader investigation into whether Giuliani violated lobbying laws while serving as President Donald Trump's lawyer.

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2021-04-28). DOJ Rescinds Trump-Era Policy Denying Grant Money to Sanctuary Cities. commondreams.org The U.S. Justice Department has revoked a Trump-era policy conditioning certain law enforcement grants upon cooperation with immigration authorities. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/abolish_ice_1.jpg

_____ (2021-04-27). The Mass Media Will Never Regain the Public's Trust. strategic-culture.org By Caitlin JOHNSTONE | marked the first time ever that trust in news media dropped below fifty percent in the United States, continuing a trend of decline that's been ongoing for years. | Mass media punditry is divided on where to assign the blame for the plummet in public opinion of their work, with some blaming it on Russia and others blaming it…

Juan Cole (2021-04-27). No, Kerry didn't Leak Israeli strikes to Zarif; but Trump did leak Israeli Intel to Russia. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Ted Cruz and other far right demagogues have charged for over half a decade that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was misguided because you can't trust anything Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarid says. Now all of a sudden they are treating an offhand remark by Zarif in a leaked interview …

Binoy Kampmark (2021-04-27). Joe Biden, Recognition And The Armenian Genocide — OpEd. eurasiareview.com Attributing names to the brutal acts humans are capable of inflicting upon each other is never without problems. There are gradations of terror, hierarchies of atrocity and cruelty. In these, the pedants reign. Disputes splutter and rage over whether a "massacre" can best be described as a crime against humanity or a counter-measure waged with heavy sorrow against a threatening enemy. Scratch the surface of such arguments, and the truth is bleakly common: apologists for murder will be found. | With the Armenian Genocide, terms acutely matter. The treatment of the Armenians by the Turks as the Ottoman Empire wa…

Binoy Kampmark (2021-04-27). Joe Biden, Recognition and the Armenian Genocide. dissidentvoice.org Attributing names to the brutal acts humans are capable of inflicting upon each other is never without problems. There are gradations of terror, hierarchies of atrocity and cruelty. In these, the pedants reign. Disputes splutter and rage over whether a "massacre" can best be described as a crime against humanity or a counter-measure waged with …

Anonymous103 (2021-04-27). Joe Biden, Recognition And The Armenian Genocide. southfront.org Click to see full-size image | Written by Dr. Binoy Kampmark. | Attributing names to the brutal acts humans are capable of inflicting upon each other is never without problems. There are gradations of terror, hierarchies of atrocity and cruelty. In these, the pedants reign. Disputes splutter and rage over whether a "massacre" can best be described as a crime against humanity or a counter-measure waged with heavy sorrow against a threatening enemy. Scratch the surface of such arguments, and the truth is bleakly…

Staff (2021-04-27). Ivy League Secret Exposed: Classes Used Bones of Black Children Killed in 1985 MOVE Police Bombing. democracynow.org Outrage is growing in Philadelphia after explosive revelations that the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University have been in possession of remains thought to belong to two children who were among 11 people killed in the 1985 police bombing of the Philadelphia home of the radical, Black liberation and anti-police-brutality group MOVE. We show an excerpt of a training video — now removed from the internet — by an anthropologist at the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University who has been using the bones of at least one of the young bombing victims for the past 36 years — wit…

Staff (2021-04-27). "A Warrant Is Not a License to Kill": Rev. William Barber Condemns Police "Execution" of Andrew Brown. democracynow.org Hundreds of demonstrators have taken to the streets of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, to protest the police killing of Andrew Brown Jr., a 42-year-old Black father shot dead in his car on April 21. On Monday, authorities allowed Brown's family and attorney to watch a 20-second video clip of the shooting. The family says it shows Brown was shot in the back of the head while his hands were on the steering wheel of a car, calling it an "execution." Seven sheriff's deputies have already been placed on paid administrative leave; two other deputies have resigned, and another retired over the past week. But supporters…

Staff (2021-04-27). Headlines for April 27, 2021. democracynow.org Anthony Brown Had Hands on Steering Wheel, Was Shot by Officers in Back of Head, Lawyer Says , Justice Department to Investigate Louisville Police, 13 Months After Breonna Taylor's Killing, Coronavirus Infections Hit New Global High, Fueled by India's "Heartbreaking" Outbreak, U.S. to Ship Up to 60 Million Doses of AstraZeneca Vaccine Abroad, Biden Orders $15/Hour Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors, Proposes Capital Gains Tax Hike, Supreme Court to Hear Torture Survivor's State Secrets Case & NRA-Backed Challenge to NY Gun Law, 2020 Census Results Alter Balance of Power in House of Representatives, Florida Sena…

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2021-04-27: News Headlines

Editor (2021-04-27). Smash the anti-protest laws! workers.org In a racist ruling-class backlash to the demonstrations of millions last summer who forced a righteous verdict against killer cop Derek Chauvin, Republicans — at this point almost exclusively Republicans — have introduced 93 bills in 34 states that suppress the right to protest, supposedly protected by the First Amendment. . . . |

_____ (2021-04-27). The Mass Media Will Never Regain the Public's Trust. strategic-culture.org By Caitlin JOHNSTONE | marked the first time ever that trust in news media dropped below fifty percent in the United States, continuing a trend of decline that's been ongoing for years. | Mass media punditry is divided on where to assign the blame for the plummet in public opinion of their work, with some blaming it on Russia and others blaming it…

_____ (2021-04-27). How The United States Stole Democracy In Ecuador. popularresistance.org The second and final round of the presidential election took place in Ecuador on April 11. Clearing the FOG speaks with Leonardo Flores, the Latin American campaign coordinator for CODEPINK who served as an official election observer, about that election and the many ways the United States and the corporate media worked to prevent the election of the popular leftist candidate, Andres Arauz. The election of a banker, Guillermo Lasso, means the neoliberal assault on the people will continue. Flores speaks about the resistance in Ecuador and the general state of the Pink Tide in South America.

Roger Harris (2021-04-27). US Role Behind the Defeat of Ecuador's Leftist Presidential Candidate. orinocotribune.com By Roger D. Harris — Apr 25, 2021 | The US role in the defeat of leftist Andrés Arauz in Ecuador's presidential contest on April 11 was not overt because it did not need to be, according to a high-ranking Latin American diplomat. We met with the diplomat and others on an official election observation delegation with CODEPINK. Names of some sources remain anonymous due to a hostile political environment towards progressives. | This setback for the Citizens Revolution movement, founded by Rafael Correa, will have profound implications for Ecuador and beyond, fortifying the US-allied reactionary bloc in Latin A…

Yanis Iqbal (2021-04-27). How Syria Acted As A Regressive Force In The Lebanese Civil War — OpEd. eurasiareview.com April 9, 1976. The Syrian military intervened in Lebanon to fight against the National Movement (NM) and Palestinians. Kamal Jumblatt – the leader of the NM – was too radical for the liking of Damascus. With his anti-Zionist leanings, he could easily provoke Israel into invading Lebanon – increasing the strategic vulnerability of Syria. Thus, Hafez al-Assad – with the tacit consent of the US – proceeded to thwart any possibility of a leftist regime coming to power in Beirut. Tokenistic elections are held on May 16, 1976 under the watch of Syrian troops. Assad's favored candidate – Ilyas Sarkis – is made the pr…

Juan Cole (2021-04-27). No, Kerry didn't Leak Israeli strikes to Zarif; but Trump did leak Israeli Intel to Russia. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Ted Cruz and other far right demagogues have charged for over half a decade that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was misguided because you can't trust anything Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarid says. Now all of a sudden they are treating an offhand remark by Zarif in a leaked interview …

Staff (2021-04-27). Headlines for April 27, 2021. democracynow.org Andrew Brown Had Hands on Steering Wheel, Was Shot by Officers in Back of Head, Lawyer Says , Justice Department to Investigate Louisville Police, 13 Months After Breonna Taylor's Killing, Coronavirus Infections Hit New Global High, Fueled by India's "Heartbreaking" Outbreak, U.S. to Ship Up to 60 Million Doses of AstraZeneca Vaccine Abroad, Biden Orders $15/Hour Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors, Proposes Capital Gains Tax Hike, Supreme Court to Hear Torture Survivor's State Secrets Case & NRA-Backed Challenge to NY Gun Law, 2020 Census Results Alter Balance of Power in House of Representatives, Florida Senat…

Badri Raina (2021-04-27). A New Custodian in the Supreme Court: A Hope for India's Broken Democracy? zcomm.org Justice Ramana takes over as the chief justice of India at a time when democratic freedoms have been clamped down, indeed the right of habeas corpus itself has come to be in jeopardy…

Staff (2021-04-27). Headlines for April 27, 2021. democracynow.org Anthony Brown Had Hands on Steering Wheel, Was Shot by Officers in Back of Head, Lawyer Says , Justice Department to Investigate Louisville Police, 13 Months After Breonna Taylor's Killing, Coronavirus Infections Hit New Global High, Fueled by India's "Heartbreaking" Outbreak, U.S. to Ship Up to 60 Million Doses of AstraZeneca Vaccine Abroad, Biden Orders $15/Hour Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors, Proposes Capital Gains Tax Hike, Supreme Court to Hear Torture Survivor's State Secrets Case & NRA-Backed Challenge to NY Gun Law, 2020 Census Results Alter Balance of Power in House of Representatives, Florida Sena…

Editor2 (2021-04-27). Pharmaceutical Industry Dispatches Army of Lobbyists to Block Generic COVID-19 Vaccines. orinocotribune.com By Lee Fang — Apr 23 2021 | New lobbying disclosures show over 100 drug lobbyists working to defeat the IP waiver request at the WTO. | The Pharmaceutical Industry is pouring resources into the growing political fight over generic coronavirus vaccines. | Newly filed disclosure forms from the first quarter of 2021 show that over 100 lobbyists have been mobilized to contact lawmakers and members of the Biden administration, urging them to oppose a proposed temporary waiver on intellectual property rights by the World Trade Organization that would allow generic vaccines to be produced globally. | Pharmaceutical…

Rubin R. (2021-04-27). Medicare Raises Payment for Administering COVID-19 Vaccines. jamanetwork.com The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently increased the Medicare payment rate for administering COVID-19 vaccines to approximately $40 per shot.

Prakash Karat (2021-04-27). As Union Government fails, Kerala shows how to combat pandemics and protect health of citizens. mronline.org THE total number of COVID-19 cases detected across India crossed over 2,34,000 on April 17, the very day Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed an election rally in Asansol, West Bengal, where he congratulated the attendees for coming in large numbers and gushed that he had not seen such crowds at a rally before. | April 27, 2021 | Newswire…

WSWS (2021-04-27). UK government's pandemic contracts: A looting operation behind the smokescreen of "the national interest" wsws.org The blatant efforts by the state to conceal industrial-scale corruption and criminal profiteering exposes the decomposition of democratic rule.

Dean Baker (2021-04-27). Biden's Recovery: How's The Hopey-Changey Thing Working Our For You? — OpEd. eurasiareview.com I know it was the last guy who promised hope and change, not Joe Biden, but I couldn't resist stealing Sarah Palin's best line ever. Besides, even if Biden didn't promise hope and change, it looks like he might deliver. | We are going to get the GDP growth data for the first quarter this week and it is almost certain to be very strong, quite likely over 7.0 percent. This is great news in terms of recovering from the pandemic recession and getting people back to work, but we know that all the inflation hawks will be yelling that we will soon be back in the 1970s, with inflation spiraling ever higher. For this r…

Binoy Kampmark (2021-04-27). Joe Biden, Recognition and the Armenian Genocide. dissidentvoice.org Attributing names to the brutal acts humans are capable of inflicting upon each other is never without problems. There are gradations of terror, hierarchies of atrocity and cruelty. In these, the pedants reign. Disputes splutter and rage over whether a "massacre" can best be described as a crime against humanity or a counter-measure waged with …

Anonymous103 (2021-04-27). Joe Biden, Recognition And The Armenian Genocide. southfront.org Click to see full-size image | Written by Dr. Binoy Kampmark. | Attributing names to the brutal acts humans are capable of inflicting upon each other is never without problems. There are gradations of terror, hierarchies of atrocity and cruelty. In these, the pedants reign. Disputes splutter and rage over whether a "massacre" can best be described as a crime against humanity or a counter-measure waged with heavy sorrow against a threatening enemy. Scratch the surface of such arguments, and the truth is bleakly…

Binoy Kampmark (2021-04-27). Joe Biden, Recognition And The Armenian Genocide — OpEd. eurasiareview.com Attributing names to the brutal acts humans are capable of inflicting upon each other is never without problems. There are gradations of terror, hierarchies of atrocity and cruelty. In these, the pedants reign. Disputes splutter and rage over whether a "massacre" can best be described as a crime against humanity or a counter-measure waged with heavy sorrow against a threatening enemy. Scratch the surface of such arguments, and the truth is bleakly common: apologists for murder will be found. | With the Armenian Genocide, terms acutely matter. The treatment of the Armenians by the Turks as the Ottoman Empire wa…

Editor (2021-04-28). Que Biden Convierta el Acta PRO en ley por orden ejecutiva. workers.org El 8 de abril fue el "Día Nacional de Acción por la Ley PRO". La AFL-CIO se movilizó para bombardear a los senadores estadounidenses con llamadas telefónicas exigiendo que aprobaran la Ley de Protección del Derecho de Organización, (PRO, siglas en inglés). Esta legislación, aprobada por la Cámara de Representantes . . . |

Monica Moorehead (2021-04-28). In light of more police killings, Black voices must not be silenced. workers.org On April 17, three days before white police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of two counts of murder and one count of manslaughter, Rep. Maxine Waters — a longtime California Democrat whose district includes South Central Los Angeles — spoke at a rally in Brooklyn Center, Minn. This is . . . |

Tom Tomorrow (2021-04-27). The Confounding Fathers. thenation.com Republicans want to be graded on a curve.

Dean Baker (2021-04-27). Biden's Recovery: How's the Hopey-Changey Thing Working Our for You? counterpunch.org I know it was the last guy who promised hope and change, not Joe Biden, but I couldn't resist stealing Sarah Palin's best line ever. Besides, even if Biden didn't promise hope and change, it looks like he might deliver. We are going to get the GDP growth data for the first quarter this week

Pan Africanism Today Secretariat (2021-04-27). Unfreedom Day in South Africa. peoplesdispatch.org Ahead of the national holiday commemorated for the 1994 democratic elections in South Africa, a leader of the shack dwellers movement declared, "We are burning because of the conditions we live under."

Eds. (2021-04-27). How France continues to dominate its former Colonies in Africa. mronline.org In France's former African colonies, imperialist monetary policies from Paris continue to cripple domestic economies and undermine democracy. Colonialism in Africa won't have meaningfully come to an end until true economic sovereignty is allowed to flourish. | April 27, 2021 | Interview…

Roger D. Harris (2021-04-27). Ecuadorian Election: US Secures Another Neoliberal Champion Without Intervening (Overtly). mintpressnews.com By the time of the 2021 presidential election in Ecuador, the playing field had been rendered so precipitously unlevel that the US had little need to overtly intervene.

Dave Lindorff (2021-04-27). No More Police Killings of Children! counterpunch.org Kids of color appear to be fair game for too many cops: No More Police Killings of Children! By Dave Lindorff The latest police murder — and that's what it was whatever the circumstances — of 16-old foster child Ma'Khia Bryant by a Columbus, Ohio cop, is sickening to watch. No way did that officer,

Staff (2021-04-27). No, Biden's Not Banning Burgers — But Meat Is a Real Climate Problem. truthout.org Fact-checkers are slamming Republicans and the right-wing media for repeating false claims that President Joe Biden's climate plan would require Americans to drastically reduce consumption of red meat. While the rumors about Biden have been thoroughly

Anonymous103 (2021-04-27). All In Against SouthFront: US Intelligence To Create New Foreign Malign Influence Center. southfront.org Illustrative Image | The US top spy agency is going to establish a new center to combat hostile foreign meddling in U.S. national affairs. The decision was made following multiple assessments that Russia and other US enemies allegedly have sought to sway elections and sow chaos among the American people. | The "Russian dire threat" has been the main duty of US intelligence for years. The US treasure has already been drained on billions of dollars allocated to fight against the mythical Russian information campaig…

Staff (2021-04-27). Ivy League Secret Exposed: Classes Used Bones of Black Children Killed in 1985 MOVE Police Bombing. democracynow.org Outrage is growing in Philadelphia after explosive revelations that the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University have been in possession of remains thought to belong to two children who were among 11 people killed in the 1985 police bombing of the Philadelphia home of the radical, Black liberation and anti-police-brutality group MOVE. We show an excerpt of a training video — now removed from the internet — by an anthropologist at the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University who has been using the bones of at least one of the young bombing victims for the past 36 years — wit…

Staff (2021-04-27). "A Warrant Is Not a License to Kill": Rev. William Barber Condemns Police "Execution" of Andrew Brown. democracynow.org Hundreds of demonstrators have taken to the streets of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, to protest the police killing of Andrew Brown Jr., a 42-year-old Black father shot dead in his car on April 21. On Monday, authorities allowed Brown's family and attorney to watch a 20-second video clip of the shooting. The family says it shows Brown was shot in the back of the head while his hands were on the steering wheel of a car, calling it an "execution." Seven sheriff's deputies have already been placed on paid administrative leave; two other deputies have resigned, and another retired over the past week. But supporters…

Sonali Kolhatkar (2021-04-27). Almost Everything Biden Said About Ending the Afghanistan War Was a Lie. counterpunch.org President Joe Biden, in announcing an ostensible end to the U.S. war in Afghanistan, is continuing his streak of paying eloquent lip service to progressive causes while maintaining the implied status quo. In a televised address from the White House on April 14, Biden said, "it's time to end America's longest war. It's time for

repost (2021-04-27). SEP National Secretary Kishore spreads lies about an Amazon worker & former party member. indybay.org An Amazon worker who was a member of the SEP talks about their position opposing unionization and attacking democracy…

WSWS (2021-04-28). COVID-19 catastrophe overshadows Peru election. wsws.org With its health care system in a state of collapse, Peru trails only Brazil in terms of Latin American countries with the highest per-capita death rates.

MISES (2021-04-28). It's Time To End The Embargo Against Cuba — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Jacob G. Hornberger* | Now that Cuban president Raul Castro has resigned the presidency of Cuba, will the U.S. government lift its six-decades-long economic embargo against Cuba? | Don't count it. Squeezing the life out of the Cuban people as a way to get regime change has become such a normalized way of life for the United States that it is unlikely that this cruel and brutal policy will be ended anytime soon. | Back in the day, the embargo was justified as part of the Cold War against "godless communism" and, specifically, the international communist conspiracy that was supposedly based in Moscow, Russia,…

IDN (2021-04-28). Sleepwalking Into Nuclear War? — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Jonathan Power* | Last week on Tuesday (April 20), US Strategic Command, the part of the military responsible for nuclear weaponry and its use, posted an official Tweet that read, "We must account for the possibility of conflict leading to conditions which could very rapidly drive an adversary to consider nuclear use as their least bad option". | This came just as Russia was pulling back its large deployment of troops on Ukraine's border which, in turn, was triggered in part by President Joseph Biden's decision to ship for the first time sophisticated weapons to Ukraine. | The crisis has now passed but the…

Randall G. Holcombe (2021-04-28). President Biden's Climate Pledge: Aspirations Versus Policies — OpEd. eurasiareview.com With regard to climate policy, the main problem with President Biden's declaration is that he has suggested no actua…

K. Lloyd Billingsley (2021-04-28). The Senator Nobody Voted For Has A Curious Plan For Biden's America — OpEd. eurasiareview.com With Vice President Kamala Harris in the "Biden-Harris" Administration, California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Alex Padilla to replace Harris in the Senate. Both politicians have back stories that people across the nation and around the world should know. | Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was a city councilman in Los Angeles from 1999—2006, and a state senator from 2006—2014. The following year Padilla became California's Secretary of State, and after the 2016 election, Padilla refused to cooperate with a federal probe of voter fraud, a longstanding practice in California. | As a State Department inve…

SA News (2021-04-28). South Africa Celebrates Freedom Day. eurasiareview.com South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa says government has made great progress towards realising the rights of people and advancing human dignity. | "Today we have a country where all enjoy human rights and freedoms," the President said. | Speaking at this year's Freedom Day celebration in Botshabelo in the Free State, President Ramaphosa said the country has a Constitution that is a shield and a protection for all. | "And yet, even as we have lived in a democratic country for the past 27 years, we know that across many parts of South Africa, the promise of 1994 has not yet been fulfilled. Millions of South…

Robert Reich (2021-04-28). Robert Reich: How To Stop Republicans From Stealing Elections — OpEd. eurasiareview.com Republican-controlled state legislatures

Iran News Wire (2021-04-28). Khamenei's Iran Elections Impasse — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Adena Nima | Less than two months to Iran's presidential elections and the regime has yet to officially announce its candidates for the

IDN (2021-04-28). State Funeral For Leader Of Chad Embraced By Western Nations. eurasiareview.com By Lisa Vives | European and American military leaders lost a key African ally in their fight against insurgent movements across Africa. Foreign forces face an uncertain future with the recent death of the President of the African nation of Chad. | Idriss Deby Itno died on April 20 during a firefight with militants of the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) who had crossed into Chad from Libya. His death coincided with his reelection victory for a sixth term that would have made him one of the longest-serving leaders in the world. | Deby, 68, a French-trained officer and pilot, was hailed by his Wester…

Dave Lindorff (2021-04-27). No More Police Killings Of Children! — OpEd. eurasiareview.com The latest police murder — and that's what it was whatever the circumstances — of 16-old foster child Ma'Khia Bryant by a Columbus, Ohio cop, is sickening to watch. | No way did that officer, Nicholas Reardon, have to kill that young teenage girl. Maybe she had a knife, and maybe she was even planning to try and stab or cut the girl or woman dressed in pink that she was running towards at the time of the shooting. But the odds of such an injury being fatal with the small kitchen paring knife in her hand were not great. | Besides, there were other ways available to Officer Reardon to have stopped he…

Jacob G. Hornberger (2021-04-27). Why the Embargo Against Cuba? counterpunch.org Now that Cuban president Raul Castro has resigned the presidency of Cuba, will the U.S. government lift its six-decades-long economic embargo against Cuba? Don't count it. Squeezing the life out of the Cuban people as a way to get regime change has become such a normalized way of life for the United States that it

Staff (2021-04-27). Rising Calls for Expulsion of US Military from Turkey. orinocotribune.com Caracas and Montreal, April 26 (Orinoco Tribune)—On Saturday, US President Joe Biden announced that his country classified the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Empire forces during the First World War, in present-day Turkey, as "genocide." This led to harsh condemnations from the Turkish government. | On Sunday, the President of the Patriotic Party of Turkey, Dogu Perinàßek, announced that his country should stop military cooperation with Washington, expel the US Army from its territory, and prohibit the use of its air bases by the US Air Force, including those involved in the North Atlantic Treaty Or…

Ralph Nader (2021-04-27). If Biden is a "union guy" — Go After the Taft-Hartley Monster! zcomm.org Even mentioning the repeal of Taft-Hartley by unions and Democratic candidates has become taboo…

Peoples Dispatch (2021-04-27). Cuba reaffirms socialist revolutionary horizon. peoplesdispatch.org The Eighth Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba concluded on April 19. It was the Congress for the Historical Continuity of the Cuban Revolution. One of the key objectives of this conference was to define the"continuity and irreversibility" of the Cuban revolutionary process. As part of this process, Raul Castro, the First Secretary of the party stepped down from his post.

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2021-04-27). Urging Biden to 'Put Human Lives Before Billionaire Profit,' Seattle City Coucil Backs Vaccine Patent Waiver. commondreams.org Seattle's resolution endorsing a coronavirus vaccine patent waiver "demonstrates our movement's rejection of the status quo of profit-driven vaccine apartheid and vaccine nationalism, and our fight for vaccine internationalism," said City Councilmember Kshama Sawant. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/seattle_city_council_patent_waiver.jpg

WSWS (2021-04-27). Pelosi backs bipartisan commission to cover up Republican complicity in January 6 coup attempt. wsws.org The proposed commission, editorially endorsed by the New York Times, would have equal representation for the Republican Party, whose congressional representatives largely backed the effort by Trump to overturn the 2020 election and establish a presidential dictatorship.

WSWS repost (2021-04-27). Pelosi backs commission to cover up Republican complicity in January 6 coup attempt. indybay.org The proposed commission, editorially endorsed by the New York Times, would have equal representation for the Republican Party, whose congressional representatives largely backed the effort by Trump to overturn the 2020 election and establish a presidential dictatorship.

Sam Adler-Bell (2021-04-27). AOC and the Making of Millennial Politics. thenation.com AOC and the Making of Millennial Politics…

Andy Kroll (2021-04-27). Waiting for the Cyber-Apocalypse. tomdispatch.com America has a serious infrastructure problem. Maybe when I say that what comes to mind are all the potholes on your street. Or the dismal state of public transportation in your city. Or crumbling bridges all over the country. But that's so twentieth century of you. America's most urgent infrastructure vulnerability is largely invisible and unlikely to be fixed by the Biden administration's $2 trillion American Jobs Plan. I'm thinking about vulnerabilities that lurk in your garage (your car), your house (your computer), and even your pocket (your phone). Like those devices of yours, all connected to the Internet a…

Dave DeCamp (2021-04-27). US Orders Drawdown of Staff at Afghanistan Embassy. news.antiwar.com The US State Department said on Tuesday that it ordered some staff to leave the embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, as part of the Biden administration's preparation to withdraw troops from the country. "By minimizing the number of employees in Afghanistan whose functions can be performed elsewhere, personnel who are urgently needed to address issues related to the drawd…

Amy Littlefield (2021-04-27). Will the Biden Administration Get Bolder on Improving Abortion Access? thenation.com Will the Biden Administration Get Bolder on Improving Abortion Access?

John Nichols (2021-04-27). The Most Righteous Thing Joe Biden Has Done as President. thenation.com The Most Righteous Thing Joe Biden Has Done as President…

commondreams (2021-04-27). President Biden: Stop Deportations Now, End Title 42! commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2021-04-27). Progressive Caucus Applauds Biden Decision to Raise the Wage for Federal Contract Workers; Renews Call for Lifting Minimum Wage to $15 for All Workers. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2021-04-27). Patriotic Millionaires Applaud Biden Executive Order to Raise the Minimum Wage for Federal Contract Workers to $15 an Hour. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2021-04-27). Sunrise Ahead of Biden's Joint Address: "Legislate Like Our Lives Depend on It" commondreams.org ______________________________…

Manlio Dinucci (2021-04-27). Afghanistan, il piano Usa di una nuova catastrofe. globalresearch.ca Il generale Scott Miller, comandante delle forze Usa e alleate in Afghanistan, ha annunciato il 25 aprile l'inizio del ritiro delle truppe straniere che, secondo quanto deciso dal presidente Biden, dovrebbe essere ultimato entro l'11 settembre. Gli Usa terminano …

William I. Robinson (2021-04-27). Crisis capitalista y control social: øQué hay detrás de la 'Nueva Guerra Fría'? globalizacion.ca La decisión del presidente norteamericano Joe Biden el pasado 15 de abril de expulsar a 10 diplomáticos del Kremlin y de imponer nuevas sanciones contra Rusia por su alegada injerencia en las elecciones presidenciales estadounidenses de 2020 — y a…

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2021-04-27). With 300,000 Deported in First 100 Days, Rights Group Warns Biden 'Well on Track to Repeat' Obama Failures. commondreams.org Biden "must make a choice," argues United We Dream: "repeat the mistakes of the Obama administration or do everything in his power to end the cruelty of detentions, expulsions, and deportations." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-13023134511.jpg

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2021-04-27). Poll Shows People of the World Think US Significantly Less Awful Now That Trump Is Gone. commondreams.org According to the latest surveys of adults in 14 other nations, favorable views of the U.S. have increased by an average of nine points since Biden's inauguration. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/trump_unpopular.jpg

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2021-04-27). 'Good First Step': Warren Welcomes Biden's IRS Boost to Target Rich Tax Cheats. commondreams.org "Republicans have starved the IRS so it can't go after wealthy tax cheats," says Sen. Elizabeth Warren. "This $80 billion announcement from President Biden is a good first step." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1742389461.jpg

ecns.cn (2021-04-26). Biden plans to raise capital gains taxes for top 0.3 pct of U.S. households: White House advisor. ecns.cn U.S. President Joe Biden plans to raise capital gains taxes for households earning more than 1 million U.S. dollars a year as part of a plan to invest in American families, a top White House economic advisor said Monday.

Justice Vanguard (2021-04-27). Saturday 5/1: Love Over Hate Unity March and Rally. indybay.org Mountain View City Hall Plaza | 500 Castro St. | Mountain View, CA…

Dean Baker (2021-04-27). Cheap Theatrics on Facebook from Congress. cepr.net Two members of Congress, Tom Malinowski and Anna Eshoo, took to the Washington Post today to promote their meaningless plan to attack social media profits in the name of protecting democracy (their terminology). The gist of their column is that they want to take away Section 230 protection for any social media company that has …

Max Elbaum (2021-04-27). Key to Strategy #1: Know Your Enemy. zcomm.org The outcome of electoral battle will determine whether the country descends into dictatorship or takes a path toward multiracial democracy and economic transformation…

Jeffrey C. Isaac (2021-04-27). Putting Liberal Democracy First Has Never Been More Important. commondreams.org "Republicans understand this. They understand that liberal democracy is a potential means of serious challenges to the privileges and inequalities they seek to defend," writes Jeffrey C. Isaac. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/democracy-1.jpg

Staff (2021-04-27). Impunity of an Empire: The Cost of Plunder in the Philippines and the Resistance. dsausa.org Hear from Filipino Solidarity Activists about: 1. The historical relationship between the US and the Philippines and the dire consequences of its colonial dynamics. 2: The current situation in the Philippines under the Duterte dictatorship 3. The popular struggle for democracy against imperialism & the current demands of the Filipino people 4.How people in this…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2021-04-27). 'Letting the Terrorists Win'? Manchin Suggests Pro-Democracy Reform Would Spark Another Insurrection. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-13135068041.jpg

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2021-04-27). After Being Cut Off by GOP Senator, Stacey Abrams Releases 6-Minute Rundown of Georgia's Attack on Voting. commondreams.org "In Fulton County, our largest county and one that is predominantly African American, the number of drop boxes will be reduced from 38 to eight for no good reason other than Republicans want to make it harder for people of color to vote." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/abrams.jpg

Staff (2021-04-27). Marketing, Elections and Anti-Chavismo Unity: PUSCI is Born. orinocotribune.com Venezuelan opposition announced the launch of a new unity platform. So far in political history, this is the fifth attempt by the bench to work together, but does this new initiative have the possibility of functioning? | Political unity is one of the most complex propositions. Finding common ground and not betraying each other is a challenge that requires maturity and respect for those alongside whom you must work. | In recent years, the Venezuelan opposition has undergone several attempts to present itself as a single bloc against Chavismo, but the efforts have been unsuccessful. | To date, we can mention: | 1-…

Peter Tase (2021-04-27). Deteriorating Conditions: Interview With An Iranian Pensioner. eurasiareview.com Despite high-ranking officials of the Iranian regime touting the importance of the presidential election that is scheduled for June 18, 2021, there is a growing concern that citizens nationwide may in fact be less favorable to participate. Fear of not attaining the minimum legitimacy for the formation of government, with an unprecedented systematic corruption, unemployment, and poverty, along with the collapse of Supreme Leader's awe in Iran and the region, international and deadly economy isolation, and most importantly being the only country in the region without vaccines and Immunity from coronavirus, have…

Johanna Kichton (2021-04-27). People's Action and The New Conversation Initiative Join Forces to Launch Nation's First Deep Canvass Institute. peoplesaction.org Growing in Popularity as Movement Tool, Deep Canvassing is a Method Used to Defeat Trump, Pass LGBTQ Rights, and Win Big Contact: Johanna Kichton, press@peoplesaction.org, 240.206.1145 WASHINGTON, D.C.—People's Action and The New Conversation Initiative today announced the launch of the nation's first Deep Canvass Institute. Deep canvassing is a groundbreaking conversation methodology that is proven …

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2021-04-26). Scores of House Dems Demand Biden Act on 'Important Expansion of Medicare'. commondreams.org "Lowering the Medicare eligibility age and improving its benefits package would provide immediate and substantial relief for millions of individuals throughout the United States." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/jayapal_neguse_1.jpg

Editor2 (2021-04-26). Biden's Package and its Pitfalls. orinocotribune.com By Prabhat Patnaik — Apr 24, 2021 | U.S. President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion rescue package is one of the most ambitious measures to revive the U.S. and, with it, the world economy. Coming on the heels of Trump's $2 trillion package last year and a further $900 billion package announced in December 2020, it seeks not just to provide relief from the pandemic but to start a new boom in the U.S. which, it is expected, will have spill-over effects for the world as a whole, notwithstanding the protectionist measures against imports introduced in the U.S. under Donald Trump. It will also raise the U.S. fiscal defi…

sputniknews (2021-04-26). Kamala Harris Will Reportedly Address UN Urging Countries to Prepare for New Pandemic. sputniknews.com The world is still struggling to overcome the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but some voices, including among the medical community, are already saying that the emergence of the next one is just a matter of time.

Ali Abunimah (2021-04-26). Israel lobby's "Death to the Arabs" damage control. zcomm.org As Netanyahu struggles to retain his post as prime minister in the wake of Israel's latest inconclusive election, he hardly wants to alienate a large part of his racist base…

Roger D. Harris (2021-04-26). US Role Behind the Defeat of Ecuador's Leftist Presidential Candidate. dissidentvoice.org The US role in the defeat of leftist Andrés Arauz in Ecuador's presidential contest on April 11 was not overt because it did not need to be, according to a high-ranking Latin American diplomat. We met with the diplomat and others on an official election observation delegation with CODEPINK. Names of some sources remain anonymous …

Juan Cole (2021-04-26). Methane Menace and Global Heating: Why President Biden is wrong and Fracking must be Banned. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — When running for office, Joe Biden pledged that the federal government would not ban hydraulic fracturing or fracking. This environmentally disastrous method of extracting petroleum and natural gas from shale rock beneath the earth involves pumping water down there under enormous pressure to break up the rocks and release the …

Juan Cole (2021-04-26). Methane Menace and Global Heating. zcomm.org Why President Biden is wrong and Fracking must be Banned…

Deirdre Griswold (2021-04-26). 60 years ago: The invasion that failed. workers.org Sixty years ago — on April 17, 1961 — some 1,400 heavily armed right-wing exiles waded ashore at Cuba's aptly named Bay of Pigs (Playa Girón) to initiate what they thought would be the overthrow of the revolutionary government headed by Fidel Castro. Cuban revolutionaries, led by Fidel, celebrate defeat . . . |

W. T. Whitney Jr. (2021-04-26). Díaz-Canel offers blunt truth on Cuban economy at party congress. peoplesworld.org The Cuban Communist Party's Eighth Congress took place in Havana on April 16-19, five years after the previous one. President Miguel Díaz-Canel, who had just replaced former President Raúl Castro as first secretary of the party's Central Committee, delivered the closing remarks. Castro is retiring from public life. Centering on the congress's theme of continuity, …

Rajan Menon (2021-04-26). The Graveyard of Empires Redux: America's Ruinous Pursuit of Mission Impossible in Afghanistan. juancole.com By Rajan Menon | — ( Tomdispatch.com ) — On May 1st, the date Donald Trump signed onto for the withdrawal of the remaining 3,500 American troops from Afghanistan, the war there, already 19 years old, was still officially a teenager. Think of September 11, 2021 — the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and …

PAI (2021-04-26). Manchin says he supports ProAct, but would keep filibuster. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON —A key senator in the fight to pass the Protect The Right To Organize (Pro) Act, West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin, formally announced he supports it. But while that's good news and makes him the sponsor #47 for the legislation, there's a caveat: In the same press conference, Manchin again upheld the Senate filibuster, …

PAI (2021-04-26). Manchin says he supports Pro Act, but would keep kill filibuster. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON —A key senator in the fight to pass the Protect The Right To Organize (Pro) Act, West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin, formally announced he supports it. But while that's good news and makes him the sponsor #47 for the legislation, there's a caveat: In the same press conference, Manchin again upheld the Senate filibuster, …

Max Elbaum (2021-04-26). Know your enemy: Left strategy in the post-Trump (?) era. peoplesworld.org This is the first part of a commentary by veteran organizer Max Elbaum on the strategy and tactics needed now. Sun Tzu's famous dictum about how to prevail in war applies to politics too. We have to know our enemy and know ourselves. For the know-our-enemy part, understanding the underlying system we are up against is essential. …

Anonymous007 (2021-04-26). Chaos In Mogadishu As Political Crisis Deepens. southfront.org Click to see full-size image | On April 25th, the election stalemate in Somalia led to rival factions beginning clashes in Mogadishu. | The fighting took place between federal government forces of President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, known as Farmajo, and members of the Somali military who are aligning themselves with opposition leaders. | There is an unknown number of casualties. | The talks on normalization collapsed after Farmajo failed to hold presidential and parliamentary elections by February, as scheduled,…

webdev (2021-04-26). Mother of Charlottesville Victim Condemns GOP for Giving Immunity to Drivers Who Hit Protesters. democracynow.org Many of the anti-protest laws pushed by Republicans include measures that provide civil or criminal immunity to drivers who hit demonstrators with their vehicles. A pending Oklahoma measure would offer both. "It's declaring open season," says Susan Bro, whose daughter Heather Heyer was killed in 2017 when a white supremacist plowed his car into a crowd of counterprotesters at the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville. "Since when do we allow the public to become judge, jury and executioner? Because that's what this amounts to: Let's go hunt protesters."

Staff (2021-04-26). "Our Demand Is for Him to Be Fired": Outrage in Kenosha as Cop Who Shot Jacob Blake Returns to Work. democracynow.org Relatives and supporters of Jacob Blake staged a sit-in with arrests outside the Kenosha police headquarters in Wisconsin to protest the department's decision to allow police officer Rusten Sheskey to return to work. Sheskey, who is white, fired seven shots at point-blank range into the back of Jacob Blake last August, leaving the 29-year-old African American father partially paralyzed and sparking massive protests. Sheskey had been on administrative leave but faced no charges for the shooting. "There's been so many injustices carried on through this investigation," says Jacob Blake Sr., the father of Jacob Blake…

webdev (2021-04-26). GOP Criminalizes Dissent with Anti-Riot Laws Targeting Black Lives Matter & Anti-Pipeline Protests. democracynow.org We look at a slew of anti-protest laws pending in Republican-led states, and some that have already passed, such as in Florida, where Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed a controversial measure known as the "anti-riot bill" that is widely viewed as a response to the Black Lives Matter movement and calls to "defund the police." Under the new law, a public gathering of three or more people can be classified as a "riot," and anyone who "willingly" participates in such a gathering can be charged with a third-degree felony. Many of the anti-protest bills pending in other states have the exact same language as the…

Staff (2021-04-26). GOP Criminalizes Dissent with Anti-Riot Laws Targeting Black Lives Matter & Anti-Pipeline Protests. democracynow.org We look at a slew of anti-protest laws pending in Republican-led states, and some that have already passed, such as in Florida, where Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed a controversial measure known as the "anti-riot bill" that is widely viewed as a response to the Black Lives Matter movement and calls to "defund the police." Under the new law, a public gathering of three or more people can be classified as a "riot," and anyone who "willingly" participates in such a gathering can be charged with a third-degree felony. Many of the anti-protest bills pending in other states have the exact same language as the…

Staff (2021-04-26). "Open Season": Heather Heyer's Mother Slams New Laws Giving Immunity to Drivers Who Hit Protesters. democracynow.org Many of the anti-protest laws pushed by Republicans include measures that provide civil or criminal immunity to drivers who hit demonstrators with their vehicles. A pending Oklahoma measure would offer both. "It's declaring open season," says Susan Bro, whose daughter Heather Heyer was killed in 2017 when a white supremacist plowed his car into a crowd of counterprotesters at the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville. "Since when do we allow the public to become judge, jury and executioner? Because that's what this amounts to: Let's go hunt protesters."

webdev (2021-04-26). "Our Demand Is for Him to Be Fired": Outrage in Kenosha as Cop Who Shot Jacob Blake Returns to Work. democracynow.org Relatives and supporters of Jacob Blake staged a sit-in with arrests outside the Kenosha police headquarters in Wisconsin to protest the department's decision to allow police officer Rusten Sheskey to return to work. Sheskey, who is white, fired seven shots at point-blank range into the back of Jacob Blake last August, leaving the 29-year-old African American father partially paralyzed and sparking massive protests. Sheskey had been on administrative leave but faced no charges for the shooting. "There's been so many injustices carried on through this investigation," says Jacob Blake Sr., the father of Jacob Blake…

Staff (2021-04-26). Biden Recognizes Armenian Genocide of 1915, Despite Decades of Lobbying & Denialism by Turkey. democracynow.org As President Joe Biden makes history by explicitly describing the 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as a "genocide," we speak with Peter Balakian, Pulitzer Prize-winning Armenian American poet and professor at Colgate University. On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Empire began a systematic, premeditated campaign targeting the Armenian people, an unarmed Christian minority living under Turkish rule. More than a million Armenians were exterminated through direct killing, starvation, torture and forced death marches. Another million Armenian people fled into permanent exile. "It's an important statement," resp…

webdev (2021-04-26). Biden Recognizes Armenian Genocide of 1915, Despite Decades of Lobbying & Denialism by Turkey. democracynow.org As President Joe Biden makes history by explicitly describing the 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as a "genocide," we speak with Peter Balakian, Pulitzer Prize-winning Armenian American poet and professor at Colgate University. On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Empire began a systematic, premeditated campaign targeting the Armenian people, an unarmed Christian minority living under Turkish rule. More than a million Armenians were exterminated through direct killing, starvation, torture and forced death marches. Another million Armenian people fled into permanent exile. "It's an important statement," resp…

Eds. (2021-04-26). Solidarity with Kshama Sawant: Against the Seattle Elite's Recall Campaign. mronline.org A recall election allows citizens to vote out an elected official, after a process of garnering a certain percentage of names on a petition and clearing legal challenges. | April 26, 2021 | Newswire…

Geoff Dutton (2021-04-26). How Not to Fix the Post Office or Government in General. counterpunch.org Yesterday my postbox disgorged ten letters, all from organizations seeking donations. Among them was an envelope with "Do you care if you no longer receive your mail at home?" next to my name. Its backside disclosed the sender was DLCC, the Democratic Leadership Campaign Committee, a 527 PAC (enabled by the 2010 Citizens United Supreme

John Laforge (2021-04-26). Biden's MacArthur Moment. counterpunch.org Joe Biden has his own Douglas MacArthur moment, and should replace the head of US Strategic Command, Adm. Charles A. Richard, just as Harry Truman fired the insubordinate commander of the US war in Korea. Truman biographer David McCullough reports that in November 1950, Gen. "MacArthur called on the administration to recognize the 'state of war'

John Laforge (2021-04-26). Biden's MacArthur Moment. counterpunch.org Joe Biden has his own Douglas MacArthur moment, and should replace the head of US Strategic Command, Adm. Charles A. Richard, just as Harry Truman fired the insubordinate commander of the US war in Korea. Truman biographer David McCullough reports that in November 1950, Gen. "MacArthur called on the administration to recognize the 'state of

Sonali Kolhatkar (2021-04-26). Almost everything Biden said about ending the Afghanistan War was a lie. mronline.org While Americans hailed the announcement that the U.S. would withdraw troops from Afghanistan after nearly two decades of war, President Biden left out the most important details about the war and how it will in fact continue. | April 26, 2021 | News…

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